After-School X-Plor Planned Next Week

An after-school activities program called X-plor will begin next week at Coeur d’Alene middle schools.

The program will give students an opportunity to try new activities, such as art, karate, music, drama, gymnastics, fencing, kickboxing and others. X-plor meets once a week from 3 to 5:30 p.m. The program will be held Tuesdays at Canfield, Wednesdays at Woodland and Thursdays at Lakes Middle School.

The district plans to carry the program over into the summer and add kayaking, rock-climbing, sailing and volleyball.

Students will pay $10 per session or $30 per month to defray activity costs, or they can earn up to 50 percent of that fee through community service. Staffing and transportation are covered through a $82,000 grant from the state Department of Health and Welfare. The grant application was written by staff at St. Vincent de Paul.

The program is endorsed by Colin Powell’s youth program “America’s Promise,” the Kootenai Alliance for Children and Families and the district.

Students must have permission slips from parents to participate. For more information, contact Bob Mathers at St. Vincent de Paul, 676-0917.