SPRINGDALE — The regular school day ends at 3:15, but the learning continues into the evening at Sonora Middle School because of a three-hour, after-school program the Sonora staff runs daily.
Eighty students are enrolled in the program, which started Sept. 17 and runs for 12 weeks. After that, it will restart with a new group of up to 100 students.
Shawna Lyons, principal, secured a five-year grant to make the program possible. The 21st Century Community Learning Centers grant provides $150,000 the first three years, $90,000 the fourth year and $75,000 the fifth year.
At A Glance
After-School Programs
The 21st Century Community Learning Centers grant pays for programs at these Northwest Arkansas schools:
• Oakdale Middle School, Rogers
• Old Wire Road Elementary School, Rogers
• Russell Jones Elementary School, Rogers
• Eastside Elementary School, Rogers
• Sonora Middle School, Springdale
• Monitor Elementary School, Springdale
• Springdale High School
• J.O. Kelly Middle School, Springdale
• Lincoln High School
• Owl Creek School, Fayetteville
Source: Staff Report
The money comes from the federal government, and the state administers the program. Arkansas received $11 million this year to establish new after-school programs. Sonora Middle School was one of 15 schools chosen, said James Graham, assistant support manager for the program. It’s available only to schools where at least 40 percent of students are eligible for free or reduced lunches.
Different schools run different activities during these grant-funded programs.
Sonora students participate in one of four career pathways: art/communication, health science, engineering and community outreach. The pathways align with Springdale High School’s programs of study, which focus on career interests.
Sonora students go to Springdale High School.
The program begins with a snack. Students then have time to do homework, check out books at the library or just play a game of checkers. At 4:30 they join other students in their career pathway classrooms. At 6 p.m. they have time to write in their journals. They go home at 6:15.
On a recent afternoon in the engineering pathway classroom, four teams of kids, all boys, worked on building Lego robots. Mitchell Troutt, the staff member who oversees the group, said the kids learn basic engineering concepts, how to program the robots and how to work in teams. They are preparing for the regional tournament in November of the First Lego League.
Students in the community outreach pathway, meanwhile, were putting together a school newspaper. The art students were making papier-mache animals. Health science kids were building a greenhouse.
Aspen Hopkins, a sixth-grader who’s part of the community outreach pathway, said she enjoys the program.
“I get to learn and do some fun stuff,” Hopkins said. “I like coming. Most of my friends are in the program.”
Evelyn Capacho, a student in the same pathway, said she interviewed a teacher for a story as part of her after-school work.
“You get to write. You get to learn what’s happening,” she said.
Sonora Middle School opened in August. It houses sixth- and seventh-graders.
Lyons said data provided by the Springdale Police Department shows officers made 141 juvenile arrests between the hours of 3 and 6 p.m. in 2011. The after-school program keeps kids occupied.
It also extends their education while giving them something a little different from the regular school day, Lyons said.
“If we can tap into what the kids are interested in, they’ll be more likely to stay engaged in their education,” she said.