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Mall promotes after-school activities
More Local News While on the Internet, Sandra Minnick, senior marketing manager for the Mall of Abilene, stumbled upon a Web site for a group that highlights the benefits that after-school organizations offer kids.
The National Afterschool Alliance has been in existence for eight years and Minnick thought, "Why haven't we heard about this before now? It's wonderful."
As a result of that discovery, the first Lights On Afterschool rally for after-school programs was held at the Mall of Abilene on Thursday. Participating organizations included everything from boxing clubs to music groups, and programs that offer both educational opportunities and leisure-time activities.
"It's an excellent way to get the word out to our community that these organizations are here if you want something for your children to do that will help them," Minnick said. "Hopefully we'll do this every year and it will grow. I would love it if children had something to do after school that would really help them enrich their lives."
Several of the exhibitors offer more than after-school activities.
Communities in Schools offers in-school help for failing students at six Abilene Independent School District campuses.
"We want to be able to increase the graduation rate and lower the dropout rate," said Joe Cunningham, program coordinator. Cunningham listed three focus areas to achieve those goals: academics, attendance and behavior.
Each campus -- Ortiz and Fannin elementary schools, Madison and Mann middle schools and Abilene and Cooper high schools -- has a coordinator who follows students as they progress from school to school.
"We take community resources and incorporate those programs into the schools," Cunningham said.
Annette Pruitt, executive director and vice president for The Life Enrichment Center, also has plans for assisting at-risk students.
"We are about to launch a Youth Life Learning Center, an after-school program for at-risk kids who are failing," she said.
The organization hopes to have a center near every elementary school. The program will be free to children recommended by principals and counselors, with a limit of 45 students per center. Parents of selected students will be asked if they want their child enrolled in the program, Pruitt said.
"It does take money, and right now we're raising money," she said.
Grants and community donations are coming in, and an upcoming style show to raise funds and community awareness "has been sold out for two weeks," a pleased Pruitt said. She said she hopes the first center will open by next fall.
Edward Rivas promoted the Abilene Boxing Club, where he coaches. Boxing may not be the first after-school activity a parent would consider, but Rivas assures parents that safety is paramount.
"In amateur boxing, it's not about knocking somebody out, it's about scoring points by hitting specific areas of the body," he said. "Professional boxing is more about trying to do damage to a person, to slow them down or knock them out."
Rivas said that in football, bigger players often outweigh smaller ones by 30 or 40 pounds, and when they collide it can cause injury.
"In amateur boxing, they have to be within five pounds of each other to compete. They wear headgear and the gloves are made to absorb impact.
"It's a good sport to learn discipline and increase motivation. They take those qualities and use them in any situation in life," he said.
Posted by geng on October 17, 2008 at 7:38 a.m. (Suggest removal)
This is a great idea. I think that is wonderful that the mall is promoting other things for young people to do. I support this project.
Posted by abilene1 on October 17, 2008 at 9:28 a.m. (Suggest removal)
We really need this. We have no community centers for our youth and for many, Prime Time is too expensive plus there is a transportation issue. We need centers within walking or bus ride distance for these teens to be able to attend.
I think it is wonderful that the Abilene Boxing Center is both affordable and open to everyone to join. I have always veiwed boxing as a game of chess, while constantly moving. It involves thinking skills and tremendous cardio vascular strength.
Posted by JJohnson25 on October 17, 2008 at 11:21 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I want to help how do we donate or volunteer at the center?
Posted by furankuoogata on October 17, 2008 at 5:28 p.m. (Suggest removal)
the mall now gets credit for looking online? please, these programs are promoted in the schools all year round. the mall has nothing to do with these, unless of course they are now willing to make a sizeable donation to these programs to actually sponsor them as an alternative. but get for real the mall has nothign to do with these great programs. they are trying to pull some damage control for their new restrictions, because they feel they are daycare. smh.
Posted by GettheFacts on October 18, 2008 at 2:55 p.m. (Suggest removal)
furankuoogata - apparently you don't keep up with the daily community/school news. I am a board member on a couple of nonprofit organizations and I know for a FACT that the mall makes numerous donations, contributions and sponsorships to these organizations as well as to school programs. They make yearly donations of gift cards to schools for PAAF, project graduation and teacher appreciation just to name a few. The reason I know this is because I always consider them when we do fundraising or in need of a sponsorship.
Grant it they can spend their marketing dollars however they want and for the sake of many I appreciate the fact that they choose to put some into the community. I know from years of working with their staff that they donate thousands of dollars annually. That is not considering that for the most part they don't charge a penny for nonprofits to come in and hold events there.
My question to you is how much of an impact are you making in the lives of our community children or any organization. I would hope that your answer would be more positive then your statement!
Posted by furankuoogata on October 18, 2008 at 3:11 p.m. (Suggest removal)
funny i looked at you posts and the only ones you hAve are in defense of the mall and if you are in fact on these orgs then good for you i also participate in non-profit that deal with the elderly and homebound, but that doesn't matter to you becasue it is not in defense of your precious mall, AND being on a 'board' is not the same as actually going out and DOING is it? but i am not doing it to compete with anyone, just wanted to reply to your statement, because even if the mall donotes tax deductable* donations as a huge company a few thousand sure does seem like alot. the article CLEARLY STATED: "While on the Internet, Sandra Minnick, senior marketing manager for the Mall of Abilene, stumbled upon a Web site for a group that highlights the benefits that after-school organizations offer kids." AND FOLLOWED WITH "The National Afterschool Alliance has been in existence for eight years and Minnick thought, "Why haven't we heard about this before now? It's wonderful." IF THEY HADN'T HEARD ABOUT IT HOW CAN THEY SUPPORT IT AS YOU CLAIM? LMAO YOU MAKE ME LAUGH.
Posted by abileneboxing on October 20, 2008 at 9:38 p.m. (Suggest removal)
If you are interested in helping or donating to the Abilene Boxing Club please come visit us at 1158 South 2nd Street between 6-8 pm or contact Edward Rivas at 325-260-3724.
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