March 27, 2001 — The first Beacon School open house of the year is slated for 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at Addelita Cancryn Junior High School.
The purpose of the series of open houses is to "showcase the work products" that come out of the program, according to Beacon Executive Director Valerie George. Arts, crafts, demonstrations and written works will be showcased at each of five open houses to be held between March and May.
Beacons provide free after-school learning center opportunities for middle- and low-income children and families. Located in public school facilities, the Beacons provide accessible after-school learning opportunities for adults and youths. They are staffed by volunteers from the community.
"We have a GED (general equivalency diploma) program," George said, as well as classes such as English as a second language.
George said the Beacon schools keep kids off the street but are also geared toward strengthening families. Parents, in fact, are required to pick their children up from the program.
"We noticed the parents were sitting out in the parking lot," she said, "so we decided to offer classes for the parents, too."
The English as a second language class is mostly for adults, according to George. "But the kids act as teachers as well," helping the adults, she said. And it works both ways. Having the parents attend the program helps with discipline for the children, too.
In past years all the open houses were held in the same week, but George said she wanted to "promote the greatest number of participants" and decided to spread them out over a period of time.
The remaining four open houses will all begin at 5:30 p.m.:
– Monday, April 2 at E. Benjamin Oliver Elementary School;
– Tuesday, May 1 at Julius Sprauve Elementary School on St. John;
– Wednesday, May 2 at Claude O. Markoe Elementary School on St. Croix;
– Thursday May 10 at Elena Christian Junior High School on St. Croix.
For more information call 340-777-9300.
