Spring Session: February 20th - May 19th Registration Due: February 16th irl (In Real Life) after-school, a program of the Asheville City Schools Foundation, brings together talented, passionate, and dedicated community members to offer a wide range of program offerings for AMS students. High-quality afterschool programming is essential to the healthy development of young people in our community. IRL supports student success in school and beyond. We bridge the opportunity gap by offering meaningful programming to all. We are committed to character development, academic enrichment, and FUN!
Important Information for Parents/Families/Guardians
Behavior
Program Schedule
Dates: February 20th - May 19th IRL Programs: Monday - Friday 3:30 - 5:00p IRL programs are cancelled on days when students do not have school. This includes ACS holidays, breaks, early dismissal, and inclement weather closure.
Transportation
Parent pick-up begins at 5:05 and runs till 5:30 PM. (*Parents will be provided with a pick-up schedule for their student.) All students must be picked-up by 5:35 unless staying for study hall. Students may be asked to leave program if parents are late more than three times.
IRL provides free transportation. The after-school bus schedule will be provided for riders.
Please complete the registration forms to secure a spot on the bus. AMS bus policies apply.
Expectations
We want your child to have fun, learn new things, and be successful!
SHOW UP. We expect students to be here.
We check attendance daily and will contact parents if a student is not present. Students with two unexcused absences may be removed from the program. Please report absences to IRL staff prior to 3:30pm.
BE KIND. We expect students to
demonstrate respect for service providers, peers, and volunteers.
BE ENGAGED! We do expect students to actively participate and follow directions.
Management Policies & Procedures
Evaluations have shown participation in IRL improves behavior during the school day. We are committed to working with families and school personnel to problem solve behavior issues. IRL upholds all AMS codes of conduct and enforces behavior policies. Procedure: 1) Specific rules and expectations are clearly stated at beginning of each program. 2) Staff attempt to redirect and refocus. 3) Student given Verbal Warning. 4) Student meets with IRL Administration. 5) Parents are called. 6) Student removed and parents must pick up. Possible involvement of AMS administration. IRL staff will check-in with students prior to next session to review expectations. In addition, IRL staff will provide behavior management support for Service Provider. If behavior continues, a parent conference will be required for continued participation, and/or student will be removed from IRL programming.
Acting Up Theatre Ensemble
Anime & Drawing
With Ms. Erinn Hartley
With Ms. Victoria Macphee
Your creativity is needed! Be part of a collaborative process to create a play to perform at the LEAF festival. Sharpen your communication skills and creativity through arts! Improvisation, group games, and movement and acting exercises. Learn state directions, projection, and other theatre basics. Come with an open mind and a willingness to try. This is a LEAF community arts program. *Participation on Monday and Wednesday is Required*
Do you find yourself drawing sketches in your notebooks? If you love to draw this is a club that can take your illustrating to another level. Learn drawing techniques and how to draw in the style of anime. You'll have the freedom to draw whatever you want. You'll be provided your own sketchbook too. Come learn from a talented artist who wants to have fun and see your skills improve.
AMOS STEM
Asheville on Bikes
With Ms. Kristine Kelly
With Ms. Rachel Resser, Mr. Drew Cistola
Discover Science, Technology, Engineering and Math with Asheville Museum of Science! From making ice cream and exploring dry ice to traveling through the night sky, students will have a hands-on learning experience while exploring astronomy, electricity, engineering, matter and the environment. Students will complete the program with a journal to reflect on their experiences and continue their excitement for STEM!
IRL Bike Club wants YOU to come and ride with us. Students will learn how to ensure their bike is ready to ride and will go on bikes rides together each week! New to bicycle riding? Join us! Already love riding your bike outside? Join us! Every participant will grow stronger as a bike rider. We have a blast adventuring together biking our city’s streets!
The Culture of Hip Hop
Gen-X Sports
With Mr. Nex Millen
With Mr. Anthony Clegg
Most people know about rap music, but do you know about hip hop culture? Hip hop culture embodies many principles: love, peace, unity, knowledge, wisdom, respect, and having fun. Join hip-hop artist Nex Millen to explore the elements of the most influential culture in the 21st century: graffiti, DJing, breakdancing, emceeing, fashion, slang, and entrepreneurialism. Use these elements to express yourself and make a difference!
