Brought to you by the North Canton Intermediate School, the successful after school Enrichment program proves once again to be a success. Offering programs from ASL Club to Lego Club, all of the available sign-up slots have been filled within five minutes of being posted. For just $20, all of North Canton Intermediate School (NCIS) students were given the opportunity to be a part of one of the six after school clubs offered.
With the Enrichment Program run by Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO) volunteers, NCIS states how “fortunate [they are] to have a PTO who supports various learning opportunities” and gives students the chance to experience things they may not have had the opportunity to experience without the program.
“The after school options give students an opportunity to explore new interests and extend their learning beyond the classroom,” NCIS said.
Meeting once a week for five weeks straight, NCIS PTO Chair, Kim O’Tool, finds that students have been very excited to “stay after school and participate in the club.”
“The program has given students the opportunity to learn something new they might not learn during their normal school day such as Spanish and American Sign Language,” O’Tool said. “It also allows them to interact with not only their peers in their grade but the other grades as well since the classes are mixed with 3rd through 5th graders.”
The various clubs offered at NCIS require the school to bring in volunteers and professionals to lead the after school organizations. They partner with Hoover High School to incorporate some of the high school students from the ASL and Spanish programs, Chess Club, NHS and Leadership Club as well as some other North Canton businesses to make these programs as inclusive as possible.
“For our Lego Club we partner with the North Canton Library, who allow us to borrow their Legos,” O’Tool said. “As for experts, the parent volunteer who facilitates our movement and exercise club is a Dr. of Physical Therapy.”
Students being involved in extracurricular activities, including after school clubs, have been found to have a positive impact on their mental health, reducing stress and decreasing their chance of depression. With the help of the NCIS Enrichment Programs, students are exposed to all these benefits and help show them that “learning can go beyond the classroom and that learning can be fun,” O’Tool said.
