Neighborhood Focus

Designed to engage students in a high-quality, out-of-school time program, Neighborhood Focus is organized to help students stay on the pathway to high school graduation and life success. Our programs seek to ensure that students (1) transition successfully into and out of the various levels of school and are prepared for academic success, (2) remain actively engaged in a structured, relational character education and discipleship program, and (3) develop the necessary social, emotional and life skills that the next generation needs to achieve personal and professional success. As the only free, faith-based out-of-school time program equipped to serve the hispanic student population in the challenging white horse road corridor of greenville, Neighborhood Focus employs a holistic approach to provide access to high-quality expanded learning programs, reduce risky adolescent behaviors, and develop students' post-secondary skills for career and life success. Historically, Neighborhood Focus primarily served elementary-aged students. To help address an unmet need in the community to provide quality programs designed specifically for middle and high school students as well, we expanded our program offerings over recent years to include separate but similar programs for elementary age children (called launch) and middle and high school students (called accelerate). Our three core programs, benefitting approximately 250 persons per year, include the following: afterschool, friday club and summer enrichment program. Afterschool is a free program operating monday-thursday during the school year from 2:45 to 6:00pm which provides homework assistance, academic tutoring in reading and math, steam-focused (science, technology, engineering, art and math) learning enrichment, character education, life skills, career readiness and recreation. On tuesdays, students participate in facilitator-led experiential steam learning activities for approximately 45 minutes. Thursday provides 45 minutes of focused time on career readiness, alternating on a weekly basis between job and life skills curriculum and career discovery days with an emphasis on steam pathways. Monday and wednesday activities Focus on a combination of character education and wellness (fitness, spirituality and nutrition). Friday club meets 2-3 fridays per month, generally from 3:00 to 6:00pm. Friday club provides a structured time for students, their friends, faimilies and mentors to relax, have fun and build relationships through games, discipleship, character education and field trips. Organized recreation, group activities, family devotion time and a hot meal are provided throughout the school year to all participants. Summer enrichment program is an immersive day camp that operates over 8 weeks from mid-june to early august. The highly structured, holistic program, led in part and supported by locally-based adolescent and young adults that have been positively impacted by Neighborhood Focus is a combination of vacation bible school and academic enrichment programs designed to offset the summer learning slide through an emphasis on steam learning, character education and personal discipleship. The program is organized to meet students' needs through physical, spiritual, educational and social training. Elements of the program include bible study, worship and music, reading, arts and crafts, sports and recreation, practical living skills lessons and a mix of fun and educational off-site field trips. Without access to a quality afterschool program, adequate educational experiences and mentoring in steam fields, large segments of the under- resourced hispanic student population will be ill-prepared to participate effectively in the modern steam-based workplace. Neighborhood Focus is committed to providing greenville hispanic children and students with a safe and fun place to go when school is out where they can be comfortable being themselves, create new, healthy friendships, develop positive character traits, and learn how to lead a christ-centered life that positions them for success after high school.

Community outreach ministries, benefiting approximately 500 persons, include the following: english as a second language (esl) classes; educational programs for nutrition, exercise and healthy living; support for hospital and private practice supported free medical clinics and health fairs for dental, vision and mammogram screenings; food and meal distribution, back to school supplies, and christmas and easter outreach events.