Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School eighth graders and 21st Century Community Learning Center (CCLC) participants Camdyn Lumpkin, Ariana Browner, Jordyn Harris, Kaydon Jones and Rikiyah Edwards (left to right) pose in the BHL cafeteria on Feb. 20. Along with daily after-school tutoring, BHL’s CCLC has provided students with opportunities for involvement in extracurricular activities, such as the step team. “This program allows everyone to come together (in) some way or some point and get to know more about each other and help each other where someone is lacking,” Jones said. Photo by Janie Ripps
The 21st Century Community Learning Center is an after-school program at all CCSD middle schools providing students with tutoring and extracurricular opportunities.
Offered at all four middle schools in the Clarke County School District as well as the Boys and Girls Club of Athens, the 21st Century Community Learning Center (CCLC) offers various opportunities for students across all grade levels to receive academic support and explore their interests.
At Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School, students are encouraged to attend tutoring sessions through CCLC Monday through Thursday every week from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
“The students are given a snack and homework; help is daily provided,” BHL CCLC Coordinator and ELA teacher Karen Rhodes said. “We keep a constant communication between day teachers and after-school teachers on what the students need help with the most, and then that’s what we try to target and tutor.”
According to Rhodes, tutoring opportunities offered at CCLC have allowed BHL students to address in-class struggles quickly.
“The benefits are, if I see a child struggling (in class), I know that we can focus on something that afternoon,” Rhodes said. “Or at parent-teacher conference time, teachers will come to me during conferences and say, ‘I’ve got so and so’s parents here and they were wondering if there’s room in 21st Century for their students to start, they really need help (with) homework.’”
“The benefits are, if I see a child struggling (in class), I know that we can focus on something that afternoon, or at parent-teacher conference time, teachers will come to me during conferences and say, ‘I’ve got so and so’s parents here and they were wondering if there’s room in 21st Century for their students to start, they really need help (with) homework.’”
— Karen Rhodes,
BHL CCLC Coordinator and ELA teacher
Opportunities at BHL’s CCLC aren’t limited to just tutoring. From crocheting to step team, various extracurricular activities are also offered to students.
“We have Chess and Community, and last semester they offered robotics and chess. This semester, (we’re) doing debate and drumming,” Rhodes said. “We have an awesome step team. They travel and they compete.”
Kaydon Jones, a BHL eighth grader and CCLC participant, has experienced the community of the after-school program first hand through her involvement in the step team.
“(Step team is) a very fun program. We get to work out and travel but also develop a sisterhood where we form bonds and we get to know each other more personally,” Jones said. “As the older girls, we help the young girls come in and we teach them and create things with them.”
As eighth graders such as Jones prepare for high school, Rhodes feels BHL’s CCLC is a stepping stone for an easier adjustment during the transition.
“It’s teaching (students) about organization and teaching them about commitment,” Rhodes said. “It’s broadening their idea of some of the things to come in high school. If they want to go into (the) ODYSSEY (Media Group), they have a little bit of a base to jump off of if they’ve participated with the yearbook and Lions Mass Media where they’re doing the morning announcements. There’s just a lot of benefits.”
