ACE After School Program

The ACE After-School program at Broad Acres Elementary School is an extension of our organized athletic teams and is modeled off of the Fields of Dreams program that is run in the District of Columbia. The program is structured so that three teachers along with two LBAA staff members work with the students as a team both in the classroom and on the field.  The first hour of the program takes place in the classroom and focuses on academic enrichment, while the second hour is spent playing organized team sports. We have also been fortunate enough to have volunteers from the community as well as interns from the University of Maryland come and tutor the students. The character development component of the program includes Jackie’s Nine, the nine values that guided the life of baseball legend and pioneer, Jackie Robinson. In addition, our program emphasizes the importance of nutrition and fitness.

Broad Acres Elementary School has been an ideal location to start such a program because it is located in one of the most vulnerable neighborhoods in Montgomery County. The schools FARMS rates exceed 90 percent, which is the highest in Montgomery County. The school’s athletic facilities are also well suited for the athletic component of the program.  Not only are there three baseball fields, but their gym was recently remodeled in 2006. LBAA has been the perfect organization to initiate such an after-school program because we have worked closely with the school’s staff and administration for a number of years to increase the number of students participating on our organized sports teams. The majority of the elementary aged children that LBAA serves attend Broad Acres, so our organization knows the population extremely well and has established many valuable relationships within the community. These relationships have resulted in the programs popularity and high attendance rates. Despite being a brand new program we were able to serve 52 students last school year and currently have 80 students in the program for the 2009-2010 school year.