Read this article as it originally appeared in Newark Patch
Before they’re allowed to shoot baskets, children enrolled in The North Ward Center’s recreation program first have to hit the books.
The after-school tutoring program, designed for students in kindergarten through sixth grades who are struggling in school, was launched in response to parents’ demand to put academics before sports.
“We know there is a need for this and it is easier to get their attention now when they are younger,” said Rashard Casey, the director of the North Ward Center’s Youth Development and Recreation Program. “We are stressing from a young age that academics coincides with athletics.”
Stephen N. Adubato, the founder of The North Ward Center, said it made sense for the recreation program to offer after school tutoring.
“We were founded as an educational institution and we are best known for our education programs,” said Adubato, who also founded the Robert Treat Academy, a Blue Ribbon K-8 charter school that serves 525 students in two locations. “This is a great way to ensure even more students in Newark are academically successful.”
The tutoring program is located at St. Lucy’s Community Center on 7th Avenue,where The North Ward Center has been leasing an underutilized gym since March 2010.
Four times a week, groups of 25 students meet after school in a dedicated classroom at the community center to take part in homework help, tutoring and athletics. The students do schoolwork from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. before participating in sports until 8:00 p.m. The Recreation program offers basketball, baseball and flag football.
Vanessa Baldwin-Smith, a tutor, helps a student with his homework at The North Ward Center's after-school recreation program.Vanessa Baldwin-Smith, a veteran teacher who works for The North Ward Center’s Child Development Center, runs the tutoring portion of the program. When students come in “Miss Vanessa,” as the children call her, helps them get started on their homework and provides prompts on the board for the children to complete. The students eagerly run up to the board to fill in the letters and finish the words of the day.
“I don’t even need to tell them to read, they love it, they just do it on their own,” said Baldwin-Smith. “Since they are in the program from 4 to 8 p.m., they are learning and staying out of trouble while a lot of the parents are at work.”
Upon completion of their homework, the students use a computer program called SuccessMaker. The software is a digital learning curriculum that gives the student math, reading and comprehension exercises. The program assesses the answers, showing exactly where the child needs improvement and adjusts the curriculum accordingly.
“We like to see them one grade level ahead of their grade,” Baldwin-Smith said. “Within two or three weeks with our program you can already see major improvement.”
The SuccessMaker software is tailored to each grade level, incorporating different material to keep the students learning. The younger grade levels have larger text with bouncing cartoon characters to keep them entertained as well as focused. The curriculum for the higher grades uses more in depth reading material with content geared toward the older student and includes multimedia.
Sixth Grade student Allen Calderon, of Ridge Street School in Newark, who plays basketball, baseball and soccer, uses SuccessMaker to read about subjects such as Greek mythology.
“I like doing math and reading,” said Calderon. “My grades in school have been improving. I usually get B's but since I’ve been in the program I have been getting A's.”
Casey said it’s important that younger students understand that they need to achieve academically if they want to participate in sports when they get to high school. Newark Public Schools recently implemented a policy upping the requirements for high school students to participate in after-school athletics to 2.5 GPA from a 2.0.
The North Ward Center runs the largest private recreational program in the state, serving more than 3,500 Newark children. The year-round program teaches hands on athletic development, teamwork skills and sportsmanship through baseball, softball and basketball. Players have the opportunity to travel to Puerto Rico, Florida and other locations to participate in national and international tournaments.
During the warmer months, students play at the state-of-the art Stephen N. Adubato Athletic Complex in Branch Brook Park, which has a football field and several baseball fields with lighting and artificial turf.
Adrianne Davis, the executive director of The North Ward Center, said she hopes the after school tutoring program can be expanded so more students can benefit.
“We want to make sure every kid who needs the extra attention has access to it,” Davis said. “We want every child to succeed academically.”
