Partners After School @ Oakland Serves Elementary and Middle School Students

By Diane Lee, Public Information Officer, Garrett County Health Department

Partners After School @ Oakland serves third through fifth grade students from Broad Ford and Yough Glades Elementary Schools, as well as Southern Middle School students. The program is currently accepting new participants and is based at the middle school and offered Monday-Thursday after school until 6 p.m.at no cost to participants.

Students take part in a variety of activities that promote health and physical activity. They also receive help with homework, and do STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) activities, field trips, family dinners, and career exploration. The goals of the program are to reduce/prevent substance use and obesity, and to reduce hunger and out-of-home-placements.

One of their recent activities was a visit from Corporal Dave Teets of the Garrett County Sheriff’s Office and his canine partner Erkan. The duo demonstrated how they work together to identify and locate drugs.

Partners After School @ Oakland is operated by the Health Education Unit of the Garrett County Health Department in partnership with the three schools, University of Maryland Extension-Garrett County, and Adventure Sports. The program is funded by Local Management Board and Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention, Youth, and Victim Services.

For more information visit garretthealth.org/after-school-programs/ or call the health department at 301-334-7730 and ask for Kristen Walker.

Cutline: Corporal Dave Teets of the Garrett County Sheriff’s Office and his canine partner Erkan visited Partners After School @ Oakland recently to demonstrate how they work together to identify and locate drugs. Pictured above with Cpl. Teets and Erkan are after school participants, from left to right, Abiella Alexander, Linzie Darr, Kailee Bray, Alex DeWitt, Logan Vanderbilt, Kai Burgess, Jeffery Landon (on bleacher), Aliyah Stallings, Abigail Beckman, and Jakob Powell.