After School Matters (ASM) is a teacher-led after school tutoring and mentoring program for at-risk 9th and 10th graders. NHS teachers work with students to develop study and organizational skills, promote consistent relationships, and expose them to extra-curricular activities that will increase engagement. As we enter the ninth year of the program, the actual results are dramatic, measurable, and consistent. For the 2020 – 2021 school year, 68% of students enrolled in ASM were on free or reduced lunch. In the beginning of 2020, 89% of students enrolled in ASM were failing one or more classes. At the end of the school year, 79% of those students were passing ALL classes.
Our short-term goals are to improve grades and raise the graduation rate while the long-term goal is to prepare students to become contributing members of society, through career or college or both. We’ve noticed an increase in student engagement and school attendance.