Every weekday afternoon at 3 p.m., a group of 25-40 elementary grade students migrate down the hall from the classrooms at Graham Elementary School (GES) in Shelby to the GES unit of the Boys & Girls Club of Cleveland County (BGCCC). Many of these students are from single-parent homes and will stay at the club until 6 p.m. when they can be picked up to go home.
So when in August 2016 GES became the first school in Cleveland County to operate on a year-round schedule, school and BGCCC leaders were concerned. Nelsa Feaster, principal of GES at the time, realized that the three-week break schedule would be a problem for parents who worked and needed a safe, enriching place for their children on vacation days. Feaster approached the BGCCC about starting both an after-school program and a break curriculum.
One of the biggest concerns about the program over the three-week breaks was the cost of day care. The BGCCC Board decided to offer the program at the same rate as the main BGCCC programs: a $50 per year membership fee. This decision allowed parents to have their students in a positive learning experience at a low cost to the family.
"The actual cost per child is about $900 a year," says Josh Propst, BGCCC executive director. Propst says that the club gets help to make up this difference through funds from the United Way, fundraisers, and supporters of the BGCCC's "Great Futures" campaign.
"To me, the decision to create the Graham Elementary unit has been a win-win for the Boys & Girls Club and the children at Graham Elementary School," says Propst. "It is part of our long-range strategy to serve more kids every day."
Dr. Valerie O'Kelley, the new principal at GES, agrees. "The Boys & Girls Club offers our families an additional option for a safe and academically supportive place for our scholars to thrive," she says. "As a year-round school, the opportunity for Graham scholars to participate in the Boys & Girls Club is priceless."
For more information about the BGCCC and the GES after-school and three-week break program, or to volunteer or contribute to the program, call 704-471- 2582 or visit www.bgcclevelandcounty.org.

Wish List for Graham Elementary Boys & Girls Club:
X-Box 360 Games (used games are fine)
Wii or Wii Games
Bean bag chairs (elementary-student size)
Futon
Board Games - for K-4th grade students
Arts & Crafts supplies
Legos - kits or loose
Volunteers to work one hour a day once a week with the children. This could be reading to the children, listening to a child read or work with math skills.

By April Hoyle Shauf, Special to Community First Media