AFTERSCHOOL
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
At New Horizons of North Texas, we want to act and help our youth reach their full potential. Improving skills in reading, science and math, to nurture the love of learning beyond high school and to build relationships with mentors through faith based activities holds the promise of a pathway out of poverty, and economic prosperity for the whole family.
Our F4 Campaign is different. We are taking an innovative approach to creating a firm foundation for success:
Faith– we are more than our current story
Family– we are an extended family of belonging
Focus– we are people of grit, resilience, and determination
Finish– we will learn to take personal responsibility
These 4 values are ingrained in everything we do. We envision all high-risk youth completing high school with a plan for the future, a lifelong love of learning and the hope of a brighter future.
There are only enough free and low-cost afterschool programs to meet 17% of students in need in Dallas! We work to increase funding for our programming so all families, regardless of zip code and income, have access to our safe, high quality programs. New Horizons of North Texas focuses on:Mentoring/Tutoring (reading, science, and math) –
Reading proficiency by the end of third grade is acritical marker in a child’s educational development. By fourth grade, children are expected to use reading to learn other subjects.
STEM Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. It is important and critical as it is apparent and perceived in our lives from every angle. We are surrounded by the science and it touches every part of our life in some way.
FAITH BUILDING– A faith-based program gives students a broader, healthier perspective on life than their peers. A worldview that is based on Biblical principles will be one of selflessness, acceptance, and love for their fellow man.
PROGRAMS OFFERED INCLUDE
AFTERSCHOOL MENTORING PROGRAM
Participants will be engaged with a part-time mentor. Parents are encouraged to participate in these sessions. During the Spring, when online school classes were in session, New Horizons’ mentoring sessions saw an 80% participation rate of at least one parent logging in with their children because helping with homework assignments was very challenging. The mentoring program will serve up to 75 participants at full capacity 2 days per week.
AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM
The after-school program will service youth who are looking for homework, reading, science and math help; along with better study habits. Participants will go through a series of objectives through tutoring, STEM education, reading/book club and guest speakers. The after-school program will serve up to 75 participants at full capacity 4 days per week.
READING LITERACY PROGRAM
The reading literacy program will service youth who are looking for better reading opportunity. Participants will go through a series of objectives to prepare them to be good readers. While reading well is foundational for a student’s success, many of our students read below grade level. Volunteers from across our community work with kids in small guided reading groups to read 30 minutes each day and encourage them to succeed through positive affirmation. Working in collaboration with the elementary school, level-appropriate reading materials are utilized for each student by our Reading Mentors to build confidence and see progress. The reading literacy program will serve up to 75 participants at full capacity each week. This includes a book club designed especially for middle school children. The students interact with their mentors and read aloud as appropriate.
FEEDING PROGRAM
The feeding program will provide children and families one snack and an early supper 5 days a week. Food is packaged for pick up at the Alex Sanger parking lot location. The feeding program will serve up to 75 participants a day.
LIFE SKILLS PROGRAM
The life skills program includes activities to build leadership skills. Weekly guest speakers provide inspirational stories and share experiences that most of our students would never dream possible. Students receive daily character education training that prepares them to make positive choices and become great citizens at school and at home. Lessons incorporate values of honesty, integrity and personal responsibility using stories, crafts, songs, and drama. Each month, students are challenged to complete a project that helps the community. Last semester our students held a clothing drive for the homeless in the area, cleaned up trash in the playground of the park across from the school among other things.
STEM CAMPS
During school breaks, STEM Camps that include coding, Python language, Robotics and Artificial Intelligence. These classes are divided by age and ability; with classes available to everyone. In the last summer STEM Camp, one of our middle school students designed a faith-based video game with a Christian Theme and Hero. This is a fun and interactive way to work on literacy, math science and reasoning skills.
SUPPORTIVE SERVICES
Taking a holistic approach to helping support the whole family is what separates New Horizons from other after school programs. We want to support the whole family. This sets the foundation for the student and the family to be successful. The solution lies in integrated care, the systematic coordination of services. Integrating all services produces the best outcomes and proves the most effective approach to caring for people with multiple needs. The Collaborative knows that successful integration requires building a whole new system of care. Integrated organizations like the Collaborative, do not simply add to their suite of services; they learn to increase access to care, strengthen connections to other community agencies, and provide team-based care. Because we have a trusted relationship with the family, we often have the opportunity to identify needs particular to the individual family. Once needs are identified, we serve as a resource and referral partner to help the family find the services they need.
ASSESSMENT PROCESS
There are several work flow processes that will be used to determine an individual’s strengths and weaknesses, determine their education/training needs and what supportive services are needed. These initial assessments will be performed in several different ways: online self-assessments and family surveys are the most common. Mentors and staff gather information and refer the participant to any additional services needed in other agencies. New Horizons coordinates with other agencies and provides a warm handoff for the families. New Horizons is actively involved in making sure all of the needs of the family are met in a timely basis through weekly follow up. The amount of time allotted to the assessment with differ greatly depending on theneeds of the participant.
GET STARTED TODAY
