Our 21st CCLC Program Manager outlines how Lana’s summer program at Cardozo EC provides sports and professional development to students.
This summer, Lana’s 21st Century Community Learning Center (CCLC) program has partnered with the athletic department at Cardozo Education Campus and the Marion S. Barry Summer Youth Employment Program to provide a six week summer sports leadership program for about 20 high school students.
The program has 3 main components:
- Professional Development Activities
- Warm Ups and Stretching
- The Sport of the Week
Professional Development
The program includes one hour each day of professional development to better equip the students for the work force in the future. Each week covers a different topic, preparation skills, presentation skills, communication skills, knowing how to set yourself apart, interviewing skills and goal setting skills. These are based on the six learning objectives that the Office of Youth Programs team aims to see every MBSYEP participant attain.
Last week’s topic, for example, was knowing how to set yourself apart. Participants spent the week crafting a resume that highlighted their experience and skills. The hope is that they can use the resume they created to apply and obtain jobs in the future.
Warm Ups and Stretching
Before beginning the sport of the week, students participate in a short warm up. This consists of a few laps around the gym, followed by active stretching. We included this portion of the program to teach the importance of taking care of their body and their health.
The Sport of the Week
After the warm up, we move into the sport of the week. So far, the program has been able to offer basketball, volleyball, soccer, and football because various coaches have donated an hour of their time daily, for up to a week, to lead the participants in drills and skills practice. Once students have learned the basic skills of each sport, they form teams and participate in a scrimmage. As a fun way to end the week, we have reserved Fridays for playing dodgeball, a student favorite!”