Written by: Rebekah Hjälmeby
What do smoothie making, bank slips and the Nissan car factory have in common?
They were all part of the curriculum this summer in our Character And Skills Education (C.A.S.E.) program! This program gives middle schoolers a chance to be in a safe and stimulating environment with friends during the summer. They are with us from 9a-3p, five days a week, doing everything from photography, nutrition & kitchen safety classes to playing football, ping pong, and board games together.
During the school year, the C.A.S.E. program focuses heavily on giving teens homework support. Summertime, however, means lots of field trips! At the beginning of the summer, program manager Benjamin Reese noted how a major focus of the summer learning program is to give teenagers opportunities to see and experience things they otherwise would not. In his words, “It’s so valuable for young people to get outside of their daily routine, to try new things and have new opportunities opened up for them.
Judge Robin Hayes, (bottom right) is pictured with CASE participants after sharing with them her story, and teaching them about a day in the life of a judge and community advocate.
A favorite field trip of his was to take the youth on a visit to the Nashville courthouse, where Judge Robin Hayes hosted the students and walked them through all the processes that happen at court. She inspired the youth with her personal story of growing up in a single-parent home at a trailer park, to being the judge and community advocate that she is today.
Another highlight of the summer was visiting the ice rink; for many of the youth it was their first time ice-skating ever! The Nashville Predators hosted this special opportunity and served the group lunch before their skate session. At the Nissan car factory, the middle schoolers watched hundreds of cars moving down the assembly line. The tour guide highlighted how STEM skills were valuable for such an occupation, as factory workers interacted with robots and engineers programmed machines to produce the vehicles.
Students learned Financial Literacy and How Banks work, Culminating in a Field trip to Biztown
One key educational emphasis this summer was on teaching the teens financial literacy. Students learned about how banks function, and the security and interest they provide on funds. This theme culminated in a field trip during the last week of C.A.S.E. to the Junior Achievement BizTown site where the students took part in their own mini town that had a mayor, CEOs, and small businesses--all run by youth. The students got to earn a paycheck, cash it at the bank, and spend it at the BizTown stores. Popcorn never tasted so good as when they’d ‘earned’ the money themselves!
This and many other field trips, such as the Nashville Zoo, Altitude trampoline park, and a soccer seminar put on by the Nashville Soccer Club made for an enriching summer! When youth weren’t out around Nashville they were working with C.AS.E. staff, learning practical skills and sometimes just chilling and having fun together. “Relationships and knowing where you fit are so important at this age; I loved watching the girls bond this summer,” says C.A.S.E. staff member Rebekah Hjälmeby. “They came from different schools in the area so they didn’t all know each other prior to this, and there was some shyness. I remember one day in particular we girls slipped away for a visit to the coffee shop together, and it was like a flip switched in their dynamic; all of a sudden they couldn't stop talking, discovering things in common, and brainstorming a podcast idea, ‘Tips for Teens’. They left that day exchanging phone numbers and deciding they all needed to be on a group text together.”
Parents also expressed their appreciation for the CASE program. “My child always comes back from the CASE program in a good mood!” one parent commented. CASE provided an important service for parents, especially parents that had to work during the day.
We are grateful to the Nashville Afterschool Zone Alliance for sponsoring this program, and to the many local community partners who provided Nashville youth the chance for an enriching summer. If you are interested in partnering with us to serve Nashville’s youth, visit the link below!
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