Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
New after school program has 119 members
Forty eager students arrived at The Club on Jan. 29, for an afternoon of fun.
They were met by Founders Dan and Ginny Butler (far left), Director Jim Pearson (waving), SNAP Ed Facilitator Leslie Sweetwater (far back) from the Public
Some of the students met with Dan and Jim for a talk about walking safety.
Others spent time with Leslie working on their SNAP Ed nutrition notebooks.
The kids working with Leslie made Ants on a Log, and Food Group Butterflies with celery, peanut butter and cheese, and she introduced them to three different kinds of raisins. She said that by summer the students will be learning kitchen cooking skills.
Computer time was a popular activity. Eastern Washington University recently donated thirty-one computers. They just need monitors.
These boys enjoyed some time in the gym flying drones they helped build from kits. Plans are in the works to build an obstacle course for races.
Andrew Walker designed the T-shirt Logo for the drone club.
Hallyn Boggs, who is in charge of art, crafts, dance, drama and singing is shown playing a singing game with the girls. They were to guess the title of the song and the artist.
DAYTON-This school year has been a learning curve year for the staff at The Club, Dayton's new after school program.
Director Jim Pearson said some of the loftier goals originally set by the staff have been amended in order to spend more time on students' social and emotional skills.
"We're learning a lot," said Pearson. "We've had to reevaluate our structure."
Pearson said by the time the students get to The Club, they are tired of sitting and learning all day and are ready to have more free choice opportunities.
Whatever they choose to do, they are safe in the hours after school, and they get a "square meal," along with different activities, he said.
Program Founder Ginny Butler said fundraising efforts with Blue Mountain Counseling are already underway for The Club to be open all day during the summer.
The Stand Up for The Club fundraiser for the 2019-20 school year will be held on April 27, at the Fairgrounds Pavilion, she said.
The Club would not be a reality without the generosity of many donors, said Butler.
"People just show up and hand us a check," she said with a smile.
The Club opened its doors on September 4, 2018, and there are currently 119 members. Most of the students are in grades K-3, but there are a few middle schoolers, too.
Below, Times Reporter Michele Smith documents a day at The Club in photographs.
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