The St. John Community Foundation has a good idea for a 10-week after-school program for kids, funding to run it, and the initiative to get it started, but no takers so far for its Allawees program.
"It’s different," says Community Foundation Director Paul Devine. "It’s non-academic, there’s no homework and you don’t have to read and study."
The Community Foundation last week started the program for children ages 10 to 15 to give them an alternative to drugs and violence, but no youths showed up. However, the Community Foundation plans to continue the program this week in hopes that youths will sign on. It runs from 3 to 5:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Fridays, with Room D104 at Julius E. Sprauve School as the base. Devine says the Allawees program has room for 20 youths.
The Community Foundation lined up a group of adult residents to serve as mentors to the students who participate.
The program includes history and culture workshops with four St. John residents discussing their take on island history. Devine says Chuck Pishko will talk about events in St. John’s past that shaped the island as it is today. Oswin Sewer will discuss cultural changes. Gilbert Sprauve will be on hand to talk about the African and Caribbean experience as well as slavery up to the point of Emancipation in 1848. Ed Roberts and Kenny Marsh will talk about their youthful years when they had to ride donkeys to get from one end of St. John to the other.
The Allawees program includes swimming-safety classes in a pool and beach-safety classes at Honeymoon Beach. Devine says he often witnesses unsafe pool and beach activities, including kids jumping into pools right on top of someone’s head.
"And never go to the beach without a buddy," he says.
The list of programs also includes journaling lessons and first-aid classes with St. John Rescue, as well as a boat trip on the Sadie Sea.
And the youths will see what it’s like to be a tourist on their own island.
"We’ll have them go on an island tour with a taxi driver," Devine says.
The activities emphasize teamwork, Devine says, and will also stress things like not talking when someone else is speaking.
"They’ll also learn respect for themselves and respect for the team," he says.
Since he hopes that students from all three of St. John’s public and private schools will attend, he says it will give them a chance to meet and make friends with people they may not ordinarily encounter.
The program is funded by the Human Services Department to the tune of $7,500, Devine says.
To participate, call 693-9410 or just go to the next scheduled session.
