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PNA News 2003/04 School Year
May 26, 2004 PNA extends deepest thanks to the Frist Foundation for awarding a technology grant of $3,100! The grant will provide laptops for use by Site Directors at three of our largest after-school centers. In addition, the grant funds essential software and training. This grant will enable our Site Directors to efficiently manage the paperwork aspects of their operations while maintaining the mobility necessary in supervising a large staff and student population. PNA is enormously grateful to the Frist Foundation for their continued support of this organization and the nonprofit community at large.
May 26, 2004 The web pages for Sylvan Park and Wright have been updated with new photos.
May 21, 2004 As part of the end-of-year festivities, the Haynes PNA children enjoyed a drum and dance performance by members of the Village Cultural Arts Center. See the Haynes web page for photos of the event.
May 21, 2004 Site Director LaRayne Hodge encourages those interested in the Bellevue PNA program for the 2004/05 school year to pre-register soon, as the program is almost full!
May 17, 2004 Site Director Deborah Mayberry reports that two McMurray PNA students, Daniel and DeMontra, made the "All City" track team. Congratulations!
May 17, 2004 The web pages for Bellevue, Haynes, Kirkpatrick, and Sylvan Park have been updated with new photos.
May 12, 2004 Special thanks to Mary McClain and staff from the Metro Public Health Department for visiting our after-school programs at Bellevue Middle and Sylvan Park Elementary to present interactive workshops on Oral Health, Tobacco, and Nutrition.
May 12, 2004
Bellevue PNA -- The students organized and implemented a beautification project, "Ring Around the School", on May 4th.
Ewing Park PNA -- Three PNA students made the A/B Honor Roll and one student made the Principal's List.
Joelton PNA -- The children enjoyed the Easter Egg Hunt! The elementary students had fun collecting candy eggs and counting them for prizes. Our middle school kids received bags of candy to take home and worked on beaded crafts and clay activities.
John Early PNA
Kirkpatrick PNA
Sylvan Park PNA
Two Rivers PNA
April 19, 2004 The web pages for Apollo, John Early, and Sylvan Park have been updated with new photos.
April 6, 2004 PNA's Research & Development Administrator Janell Wood is currently hosting focus group studies. At each PNA center, ten children (five girls and five boys) are meeting with Ms. Wood in separate 45-minute sessions to discuss their involvement in and assessment of the PNA program. Since the children are our "customers", it is essential to solicit their feedback as we seek to maintain a safe, nurturing, and rewarding afterschool environment for them. In addition, Ms. Wood is conducting surveys of PNA parents to assess the value that PNA families place on the program. (This will complement the survey of PNA's 125+ staff members currently underway.)
Ms. Wood's experience in academic research along with the statistical and analytical tools at her disposal will enable her to accurately measure and evaluate the effectiveness (both real and perceived) of the afterschool program.
April 6, 2004 Classroom Jeopardy! is coming to PNA! "For years, educators have praised Jeopardy! as a wonderful motivational tool. Now, Classroom Jeopardy! brings 100% of the lights, sounds, and action of the TV show to the PNA program. While pre-programmed cartridges are available, it's also super-easy for instructors to write their own questions to quiz the subjects their students need to learn, whether they're working on single-digit subtraction or history. From the excitement of the Daily Double to the famous strains of the Jeopardy! Think Music, Classroom Jeopardy! plays exactly like the real thing. The team selects a category and value, which a PNA instructor enters with the host remote controller. The clue is instantly displayed on the TV screen in large type that's visible even from the back of the room. When kids (in teams) signal in on their wireless remote controllers, the instructor only has to press 'Correct' or 'Incorrect' on the host unit, and the electronic scoreboard takes care of adding (or subtracting) the points automatically.
PNA has always sought ways to make learning fun in the afterschool environment. Classroom Jeopardy! is an excellent resource toward that objective. Three of these units are now available for rotation throughout our 15 centers. While instructors may program their own subject-specific quiz program, we have obtained grade-level specific cartridges in addition to middle school science, math, and social studies cartridges.
