The after-school hours are a ripe -- and often underused -- opportunity for substantive teaching and learning. The WINGS for Kids program in Charleston, South Carolina, has tapped those hours to teach children important social and emotional skills, like managing their feelings and working well with others.
Innovative after-school models are being pioneered across the country -- and Edutopia has spotlighted several. For a look at the diverse possibilities, check out our in-depth coverage of full-time learning or these individual examples:
Community mentors help the After School Matters program serve more than 25,000 Chicago students.
The Build San Francisco Institute is an academic program created by the Architectural Foundation of San Francisco designed to help high school students earn up to fifteen hours of credit learning design, engineering, and architecture skills.
Citizen Schools is a national network of after-school programs that connects students with adult mentors, develops school-community ties, and uses project-learning curricula.
The Providence After School Alliance is a leader of and role model for cities across the nation in developing citywide campus centers that keep students in stimulating, safe environments with caring adults during the after-school hours.