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The sports program is a “hook” to attract students to our
program where we can provide constructive use of time,
positive adult role models, and academic assistance.
Camp PAL: 8 Weeks of Summer Fun
PAL is proud to offer an eight-week summer
camp that identifies the elements of camp experiences that
ultimately result in positive youth development. Camp P AL
is a time for exploration, focus, and fun while providing
positive developmental environments for youth, especially in
providing supportive relationships with adults and peers,
and in skill building. Camp PAL provides a safe and
structured program that has staff dedicated to modeling,
supporting, and demonstrating the 40 Developmental Assets to
the youth of Jacksonville. The campers will be able to
attend numerous experience trips, participate in
recreational activities and arts/crafts, listen to guest
speakers, and strengthen their social skills as well as
increase their cognitive and behavioral growth. Camp PAL’s
summer camp experience is designed with intended camper
outcomes in mind. Campers often experience positive changes
as a result of attending PAL’s summer camp. Camp PAL is a
unique program in which our mission statement is displayed
during the day to day operation of camp. PAL utilizes School
Resource officers as well as the assigned Police officers as
camp counselors. This gives the youth the opportunity to
interact with Law Enforcement and develop healthy
relationships. These positive role models take the time to
not only interact with the group, but take the time to
communicate one-on-one with the students, giving them a
sense of security and opportunity to foster internal and
external developmental assets that include: positive values,
social, competencies, positive identity and much more.
Click here for our complete brochure!
Click here for schedules,
research, results, and much, much more!
After-School Education Program/Youth
Leadership Program
T his community-based program is designed to help
Jacksonville’s youth develop assets enabling them to become
healthy and productive adults. Students receive mentoring, FCAT preparation, homework assistance, team building, and
life-skills training. This program is staffed by trained
youth development professionals and educators and is funded
by the
Jacksonville Children’s Commission. The PAL
After-School Education Program & Team Up enrolls an average
of 350 students each school year at five sites. Staffed by
certified teachers at each location, this program - in
partnership with the Jacksonville Children’s Commission - is
available at all PAL locations from 3:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. on
school days. All sites provide a nutritional snack and/or a
hot meal to ensure the kids have energy for their session.
Team Up is a
special segment of the After-School Education Program. It
provides physically and mentally challenged children with
fun, smart things to do after school. We offer a great
opportunity for youth to improve their performances in
school and participate in many activities and exciting and
unique cultural and life skill experiences. Team Up is held
at Palm Avenue Exceptional Center.
The results have been phenomenal!
Since 2003, enrollment in the program has increased 69% -
proving that parents and students appreciate the need for
good academic performance.
In 2007, nearly 80% of students enrolled for academic
tutoring were promoted to the next grade-level.
In 2007, 74% of students enrolled decreased the total number
of days they were absent at school.
From 2003-2006, the Jacksonville Children’s Commission has
given PAL an ABOVE
satisfactory annual audit at all five educational
sites.
In 2007, PAL sites were considered more successful - earning
a PERFECT SCORE at all five locations!
 For
contact information to Education Program Leaders
and more info about the After-School Education/Youth
Leadership Program or Team up, click
here.
This program is funded in whole or in part by
the Jacksonville Children’s Commission of the City of
Jacksonville.
Athletic Tutoring
Athletes with a grade point average below 2.0 are required
to attend tutoring twice a week in order to remain eligible
for athletic competition. The Jacksonville Police Athletic
League provides quality, structured athletic AND educational
programs to youth ages 5-17. In fact, the Athletic
Educational Development Program was specifically
 designed to
provide student-athletes academic support during their
respective season so that they may meet the national and
state standards for passing courses and to help prepare them
for the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT).
Student-athletes with a grade point average below 2.0 are
required to attend tutoring twice a week in order to remain
eligible for athletic competition play at PAL. Plus, PAL
leads other initiatives that help with leadership and social
skills...plus we facilitate workshops and initiatives to
help parents.
BrightStart! Dyslexia Initiative
The PAL Intensive Remedial Reading Program (Dyslexia
Project) is the result of a collaborative effort between The
Police Athletic League of Jacksonville and Nemours
Bright Start! Dyslexia Initiative. The goal is to provide
research-based remedial reading instruction to PAL
participants who demonstrate underachievement in reading and
features of dyslexia. Volunteer tutors and PAL employees
work one-on-one with students twice each week to improve
their reading foundation skills, particularly in phonemic
awareness and phonics using the Barton Reading and Spelling
System. Experienced reading specialists provide ongoing
supervision to maintain instructional integrity. We have
found through testing and grade point average results,
approximately 50% of the students are significantly behind
in reading this year. We use screening measures that assess
reading, phonics, and phonemic awareness skills to identify
which children need this intensive program. These measures
also identify those with probable dyslexia. The tests
provide a baseline and will be re-administered after several
months of intervention to document progress.
Fired Up
for FCAT Pep Rally
 The
Sheriff's Office and the Fire Department teamed up to help
kids get FIRED UP for FCAT! Hundreds of people
gathered to celebrate with students who diligently committed
themselves to take advantage of extra tutoring in order to
pass their FCATs! The celebration was fun and
encouraging.
Click here for more fun details.
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Boys and girls in educational and athletic afterschool programs like PAL
are half as likely to drop out of high school and two and a half times
more likely to go to college. 
