Cyndi Loza

To nine-year-old Elizabeth Gomez, her after-school program has become an integral part of her life.

“I use to go home alone on the bus and now I feel safer here,” said Gomez, a fourth-grader from Sun Valley.

Gomez is one of the 3,000 students in Washoe that participate in an after-school program funded by the 21st Century Community Learning Center program, 21st CCLC. After president Bush released his Fiscal Year 2009 budget proposal in February, funding for the programs may be cut from $1.1 billion to $800 million. The program has never been allocated what has been authorized by federal legislation. In 2007, the No Child Left Behind Act authorized $2.5 billion for the program but only $1.1 billion was allocated.

If congress agrees, 300,000 students in U.S. would lose access to the programs next year, said Danielle Bowen, 21st CCLC director for the school district. About 1,000 students in Washoe County would be denied the program in the 2009-10 fiscal year.

“That makes me feel really sad,” Gomez said. “Some kids wouldn’t have anywhere to go if this program didn’t exist. And paying for a baby sitter is expensive. I know that because my mom had to pay for a baby sitter.”

Budget constraints are to blame for this cut in money, Bowen said.

“Overall, it’s definitely an across the board cut just (because of) budget issues nationally,” Bowen said. “We are fortunate they didn’t cut our entire program.”

Still, the program locally struggles with its $2.5 million budget, Bowen said. She said about $1 million more is needed to sustain the programs and open new ones at different schools.

There are about 66 Nevada schools that have a 21st CCLC after-school program and 22 of them are in Washoe County, Bowen said. Schools vary in activities and academic focus but programs are generally available in schools located in low-income areas.

Activities in the programs include: tutoring, math and reading “Power Hour,” archery, cooking, computer studies and astronomy.

Criteria to enroll students in the program vary by school but the program is usually offered to students that have been recommend by a teacher, need tutoring, or need a safe place to stay after school, Bowen said.

Greenbrae Elementary School’s after-school program tends to focus more on academics because of the school’s low math and reading scores, program coordinator Kate Parr said.

Since Greenbrae’s after-school program gives students individual attention, cutting money for the program seems ridiculous, Parr said.

“I feel as though it’s absolutely absurd (and) it makes zero sense whatsoever,” Parr said. “Where else are you suppose to spend the time teaching other than in the after-school program?”

Parr said the curriculum during the day focuses on literacy and math and does not leave much time to teach students subjects such as writing and social studies.

Kim Carl, a Lois Allen Elementary School teacher, agreed.

“It goes back to my big point that (after school programs) helps build a whole child not just a robot that can read, do math and past tests,” said Carl, 32, a kindergarten teacher that has tutored students in Allen’s program.

Carl said she also fears if the program was cut it would clash with No Child Left Behind’s test standards.

“How do you meet the standards without the resources?” Carl said.

Allen fourth-grader Malik Stanley said he would miss his cooking and Hula-Hoop activities but, above all, his math and reading tutoring if he could not participate in the program.

“The teachers don’t have to teach a whole class (so) you get more attention,” said Stanley, 10, who said went from being a D student to carrying a B average because of the program.

If he did not have the program, Stanley said he would also go home to an empty house.

“It’s easier for my mom because she usually can’t find a baby sitter,” said Stanley, of Sun Valley. “I’m happy it’s easier for her.”