If you were to walk down 120th street and Claremont Avenue in Harlem, you would never guess that on this block in one of its many medieval-looking buildings is an after-school program that gives direction to hundreds of kids in its community.

If you walked into this old building you would probably run into one of the many kids that go there or even the director of the program, Merle McGee. It would shock you that this one woman along with a group of great counselors runs this amazing program. It shocked me too but after meeting and talking with her and seeing how energetic, funny, and active she is. I became less shocked and more amazed with how big a heart she has.

As Merle showed me around the center, I got to meet and greet some of the children that attend the program and some of the volunteers that devote their time to this place. As I walked through the center I got a homely feeling about it, its atmosphere was warm and inviting and the kids were smiling and having fun. After my tour of the center I got to sit down with Merle in her office and discuss what this program was all about and the woman behind it.

Merle McGee, A former student of Columbia University who majored in Urban Policy and Non-profit studies never thought she would be running a community center. --Merle knew she wanted to work somewhere that dealt with and helped kids at risk, so thatís what she did after graduating from Columbia. She got a job working at an Aids Services Program but she began to become depressed by the idea of constant death and suffering so she quit that job and got a job working at a youth incarceration program. But again she felt she was reaching people too late and felt powerless in helping them. She decided to go work someplace that got to youth in their formative years, hence her job at Claremont Community Center where this wonderful program is housed.

 Moriningside Area Alliance (a grassroots organization) sponsors the program. MAA is out to improve the quality of life of low income families and communities. This program provides just that for the kids in this community. The after-school program provides the children with positive activities during the afternoon.

Here the kids participate in such activities as, Homework help, tutoring, playing ping pong, playing cards, watching movies, playing basketball, and learning computers. There is a computer lab and a lounge downstairs for the teenagers that attend the program as well. With all that goes on there, I wanted to know what some of the kids and counselors thought of the center.

Eric, a 12 year old that has been going to the center for a month said he is excited about coming to the center because he can get help with his homework as well as watch movies, play basketball and Ping-Pong. Rah-Rah, a 10 year old that has been in the program for a year says he has fun. The best time he ever had was going upstate rock-climbing. He admits that he was afraid at first but then ìI just went for it and I made it all the way upî.

Laura, a college student from Columbia University on work-study at the center says she couldnít think of a better place to work. Having been here for 2 years Laura has worked with a lot of kids and says that ìAfter all this time I still enjoy working here and this center still remains a playful environmentî. She added that she really enjoyed the summer camps that they have for the kids.

  There are two different programs in the summer. The first is for children ages 7-12, they basically come to the center and attend arts & crafts workshops, play basketball, work on the computers, and watch movies. They even go on trips to the museums and to amusement parks. The second program is for teenagers 13-18, this program is a combination of the first program except the teenagers can also attend a 2-week junket in upstate New York. This junket includes the kids going hiking, rock climbing, canoeing, and swimming. The teens are able to bond and learn how to function as a team. It is an experience that exposes them to a world beyond their own.

  As you can see these programs and the people within them are learning that a sense of togetherness and unity are what makes a community great and on 120th St. and Claremont Ave they are showing us just that.