“Students need somewhere they feel like they belong, where they feel safe, supported and cared for.” 

Courtney Poprik, assistant director of family-based services at Temple University’s College of Education and Human Development (CEHD) says Grandma's Kids has been that program, creating safe, nurturing after-school spaces where children can grow academically, socially and emotionally while supporting the caregivers who raise them. 

Housed within the college’s Center for Reimagining Excellence, Access and Transformation in Education (CREATE), Grandma’s Kids serves elementary students in kinship care — children being raised by grandparents, relatives or other caregivers rather than their biological parents. 

“We partner with schools and run afterschool programming on-site,” Poprik said. “The program meets families where they are and offers consistent support in environments children already know and trust. Rather than asking families to come to Temple, we work within their own spaces, showing that Temple is committed to partnering with and supporting the community.” 

“Each afternoon, students receive homework help and tutoring to ensure academic challenges do not become barriers to confidence or success,” Poprik added. 

But Grandma’s Kids is about far more than academics. While their main goal is academic enrichment, Poprik noted the program also "provides social-emotional learning and mentoring through positive relationships with peers and adults.” 

According to Poprik, social-emotional learning is foundational. “In simple terms, it’s learning how to be a good human. It involves identifying emotions, learning healthy ways to manage them, strengthening empathy and learning how to be a good friend.” 

Through games, role-playing and hands-on activities, children practice these skills in ways that feel fun and natural. 

“We call it ‘disguised learning,’” Poprik said. “The kids feel like they’re just having fun, but we have intentional learning goals. Social-emotional learning happens through games, acting things out and playful activities that teach empathy, friendship skills, coping skills and emotional processing.” 

Because Grandma’s Kids operates within the same schools year after year, staff often watch students grow over time. 

“One of my favorite parts of the program is seeing students grow over multiple years,” Poprik said. “We’ve seen children come in as shy kindergarteners struggling with reading, who later grow into confident students proud of their progress. Being able to witness that long-term development is very meaningful.” 

Support extends beyond students to caregivers as well. Building strong, respectful relationships with families is a core part of the program’s philosophy. 

“We greet caregivers daily, share positive updates and partner with them to support students,” Poprik explained. 

The program also offers quarterly workshops for caregivers, often featuring experts that share practical strategies. 

“For example, we bring in literacy specialists to help caregivers learn how to support reading and phonics at home,” she said. “This partnership recognizes caregivers as essential collaborators in children’s success.” 

Grandma’s Kids also serves as a powerful service-learning opportunity for Temple University students from across disciplines. Tutors and mentors gain hands-on experience while forming meaningful connections with local families. 

“What drew me to Grandma’s Kids is both the work with children and the service-learning aspect,” Poprik said. “After-school programming is preventative. It provides safe spaces where children can be nurtured and build positive relationships with adults outside the classroom. That helps build community.” 

Poprik’s own journey with the program began when she was a Temple undergraduate student. 

“I went to Temple for my bachelor’s in social work, and that’s actually where I got introduced to Grandma’s Kids,” she said. “I was taking a class called Education in the Global City, which required service learning. The coordinator at the time came into our class and talked about the program, and I became a tutor in 2014.” 

She continued working with the program through her undergraduate and graduate studies, earning her master’s degree in social work in 2017, before eventually stepping into a leadership role. 

Poprik believes student involvement is essential to Temple’s role as an engaged urban university. 

“People often think programs like this are only for education or social work majors, but students from across the university are involved,” she said. “You can’t really understand a community without becoming part of it. Being involved helps students give back to the communities they live in and better understand the people and neighborhoods they call home.” 

Poprik recalls a “full-circle” moment, sharing that while visiting a state representative’s office to discuss support for Grandma’s Kids, she learned a staff member in that office participated in the program as a child. 

“It was a powerful moment,” Poprik said. “To see someone who benefited from the program later working in public service while helping support it, that really shows the long-term impact.” 

Alongside other initiatives that Poprik oversees in CREATE such as Family Friends, Future Focus and the newly-launched Guiding Generations, Grandma’s Kids underscores Temple’s commitment to educational equity and sustained community partnership. 

“Research shows that afterschool programming significantly increases positive outcomes for youth,” Poprik shared. “When students have consistent access to caring adults, academic support and positive peer relationships, it can shape the trajectory of their lives.” 

For many children and caretakers, that commitment has made all the difference.