BAYONNE PAL

B AYONNE

By Pat Bonner

Photos courtesy of PAL

If you are of a certain age and grew up in Bayonne, when you hear the letters PAL, you think of two things: boxing and boys basketball. However, I recently visited the Police Athletic League at its headquarters at the Midtown Community School on 23d Street and found that it had changed considerably from the program that was started more than 60 years ago.

Its popular after school program has become the largest in the area and an affordable lifeline for many of Bayonne’s working parents.

The Police Athletic League was launched shortly after World War II by members of the Bayonne Police Department. Jerry Clougher, a prominent local sportswriter, started the afterschool program in 1975 in the old PAL Building on Avenue A between 23rd and 24th Streets. The old PAL Building was demolished in 1992, and the program was moved to what is now known as the William Shemin Midtown Community School. CARE AND COMPETENCE

The nonprofi t afterschool program has grown from 35 children in 1975 to more than 200 today. The BPD remain big supporters. The program is run by a professional staff led by Executive Director K.T. Torello and Program Director Morgan Hull. They provide care and competence in supervising a group of kids from ages 4 to 13 who have a lot of energy to burn off after a day at school. The competence

Mayor Davis helps out.

Meeting a MODERN NEED and doing it well

is easy to document. The staff are trained in CPR and fi rst aid, are fi ngerprinted, and have completed at least some child care courses online through Penn State. A number are elementary school teachers. I witnessed the care part by seeing KT interact with the children in a number of minor crises such as a lost phone, bathroom accident, and the like. KT has been with the program for 30 years, and his patience is remarkable. Diane Torello, Chief Financial Offi cer, has been with the program for 32 years. Morgan Hull, today a Jersey City teacher, started in the program when she was 4 and has risen through the ranks to the number three position. Angie Fearon, Americans with Disabilities Act Coordinator, is another veteran who has been with the program for 20 years. She’s also a Bayonne teacher.

OPEN FOR BUSY-NESS

On school days, the center operates from 2:30 to 6 p.m. When the schools have a half day, the hours are from noon until 5:30 p.m., and a hot lunch is provided. The center is open on school holidays and provides a full day program. Buses pick up the children at all Bayonne’s elementary schools and bring them to the Shemin School. Parents can drop off and pick up their children provided the staff is informed.

The fi rst order of business is afternoon snack. This is usually something healthy, and the time in the cafeteria allows the kids to let off steam and be a little loud. At least, that’s how it sounded to me. They group the children by ages and gender. Boys ages 10, 11, 12 and 13 are together as well as a separate group of girls in those

age groups. Separate groups for boys and girls ages 7, 8 and 9. Children ages 4, 5 and 6 of both genders are together. The groupings facilitate friendships and shared interests. Since the children come from all over the city, they have an easier transition in high school. They already know many of their new classmates. THE DOG ATE MY …

Following the snack comes the most popular activity for working parents. They can sign up to have their children do their homework at the program: One less thing for parents to worry about at home after a hard day at work.

The children go to a classroom for 60 minutes or whatever the parents choose and do their homework under the supervision of a Bayonne teacher. The gym is available for running around and playing basketball, monitored by a number of young assistants. The gaming rooms are very popular, primarily with boys it would appear. Two rooms with computers and video screens mesmerize young boys.

Art supplies are readily available. While I was there, pre-teen girls were being helped by a teacher to make some sort of Valentine’s Day project with bright red hearts. Yoga is also a popular activity with girls. In nice weather, the kids play in the schoolyard.

TEACHABLE MOMENTS

The center is supported by the state, and the fees are geared to income. If the parent’s income is below a certain level, and the parent is working or going to

school, the parent may be eligible for a subsidy from the Urban League of Hudson County, with the parent contributing a nominal copay.

PAL also operates a very popular summer camp program. This runs for eight weeks from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. each day. This includes meals and activities. Last year, about 300 children attended. PAL also runs trips to fun spots, like the Seaside Heights Boardwalk.

I left the center in an upbeat mood. One of the minor crises KT solved was that of a little girl about 8. She’d received two candy bars, rather than one from the machine and didn’t know what to do with it. KT commended her for her honesty and said he would give the extra candy bar to some child who really needed it. She left happy, and I did too. —BLP Art supplies are readily available.