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Youth Programs – After School
Houston Parks and Recreation Department
After School Enrichment Program
The Houston Parks & Recreation Department offers the After School Enrichment Program free of charge to children between the ages of 6 & 13. Children registered in the program take part in a broad range of activities during after-school hours under the guidance of H.P.A.R.D. staff at community centers across the city.
Webpage: https://www.houstontx.gov/parks/youthsports.html
After School Achievement Program
The Mayor’s After-School Achievement Program (ASAP) is designed to expand after-school opportunities for Houston youth. Through ASAP, the City of Houston funds schools & non-profit agencies to provide after-school programming for elementary & middle school-age youth. ASAP activities are offered during the school year, September to June, Monday-Friday, generally between 3:00 to 6:00 p.m.
Webpage: www.houstontx.gov/parks/asap.html
Soccer For Success Program
Houston Parks and Recreation Department and the U.S. Soccer Foundation implements the Soccer for Success (SfS) after-school program at schools in the greater Houston area. This sports-based youth development program uses soccer as a tool in the national fight against childhood obesity and as a vehicle to connect children to positive adult role models and other positive outcomes.
Webpage: https://www.houstondynamo.com/charities/soccerforsuccess
Houston Police Department
Boys and Girls Club After School Mentoring Program
HPD Mentoring Program provides social, emotional and academic support by developing positive relationships with club members, ages 7-17. Police Officers provide support through one-to-one and small group mentoring, as well as help to facilitate character building programs. The curriculum includes the following programs- SMART Moves, Passport 2 Manhood, SMART Girls and participation in Sports Leagues.
The mentoring program is located at seven (7) Boys and Girls Club locations and serves approximately 800 youth combined, each day during the school year. The hours of operations are Monday – Friday from 3:30pm – 8:00pm. During the summer the daily average attendance increases to approximately 1200 members served daily.
Webpage: www.bgclubs-houston.org
Houston Public Library
After School Zones
After School Zones are defined as Neighborhood Library locations designed to provide programming, a safe environment, youth activities, and educational enhancement to children in the hours immediately after school. These locations usually have a school in close proximity and have a large number of unsupervised older children and/or teens who need a safe place to go during the 3:30 – 5:30 timeframe. After School Zone locations provide structured and unstructured programming to students each week. These programs include gaming, Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)activities, homework help, computer lab time, crafts and programs with paid presenters.
Current After School Zone Locations:
- Collier Regional Library, 6200 Pinemont Houston, Texas 77092, 832-393-1740
- Heights Neighborhood Library, 1302 Heights Blvd, Houston, Texas 77008, 832-393-1810
- Henington-Alief Regional Library, 7979 South Kirkwoood, Houston, Texas 77072
- McGovern-Stella Link Neighborhood Library, 7405 Stella Link, Houston, Texas 77025, 832-393-2630
- Oak Forest Neighborhood Library, 1349 West 43rd Street, Houston, Texas 77018, 832-393-1960
- Park Place Regional Library, 8145 Park Place, Houston, Texas 77017, 832-393-1970
- Pleasantville Neighborhood Library, 1520 Gellhorn, Houston, Texas 77029, 832-393-2330
- Smith Neighborhood Library, 3624 Scott St., Houston, Texas 77004, 832-393-2050
- Stimley-Blue Ridge Neighborhood Library, 7007 W. Fuqua, Houston, Texas 77489, 832-393-2370
Houston Department of Neighborhoods
The Graduation Game Plan
The Graduation Game Plan partnership with the Houston Public Library allows volunteer mentors to assist students’ completion of our college and career planning curriculum. Students who complete the program identify a support system in their day-to-day lives and are introduced to available resources that support their education, such as: student financial aid, Workforce Solutions Career Office locations, résumé assistance and personal management pointers from long- and short-term goal setting to business etiquette. This partnership with the Houston Public Library has been developed for the branches who operate as After School Zone sites to adopt and sustain in the future.
