February 2001 
Students continue learning after school By Sheldon J. Reber, Director of School and Community Relations
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W hen the last school bell of the day rings, the learning doesn't stop at eight Eureka schools. More than 1,500 local students attend after-school academic and enrichment classes every year at their school. Eureka City Schools is currently providing after-school programs with support from the national 21st Century Community Learning Center (CLC) grant funds. The funds provide over $721,800 for after-school programs for over 1,500 students a year at Alice Birney, Grant, Jefferson, Lincoln and Marshall Elementary Schools, Winship and Zane Junior High Schools, and the alternative education programs at the Jacobs Education Center. The purpose of Eureka's CLCs is to expand access to learning beyond the traditional school day to benefit the educational, cultural, and recreational needs of children. Activities include math and reading intervention, homework support, visual and performing arts, recreation, and a variety of enrichment activities. Community organizations participating include Eureka Parks and Recreation, Humboldt Arts Council, Discovery Museum, Boys and Girls Club, College of the Redwoods, and others. According to Lois Beachy, school resource coordinator, "after-school programs meet many critical needs. To begin with, the Community Learning Centers relieve working parents of one of the most difficult burdens; finding safe, healthy and supervised activities for "latchkey" children in the hours immediately after school." Beachy also mentions the extensive range of opportunities for kids that can be life-changing. "Our students spend time on academic classes to bring them up to grade-level standards, homework assistance, cultural enrichment, supervised recreational activities, and more." The CLCs also promote social skills and help steer children away from drugs, crime, and premature sexual activity. "The hours immediately after school are typically when a disproportionate share of juvenile crime is committed; it's also when children are most likely to be victims of crime. After-school programs keep kids engaged in constructive activities," said Beachy. For more information contact Lois Beachy at 441-2422.
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