I recently received this information from Shameka Stephens who works with CAMBA scholars, an afterschool program. For those of you who are interested in enrolling your child in an afterschool program, please read on to find out more about this program and the nonprofit organization that runs it.
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CAMBA is a Brooklyn-based non profit organization with programs throughout the diverse neighborhoods of Brooklyn. CAMBA was founded as a merchants association in 1977, but in direct response to the emerging needs of the Brooklyn community, has steadily expanded its services. CAMBA has grown into a full-service, community-based organization providing a continuum of employment, education, health-related, housing, legal, social, business development and youth services to approximately 30,000 individuals each year.
CAMBA serves persons of low-income; persons moving from welfare to work; persons who are homeless, at risk of homelessness or transitioning out of homelessness; persons living with or at risk of AIDS and HIV; immigrants and refugees; youth; and other groups, working to become self sufficient. Â
Some of those services include After School and Youth programs. The name of my program is CAMBA Scholars (CAMBA.org). The program is free to children in grades 6 – 8. We offer academic help, basketball, football, dance, art, fashion, martial arts, sewing and pattern making, music, photography and have partnerships with the Museum of Caribbean African Diasporic Art where children have had the opportunity to work with great artists and illustrators like Javaka Steptoe (In Daddy’s Arms I am Tall, The Jones Family Express) and jewelry artist Bianca Dorsey. We also partner with the Brooklyn/Queens Conservatory of Music where children were introduced to African Drumming, songwriting and video making, Marquis Studios and other organizations. We also have community service opportunities, student leadership programs and work with students on conflict – resolutions skills. We are able to serve over 150 students. Our staff is comprised of educators, teachers in training and people who have a general love for the children in our community and their well being who receive training throughout the year on academics, activities and how to uniquely serve the adolescent. The Director has over 10 years of experience in education and has worked in community schools her entire career. We are licensed by the City of New York and the Department of Health.
To sign their children up, parents can contact me, Shameka Stephens at 718-573-2369, come to the school where we are based, MS 57 at 125 Stuyvesant Avenue between Van Buren and Lafayette and, I will also leave applications in some of the stores in the neighborhood, StreetWalker located at 362 Halsey at the corner of Stuyvesant Avenue, Ma and Pop’s Soul Food located at the corner of Lewis and Halsey, Brownstone Books (next door to BreadStuy), Shakoor’s Sweet Tooth located at Halsey and Marcus Garvey, Fulton Spiritual Market located at Fulton and Nostrand.
Children don’t have to go to any particular school. They must however, be enrolled in grades 6 – 8.
Our program begins in September and runs through June. Our hours are from 3 – 6, Monday – Thursday. Children receive supper every evening.
We are open most Holidays when schools are closed, like Columbus Day, Winter Recess, Spring Recess.  On those days, our program runs 8am – 6pm in order to accommodate working parents, ensuring their children are in a safe, academically, and culturally stimulating environment. On those days, children receive breakfast, lunch and snack.
We also go on trips that are free to participants. Past trips have included Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum, Astroland, Metropolitan Museum of Art, MoMA, and Chelsea Piers.
Shameka I. Stephens
Director
CAMBA Scholars/SGO @
MS 57/ Ron Brown Academy
MS 385/ School of Business, Finance and Entreprenuership
125 Stuyvesant Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11221
Rm 136
718-573-2369
