L/A Afterschool Programs
Eliana Al-Konsul & Georgia Moses
Welcome to Lewiston, Maine! The Harward Center and the greater Lewiston/Auburn community are so excited to have you become a part of our family.
The opportunities for community engagement in L/A are abundant. Especially afterschool programs that aim to connect Bates students with L/A's youth. This story map will outline some of the L/A afterschool programs and projects you can become involved with and other information you may need along the way!
Lewiston is a stunningly diverse community that is largely made up of East African Immigrants. This provides us, Bates students, with the unique opportunity to work and learn in an immersive and engaging place with beautiful people and their amazing stories.
As members of a privileged institution that takes up space in Lewiston, we have both the responsibility and the honor to engage with everything that Lewiston has to offer.
We hope that this story map will make your quest of finding your place in L/A an easier and more rewarding experience.
The Lewiston/Auburn Afterschool Programs
Hillview Resource Center
Hillview Resource Center, 77 Rideout Ave, Lewiston, ME
Hillview Family Development is an affordable housing community in Lewiston with a community resource center that provides a variety of different youth enrichment activities to the children that live there. Programs include art classes, academic tutoring, and boys and girls mentorship programs. The kids that live there are fun and eager to engage in activities!
Program manager Carla Harris describes working with Bates students as...
a relationship unique in so many ways. It amazes me as to how fortunate and blessed LHA has been! I wonder why we hear little of so many other partnerships between colleges and housing authorities... Bates students have been able to provide friendship, enrichment, education, mentoring and attentive and non-judgemental companionship to improve the quality of residents’ lives.
As a Bates student, you have the opportunity to both learn from and contribute to the lives of the Hillview residents. Julia Maluf, a Bates student, shares...
I have loved being able to form connections with the girls and continuing them from year to year. I think it is important for them to have female role models for them to look up to who they feel comfortable talking to about topics they may not want to talk about with another adult in their life... As a Bates student, this experience continues to remind me about the impact that I can make on other people's lives.
Connect with Carla Harris ( charris@lewistonhousing.org ) to get started.
ArtVan
Lewiston Public Library info@artvanprogram.org
ArtVan is an art therapy nonprofit offering youth programming for self-discovery and expression. Each week the group works on a different art project. Projects range from collage to painting, to sculpture and all use simple materials. No art experience is required to get involved as a volunteer with ArtVan!
Bates student Casey Kelley who began working with ArtVan in their sophomore year describes their time with the program as having...
a tangible feeling of community every time the group comes together, no matter if it was your first time joining or your one hundredth. Jamie does an amazing job making sure everyone feels comfortable and included, which leads to vulnerability. I have shared personal aspects about myself without reservation and showed a side of myself to the ArtVan community that I’m not sure I have shared with many of my peers or even some friends at Bates. It has been such a place of acceptance for me and I know so many others feel the same way.
Connect with Jamie Silvestri ( jamie@artvanprogram.org ) to get started!
Maine Immigrant and Refugee Services (MEIRS)
256 Bartlett St, Lewiston, ME 04240 info@meirs.org
MEIRS has a variety of youth programs designed to help young immigrants and refugees live more meaningful lives on a social, educational, and cultural level. Programs include youth leadership, girls empowerment, athletics, academic support, and juvenile justice.
Contact Rilwan Osman (rilwan@meirs.org) to get started!
St. Mary’s Nutrition Center
Lewiston/Auburn schools, Lewiston Public Library, the Hillview children’s garden, and kitchen, and the Knox Street children’s garden NutritionCenter@stmarysmaine.com
St. Mary’s offers school-based and neighborhood gardening and cooking programs in order to provide youth with a safe and fun environment to explore the processes of growing and cooking healthy foods. These programs allow Lewiston’s children to get their hands dirty, develop their teamwork and leadership skills, and try new fresh foods.
Rebecca Dugan, Children’s Program Coordinator, emphasizes that Bates students...
have been wonderful to work with over the years! They are reliable, enthusiastic, and always willing to lend a helping hand. Bates students offer a lot of critical support to our work... A lot of our programming wouldn't be possible without the involvement of Bates students.
Hannah Golub, a volunteer, describes her experience working there as having made her feel...
more connected to the Lewiston community. Spending the summer here really deepended my connection with Lewiston, the community, and the gardens. Bates is so different this year, and I am living off campus so I feel even more disconnected from campus. Feeling connected to Lewiston and the community has made up for that in some ways.
Contacts Rebecca Dugan ( RDugan@stmarysmaine.com ) to get started!
Tree Street Youth Center
144 Howe Street Lewiston, ME 04240 info@treestreetyouth.org
Tree Street is an organization that works to support the L/A youth through academic programs, arts and athletics, and the building and support of an accepting and healthy community. Bates students can become engaged with Tree Street programs through tutoring, playing with the younger kids, and other opportunities depending on the organization's needs at the time. It is a great place for Bates students to see and support the true empowerment of the youth and creating unity and acceptance in the community.
Nour Al-Twal, a long-time volunteer at Tree Street writes about her experience...
Tree Street Youth Center was the first place I started working at and I loved being there, working with the students, and building meaningful relationships with them... finding a community like Tree Street Youth felt very familiar and comfortable for me. I felt like I was always welcomed and that my efforts and time were appreciated.
Contact Keenan Shields ( Keenan@treestreetyouth.org ) or Meg Young (Meg@treestreetyouth.org) to get started!
