Community Alliance for Progressive Positive Action, better known as CAPPA, hosted an open house Thursday night for the community members who helped get the program a home of its own for the first time.
The facility, on the second floor of 734 W. Fourth St., offers more space for more students. Unity Christian Fellowship occupies the downstairs space and members thought the under-used space upstairs could fill a need, said Holly Doyle, executive assistant.
"Everything seemed to fit and we made it happen," she said.
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MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette
Dawn Jackson, 10, of Williamsport, left, receives help with her math homework from curriculum instructor Alycia Donahue at CAPPA during Thursday’s grand opening of CAPPA’s Neighborhood Network Technology Center.
Students use technology to learn with PLATO Learning Achieve Now, which sets them on a path for their grade level and checks their progress. They take a pre-test that identifies the skills on which they need to work.
The technology helps keep students interested in what they are learning, said Dewey Dobbs, curriculum instructor. In addition to Achieve Now, students also have laptop computers, wireless access, an interactive smartboard, and audio and video productive capability.
After a full day sitting in classrooms at school, coming back to another room and learning makes students antsy. With the different kinds of technology, "they have fun and learn at the same time," Dobbs said.
The equipment is used for studying, said Dwayne Hallager, curriculum instructor.
"It takes the concepts and correlates them with the lessons learned in school," he said.
The new space allows for more individualized group attention. Rather than all ages mixed together, the students are separated by grade groups.
Spencer Gysi, curriculum instructor, works with the third- and fourth-graders and can give them more specific attention.
"Before, kindergarteners and sixth-graders were all together," he said.
CAPPA focuses on Academic Enrichment and Why Try programs.
The Academic Enrichment program specifically is targeted toward fostering strong character, high self-esteem and academic excellence.
The Why Try program helps students think positively about why they do not want to make decisions such as using drugs, said Alycia Donahue, curriculum instructor.
"Because of the program, they feel part of something and don't want to go down that path," she said.
CAPPA previously made its home in different locations at the same time. Convenience comes by having everyone in one location.
Instead of having to wait for a day for supplies, the staff can walk down the hall and get whatever they need, said Samantha Doutt, curriculum instructor.
By having all of the ages housed in one building, the younger and older students can work together or separately, depending on the lesson. Occasionally, older students will work with younger ones.
"(The younger students) feel like the coolest kids ever because they can play with the older kids," Donahue said.
The different-aged students working closely together also makes the younger ones feel better.
"They don't see themselves as babies anymore," said Lore-el Thomas, curriculum instructor.