April 6, 2004
John Early PNA
McGruder PNA
Kirkpatrick PNA -- Karate presentations and Spring Fever activities are in the works for April.
Sylvan Park PNA
March 26, 2004 The Sylvan Park PNA page has been updated with new photos demonstrating the progress of their Butterflies and Moths science study. This is neat! Check it out!
March 5, 2004
Apollo PNA -- The students are busily making spring crafts for residents at the Bethany Health Care Center.
Gra-Mar PNA -- 20% of our students had an increase in their report card grades.
Haynes PNA
John Early PNA -- Our 2nd parent meeting will be held on March 10th. Everyone is invited.
Kirkpatrick PNA -- Our children are making progress toward academic standards due to the PNA homework program.
McGruder PNA
Sylvan Park PNA
Two Rivers PNA -- February was a good month! We had the Nashville Zoo program with Ms. Robin and the kids made yogurt with cereal as part of the 4-H Club gathering with Ms. Smith. The Crimebusters Reality Check visited the site, and the kids learned about what life in jail is like. See the Two Rivers web page on this site for reaction from the students.
February 23, 2004 The web pages for Kirkpatrick and Sylvan Park have been updated with new photos.
February 11, 2003
Bellevue PNA Site Director LaRayne Hodge reports, "There are lots of great things going on at Bellevue. Zoo programs, 4-H programs, jazzercise, CyberChase, crafts, sign language classes, computer projects, visits to the Public library, and much, much more. Come by and visit!
John Early PNA One of our 7th grade students, PhiNeisha, won first place in the Predators Essay Contest and took home the grand prize of $1,000! Congratulations, PhiNeisha. We're proud of you!
Kirkpatrick PNA
McGruder PNA
McMurray PNA -- The site is preparing to launch a major Hispanic/ELL program with bilingual teachers hired expressly to work with ELL students and parents.
Two Rivers PNA
February 10, 2004 The web pages for Haynes, John Early, and Kirkpatrick have been updated with new photos.
January 28, 2004 PNA is featured in today's issue of the Tennessean. The article headline is "McGruder facility opens after-school center - Site is program's first not located in Metro school". In addition to the write-up, two photos taken at the McGruder PNA site were included, one of which depicts Executive Director Illia Moore helping two youngsters with math. Special thanks to Tennessean Staff Writer Nancy Deville for an excellent piece! PNA continues to benefit from media exposure throughout the community with recent features on 104.5 The Zone, Nashville City Paper, and the Tennessean.
January 23, 2004 Project for Neighborhood Aftercare is fortunate to have so many talented and caring people as part of our staff, dedicated to extending both love and learning to the children and families we serve. Congratulations to Kisha Cox on publishing her first book! Kisha is the Site Director at our new program operated within the McGruder Family Resource Center. Kenton Wesby, who illustrated the book, works in the PNA center at Kirkpatrick Elementary. To view the text of a Tennessean newspaper article featuring Kisha's book, Honesty in the Real World, click the McGruder link on the left of this page. Hats off to these talented teachers. PNA is proud and blessed to have them! January 15, 2004 The web pages for Joelton, Kirkpatrick, and Sylvan Park have been updated with new photos.
January 12, 2004
Apollo PNA
Ewing Park PNA -- PNA students Porsche, Keonna, Keith, Simone, April, and Deandrea were recently recognized for commendable kindness displayed to others.
Haynes PNA -- The site recently held a program in which the kids acted in the "Everlasting Gifts" play and sang a medley of holiday songs.
Joelton PNA
McMurray PNA -- Site Director Deborah Mayberry reports frequent comments from other teachers and the school Principal such as, "_________ needs aftercare" and "__________ is so much better when they're in aftercare."
Two Rivers PNA -- The site is in need of a computer to enable students to create a newsletter.
January 12, 2004 Executive Director Illia Moore was interviewed by Charlie Monk on "The Wake-up Zone" show on 104.5 FM this morning!
