Many students in the Cincinnati area have nowhere to go at the end of the school day. The majority of afterschool programs that are available to students are fee-based. For families experiencing financial hardships, this limits the availability and access for families that cannot afford the expense of quality afterschool care for their children. At ABC, we believe that all families should have the same opportunities for high-quality enrichment programming.
ABC Clubs and ABC Fine Arts Clubs were created with this in mind. These programs are offered free to the students and their families. ABC partners with local organizations and programs to produce high-quality, fun, and educational activity options for CPS students.
For the 2023 school year, ABC Clubs were provided for 150 CPS students at 3 elementary schools. In only the 4th year of the program, ABC Fine Arts Clubs expanded their reach, and were provided for over 300 CPS students across 14 elementary schools.
As the school year came to a close, each ABC Club and Fine Arts Club program held a showcase to demonstrate all of the new skills and knowledge the students had gained throughout the course. Family and community members arrived at each school to witness and participate in these showcases, encouraging the students to continue exploring their newfound talents.
Created in the 2017-18 school year, ABC Clubs provide elementary aged children with the opportunity to engage in free afterschool activities as well as a safe place to go for students when the final bell rings. ABC Clubs offer access to enrichment activities as well as child care that parents may not otherwise be able to afford. Students are able to engage in a wide variety of topics, such as dance, martial arts, team sports, sewing, painting, sign language, STEM, coding, drone flying, and more.
In the 2019-2020 school year, ABC Fine Arts Clubs were created in an effort to provide more extracurricular arts programming to elementary students throughout Cincinnati. ABC Fine Arts Clubs function in the same manner as ABC Clubs, but they focus on creating more opportunities in painting, music, drama, poetry, and other activities that expand the creative, artistic minds of the students.
ABC Clubs and Fine Arts Clubs also provide students with nourishment in the form of a healthy snack and meal, helping alleviate the burden from families. To maintain the integrity of ABC Clubs & ABC Fine Arts Clubs, we do not utilize volunteers, but instead hire professionals from the community, who are experts in their fields.
With an increase in attendance and interest in ABC Clubs and ABC Fine Arts Clubs, we anticipate these programs will expand for the 2023-24 school year. We look forward to providing even more children with the opportunity to participate in ABC Clubs & ABC Arts Clubs. If you’d like to be a part of increasing club impact, reach out today to learn more about supporting ABC!
