Spruce Creek High

Spruce Creek High School Teen Zone

Spruce Creek High School has been working hard the past few years to expand resources available to our students. One of those resources is our expansion of our TeenZone program thanks to Food Brings Hope. While Spruce Creek High is perceived to be in a comparatively affluent area of our county, 41% of the Spruce Creek student population, or over 1000 students, participate in the free and reduced lunch program and demonstration some level of food insecurity. Approximately 3% of our student population is designated as homeless or unaccompanied youth and we estimate that the real number is likely closer to 5-6%. Tee Zone helps us better support some of these students.

At Spruce Creek, TeenZone functions as a weekly after-school program that provides opportunities for at-risk students to improve their academic performance, discipline choices, and attendance. We now have over 100 students who are participating regularly in our weekly program and receiving tutoring from 6 teachers and 10 peers, a meal, access to weekend food bags for those who need it, and access to field trips. Students fill out weekly grade sheets and personal goals. Teachers meet one-on-one with students who are struggling to talk about how to make changes. The transportation home after the meeting is a key to our success because it allows us to reach our student population who can’t typically stay after school. Students have enjoyed talking about motivation and steps to success and working with peer tutors. The teachers involved have worked hard to build relationships with students who may not be in their classes so that each student has several adults on campus who are their advocates and mentors. TeenZone students have shown an increase in their grades and academic performance and their attitudes about school, but most importantly they come back because we have provided a connection for students who have typically not been involved in many clubs at school.

We are grateful to have access to resources from Food Brings Hope to help us connect our students with what they need to be successful.