ASAP

What Is ASAP?

The After School Arts Program, ASAP, is an arts-based program that was developed to prevent and reduce the incidence of juvenile delinquency, crime, and other problem behaviors in at-risk youth during after school hours and in the summer months. Art is used as the tool to nurture critical thinking, individual power and creativity.

How ASAP Helps Kids ...

As funding for the arts in public school decreases, children in areas of economic poverty are deprived of access to the arts. The ASAP program provides a safe, positive, and creative environment for children through access to excellence in the arts. Students achieve the ability to make creative and positive choices through self-expression.

What Happens at ASAP?

Classes are conducted in painting, drawing, sculpting in clay, glass fusing, photography, creative writing and digital arts. The faculty of highly-trained artists works closely with students to encourage the exploration of the arts through hands-on projects.

Who Participates?

Participants in ASAP are students from kindergarten through middle school. The first session enrolled approximately 250 students, primarily Hispanic, from four area schools. The program is designed to grow to reach 525 students per session, up to 1575 children a year.

How ASAP Is Transforming the Community…

As youth participate in the re-building of the community through art and feel appreciated for their work, they will be more likely to stay in school, avoid risk-taking behavior and become contributing adults.

How YOU Can Help…

Community members are invited to help in various capacities through volunteer opportunities, donations of supplies and equipment and monetary contributions.

Attention Businesses

Did You Know…? ASAP is a Pennsylvania approved “innovative educational program” and the GoggleWorks is a designated “Educational Improvement Organization” which makes us eligible to receive EITC funding. The EITC or Educational Tax Credit program allows businesses receive tax credits for contributions to certain educational facilities. For more information on how to make a contribution to the ASAP Program, please contact: jsweitzer@goggleworks.org.

Special Thanks:

for funding provided by: The Bon-Ton Stores Foundation, St. Paul Travelers Foundation and Conestoga Telephone and Telegraph Company, a subsidiary of D&E Communications, Inc. and Capital Blue Cross.

The GoggleWorks is also pleased to partner with the Wyomissing Institute of the Arts and the Greater Berks Food Bank to make ASAP a success.