YMCA Roanoke - After School

YMCA Magic Place School-Age Child Care Program

The YMCA of Roanoke Valley, in cooperation with Roanoke, Salem, and Botetourt County public schools, provide after school child care. Our program gives children a safe place to go with supervised homework and tutoring, athletic activities, varied indoor games and projects. Most important, the YMCA Magic Place Program enables parents to have a feeling of confidence that their child is being well cared for.

The YMCA Magic Place offers a quality program in a safe, supportive environment that fosters the physical, social and emotional growth of each child. Children will experience the joy of interaction with their peers while guided in daily learning adventures by positive role models.

When school is closed for teacher workshop days, Christmas Holiday, Spring Break and even Snow Days, we provide a Special Program that is of no extra cost for participants. See details in Special Programs.

Roanoke City
Dates: The program begins September 8, 2009 and operates through to the last day of school.
Time: After school - School Dismissal until 6:00 PM
Sites: Crystal Spring, Fairview, Fishburn Park, Garden City, Grandin Court, Highland Park, Huff Lane, Morningside, Monterey, Raleigh Court, Round Hill, Virginia Heights, Wasena, Westside Elementary Schools.
Cost: After School: $54/ week
PM- Punch Card- $140 (10 Visits, Prepaid punch cards are available for any days less than five)

Click to print: Roanoke City Registration

Salem City
Dates: The program begins September 8, 2009 and runs through the last day of school.
Time: After school until 6:00 PM.
Site: East Salem, South Salem Elementary Schools (serving West Salem and G.W. Carver)
Cost: After School- $54/ week

Click to print: Salem Registration

Botetourt County
Dates: The program begins August 19, 2009 and runs through the last day of school.
Time: After school until 6:00 PM.
Site: Breckinridge, Buchanan, Colonial, Cloverdale and Greenfield Elementary schools
Cost: After School- $56/ week
PM- Punch Card: $145 (10 Visits, Prepaid punch cards are available for any days less than five)

Click to print: Botetourt County Registration

Our partnership with Blue Ridge Behavorial Health

For the last three years, Blue Ridge Behavioral Healthcare has partnered with the YMCA Magic Place to provide substance abuse prevention education. The Virginia Tobacco Settlement Foundation (VTSF) funds this partnership in order for BRBH staff to implement the Too Good for Drugs program. There are nine Magic Place sites in Roanoke City, Botetourt Co, and Salem that are covered by the grant and over 200 children in grades kindergarten through 5^th grade have participated in and completed a series of 10 sessions. Some of the children have had the opportunity to participate all three years. The same prevention messages are being built upon with age and grade level appropriate lessons.

Too Good for Drugs is a comprehensive school-based drug prevention education program designed to teach students that they are too good for drugs and to equip them with the knowledge, skills and attitudes they need to remain drug-free. The program is based on the latest research about resiliency, risk and protective factors, and developmental assets: factors which research has identified as critical for young people's successful growth and development. Too Good for Drugs builds five essential life skills: goal setting, decision making, bonding with others (building, choosing, and maintaining positive friendships), identifying and managing emotions, and communicating effectively. The program focuses on personal and interpersonal life skills in order to increase children's sense of control, responsibility and self-efficacy.

The program uses puppets and many fun interactive activities to make learning enjoyable and attention getting. Here are a few quotes from youth who have participated in Too Good for Drugs groups:

“It is good to learn to stay away from drugs”, 2^nd grade youth

“Don’t do drugs”, Kindergarten youth

“You aren’t suppose to take any drugs or wine”. 2^nd grade youth

“I like the lessons where Wagner learns things and I hope he has fun with his friends”, 1^st grade youth

“I think it is really fun”, 3^rd grade youth

Blue Ridge Behavioral Healthcare has just been awarded a VTSF grant that will fund the next three year cycle and enable this excellent partnership with the YMCA Magic Place to continue.