Night Basketball And Books strives to meet the individual needs of each of our participants. When a new participant joins NBAB, an evaluation of the participant's specific needs is conducted. Then, the participant, in conjunction with the participant's parents or guardians, educators and counselors, designs a long term plan for success and assists establish specific benchmarks against which to measure the participant's progress.

But we don't stop there! One of the strengths of our program is that we follow-up with each participant to ensure that these benchmarks are being met. We don't give up on our kids! Here are some of the options we offer:

Learning Strategies
Home Involvement
Mentoring
Academic Achievement
Sports
Field Trips

Learning Strategies

There is much more to academic success than learning. Many kids have never had an opportunity to develop effective study skills. Managing their time, minimizing distractions, dealing with emotional issues which interfere with their concentration - these are skills, no less so than math, language or reasoning skills. This component of our program is designed to assist kids develop effective learning strategies. In conjunction with the home participation program, our kids learn more than the particular subject they study on any given day, but how to effectively overcome environmental and emotional barriers to their learning.                           Back to top

Home Involvement

This is a critical part of our program. Our goal is to assist parents and guardians of our participants to be active partners in their child's success. We develop strategies with the parents and guardians, helping them to ensure that their children are performing to the best of their ability. We offer guidance to parents and guardians, who may be unfamiliar with the education system, in monitoring their child's progress at school.

For program participants in the 7th-12th grade and their parents or guardians, staff and volunteers help the family explore options and form plans for the future. With the assistance of the participant's education counselors, we outline courses required for the participant to qualify upon graduation for admission to an accredited college or university. We assist the participants and their families research colleges and careers. We help participants increase their test-taking and essay writing skills. We assist the participants and their parents or guardians in the college application process, as well as in finding financial aid and scholarships.        Back to top

Mentoring

Many children start at a disadvantage. Children from homes with single working parents, children whose parents are absent, and children whose parents are unable to provide them assistance, for whatever reason, often have no one to provide them the support needed to achieve, or even to develop the desire to achieve.

We want each child, regardless of their home situation, to have someone who expects something from them, and rewards them for the hard work they do. We want each child to have someone who can hold them accountable for their academic performance in a compassionate and effective manner.        Back to top

Mentors are an important aspect in fulfilling this objective. It is rewarding for the children, and satisfying for the mentors, when a child learns just how much control, with a little guidance, the child can take over their own life.

Contact the Executive Director for more information about this vital component of our program.   Back to top

Academic Achievement

We unlock young peoples' potential in small-group learning sessions, building on the teaching they receive at school. We challenge our participants to question, reason and explore topics they study each week in a supportive and respectful learning environment.

Our tutoring takes place each Tuesday and Thursday evening, with follow-up as necessary. Our staff and volunteers are able to give each child individual attention as needed. We provide assistance to all grade levels. We cover all of the basics - Math, English grammar, Social Studies - as well as subjects being taught to the children in school.    Back to top

Sports

Participation in sports plays an important role in a child's social, emotional, intellectual and physical development. Night Basketball And Books has implemented the highly successful Pasadena YES sports club, which is open to the entire community. With the assistance of Kids in Sports, we have developed one of the most successful sports programs in the community. Everyone plays, everyone is a winner, and everyone is part of the team.

Field Trips

Field trips are an integral part of our program.  Field trips are planned to be grade-level-appropriate and are designed to complement the participants' classroom curriculum. Field trips enable the participants' learning to expand beyond the walls of their classroom and the boundaries of their neighborhood. On field trips volunteers and staff join young people in activities to discover the sciences, performing arts, nature, and history.  Field trips provide children with experiences that cannot be duplicated within their own community but are nonetheless an important part of learning about differing cultures and lifestyles.                         Back to top

Vintage Pasadena 2006 - join us for our annual fundraising event, Vintage Pasadena. It's a great evening of fine wine, gourmet food, beautiful music, and both live and silent auctions.