J. Ashburn Jr. Youth Center’s Executive Director, Keith Neal, believes that comprehensive service programs provide a vehicle for enhancing education and employment opportunities, helping youth set achievable and meaningful goals for their lives, and providing an infrastructure to develop decision making skills and foster empowered thinking and behaviors. In order to meet the needs of the community the Center provides comprehensive programs and services that connect youth to tutoring, homework help, advanced training, college preparation, college visits, employment training & opportunities; provide recreation and social skills; and improve occupational and literacy skills. The Center has a number of programs and services.
The J. Ashburn Jr. Youth Center’s After School Homework Help program provides comprehensive after school activities that are fun & help youth achieve success in school and life. The Center’s programs offer both an academic and an enrichment component every day. The academic component includes activities like tutoring, homework help and assistance in academic content areas. Participants have structured homework time, tutoring, and computer lab activities. Enrichment includes recreation, technology, art, dance, sports, prevention activities, etc. Dinner and snacks are served everyday.
The After School Program provides a mix of academic, recreational and cultural activities for youth in grades K-5 after school, summer, and during holidays. These services set the stage for success as participants continue their learning – ultimately becoming productive citizens. Service delivery is divided into three categories: education; health/nutrition; and recreation. This is accomplished by offering high-quality activities that stimulate curiosity and creativity, including educational enrichment, cultural arts, and recreation; providing hot and nutritious meals; and setting high behavioral expectations and standards for youth.
After School Program
J. Ashburn Jr. Youth Center assist youth in strengthening academic performance through academic daily homework sessions, one hour s day. We also provide wholesome use of free time and create an environment for artistic expression, growth and development while foresting creative thinking. Provided as a skill based enrichment program, classes are offered as open art, one on one art and special art projects.
No Child Left Behind Tutoring
The J. Ashburn Jr. Youth Center offers after school tutoring. Our objective is to realize measurable improvement on testing between a pre and post test taken by the students. Students in grades 3-8 are eligible to receive 24 hours of tutoring. Middle School students will attend three two-hour tutoring sessions for eight weeks. Staff will collaborate with parents to develop an Improvement Achievement Plan for the child that includes academic goals, timeline, and assessment.
Summer Life Enrichment Program
In 2008 the J. Ashburn Jr. Youth Center created a program on the theme of Science Technology Recreation Engineering Art Mathematics (S.T.R.E.A.M). The students experience variety of daily activities and weekly field trips. Daily activities include a balance of academics and extracurricular activities. Children will receive a nutritious breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The program is FREE for those who are TANF eligible.
Lead The Way
Lead The Way is a local organization that partners with the J. Ashburn Jr. Youth Center. Lead The Way provides educational enrichment and internship opportunities for students with physical, sensory or learning disabilities. Several activities include exposure to mentors and role models with disabilities, tutoring, homework help, self-advocacy, leadership opportunities, post-secondary awareness, workforce development, and summer employment.