The Northern Bedford County after school program is coordinated by three long-time afterschool staff: Heidi Ake, a teacher at the school, along with instructional assistants Michelle Diehl and Sonja Ebersole.

Programming runs 3 to 6 p.m. each evening at the elementary school, based in the after school classroom and numerous sites throughout the building.

The coordinators are joined almost every evening by 12^th grade teen assistant Clay McIlnay, who has been working in the program for two years. “I plan to become an early childhood teacher and love working with kids outside of the classroom. I learn something new every day. I learn how to work with kids at their level, helping them work toward their goals. It’s fun to see kids at the beginning of the year when their fluency is only five words to the end of the year when they’re reading the entire book. It’s really interesting learning how their process works. How a child works. I was one, but you don’t really remember.

Clay says working in the program reinforces his future plans and that the after school professional staff have been helpful – giving him advice and tips and helping him prepare to be a teacher. Bottom line for Clay? “When I walk in here and am greeted by ‘Hi Mr. Clay,’ it puts a smile on your face and I know it’s I want to do in my life.” Clay will graduate from NBC in May and continue preparing for that life at the University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown in the fall.

Contact the coordinators:

NBC after school office: 814-766-2221 x4287

Heidi Ake: hake@nbcsd.org

Michelle Diehl: mdiehl@nbcsd.org

Sonja Ebersole: sebersole@nbcsd.org