In matching red shirts and jeans, the Lancaster city elementary schoolgirls counted the beats as they shook their hips and shimmied their shoulders to imaginary music in the gymnasium at McCaskey East High School.

"I just love to dance. I want to be a dancer," said Bianca, who attends Wickersham Elementary. "We're starting off here. Then we'll become famous."

The girls are members of a Latino club through School District of Lancaster's Learning Is for Everyone after-school program.

Their club was one of five district after-school groups to perform for a gym full of parents, faculty and fellow students at SDL's first-ever LIFE Extended Day Program Fair.

Around the perimeter of the gym were displays showcasing the program's participating agencies -- from Boy Scouts of America to Fulton Opera House to the individual elementary and middle schools.

SDL contracts 37 agencies countywide to provide after-school programs through a 21st Century Community Learning Centers state grant.

Arlene Rivera, the 21st Century program specialist at SDL, said more than 1,000 students take advantage of the district's after-school programs.

"(There are students who) come to school because they want to come to the after-school program," Rivera said. "They want to participate so badly that they behave during school, they do their homework, just to be a part of the after-school program."

After a monthlong hiatus due to a discrepancy over his contract, Mike Smith's after-school drill team is back at Lincoln Middle School and has since extended to Hand and Wheatland middles schools as well.

Adorned in black outfits, Smith's clan waited in the corner of the gym for his command before erupting into a stomp-and-dance routine that left the audience roaring.

Sweating but smiling when the team finished, Jocelyn Collado, a 13-year-old student at Lincoln, said it felt great to perform.

"We are so happy," she said. "My favorite part (about the drill team) is everything."

More than 70 students are enrolled in the drill team at Lincoln.

Sitting in the hallway with two of his buddies, Robert Rodriguez, 8, of King Elementary, was rolling a basketball with his feet and munching Doritos.

Robert attends the Bright Sky Learning after-school program, which is "things that help you read and write," he said.

Bright Sky is not funded by the LIFE program, but it is affiliated. To be eligible for 21st Century grant money, a school district must offer tutoring services among its after-school activities.

All participating SDL students must attend a tutoring program or a homework club after school for an hour before they go to their recreational activities.

"I think it's great there's a program that recognizes that learning doesn't stop when the school bell rings," said Mayor Rick Gray, who was watching the Asian Club perform. "It's fabulous."

The district began its after-school program Oct. 1.

Community Action Program had run the district's after-school programs for the elementary and middle schools since 2001. In September the district decided not to renew its contract with CAP, citing insufficiently detailed invoices.

CAP Friday filed a lawsuit against the district for breach of contract.

Rivera said the district is making positive changes, including contracting a greater breadth of agencies.

Fernando Lucena, 14, of Lincoln Middle School, who is involved with the drill team and a Latino culture club, said he was surprised by the size of the crowd at the fair.

"I'm really glad of the progress," Fernando said. "I can see what is going on at the other schools."

Colby Itkowitz's e-mail address is citkowitz@lnpnews.com. blog comments powered by Disqus