“Hi my name is Daveyon. I like going to Project MARCH to be with my friends afterschool. I get help with my homework. I like math and spelling.”

Daveyon is just 1 of 60 students that attend our Learning Centers and 1 of approximately 2,000 children and families that we work with each year. Last year, he had the opportunity to get daily help with his homework, eat a healthy snack, attend two plays at Asheville Community Theater, participate in the LEAF In Schools & Streets program and attend many fun field trips such as The Health Adventure and The Arboretum. Daveyon also saw his mother involved in his activities as she volunteered at his Learning Center. Daveyon attended our Summer Camp and went whitewater rafting, hiking, tubing, swimming and experienced nature and activities outside of his community. Daveyon is beating the odds. Because of our Learning Centers, he has supervision after school, he doesn’t get into trouble and he is making good grades.

The Learning Center is a safe haven afterschool program that provides academic assistance, healthy snacks and enrichment activities for up to 60 at-risk children.

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The Learning Center staff includes Project POWER/AmeriCorps members. In the mornings the Project POWER/Americorps members work in the elementary schools where the children attend, then the afternoons are spent at the Learning Centers. There are also two Parent Coordinators who work with the families in the mornings and at the Learning Centers in the afternoons.

It is located within the community to alleviate transportation barrier
The program is free
The program incorporates a Summer Camp program
The program provides holistic help to families through parent involvement and emergency assistance.

The Learning Centers strengthens the connection between student, school, teacher, parent and community which is a key element in helping an at-risk child succeed in school and prepare for life. By providing a structured after school program, it also benefits residents of the three apartment complexes by decreasing gang relations, violence, vandalism and drug use within that community.
We track our outcomes on a monthly basis to measure successes or to reevaluate the methods being implemented to ensure successful results for our clients. Success for these programs also includes the programs being fully funded to secure the proper staff and resources needed to implement the program.

Outcomes for 2011-2012:

73 students were served by the program for at least 6 weeks, with 63 students participating for a majority of the school year
Out of 63 students’ grade point averages, 15 (24%) remained the same; 20 (32%) decreased, and 28 (44%) increased. 9 students (14%) began the year with a GPA below 2.0. Of these students, 5 students (55%) increased by at least .5. 53 (84%) students started between 2.0-3.0. Of these students, 6 students (11%) increased by at least .5
100% of the students who finished the year at a Project MARCH Learning Center were promoted to the next grade level. In addition, 4 students finished the year with a 4.0 GPA
In the first two reporting periods of the year where suspensions were tracked, there were 3 in-school suspensions, no out of school suspensions, and 7 learning center suspensions between the three learning centers. By the final reporting period, there were no in or out of school suspensions, and only one learning center suspension
Parents/caregivers became more involved in the academic success of their child(ren). Over the course of the year, between the 3 Learning Center sites parents had 58 unique opportunities to participate. 69 out of 73 parents participated in at least one event, and parents participated a total of 551 times. Over the course of the year, 100% of the parents volunteered a total of 542 hours
36 children participated in the 6-week Project MARCH Summer Camp
15 children participated in Camp Challenge

Children First/Communities In Schools Buncombe County
Learning Centers
50 S. French Broad Ave. Ste. #246
Asheville, NC 28801
(828) 259-9717
fax: (828) 281-3308

Barbara Norton–Learning Center Coordinator
barbaran@childrenfirstbc.org

Interested in volunteering with the Learning Centers? Contact
volunteerc@childrenfirstbc.org