Cambridge After-School Program (CASP)

PBHA's Cambridge After School Program (CASP) provides affordable and accessible after school programming for youth at the low-income Fresh Pond Apartments in northwest Cambridge. We serve approximately 30 students ages 8-14, most of whom are first- or second-generation immigrants. CASP offers academic programming in a combination of homework help (the first hour of the program) and educational workshops (the second hour of the program). Workshops range from building model rockets and water balloon slingshots to growing bean plants and making weekly library trips. We also run a variety of field trips including recent trips to a bookstore, the aquarium, and movie nights on the Harvard campus. The program runs Monday-Thursday from 3:30-5:30 pm.Target PopulationThe program serves 3rd-8th graders at the low-income Fresh Pond Apartments in northwest Cambridge. Almost all of our participants are first- or second-immigration immigrants.Program OperationsWe leave the Harvard Square T station at 3 pm to travel to the Alewife station, from where we walk to the Fresh Pond Apartments and arrive by 3:30. We help with homework for (roughly) the first hour, and volunteers lead a game or activity for the second hour. At 5:30, the participants depart, and we take the T back to Harvard, arriving around 6 pm. We also have 1-2 field trips per semester, which usually take an entire Saturday afternoon or evening.