January 7, 2004 The new "Espanol" section of the PNA website has officially opened. Funding provided by the Frist Foundation's Bridging Cultures grant program has enabled us to to offer PNA informational and enrollment materials to Spanish-speaking families.
January 6, 2004
PROJECT FOR NEIGHBORHOOD AFTERCARE OPENS ITS 15th AFTER-SCHOOL CENTER Children to be served at the C.E. McGruder Family Resource Center ({NASHVILLE, TN}) Project for Neighborhood Aftercare is pleased to announce the opening of its 15th after-school center. The free program is housed at the C.E. McGruder Family Resource Center at 2013 25th Avenue North in Nashville. The program will operate from 3:30-6:00 p.m. on days when school is in full session. Those living within 1.25 miles of the site are eligible to participate. Children receive a healthy snack followed by one hour of tutoring and homework assistance. The program day concludes with activity-based, interactive projects with an academic or life skills benefit. Metro Schools provides transportation to the program for students attending Brookemeade, Charlotte Park, Gower, Harpeth Valley, and Westmeade Elementary Schools. Parents or guardians are responsible for picking up their children at the end of the program day. PNA currently serves well over 1,000 Davidson County children throughout its fifteen centers. December 8, 2003
Apollo PNA
Ewing Park PNA -- The site is now offering basic baton twirling lessons for female students.
Gra-Mar PNA -- During home basketball games, PNA kids are responsible for working the concession stand.
Haynes PNA
Joelton PNA
John Early PNA
Kirkpatrick PNA
McMurray PNA -- Site Director Deborah Mayberry reports, "My kids are being nurtured and enriched daily. I'm seeing lots of progress! Most of all, the kids are happy when they're at PNA."
Sylvan Park PNA
Two Rivers PNA
December 1, 2003 PNA is featured in the Fall/Winter 2003/04 issue of Who's Who In Nashville!
November 24, 2003 Two Rivers PNA announces the winners of the "What Thanksgiving Means" essay contest. Click here to view the winning entries. Also, the John Early and W.A. Bass web pages have been updated to include new photos.
November 14, 2003
Bellevue PNA
Haynes PNA -- Dr. Gwen, a Guidance Counselor with Metro Schools, recently spoke to the girls about self-image.
Joelton PNA -- Mona Crabtree is visiting the kids on Nov. 5th to present a program on Animal Care & Safety.
John Early PNA -- Each Wednesday, a different group of students performs a skit during a program segment called "The PNA Show".
Kirkpatrick PNA -- The center will have a Pre-Thanksgiving event to set the tone for the November theme of "Thankful Hearts". Una Church of Christ is sponsoring the festivities set for Nov. 6th. Also this month, the 3rd and 4th graders will participate in an essay contest entitled "Why I'm Thankful".
McMurray PNA -- A chess club is being organized for the students.
Sylvan Park PNA
Two Rivers PNA
November 4, 2003 The web pages for Apollo, Bellevue, Ewing Park and Sylvan Park have been updated with new photos.
November 4, 2003 As part of PNA's special focus on science this year, McMurray PNA Site Director Deborah Mayberry reports on her students' interactive study of Flight & Rocketry. "My students appear to begin to sizzle at the mention of 'science'. I have to attribute that to the Flight & Rocketry kit. It added the essential hands-on element requires to truly gain the attention of children. It's wonderful that each student has their own demonstration item to construct and experiment with. Our science groups almost always naturally evolve into a competition of design and/or performance. The big question of the day is always, 'Do we get to take this home?'. Thanks to the kits, they do! Thus, I am certain that parents, friends, and siblings also get a mini science lesson. I know the students will at least remember or be familiar with the concepts we cover through the interactive science modules. I'm confident this will increase their 'comfort zone' in school and put them 'a step ahead'."