Do you enjoy ultimate frisbee and flag football? Join Generation X for action packed sports while learning the true meaning of teamwork and leadership. Will you be a leader on the field that guides a team to victory? Have fun, make friends, and get fit.
FEAST
IBEW’s Power Up your Future
With Ms. Hillary Goldrich
With Mr. Jason Simons
Learn to prepare and eat a variety of fresh, locally grown vegetables in this beginning cooking class. Students are encouraged to have an open mind as we explore basic cooking methods, your way around the kitchen and learn about food safety, cleanliness in the kitchen, nutrition and how our eating habits impact our lives now and in the future.
Do you like fiddling with electronic stuff, figuring out how things work? Ever find yourself taking electronics apart and putting them back together? Than this class is literally made for you! Led by professional electricians this class will teach you the ins-and-outs of electronic work! Learn how to wire and power amazing mechanical machines and make electronics come to life. No experience necessary! A sense of wonder required. (Students will not work with live wires. Electricians are Professionals and Certified Trainers.)
Photo Voice With Shenekia McDaniels Do you have a story to tell but struggle to find the words? A photo is worth a thousand words! Photo Voice is a group of people coming together expressing opinions and ideas using photos. Photos have amazing power because they tell a story. ​Photo voice is social media on paper. It is a chance to freely talk about issues or concerns without judgment. It is an open platform to have AMS voices heard make opinions known and relate to others in a new way. Make friends and make a difference. Be a voice not an echo! Rock Climbing With Ms. Christine Murwoski, Mr. Keith Aitken Are you ready for 12 weeks of indoor rock climbing and team challenges at the Montford Center? Over the course of the Ascend program, we will cover the fundamentals of indoor rock climbing and bouldering with a focus on goal setting, self-confidence, and building trust. Be prepared to be active each week as we work on rock climbing skills. Learn climbing movement, belaying, communication, and teamwork. Have fun, challenge yourself, and ​see if you can make it to the top!
Creative Computing 2.0
LEAF Circus Arts
With Mr. Geoff Kemmish
With Ms. Nina Ruffini
For Advanced Coders Only: The best computer programmers are problem-solvers. If you're interested in working in computer science or as a professional coder, this is the club for you. Our experienced professional coders will present you with a difficult challenge. You'll have the choice to work as a team or by yourself. As you solve problems the next is more challenging. Are you creative and gritty enough to rise to the challenge?
Ever want to run away with the circus? Here's your chance! We will focus on clowning, juggling, tightrope walking, magic, and acrobatics. Students will get the chance to acquire new skills, practice, and perform. You will create and star in your show! Please wear comfortable clothes, and bring excitement and imagination!
Health Career Academy
Lego League Robotics
With Dr. Frank Castelblanco and Dr. Lateef Cannon M.D.
With Mr. Morgan Parton and Ms. Kristine Kelly
Do you want to be a Doctor, Surgeon, or Nurse? Would you like to have a CPR certification? Each week nurses and doctors from MAHEC will help you develop the skills to excel in the field of healthcare. Dissect pig hearts, bandage wounds, and visit the MAHEC simulation lab to test your skills on robotic patients. The Health Career Academy is an amazing hands on experience.
Have you ever wanted to build and control robots to battle? Join the League and learn how to build robots out of legos, and bring them to life through easy-to-learn programming. You'll have the chance to battle your bots against others! No computer skills necessary!
Project EMPOWER
Soccer
With Ms. Belinda Grant
With Mr. Sim Hickman
Are you thinking about your future? Are you EMPOWERed about making positive life decisions? If so, this is the group for you. We discuss many important and sensitive topics for teens such as teen relationships, teen pregnancy prevention, goal-setting, mapping out your future and how this impacts your generation. On the flipside to learning and talking about serious issues, you will have a lot of fun playing games, cooking, and bowling.
Do you love to run around outside? Do you love some friendly competition? Are you looking be more sweaty in your everyday life? Then Soccer is for you! Lead by AMS Soccer Coach Sim Hickman - your skills are guaranteed to improve. Come join us for active outdoor fun!
Roots and Wings With Mrs. Ginger Huebner Become a citizen artist! Work with an amazing group of UNC Asheville students and local artists. You will work as a collaborative team designing solutions to our community’s needs. Get involved in solving some of the city’s biggest design problems and help to create a better Asheville. This class will look at developing new mural and playground designs, bus shelter designs, signage, beautification projects, animal habitat restoration, and REAL community projects leading to change. Perfect for future artists or engineers!
