Building Stronger Youth for the Future

About Us

The YMCA of Greater Long Beach offers free afterschool programming to over 2,000 students in grades K-8 that focus on homework support, project-based learning and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math). As an afterschool program team, we have dedicated our efforts to providing virtual and in-person expanded learning programs to keep our students engaged and working towards achieving their academic goals while supporting the efforts to prevent and minimize the rising rates of depression, anxiety, and student learning loss.

Program Highlights

• Homework Support:
  • Monday-Friday students receive 1 hour of homework assistance. If students have no homework or finish early, the program leader provides various activities to supplement homework (Independent Reading Time- students read self-selected books from our leveled-library, academic centers, and/or student directed projects).
• Academic Enrichment:
  • Throughout the week, students work on academic enrichment activities focusing on S.T.E.A.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics), Literacy, Social Science, and many more academic content areas.
• Project Based Learning (PBL):
  • Project Based Learning is an inquiry-based model of learning where students work on a project for an extended period of time. All PBL learning experiences follow the Buck Institute for Education’s PBL model and will include: an entry event, significant content (common core standards), 21^st century competency development (4 Cs, information / media / technology skills, life / career skills, etc.), in depth inquiry, a project challenge (in response to an issue, challenge, investigation, or problem), voice/choice, individual and group deliverables, critique, revision and reflection, and a culminating event with a public audience. Learning experiences are designed in alignment with the Learning In After School Principles of Learning (active, collaborative, meaningful, promotes skill mastery, and expands horizons) and youth development.
• Academic Support:
  • Students receive additional support with academics through the usage of a variety of curricula (i.e. KidzMath, KidzLit, Versatiles, Learning Pads, Wrap-Ups, etc.)
• Y-Clubs/Youth Council:
  • Every Friday, students participate in clubs. Clubs are designed around student’s interests as well as the program leader’s talents/hobbies (skills/interest they want to share with the students). Students may choose/join any club they are interested in (students may join a group other than their regular group). In addition to clubs, a selected group of students participate in Youth Council, a youth empowerment program where youth identify and analyze problems in their community that they would like to address through service-learning projects.
• Physical Education:
  • Each day, students engage in 30-45 minutes of structured physical education activities.
• Nutrition:
  • Each day students receive a snack provided by the district’s Nutrition Services.
• Common Core:
  • The Common Core State Standards provide a consistent and clear understanding of what students are expected to learn in each grade level. The standards are designed to be robust and relevant to the real world, and to reflect the knowledge and skills that our youth need for success in college and future careers. Our program leaders are utilizing Common Core State Standards when designing grade level lessons. 

Program Goals

To create a positive learning environment where students can grow in the areas of:

1. Academic enrichment

2. Physical fitness

3. Personal wellness, healthy behaviors, and nutrition

4. Interpersonal and social relationships