Thanks to Meeting Waters YMCA, Walpole youth can continue to learn and develop important social skills even after the bell rings at the end of the school day.  At least as importantly, says Steve Fortier, the organization’s Executive Director, that also means that dozens of parents can work with the peace of mind that their child is in a safe and nurturing environment. “When Sue (Fortier, the Y’s Program Director) and I created Y-ASPIRE in 1998, we made sure that it would meet the needs of working parents,” said Fortier. “What we do at ASPIRE is all about positive youth development. When we do ASPIRE is all about supporting working parents.”

Now in its seventeenth year of operations, the Y’s After-School Program for Inspiration, Recreation and Education (Y-ASPIRE) now serves youth and parents from seven program centers. A new site will open on the first day of school at Putney Central School. The program also takes place at Brattleboro’s Oak Grove, Green Street, and Academy schools; Dummerston School; Rockingham Central School (which also serves Saxtons River Elementary School and Bellows Falls Middle School); and Walpole Primary School (which serves North Walpole and Walpole Elementary schools, as well).

The Y-ASPIRE program runs after school for each of the 180 school days. It also runs for full days on all school vacations and most holidays, as well as for half-days on teacher in-service and other early release days. In all, the program operates for over 210 days during the school year.

Each day of a Y-ASPIRE program includes physical activity, nutritious snack, assisted study time and a cooperative group project. Activities are centered around monthly themes such as Different But the Same; Our Community; and Kindness and Justice. Through various activities, students in Y-ASPIRE develop “life skills” such as cooperation, problem-solving, group decision-making and leadership. They also learn more about themselves, their community and their world. Service learning projects benefit other community agencies. Monthly family events focus on strengthening healthy family habits.

Meeting Waters YMCA’s Y Day Camp complements the ASPIRE program to provide year-round “out-of-school” supports for kids and their parents. Bussing is provided each day from Walpole, North Walpole and seven other Vermont and New Hampshire communities.