Academic Achievement Support
Educational services are Snider’s top priority. Our academic support measures – including Homework Help, individual tutoring, and Reading Buddies – have proven to keep students on track for on-time graduation.
Age-Based Development Strategy
Ages 5-9: Play to Learn
Children are welcomed into a fun environment, learn how to skate, then play ice hockey. They will gain confidence on the ice, develop social/emotional skills, make friends, and be encouraged to read.
Ages 10-14: Compete to Grow
Students will gain experience by participating in a competitive team environment. Competition is used to accelerate positive character development for students. School programs become more rigorous, and Snider helps students navigate challenges and prepare for high school. Accountability, respect, and commitment are emphasized during this stage.
Ages 14-18: Learn to Lead
Competitive hockey helps teens learn to manage emotions that accompany stressful situations. Students receive direct support and guidance to navigate high school and postsecondary opportunities. Students will build employability skills and form a strong self-identity through their team-based experience.
Ages 18 & Older: Partner to Succeed
Although technically aged out of the After School Excellence Program, it’s worth mentioning that Snider’s support doesn’t end there. We assist recent high school graduates to launch and complete postsecondary plans and begin careers.
Program Model
The After School Excellence Program is two-fold and combines educational enrichment initiatives, life skills, career exploration, and service learning with a first-rate hockey program. Hockey is just the “hook” used to foster academic success, personal development, and citizenship.
All activities and programs are offered at no cost to participants.
Hockey & Physical Fitness
Play-to-learn sessions, skill development, and competitive games take place daily at six rinks. Youth compete in the Snider Hockey League (a co-ed intramural inter-rink league for players of all skill levels) and on travel teams.
Life Skills & Leadership
Snider’s life skills curriculum facilitates social and emotional growth on and off the ice for all of our students. It provides opportunities for our students to engage in critical thinking, develop stronger relationships with their teammates and coaches, and build lifelong skills.
Secondary & Postsecondary Access
Mentors monitor and track the progress of each student to promote academic success. We also offer scholarships to high-performing private high schools, colleges, and trade schools – enabling eligible youth to graduate debt-free.
Career Exploration
The Career Exploration program exposes Snider Secondary and Postsecondary students to a variety of career fields and job. The focus is for Snider students to understand and identify the steps necessary during high school and postsecondary education to reach those goals.
Socio-Emotional Support
A Community Resource Specialist navigates individual situations of struggle for our population and is trained in monitoring, evaluating, and connecting students to appropriate intervention, and social/emotional services that are outside of our expertise.
Theory of Change
To measure the Foundation’s mission of evidence-based outcomes, Snider utilizes the Theory of Change that implements measuring select indicators related to specific organization’s objectives and goals. The Theory of Change acts as a “North Star” for the organization, guiding strategic choices about where Snider is best positioned to have an impact on students served.
Your Support Goes Further
Thanks to the foresight of our late founder, Ed Snider, every dollar donated to the Snider organization is matched 2:1 – thereby, tripling your impact on our students.