United Way Middle School Success Homework Diners All ACS families are invited to attend Homework Diners from ​5:30 - 7:00. Join teachers, families, and community members for a free meal provided by GO Kitchen. Teachers will be available to support families with homework and schoolwork. Families will have access to a wide range of resources and information provided by the United Way. Homework Diners will replace IRL Study Hall on Tuesdays. We hope that you will join in. All are welcome.
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YWCA Swimming (Boys) There's nothing like leaving a long day at school to dive into YWCA's warm pool. ​Stay fit and relax during testing season while learning the basics of swimming and fun pool games. YWCA will provide swimming caps and swimsuits. Sign up to work out, make friends, and have fun. YWCA Workout Get fit for summer time! Workout alongside caring and invested members of the APD in the YWCA's state of the art fitness facility. Learn how to use workout equipment and design a workout routine that is right for you.
Bridge
Creatix Pottery
With Mr. Craig White and Ms. Linda Brown
With Mr. Jim McDowell
"Minutes to learn, a lifetime to master." Bridge has been called 'the chess of card games.' Come join us for epic battles of two against two, learning all the tricks of the trade. If you like strategy, teamwork, planning, risk taking, communicating in code this is the game for you. Led by members of Asheville's Grand Slam Bridge Club, we will offer an introduction to bridge for people who have never played before, as well as advanced instruction for experienced players. Spend your Wednesday afternoons playing bridge! Come with an open mind and be ready to shred it, playing card style.
Ready to get messy, have fun, and create incredible works of pottery? Learn to sculpt, spin, coil, glaze, and so much more with professional potter Jim McDowell. (www.blackpotter.com) This high-energy pottery program will push the limits of your creativity and character. No one will tell you what to create - the choice is yours.
Creative Computing 1.0
English Language Arts
With Mr. Geoff Kemmish
With Ms. Jennifer Kalen
Coding is the language that operates video games, websites, and apps. Work with experienced coding professionals to learn how to design stories and video games in SCRATCH. Have fun collaborating with your friends as you learn to make your characters move, speak, and interact with other characters. Bring your creativity and IRL will give you the skills necessary to be a successful coder.
Ms. Kalen's ELA (English Language Arts) class is loved by the students who attend! Spend time working on reading and writing skills with a teacher willing to put in the extra mile.
Free to Be You & Me (F2BU & M)
Math Lab
With Mr. Jesse Pitt
With Ms. Jo Landreth
Have you ever felt judged or like you don't belong? We know how you feel! Come be part of a fun, safe and supportive group. We will do activities, talk about what’s going on in your life, and meet other students who can relate.
I’m sure you hear this all the time: “math is important. It will help you in life.” In the irl Math Lab, you’ll hear: “this is awesome!” Work on projects, math challenges, get homework help, and raise your iReady and EOG scores while having fun. Decide what you need to work on and we will help you or give you the tools to help yourself. Ms. Landreth, and other enthusiastic adults.
HFE Teacher Assistants
Next Level Cooking
With Ms. Katrina Dean
With Mr. Greg Hall
As a big kid, you have an incredible opportunity to help younger students succeed. If you think you might want to be a teacher, coach, or work with youth in your future this is a great opportunity. You'll be trained to tutor reading and math. As a tutor, you can receive extra credit in your courses. Students interested in this program must be approved by IRL Staff.
Cooking is more than just hot pockets and hotdogs. All men need to know how to BBQ, prepare a date night meal, and an epic breakfast. This class is for young men only to step into the kitchen and whip up some healthy and delicious meals, so let’s take your skills to the next level!
UNCA STEAM LAB
VEX Robotic Mentors
With Mr. Brent Skidmore
With Darcy Grimes
Come create some STEAM with an amazing group of UNC Asheville students at their new awesome making space! We will work together, as a collaborative team designing artistic solutions to our communities needs for better public art. We will make individual projects with the laser cutter, CNC routers and explore lots of creativity. This class will be lots of fun as we will combine your creative genius with your problem solving scientist in an amazing work space designed for collaboration and fun. This class will include actual hands-on creating, a trip to UNC Asheville and a celebration at the completion of class.