Outright L/A
179 Lisbon St # 203, Lewiston, ME info@outrightla.org
Outright L/A works to create a safe and supportive environment for L/A's LGBTQ+ youth. They do so through a dedicated group of volunteers that provide one-on-one support, create various events, provide outreach, and training to increase the safety and awareness of queer youth's needs. Connect with L/A's queer youth and support them through this organization!
Connect with Chai Johnson, they/them (chai@outrightla.org) to get started!
Root Cellar
89 Birch St Lewiston, ME 04240 INFO@THEROOTCELLAR.ORG
Root Cellar is a religious organization that aims to cultivate social and spiritual harmony through engaging and empowering programs, as well as cultivating a culture of compassion and interdependence. Get engaged through mentoring and educational volunteering programs.
Contact Alyssa Morgosh ( alyssa@therootcellar.org ) or Zach Nolt ( zach@therootcellar.org ) to get started!
Maine Community Integration
11 Lisbon Street, Lewiston, ME mcilewiston@gmail.com
Maine Community Integration works to empower New Mainer girls and their families through social education and systems advocacy programs. Youth programs include ecoSTEM Aspirations which provides girls with opportunities to explore careers in STEM and a restorative justice program that works with New Mainer youth who have been involved in the criminal justice system.
Contact Fowsia Musse (fowsiam@hotmail.com) to get started!
Lewiston High School Tutoring
Lewiston Public Library 200 Lisbon St, Lewiston, ME 04240
Get engaged with the Lewiston student population by providing them with academic support and tutoring through the Lewiston Public Library. Students have different needs in different subjects and your experience as a Bates student puts you in a special position to be a helpful and supporting tutor for the kids that come in for help!
Sierra Melanson, one of the programs community partners, reminds us that...
At Lewiston High School, we rely heavily on outside volunteer participation, which is the perfect opportunity for Bates students to jump right in... The Bates students are all prime examples of what it's like to come ready to work! Some of the volunteers have even been able to create solid friendships with the students, which helps give the students a familiar face to work with weekly. I am just so thankful for the Bates volunteers and I hope more people will become interested in helping the youth!
If you are interested in tutoring, as well as engaging with Lewiston's youth, this is an incredible opportunity.
Contact Doug Dumont (ddumont@lewistonpublicschools.org) or Sierra Melanson (smelanson@lewistonpublicschools.org) to get started!
21st Century After School
Lewiston Middle School, Lewiston High School, Geiger Elementary, Connors Elementary, McMahon Elementary
The Lewiston Public Schools and Lewiston 21st Century operate elementary, middle, and high school after school programs that offer academic support, enrichment, and leadership opportunities. The program includes a wide range of classes such as Bollywood Dance, Japanese, Book Club, Robotics, Chemistry, and Ukulele.
Jenn Carter, the program director, emphasizes that...
We love working with Bates students. They are incredible volunteers and do a wonderful job in our programs. The best volunteers are those who are self-driven, consistently show up, and have a strong desire to work with young people.
Contact Jenn Carter ( jcarter@lewistonpublicschools.org ) to get started!
YMCA
62 Turner St, Auburn, ME 04210 info@alymca.org
The YMCA's afterschool program offers activities that promote physical fitness, social interactions, positive peer behavior, and academic success for elementary-age children. Volunteer to help out in their programs and get to know the kids there!
Contact Tina Jennings ( tjennings@alymca.org ) to get started!
Montello Afterschool
407 East Ave, Lewiston, ME 04240
Engage with L/A's elementary school children with Montello's afterschool programs, which include a variety of activities, mentoring opportunities, and other programs that aims to cultivate student's passions outside of the classroom. Bates students play a critical role in providing positive connections with the students and act as nurturing and engaged role model.
Steve Maroon notes that...
Bates students have always acted as strong role models for our students. They have been punctual, thoughtful, and eager to share their hobbies, talents, and caring nature with our students. Whether they came to Montello to read books with our students, mentor them, or engage in extracurricular activities or aspirations programming, they made a big impact on each and every student that they worked with.
Contacts Steve Maroon (smaroon@lewistonpublicschools.org) to get started!
Community Engagement During Covid
While COVID-19 has made many aspects of community building much harder in the past year, the Harward Center and the broader L/A community has worked tirelessly to make sure that Bates students were still able to participate in community engagement programs.
So far, and for the foreseeable future, community engagement opportunities, including afterschool programs, are conducted online through virtual platforms.
Contact Ellen Alcorn ( ealcorn@bates.edu ) at the Harward Center or your particular afterschool program of interest if you have any specific questions, or visit the Harward Center website below.
Racial Equity Resources
As members of a privileged institution, we are responsible for maintaining a safe and supportive environment when we are participating in community-engaged work. As such, it is up to us to educate ourselves consistently and to ensure that we are conducting our work in the most ethical and sensitive manner. Please find some helpful resources below to which you can turn for some guidance on these issues!
Contacts & Staying Updated
For questions or if you're simply interested in learning more, here's how you can stay connected during the semester:
- Email Ellen Alcorn (ealcorn@bates.edu) with any questions regarding community-engaged afterschool programs
- Visit the Harward Center website for more information and opportunities.
- Sign up for the Harward Center's email list. You can find the subscription form on their website, as well.
- Got an idea for another community-engaged program you want to be involved in? The Harward Center is always open to new projects! Email them to let them know.
