The Alternative Press

WESTFIELD, NJ--After a day of school, Westfield students have a large selection of after school programs to enjoy in their community. There are classes and events to please a variety of individual interests and skills including sports, games, the arts, academics and the opportunity for social enrichment. 

Today, in part one of our special series about Westfield’s low-cost and free after-school opportunities, we’ll highlight three of these.

The Westfield Memorial Library

The Westfield Memorial Library has programs after school that are both one-time events and ongoing classes. This fall, the library has had special programs for children like their T-Shirt Design and Paws to Read sessions.

There are also special interest groups that students can join. The Mythology Club has an upcoming program on 10/19, and the Chess Club will be meeting on 10/26. The Lego Club for students in the 1st to 5th grades has sessions planned for 10/17 and 10/18. 

Children's Program Director Adrienne Basso has been very pleased with the community response to after school programs. The Chess program has been particularly popular and Basso points out that the volunteer response from the teen community of Westfield has been excellent. Having the teens mentor young chess players has made the program really flourish.

Children's programs for a variety of age groups are available to those who have a full service Westfield Memorial Library card. Community members can also take advantage of  “Book Club Kits,” which include 6-8 copies of a youth selection, discussion questions and a word search. These kits can be taken out for 6 weeks.

Dates and times of all library programs are posted on the library's web site,  http://wmlnj.org/. Information can also be obtained by visiting the library or calling them at 908-789-4090. 

MORE After School

MORE After School presently has classes at McKinley School. Co-founders of the program are two McKinley mothers, Devorah Wolf and Melissa Colton, who developed an innovative approach to after school activities. MORE specializes in classes that take students’ interests to a new level or challenges them to try something totally new.

This year MORE will have Origami, Journalism, Chemistry of Cooking, All About Flight, Yoga and many other offerings. McKinley students can sign up for one or more of the classes and sessions run in the fall, winter and spring. Classes are instructed by a faculty of experts and the program has intergenerational mentors from both high school and the senior community who assist in the classroom. In addition to the special interests that the classes develop, service learning is implemented in each classroom.

MORE hopes to have after school classes in other schools in the Westfield district. Co-Founder Melissa Colton said, “In the coming years, we would like to expand our offerings to other primary schools in Westfield, if they would like us to come. Further on, we'd like to see MORE in more economically diverse communities.”

Because MORE is a Non-profit 501 (c)(3), they are able to keep the cost reasonable for participants. For additional information on MORE After School, visit their web site at  http://www.moreafterschool.org/index.html

The Westfield Area YMCA

The Westfield Area YMCA is well-known for the broad spectrum of programming for the community. They have after school programs in all of the Westfield public schools except for Franklin. The Y also provides a wide range of activities at the main YMCA site, where children can enjoy programs including swimming and sports.

Carolyn White is the Director of all of the School Age Child Care programs. She points out that the YMCA is able to accommodate the community well because they coordinate their schedule with all Westfield school vacations and closings. Their schedule is particularly good for working parents.

White said, “Children enjoy Y programs because of the many options available and the social time they have meeting friends, including new friends.” The YMCA programs that are held on site in the schools allow students to not only take advantage of the caring environment provided by the Y staff, but students can also participate in extra-curricular programs offered in their own school.

Another advantage is that the Y provides all students with an opportunity to complete their homework, and the Y stays current to mirror the public school curriculum. The YMCA is also a recipient of a grant from The Horizon Fund of New Jersey's “Healthy U” program, which provides healthy lifestyle learning for all the children who attend the YWCA after school programs.

For more information about The Westfield YMCA's After School Programs, visit their web site at  http://www.westfieldynj.org/, or call 908-233-2700.