The school year is just around the corner, and Noozhawk’s ParentNooz After School Activities Guide is officially here and we made sure to make things easy when planning your child’s after school activities! Our 2019 After School Activities guide provides you and your child with all the necessary information when deciding on which after school program is the best fit.
To give parents the tools to help make informed decisions about after school programs for their kids in Santa Barbara, Noozhawk has conducted a series of interviews with representatives of local programs for this year’s After School Activities Guide.
In this interview, Noozhawk talked with Kristen Weaver, Director of Communications at Girls Inc. of Greater Santa Barbara, to learn more about their after school program here in Santa Barbara.
Girls Inc. of Greater Santa Barbara
Question: What is the name of your After School Activity/Program? What is its mission?
Answer: Girls Inc. of Greater Santa Barbara’s After-School Teen Program. Inspiring teen girls to be strong, smart, and bold.
Q: Describe the activities involved in your After School Activity/Program.
A: Each month of our after-school enrichment program focuses on a Strong (Healthy), Smart (Educated), or Bold (Independent) themes with a culminating special activity or guest speaker, or field trip. Teens learn empowerment, team building, leadership development, healthy relationship building, and how to advocate for themselves and for others. They participate in college prep and future planning, STEM, social justice art, and fun physical activities. Time is set aside each day for homework assistance, too. Using our onsite kitchen, the teens make their own healthy and nutritious snacks each day.
Examples of monthly themes at the Girls Inc. Teen Center include:
We Are STEMinists – Girls develop enthusiasm for and skills in, science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). Through hands-on activities and interactions with professional women in STEM, they explore, problem-solve, and consider their future careers in these fields where women are underrepresented.
Advocacy, Social, Voting and Civics – Youth learn how to advocate, use their voices, and develop creative ways to stand up for current issues that they are facing today.
Economic Literacy – Teens learn more about economic and financial topics such as attitudes and values about money, career strategies, worker rights, entrepreneurship, career planning, budgeting, labor, and management.
We Are College Bound – Youth think beyond high school and college while also learning how to become strong college applicants. Teens and mentors discuss the various higher education opportunities, A-G requirements, financial aid + scholarships, the importance of extracurricular activities, aligning passions with a career field, and researching different higher ed institutions. Youth begin to plan their activities today for the future they want to build tomorrow.
Healthy Sexuality and Relationships & Communication – The Healthy Sexuality curriculum assists youth in understanding and embracing sexuality with a positive, empowered approach that is built on a foundation of accurate information, cultural sensitivity, and values of inclusiveness and respect. The youth acquired the knowledge and skills necessary to take charge of and to make informed, thoughtful decisions about their sexual health.
Friendly PEERsuaion – Girls develop skills to resist pressure to use harmful substances such as alcohol, tobacco, household chemicals, and other drugs. In this peer-education program, the youth learn healthy ways to manage stress and confront peer, media, and other pressures that may arise.
Q: What are the hours of your after school activity or program?
A: Monday-Friday, after school to 6 PM. The Santa Barbara Junior High School program is offered at the school Monday-Thursday, 2:30-5 PM.
Q: What is the age range for children to take part in your after school activity or program?
A: Teens in grades 7-12.
Q: When was your program started and what was the inspiration for creating it?
A: The Girls Inc. Goleta Valley Teen Center opened in 2015 as a safe, inclusive place for youth transitioning into middle school and high school. Sustained exposure is an essential component of the Girls Inc. experience. Providing programs into middle school and high school allows us to further support our youth during their teenage years.
By providing programming and an environment that is socially, emotionally, mentally, and academically appropriate for this age group and the challenges they are facing, teens stay future-focused to grow up healthy, educated, and independent.
Q: Describe what makes your after school program unique and worthwhile.
A: All-girl, pro-girl environment; Safe and inclusive space; A sisterhood of support for social and emotional development; Girls Inc.’s developmentally appropriate, research-based curriculum; Positive Role Models; A physical environment that is safe for teens to share their stories, learn from one another and build confidence in addressing the unique issues facing girls today.
Q: Has any part of the program changed since it was created?
A: When the teen center opened it offered part-time after-school programming. That has grown into full-time after-school program and a full-time summer program uniquely tailored to teens’ social, emotional, mental, and academic development.
Q: What is the average program size or class size for your activity? Teacher to student ratio?
A: On average, 50 teens participate each week in the after-school program. Our ratio is 14:1.
Q: In what ways is your program educational?
A: Our intentional research-based curriculum and programming promotes positive self-esteem, self-love, and healthy living, and builds community, leadership, and academic confidence and enrichment. Teens engage in hands-on, minds-on activities exploring career paths, learning about the college experience, and how to plan for education beyond high school.
Q: What is the cost/tuition? Are scholarships available?
A: Teens can attend full-time (3+ days per week) or part-time (<3 days per week).
$55 week / full time
$35 week / part time
Financial assistance may be available for qualifying families. Sibling discounts also available.
Additional information to include:
Our after-school program for teens helps girls in grades 7-12 learn to be confident, follow their curiosities, and embrace their inherent strengths in a safe and developmentally supportive pro-girl environment.
Girls Inc. After-School Program for Teens is offered at the Goleta Valley & Teen Center, 4973 Hollister Avenue, 805-967-0319.
Free transportation is provided from school to the center.
We also have an after-school teen program onsite at Santa Barbara Junior High School this fall. The Santa Barbara Junior High School program is offered at the school Monday-Thursday, 2:30-5 PM.
We have bi-lingual program facilitators.
For more information visit girlsincsb.org or call Girls Inc. Teen Programs Director Brenda Mendoza Alamo at 805-967-0319.
Enrollment is ongoing.
Click here for more information about Girls Inc. of Greater Santa Barbara Teen Programs.