Exciting New Beginnings: Wings for Kids Expands to Fickett Elementary

As we gear up for the 2024-2025 school year, we’re buzzing with excitement about the new and familiar faces we’ll be welcoming to our afterschool programs. This year marks a special milestone as we roll out WINGS afterschool program at a brand-new site: Fickett Elementary in Atlanta, GA. We’re thrilled to bring our passion for teaching life skills and fostering character skill development to even more kids in the community.

Fickett Elementary, known for its dedication to academic excellence and a supportive learning environment, is a perfect partner for WINGS. With a diverse student body and a committed staff, this Atlanta-based public school provides a nurturing atmosphere where WINGS students can truly flourish. By expanding to Fickett, we’re broadening our reach and ensuring more kids have access to the invaluable resources provided by afterschool programming.

We can’t wait to see both new and returning faces at our afterschool programs in both South Carolina and Georgia this year—including another school we added to the roster in Atlanta last year, Hutchinson Elementary. Our team has been hard at work, engaging in extensive training and preparation to create an environment that’s not only fun and engaging but also rich in learning opportunities. From interactive activities to homework help and more, our programs are crafted to help kids thrive.

We’ve even expanded and refined our freeplay element into a new component called a S.O.A.R. Session, which stands for: Science, Opportunity, Academic, Recreation.

This program activity focuses on teaching social emotional skills through play—the best way children learn! These enrichment sessions feel like recreation (recess) time, but they have many benefits:

Expose children to new opportunities
Include standards-based academic tie-ins
May include science components

S.O.A.R Session enrichment activities are educational, fun, and age-appropriate for varying sites and groups. Each component will have a specific integration into each category:

Science: Physical Science, Earth Science, Life Science, Chemistry, and Physics.
Opportunity: Expose students to new experiences through virtual learning and play, in-house field trips, media, hands-on activities, and more.
Academics: Learning standards are incorporated into sessions and relate to work done in school that involves studying and reasoning rather than practical or technical skills.
Recreation: Recess with a focus on physical science, health, and well-being, such as yoga or meditation.

As we embark on this new school year, we’re filled with enthusiasm and hope. We look forward to another year of growth, friendship, and unforgettable experiences. Here’s to a fantastic 2024-2025 school year at Wings for Kids!