KINGWOOD — The Preston County Youth Center wants to help parents spend more quality time with their kids in the evening.
“We’re taking over the part of their homework and just care, so the parents can still work,” Director Glenn Larew said. “And then their parents can pick them up at 6 o’clock, which is a more reasonable time for working parents to get their kids. And they’ll have already been fed and hopefully their homework done so they can have a better family time in the evenings.”
On Wednesday, Assistant Schools Superintendent Brad Martin posted a survey, asking parents of students at West Preston and Preston High School if they would be interested in having their children participate in the after-school program, which will include “tutoring services, physical activities and a healthy snack.”
The survey asks questions such as the student’s name, grade, age, how many days a week they might go to the center and what days of the week that would be.
The survey is open until Feb. 18 and available at prestoncountyschools.com.
Larew said there is still a lot of work to do before the school buses start dropping kids off.
They have just started staffing and are reaching out to churches and other nonprofits, he said. It’s gone well so far but Larew estimated he would need about one person per 10 kids, with 50-100 kids expected.
The survey Martin posted will tell them who and how many, so staff can prepare, Larew said.
There are 286 homeless students in Preston County, according to the latest numbers, and they need somewhere to go after school. Right now that could be busing to a friend’s house or elsewhere.
“We hope to be able to help them so that they’ll have a place to go after school,” Larew said.
There is also still some work to be done in the kitchen, and construction on the second level should begin this summer.
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