Social Emotional Learning

Take a look at what it's like to spend time in WINGS. 

Every child deserves to play, learn, grow, and hope for a brighter future.

WINGS Afterschool

Helping Kids Soar

WINGS Afterschool is an education program that teaches kids how to behave well, make good decisions, and build healthy relationships. We do this by weaving a comprehensive social emotional learning curriculum into a fresh and fun afterschool program. Kids get the life lessons they need to succeed and be happy, and they get a safe place to call home after school.

We operate afterschool programs in Title I elementary schools. Kids are referred to the program by principals and teachers based on their struggles in school or at home. The program operates at the school site and kids attend three hours per day, five days a week during the school year. There is no cost to attend the program, but full time attendance is required. Kids receive an afterschool snack, help with their homework, dinner, and bus transportation home.

Key Components of WINGS Afterschool

Life Skills

All kids deserve to explore, grow, and believe in themselves. Social emotional skill development lays the foundation for these actions to take hold.

Strong social emotional skills transform the lives of kids by helping them become the best version of themselves. As kids understand themselves and learn how to make smart decisions, they:

  • Succeed in school
  • Stay on track to graduate high school
  • Are better prepared for the workforce
  • Become positive and healthy contributors to society

Sequential learning objectives are taught throughout the school year to provide an opportunity to develop five core competencies through practice, reflection, and positive reinforcement. Kids learn about themselves and others through group activities and discussions while developing the capacity for empathy and respect.

Opportunity

Children learn when they have opportunities to learn.

Affluent parents have the ability to invest more money into their kids than financially stressed parents. Children from high-wealth communities are twice as likely to play afterschool sports and they are more than twice as likely to be the captains of their sports teams. They are much more likely to do non-sporting activities, like theater, music, or scouting. We call this an opportunity gap. At WINGS, kids have the opportunity to explore new activities and play on a regular basis. Enrichment activities provide access to important experiences our kids might otherwise not receive such as music, dance, sports, photography, and cooking.

Choice Time

Twice a week children participate in enrichment activities, called Choice Time. As our kids participate in activities like soccer or lacrosse, cooking, art, or music, staff tie-in the weekly lesson and the Words to Live By to reinforce – in real-time – teamwork, participation, creativity, or focus. Community Partners are often brought in to lead Choice Time activities.

Current Enrichment Partners:

Field Trips

Field Trips allow our kids to explore new areas of their city and state. The majority of our WINGS kids have not traveled more than 10 miles outside of their neighborhoods. Through grants and discounted rates, we have been able to take our kids to:

  • Gibbes Museum of Art
  • Wild Blue Ropes
  • South Carolina Aquarium
  • The Georgia Aquarium
  • The World of Coca-Cola
  • Georgia State University
  • Columbia College
  • University of South Carolina
  • College of Charleston

WANT TO HELP?

Our kids love Choice Time and Field Trips but the expenses add up quickly. We’d love to provide additional Choice Time options and Field Trips! If you are interested in underwriting a portion of the cost for Choice Time or Field Trips, please see Support a Special Project for more information, or contact us at donate@wingsforkids.org.

Academics

Inequities in the education system hinder traditional academic success.

Academic Center provides both homework assistance and the opportunity to further build social emotional, ELA (English language arts), and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) competencies through hands-on stations stocked with books and games. Academic Center also provides kids – with the guidance and reinforcement from staff – a place to practice self-management skills like focus, self-discipline, and stress management. These teachable moments can plant seeds of confidence or lessen anxieties, creating space for academic learning to happen.

Social emotional learning contributes to academic achievement:

  • Increased attachment to school
  • 54% more likely to earn a high school diploma
  • Twice as likely to attain a college degree
Want to Help?

We need volunteers to provide one-on-one homework help to our students who struggle the most. Don’t have the time? Take a look at our wish list, we’re always in need of academic kits and homework supplies.

Mentoring

Supportive and engaging role models matter.

From day one, we have understood the powerful role college students as mentors play in the lives of WINGS kids. We also prioritize recruiting members from the geographic and demographic communities where we operate. By doing so, our role models provide inspiration to do well in school and stay in school. They instill in our kids the belief in possibilities – and the hope for a bright future.

Each site is managed by two full-time WINGS employees who guide college students (WINGS Leaders) to mentor small groups of kids in the program. The ~130 college students we hire each year are intentional about developing healthy and supportive relationships with kids, as well as modeling respect and kindness in their interactions with peers. WINGS is not just a program, it’s a community where kids and learning thrive.

Safe Place

Not only a place to call home after school; a safe place to be yourself and have fun, too.

More than 11 million youth are alone and unsupervised between the hours of 3-6PM. WINGS works to provide a safe environment where each child feels they belong. A place where kids don’t worry about making mistakes or messing up. We promote decision-making and uniqueness; we listen and pay attention. Our staff models kindness and fosters a deep sense of purpose and inclusiveness with each child.

Through innovation and out-of-the box activities, WINGS feels nothing like the school day. We intentionally create this environment in big and little ways: we sit on the floor in groups, play music, have special handshakes, dance, and sing. Our focus on fun is also why we choose to reinforce and recognize positive behavior instead of reprimanding negative behavior. Our focus on fun is one way we drive school attendance. If you don’t attend school, you can’t attend WINGS, and our kids definitely don’t want to miss WINGS.

Want to Help?

Help us bring the fun in BIG ways – donate special prizes on our Wish List for us to use for awards and prizes each Friday.

Locations

WINGS Afterschool programs are held on-site at Title I elementary schools and community centers. 

Words to Live ​By - Loud and Proud!

Listen to our kids recite the powerful Words to Live By - and join in.
WINGS kids repeat the words of this poem each and every day.