Aeryn Smith is a rising sixth grader helping at Cooper Elementary to support a 21st Century Community Learning Center (21 CCLC) camp for elementary-aged students.
Smith attended 21 CCLC programs when she was a student at Cooper and will attend the program at Shaw Middle School. The federally funded Title program offers before- and after-school academic programming during the school year and four weeks of summer programs at six Spokane Public Schools elementary schools and two middle schools.
“I did a lot of the clubs at Cooper, and it really helped me,” she said. “I got to figure out stuff that I like to do, and I got to help other kids and students because I was the oldest in the group.”
As a 21 CCLC participant, Smith is developing leadership skills that she’ll take to middle school and beyond, thanks to this opportunity connecting younger students with unique learning activities and experiences.
Zeb Ediger will be a third grader at Cooper Elementary this fall. The 21 CCLC program has opened doors to new opportunities for Zeb, like art, science, and basketball.
“In Science Club, I saw him have lots of excitement and love for science and he was excited to show up, even though the days were really long,” said Anna Ediger, Zeb’s mom. “I was like, ‘Oh, is he too young for this? Like, how long is this going?’ But he just loved it.”
Zeb also created a 70-page flip book and played basketball with older students—he held his own, his mom said—thanks to 21 CCLC.
Ruth Carlson’s son Felix participates in three 21 CCLC before- or after-school clubs each week during the school year. Felix has found a new love for music, drama and “World Explorers” Club, where students learn about other cultures.
"It’s really been interesting to see his interest in what's happening in the world,” Carlson said. “We're not a news watching family at all, and he was visiting my parents who are retired and who do watch the news, and he came home from my parents' house telling me about all the things he learned and watched.”
Nikole Tucker’s son Dillon is heading into second grade in the fall. Dillon’s 21 CCLC programming helped him transition out of kindergarten.
“He got more time to feel confident and comfortable in the school environment,” Tucker said. “He is such a very smart, very bright child and these clubs gave him that outlet to be more social. He definitely loves science. He comes home telling us about the things he does.”
These are just a few examples of the 392 total students who attended a 21 CCLC program during the 2024-25 school year.
And the academic and social development students experience in 21 CCLC programs is already yielding promising results.
Regular 21 CCLC attendees saw higher math and language arts growth compared to other SPS students, along with fewer behavior incidents. Most regular 21 CCLC participants also saw their school attendance maintain or improve from the 2023-24 school year to the 2024-25 school year.
This data matches the results from the district’s Engage in Real Life initiative, a push to get more kids involved in school clubs, sports, the arts and other activities.
Cooper Office Manager Sonya Olson assists in sharing program information and coordinating logistics with parents at her school. She’s seen how many families and kids are interested and noted how it’s helped get kids excited to be in school.
“We've never had so many kids engaged before and after school,” she said. “We used to never have morning clubs. It reduced our tardies, having these kids coming in for morning programs.”
Markus Rinde is a crossing guard and lunchtime supervisor at Cooper during the day and a 21 CCLC staff member after school and in the summer. On a recent camp day, Rinde set up an obstacle course in the Cooper gymnasium for kids to conquer. Some kids have never experienced an obstacle course, but Rinde encourages all students to cheer on their peers.
“A lot of them look intimidated, but they try the course and nobody wants to leave after that,” he said. “All sizes, all shapes. Boy, girl. It's really cool to see.”
The academic and social skills gained at 21 CCLC programs are vital for students. That extra enrichment will help them grow as they continue their learning journey.