After School
Dynamic, Arts-Based Enrichment
At Girls First, we provide a safe and supportive environment where students practice respect for self and others, exercise appropriate interactions with peers and adults, discover new skills and talents, and develop tools that will allow them to achieve greater success in school and beyond. At the core of all of our programs are creative explorations led by caring mentors, experienced teaching artists, and local community partners.
Through engaging creative experiences, our students foster critical life skills such as communication, problem-solving, and resilience. A key focus is on nurturing a positive self-image and empowering girls to recognize their unique strengths and potential.
25/26 Registration
Norristown Afterschool Program
Serving students in 1st through 4th grades, Girls First runs Monday through Thursday afternoons until 6:00 p.m. We offer a full meal daily and creative studies in dance, visual arts, drama, music, utilizing a trauma informed approach. Each programming day includes snack/meal time and conversation (Chew and Chat), gentle stretching/high-energy exercises and gentle breathing, 45-minute small group arts-based activities, and student-led play and homework/academic enrichment time.
Who Should Apply
Girls entering 1st, 2nd, 3rd, or 4th grade in the fall who demonstrate a dedication to learning, a commitment to being a good friend, and an adventurous and creative spirit. This program is offered at no cost to families, but a strong commitment to attendance and participation is required.
Requirements
Submit an application between May and September (space is limited)
Parents/guardians must attend an orientation session in September
Students must maintain a minimum 80% attendance rate
Students must commit to attend the entire program year (October - May)
Students may not be picked up before 6:00pm on a regular basis
Students must follow rules as outlined in the Behavior Contract
Teaching Artist Apprentices
Integral to our program are Girls First’s Teaching Artist Apprentices (TAAs).
The Apprenticeship Program provides trauma-informed training for teaching artists to create and support equitable learning environments through arts-based explorations that integrate academic and social-emotional skill building. Apprentices are hired annually for the duration of one, or more, program year.
The Teaching Artist Apprenticeship (TAA) Program equips teaching artists to create a learning environment that is trauma-informed and provides equitable opportunities for growth academically, artistically, and socio-emotionally in a community setting. Girls First TAAs lead Visual Arts, Drama, Dance, and Music lessons at our Norristown location utilizing the Artsee© curriculum. The TAAs also provide support for meal time, movement time, and homeroom.
Prior to implementing the curriculum, Teaching Artists are required to participate in 20 hours of training. Training topics include biological brain development and the effects of adversity on that development; classroom management techniques that encourage compassionate discipline and offer opportunities for positive growth; how to employ creative explorations for academic, social, and emotional skill building; and how social and emotional skills can positively impact academic performance, increase prosocial behaviors, reduce emotional distress, and build resilience.
Monthly Professional Development meetings provide Teaching Artists with continued support and opportunities to workshop behavior challenges and creative ideas with their cohort and trainer.
The Apprenticeship runs from late September through the end of May, with the opportunity to renew the TAA contract for the following program year.
Now Hiring!
Girls First is actively hiring Outreach Teaching Artists and Teaching Artist Apprentices for the 484-681-2875 School Year. Visit our careers page to learn more.
Community Partners
Theatre Horizon
Is a professional nonprofit theatre company in Norristown that uses the transformative power of storytelling to foster empathy and create an inclusive home for artists, audiences, and students alike. In addition to staging critically-acclaimed productions, Theatre Horizon reaches over 1,000 children annually through drama classes, camps, and pioneering autism drama programs that inspire imagination and social development.
Girl Scouts of Eastern PA
Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania is the nation's 6th-largest Girl Scout council and Pennsylvania's largest, serving girls from kindergarten through high school with programs that build courage, confidence, and character. Through hundreds of programs ranging from STEM and financial literacy to outdoor adventures and leadership development, GSEP empowers girls across nine counties to discover their strengths and make the world a better place.
The Clay Studio - Clay Mobile
The Clay Studio's award-winning Claymobile brings a "pop-up" ceramics studio to schools, community centers, and social service agencies throughout the Philadelphia region, providing hands-on arts education that nurtures imagination, critical thinking, and persistence. Since 1994, this mobile community engagement program has served as a national model, collaborating with over 150 partner sites annually to ensure that all people, regardless of background or budget constraints, have access to transformative arts experiences.
