The 5th Annual Summer Sports & Literacy Camp sponsored by the Greater Columbus Tennis Association with in-kind donations from the Ohio Dominican University, YWCA Family Center, and Columbus Metropolitan Library Shepard Branch.
A&L Afterschool Literacy+ Institute, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) tax exempt public charity, showcased youth-designed plaques to celebrate Teakwood Heights 50th anniversary as a bicentennial community at two events in the month of May. See photos by clicking on "Gallery" on our Student Experience page.
This collaborative neighborhood-centric afterschool program involving Howard Recreation Center (Northeast) youth and the Teakwood Heights community is called the “E-portraits of Teakwood Heights Project.” A&L Afterschool was awarded a first-round Chase 200Columbus Neighborhood Grant for the project. Funders for the grant include JPMorgan Chase Foundation, Greater Columbus Arts Council (GCAC), and 200Columbus .
The Chase 200Columbus Neigborhood Grant allowed A&L Afterschool to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Teakwood Heights Community (near northeast side Columbus, Ohio 43219). Several Teakwood Heights residents completed a survey about living in their community. A&L students selected the best quotes for each of the 17 residents who agreed to participate on the project. Students created the plaque designs, sanded and stained the wood, and fastened clear plexiglas on top of the plaques, which were hung on a larger mobile display unit. More than 30 students were involved with this grant project.
A&L Afterschool offers year-round programming from 5 p.m.-7:30 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays onsite at Howard Recreation Center. Summer camps get underway in the month of June. Learn more info about our activity schedules and the summer camp experience on our Student Experience page.
Motto and Mascott
Our motto is “make a dent, leave an impression.” Adding to that our mascot is the "Meerkat" because as one student honorably stated: "Our eyes are Big, but our smiles are Bigger!"
Our Mission
The mission of A&L Afterschool is: “make children S.M.I.L.E." through training and afterschool instruction with positive learning outcomes which means we:
Stimulate student critical thinking
Maintain high expectations
Involve literacy, games, and writing-to-learn activities
Link motivation to student enjoyment
Encourage healthy and nutritious lifestyles.
Visit our Student Experience page!
About Year-Round Afterschool Academics
Our year-round afterschool academics model provides learning through creative, game-based projects to enhance student motivation and engagement in academic subjects from a global perspective.
Three important objectives are:
- Teach students to recognize what conditions adversely affect their lives and the world around them
- Expose students to writing, literacy, STEM education, and artistic expression about global critical perspectives
- Inspire youth to take action as young citizens in the United States.
About the Founder
Click HERE to view a larger summer camp interview with Dr. Nancy Hill-McClary (A&L founder).
Dr. Nancy Hill-McClary, focus area educational psychology, is the founder, president, and CEO of A&L Afterschool Literacy+ Institute, a non-profit organization. She is a literacy instructor, local nonfiction and fiction author, grant writer, and workshop facilitator. Her institute began with a visionary idea of a fun academic afterschool in her neighborhood (Columbus, Ohio). Later in 2010 A&L Afterschool was established on the near northeast side 43219 community. Dr. Hill-McClary has more than 30 years of experience in designing student and adult literacy classes and workshops, language arts/literacy coaching, K-12 and community writing instruction, and summer sports and community garden camps. She was formerly employed for 22 years as a corporate research and development technical writer. She also holds two Master of Arts degrees in education and communication.
