All Aces: after-school program takes up when school lets out

Success was in the cards for the ACES after-school program this year, the group’s Executive Director Cathy Gaiser said.

Gaiser started the program called Arts, Community, Education and Sports last fall, with a federal grant.

One of the things that has Gaiser excited is the partnerships formed with Bigfork and Swan River schools and Bigfork Playhouse Children’s Theatre.

“It’s the best partnership in the community because we don’t have to worry about being in competition,” she said. “It’s meeting the need for keeping the kids off the street downtown.”

Children attend the program after school from 3:30 p.m. to 5:15 p.m. at Community United Methodist Church and the Children’s Theatre.

About half of the children are from low-income families and qualify for the federal reduced and free lunch program. As such they also qualify for ACES. Some of these children have participated in choir and a reader’s theater and have tried out for parts in the Schoolhouse Rock production.

Gaiser said the program isn’t just fun and games. It uses science, technology, engineering and math in its projects.

When children arrive at the after-school program, the first 30 minutes are set aside for homework. After that comes a 15-minute period for snacks. Then comes the structured program, which lasts one hour.

Middle schoolers have worked on movie production and editing, gliders and robotics, for example. Students also produce a newsletter twice a year known as the Bi-Golly News.  

Lusana Stokes, a retired local art teacher, comes by three times a week to help students with art projects, a number of which were on display at the Bigfork Art and History Museum earlier this year. About 220 children from Bigfork, Swan River, Kila, Marion and Deer Park schools are enrolled in the program, which is funded through a $193,000 a year five-year grant.

There are summer camps available for children through fifth grade, most of which are already at full capacity. Each camp combines physical fitness, arts and crafts, science and technology. Tuition is $70 for each five-day camp.

For information, email Gaiser at BigforkAces@gmail.com or go to the program’s Facebook page.