Funded by grants from the State Department of Education and managed by San Jose's Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services, the goal of the program is to raise student test scores and attendance, says San Jose LEARNS program administrator Michelle Jennings.

And it's worked, according to sixth-grader Paulina Herrera, who says her math scores have increased due to help from the program's homework component. There are three staff members from Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services and one site coordinator from the city of San Jose, named Christy Baker, who helps run LEARNS.

Middle school Assistant Principal Mike Weir is responsible for overseeing the program, along with other sports and after-school activities.

At two o'clock 25 students gather in a room to start on homework, with two representatives from Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services providing assistance.

Sixth-grader Randy Sheeder says his favorite part is the snack that is served in between the homework and the featured activity—usually pretzels and peanut butter, raisins or cereal.

If it weren't for the program Sheeder would be staying with his grandmother, because his father works, he says. Classmate Onastacia Marlow says her parents can stay at work longer because she has a place to be that her parents know is safe.

After the snack, the students participate in various activities coordinated by the recreation leaders. They play sports, dance and do arts and crafts.

"Students are most vulnerable to be victims of crime and commit crime after school between 3 and 6 p.m., when many of them are unsupervised," Jennings says. "Here it is a safe place, and they are exposed to adult role models."

The program is offered at 21 sites citywide—19 elementary schools and two middle schools in the San Jose Unified School District, including Gardner Elementary School in Willow Glen.

Statewide educational budget cuts should not affect the program because the grant funding extends through June 2005, Jennings says. The funding came from a $1.6 million grant from the state's After School Learning and Safe Neighborhoods Partnerships Program as well as $1.6 million from the city. Additional federal funds for six schools came through 21st Century Community Learning Centers grants. School districts also contribute facilities, custodians, teachers and teacher aides.

The program is offered to schools that are low-income or where at least 50 percent of the students are below their grade level in state testing, Jennings says. The budget averages out to $5 per student per day or between $50,000 and $125,000 per year per site.

"The funding is secure the next couple of years, but after that if we need to find funding other than the state we will," Jennings says. "That's how much we value the program."

And those involved wholeheartedly agree about the value of the program. Willow Glen Middle School recreation leader Margo Moreno says, "LEARNS is the best program offered by the San Jose Department of Parks and Recreation. We follow up with the teacher's lesson plan, and since it's right after school we can get hold of a teacher if we need to ask them questions. The kids learn without even knowing it because we make it fun."

Recently recreation leaders surfed the Internet to find art projects corresponding with class lessons about Egypt. They also tied in activities with the eighth-grade Mesoamerica curriculum by inviting a ballet folklorico group to visit.

"It is really an extension of our curriculum and school day," says middle school Principal Darla Briggs. "It's supposed to be fun."

The program lasts until 5 p.m., but there is one more school bus that arrives at 4 p.m. for those students who don't get picked up by their parents. Some students in the LEARNS program also visit the homework center at the school. A grant from Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services also funds the homework center, which is open Monday through Thursday from 2 to 4 p.m. There are about 30 students enrolled in the homework center, where sixth-grade teacher Angel Lee is the coordinator and other teachers help tutor the students.

"We help in reading, writing, math, art or anything they need help with," Lee says.

Various community organizations like museums and art and dance groups visit as well.

A group based in Santa Cruz, Mariposa's Art, which serves at-risk youth, just finished an eight-week program at the middle school where they taught the girls in San Jose LEARNS about conflict resolution and self-defense.

Mariposa's Art was founded in July of 1998 to provide after-school art and music programs to students who live where gangs, drugs and other high-risk behaviors are a danger.

"We want the girls to learn to use their voice but keep their attitude down," says Rebecca Picker, an executive assistant at Mariposa's Art. "They learn to be assertive but not aggressive."

While learning lessons the girls in the recent program also had fun by paint- ing masks and making collages and beaded jewelry.

"The art program helps with my self-esteem," says sixth-grader Jennifer Diaz, who found out about LEARNS through a friend. "It makes me feel good about myself to learn to express myself and control my attitude."

Students hear about the free, voluntary San Jose LEARNS program through friends or over the loudspeaker at school, but the program still has plenty of spaces.

The program has the capacity to serve 100 students, but only 25 youth are enrolled. To recruit new students the recreation leaders have sent out flyers to parents and set up tables at lunch with information about the program.

Any interested student can receive a permission slip and join the following day.

"It is designed to expose students to culture and recreation as well as improve grades," Jennings says.

For more information about San Jose LEARNS, call Willow Glen Middle School at 408.535.6277.