After School Matters® Now Accepting Applications from Chicago High School Students for Fall 2012 Programs
Published: September 5, 2012
After School Matters® Now Accepting Applications from Chicago High School Students for Fall 2012 Programs
Approximately 7,000 program opportunities in the arts, communications, sports, science and technology will be available to teens across the city
CHICAGO—After School Matters is now accepting applications for its Fall program session, which begins September 17. Programs in the arts, communications, science, sports and technology will be offered at 53 Chicago Public Schools high schools, more than 100 community organizations, Chicago Park District and Chicago Public Library locations across the city, as well as Downtown at the Gallery 37 Center for the Arts. In total, approximately 7,000 opportunities in more than 300 programs will be available to Chicago teens this fall.
After School Matters unique programs offer teens an opportunity to explore and develop their talents, while gaining critical skills for work, college and beyond. A few of the innovative programs being offered this Fall include:
- Wicked Truth Film Production — tech37 (Alternatives, Inc. in Uptown) — This program introduces Chicago teens to the theory and technique of digital filmmaking. Teens will work on all aspects of the production process, creating video projects that explore issues in their communities.
- Advanced Culinary Arts — gallery37 (Bethlehem Lutheran Church in East Side) — Advanced Culinary Arts will give teen apprentices the skills necessary to prepare healthy and sustainable meals for themselves and their families, along with the training necessary to obtain jobs in the culinary hospitality industry. The program also focuses on cake decorating, table setting and catering for large groups.
- Green Lungs — science37 (Marshall Metropolitan High School in East Garfield Park) — This unique program provides teens the opportunity to gain skills in ecosystem and landscape-based management that can provide the foundation for a career in science, agriculture, design, public policy, or any number of related disciplines. Teens will be called upon to devise solutions to negative ecological trends, such as stormwater management and food deserts, that plague many low-income communities.
- Bike Repair and Safety — sports37 (West Town Bikes in West Town) — Teens will develop hands-on mechanic skills as they build their own bicycles, organize community events, and enjoy weekly field trips exploring Chicago by bike.
- Les Enfants Dance — gallery37 (Hyde Park Career Academy High School in Woodlawn) — This program provides students the opportunity to better themselves through the art of dance theater performance. Dancers become stronger and more disciplined students, professionals and world citizens through their introduction to work, culture and art.
- Radio Arte — words37 (RadioArte/WRTE-FM in Pilsen) —During the course of this radio journalism program, teens will produce multimedia pieces, lead a peer workshop and contribute to current WRTE productions.
All After School Matters programs, which typically meet three days a week for 75-90 hours over the course of 10-to-16 weeks, are free and open to all Chicago teen residents who are at least 14 years of age, and entering or currently enrolled in high school. Teens can search for programs that interest them at locations in and around their neighborhood, at www.afterschoolmatters.org. Teens must apply online and must meet with program instructors to discuss and present their skills and interests. Teens are encouraged to apply early as program opportunities fill up quickly.
Founded in 1991 by former Chicago First Lady Maggie Daley, After School Matters provides teens with opportunities that supplement and enrich the learning that takes place during the traditional school day.
“After School Matters allows teens to explore and develop their talents, while gaining critical skills for work, college and beyond,” said Mary Ellen Caron, chief executive officer of After School Matters. “By supporting their development of skills in these content areas as well as important career readiness skills, we help them discover their potential and find their path to a meaningful life.”
Multiple independent studies and recent data have confirmed that teens who participate in After School Matters apprenticeship programs have fewer course failures, better attendance and higher high school graduation rates. In fact, After School Matters teens who participate for three or more program cycles were found to enroll in college at an 18 percent higher rate and attend nearly 12 more days of high school annually than their CPS peers.
For more information about After School Matters and to apply for Fall programs, visit www.afterschoolmatters.org. Follow After School Matters on Twitter at @aftrschoolmttrs and on Facebook at facebook.com/afterschoolmatters. Applications will be accepted starting July 19.
Posted in Pilsen Community, Arts, Schools and Education
