The mission of the Pearl City C.A.T.S. Program is to shape a safe environment in which all of our students become life long learners who master essential skills, develop self learning skills and pursue character qualities which will enable them to be honest, responsible, respectful and dedicated students. By utilizing a team approach and holding high expectations, our staff works as a community to assist our students to monitor their progress as they reach the goal of achieving their potential according to their own unique strengths.
Pearl City C.A.T.S After-School & Summer Camp Program
Mission Statement
The Program provides opportunities for elementary school-age children to develop interests, skills and knowledge in academic learning and cultural awareness, to enhance their self-esteem and enable them to learn, work, grow, and play well with their peers. We seek to enable the children to form nurturing and trusting relationships with adults. The program is designed to provide affordable, quality childcare to low-income families. The name we have chosen for our program Children Achieving Their Success represents all the ideals and goals we set before the children and ourselves. The program has operated at the Lois Martin Center at Dixie Manor since 1992.
The Pearl City C.A.T.S. Program is owned and operated by the Boca Raton Housing Authority. The program operates out of the Lois Martin Community Center. The hours of operation during the school year are 2:00pm to 6:00pm Monday thru Friday with occasional Saturday events. Summer camp & out-of- School days’ hours of operation are Monday thru Friday 8:00am to 4:30pm.
Because of the non-profit nature of our program we are constantly seeking new partners who are willing to provide financial assistance allowing us to secure programs, personnel and supplies for the children, or we work with other non-profit organizations who will deliver the product and programs themselves directly to the children. Very often we find that we have been able to secure some fundamental source for a program, but we are responsible for many incidentals that bringing the program to our children requires. For example, the Ballet Program is a teaching program and their grant was even able to fund transportation costs, but we purchased the ballet tutus and shoes for the children. Computers are happily donated and gratefully accepted, but funds must be there to pay for tutors, printers, cartridges and paper.
We seek to keep our program diversified as many of our children stay with us for their entire elementary school experience. We seek to offer the children as many possible varied activities as we can find. One of our goals is to expose the children to experiences, activities and life-styles, which they might not ever have the opportunity to come to on their own.
We attempt to capture any interest a child might express and find a positive outlet that is new and creative. Many of our children are immersed in activities that they would never have dreamed of participating in. We do not ask or require them to excel, but only that they participate, they try and they enjoy. All of our children are part of the greater success story of children happily expanding their worlds.
We have many volunteers from the local college who provide one on one Tutoring to the children. In addition we have professional teachers who are paid to tutor the children in specific areas. Computer guidance is also part of this program to ensure that all of the children receive the appropriate support for their particular needs.
One of the goals of the Pearl City C.A.T.S. Program is to provide each student with the tools to succeed and graduate or be promoted on par with their peers in school. The program’s Education Coordinator has established a working relationship with the Boca Raton elementary school teachers and parents who enable us to receive copies of each student’s progress reports and report cards. Each student’s grades are tracked during each marking period for all subjects, and areas which need may need improvement are identified. Comparisons are made from one marking period to another to ensure that the individualized tutorial program established for each child is working successfully.
Another facet of the Education Coordinator’s position includes the recruitment, screening and selection of volunteers who will work with the children. The screening procedure is rigorous, however, we now have several volunteers regularly working with the children.
The Boca Ballet Theatre Community Outreach Program sponsors 1st Step Ballet classes. Participants who finish the 1st Step program successfully are offered scholarships to participate into the mainstream ballet classes. This is one of our most successful and longest running programs. The children and the community enjoy participating in this program. We always have a huge response to this program.
Pearl City C.A.T.S. Afterschool Program Supporters
Funders
- City of Boca Raton
- The Schmidt Family Foundation
- Boca Ballet Theatre
- Early Learning Coalition of Palm Beach County
- Spirit of Giving
- Pulte Family Charitable Foundation
- State of Florida Child Care Food Program
- Children’s Service Council of Palm Beach County
- Prime Time of Palm Beach County
Supporters
- Boca Helping Hands
- Boca Raton Regional Hospital
- Center for Creative Education
- Florida Atlantic University
- Center for Creative Education
- United Way
And a HUGE THANK YOU to all of the wonderful volunteers who contribute so much to the C.A.T.S. program!
The City of Boca Raton has offered our children free time and lessons on their Tennis Courts. Sixteen children participate weekly in this program. They love the tennis and we hope to see the program grow.
The Center for Creative Education (CCE) provides integrated arts and academic programming for the CATS program. CCE offers a staff of approximately 50 artists in all arts areas and a variety of programs to suit the CATS program educational needs. In an effort to give Palm Beach County’s youth access to wide range of cultural and educational activities Prime Time of Palm Beach County partnered with the Center for Creative Education to offer program enhancements at no cost to after-school providers who might otherwise be unable to offer such experiences on their own. These activities include short term and long-term programming in Arts and Culture, Sports and Recreation, Health and Nutrition, Academics and Career Exploration.
One of the most innovative educational programs in Palm Beach County is the CHAMPS program. The children participate in this program one hour a day Monday through Thursday. The CHAMPS program is a new approach to learning geared to children participating in after-school programs. The educational aspects are designed to improve the academic performance of students by allowing the teaching experience to encompass many aspects of a subject. The CHAMPS curriculum was developed by FOUNDATIONS, Inc. and delivers that curriculum through existing after-school programs in Palm Beach County in conjunction with Children’s Services Council of Palm Beach.
The C.A.T.S. program also has Friday field trips to local parks, museums, nature centers, beaches, theatre performances and amusement vendors. All of these additional programs are dependent upon the funds we raise through various sponsors and donors.
Donations to our program will help us to fulfill our mission to enhance the lives of children who look to us to start them on a road to a successful and independent adulthood.
