The kids at Allie’s Place stayed sharp this summer with Let’s Learn family workshops sponsored by PBS and WNET. Volunteers from WNET hosted two unique series of workshops—one for the kids in the Afterschool & Recreation program and one for the little ones in the Early Childhood Education Center—where children and their families were immersed in hands-on learning activities with a spotlight on literacy.

“The idea is to strengthen foundational reading skills and concepts because we know that there is a gap in reading due to Covid-19,” said Steffany Ruiz, Early Learning Engagement Senior Specialist for WNET. “We want to support parents so that they can extend learning at home with their children.”

Each of the four workshops kicked off with a group reading of a book, followed by explorations into four activity stations relating to the overarching theme of the book. At each station, kids and parents teamed up to complete an activity—from interactive videos on tablets to hands-on crafts. Although the tablets were undeniably a highlight amongst the kids, choosing one favorite activity proved to be a challenge.

“One thing I really liked was when we read the books … and played on the iPads … and got to make our own turtles … and keep these flashlights,” said one child in the Afterschool workshops.

Parents also had a chance to meet individually with the volunteers to learn more about the Let’s Learn website—an accessible hub of interactive lesson plans from teachers for families to help support their children’s learning.

“The parents have really enjoyed the website,” said Steffany. “They find that it gives them strategies for reading and engaging with their children, and [ideas] for activities with household items.”

Seeing their parents participating in the learning journey meant a lot to the kids, and the parents were equally excited to be included.

“They love their parents. They want their parents to teach them,” said Director of Afterschool & Recreation David Belmar. “Who better to teach them than their parents? They know their kids best.”

“I am just excited that I learned new materials and tools to take back home to engage with [my child],” said one mother.

At the end of workshop series, each child received their own tablet, sparking anticipation and encouragement to extend their learning beyond the classroom.

“Our parents are eager for their kids to learn and to be exposed to educational activities outside of the traditional classroom setting,” said David. “Letting them know that there are resources out there that they can tap into was a strong message that PBS/WNET gave to the families that told them ‘You are in control of your child’s learning.’”

This Spring, the Afterschool & Rec kids at Prospect Family Residence have been drumming up a storm in a Buckets & Beats class with the Brooklyn Music School. The class was a hit with the young musicians who tapped their way to success.

Music teacher Sarah Mullins emphasized the importance of teamwork and kindness in her classes. She believes that with music, everyone can work together to create something great.

“I want everyone to feel like they belong,” said Sarah. “I want everyone to be kind and respect each other. With music, we are listening together … we are working as a team to accomplish a goal that we can present in a performance at the end of the program.”

And that is exactly what they did in their final recital that they proudly performed for their parents. Prospect Lead Teacher Giovanni Yapor said he saw tremendous growth in the kids since they started the weekly classes.

“I saw the kids go from not being able to stay still and talking over the teacher to staying composed and respecting the music teacher,” said Giovanni. “They went from not knowing what to do with the sticks to being able to masterfully perform in front of their parents.”

The kids’ favorite part of the class was “soloing,” where they got a moment of fame to show off their freestyle skills. One student shared that they learned how to make different sounds by hitting the bucket in different places.

“I am seeing my students [get] excited about playing and excited about music … that’s what I want,” said Sarah.

Through patience and teamwork, the kids learned how to  transform something as simple as a bucket into a musical instrument and discovered a new creative outlet for their musical talent.

Giovanni says he hopes the kids “continue to persevere when something seems challenging and to never lose their creative hearts.”

Last month, the Prospect Afterschool and Rec team hosted a residence-wide coloring contest. Afterschool and Recreation Supervisor Patricia Striggles was inspired by the HFH logo—a house with a heart—and tied it into their Valentine’s celebration by prompting the kids to answer the question, “What does love feel like?” in their artistic transformation of the logo.

“Coloring is a great activity for relieving stress because [it] calms the brain and helps your body relax. It has been shown to improve feelings of depression and anxiety,” said Patricia. “The kids in afterschool have taken a real liking to coloring, and I wanted to spread the joy and benefits building-wide.”

Each kid who chose to participate in the week-long contest was provided with an outline of the HFH logo, crayons, and a chart which listed colors as representative of different adjectives, i.e., green = loyal, yellow = warmth, etc. The staff was thrilled by the outcome—a total of 18 kids submitted beautiful artwork, each one uniquely depicting their interpretations of what love feels like. One student chose to embellish her artwork with words. Another student, Mithsu, opted for bright colors in her drawing.

