The students were engaged in a program called Citizen Schools, a leadership program run by the Southwest YMCA on Quito Road in Saratoga, which serves Campbell, Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, Saratoga, Cambrian Park, Redwood Estates and West San Jose.

Started in 2001 at the Southwest YMCA, Citizen Schools is changing how children spend their time after school through fun, challenging, hands-on apprenticeships that involve volunteer Citizen Teachers and offer hands-on activities for children, ages 11 to 14, according to Veronica Salenda, program director. The apprenticeships help students and adults gain skills and understanding while creating products and performances that add value to the community.

"They develop skills for the 21st century, leadership and a sense of community, while working in a team," Salenda said. "It's more than having something for your kid to do after school. The skills they are learning here they can transfer to their academic performance every day."

In addition to having homework investment time, the students learn responsibility and branch out of their usual peer groups. The program first started in Boston and was so successful it's been spreading to YMCA's across the nation, Salenda said, including those in Redwood City and Saratoga.

The program is extremely structured, and its intent is to give participants self-confidence when it comes to everything from creative writing to public speaking. At the end of each 13-week period, students put on a "WOW" production for the community, showcasing the skills they've learned such as theater, art and event dance production. The event dance production apprenticeship is led by Citizen Teacher and San José State University student Christine Bagube.

Salenda said the point of the final performance is to prove that just because these students are young, they still want to earn respect from the community and be taken seriously. The next Citizen Schools session begins Jan. 25, and enrollment has already started. The session is from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m., Monday through Thursday at Castro Middle School. The program is only currently offered at Castro Middle School, Salenda said, but there are plans to expand the program to neighboring school districts.

Salenda said she is also looking for community volunteers who want to teach apprenticeships in a skill or hobby, such as Web design. Parent Karen Gumaer leads an art apprenticeship, while Saratoga High School students teach one called "Spotlight on the Community."

Sixth-graders Kevin Paup and Mansie Cheung, both from Campbell, said they enjoy field trips with Citizen Schools to places such as museums, libraries and college campuses. Kevin also said he likes the YMCA staff.

"They care about us and about our safety," he said.

Kevin said he's planning to enroll in the next session of Citizen Schools because he's made new friends and attained great skills, such as in an apprenticeship called "Body Wise," where he learned to eat the right foods and stay healthy.

Varija Yelagalawadi, a Castro Middle School sixth grader, said she learned in her creative writing apprenticeship that she could write without punctuation or proper grammar rules, and it was OK.

"You don't have to write from left to right," she said.

Bianca Futrell, a seventh grader from Campbell, said the homework investment time or "HIT" helps her finish her homework faster than she would at home because there are no distractions, and she can ask the YMCA staff questions if she needs help.

For more information about Citizen Schools or for registration information, call Veronica Salenda at 408.608.6821 or visit www.scvymca.org/southwest.