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Councilman Greg Stanton
The Ahwatukee Republic
March 22, 2005
Phoenix Activity City helps kids achieve
Providing children all the tools they need to learn is crucial for their academic future and the future of our city.
The Phoenix Activity City (PAC) after school excellence in education initiatives program allows students in Ahwatukee Foothills and elsewhere to combine learning with fun, boosting their academic gains.
At places like Kyrene Centennial middle school and Kyrene de los Lagos , Kyrene de las Lomas, Kyrene Monte Vista and Kyrene de la Esperanza elementary schools, PAC is reaching and exceeding its goals. Most of the programs are after school. Some are before.
The kind of learning students undertake in PAC is a complement to the school day at more than 160 sites around the city.
The city initiated PAC as a recreation program offering children a "safe haven" after school. But research told us we needed a more academic emphasis to boost student achievement. The Council Education Subcommittee, which I lead, has worked closely with our Parks and Recreation Department to strengthen and expand PAC.
"Our challenge was to promote a program that was still based on fun, but also was an improvement in reading, math and homework," said assistant Parks and Recreation director Dale Larsen. "Kids are smart, and they know that if the after school program is just a continuation in disguise of what they have just gone through the previous six or seven hours then they are not going to show up."
PAC responded with a variety of creative reading, math and science programs:
- Fantasy Baseball uses real baseball statistics, teaching math and problem-solving.
- Book Blast is a strong literacy program sponsored by the Phoenix Public Library. Storytelling and other reading strategies push students to read at or beyond their grade level by third grade.
- Homework and tutoring time promotes homework clubs that not only get kids working together and helping each other, but also encourages them with field trips and prizes.
- Intel's Design and Discovery is a partnership that lets youngsters explore design and engineering through hands-on activities featuring science and math.
Results are very encouraging.
Students in Book Blast are demonstrating reading skills that on average are surpassing students who did not take part. Also, in the districts where PAC conducted its pilot programs, five schools that the state had labeled "underperforming" have improved to "performing."
With these results, we need to continue supporting PAC and make it available to as many of our students as possible.
We owe it to our young people to give them all they need to achieve.
To learn more about PAC, call 602-262-7370 or visit phoenix.gov/PAC.
Phoenix City Councilman Greg Stanton represents Ahwatukee Foothills. If you have any questions about any issues, call Stanton 's office at 602-262-7491, e-mail greg.stanton@phoenix.gov or visit phoenix.gov/DISTRICT 6. The views expressed are those of the author.
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