As a big kid, you have an incredible opportunity to ​help younger students succeed. If you think you might want to be a teacher, coach, or work with youth in your future this is a great opportunity. You'll be trained to help younger students learn the basics of robotics. Once the younger children go home, you'll have more than a half-hour to build and design robots on your own. Be a leader of the VEX robotics team.
Asheville on Bikes With Ms. Bettina Freese IRL Bike Club wants YOU to come and ride with us. Students will learn how to ensure their bike is ready to ride and will go on bikes rides together each week! New to bicycle riding? Join us! Already love riding your bike outside? Join us! Every participant will grow stronger as a bike rider. We have a blast adventuring together biking our city’s streets!
Darkroom Photography and Mixed Media With Ms. Adrian Etheridge and Ms. Sharon McRorie You don't have to have a fancy camera to be a photographer. In Darkroom Photography, we use shoebox cameras to develop prints in the darkroom, and exploring other techniques, such as sun exposure, cyanotype, digital photos, and hand coloring black and white images. At the end of the semester, you will have a completed portfolio to share with your friends and family. An Asheville Art Museum collaborative project.
Debate With Ms. Jo Landreth Do you like to argue? Have people called you dramatic? Asheville High School has a nationally-ranked Speech & Debate team, and we're bringing it to the Middle School! Join our 100-year-old legacy with this introduction to speech performance and debate. Our current team members and coaches are partnering with UNCA, The Wesley Grant Center, and Parks and Rec to help prepare you for competitive speech and debate. Debate will empower you to find your voice, speak your mind, and win arguments through strategy and persuasion.
ecoEXPLORERS
GRACE
With Ms. Trudie M. Henninger
With Ms. Libby Kyles and Octavia Hamilton
Become an "ecoEXPLORER" as we EXPLORE Outdoors to learn about the wild animals that call Asheville home. Learn to use tools such as spotting scopes, binoculars, iPods, and radio telemetry to locate, observe, and identify wildlife. Discover unique habitats of the Southern Appalachians with explorations at The NC Arboretum and local wildlife viewing hotspots. Ever wanted to catch salamanders or know what birds you see around your neighborhood? We'll even share our findings with scientists and post our observations online. Participants receive an EXPLORE patch, opportunities to earn field tools and an invitation to our annual Mountain Science Expo.
Expand your vision and possibilities for your own future! Explore your creative self and how it connects to your academic self. Use the medium of art and thoughtful discussion to develop a sense of self and relevancy as it relates to your past, present, and future. Increase your knowledge of history of people of color in Asheville and the nation as a whole. Engage in timely discussions of current events with your friends and caring adults. Through these discussions and projects you will learn to set goals and prepare yourself for success in high-school and college.
Film Club
Hip Hop and Street Dance
With Ms. Savannah Forsythe
With Aquaboogy Vazquez
Are you an aspiring filmmaker? Do you want to tell a story through the moving picture? Join Film Club to make some rad short films featuring your friends!
A journey into Hip Hop dance and culture, with a focus on party dancing and the West Coast Street Dances called Popping & Animation. Included are lessons of Graffiti & Djing as they too are elements of Hip Hop culture! Join Otto (Aquaboogy Vazquez) who honed his craft in Miami & New York and has stellar credits: Pitt Bull, Ne-Yo, Kanye West, Dr. Pepper’s 2013 “One in a Billion” Nat’l Commercial, toured the world with the Broadway Series show, “Break, The Urban Funk Spectacular”.
Slacklibrium
YWCA Swimming (Girls)
With Mr. Jesse Goldman and Mr. Patrick Green
There's nothing like leaving a long day at school to dive into YWCA's warm pool. ​Stay fit and relax during testing season while learning the basics of swimming and fun pool games. YWCA will provide swimsuits and swimming caps, so your hair won't get wet. Sign up to work out, make friends, and have fun.
Have you seen our slacklines between the trees in front of AMS? Do you want to bring more balance into your life? In the Slack-Librium program, we'll learn a variety of techniques to help you strengthen your balance - physically, mentally, and emotionally. Over 12 weeks of programming, you will become a trained Slack-Librium instructor. Expect to learn everything you need to know about slacklining in addition to valuable mindfulness meditation skills. By the end of the program, you'll be ready to teach your friends and family!