October 24, 2003 Site Director Deborah Mayberry of McMurray PNA shares great news! "This week, [School Superintendent] Dr. Garcia was scheduled to be in our building for a meeting so my PNA children wrote letters inviting him to eat with us. We discussed the school system structure as well as Dr. Garcia's history. I was amazed at how serious my children were with their invitations, questions for Dr. Garcia, etc. Dr. Garcia did stop by to eat with us and just be with the kids for a few minutes. They couldn't have been more thrilled if Santa Claus had walked in! I was amazed at the immediate bonding. When he started to leave, the little ones spontaneously ran and threw their arms around his knees. The others crowded around for autographs and his phone number/email address. The joy from the children was contagious. Dr. Garcia left with a glow on his face. He told the principal that he had enjoyed his visit and that it was a humbling experience for him."
October 22, 2003 Site Director Beth Miller is hosting PNA Beautification Day at Sylvan Park. The invitation to parents and friends stated, "We all agree that our school is beautiful inside; PNA would now like to create a special curb appeal on the outside." PNA kids, staff, parents, and other volunteers are planting flowers around the school building today. Thanks to Mrs. Miller and the kids for taking the initiative to beautify the grounds at Sylvan Park.
October 20, 2003 Site Director Robin Allen of Gra-Mar PNA proposed the idea of offering a photography workshop in which the principles of portraiture and photo development would be taught and reinforced with hands-on, laboratory practice for the students. Thanks to Kevin Anthuis of Ilford Imaging, that workshop is now a reality! Mr. Anthuis arranged for a donation of essential supplies for developing the photos. Thanks also to Dury's Pro Shop for facilitating the transfer of supplies to PNA. Stay tuned in the coming weeks as we share news of what the Gra-Mar PNA kids are learning about the art and science of photography.
October 7, 2003
Apollo PNA -- The "Blues in the School" program will visit PNA on October 10th. Also, a student-planned Masquerade Party is scheduled to take place later in the month.
Bellevue PNA
Ewing Park PNA -- Throughout October, special guests including attorneys and college educators will be visiting the site to discuss careers in their respective fields. In addition, a manicurist will present a workshop on proper hand and nail care.
Gra-Mar PNA -- The TSU Talent Search tutoring program is working with PNA students to help them master TCAP math skills.
Joelton PNA -- The kids have been invited to attend school volleyball games free of charge! Also, Magician Bruce Amato displayed his sleight-of-hand skills for the kids as part of the 1st Joelton PNA Parent Meeting of the 2003/04 school year. This was quite a special treat!
Kirkpatrick PNA -- The Shelby Community Center sponsored our first Fall Carnival. Mr. Leach, one of the center's youth directors, brought all of the games and treats. It was an exciting time for students and staff alike as the carnival ushered in the warm spirit of Fall.
McMurray PNA -- Site Director Deborah Mayberry has secured enrichment grants for two PNA students. Ken will attend five holiday workshops at the Adventure Science Museum, and Malcolm is looking forward to twelve vocal lessons at Belmont Academy. Overall activities during September included a "Breaking the Chains of Anger" workshop, jewelry-making, conflict resolution game, volleyball competition, self-esteem workshop, and more.
Sylvan Park PNA
Two Rivers PNA -- While the girls are enjoying the Babysitting 101 course, the boys are creating robots with tin cans, wire, batteries, etc. There are no particular design rules, but the robot must be able to move a certain distance on it's own power. The boys can't wait to finish the project and set their robots in motion!
September 30, 2003 An evaluation of PNA was conducted during 1998/99 by Dr. Mark Lipsey of the Vanderbilt Institute for Public Policy Studies. The published dissertation is now accessible online through the Harvard Family Research Project. Of course, PNA has grown considerably since the research was completed, from four to fourteen centers. Nevertheless, the evaluation confirms through research that the PNA program achieves real and valuable results in the lives of children and families. To review Dr. Lipsey's evaluation, click here.
