STAFF TRAINING — The Sycamore Youth Center and Ohio Valley Youth Network, in partnership with Indian Creek Local Schools, operate the Sycamore Stars After-School program. Staff members with the Indian Creek Middle School Sycamore Stars recently held staff training for the program’s second semester. Open to all fifth- through eighth-grade students at ICMS, the five-day-a-week program offers classes and hands-on learning free of charge. -- Contributed

STEUBENVILLE — A free, five-day-a-week after-school program offering academic support, enrichment classes and hands-on learning opportunities will return to Indian Creek Middle School when the Sycamore Stars After-School program begins its second semester.

The program is open to all fifth- through eighth-grade students at Indian Creek. The group meets daily, Monday through Friday, immediately after school on campus. Participation is free to families.

Sycamore Stars is designed to support students academically, while providing opportunities to explore creativity, teamwork, leadership and real-world skills in a safe and structured environment.

Academic support remains a core focus of the program, officials stated. Tutoring is available in math and English language arts. Students receive small-group instruction which is tailored to their individual skill levels, helping them strengthen foundational math concepts, reading comprehension, writing skills and test readiness.

In addition to tutoring, the program offers a wide range of enrichment classes that rotate throughout the semester.

STEM activities include engineering challenges, science projects, design labs and hands-on problem solving.

Art offerings allow students to explore watercolor painting, drawing, lettering and acrylic projects, while cooking classes teach basic nutrition, kitchen safety and meal preparation.

Students participate in entrepreneurship and life-skills programming as well, through VentureLab curriculum. Here, they are able to learn design thinking, teamwork, budgeting, marketing and business planning.

Projects encourage students to identify real-world problems and work collaboratively to design creative solutions.

Physical education and social-emotional learning are integrated into the program through structured games, team-building activities, fitness challenges and cooperative problem-solving exercises. These activities focus on building confidence, communication skills, leadership and positive peer relationships.

The Sycamore Stars program is operated by the Sycamore Youth Center and the Ohio Valley Youth Network in partnership with Indian Creek Local Schools. The program emphasizes accessibility, ensuring students can remain on campus after school, while engaging in meaningful academic and enrichment opportunities at no cost to families.

Organizers say the goal is to provide a well-rounded experience that supports students inside and outside the classroom, while giving families a reliable, high-quality after-school option.

Information about enrollment and programming is available through Indian Creek Middle School and the Sycamore Youth Center or sign up online at sycamorecenter.com.