STEM Design and Innovation With Mr. Henry Dozier & Mr. Sim Hickman Thermofisher Scientific is bringing their expertise and resources to IRL. You will work alongside professional engineers to solve complex design challenges. Use K'nex and your creativity to innovate and engineer solutions. The second half of the program you will learn how to extract DNA using high-powered microscopes and centrifuges. This is REAL LIFE, hands-on science that is so much fun.
Cooking Up Character
Gaming Club
With Ms. Angela Howard
With Mr. Hann Henson
Taking care of yourself is not as easy as it seems. Want to learn how to quickly make healthy snacks or 1 pot meals that taste great? Ever get stuck with a bad hair day you can't fix? You'll learn great tips from a hair stylist. Can't figure out what to do about Acne? You'll learn how to make some homemade remedies. Led by our Health and Nutrition Manager Ms. Howard, this program will fill you up and provide a safe and welcoming space to discuss peer pressure, healthy lifestyles, and community.
Does hanging out with your friends playing video games on HUGE screens sound like an awesome Friday afternoon? Learn how to play ALL the classic gaming systems from Atari to Xbox, and from Pong to Super Smash Bros. Get ready for good times and epic showdowns!
Dungeons and Dragons
Iron Girls
With Mr. Devin Koch
With Ms. Marissa Gaab
Ready to travel to the world of Kartesh and discover a new you. Become an Elf sorcerer and cast spells that change the flow of the battle field, run through the deep forest as a Cat folk ranger on the hunt with your pack, or become a Dwarf Bard and sing the songs of glory, whatever you want to do and more. Learn Dungeons and Dragons 3.5 in an easy to play game with and experienced player. Will require lots of reading, joking, and rolling dice. Come with an open mind and any ideas you have about a fantasy story.
Calling All Girls!! We want to help you develop your special strengths, both inside and out! Iron Girls is a fun and exciting CrossFit program just for you. You will be amazed at what you are truly capable of, while having fun and getting fit with gymnastics, weightlifting and girl power. This program is open to all girls. No prior athletic experience needed. Join us to see what all the hype is about at CrossFit Asheville!
Journeymen With Mr. Jordon Foltz Journeymen Asheville Mentoring program and IRL are offering this 16 week program. Alongside well trained mentors, young men will build canoes, rock climb, go rafting, play games, and engage in community service. These adventures and projects will empower our mentors to model authentic masculinity and nurture self-awareness and emotional growth, while challenging and assisting boys to discover their unique gifts. *Program began January 9th. Contact IRL office to see if slots are available.
Basketball Step onto the court and step up your game! Learn the fundamentals, practice, scrimmage, and have a lot of fun. Complete in mini-challenges, obstacle courses, and shooting drills.
Natural Beauty
Yalla!; Urban Art and Media
With Ms. Kristen Kirby
With Ms. Jos Gradstein
Join us as we enter a world of beauty. You will be making your beauty products and taking them home. On this beautiful journey, you will use chemistry and math to create products such as lip balm, body spritz, shaving cream, and so much more. Sponsored by Girl Scouts P2P.
Want to meet artists, designers, producers and rappers? Want to make moves and get creative? Yalla!, Middle Eastern slang for let's get started, aims to connect you with local professionals, so you can start becoming one, yourself! Come try out spoken word, lyric writing, mural painting, screen printing, shoe & t-shirt design, drawing, beat making, photography and a whole bunch of other dope projects!
Join us as we Celebrate our Community and award local Champions who give to our students and teachers! For more information acsf.org Contact us 350-6174
Look at what we created together….. For the past seven years, the ACSF program, IRL has served over 1 000 students in diverse and enriching after-school programing. Why IRL? At the Listening to Our Teens summit in June 2009, 85 service providers and community representatives came together to learn about and discuss the results of the Listening Project, which interviewed 85 teens and 40 family members about their experiences, wants and needs inside and outside of school. These Programs present a unique, holistic approach to social and emotional learning that promotes healthy and sustainable futures. Mission: IRL was founded to provide engaging and meaningful after school programs for all Asheville middle school students that help our young teens become successful, contributing members of our community. Why do students participate in IRL? “I hope to learn different things that help me later in life.” - Joseph “IRL is important for me so I actually have something to do after-school.” - Alexis “I get frustrated easily and I’m impatient. IRL has to taught me to get through some frustrating times.” - Carter
IRL is a program of the
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