YMCA Brings After-School Program To DES
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TJ Townsend, Wiley Griffin, Victoria Jones and Shelby Grace Jenkins enjoy the YMCA’s after-school program at Davidson Elementary School. With the students are YMCA staff members Monique Bush, Samantha Ball and Lenora Woodard.
WATER VALLEY – A new after-school program at Davidson Elementary is transforming afternoons for dozens of local students, thanks to a partnership between the school and the YMCA of Memphis & the Mid-South. The program launched in August at the start of the 2025–26 school year, but the push to bring it to Water Valley began long before.
Monique Bush, a 2004 graduate of Water Valley High School who works as the YMCA’s community relations director, felt a calling to bring the program home after years of working in YMCA sites across North Mississippi.
“I’m from Water Valley. I saw a need, and I heard from parents in the community,” Bush explained. “Many children had nothing to do after school. We wanted to change that trajectory and offer something positive.”
The YMCA has operated in the Lafayette County School District since 2018, and Bush believed the same model could work in Water Valley. After outlining the mission and the need, several community supporters began a fast fundraising effort. In just one week, donors raised nearly $60,000 to launch the program.
“The entire community got behind us,” Bush said. “It was huge. People wanted this for our kids.”
About 35 students are currently enrolled, and Bush said the short-term goal is to double that number. Her long-term goal is to have 20 percent of the students at Davidson Elementary School enrolled in the program. Cost is not a barrier, as Bush said fee assistance is available. Transportation has been a barrier, including getting students home when the program ends.
“Transportation is one of the issues we see,” she said. “That’s something we’ve been working on with the district.”
Once the school day ends, students move straight into the YMCA’s “Excel After the Bell” schedule. Homework comes first, followed by a snack, and then rotations that include arts and crafts, STEM lessons, organized games, outdoor play, and physical activity. The YMCA is licensed by the state and operates as a separate entity within the school.
Parents helped drive the program’s priorities. One mother told Bush she was most grateful for the homework support. “She said, ‘When I come home from work, if the homework is done, that helps me so much.’ So we focus on that,” Bush said.
All staff working in the program are Davidson Elementary employees, with the YMCA offering the positions to school employees first.
Davidson Elementary Principal Lee Gray said the partnership has been a major asset for both families and the school.
“It’s been phenomenal,” Gray said. “There’s a huge need for affordable childcare, and the YMCA offers that. The fact that our own staff are the ones working with our kids makes a big difference. Parents love it. Teachers don’t make a lot of money, and this gives them an opportunity to earn extra without having to take another job somewhere else,” the principal added.
Bush said the program has also helped students grow socially. Some children began the semester quiet and hesitant, especially younger grades. “Now we see them opening up, making friends, and getting comfortable with routines they weren’t used to,” Bush said. “That social development is huge.”
The YMCA also operates seasonal camps, including camps during winter break, spring break and a full summer program that will be based at Davidson. Summer camp runs from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. and includes swimming twice a week, weekly field trips, and on-site activities. Bush said these experiences open doors for children who may not otherwise have access.
“It is 100 percent okay to show them a piece of the world outside of Water Valley,” she said. “This program is allowing them that opportunity.”
The YMCA hopes enrollment will continue to grow, which will allow the program to hire more local staff and expand services.
“We know there are families out there who need this program,” Bush said. “We have financial help available. They just need to reach out.”
Parents interested in enrolling can visit ymcamemphis.org, choose Davidson Elementary from the site list, and complete the step-by-step application. Fee-assistance forms are also online, and Bush said she is happy to meet with parents who need help navigating the process.
“If a parent has questions, I tell them: come talk to me,” Bush said. “I’ll walk them through everything. We’re here to help.”
Bush can be contacted directly at moniquebush04@gmail.com.
