INDEPENDENCE, Mo. -- As students in Independence begin their school year, administrators and teachers use a program designed to provide kids with more than just an education.

The district started the 21st Century Schools program and now it is in 1,300 schools in the country. Described as using a philosophy that focuses on the whole family, the program aims to give parents all the tools they need to raise their children.

Director of Youth Development Jennifer Walker said, "We feel it's really important to have quality early education programs so we can expose students to all sorts of things -- to help stimulate that brain and ultimately help them develop."

The program includes teaching kids how to eat a well-balanced meal, learning how to play chess, and even get hooked on karate or yoga during after-school hours.

Principal Todd Siebert said, "I think it gives kids an opportunity to hopefully find a hobby or a passion with one of the clubs that they may not otherwise be exposed to."

And there's help available when parents need it.

"Let's say that you are having a crisis -- maybe someone in the home has lost a job. We have a social worker available in the building for a parent to contact," Walker said.

With this philosophy, administrators say their students are succeeding in and out of class at a much faster rate, and that is their ultimate goal.