Unleashing Potential

Youth In Need’s Out-of-School Time Programs (OST) provide before- and after-school services for school-age children between the ages of 5 and 12. Services are offered from 6:30 to 8:30 a.m. and 3 to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. OST is funded by ARCHS (Area Resources for Community and Human Services) and operates in nine St. Louis City Public Schools (Carondelet Leadership Academy, Froebel Elementary, Mann Elementary, Meramec Elementary, Oak Hill Elementary, Pierre Laclede Elementary, Sigel Elementary, Walbridge CEC Elementary and Woodward Elementary). OST uses a curriculum that views all children as individuals. As such, each child is viewed for his or her individual strengths and given ongoing opportunities to build on those strengths. OST follows a “Multiple Intelligences” approach that focuses on eight areas that help children build their own knowledge, drawing from past experiences, and interacting with materials based on their interests and curiosity. The eight areas of focus include: Linguistic intelligence ("word smart"), Logical-Mathematical intelligence ("number/reasoning smart"), Spatial intelligence ("picture smart"), Bodily-Kinesthetic intelligence ("music smart"), Interpersonal intelligence ("people smart"), Intrapersonal intelligence ("self smart") and Naturalist intelligence ("nature smart").