The OPEN M Education Department enriches the lives of children who yearn for a safe place to be.

The OPEN M Education Department is under the direction of Felicia Bronner, education coordinator. The department is home to several very popular and successful youth enrichment programs. Our programs provide “out of school” time and offer students the opportunity for personal and academic growth.

Our programs have three objectives: First, we want to improve their academic performance and their attitude towards homework. Second, we want to expose them to new lifelong recreational activities. Finally, we want to increase their self-management skills by learning self control, accepting responsibility, developing organizational skills and giving back to the community.

For more information about any of the programs listed below, click on the arrow to the right of the program title to learn more.

Summer Day Camp

For four weeks each year during July, OPEN M provides a comprehensive recreation program for more than a hundred inner-city children. The camp is staffed by teen-aged and adult volunteers who seem to have as much fun as the kids! The children are given breakfast, lunch and snacks while following an active schedule of field trips, education, sports, crafts, games, music and much more. The camp is a great opportunity for the kids to make new friends and to help change direction for youth at risk.

As you can imagine, the camp is not inexpensive to put on. But, as always, we are blessed to have many donors who take advantage of our “Sponsor a Child for Camp” program. For just $125, caring people (or small groups) can sponsor a child for the entire camp. The children send pictures and regular notes to their sponsors as a way to share their experience and to say thank you. Parents and sponsors gather on the last day of camp to hear the children tell their stories and to celebrate the time away from the street, which is typically their playground.

In the neighborhood around OPEN M, there just aren’t many places young people can go to play. The OPEN M Neighborhood Center is a gathering place where children can have fun, make friends and be in a safe environment. Elementary school teachers have told us that they can easily identify which students attended our summer camp. Those who do are more ready to start the new school year and seem to retain more of what they learned the year before.

Diamond Ladies Club

This program is for girls between 12 and 17 years of age. The girls meet every Wednesday and Friday after school to learn about the value of abstaining from sex, drugs and alcohol. Along the way, they learn about setting career goals, developing problem solving and character-building skills, and even get coached in etiquette. Outside speakers are welcome, especially if your message reinforces the idea that positive growth comes from making responsible decisions.

Yme+ Young Men of Empowerment

 Yme+ (Young Men of Empowerment on a Mission to Leadership and Manhood) will meet on Thursdays between 3:30 and 5:30 headed by Norm Schmidt, a member of the OPEN M board of trustees. This leadership program is for boys ages 12-17. Student participants will have the opportunity to take part in activities that focus on life and leadership skills, self-esteem, goal setting, and dealing with peer pressure, make crafts, and participate in other interactive educational games and sports. Our goal is to find them a mentor for follow-up and learning more about community and leadership.

And guess what else…students learn how to play basketball by one of the best teachers around! What’s not to like?