First and second grade students at Huber Street Elementary School played an interactive activity to learn Spanish as part of their after-care program recently. The teacher threw a stuffed, colorful globe up in the air for each student to catch and asked “what color?” in Spanish. If the student got it right, his or her classmates would yell, “muy bien!” meaning, “very good!”
The Spanish lessons were among a slew of after-school programs offered to students in grades kindergarten through fifth grade for the school year at a very low cost. The programs focused on languages, computer program, art, and other subjects.
Kindergarteners played Big Bingo, in which the children were the chips on top of a big BINGO board, to help learn math. They had to roll dice, add the numbers together, and the correct answers were called out. If one of the numbers called out was on the BINGO board, then students would stand on it and try to get a straight line.
Third graders took a computer class for an extra $10 per month, and learned to create Smartphone applications. Other students took art classes to learn different famous artist styles, while others took gym to increase physical activity.
“When I get older I want to be in engineering or graphic design.” – Juan Miro
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After school program Coordinator Ruby Kish said, “It worked better with smaller classes, so each class had 10 to 12 students.”
During the last week, kindergartener Evan Papa, 6, rolled dice and added the two sides together as part of the Big Bingo math class. Meanwhile, students in art class touched-up all of the work they finished throughout the whole year. Rashi Jakhotiya, 9, said, “We’re just making things prettier now.” She said she’s worked on making constellations, painting with markers and scented markers, “and we made smudges on one paper and transferred them to another to see what shapes they made. I want to take art again next year, and Crazy Eights.”
“Crazy Eights” is a math class similar to the bingo class, but more advanced.
Kish said, “I have heard parents say ‘he’s not missing school today, because he’s got Crazy Eights today!’”
A fourth grade student in Jakhotiya’s art class was already taking Crazy Eights, Santiago Nunez, 10. He said, “Tomorrow is my last day. I’m going to do math tomorrow in Crazy Eights.”
Students in art class had lots of favorite projects, like Juan Miro, 9, who said he was working on his favorite project. “I’m working on my favorite spider project that I just started now, but it’s mostly done,” he said. “I want to take painting again next year and science if they have it. When I get older I want to be in engineering or graphic design.”
Another fourth grader, Alexandria DeIasi, 9, was fixing one of her drawings of Minnie Mouse. “I’m just adding stripes to it. I made a portrait of myself too that I’m adding stripes and dots to,” she said.
While artists were doing touchups on paintings, other students were enjoying a workout in gym class. They’ve played Wiffle ball, scooter hockey, baseball, bowling, or played with hula hoops and beach balls.
Fourth grader Ronan Yount, 10, said some of his favorites were football, soccer, hockey, and bowling, but Wiffle ball is his number one favorite. “I’m kind of sad it’s my last day. I’m going to take PE again if they do it again next year, and I’ll see what else they have.”
Kish said she’s looked into some new classes for next year. “I’m going to give the parents and teachers a survey to see how the old classes went, and to see what new ones they’d be interested in,” she said. “I want to add more technical programs like Coding for Girls to encourage girls to get into technology.”
Kish added, “We’re hoping to expand to the middle school as well. I’m always looking for input from teachers, because they know the kids and what they like.”
Samantha Meyers can be reached at samantham@hudsonreporter.com .