SEEDS After School: powering through the pandemic and reaching local students.
Above: Showing off a slew of fun materials received in a summer activity box from SEEDS. A box is no replacement for summer camp – but they did provide many hours of fun, collaborative learning.
SEEDS teaching staff are facing the same challenges that face teachers across the state. Sudden closures. Changing guidelines. Health and safety concerns. Throughout, we have exceeded expectations and gone above and beyond to serve students and communities. SEEDS staff have been maintaining meaningful connections with students and families despite it all.
When schools first closed across the state, SEEDS After School quickly pivoted to remote engagement and sent over 1300 activity boxes home during the remainder of the school year and over the summer. These boxes contain 30-35 hours of activities that are hands-on, engaging, and NOT internet-based.
“Staying connected to each other has never been more important. I am incredibly impressed by and grateful to our staff who have created new ways to meaningfully engage students wherever they are: at home, online, in the classroom, & out-of-doors.” – Nicole Heffelfinger, SEEDS Program Director
Above: SEEDS After School student, Ainsley, making giant bubbles. SEEDS focuses on outdoor programming, both to get kids exploring and for COVID-19 safety.
The SEEDS After School program employs over 40 dedicated staff members. Each SEEDS After School site has a dedicated, full time Site Coordinator and an Assistant Site Coordinator.
Thanks to support from the Michigan Department of Education, four new SEEDS After School locations were opened in the fall of 2019. We currently host programming in eleven partner schools representing six school districts: Benzie, Brethren, Forest Area, Kalkaska, Marion, and Mesick.
2019-2020 School Year by the Numbers:
600 Students Enrolled into SEEDS After School
260 Students Attended Programming Each Day, on Average
80,000 Contact Hours Invested in Local Students
One Third of All Hours Spent with Youth Focused on Academics and/or STEM
