Getting to the program

Once school is done for the day students are ready to head home but for those who are too young to stay by themselves, free after school programs are essential. Librarians in Washington and Mt. Pleasant have organized activities for kids but say one major problem they have is finding transportation to get them there.

Jenisa Harris, Youth Services Librarian at the Washington Free Public Library, said her after school programs are mainly on early out days. Students from kindergarten to 12th grade are invited to the library for a variety of activities.

She said the library also hosts other activities during the school year. Everything is catered to what the students are interested in and rotate monthly, she said. Separate programs are organized for K-5 students and teens, students in 6-12th grades, have their own activities.

The programs are all free and funded through budgeting done at the beginning of the fiscal year and donations. She said she tries to re-use materials to keep costs low which helps, but getting kids in the door can be the problem sometimes.

'That is one of the hardest things. I think more people would use the early outs if they had a ride for their children. Most of the schools are nice and close, but not all. I see a lot of buddy systems, parents helping the other parents and the minibus is a great option if they can afford to do that,” she said.

Beth Kerlin, Youth Services Librarian for the Mt. Pleasant Public Library agreed. She said the library hosts activities every day for students but because of the lack of transportation, generally has less than five students every day.

Mid-Prairie students in Kindergarten through fourth grade can take advantage of a free program at the Wellman YMCA on early out days, according to Y's website. Students are bussed from their school directly to the Y. A registration form is required and can be found online.

For students who are able to make it to the Washington library for early out, they are treated to either a movie or a 'Friyay Fun Day.” The movies chosen are kid friendly and shown upstairs in the library and for the fun day, Harris said she sets up a variety of activities for K-5 students to try.

She said on average she has between 35 and 50 students at every early out activity. The program has been very successful, she said, and she's seen that through students coming back to volunteer at the library once they age out of the K-5 activities offered.

'Most of my sixth-graders and up that have grown up going help me on my Friday Fun Day to be my assistants. They can still come and participate, but they can also help me out and it's fun to see them still wanting to come to the library,” she said.

Kerlin said the activities at the Mt. Pleasant Public Library vary from day to day but are free and open kindergartners to seniors in high school. Mondays are game days, Tuesday the students are given a science technology engineering and art (STEAM) challenge, Wednesdays volley between live theater and Lego club, Thursdays are a makers space day and Fridays are movie days.

She said although students have just spent the majority of their day in school, when they come to the programs they are not burned out on learning.

'They don't think of it as learning, they just think of it as playing,” she said, adding that it is not only a learning space but a safe space as well. 'It's a safe environment. They don't have to be wandering around or getting in trouble somewhere else. They can get in trouble here.”

Because transportation for students can be an issue, the Iowa State University Extension and Outreach office in Jefferson County brings the activities to them. Youth Outreach Coordinator Clint Mercer said the program is offered to kindergartners and first-graders at Washington Elementary on Tuesdays from 3:30-5:15 p.m.

A similar program is offered at Fairfield Middle School from 3:30-5 p.m. on Wednesdays. Mercer said the activities vary every month but focus a lot on science.

STEAM and robotics are two of Mercer's favorite topics to cover with the students. He said especially at the elementary age, the students are interested in learning and stay well engaged with the tasks at hand.

'It gives the kids a way to interact with each other,” he said. 'They get new perspectives and they like to learn as much as they can.”