SAN BENITO — Since opening its doors in 1999, the San Benito Afterschool Program has strived to help its students excel and expand upon the learning experience.
An extension of the school day, the program provides a number of different classes and opportunities for students to take part in enrichment activities and take lessons from the classroom and use it in practical ways.
Now, the program is hoping to hear from its alumni to see how being part of the Afterschool Program has impacted their life.
Afterschool Program site coordinator Albert Farias said the program will soon feature alumni on the school website regularly.
“We want to know how the program has helped them in the long run,” Farias said.
He hopes to attract at least 100 alumni to volunteer and submit their photo along with information on their favorite part of the program and what they have been up to after graduation.
A form with questions will be up on the website and alumni will be able to fill it out.
The program assists more than 1,000 students every year from the San Benito school district, not including the partnership it currently has with Lyford CISD.
Students have the opportunity to take part in a number of enrichment programs including a new DJ class that teaches students how to mix music and incorporate the use of math and science in the process.
“We focus a lot on academics and we reinforce the academics,” Farias said. “We do a lot of hands-on activities and students get more of a visual and understanding of the TEKS.”
At the end of the year, the program will host its annual showcase event that will feature performances including singing, dancing and acting.
Farias said alumni who fill out a form will be invited to the showcase.
“We want to invite them and celebrate them and promote the program,” Farias said.
Eventually, he hopes there will be more alumni interaction with the current Afterschool Program students.
“The goal is for them to be role models for the current afterschool students,” Farias said. “We want them to be inspired and motivated and know good things come out of the Afterschool Program.”
Do you have a success story from the Afterschool Program that you would like to share? Call (956) 361-6450
