Boro residents Step Up to share their talents Keyport seeks volunteers to work with children in after-school program BY TAMMY McKILLIP Correspondent "We're more about getting the kids involved in something that interests them and teaching them what we can teach them." - Joseph Sheridan Councilman KEYPORT - The "Pearl of the Bayshore" is a treasure-trove of talent, according to Councilman Joseph Sheridan, and he feels the borough's kids should be able to benefit from its diversity. Starting on March 1, he said, the Keyport Recreation Committee and the Keyport Board of Education will sponsor the Step Up creative learning program, where elementary and high school kids from Keyport can learn karate, arts and crafts, photography, golf, cooking and videography from area volunteer mentors. "The program was first initiated by Keyport Central School Principal Anthony Rapolla," said Sheridan. "Because there's not a lot for Keyport's kids to do after school in the wintertime, he wanted to extend the school's assets and to interact with volunteer residents in town to teach kids between 3 and 6 p.m. I talked with George Strang and Maggie Cunningham from the Recreation Committee, and then I spoke with Donna Brady, who is on the Board of Education and was a liaison to the committee. We all got together and decided that this idea was feasible." Sheridan put out fliers to call for volunteers and to advertise the program to the community. Although there was a lot of initial interest in signing up for classes, which are scheduled to run Monday through Friday from March 1 to May 31, he said it took a while to get volunteer mentors. "We put out brochures, ran a commercial on the local Channel 22 and had meetings at area churches," he said. "We had a lot of feedback, and we had a number of children sign up before we had any volunteers. People wanted to put their kids in the classes, even though there were no classes available." Although he said the after-school pilot program is "not a day care," most of the classes will be held from 3 to 6 p.m. in the all-purpose room at Keyport Central School, so participants will be able to go directly from their last class of the day to the course they have signed up for. He said all of the volunteers involved in the program are from the community and have had their backgrounds thoroughly checked by the Keyport Police Department. According to Sheridan, the program has "essentially no budget." He said he may look into getting a grant to help defray the costs of supplies, but for now any fees would be minimal and should not be a deterrent to those interested in signing their children up for classes. "We had input at one of our meetings from someone who suggested ways to make money, but I told them that isn't really what we're after," he said. "We're more about getting the kids involved in something that interests them and teaching them what we can teach them. I believe that the people of Keyport have enough expertise that they can share with the kids. All we have to do is put them in a safe environment, and let them share what they know." Those interested in volunteering or signing up for the Step Up after-school program should call the Keyport Recreation Committee at (732) 739-5121.