YMCA of Greater Springfield: Holistic approach to education

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (Mass Appeal) - For thousands of families throughout the greater Springfield region, the YMCA of Greater Springfield is the go-to place for those seeking healthier lifestyles. But did you know that beyond our region’s school districts, the YMCA of Greater Springfield is the largest provider of education services to youth of all ages?

From their early learning centers to programs for high school students, the Y is having a tremendous impact on the success of our region’s students.

The YMCA of Greater Springfield is proud to be able to meet the diverse health and wellness needs of the members of their community and Kirk Smith, President & CEO, YMCA of Greater Springfield & Kathy Treglia, VP of Education & Government Relations, YMCA of Greater Springfield joined us with more.

Early Learning Centers and School-Age Programs:

The YMCA of Greater Springfield is the largest provider of education to youth in western Massachusetts, outside of our schools.

The YMCA of Greater Springfield has two state-licensed NAEYC (National Association for the Education of Young Children)-approved early learning centers for children as young as newborns through preschool. We are very proud to be among an elite 8 percent of early learning centers in the nation to enjoy this distinction.

Locations in Springfield and Wilbraham
Degreed, professional teachers
Focus on academic enrichment, social development, health and wellness
Curriculum includes nutrition, athletics, swimming lessons

Our goal is to be an extension of your family. We encourage parent participation and visits. We know how hard it is to be a working parent. We do everything we can to make your child’s early learning years as meaningful as possible.

The YMCA's school age childcare program (School's Out Program) provides a safe constructive environment, to foster healthy growth and development in school age youngsters. Programming is not merely custodial or recreational but provides a curriculum of daily activities and relationships that offer opportunities for the developmental growth of each child in four (4) key areas:

1. Physical Development
2. Social Development
3. Emotional Development
4. Intellectual Development

The YMCA is proud to announce that we are the largest providers of school-age child development nationwide. Thousands of schools across the country are working in cooperation with the YMCA to provide School Based Child Care.

The YMCA of Greater Springfield provides before- and after-school care at 18 locations throughout the region:
Chicopee
Springfield
Palmer
Monson
Wilbraham

Teen Programs

Y-AIM
Achieve academically
Inspire to attend college
Move toward personal, family and community advancement

The YMCA of Greater Springfield is committed to closing the education gap that exists from one community to the next in this region.
Springfield’s graduation rate is less than 50 percent, while nearby schools in surrounding communities are graduating at a rate of 95-97 percent.

Working together, The YMCA of Greater Springfield, Springfield Public Schools, Big Y Foods, and other business partners throughout the greater Springfield area are partnering to transform the lives of our youth from being disengaged and disconnected to ambitious, motivated, and productive.

The explicit goal of Y-AIM is “to provide talented, underachieving at-risk youth entering the 9th grade with a solid support system throughout all four years of high school” as a means to assure graduation from high school, pursuit of higher education, and access to gainful employment in the global marketplace.

Our programs are working!
In 2011, of the 39 at-risk high school students enrolled in Y-AIM, 38 graduated, 36 went on to college and two entered the military