“It represents a place for all. The heart shows love, and the house shows an apartment for people,” said Mithsu. “The colors are a symbol of brightness, and that makes me feel happy.”

One piece in particular stood out to the staff: the work of 13-year-old Alisson, who drew NYC using a collection of iconic symbols including the Statue of Liberty, the Brooklyn Bridge, and a yellow Taxi.

“I love NYC, and it is my home. We need to keep it clean by recycling,” said Alisson. “My drawing represents everything NYC has to offer. I love to draw and color, so this activity was a lot of fun.”

Alisson’s depiction of her home city was recognized as the winning drawing, and she received a nail design kit and a gift card for her artistry. The other outstanding artists were rewarded with a participation certificate and a small gift. The kids’ work will also be displayed around the building for the residents and staff to appreciate.

In addition to this event being an opportunity for the kids to express themselves and engage in friendly competition, Patricia says that it was a great way to make the families living at Prospect Family Residence aware of the Afterschool & Recreation department and the abundance of activities that they have to offer.

We’re in love with the matching outfits and valenTIEs! Friends and families at the Saratoga Family Residence gathered for a fabulous Valentine’s Day function.

All smiles for sweets! Staff at the Clinton Family Residence distributed heart-shaped treats for the parents and kids.

Prospect Afterschool made heart-melting goodies and donned festive face paint at their V-day celebration. The kids also participated in a coloring contest where they decorated the HFH logo—a house with a heart. Stay tuned for the results!

A batch made in heaven! Allie’s Place Center for Culinary Education & Employment made sugar cookies for the families at Allie’s Place and staff gathered for a Heart-y Party.

Staff at Williamsbridge Family Residence spread the love this Valentine’s Day with positive affirmations for the families and staff.

The love bugs in Allie’s Place Afterschool and Early Ed crafted valentines for their loved ones. The Afterschool bunch decorated heart-shaped sugar cookies made by the Culinary Team.

Holiday cheer was in the air at Allie’s Place at a recent event hosted by Bronx-based organization RAP4Bronx. Volunteers handed out goodie bags, hot chocolate, and gingerbread cookies to Allie’s Place residents, and holiday gifts were distributed to each child.

“[We] just want the kids to really feel like the holidays are beginning,” said Shana McCormick, Executive Director of RAP4Bronx.

RAP4Bronx, formed in March 2020, is primarily a relief access program of The Skyline Charitable Foundation. Since their inception, they’ve partnered with Bronx Community Board 9 and various Community-Based Organizations throughout the borough, to identify and reach those in most need of support. In addition to their food relief work, each year, they identify a shelter in the Bronx to receive holiday gift donations—this year they selected Allie’s Place.

“This district is actually where it all started—in Soundview,” said Shana, when discussing the organization’s beginnings during the early days of COVID-19.

The event was truly a community affair. Families took photos in front of the holiday decorations, made artwork with their kids, and mingled with the other parents in the Allie’s Place community. A few parents even donned matching family holiday pajamas at the event, keeping up with their family traditions.

“I feel loved and welcomed … and the parents are nice,” said one mother.

“You can feel the holiday spirit,” another mother added.

Five-year-old Kalliegh opened her gift and was surprised to find exactly what she had been wishing for—a What the Fluff Toy Pet.

“Especially around the holidays, it’s nice to give back to people that are going through a difficult time right now,” said Jailyn, volunteer with RAP4Bronx.

As the family event wound down, school-aged kids who attend Allie’s Place Afterschool/Rec program joined the celebration for gingerbread house making, with the guidance of Shana and the volunteers. The festive spirit of the room was palpable as the kids decorated their creations with smiling faces and frosting-covered fingers.

A spooky spin on picture day—the Early Ed kiddos and staff at Prospect Family Residence were dressed to impress for a spook-tacular photoshoot.

Saratoga gave us pumpkin to talk about with their scary skelebration! The Afterschool staff assembled an eerie-sistible spread of treats, and the kids crafted ghosts out of construction paper and cotton balls.

Allie’s Place Early Childhood Education Center threw a frightfully fun costume party. The youngsters competed in an “egg-and-spoon” race, limbo, and musical chairs—dressed as their favorite characters!