On March 30th, 2023 NIA hosted our first ever Follow Your Art Show! Students from 32 NIA sites participated in the exhibition. No limitations were given and students were able to pick their own themes and mediums, which gave them complete creative control.
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Read Out Loud Campaign has ten authors visit different NIA after-school program locations to read to the students and hand out free books!
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On October 20th, over 5,000 NIA students participated in the 23rd Annual Lights On Afterschool event, a national celebration of after-school programs and the important role they play in the lives of children, families, and communities. Every year, thousands of Lights On Afterschool events are held across the country to highlight the importance of after-school and the need for increased investments in after-school programs. Check out what some of our programs did to celebrate!
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It’s finally summer, and there’s no better time to explore the best art New York City has to offer as a family! Exposure to diverse art experiences cultivates children’s curiosity, promotes life-long learning and academic success, and creates formative memories. Here are some ideas that might bring art and adventure to your family this summer.
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Now that the school year is over, it can be challenging to keep students from falling out of essential literacy habits. How can summer reading be fun? How can students continue developing literacy skills outside of the classroom? Here are some tips for parents who want to keep their kids reading over the summer.
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NIA Day is a celebration of our anniversary of incorporation on May 26th. Students and staff throughout our after school programs have been getting in the spirit by engaging in fun activities, like the NIA/IS 281 SONYC ice cream event pictured above, and by answering the question, “What does NIA mean to you?” See below for some NIA Day program highlights!
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Making art and exposure to art has so many physical and psychological benefits for kids. Through art, kids develop fine motor skills, confidence, ingenuity, and curiosity. Of course, making art is not just for kids. Grown-ups benefit by taking a breather from pressing adult tasks to slow down, relax, and create. Making art together is not only fun but can also inspire meaningful conversations, trigger fits of laughter, and create positive core memories for children.
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In addition to visiting and reading to our students at PS 199, PS 190, and PS 179, authors/illustrators Mika Song and Derek Desierto were kind enough to talk with us about their inspirations and artistic processes. See the full interviews below.
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Oh, social media! What a gift and a curse it has come to be. It has helped us connect to people on the other side of the world and at times has alienated us from our children in our own households. Although it may seem daunting, here are our top five tips to help parents navigate social media with their children.
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On October 28, 2021, NIA celebrated the 22nd Annual Lights On Afterschool with thousands of students throughout our 40+ programs. This event is held yearly by the Afterschool Alliance and is the only nationwide rally celebrating afterschool and its important role in the lives of children, families, and communities. It is also a day to advocate for afterschool programs, as there are nearly 25 million children who are currently unable to access them.
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The perfect fall weather for families to be out and about has finally arrived just in time for the spookiest part of the year: Halloween. Start your celebrations off with a BOO-m at any of these family-friendly events across Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island!
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Stress, it’s everywhere - at home, in school, with peers. How a child learns to identify and cope with the stresses of life is key to self-empowerment, positive well-being, and success. These tips can help you and your child work together to manage stress in healthy, positive ways. Different strategies work better for different people, so talk together with your child about which ideas feel best for them.
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September is not only back-to-school, it’s also National Literacy Month. To celebrate, we’re sharing book recommendations from our after school students at NIA/IS 187 in Brooklyn. You probably already know about favorite series like Harry Potter and Percy Jackson, but take a look at the list below to learn about seven books you may not have read for grades 6-8. Full of adventure, suspense, fantasy, thought-provoking drama, and emotional impact, there are stories to appeal to a variety of reader’s interests.
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Hard to believe it but the start of a new school year is just around the corner! The start of every school year is ripe with excitement and challenges for both parents and students alike. However, due to the on-going COVID-19 pandemic, the 2021 school year may feel especially full of uncertainties and anxiety-inducing questions. Here to help you navigate going back-to-school, we have 10 strategies to set you and your child up for success.
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Pride Month may be ending, but LGBTQ+ youth deserve our love and support whatever month it is. Whether you are a parent, a teacher, or a friend, there are things we can all do to make our homes, our classrooms, and our communities a more welcoming place for all of us. What will you do to show support for the LGBTQ+ youth in your life?
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School’s out and it’s time for summer celebrations to begin! July 4th, officially known as Independence Day, commemorates the United States independence from British rule and the signing of the Declaration of Independence in the summer of 1776. Check out these family-friendly ideas for celebrating the 4th across Brooklyn and Staten Island.
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Our Beacon Community Centers have impacted the lives of thousands, but today, we’re putting the spotlight on seven participants. Some live in the surrounding neighborhoods and some live in other areas of Brooklyn but attend our events virtually, which has become the norm during this pandemic (and will likely continue to be). The opportunity to have an accessible community center has been crucial, especially in this last year, as families have struggled to connect with the outside world and participate in engaging activities at home together.
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This Saturday, June 19, marks the 156th anniversary of Juneteenth, otherwise known as Emancipation Day or Freedom Day. Just yesterday, President Joe Biden signed a bill establishing Juneteenth as a federal holiday. June 19, 1865 marks a significant moment in American history, when 250,000 enslaved Black people in Galveston, Texas first learned of their freedom, two and a half years after President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation. It is the oldest known celebration commemorating the end of slavery in the United States with celebrations varying across the country.
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