Kids Find Fun and Learning at the Be Strong Intl. After School Club

Is your middle schooler looking for something fun to do after school? Are you looking for an activity to help them learn valuable skills and build positive relationships with other kids? Then, sign them up for the Be Strong Intl. After School Club – they’ll get both benefits!

The Be Strong Intl. After School Club is a unique enrichment program that guides middle school youth’s social, emotional and academic growth, empowering them to be socially, physically, emotionally and mentally healthy.

And it’s free!

Join the Be Strong Intl. After School Club

From enrichment classes like cooking and photography to special activities like field trips, our club gives middle schoolers the fun kind of learning that starts when the regular school day ends. Kids also get academic help and join interactive groups that encourage social and emotional learning. Sessions are held on Zoom.

There’s something for parents and other caregivers, too. They can enjoy engagement events with their children and take parenting classes. Be Strong Intl. can also link them to other agencies providing family services they might need.

Be Strong Intl. Q&A

Here are some questions we’re often asked about the program. You can also visit our After School Club page and download an informative flyer.

How does the After School Club help kids?

Be Strong Intl. After School Club was designed to develop healthy, well-rounded individuals by helping kids build the social, academic and life skills they need for success. It helps them work on skills like self-awareness and self-management of thoughts and emotions; empathy toward people of diverse backgrounds and cultures); establishing and maintaining healthy relationships; and responsible decision-making.

What happens at the sessions?

Our virtual program schedule varies, but all sessions begin with a well-being check-in. Then, students are given academic support from certified teachers and join an interactive social-emotional learning activity with other kids in the program. On two days a week, the afternoon includes an interactive enrichment activity such as cooking or photography.

Do the kids in After School do better in school?

Yes, students in after-school programming generally do better in school. The program gives them a place where they feel safe learning and have fun with friends. In addition, all students are engaged socially, emotionally and academically, so they’re mentally refreshed and ready to tackle the academic responsibilities before them. Not to mention, we have certified teachers providing the educational assistance.

What might they be doing if they weren’t coming to After School?

We have found that many students who do not participate in after-school programs are more likely to spend most of their time isolated. They’re more likely to spend their time over-indulging in social media, TV and video games or becoming involved in unhealthy risky behaviors.

Why is it important for kids to attend programs like this?

The struggles of today’s middle school students are unlike any faced before. Although many other programs encourage youth to get involved with sports and other activities, they often are inaccessible during this current pandemic. Furthermore, they may not provide students with additional support like social-emotional learning skills and academic support.

We have found that many students are bombarded with the pressure to disengage from healthy social interactions and spend most of their free time on electronic devices. Unfortunately, this can encourage them to become isolated, gravitate to unhealthy friendships or get involved in risky behaviors that can compromise their future.

Programs like ours aim to support students in their journey toward future success by providing them with necessary social-emotional learning skills, academic assistance and youth enrichment opportunities. Otherwise, students can be left feeling unmotivated, uncared for, alone and hopeless during a critical period of their life.

After School Club Success Stories

We have a seventh-grade student who has been in our program for two years. She often says Be Strong Intl. After School Club means a lot to her because she does not really have many friends, but Be Strong Intl. always feels like family to her.

Another seventh-grader shared this story about his experiences in the program:

Before I was introduced to Be Strong Intl., I was so unmotivated, very sad and just not being the best me that I could be. I was in a horrible mental state, constant stress and worry. Always had to stress about one thing or another. I felt so uncomfortable in my own skin. I used to look in my mirror and think, if this was the person I became, how did I go from a happy person to this? I was overall not in the best place, but one day my close friend Tedria was talking to me about this after-school program. At this point, I was desperate, so I decided to join the meeting and check it out.

I was surprised to see how welcomed and loved I was. I was so surprised to see these people who I’ve never met before were so understanding and willing to put their time and effort into making me and others feel better about themselves. The way that these people just accepted me into their group so quickly because they saw something in me when I didn’t even see it was amazing. The love, support and joy they brought to my life were impeccable. So, I continued to go every week on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and slowly my life started to turn around. I finally had a motivation to get up in the morning and do something with my life, finally something to look forward to.

This support and love they showed me in my time of darkness really was heaven-sent. I thought I was never gonna get out of this cycle of sadness and darkness. Be Strong Intl. proved me wrong. They showed me so much affection and support that was so life-changing and fascinating. They gave me the motivation to do better in school, they gave me the motivation to love and appreciate myself and what I had, they taught me how to cherish and respect my peers and myself. They were the guiding light in the blank darkness. Words can’t explain how they truly impacted me.

My life is finally back on track, and so many opportunities are opening and showing themselves. I owe it all to Be Strong Intl.. They were my true saviors.

Be Strong Intl. After School Club Activities

Arts/Photography – A professional photographer teaches photography techniques and how to bridge the art form with others, such as drawing and painting.
Cooking Classes – A professional chef teaches students how to create various recipes using everyday and/or specialized ingredients.
Field Trips – Live and/or virtual excursions take place on select teacher planning days. Space is limited, and parents must give consent.
Social/Emotional Learning Activities – Students learn to recognize and understand their feelings, feel empathy, make decisions and build and maintain healthy relationships.

Be Strong Intl. provides free supplies for all activities.