Westminster Christian School's Middle School After Care program is a combination of two projects: The After Care project in which students waiting for their parents to pick them up did their homework and received help from instructors in a safe and friendly environment. And a three year study conducted by Mr. Bouwsma, Westminster's computer instructor, to determine if students that play strategy games develop high level thinking skills and become leaders in the fields of science and mathematics. The current program maintains the best of both projects and adds some features that are unique.

Middle School After Care makes use of Westminster's computer lab between the hours of 3:10 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.

Strategy Games:

Over fifty strategy games and a dozen educational programs have been loaded into the computer and have been made available for the students to use. According to theory, the students will be drawn to the games that challenge them in the area's of their greatest interest and ability. In order to hold their attention, the game must challenge them at or near the threshold of their abilites, which in turn causes them to grow in those areas. The biggest problem, evaluating the student's ability and challenging them at the limits of their abilities, has already been solved by the major software and their success has been effectively proven by the popularity of their products. We merely buy successful products that exhibit the characteristics that benefit students.

Educational Programs:

The Middle School After Care program uses training principles similar to the ones used to train dolphins and seals to perform at Sea World. We stock an ample supply of candy, treats small toys and even old computer parts they can take home with them. Students that achieve pre set standards of performance in educational programs in the areas of English, Math, Science or History earn Westminster money certificates that they can redeem for the reward of their choice. Students have been known to memorize 100 SAT words per day just to have snacks after school.

Homework:

Our students at Westminster are amply supplied with homework. Often this homework requires understanding of difficult principles or techniques, often it requires the student to memorize vast amounts of information. Westminster's After Care attendants are highly qualified and are delighted to help in all areas of study. The Computer Lab that After Care meets in is well equipped with programs to assist in the production of nearly any homework assignment given at our school.

Chess Club:

The High School Chess Club meets daily after school in the same computer room that Middle School After Care meets in. Students from After Care are encouraged to play Chess with the high school students in attendance. The rules of Chess are periodically taught to any students that show interest. Students often make use of the Internet to play games of chess against people all over the world. Expensive fire wall programs protect our students from the more unpleasant aspects of the Internet.