Plaza Roberto Maestas After School Program (FW Site)

Roberto Maestas After School Program is offered to youth 11-13 attending Evergreen Middle School in Federal Way Public Schools.  Our program offers Latina/o/x/e youth academic support and identity development through Ethnic Studies.

The program enrolls 35 Latina/o youth yearly, for 3 hours of expanded learning. Daily programming consists of: Opening Circle, Ethnic Studies, and Academic Support. Opening circles provides an organic social-emotional check-in creating transition from school to program.  The Ethnic Studies segment, a unique offering of El Centro De La Raza, immerses youth in exploration of identity, leadership, and social justice. We provide youth ‘confianza’ to change their communities and equip them with knowledge to make a difference. Finally, our academic support allows scholars access to tutoring, skill-building, and technology to ensure passing grades.  We apply a community cultural wealth model, to identify the cultural capital held by youth and create a strengths-based interactive program. 

Our program integrates families by offering monthly workshops through our ‘Padres Preparados’ parent group. This incorporation of intergenerational support allows us to set up an ecosystem for success. Support is offered year round through our 6-week summer program. The ‘Echale Ganas Summer Institute’ provides scholars a full day program with focuses on Math, Language Arts and Ethnic Studies. Youth are able to enter the next school year at or above grade level while also participating in physical activity every Friday through our Outdoor Aventuras program.