Survey of Students Reinforces Need for Quality After-school Programs That Provide

Homework Assistance, Academic Goal-Setting for Students

Young People Say Teachers Assign Too Much Homework, Television is #1 Homework Distraction

A new survey supports the need for quality after-school programs that offer students homework assistance and academic goal-setting.  While students accept the need for homework, they say they get too much each night.  Television is the #1 homework distraction, and while most students get homework help from their parents, many get no help at all and need access to after-school homework assistance programs to compete and succeed.

      The survey asked students their opinions on homework and on graduating high school.  The results of the “Boys & Girls Clubs of America/JCPenney Afterschool Fund Survey” show:

Survey Results: Homework

1.       67 percent say teachers should assign homework, but 54 percent say their teachers assign too much homework.

2.       52 percent say television distracts them most from homework.  Friends (22 percent), extracurricular activities (17 percent) and family obligations (9 percent) are other homework distractors.

3.       Parents help kids most with their homework (56 percent).  19 percent say no one helps them and 17 percent get help from mentors and tutors.

4.       74 percent say they complete their homework every night

5.       71 percent say they have 1-2 hours of homework each day, 20 percent have 3-4 hours a day and nine percent have more than four hours of homework daily.

Survey Results: Graduating High School

1.       89 percent say graduating high school is very important and almost all (98 percent) expect to graduate high school and attend college (94 percent).

2.       77 percent say their parents are the strongest influence in driving them to succeed in school.

3.       87 percent of young people surveyed say they strive to do their best at school every day.

4.       61 percent say going to college is their primary ambition after high school, followed by getting a job (22 percent).

5.       42 percent say the negative influence of peers is their greatest challenge to finishing high school.

      “The results of this survey complement what other studies have found regarding after-school programming and the benefit it provides. Numerous studies have shown that children involved in quality after-school programs, including those that offer homework assistance, have better grades, higher school attendance, better attitudes towards school, higher educational aspirations and less need for disciplinary action,” says Julie Berkhouse, Afterschool Specialist, the JCPenney Afterschool Fund.

After-school Programs - By the Numbers

·         Every day, more than 14 million children in this country are unsupervised between the hours of 3 p.m. and 6 p.m.  That leaves them in great danger of becoming victims or perpetrators of crime or delinquent behavior.

·         Another 43 million children could benefit from after-school activities with increased access and awareness of programs provided by Boys & Girls Clubs of America and other organizations like the YMCA, 4-H and Junior Achievement.

·         Research shows after-school programs can have positive effects on students’ performance in school, including improved math and reading performance, improved attendance, reduced dropout rates, decreased involvement in crime, improved behavior at school, and a heightened interest in learning.

-more-

Boys & Girls Clubs of America / 2

      “Research shows that without significant educational support, many young people are likely to accept low standards of academic achievement, leading to unrealized potential and locking them into limited opportunities for employment and life,” says Anne Pope, President of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Citrus County. “Through our partnership with the JCPenney Afterschool Fund, we are able to provide after-school programs that complement the instruction children receive during the school day and open the door to new levels of achievement and fulfillment.”

      Throughout the year, the JCPenney Afterschool Fund supports BGCA’s Power Hour and Goals for Graduation programs. Power Hour is an interactive after-school homework assistance program for children ages 6 – 18 that helps them view homework as an opportunity to learn how to work independently, successfully complete a project on time, and feel good about their accomplishments. Goals for Graduation, an innovative after-school program for Club members ages 6 – 15, provides one-on-one activities to support academic goal-setting, learning and success in school.  Club members practice setting both short- and long-term goals with the leadership, guidance and encouragement of Club staff.

      The online survey of more than 800 Boys & Girls Clubs of America members aged 6 – 18 was conducted in August 2005 by Boys & Girls Clubs of America and the JCPenney Afterschool Fund.

About the JCPenney Afterschool Fund           

      The JCPenney Afterschool Fund (www.jcpenneyafterschool.org) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that supports programs designed to keep kids safely and constructively engaged during out-of-school time. The Fund’s contributions allow for the creation and continuance of afterschool programs aimed at the academic, physical, and social development of children throughout the U.S.  The JCPenney Afterschool Fund also works to raise awareness of the benefits of afterschool programming, and is committed to ensuring that every child has access to the world of opportunities that awaits them after school.  

About Boys & Girls Clubs of Citrus County

For almost 14 years, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Citrus County has been providing quality youth programs to neighborhoods that have a greater need for community involvement.  The 4 locations in the Citrus County area serve more than 600 youth each year.  For more information call 621-9225 or visit our website at www.citrusbgc.com.