The After School House
History & Mission
The After School House is a unique tutorial program designed primarily to help elementary and middle school children with homework and strengthen their reading abilities. Funded in part by The Childrens Trust the After School Programs assist more than 80 children per day using City of South Miami Staff, volunteers, America Reads and other resources. Many of the volunteers are students from the University of Miami. Adults help the children improve their self-esteem, master basic school skills, and assist with setting and accomplishing various life goals in a safe, well-rounded environment. Most of the children enrolled in the program live in the City of South Miami. Click HERE to view a PDF of the registration form. 
Volunteers are essential to the success of The After School House, and interact with the children according to well-defined procedures.
HISTORY OF THE PROGRAM
The After School House was conceived in 1970 to help the children of Lee Park Community meet the demands of school and society more successfully. Initially, The After School House was operated entirely by volunteers. In 1974, a professional was hired to supervise the program and the approximately seventy-five volunteers who worked one-on-one with children attending the program. In 1983, the founders of The After School House gave the program to the City of South Miami, and the City, with the help of volunteers, has continued its operation. To celebrate School's 25th Anniversary in 1996, a scrapbook containing photos and history was presented to the Historic Museum of South Florida as part of Miami's Centennial Festivities.
From its conception, The After School House has been an outstanding success. The children of South Miami have flocked to its doors and demonstrated that they need and desire the program and benefit immeasurably from its services. Countless volunteers have had life-enriching experiences at The After School House.
PROGRAM PHILOSOPHY
The purpose of The After School House is to help children function more effectively in school and society and to promote leadership. The program seeks to provide children with skill-building experiences in a sheltered, accepting environment in their own neighborhood where they can learn to see themselves as valued and competent people.
Unless children see themselves positively and have feelings of self-respect, competence and belonging, they cannot successfully address the task of learning the school curriculum. A child who believes that he or she is "bad", "slow" or "undesirable" is likely to exhibit those behaviors and his or her learning and interpersonal relationships may be impeded. On the other hand, a child who feels valued will learn and function more effectively.
The After School House program's primary emphases are on treating each child with respect and consideration, and valuing academics and reading.
