PORT BYRON - Ten students in a cooking class taste sweet leftover batter from mixing spoons and admire their freshly baked muffins. Meanwhile, 10 children in a woodworking class measure and cut Plexiglas.

It's a typical day after school at Port Byron, where students in grades four through 12 are learning unique skills and getting a dose of conventional education at the district's new after-school program.

The program, new as of Nov. 2, is funded through state and federal grants, said Julie Donofrio, the program's director. All Port Byron students are eligible. It is free of charge to the students and is available on a first come, first serve basis.

The program includes tutoring in a variety of subjects, both traditional and some nontraditional topics. Tutoring subjects include English, geography, math, art history, reading comprehension, study skills and public speaking. Activities include woodworking, clay, art club, cooking, scrapbooking, improv theater, service learning, dance and exercise.

Each day school, the program runs from 3:15 to 5 p.m. for elementary students and from 2:30 to 5 p.m. for middle and high school students, said Donofrio. There are late buses available to take the students home after the program.

“At this age group, a lot of them start to think it's not cool to be in school,” said Debbie Kudla, assistant director of the program. “Some kids that complain about being here are here until 5 p.m. because they're having fun. And we sneak in the academic piece, as well.”

There are 65 spaces in the program and a waiting list for next session, which starts on Jan. 4. The students enrolled in the current session get to take two activity courses - one that meets Mondays and Wednesdays and another that meets Tuesdays and Thursdays. Fridays are reserved for special events. Students are required to stay with the courses they choose, but can try out different activities if they sign up for the next session, Donofrio said.

“It keeps the students in a safe, orderly environment and they're getting a nutritious snack, too,” Donofrio said. “It allows the students extra time to work in small groups with teachers. They can receive tutoring in various subjects and can learn an activity they wouldn't normally take part in.”

Donofrio said the students seem to be very excited about the program. She has heard students in the hallways asking other students and teachers if there is an open space in the program. Kudla has already heard positive feedback from parents.

The most popular activities are the cooking course and the art courses. Students also seem to especially enjoy the public speaking and study skills tutoring topics, said Kudla.

Samantha Mahunik, a sixth-grader, was learning to make picture frames in her woodworking class Monday.

“It's fun, playing with plastic, metal and copper,” she said. “I took it because it seemed fun and most of my friends were in it.”

Classmate Jennifer Jefferds, also in sixth grade, said she likes handling the tools in class.

“I think it's fun because you get to make stuff and use different objects to make it,” she said. “I wanted to know how to make different things so I could make them at home for my family.”

In Monday's cooking class, students were baking muffins and planning a Thanksgiving dinner. Students were busily washing dishes and sweeping the floor to earn points for helping with kitchen clean-up.

Brianna Degraw, a fifth-grader, said she wanted to learn to cook so she could help her mom with the cooking at home. She said she likes everything about cooking so far.

Jeremy St. Martin, a sixth-grader, said he took the class more for the eating portion than the cooking portion. He plans to take the exercise class next session.

Staff writer Kelly Voll can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 239 or kelly.voll@lee.net