WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — The back-to-school excitement doesn't stop when class is out. Buses roll up to stop at the Florence De George Boys & Girls Club in West Palm Beach.
"Our goal is to serve over 13,000 youth in all of our clubs in Palm Beach County," Candace Burrs, the club's executive director, said as students throughout Palm Beach County returned to school Thursday.
She said this year a new adventure awaits with science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) programming and cultural arts, among other activities.
Behind the scenes, there is lots of work to match reality: a need for affordable aftercare programs. This center is near capacity, but last-minute registrations continue to roll in.
"We set out to make this a program that any child that wants to be a part (of), they have the access," she said. "Many of our children, they have working parents, working households. When school is closed, they need somewhere to go that's safe, where parents know that their children are in a safe environment. But they also know they can have the support. We have certified teachers so that even when school is closed, their children are still learning and thriving as well."
The center also has backpacks on standby, in case a child should show up after the first day of school without one. They're working to make sure they have a bag and any necessary supplies.
"Our goal is to make sure our children are successful for the school year, and that includes having adequate school supplies," Burrs said.