Laura SturzaSome Burbank students are learning that...
Laura Sturza
Some Burbank students are learning that doing their homework pays off
-- literally.
Through a new after-school program run by the Boys & Girls Club of
Burbank, Children are learning about earning and spending money at
Theodore Roosevelt Elementary School.
“We earn points [that are rewarded with club bucks] for doing our
homework,” said Stacey Deitch, 9, who is enjoying the “101
Dalmatians” DVD she bought.
The first- through fifth-graders cash in their bucks for snacks,
toys and books donated by local businesses.
“They have to know what they can afford and how to spend their
money,” said Shanna Vaughan, the club’s educational director.
The program started March 3 and has 50 stu- dents, but can serve
about 65. The leaders aim to provide a place that fosters students’
talents and helps improve their academic skills, Vaughan said.
“We’re working with the principal and curriculum advisor to find
out what areas the students need help with,” Vaughan said. “We
provide them with tutoring materials that come from their teachers.”
Along with completing homework, visiting the library and spending
time building computer skills, the students play sports and work on
crafts.
Ariane Dalla Dea’s son Max, 8, used to attend the city’s
after-school program at Verdugo Park, but mother and son are pleased
to have switched to one at Max’s school.
“Here, they have access to the computer room and library, they
have access to desks,” Dalla Dea said. “It’s [also] less expensive.”
The Roosevelt program is staffed by Boys & Girls Club employees
who are assisted by volunteers from local high schools and the Joslyn
Adult Center. It pays for itself through its $90 monthly fees, which
include snacks and materials, Vaughan said.
The club also offers an after-school program at its home at 2244
N. Buena Vista St.
“We would like to offer more off-site locations by September,”
Vaughan said. “We’ve had a lot of interest from other schools, and
tons of parents calling us.”
For information about the Boys and Girls Club after-school
programs, call Vaughan at 395-4440.