I Owe It All To My After School Program

06/14/2002

I Owe It All To My After School Program

"When someone does something good, applaud! You will make two people happy." -Samuel Goldwyn

I OWE IT ALL TO MY AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM

In his June 2002 issue of School-Age Notes, school age guru Richard Scofield commented on an article in the New York Times which sites a number of famous artists, athletes, and leaders who credit their success to an after school program. The writer of the article, Richard Rothstein, mentions ....

* Oscar winning Denzel Washington, who stated that the Boys Club he attended inspired him to go to college and study drama;

* United Nations Ambassador Andrew Young who credits the YMCA for helping develop his leadership skills;

* Raymond Flynn, former mayor of Boston and ambassador to the Vatican, commented that the Boys Club he attended helped him develop a variety of interests;

* Althea Gibson, one of the first great African-American tennis stars, learned to play tennis at the Police Athletic League program she attended after school;

* Artist Jacob Lawrence, who has gained renown as a modern painter who chronicles the history of African-American migration from the south in his paintings, was first encouraged to explore his creativity at Utopia House, an after school program in Harlem.

Rothstein closes his article with..."after school programs are needed to build children's character, confidence, civic awareness, athletic prowess, and artistic and musical sensibility. How many undiscovered Jacob Lawrences are among the 10 million children around the country who have no place to go after school?"

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