School Year Programming

  • Power Hour

    • The Power Hour program provides every attending member with a Monday through Thursday, 45-minute rotation devoted to homework completion. The leaders are available to assist with questions, supplies, or encouragement. After homework is finished, members have the opportunity to read independently or work on education-oriented activities and challenges. As the year progresses, we continue to monitor and assist those who need individual help.

  • Tutoring

    • Tutoring enables us to take our academic specialized help a step further. We concentrate on those members whose grades show a consistent struggle with reading and math. Volunteers from the community or staff spend between one and four hours a week helping the members they are paired with to complete daily assignments, review core principles, and increase comprehension and confidence.

  • Diplomas2Degrees *Teen Center Only

    • The d2D program is designed to guide and prepare teen members for post-secondary education so they can gain the knowledge and skills needed to develop and maintain successful careers. The d2D program is developed with the specific goal of preparing youth for further education in trade school, community college, or a four-year college or university.

Summer Programming

  • Summer Reading Hour

    • Summer Reading Hour is an hour-long program held four days/week that uses short, evidence-based lessons focused on foundational reading skills combined with group reading to promote fluency and comprehension, prevent summer reading loss, and foster an atmosphere in which reading can be a positive experience.

    • Groups 1-3 participate in the Heggerty phonological awareness curriculums, and Groups 4-7 will engage with short passages/comprehension questions for 10-15 minutes each session utilizing effective vocabulary and comprehension strategies for upper elementary students from The Meadows Center for Preventing Educational Risk at the University of Texas at Austin.

    • Group reading plans are set based on the previous year’s reading levels, with books read aloud by members/staff or using Audible in conjunction with Kindle to be inclusive of members that read below grade level or have a LD. Teens (grades 8-12) will have a curated list of books for both group and individual reading, with paper copies, Audible, and Kindle available for all books; Teens will vote on group books and choose their own individual books from the list.

    • Additionally, beginning in Summer 2021, group books will be focused on promoting diversity, inclusion, and equity by purchasing books by authors of colors and/or marginalized communities with an emphasis on social justice; celebrating people of all abilities, gender identities/expressions, sexual orientations, races, ethnicities, cultures, religions, types/levels of education, socioeconomic statuses, sizes, and mental health challenges; and promoting empathy and understanding. 

  • S.T.E.M.

    • STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) allows members to discover and explore careers in the fields of science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics. Sessions will introduce new, unique STEM careers with interviews, videos, and learning experiences/activities that put members in the shoes of STEM professionals and/or help them develop a basic understanding of one or more aspects of the career.

  • Brain Gain

    • Brain Gain provides an energetic and planned environment that helps members retain academic progress made during the previous school year. In addition, we seek to introduce members to areas of personal ability previously unrecognized. Members participate in Brain Gain twice each week, participating in topic reviews and activities that target areas identified by school teachers and Club leaders.

  • Walking Classroom

    • The Walking Classroom is a North Carolina-based program that uses a podcast setup to combine 20 minute walks with interactive lessons on a variety of topics that align with Common Core standards. Fourth and fifth grade classes use the program during the summer months as a supplement to both academic and health programming.