"Allen," an 11-year-old Davis County boy, lives in a small apartment with his mother and two sisters. He has little connection with his father and his mother's male friends have not been positive role models.
However, Allen became involved in the Davis Cares after-school program four years ago after he began to exhibit some behavioral problems. He soon displayed some leadership talent through the program and was elected to the "Kids Council" there.Today, he may still not be a good student by most standards, but his leadership skills have progressed and he is now considered a positive influence on other children in the Cares program.
The Davis Cares program provides after-school care for students in kindergarten through sixth grade. The program runs weekdays from the time of school dismissal to 5:30 p.m. It offers arts, crafts, sports, field trips and other activities.
The program started five years ago at Hill Field and Whitesides elementary schools primarily to help single parents through the Gulf War. However, federal funding stopped two years ago and only a partial United Way funding has helped the program continue at Whitesides.
Cares program director Judy Porter believes the program is needed in all Davis County elementary schools, based on the number of parental requests she receives for the program.
More information on the Davis Cares program is available by calling Whitesides at 546-7912.