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| “Kids Zone” Newsletter (click newsletter doc for larger view) |
Neighbors for Kids, Lincoln County Oregon After-School Program… Quote from this website…
“Neighbors for Kids (NFK) exists to serve the children and youth of Lincoln County with a quality after-school program. Since 2003, NFK has provided a safe place for students to come after school, where they can be supervised by caring adults in a fun, learning environment.
Our after-school program, Kids Zone, is open Mondays through Fridays from 3:00 to 6:00 pm on all regular school days. We provide a healthy meal, accompanied by nutrition education and hands-on practice preparing and cooking food. Our students get help with homework and tutoring in math and reading, as well as the opportunity to participate in enrichment activities such as art, music, computers and science.
Neighbors for Kids started as a grassroots, community effort to give Depoe Bay youth the best chance to succeed. Because of ongoing community support and collaborations with local government and vibrant, dedicated community partners, NFK continues to thrive.
We welcome visitors to Kids Zone. Please contact Executive Director Toby Winn at 541-765-8990 to schedule a tour at your convenience. We love to share our program with parents, individuals, interested volunteers, businesses, and potential donors!”
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I was reminded again yesterday why Neighbors for Kids is my life’s work making a difference for kids and our community. I was interviewed on BlogTalkRadio hosted by Debbie Sprague, Author, Stranger in my Bed, discussing domestic violence challenges and the consequences of emotional neglect of military children. This is a highly sensitive and difficult subject to discuss and is the subject of my own book and this blog creating awareness for children and families suffering from the symptoms of PTSD. Through awareness and education we have the best chance to discover a path to healing for families to thrive…in life after trauma…
How do we mitigate the toxic conditions at home resulting from a parent readjusting to civilian life following the traumatic circumstances and horrors of the combat experience? How do we help family members, especially children, live and cope with the challenging conditions that can cause emotional damage. One such solution that can make a difference is taking advantage of after-school programs in your community similar to Neighbors for Kids (NFK) in Lincoln County, Oregon.
Providing kids with the opportunity to be in a safe place following the regular school day offers a value added extended school day of educational and personal enrichment. The 3 hours between 3pm and 6pm can make a huge difference in helping kids thrive in a positive environment with peers and caring adults. There are academics, arts, recreation, literacy, and technology programs to fit the individual interest and needs of each student. Kids learn best when they love what they are doing and are nurtured by caring adults and mentors in a positive setting. NFK has been a very successful after-school model, which can be duplicated in most communities.
I am very proud to highlight the NFK “Kids Zone” newsletter above as an example of students taking ownership and learning new skills at the same time. With a little coaching the Kids Zone newsletter team writes and produces each monthly issue using the latest information technology resources provided as a key component in helping kids become workforce ready. You can imagine how proud the kids are when they are able to achieve the goal of publishing their very own newsletter each and every month! As adult mentors and parents we are equally proud of the success of our kids and the extra edge that comes from a fulfilling after-school program experience.
Steve Sparks
Author
Reconciliation: A Son’s Story click to order…
Vice Chair
Neighbors for Kids