("Through the Out-of-School Time Learning and Development Project, the Harvard Family Research Project is working in partnership with other organizations to build the out-of-school time (OST) field, with a focus on out-of-school learning and development for children ages 5-13. [They] identify and research key issues in out-of-school time evaluation and promote strategic use of this information to improve the quality, accessibility, and sustainability of out-of-school time programs across the nation.")
September 26, 2003 The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee has authorized a discretionary grant to PNA in the amount of $3,100. The funds will be utilized to implement activity-based interactive learning projects covering topics such as safety, health and nutrition, life and occupational skills, etc. In addition, we are purchasing science modules directed at the K-4th grade levels to complement the workshops already in progress for the 5th-8th grade students. The operation of fourteen after-school centers enables us to extend these learning opportunities to hundreds of children. When selecting enrichment programs, we ensure that the materials purchased are "recyclable" so we may rotate the workshop modules through each of our centers.
Many thanks to The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee for sharing and supporting PNA's vision to achieve student growth and development through engaging and beneficial enrichment activities!
September 26, 2003 The Frist Foundation has awarded a $529 grant to PNA as part of their Bridging Cultures initiative. The monies provided will fund the translation of essential enrollment/registration documents and marketing brochures into Spanish. Such materials will enable us to better recruit potential enrollees from the Hispanic community. Many times, although Hispanic children are in ESL programs at school, their parents or guardians have little to no English-speaking skills. This language barrier results in many families simply being unaware of the services available to them through Project for Neighborhood Aftercare. That will soon change! Be sure to check back in the coming months as PNA launches an "En Espanol" section of the website. Deepest thanks to The Frist Foundation for making this outreach possible.
September 25, 2003 EXCITING NEWS! PNA is one of only 10 after-school programs across the United States selected as a CyberChase outreach site! Thirteen/WNET (PBS) New York has awarded a CyberChase interactive learning module to PNA along with a $2,000 grant as part of their national outreach initiative. CyberChase is an animated television adventure series and multimedia project for children ages 6-11 that broadcasts every weekday on PBS Kids! (CyberChase airs locally on Nashville Public Television, weekdays at 10:30 a.m.) The hit animated show is about a team of kids on daring missions in Cyberspace, who have to use MATH and BRAIN POWER to save the day. Brain Power Rules! CyberChase helps kids discover that math is fun and something we experience, not just in school, but all around us in their everyday lives. The materials provided to PNA by Thirteen/WNET New York will help us engage children in hands-on mathematics and problem solving games and activities. Our Site Directors will use these math experiences with the kids to build their confidence and understanding, and to further the learning experience with fun activities centered around the CyberChase series. The CyberChase study will kick off at Haynes PNA and Sylvan Park PNA before rotating to our other locations. CyberChase has a wonderful website with educational games and information at www.pbskids.org/cyberchase. PNA is so proud to have been selected for this national outreach initiative. After all, we strive to be on the “leading edge” of after-school programs and bring the best and brightest opportunities to the kids we serve! Some of the other organizations chosen include the Neighborhood Technology Resource Center of Chicago, the Merrillville, Indiana chapter of the Girl Scouts, the Bronx Educational Alliance Parents Resource/Outreach Center of New York and the Boys & Girls Clubs of both Kansas City, MO and Palm Beach, FL. September 25, 2003 PNA has partnered with Julie Hunt and Production 101 to bring courses on safety and babysitting to our after-school kids. The Babysitting 101 course prepares boys and girls for the job by covering topics such as:
Two Rivers PNA is the first to implement the Babysitting 101 project. The course will rotate to other sites throughout the school year. In addition, the SafeKids 101 module which "prepares kids to stay safe at home and in the community" is part of the enrichment schedule for the 2003/04 school year. To learn more about Julie and Production 101, visit her website at www.smartkids101.com.
September 23, 2003 The feature pages for Ewing Park, Kirkpatrick, and McMurray have been updated with new photos.
September 16, 2003 The feature pages for Bellevue, Haynes, Sylvan Park, and Two Rivers have been updated.
