MUNCIE, Ind. - Students at Ball State University have started a unique after-school program open to children who live in university-owned campus apartments.

The Club Success program began in February and is run entirely by volunteers who typically include parents, University Apartment residents and residence hall students.

The program offers educational and cultural activities for children ages four through nine Thursday afternoons from 3 to 5 p.m.

Around 22 children attend the club every week. The volunteers help members with reading activities and homework for the first hour. Tutoring is also provided by the volunteers during this time for children who are having difficulty with a particular school subject. The second hour of the program is spent teaching the children to cook simple menu items and/or doing a craft.

"The number one priority of the club is to make sure the kids get their homework done and get tutoring if they need it," said program coordinator and founder Jamma Kelly. "The kids used to get together and just play, but I wanted to make sure this was a learning experience as well."

Kelly, a former Lawrenceburg resident, is a graduate student pursuing both a specialist in education and a Ph.D. 

Club Success is sponsored by the Cardinal Neighborhood Housing Association, which includes residents of both Anthony and Scheidler Apartments.

University Apartments include the Anthony and Scheidler Apartment complexes. Residents include Ball State students living with their spouses and/or dependent children, single graduate students and single undergraduate students with junior status or above.

During the summer, Club Success plans to hold an ongoing summer reading program where children would earn prizes for reading books. Specific dates and times for the program will be announced later. University Apartment residents will receive information about the program in their mailboxes within a few weeks.

By Kortney Reinitz, Graduate Assistant

(NOTE TO EDITORS: For more information, contact Deb Newman by phone (765) 285-5095.)