ASAP Scrabble club reconnecting youth at McKinley Elementary School

“I’m grateful we get to provide an environment at [ASAP Scrabble] where they’re safe. Where they get to learn and be themselves.”
– Julia Feliciano, Norris Square Community Alliance, ASAP Scrabble Coach

Dear Friend,

The Need

The far-reaching effects of the pandemic and surging gun violence have created unprecedented challenges for children in Philadelphia. However, with a donation to ASAP, you can help schools and communities across the city provide after school and summer enrichment (like ASAP Scrabble) that inspires learning, keeps kids safe, and helps them get back on track.

Notably Schools like McKinley, a neighborhood public school in West Kensington.

After School at McKinley

For the last seventeen years, Julia Feliciano has run after school programs at McKinley through the Norris Square Community Alliance. Like most of us, Julia was eager for a return-to-normal after two years of navigating COVID. But when her students returned to McKinley, she discovered the impact of the pandemic was much greater than she expected.

“We’re starting back at square one. I feel schools lost their sense of community. Parents are not as trusting anymore and schools are not as welcoming to parents at times.”
— ASAP Scrabble Coach, Julia

Equally important, when the school reopened Julia noticed many of her younger students had fallen behind – especially in their reading skills.

“They were struggling to identify words. They weren’t on their appropriate levels.”
— ASAP Scrabble Coach, Julia

ASAP Scrabble makes way at McKinley

Faced with the need to both engage her families AND address her students’ reading losses, Julia turned to longtime partner ASAP – specifically, ASAP Scrabble.

“Scrabble helps kids identify where they’re most weak at in their literacy skills. It helps the children succeed and move up in reading.”
— ASAP Scrabble Coach, Julia

Julia and her team received training, equipment, and other resources from ASAP. Consequently, the Scrabble club at McKinley took off, growing to 40 students playing weekly – including eight pairs of siblings.

In a school that is predominantly Latino, the club has been especially impactful for Julia’s Spanish-speaking families.

“My Dominican students — they came to this country two years ago. The parents have noticed with us doing Scrabble activities with them, their kids are speaking more fluently now. They’re actually talking to their parents in English and they’re like: ‘Wait. Hold up.’”
– ASAP Scrabble Coach, Julia

Despite all the challenges Julia has encountered the last couple of years, seeing the difference enrichment programs like Scrabble have made for her students makes it all worthwhile.

“Scrabble is the best thing. It’s really important for the kids to gain literacy skills to be able to move on in life.”
– ASAP Scrabble Coach, Julia

ASAP reconnecting school communities

The McKinley Scrabble club is just one of more than 300 after school and summer enrichment clubs ASAP has supported this year. ASAP has reconnected thousands of kids to their school communities and reignited their love of learning.

For this reason, ASAP is committed to helping more schools and communities achieve a new “normal.” One that ensures all students have access to safe, enriching activities and experiences that can help them succeed in school and beyond.

How you can help

But we need your help!

Through your generosity, ASAP can be the partner that community leaders like Julia and schools like McKinley deserve. And together, we can build a better future for young people in our city. 

For this reason, we are most grateful for your support

Click here to donate to ASAP!

More Ways to Give!

Sincerely,

ASAP

P.S. 77% of ASAP’s clubs serve youth in neighborhood public schools and areas with the highest rates of gun violence. Give today and help us provide safe, enriching spaces for youth in communities that need it the most!!

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