Although it has only been half a year since the start of CISNT’s new afterschool program at Hedrick Middle School in Lewisville ISD, Allen Kim, CIS Afterschool Coordinator, has established himself as a great support on campus, having already exceeded his program enrollment goal of 60 students. One of Mr. Kim’s goals this year is to encourage students to open up more by creating a safe space, or a “no judging zone.”
One student who has really broken out of her shell is Glory, a 6th grade student at Hedrick Middle. Through CISNT Afterschool, Glory wanted to learn how to have better self esteem and more confidence. Mr. Kim challenged Glory to come out of her comfort zone by encouraging her to participate more in icebreaker activities and team building games. With the support of Mr. Kim and the CISNT AmeriCorps (AMCO) Members, Glory has made incredible progress. Glory was connected to her very own AMCO Member, who is providing a one-to-one relationship with a caring adult.
When she first started the program, Glory was very shy and often stayed to herself. Now, she is more confident and takes the initiative to answer questions first. She has even made new friends through the program, and is more involved at school by participating in different extracurricular activities. Mr. Kim writes that, “Glory is no longer a caterpillar, but a social butterfly.”
Mr. Kim and his CIS Afterschool staff strive to provide consistency and a safe place to learn and grow for the students, and many of them have made great progress. We are so proud of Glory and the progress she has made, and look forward to what the rest of the year will bring for her with the support of Mr. Kim!
