Connectional Agency

Angel Pin

Fine Arts After-School Program

The Connectional Agency offers an after-school program for students who maintain a “C” average. Many of these children go home to an empty house each day because their parents are working one, two and sometimes, three minimum pay jobs to support their family.
Children stay at Wesley House from 3:15 until 5:30 p.m. When they first arrive, the children must finish their school work. Then, at 4:00 p.m. the children participate in outdoor group activities which are geared towards providing a plentiful amount of physical exercise. From 4:30-5:00 p.m., children are involved in learning music, art, dance, drama and performance techniques scheduled throughout the week. Various speakers come in to occasionally do a workshop for the students and answer questions.
The students earn points throughout the week. Each Friday, the students with enough points get to take part in a special activity or event (field trip, Dairy Queen, Movie Day, etc.). The children are given the opportunity at the end of each quarter to do something or go somewhere that they have requested but have no way of doing (the Jackson Zoo, Meridian Little Theatre, etc.).
Students are given nutritious snacks from 5:00-5:30 p.m. and prepare to leave.

Team Mediation

This purpose of this program is to build a support system for each of our after-school fine arts students. Here, we network with each child’s parent/s, teachers, and the fine arts staff in order to alleviate stress and build confidence while restoring necessary boundaries, essential for a positive and productive school career. This is a relatively new program, but we can already see dreams being restored and happier, more productive students.

Volunteer Mentoring Program

Volunteers, who want to make a difference for children, may become a “mentor” for a particular child. The only requirements necessary are a background check and that you have a heart for children.

“Kid’s Manna”

This program started in October of 2007. The Fine Arts staff had noticed that many of our children coming to us in the afternoons were not only malnutrition, but starving for attention and touch as well. Upon further investigation, we learned that parents had very little “quality” time with their children by the time they had worked all day, prepared a meal at night while making certain their children were bathed and homework done, dished washed, children fed and finally, put to bed.! We had to ask ourselves, “Where’s the one-on-one for those children and parents?”
Thus, the Kid’s Manna program! This program is designed and intended for parents who are working, going to school, or both and provides a nutritionally balanced home-cooked meal for their entire family. Those interested in this program must first apply and show documentation of work or school enrollment. Their application will be processed and a decision made.
In this short time, we have already begun to see calmer and better balanced children AND parents…and very grateful, I must add.

The “Wesley Hour”

An informative broadcast aired on WMER Wednesdays at noon and Sunday at 4:00pm.

Wesley Belles and Da Capo

(singing ambassadors!) More info…