Grace Themes
Because our students come from very diverse backgrounds, one of the few things they all have in common is growing up in an urban landscape. Across the board, they have very limited access to educational resources, enriching artistic and musical experiences, or the ability to travel outside the city. This is why GRACE is intentionally structured to include a broader curriculum of enrichment and unique opportunities that our students don't have at home or at school. We seek to mentor the next generation in the following areas:
- Literacy & Mathematics
- Community & Social Responsibility
- Sports & games
- Healthy Lifestyles
- Environmental & Social Justice
literacy & Mathematics
The New York State academic standards and the Buffalo Public School system strongly emphasize ELA (English Language Arts) and Math. Most students spend at least half of their normal school day on these two subjects. Because of this emphasis, GRACE After School seeks to take a strongly supportive role with students in these two subjects. Our goal is to enable students to practice the ELA and math skills that they have already mastered or recently learned, and teach them new skills which are at or beyond their level of understanding.
COmmunity & Social ResponsiBility
One of our missions is to be a community that blesses our community. We believe that reconciliation and positive change starts with relationships, not programs; this is why GRACE After School focuses on building encouraging community relationships between students who attend the program. If students learn to encourage each other towards success and work together to achieve goals, they will be better equipped to positively impact their families and their neighborhoods.
Our program's involvement in the neighborhood takes many different forms. Our students have planted veggies in the GRACE community garden, picked up trash in the neighborhood, painted a mural on the church property, participated in a local maple sugaring event, and raised money and awareness for a non-profit soccer league on the Westside.
Our program's involvement in the neighborhood takes many different forms. Our students have planted veggies in the GRACE community garden, picked up trash in the neighborhood, painted a mural on the church property, participated in a local maple sugaring event, and raised money and awareness for a non-profit soccer league on the Westside.
Cooperation & Competition
Playing sports and games is very important to the development of children. Physical activity can improve academic performance, help children socialize positively with their peers, and teach important skills.
Unfortunately many of the students who attend GRACE After School do not have permission or freedom at home to engage in regular play, and when they do play they often end up imitating adult behavior that can be destructive to self and others.
At GRACE, we emphasize the importance of sports and games for learning how to cooperate (team-building), for learning healthy competition (good sportsmanship and playing by the rules) and for the simple but profound joy of playing. We incorporate games as a part of daily activities, sports as part of the enrichment curriculum and expeditions, and team-building as a major goal of the program.
Unfortunately many of the students who attend GRACE After School do not have permission or freedom at home to engage in regular play, and when they do play they often end up imitating adult behavior that can be destructive to self and others.
At GRACE, we emphasize the importance of sports and games for learning how to cooperate (team-building), for learning healthy competition (good sportsmanship and playing by the rules) and for the simple but profound joy of playing. We incorporate games as a part of daily activities, sports as part of the enrichment curriculum and expeditions, and team-building as a major goal of the program.
healthy lifestyles: simple, real & practical
Community gardening, local and sustainable farming, hiking, camping; these are all ways that urban students can connect with the planet in a way that transcends--and actually provides freedom from--the culture of the streets. It is simple yet beautiful. It is exciting and completely tangible. It is magical and also practical.
Food, exercise, self-discipline and positive relationships are all pieces of living a healthy lifestyle. We teach each aspect at GRACE.
Food, exercise, self-discipline and positive relationships are all pieces of living a healthy lifestyle. We teach each aspect at GRACE.
Environmental & Social Justice
If you agree with the statement, "If you're not outraged, you're not paying attention," then you might be living a life of privilege. For many urban residents, the above statement isn't true. The people who should be most outraged by environmental and social injustices are of course the very victims of the injustices, but they are often totally oblivious even though they live through injustice every day of their lives. This is because these victims are unable to step outside of their situation and see what is happening, who is responsible, what the alternatives are, or how to bring about change.
The families who reside in our neighborhood are certainly victims of injustices. They live in a food desert, not only because residents of the neighborhood have very little value for fresh produce or healthy food options but because potential merchants do not view the neighborhood as a profitable place to open a business. They live in a region marked with unusually high rates of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, partly because municipal industries that reduce air quality--like the waste-water treatment plant and the Peace Bridge--have been located in this area and no one has spoken out. They live in one of the worst public school districts in the state, and although it's not a new problem there are few people willing to work towards possible solutions.
A fix for all these injustices (and more!) won't come exclusively from government intervention. It will more likely come from a grassroots movement begun by the very residents themselves. Real change must begin with a new generation that has been empowered, educated, and equipped to address the issues. This is why our program focuses on environmental and social justice--our students are the next generation of neighborhood residents and they need to see what is happening, find out who is responsible, learn what the alternatives are, and be equipped to create change. This starts with getting an outsider's perspective on the situation and beginning to believe that change is possible. A resident of the neighborhood who is familiar with the values and cultures of the neighborhood but who also understands the change that is necessary and possible is the most powerful asset an inner-city neighborhood can possess. Consequently, an educational curriculum that enriches and expands the vision of our students is critical to bringing justice to the neighborhood and the city of Buffalo.
The families who reside in our neighborhood are certainly victims of injustices. They live in a food desert, not only because residents of the neighborhood have very little value for fresh produce or healthy food options but because potential merchants do not view the neighborhood as a profitable place to open a business. They live in a region marked with unusually high rates of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, partly because municipal industries that reduce air quality--like the waste-water treatment plant and the Peace Bridge--have been located in this area and no one has spoken out. They live in one of the worst public school districts in the state, and although it's not a new problem there are few people willing to work towards possible solutions.
A fix for all these injustices (and more!) won't come exclusively from government intervention. It will more likely come from a grassroots movement begun by the very residents themselves. Real change must begin with a new generation that has been empowered, educated, and equipped to address the issues. This is why our program focuses on environmental and social justice--our students are the next generation of neighborhood residents and they need to see what is happening, find out who is responsible, learn what the alternatives are, and be equipped to create change. This starts with getting an outsider's perspective on the situation and beginning to believe that change is possible. A resident of the neighborhood who is familiar with the values and cultures of the neighborhood but who also understands the change that is necessary and possible is the most powerful asset an inner-city neighborhood can possess. Consequently, an educational curriculum that enriches and expands the vision of our students is critical to bringing justice to the neighborhood and the city of Buffalo.
Creativity: Art & Music
Like physical activity, creativity is a major avenue to improving students' academic performance and enriching their educational experience.
From making origami to screen printing t-shirts, our students have gotten some great opportunities to engage in creative process this year. We plan to continue expanding the creative part of the curriculum to include more music and more student-generated art.
From making origami to screen printing t-shirts, our students have gotten some great opportunities to engage in creative process this year. We plan to continue expanding the creative part of the curriculum to include more music and more student-generated art.