Through a United Way grant, Brandywine Community Task Force and YMCA hold a free afterschool program for Brandywine Heights Middle Schoolers four days a week.
“We’re very excited,” said Superintendent Andrew Potteiger about the new program created at the Middle School shortly after Christmas. “I love that we’re able to offer this because it gives the kids a safe haven, a place to come. It’s in a safe environment. It’s supervised. There’s clear guidelines and rules for the kids. And yet they’ve been in school for six hours a day and it gives them a structure where they can still be kids and still have a chance to interact and have fun.”
Through a collaboration with the United Way, the Brandywine Community Task Force and the YMCA, an afterschool program was established for all Middle School students. The free program, held from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, is run by the YMCA and has been funded through a $10,000 grant via the United Way, said Potteiger.
More than 100 students have enrolled in the program. On a daily basis there are at least 30 to 40 students participating, he said.
“The reason for starting this program was to provide a safe space for middle school aged students to go after school. We know that our students in grades 6-8 are most at risk for experimenting with drugs and alcohol. They are going through adolescence and many changes are occurring physically and emotionally which leads to at risk behaviors. When there is not a safe place for the kids to go afterschool they often end up home alone or congregating in the town which can lead to negative behaviors,” said Potteiger. “This program is established to give the students a safe inviting place to attend.”
Safety is critical to Potteiger.
“They’re not in the middle of town. They’re not unsupervised at home. It takes away some of those negative influences that otherwise might be infiltrating their lives if they are walking through town and connecting with some places that we don’t want them to go,” said Potteiger. “We have a drug issue here in the community. It’s happening in all communities in Berks County. This is a great way to counteract that and have kids be in a safe place.”
Enrollment has far exceeded their expectations.
“The number of kids has been phenomenal,” said Megan Dougherty, Branch Executive Director of Tri Valley YMCA of Reading and Berks County. “We have 105 students registered. Our initial goal was to have 50.”
“I’m very excited for this program and what’s going to come with it as well,” said Dougherty.
The program is held in a classroom set up with sofas and game tables. Activities also are conducted in the hallway, cafeteria and gym. Students have the opportunity to play sports, do activities, sometimes cook snacks, play games or go outside to play on the playground.
“A great part about this program is we are able to get all different types of kids in here doing whatever they like what their interests are,” said Dougherty. “There are kids playing sports, there are kids just hanging out, there’s kids getting involved with activities such as juggling. There are kids who want homework help.”
Eighth grader Jenna Rothrock likes how she can come to the program and relax after school.
“It’s somewhere to go after school so that you’re not just sitting at home doing nothing and it’s something athletic to do,” said Rothrock, age 13.
She likes playing sports at the program.
Seventh grader Caleb Rapp, 12, has been participating since the program started in December. “A lot of my friends were doing it and they told me to come and try it. I like to play games with my friends and hang out with them. It’s given me somewhere to go after school instead of sitting at home.”
A group of middle schoolers also shared what they think about the program.
“Everyone was telling me ‘You should join, it’s so much fun,'” said Emily Smith.
“I like meeting new people,” said Makayla Karcher about why she enrolled. She met Smith at the program.
“We’re like best friends now,” said Smith.
“The counselors are pretty cool,” said Richard “Richie” Ehrie.
“I come to hang out with my friends,” said Michael Sexton.
When asked what the program gives them that they didn’t have before, Emily Kohler and Lindsay Ziegler both shouted out, “Freedom!”
“Freedom to do whatever you want but you still have to follow the rules,” said Ziegler. “It’s also freedom so you don’t have to sit at home and do nothing and wait for your parents to get home. You’re at school but it’s not like you’re doing work, it’s more like you’re having fun.”
High schoolers also volunteer at the program, hanging out with the middle schoolers, playing sports and games, and helping with homework or just talking.
“I just like to help out kids around the area,” said senior Mckaide Fenstermacher, 18.
National Honor Society members take turns organizing an activity each day, like juggling.
“We’re here to help the kids get involved,” said NHS member Amity Radcliff, 16, a junior, who hopes “that they can just have fun and don’t have to go out and do anything bad.”
Junior Sarah Betts, 16, also an NHS member said, “I think it’s a lot of fun. It’s great to see the kids get really excited about whatever we’re doing with them. They have so much energy, it’s crazy.”
Potteiger said it is amazing to see 30 to 40 students participate on a daily basis.
“So we know it’s meeting a need that maybe wasn’t filled before which is exactly what we wanted,” he said. “We’re already looking for the future of next year, how we’re going to be able to continue this and sustain it.”
