Jesus & Jam announces after-school program
Jesus and Jam Charities of Clinch County is pleased to announce a new After-School Program for children in grades Kindergarten through 3rd Grade.
The program is scheduled to start in August 2022 and will meet every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday during the school year.
Executive Director, Lajuanta Mattox stated “I am pleased to announce that our After-School Program will be available to our community in August of this year. We continue to work tirelessly as an organization to better serve our community and offer educational resources and food assistance to Clinch County’s children and families.”
The program will be offered on a limited basis for the first year at no cost. Any family interested in the program should contact Lajuanta Mattox at 912-337-5342 or email her at jesusandjamclinch@gmail.com.
Lajuanta Mattox stated: “We are currently in the process of accepting applications for children whose families would like for them to participate. Because we are only able to offer the program to a limited number of children during our first year, I ask that any family that applies for the program have a firm commitment for their child to attend on a regular basis.”
The program is designed to offer children individualized instruction to help strengthen their reading skills.
Homerville’s Jesus & Jam, on Plant Avenue (Highway 84) will start an after-school program in August.
One of the critical components of this program is that Jesus and Jam will maintain a 3:1 student teacher ratio. The student-teacher ratio has been found to be one of the strongest indicators of student success and engagement. Countless studies have shown that children with access to educational programs have better test scores and higher graduation rates. The fewer students each teacher works with, the more closely they’re able to adjust the instruction given to best meet the needs of the child’s specific learning style.
They are also able to develop healthy one-on-one mentoring relationships. In smaller group sessions, students are more likely to feel comfortable voicing their opinions, asking questions, and making their needs known.
Lajuanta Mattox stated, “We have signed up wonderful teachers from our community to work with the Jesus and Jam After-School Program. The teachers in Clinch County strive tirelessly to nurture and support our children’s education. We are blessed to have them. Jesus and Jam is committed to making this program a rewarding experience for everyone.”
The program will offer reading instruction that focuses on reinforcing lessons and concepts that are being taught in our community’s classrooms. Third grade has been identified as important to reading literacy because it is the final year children are learning to read, after which students are “reading to learn.” If they are not proficient readers when they begin fourth grade, as much as half of the curriculum they will be taught will be incomprehensible.
A long-term study by the Annie E. Casey Foundation found that students who were not proficient in reading by the end of third grade were four times more likely to drop out of high school than proficient readers. In fact, 88 percent of students who failed to earn a high school diploma were struggling readers in third grade.
Lajuanta Mattox stated: “Our children are our community’s most precious resource. Jesus and Jam is committed to providing resources to help further their education. Reading is the keystone to their education and future”
Jesus and Jam After-School Program will provide participants with a brief age-appropriate Bible Lesson each day utilizing the Abeka Bible Study Program designed for children. The Abeka Corporation has provided educational materials based on biblical values to Christian Academies for over 35 years.
Lajuanta Mattox stated, “I believe there is no greater need we could meet in our community than teaching children about the Word of God and giving them the gift of reading.”
The Jesus and Jam After-School Program is our latest effort in our work to improve literacy and offer educational resources.
In addition to the After-School Program, Jesus and Jam continues to offer Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library to all residents of Clinch County and a Summer Reading Program that provides free books to all 836 students at Clinch County Elementary School.
The Imagination Library is available to all residents of Clinch County at no-cost. The program offers free books mailed directly to the child’s home from birth to age five. Families interested in registering their child for the program may do so in the following ways:
1. Online Registration is available at www.imaginationlibrary.com
2. Visit one of our In-person Registration Events
3. Call Program Director Lajuanta Mattox at 912-337-5342
For more information about Jesus and Jam or Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, please contact Lajuanta Mattox at jesusandjamclinch@gmail.com.
