By Kathy Zimmermann, Holy Spirit after-school program:
For me, just finishing my first year running an after-school program, the sweetest success came the last day of school when I was saying good-bye to my kids. They (not all, but many!) hugged me and told me they had really missed going to the GIFT program the last week of school and that they would be back next year!
That made me feel as though I had accomplished what I had set out to do – make each child feel important and valued in our after-school family.
Also, academically, all my kids grew in their math skills (based on STAR testing at the beginning and end of the school year). All but 2 grew in their reading skills based on the STAR pre and post-tests.
