UPDATE: Deadline extended thru October 7th: SAO Enrichment Classes
Oakland, NJ is known for sports, whether it is the nationally recognized recreation program which put Oakland on the list of America’s top 50 towns to raise children, or whether it is the high school student athlete.
Sports play an important role in the development of an individual as they learn skills that go well beyond the borders of the game. Teamwork and perseverance are just two traits, but studies have shown involvement extends benefits to both socialization and academic success.
The Sports Association of Oakland is now bringing those benefits to Oakland students who may not be inclined towards sports or interested in sports. A new program is offering classes in art, music, photography, yoga, drama, Zumba and creative writing aim to bring Oakland children an alternate avenue in extra-curricula activities.
The program’s launch is scheduled for this Monday, but the SAO will be accepting registrations through the end of the week. According to SAO member Caron Cicero McCormick, “The response has been great. We needed to reach certain numbers to cover insurance costs, and we have exceeded that. A lot of people are still just learning about the program, so we want to let people know that there’s still a window of opportunity to register.”
Arts & Recreation is a common theme in many towns & cities, and the new initiative by the SAO is bringing that concept to Oakland with the help of the the Oakland Library, the Recreation Commission, and the town.
“This is something that was inspired when I attended a meeting of Oakland Arts”, says McCormick . “The response from those Oakland artists was great. That gave me the confidence to bring it to the SAO, and their support, combined with that of the Oakland Library and the Recreation Commission made it all a reality. I have to give special thanks to Rec Commissioner Mike Guadagnino and SAO Treasurer Dave Altana who were instrumental making this project come to life.”
School districts across the nation are feeling intense pressure to cut costs, and the SAO initiative provides a great opportunity for the well rounded experience educators and parents realize are intrinsic to future success.
In 2009, China lurched into first place in the PISA exams which are administered in 65 countries. This has been attributed to a curriculum built around standardized testing, and to school days that were often longer than a parent’s work day- stretching to 12 hours of school a day. Finland, which ranked second, has school days that are less than 6 hours a day, and less hours than any public school in the United States.
While spending less time in school than any American student, Finland does have a strong tradition of non-governmental organizations providing for enrichment activities with 70% of students participating as compared to 20% in America.
Oakland is a leader in providing sports programs as an important avenue for students to learn outside of the classroom; and now the Sports Association of Oakland is providing an opportunity for learning that extends beyond the foul line, beyond the sideline, beyond the end-zone, and helps further the natural exuberance of children to explore, to grow, and feed their passion for learning.
Final sign-ups are available at : http://thinkoakland.org/arts/2012/09/26/sao-art-classes-final-sign-up/