The Building 21 After-School Program is a federally funded initiative through the 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) grant, administered by Education Plus Health in partnership with Building 2.This program offers students a range of academic support, social-emotional learning, and health and wellness activities outside of regular school hours Key features of the program include:
- Academic support: Individual and small-group tutoring to help students improve their performance in core subjects
- Enrichment activities: A variety of options including basketball, fitness, fashion & design, culinary arts, gardening, anime, poetry, songwriting, journalism, music, and video production
- Staffing: Primarily Building 21 teachers, with support from partner organizations like WHYY for journalism and video production, and Eat Right Philly for gardening programs
- Goals: Improve academic performance, daily attendance, and students’ overall health and well-being
- Evaluation: Progress is measured using student attendance and academic data, as well as surveys from students, families, and staff. An external evaluator, School Frontiers, assesses the program, which is also monitored annually by the Pennsylvania Department of Education
While participation is voluntary, students are encouraged to join and are incentivized throughout the year with prizes, celebrations, and recognition awards The program aligns with the 21st CCLC grant’s objectives of providing academic enrichment opportunities for students, particularly those attending high-poverty and low-performing schools, to meet state and local standards in core academic subjects
