In 2004, MHLC was awarded a 21st Century Grant to partner with King Elementary School to provide an after school program. This 5-year grant award allows us to provide support to the students at King who need it most. The goal of our after school program is to identify low and middle performing students and help them get up to grade level by providing homework help, academic enrichment, mentors and one-on-one tutors. Students are organized and separated by grade level to spend 3:15-5:00pm in a classroom at King working on their homework and recieving additonal standards based curriculum support with the same instructor throughout the school year. Then at 5:00pm, students reconvene in the cafeteria. At this point they can choose to spend the last hour of the day finishing up their homework, playing chess and other games, or go to the gym and participate in an organized activity designed to help them work out all the physical energy building up during their long day at school.

In 2006, we were able to open the program up to serve the greater school community as well. All students, 1st-5th grade, that live in the Mt. Hope Area are welcome to be part of our program after filling out the necessary paperwork. We recently assimilated the Mt. Hope Neighborhood Association after school students into our program. We continue to work with Dana Carvahlo at the Neighborhood Association in delivering weekly physical activity to the participants.

Finally, daily enrichment courses also serve an important role as they offer students an opportunity to experience new subjects such as piano, chess, cooking, art, book club, sports, and computers. Like our other program offerings, this collaborative relies on community involvement, as volunteers, tutors and enrichment course teachers are an essential part of the 21st Century program. We have been extremely lucky to have a good number of high school and college students volunteering with various aspects of the program and serving as role models and mentors to the students we serve.