"Access to Opportunities"
After School Program
Free programming serving under-resourced 2nd to 4th graders that takes a holistic approach in providing academic support as well as opportunities to build non-cognitive skills.
Filling A Need
Serving Children Who Are Under Resourced
Recognizing the increase in students qualifying for free and reduced lunches.
A Free Program In Manheim Township
The population of families in poverty has grown from 10% to 30% of about 5000 students over the last 10 years alone. That is 1500 potentially under resourced children in the community.
Changing Lives
The program provides assistance to students in need and finds ways to help and enrich the community.
Why Is It Important?
The Emerald Foundation Community Campus Access to Opportunities After School Program was developed to benefit the growing number of students in the Manheim Township School District that are facing diverse challenges and obstacles.
Youth spend only 20 percent of their waking hours in school. How they invest the other 80 percent of their time is a game-changer. Studies show affluent youth experience 6,000 more hours of enrichment and learning compared to their low-income peers by 8th grade.
How It Helps
Keeping Kids Safe
In PA, 26% of children are unsupervised in the afternoons. Out-of-school-time (OST) programs keep young people safe during the highest crime time hours of 3 to 6pm weekdays. Those in after school programs are less likely to use drugs, become teen parents, or be victims or perpetrators of crime.
Inspires Learning
After school and summer programs can add 1080 hours of learning to the year. That adds up to 144 additional school days. Those in OST programs have better grades, attendance, behavior, and college/career attainment.
Support For Working Families
Parents are better workers when their children are engaged in quality programs. Working parents miss an average of eight days a year due to a lack of after school care for their children.
OST Programs Take Place In All Types Of Venues
Programs can occur before school, after school, on holidays, weekends and during the summer. OST programs offer learning and enrichment activities from academic pursuits to physical and social development.
More About Our Mission
The program focuses on getting children involved in extracurricular activities, improving student’s literacy and STEM skills, increasing cultural awareness, building non-cognitive skills, and feeding students on a consistent basis.
Collaboration at the Core
Through partnerships, "Access to Opportunities" is able to deliver a comprehensive approach to provide learning experiences that are typically out of reach for lower-income families.
Schedule
Our after school program runs during the school year on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays from 4:00 - 6:00 pm. We follow the Manheim Township calendar for any closures or delays.
Support our Growing Student Body
Your support of the “Access to Opportunities” After School Program will help local students receive equal access to opportunities.