After School Matters unique programs offer teens an opportunity to explore and develop their talents, while gaining critical skills for work, college and beyond. A few of the innovative programs offered include:
- Lifeguarding - sports37 (LaFollette Park in West Humboldt Park)
The lifeguard apprenticeship offers teens an opportunity to train to become certified lifeguards. Apprentices are trained in aquatic rescue, CPR and other life-saving skills.
- Mosaic Collaborative - gallery37 (Chicago Mosaic School in North Center)
Teens learn mosaic skills and work together on mosaic design, concepts and color to create a cohesive mosaic mural work that is sustainable and a source of pride for the teens and the community. Teens can earn Service Learning Hours upon completion of the program.
- Green Lungs - science37 (Marshall Metropolitan High School in East Garfield Park)
This unique program provides teens the opportunity to gain skills in ecosystem and landscape-based management that can provide the foundation for a career in science, agriculture, design, public policy or any number of related disciplines. Teens will be called upon to devise solutions to negative ecological trends, such as stormwater management and food deserts, that plague many low-income communities.
- Lawndale Legacies - tech37 (Lawndale Christian Development Corporation in Lawndale)
Teens learn technical computer skills necessary to work with industry professionals, community businesses and residents to develop several pilot e-commerce websites that help North Lawndale businesses and individuals market their services, products and skills online.
- Clay Relief - gallery37 (Gallery37 Center for the Arts in the Loop)
Teens in this program learn the history of ceramics and create colorful 3D clay pieces.
- BIZ Boot Camp - Innovation (Hyde Park High School in Hyde Park)
The Support Group's BIZ Boot Camp is designed to spark teens' interest in entrepreneurship. Students will learn skills in marketing, advertising, budgeting and event planning.
- True Star Editorial - words37 (Morgan Park High School in Morgan Park)
The True Star Media Apprenticeship program builds teens' writing, communication, business, creative and basic life skills through the development of the quarterly True Starmagazine, the True Star Radio weekly radio show, daily blog Truestaris.com, and a mini-magazine, True Star Jr.
All After School Matters programs, which typically meet three days a week for 75-90 hours over the course of 10-to-16 weeks, are free and open to Chicago teen residents who are at least 14 years of age, and entering or currently enrolled in high school. Teens can search for programs that interest them at locations in and around their neighborhood atwww.afterschoolmatters.org. Teens must apply online and meet with program instructors to discuss and present their skills and interests. Teens are encouraged to apply early as program opportunities fill up quickly.
Founded in 1991 by former Chicago First Lady Maggie Daley, After School Matters provides teens with opportunities that supplement and enrich the learning that takes place during the traditional school day.
"After School Matters offers teens unique, high quality, out-of-school time program opportunities to explore and develop their talents in safe and enriching environments," said Mary Ellen Caron, chief executive officer of After School Matters. "By supporting their development of skills in these content areas as well as important career readiness skills, we help them discover their potential and find their path to a meaningful life."
Multiple independent studies and recent data have confirmed that teens who participate in After School Matters apprenticeship programs have fewer course failures, better attendance and higher high school graduation rates. In fact, After School Matters teens who participate for three or more program cycles were found to enroll in college at an 18 percent higher rate and attend nearly 12 more days of high school annually than their CPS peers.
For more information about After School Matters and to apply for Spring programs, visitwww.afterschoolmatters.org. Follow After School Matters on Twitter at @aftrschoolmttrsand on Facebook at facebook.com/afterschoolmatters.
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Founded in 1991 by former Chicago First Lady Maggie Daley, who served as its Board Chair until her passing in 2011, After School Matters is a nonprofit organization that offers Chicago high school teens high quality, out-of-school-time opportunities to explore and develop their talents, while gaining critical skills for work, college and beyond. Over the past two decades, more than 100,000 teens have participated in our hands-on, project-based arts, communications, science, sports and technology programs at Chicago public high schools, community locations across the city and Downtown at Gallery 37 Center for the Arts. After School Matters programs are developed and delivered through a network of public and private partnerships, including Chicago Public Schools, the Chicago Park District, the Chicago Public Library and a wide range of community organizations.