The benefits of after school programs are numerous. Studies show that children involved with after school programs have better chances at succeeding academically, socially, physically, and emotionally, which is especially good news for working parents who depend on after school programs not only as a way to enrich their children’s lives, but as a form of childcare. For a positive and engaging experience for your child, check out the best after school programs in Utah.
The Hillside Community After School Program is just an example of what Utah schools have to offer in terms of after school programs. At Hillside, students can use after school hours to foster new friendships, receive homework help, and pursue additional recreational and academic interests. What’s better, bus transportation is provided daily to students who live along the after school program bus route.
Millcreek Activity Center’s after school program is open to all children in the 1st-6th grades in the Millcreek area. The activity center’s program offers services similar to other after school programs in the state, such as after school snacks, tutoring, and recreational activities. The program also includes transportation to and from select schools in the Granite School District.
It’s hard to say if Encircle counts as an after school program in the traditional sense of the term, but it is nevertheless an extremely valuable resource available to Utah residents, and especially to LGBTQ+ youth in Utah Valley. At Encircle, LGBTQ+ youth have a safe place to learn and grow, a place where they are loved unconditionally, and a place that is open every day after school to help them with the stresses of not only schoolwork, but of their position in society.
ABC Great Beginnings is one of Utah’s most expansive after school programs that is not affiliated with a specific school district. With locations in Clearfield, Jordan Landing, Murray, Redwood Road, Riverton, South Jordan, West Valley, and West Jordan, ABC Great Beginnings offers several types of before-school and after school programs, all of which have been professionally designed and include transportation to and from school, homework help, outside time, science-related activities, arts and crafts activities, board games, and free play activities.
Unlike ABC Great Beginnings, the YMCA Afterschool Program partners with various schools (including public, charter, and private schools) to bring the YMCA after school program to their students. The YMCA Afterschool Program is available at dozens of Utah schools in Davis County, Weber County, and Salt Lake County, and focuses on four core components: homework support, health and well-being, art and culture, and science.
Similar to the YMCA Afterschool Program, the 4-H Afterschool Program partners with schools in Utah County to give students the opportunity to participate in the program. Specifically, the 4-H Afterschool Program is available at 16 elementary schools, 10 junior high schools, and one high school in Utah County, and each of those schools has a site coordinator who recruits volunteers to make the after school program a reality.
Since its first location was founded in 2002, American Preparatory Academy has rapidly developed a stellar reputation in Utah. A charter school, American Preparatory Academy is known for its diligent and well-adjusted students, but also for its after school programs, which expand on the school’s challenging curriculum to complement a student’s education. The school has locations in Draper, West Valley, and Salem.
Merit Prep Academy’s model is not unlike American Preparatory Academy’s, and as this similarity would suggest, Merit Prep’s after school programs are also of a similar caliber. Available to students between 13 and 18 years old, the school’s program doesn’t cater to elementary-aged students, simply because Merit Prep Academy is a combined junior high and high school.
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Utah County have a remarkable reputation, and countless volunteers and donations make this organization a popular spot for parents looking for a top-quality but affordable after school program. With various locations and school partnerships throughout Utah County, the Boys & Girls Club does an awesome job of both teaching children and allowing them to have fun.