Remember mornings spent rushing to finish your algebra assignment during homeroom? What about memorizing your spelling words on the school bus? Or coming up with an excuse more creative than “the dog ate it?”

Homework brings back such memories of childhood. If anything, homework has become even more important for today’s students, burdened by overstuffed backpacks and an increasingly competitive world of standardized tests and entrance exams. Believe it or not, however, homework doesn’t have to be dull.

For the past several years, Boys & Girls Club professionals have helped Club members complete their homework using Power Hour, Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s homework help and tutoring program. Research shows that the benefits are threefold: academic, behavioral and social.

By completing homework after school, young people practice and reinforce skills and concepts learned throughout the day. Those who consistently complete their homework develop a deeper understanding of the work and are ready to move on to more challenging concepts. In addition to academic benefits, consistent homework completion helps young people develop valuable organizational skills, including time management and task completion. These skills are not only necessary for academic achievement, they also provide a foundation for successful living. Finally, young people who complete homework assignments enter the classroom with more confidence – better prepared for the day’s lesson.

Getting a Boost
Thanks to generous support from the JCPenney Afterschool Fund, Power Hour is being improved upon. JCPenney Afterschool has been a longtime supporter of BGCA, funding the development and implementation of education programs, including Project Learn: The Educational Enhancement Program, Goals for Graduation and Power Hour.

This summer a newly revised Power Hour: Making Minutes Count, A Resource Guide for After-School Homework Help and Tutoring will be mailed to Boys & Girls Clubs nationwide. The updated guide includes the latest research on homework and best practices from the field. This new Power Hour resource can help Club staff implement creative, fun homework strategies that encourage members to do their homework, while providing incentives to continue their efforts. These devices create a compelling approach to homework help and tutoring:

• Power Points – A daily recognition system that leads to rewards.
• Power Booster – Committed tutors who work one-on-one with members.
• Power Recorder – Tracking system to record files and member participation.
• Power Source – Collection of supplemental homework worksheets, activities and ideas organized by grade level.
• Power Plays – High-yield games and activities.
• Power Loop – Communication strategy to involve teachers and parents.
• Power Rewards – Progressive incentives to keep members motivated throughout the school year.

This year, Boys & Girls Clubs across the country can add excitement to their program by using the 2003 national Power Hour theme “Space Adventures,” developed by Jeannie Keating of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Portland, Maine. Included with the new Power Hour guide, participants will receive a decorative theme poster that helps turn any learning center into a solar system where members can earn rocket fuel to propel their progress across the universe, arriving at every planet to earn recognition and incentives.

In addition to these enhancements, BGCA’s education initiative continues to thrive with Goals for Graduation and the 2003 National Education Summit. For the third year, BGCA and the JCPenney Afterschool Fund have joined forces to offer $1,000 Goals for Graduation grants to assist 210 selected Clubs across the country. These grants help Clubs kick off the school year with motivational “I Can Achieve” Pledge Rallies, designed to boost enthusiasm about the upcoming school year. Training and resources are also provided to organize and host these rallies.

The fourth annual National Education Summit, sponsored by JCPenney Afterschool, offers attendees a chance to learn practical tools for implementing programs that support young people’s scholastic endeavors. The summit will be held Oct. 27-29 at the Pointe Hilton Squaw Peak Resort in Phoenix, Ariz. Information about the summit will be available on www.bgca.net in late summer. Immediate questions? Contact Jenny Atkinson, senior director, education and the arts, at jatkinson@bgca.org or (404) 487-5765.

Karen MacDonald is director of education programs at BGCA. This article was prepared with assistance from Ashley Robinson, marketing & PR coordinator.