Webpage: www.houstontx.gov/education/gradKuationgameplan.html
My Houston Neighborhoods Mapping website
CASE gathers information from area after school providers which include: contact information, details, business description, activities and services, and location. Through our partnership, they share this information with the Department of Neighborhoods to include on our map of neighborhood services offered by the City of Houston and our partners. This allows us to connect residents to additional after school program opportunities and provides a service to CASE by allowing them to leverage our GIS technology to visualize their data.
Afterschool Activities
Afterschool activities can vary widely depending on factors including age, background, and the community of participating youth. Research on afterschool programming finds that the most effective activities adapt to individual and small group needs. Furthermore, programming should be as engaging as possible, incorporating hands-on activities and connecting with students’ interests and experiences.1
Different types of afterschool activities include:
Academics
These types of activities are intended to build on and enhance student learning outside of class time. They can take the form of more traditional instruction, complete with assessments, or more interactive activities intended to actively engage youth. These activities should be well aligned with what students are learning during the school day. These could be summer learning programs, reading or math afterschool enrichment. The U.S. Department of Education’s You for Youth site provides strategies for connecting afterschool activities to the school day.
Specialized Skill Development
These programs have activities that are built on promoting specific skills related to a specialty topic such as sports, arts, science and technology, youth development, and more. Typical program activities provided include soccer, drama, videography, poetry, coding, homework help, and arts and crafts activities. These activities are provided by content experts and lead to specific outcomes in terms of young people gaining specialized skills.
Community Service Projects
Community service projects provide an enriching experience for youth as they connect them to their community and instill feelings of empowerment. Furthermore, these activities can provide valuable work experience, particularly for youth from disadvantaged backgrounds.2 The Corporation for National and Community Service provides resources to help plan community service projects for afterschool programs, including the Resource Center for Volunteer and Service Programs and the National Service-Learning Clearinghouse.
Field Trips
Field Trips are an exciting way to enrich a child’s life outside of the normal classroom environment. They can include trips to museums, parks, zoos, aquariums, or any other local attraction that youth might find engaging and interesting. If there are no suitable locations in your area, many federal sites, such as the Smithsonian and the National Zoo, offer virtual tours and other online resources that could be enriching for your program.
Physical Activity and Nutrition
Afterschool programs are in a unique position to improve youth health outcomes, as they often serve populations most at risk for adverse health outcomes and occur at a time of day when many youth are traditionally inactive.3 Such activities can help youth make better nutritional decisions and promote physical activity while increasing self-confidence and emotional well-being.
Resources
STEM in Your Program: Curriculum and Activities
This webpage from Afterschool Alliance provides information and resources on STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) curriculum and activities for afterschool programs, including resources from 4-H, NASA, and many more
Free and Cheap After-School Programs for NYC Kids and Teens
The Children’s Aid Society provides free and low-cost after-school classes to kids in New York City.
The Children’s Aid Society provides free and low-cost after-school classes to kids in New York City.
8/26/21 – By Jody Mercier
The school year is barreling toward us—we’re less than three weeks away from the first day—and that means it’s (past) time to start thinking about after-school classes, too. Families looking for reasonably priced, enriching, and fun after-school classes for New York City kids have tons of sports, arts, academics, and other classes from which to choose. In fact, a handful of high-quality after-school programs are actually free or inexpensive!
We’ve rounded up 12 local organizations offering free or cheap after-school classes for kids, tweens, and teens throughout the five boroughs. If you’re looking for more options, be sure to see our guide to Classes and Enrichment Activities for New York City Kids.
To get more free fun at home and in your town delivered to your inbox sign up for our newsletters and discover all the free events and activities near you in our New York City Free Things To Do with Kids Guide.
The Children’s Aid Society – Locations in the Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island
This nonprofit offers after-school programs at centers and public schools throughout the city, primarily in Staten Island, Harlem, Washington Heights, and the South Bronx. Monday through Friday, participants do art projects, play sports, use technology, and also learn leadership values. Tuition varies by location. Some locations are 100% free; others charge reasonable rates, and financial aid is available. Space is limited.
