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Abstract #150593

Sara Corwin, MPH, PhD, Willie H. Oglesby, MSPH, PhD(c), Blythe Scott, MPH, Jason D. Coleman, MSPH, and Kara Montgomery, MEd, DrPH. Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, 800 Sumter Street, Columbia, SC 29208, 803-777-3636, corwins@gwm.sc.edu

After school hours (i.e., from 3:00-6:00p.m.) are the prime time for youth to engage in health risk behaviors. Further, the integration of the arts into after school programming can reinforce student learning. A community based arts infused after school enrichment pilot program was implemented in two urban middle schools in the southeast. The purpose of the program was to enhance students' academic performance and to promote positive youth development. The intervention activities involved transporting students to four community partner sites for instruction and participation in studio art, performance arts, and nature appreciation. A public showcase of student work and performances served as a capstone event at the end of the school year. As part of program evaluation activities, nine focus groups with participating 6th grade students (n=71; 57.7% female, 100.0% African American) were conducted. The groups were audiotaped; the tapes were transcribed verbatim and imported into NVivo for analysis. Recurrent themes were examined across all of the focus groups to gain an understanding of students' perceptions of and suggestions for the program. Results indicate that students viewed the program favorably, liked participating in “new things,” participated in a variety of arts and nature based activities, and thought the “teachers were cool.” Students gave suggestions for enhancing the program to include: changing partner sites during the year, reducing the academic assignments, adding a physical activity component, and adding more music related activities. Findings were disseminated to program stakeholders and utilized to enhance future programming.

Learning Objectives:

• 1.Describe 3 risk behaviors that middle school students may engage in during after school hours if unsupervised.
• 2.Describe a model for community-school based art infused after school program designed to improve student’s academic performance and promote positive youth development.
• 3.Articulate the value of qualitative data collection (e.g., focus groups) in the process evaluation of an after school pilot program.
• 4.Explain middle student participants’ perceptions of and suggestions for an arts based after school program.

Keywords: School-Based Programs, School Health Educators

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No
Any institutionally-contracted trials related to this submission?

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.