When the final bell rings at Trico Elementary, the learning doesn’t end. For nearly 120 students each year, afternoons transform into a place of discovery, care, and connection through Pioneer Village—an after-school program that is far more than just a safe landing spot.

Now in its fifth year, Pioneer Village was born out of a simple but urgent need: consistent after-school care in a rural district where options were scarce. “It was a bit of a daycare desert,” said Amy Vogt, class of ‘91. Trico’s curriculum director and the program’s project director. “Families kept telling us this was something they needed. So, we pursued the Nita Lowey grant, were awarded it, and got started.”

Funded by that grant, Pioneer Village runs Monday through Thursday for three hours after school. Students begin with a snack, then rotate through tutoring, physical activity, social-emotional learning, and hands-on exploration. The sessions are branded with pioneer-themed names: “Learning Lodge” for tutoring, “Fitness Frontier” for exercise, “Trailblazer Teams” for SEL, and “Exploration Stations” for STEM, crafts, and projects. “We cover the waterfront in a profound way,” Amy explained. “It’s not babysitting—it’s a structured, meaningful extension of the school day.”

That extension is powered by a team as diverse as the activities themselves. Teachers from across the district contribute an hour of tutoring, high school students are employed as instructional assistants—shepherding groups of younger kids between activities—and community partners bring in expertise. The University of Illinois Extension’s 4-H program has become a cornerstone, providing lesson plans, resources, and activities that broaden horizons. “We basically pay 4-H dues for all of our students,” Amy said. “It allows the 4H program to grow, and it gives us the leverage and materials to keep our programming fresh.”

Kayla Ethington, Pioneer Village’s site coordinator, manages the day-to-day heartbeat of the program. A former veterinary technician who once lived in Maryland Heights outside St. Louis, she now finds herself at home in Trico’s rural setting. “I didn’t know this was something I was going to need as well,” Kayla reflected. “We not only serve students’ academic needs—we serve their hearts. And it’s a blessing when they seem to love you back.”

For Kayla, the parallels between working with animals and children are surprisingly instructive. “Kids get nervous, just like pets do at the vet.” I offer that I’d imagine you can see it in their eyes, and Kayla agrees, “When you know how to comfort them, you can help them through it,” she said. That empathy has become her guiding principle in creating a warm, encouraging atmosphere each afternoon.

The results ripple outward. High school students who work in the program gain invaluable experience in responsibility, communication, and compassion. “It’s almost a lost skill set these days, learning how to engage face-to-face,” Amy said. “This job gives them something they’ll carry for life.” Parents, too, are part of the equation. “Without them trusting us and sending their kids, none of this would exist,” Kayla added.

Pioneer Village’s reach is wide, serving children from across Trico’s far-flung communities—Ava, Campbell Hill, Cutler, Percy, and Willisville among them. A bus even makes one stop in each town after the program ends to help families with transportation. On an average day, 40 to 50 students attend, but the cumulative number of different faces over the year tops 100.

The program’s activities are intentionally varied: from cooking and sewing around the holidays, to building catapults, to experimenting with science projects. “They love anything hands-on,” Amy said. “Crafts, building, cooking—you name it.” Those activities often spark new interests. “Some of our older kids love teaching the younger ones soccer,” Kayla explained. “It’s led us to explore how to bring soccer to our community, which has never had it before.”

More than activities, Pioneer Village is about expanding possibilities. “Sometimes kids don’t even know what’s out there,” Amy said. “This program shows them options. It broadens their horizons.” That applies not only to the younger ones discovering STEM or teamwork, but also to the high schoolers realizing they can mentor, teach, and lead.

Diversity has also added richness to the program. “I think we’re culturally blessed,” Kayla said. “The kids get to experience different ways of thinking, different gentlenesses. It’s shaping the younger generation and removing confusion before it ever takes root.”

For both Amy and Kayla, Pioneer Village is more than a job. It’s a mission rooted in the belief that children deserve more than academic instruction—they deserve stability, care, and inspiration. “We get dismissed sometimes as just a latchkey program,” Amy admitted. “But if families need a safe place for their children, I’d much rather they be here with us. Because here, they’re safe, they’re cared for, and they’re learning.”

That commitment has turned afternoons at Trico into something special. Pioneer Village is not just a program—it’s a community within a community, where teachers, students, parents, and volunteers come together to give children not only supervision, but joy, discovery, and hope.

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