Beyond the Bell receives!

Photo: Contributed

Through the Intact Foundation Better Community Program, and in partnership with CapriCMW Insurance, $7,500 was donated to the YMCA of Okanagan’s Beyond the Bell program to help vulnerable children keep pace with their peers in school.
 
YMCA Beyond the Bell is a fully funded after-school program offered at George Pringle Elementary school, providing academic and social supports to at-risk children who are struggling in school. “The 2017 BC Child Poverty Report Card cited that West Kelowna had the highest child poverty rates ranging between 30 – 40 percent,” says YMCA Senior Child Care Manager, Danielle Miranda. “Kids of low-income families are often at a six month academic disadvantage entering kindergarten, and commonly fall behind since they don’t have access to the early reading or pre-school education that other kids might have had.”
 
Donors like Intact and CapriCMW Insurance have enabled the YMCA of Okanagan to continue offering Beyond the Bell, now entering its fifth year, to identified at-risk students. This program is set apart from any other after-school education program by its focus on additional homework help, health and social development, its measurable outcomes, and its 1 to 5 ratio of educators to children.

Over the past 5 years, Beyond the Bell has helped 148 children read at or above their grade level
85% of the participants teachers feel that the student is showing improvement in reading while 73% of students are showing improvement in math
78% of students are participating more in class and showing more confidence while 76% are showing new social skills

To support the program, please call Rhonda Zakala at 250-491-8672 for more information.
 
Photo: An amazing $7,500 was donated to the YMCA’s Beyond the Bell program through the Intact Foundation Better Community Program in partnership with CapriCMW Insurance. The donation will help vulnerable children keep pace with their peers in school. Pictured l-r: Harry Blumenthal, Intact Regional Vice President; Robin Durrant, CapriCMW Insurance Co-Chairman; Rhonda Zakala and Sharon Peterson, YMCA of Okanagan; and Andrew Kemp, CapriCMW Insurance.