AFTER-SCHOOL COALITION NEEDS SUPPORT

How badly do parents want their children to have after-school program
opportunities?

We should know by year's end.

On Wednesday, the Kingman for Kids Task Force met to discuss its next
moves in efforts to start after-school programs. The task they face
is daunting.

They agreed on their first two moves. The first is to contact local
school district officials to schedule meetings and find out what
commitment they might make for use of school facilities.

Secondly, they hope to bring Tom Brown to their next meeting to tell
them how to go about putting together a sound program. Brown operated
after-school programs in the Flagstaff School District until his
retirement this past spring.

Community support from residents and businesses will be needed to
make any program a reality, even after funding sources are identified
and applied for through grants. In addition to schools, one task
force member suggested contacting churches to see if any could offer
use of their facilities.

However, it was quickly established that there are licensing issues
to be addressed with the Arizona Department of Health Services.
Requirements will be more easily met through schools than churches.

Kim Morgan, executive program assistant with the Arizona School-Age
Coalition, brought copies of the final report her organization
generated about the need for after-school programs in the community.
Surveys done last fall produced plenty of statistical
information.

"When the School Bell RingsNeeds in Out-of-School Time in Arizona
Communities - Kingman Report" is the title of the report. Task force
members already were acquainted with much of the data from a
community panel discussion held June 5 in the office of the Kingman
Unified School District, so they immediately went into discussion of
how to proceed.

Funding and transportation matters were put on the table, along with
where after-school programs could be implemented.

Susan Williams, program coordinator of the Mohave County Tobacco Use
Prevention Program, brought up the possibility of constructing a YMCA
or community center.

That may turn out to be the best solution. However, finding funding,
buying a piece of land, getting impact and whatever other studies may
be necessary done and the myriad of other details connected with the
project means it would be at least five years before such a building
would be ready to open. The report highlights the urgency for
after-school programs now.

In a sub-section titled, "Keeping our kids and communities safer is a
smart investment," it states, "Teens who do not participate in
after-school programs are three times more likely to use marijuana or
other drugs, and are more likely to drink alcohol, smoke cigarettes
and engage in sexual activities. In fact, studies have shown that
youth who are not involved in after-school activities are more likely
to use drugs, and 37 percent are more likely to become teen parents."

That information was taken from a 2002 U.S. Department of Education
report.

The Arizona School-Age Coalition did a similar community needs survey
for Sierra Vista, and Morgan was asked what direction that city is
moving on after-school programs.

"I don't know," Morgan said.

"They chose not to go with a task force. Once I present my report to
them, they may pull together, but they also chose not to do a
community forum."

It's apparent that Kingman has more concerned citizens dedicated to
the future of children than Sierra Vista. Perhaps things will change
there once Morgan delivers her final report, but forming a task force
here and having a community panel discussion for ideas puts Kingman
miles ahead in the effort to offer its children the chance "to
enhance educational, social and behavioral skills while providing a
safe and nurturing opportunity to learn."

That partial quote was taken from another sub-section of the report
titled, "It's more than keeping kids off the streets."

What do you say, residents, business owners and taxpayers? Do you
want more responsible children here or are you satisfied to leave
things as they are now?