Homework, art and heart

Photo by clare jensen

HEART PROJECT. Volunteer Lenora Lee instructs second graders Ezekiel Hart (left), Alyssia Jonas and Musa Haji (right front) in a craft session during Hearts for Kids after school program at McCarver Elementary Jan. 5.

A trio of local women has not let layoffs discourage them from continuing their work in Tacoma Public Schools.

After losing their jobs last summer when non-profit organization Communities in Schools was forced to make cutbacks, Amanda Berry, Nicole McDaniels and Ala Talo were determined to keep working with the local youth they had been so passionate about.

“Over the summer we were laid off, but we wanted to continue the work,” McDaniels said. “We went to the district and asked, ‘How can we continue our passion?’”

After several months of planning and coordinating with local volunteers and organizations, the group of women implemented a new educational and recreational after-school program in three of Tacoma’s elementary schools.

Hearts For Kids, aptly named after Berry, McDaniel and Talo’s strong devotion to helping young people succeed, opened at McCarver, Mann and Stafford elementary schools in November.

The program runs from 3:30-5:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday and includes academic tutoring in math and reading, homework time, snacks, recess and an enrichment activity, such as dance, art or athletics.

About 250 students are participating in the program, which is free, or no more than $10 per year to the families. The schools paid an initial start-up fee for the program, and Hearts for Kids operates largely on donations and a bank of volunteer support.

McDaniels and Talo already had relationships with McCarver and Stafford through their previous non-profit work, so they knew there was a need for after-school programming in those schools. Berry began working as the coordinator at Mann because the district expressed a desire to start a program there as well. All three of the schools have high rates of free and reduced-priced lunches, which is a common indicator of poverty among students.

“When we were growing up, we were fortunate that our parents were able to get us into extra activities after school, which helped us socially and mentally by exposing us to different things. We want to provide the same thing to these children,” McDaniels said.  “We know a lot of these children’s parents are not in the situation to get them set up in the Y, or involved in basketball. We just want them to be exposed to different things.”

Volunteers from local high schools, and the YMCA and the Boys and Girls Clubs partner with Hearts For Kids to provide instruction and support for the enrichment activities, such as visual art, hip-hop, creative movement and basketball.

The hope is starting Hearts for Kids at the elementary level, where there is a drought of after-school enrichment options, will nurture a positive attitude toward school and education, which will trickle up into the middle school and high-school levels.

“We need to get them in the pattern of thinking that school is a wonderful place and education is very important, starting when they’re young. Then it will filter in the middle schools and high schools.”

So far, students in Hearts For Kids at McCarver appreciate the time spent after school learning new stuff, and brushing up on academics.

“I like coming here after school,” said third-grader Yah’cheanah Ward, who signed up because she had an interest in learning more about creative art and hip-hop. She said she also appreciates being able to get her homework done before going home for the night.

“I get my homework done here, and if I need help, they can help me.”

Andrea Beavert, a sophomore at Lincoln High School, started volunteering with Hearts for Kids because her younger sisters attended.

She helps the elementary students with their homework and tutors in reading and math.

“This is a pretty good program,” Beavert said. “I wish I had something like this when I went to McCarver.”

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