After-school programs can be lifesavers to working parents because they keep kids safe and offer good learning environments. On Oct. 18, the Santa Maria Valley ASES (After School Education & Safety) program will hold a “Lights On Afterschool” open house from 4:30 to 6 p.m. highlighting all of the ASES sites within the Santa Maria-Bonita School District. It will be part of the 13th annual Lights On Afterschool Celebration, a nationwide event organized by the Afterschool Alliance.
The Santa Maria Valley ASES program opened in 2006 with state grant money. It now serves approximately 1,400 students, providing homework assistance, language arts and math development, mentoring, tutoring, physical fitness activities, and fine arts enrichment. The program is a joint effort of the Boys and Girls Club of the Santa Maria Valley, the Santa Maria Recreation and Parks Department, Santa Maria Valley YMCA, Peoples’ Self-Help Housing, the Housing Authority of Santa Barbara County, and the Santa Maria-Bonita School District.
This article appears in Oct 18-25, 2012.