Wayne Memorial High School

Molly is a certified teacher in English and Sociology.  She attended University of Michigan for both her undergraduate degree (Social Anthropology) and graduate degree (Education).  She has been with EMU Bright Futures at Wayne Memorial since 2011.  Molly's favorite  clubs to run are Real Talk, Culture Club, Creative Writing, and Fashion, for it allows her to share all of her passions with her students. Molly looks forward to incorporating more Social Emotional Learning into the program, as well as promoting a post secondary degree.

Program Description

Wayne Memorial High School Bright Futures is a safe, creative, and fun after school program that emphasizes academics, youth voice, growth mindset, and social emotional learning.

Every day, students attend a club of their choice.  Clubs focus on arts, leadership, culture, recreation, and STEM.  Some of the arts programs are crafts, play writing, acting, creative writing, and photography.  Leadership options include real talk and leadership committee.  Cultural clubs include sign language, culture club, anime, cultural cooking.  Recreational activities focus on team sports, cards and board games, school yard games, and moving and grooving.  Lastly, STEM clubs centers around rollercoaster tycoon, mad scientist, detective club, and lego challenges.

Most clubs include academic components–usually integrated into club activities.  But there is also a focus on homework and classwork.  Each day, students participate in homework time.  During this time, students study, complete homework, practice soft skills, research colleges and scholarships, and prepare for job interviews.

Program begins every day with both mindfulness and community building activities.   These activities help promote our safe and friendly culture, as well as increase our understanding of social emotional learning.  We strive to increase students ability to work in teams, manage emotions, take initiative, be more responsible, use problem solving skills, and focus on empathy.  This year, numerous students formed a leadership committee in order to promote SEL and creating a more youth centered space.

WMHS Bright Futures has three family events per year, and they always include dinner and a student-led show.  One event always showcases student talent, such as singing, dancing, comedy, and musical instruments.  At the end of the year, students perform our annual Bright Futures play.  Last year, students spent the year writing and acting in our SEL centered play!

Our program runs through the school year, with an additional six weeks in the summer.  During the school year, we meet Monday-Thursday 2-4:30 PM in room 13.  We will have a 6 week summer program throughout June and July.