By Liz McBreen
Trained professionals run the programs including not only sports, but also homework assistance during the school year, and offer afternoon snacks. GYO Director Pat Boyle explained that for some children from kindergarten through sixth grade, this is the only alternative to being alone until their parents come home from work.
By helping the children to finish their homework in the afternoon, they have the chance to interact with their parents later on without the stress of homework.
A Legislative Member Item-Grant was recently given to Assemblyman Tom Alfano by the New York State Assembly. Alfano was able to allocate the money to his choice of agencies. According to Boyle, "he took this program under his wing because we help kids." Alfano gave $20,000 of the grant money to Boyle's program last month.
The program also receives funding from the Nassau County Youth Board and the state office of Child and Family Services.
This summer, GYO held a program at Stewart Manor elementary school between Monday and Thursday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Children from the Sewanhaka High School District enjoyed recreational and educational workshops, as well as arts and crafts, Tae Bo and other activities. "Five hundred kids signed up for the summer program, and about four hundred and sixty came on a regular basis," said Boyle. He added that there was a waiting list with about 225 names.
GYO welcomed about 1,600 young residents from around the district last year, and about 90 per cent were Elmont residents, according to Boyle. The program is expecting even more participants this year. "Two years ago, our funding went down because of Nassau County budget cuts, but we have more funding from some other sources for the upcoming year."
In the fall, the after school program will run at Gotham Avenue, Covert Avenue and Clara H. Carlson elementary schools. Boyle says that the outreach program just completed a grant proposal that requests the necessary funding to offer the program to all of the elementary schools in the Elmont district.
