Program Structure
Sparks is an after school program designed and implemented by Camp Fire Inland Northwest in Elementary schools across their jurisdiction. The program runs four days a week through the school year and operates for an hour and forty five minutes after the school day ends and is available to all 4th, 5th, and 6th graders in the school with priority placed on the
students who have been identified by the EWS. Each site keeps a 1:10 staff to student ratio and the sites traditionally reach 20 youth per day. The agenda starts with a 30 minute research and evidence based fitness curriculum developed by Focused Fitness. This is followed by a 15 minute USDA approved snack time. To close out the programming for the day, the students experience 30 minutes of Thrive infused activity designed to help the youth better understand the Thrive Theory of Change. The last 30 minutes of the program is dedicated to homework help and program reflection journaling.
Youth We Serve
The students in the program are primarily 4th 5th and 6th graders who have been identified by the EWS implemented by District 81. This system raises a red flag when attendance, class completion, or behavior becomes a hindrance to the student’s educational success. When choosing schools and students, we offer the program to the schools and the students who would benefit the most from the program. The school targets Title I schools with large percentages of students who are at a high risk of failure or dropping out. The program works closely with the counselors at the school to identify the highest risk students. If the need is present in the school, we will add a third staff member to accommodate for an increase in interest.
Sparks after school
A program of Camp Fire Inland Northwest
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"You bring out a positivity in my daughter that I didn't even know could exist."
-Sparks Parent