HEAF – Harlem
This program provides a host of virtual after-school enrichment opportunities for middle and high school students, including test-prep help, aid with high school and college admissions, and more. Candidates must maintain a 70 average and have recommendations from teachers and school counselors to be considered.
RELATED: End of Summer Camps and Classes Available for NYC Toddlers Through Tweens
The American Museum of Natural History offers after-school classes and enrichment opportunities for middle and high schoolers. Photo courtesy of AMNH
American Museum of Natural History – Upper West Side
Each school year, AMNH hosts a wide variety of after-school classes for middle and high school students. Registration is currently open for a range of science enrichment classes for middle schoolers around topics like astrophysics, anthropology, and geology. Among the offerings for high school students are coding and computer science classes that explore the natural world. Financial aid and scholarships are available, and programming is planned to follow a hybrid model for the beginning of the school year.
Hit the Books – Harlem
The Harlem-based youth program offers a new, full-service after-school program, including MMA lessons, tutoring, mentorship, and meals. Founded in 2019, HTB offers additional educational resources to underserved communities through a sports-based development approach. Programming is free to students and available Monday through Friday afternoons beginning at 2:30pm. Kids can engage in a variety of stimulating ventures daily, including outdoor activities.
The Boys’ Club of New York – Harlem, Flushing & Lower East Side
For just a $5 annual fee, members can hang out in one of the three clubhouses and get homework assistance, snacks, learn to swim, take music and art lessons, play sports, and more. Attendance is expected three days per week. Register in person at each clubhouse. Programming operates at full capacity for the upcoming 2021-22 school year. Details will be up on the website soon.
Good Shepherd Services – Brooklyn and the Bronx
This nonprofit provides free after-school programs at community centers and public schools. Contact the location nearest you for more information, including registration deadlines and how to apply.
Lower East Side Girls Club – Lower East Side
Housed in a state-of-the-art, 35,000-square-foot facility in the heart of Alphabet City, the Lower East Side Girls Club caters to middle and high school girls who live or attend school in the area. Membership and programs are free, but family involvement is a must. On-site amenities include a maker shop, biology lab, sound studio, rooftop garden, culinary kitchen, and more. Girls participate in various programs meant to “end the cycle of poverty by training the next generation of ethical, entrepreneurial, and environmental leaders.”
RELATED: Best Coding Classes and Camps for Kids in NYC
Teens can drop in to the Whitney on Friday afternoons for Open Studio. Photo by Spencer Yeh for the museum
Whitney’s Open Studio for Teens – Chelsea
The Whitney offers open studio time for teens each Friday afternoon. Teens can bring their works-in-progress or create something entirely new inspired by current Whitney exhibitions. Teaching artists drop in on occasion, too, and this is a great pathway to the museum’s other teen programs, including a cost-free summer camp and paid internships. Tentative dates for 2021 are Fridays, October 15, November 12, November 19, and December 3. Teens need to provide proof of vaccination or a valid negative COVID test (within 72 hours) to participate in the in-person program.
Dorot Intergenerational Chess – Upper West Side
While not a full-time program, this chess program pairs young masters-in-training with seniors for an afternoon of gameplay. Actual chess masters are on hand to demonstrate moves, and refreshments are served. The program’s application requires a phone interview. Details for the upcoming school year are coming soon. The spring program ran in a virtual format.
New York Junior Tennis League – City Wide
The NYJTL offers no-cost tennis lessons throughout the year in all five boroughs. Children may join at any location at any time during the season. Registration information will be online soon.
Police Athletic League – Locations Citywide
PAL offers after-school programs Monday through Friday from 3-6pm for students in first through eighth grades. Activities include sports, arts, and academics. Tuition varies by location. Contact the center of your choice for more detailed information.