August 25, 2003 The feature pages for Apollo, John Early, McMurray, and Sylvan Park have been updated with new photos and information.
August 25, 2003 Many thanks to Office Depot for their recent donation of $500. This generous gift will partially underwrite the cost of bringing the Nashville Zoo's "Wildlife on Wheels" program to our after-school centers. We value and appreciate Office Depot's continuing contributions to the community!
August 12, 2003 PNA Executive Director Illia Moore will be interviewed on the "Let's Be Frank" show on Wednesday, August 13th. The show airs weekdays from 6:00-8:00 p.m. on 760 AM. Tune in!
August 8, 2003 LATE-BREAKING NEWS... PNA is pleased to announce the launch of a new before and afterschool program at Gra-Mar Middle School! If you live in the neighborhood or your child attends Gra-Mar, please call the PNA office at 312.7040 for more details.
August 8, 2003 The following news brief was included in the Nashville City Paper on 8/8/03 (reprinted with permission).
July 11, 2003 PNA has partnered with the Nashville Zoo to bring the Wildlife on Wheels program to eleven of our sites throughout the 2003/04 school year. Each site will host a series of five W.O.W. sessions. The PNA kids will learn about:
The Nashville Zoo's Outreach Coordinator Robin Harkins will bring animals including the African bullfrog, scarlet macaw, sloth, bearded dragon, and many others for the children to see. We suspect that future zoologists and veterinarians will be inspired through the Wildlife on Wheels series!
July 11, 2003 During the 2003/04 school year, PNA will focus strongly on interactive learning projects involving scientific concepts and principles. It has been said that children learn by doing. A primary objective of the PNA program is to achieve student learning through rewarding enrichment activities. Learning can be fun! What students hear and read in the classroom will be reinforced by what they see, feel, and experience in the afterschool program.
PNA has purchased interactive science modules from Delta Education covering concepts and principles involving:
Each PNA site will focus on a different scientific study for a one-month period. At the end of the investigation, staff and students will submit a report detailing the results and insights gained through the observation, experiment, or study. The modules will then be redistributed throughout the sites for the next month of study. By the end of the 2003/04 school year, each site will have studied and investigated a minimum of six scientific principles.
July 11, 2003 PNA expresses deep gratitude to Manager Scot Ervin of Sam's Club at 615 Old Hickory Blvd. in Nashville. Mr. Ervin arranged for a $1,000 grant through the Sam's Club Foundation to enable the purchase of program supplies in the enhancement of PNA's structured activities. We value and appreciate the continuing contribution that Sam's Club makes to our community.
July 7, 2003 What a way to start a Monday morning! We arrived at the office to learn that our interview with The City Paper's Nicole Troutman had resulted in a front page feature article. See below. And the story goes...
July 1, 2003 PNA extends special thanks to Reporter Josh Nelson and News Radio 1510 WLAC for spreading the word of our Metro funding increase on "Tennessee's Morning News". The "news blurb" aired three times throughout the morning drive.
June 30, 2003 Press Release PROJECT FOR NEIGHBORHOOD AFTERCARE ANNOUNCES INCREASED FUNDING More Children and Families to be served in the 2003/04 school year (NASHVILLE, TN) Project for Neighborhood Aftercare is pleased to announce that Metro Government has increased their funding for the 2003/04 school year to enable the operation of two new after-school centers at Sylvan Park Elementary and McMurray Middle. This brings the total number of PNA centers to fourteen. Last year, PNA provided free before and after-school services to over 750 Davidson County children. This community-based nonprofit is excited to offer tutoring and enrichment services to an additional 160 children at the two new centers opening this fall. PNA also expresses appreciation to The Frist Foundation for their recent award of a technology grant. This funding allowed the purchase of a laptop computer and color laserjet printer for administrative usage. Project for Neighborhood Aftercare operates fourteen before and aftercare centers at schools throughout Davidson County. For information on PNA’s free services as provided by a grant from Metro Government, please call 312.7040.
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