Overview
Shania Kids Can Las Vegas has been a program operating at Doris French Elementary School in Las Vegas, Nevada. The school is deemed Title I, meaning that families of the student population have some of the highest levels of poverty. The student population is culturally very diverse and there are many students for whom English is not their first language. The program currently accommodates 30 students who have been identified as most in need of academic and emotional support. Most of the students have experienced trauma that is impacting their ability to thrive in the school social-academic environment. The types of trauma are varied and include food and/or shelter instability, substance abuse, and loss of employment. Student/family trauma has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Program Impact
Poverty and language challenges place students at a distinct disadvantage socially and academically. SKC Las Vegas works to mitigate the social and academic impact by providing social and emotional mentoring and opportunities for positive peer-to-peer interaction in addition to academic small group intervention. This school year was our first full school year back to in-person, on-campus learning. We’ve been learning how to navigate a school year unlike any other. The pandemic created a moratorium on evictions here in Nevada and when that came to an end many of our SKCLV families found themselves facing eviction. While some were able to move in with extended family or friends, a few of our families needed immediate help securing housing, furniture, clothing, personal care items, groceries, and bus passes.
Shania Kids Can worked to make sure that our families had what they needed so that the affected Clubhouse Kids did not have to worry about what was happening at home so they could focus on their school relationships and academics. Shania Kids Can embraces the concept that every child is one caring adult away from success. Our program was different this year due to COVID-19 restraints but no less impactful. Support and well checks are conducted with students daily. Attendance is monitored and the program leader is in touch with the student and families to help alleviate disruptions in class attendance. The leader also monitors student performance and works with students in small groups in their classrooms to explain academic concepts that students are struggling with. Kids received Self-Care and Spring Break Fun bags of goodies so their Spring Break was full of things they would need to care for their bodies and their minds away from school.
Socially, lunchtime small group interaction helps address feelings of loneliness and isolation and offers important peer interaction within a framework of respect and appreciation for ourselves and each other. Clubhousers were able to dive deep into Making Apologies, Self-Care, Mindfulness, Thankfulness, Identifying Personal Strengths, Choosing their own Personal Power Word (this was made into a bracelet), Goal Setting, Respectful Discourse, and Developing a Growth Mindset. In many ways this was a blessing and the Kids showed real growth in their relationships with peers and teachers. This growth was possible because we worked exclusively in small groups due to COVID restrictions on the number of children who could be together at one time. We’ve spent this year reacquainting ourselves with each other. We are learning to laugh together again, have fun with each other, support one another through tough times and conversations, and sometimes just to be silent and listen. What we have all learned is to appreciate the time that we spend with one another because we missed the little things about being together when we were in lockdown during COVID. We hope that next year we will once again be able to take field trips and have visitors in the Clubhouse who can share exciting new experiences with us. For now, we are just happy to have time together to celebrate friendship, good health, and our dreams for the future. Thank you for continuing to support Shania Kids Can, we benefit from your kindness every day and we know the difference that it makes to Las Vegas Clubhouse Kids!
Student Testimonial-Milani 5th Grade
“I ask my Leader every day if it’s my day to meet with her at lunch with my Clubhouse friends because it just makes the day so much better.”
Student Testimonial-Jaylin 1st Grade
“I’m so happy that I get to work with Ms. S. to practice Math and Sight Words. She always has snacks for me, and I get to do it with my brother so it makes it fun!”
