Having Fun with Comics

When school bells ring across the country, signaling the end of another day, 14 million children in kindergarten through 12th grade head to places unsupervised by adults -- empty homes, friends' houses, shopping malls, backyards, and more. It can be an unproductive and uninspiring time for kids. And at its worst, kids left to their own devices can get into trouble; the hours with the highest crime rates involving teens are between 3 and 6 p.m., according to the National Center for Juvenile Justice.

Nationwide, after-school programs are working to meet the growing needs of parents and children to fill this gap. But a recent study by the Afterschool Alliance reports the supply of programs in the United States still isn't able to meet the needs of millions of children and their working parents.

That's why, in 2002, 4-H, the century-old youth education initiative, launched 4-H Afterschool (www.4hafterschool.org), a volunteer-driven program designed to help kids find something fun, constructive, and safe to do in the hours after school.

"We're trying to help potential volunteers realize they can really make an impact on young people," says program coordinator Ron Drum.

When most people think of 4-H, they usually picture kids learning to care for farm animals in rural areas of Iowa or Kansas. In fact, some of the largest 4-H Afterschool programs are in the city. By 2003, about 7 million youths were part of this huge organization; after-school 4-H clubs or programs have been established in more than 3,000 counties in the United States. These clubs offer kids a variety of activities: scavenger hunts, construction projects, character- and relationship-building programs, and classes that cover everything from expressive art to science and technology.

Reports by the Harvard Family Research Project and others have determined that such programs can help improve behavior problems, social and interpersonal skills, and academic performance.

Having Fun with Comics

4-H Afterschool is just one of a number of program options parents can choose. Other initiatives focus more on creative or expressive outlets. For instance, in 2001, Michael Bitz, an educator at Columbia University in New York City, created the The Comic Book Project, a literacy event sponsored by Oregon-based publisher Dark Horse Comics.

Bitz used the traditional comic book format to connect the kids' artistic skills with literacy. The first project encouraged children to create their own comic books. Not only did the project foster children's imaginations, the materials were packed with vocabulary-building exercises, language arts tools, and, most of all, positive messages. Like 4-H Afterschool, The Comic Book Project focuses on academic advancement, character building, and community building. Anyone interested can order materials to start this program from the group's Web site, www.comicbookproject.org, which also exhibits students' work.