There are many factors to implementing a successful physical activity program. A few are planning, variety and flexibility.

Planning ahead by choosing activities before students arrive makes it easier to begin quickly and allows more time for movement. This is also a great time to prepare and place equipment for quick access and actions.

Leading a variety of activities not only prevents youth from getting bored, it gives them access to equipment and skills they may not have experienced before and presents new choices that could become favorites—maybe for a lifetime.

As an afterschool leader, being flexible and adjusting activities is essential for success. Fine-tuning activities for varying age and skill levels, using smaller groups, fewer rules and more equipment makes it easier to get everyone engaged and moving.

Afterschool staff have a unique opportunity to make a positive impact on the lives of America’s youth. I hope you will take a few minutes to reflect on your program and what steps you might take to make it as physically and emotionally healthy as it can be. Our kids deserve it don’t they?

To review research on the importance of physical activity for youth, click here. To learn more about the obesity epidemic and what schools and parents can do to help, check out these informational videos: “Childhood Obesity: Quality Physical Education as a Solution” and “More PE.”

Not only are our FIRST students in Camdenton introduced to STEM concepts, they are able to see the connection between what they're learning in the classroom and the real world beyond.  FIRST gives students answers to questions that sometimes stop them from getting started: “Why do I need to learn science, technology, engineering or math?" and "Why do I need to understand this concept?

The Camdenton 4-H LASER (Laker Afterschool Science Engineering & Robotics) team works closely with technical mentors—expert engineers, fabricators, graphic artists, Web designers and computer programmers.  They work with local business leaders who help them understand all aspects of a business and what it is like to work for a company.  The only way the team can succeed is if everyone works together toward one common goal.  If one team member fails to do his or her job it impacts the success of the team as a whole, just like the real world.

The core values of "gracious professionalism^®" and "coopertition^®" interwoven in FIRST are what the coaches and I, as well as the Camdenton R-III school district, value most.  It is part of the ethos of FIRST; a way of doing things that encourages high-quality work, emphasizes the value of others and respects individuals and the community.  With gracious professionalism, fierce competition and mutual gain are not separate notions.  Coopertition, or displaying unqualified kindness and respect in the face of fierce competition, is built on the idea that teams can and should help and cooperate with each other, even as they compete.  Both of these values become a way of life that carries over into students' daily lives.

The Challenges of Rural Afterschool Programs

Camdenton is a decidedly rural community, but with a few unique aspects.  The population of the town is 3,200, but we have 4,200 K-12 students on campus between the hours of 8:00 am and 3:00 pm daily, because the school district covers 372 square miles.  There is little industry and no big corporations to support the robotics teams.  FIRST was implemented at Camdenton in 2009 with 21 high school members and three adult mentors.  In the four short years since, the program has grown to include an additional 250 students in grades 4-12 and will expand next year with the addition of the Junior FIRST LEGO League program for students in grades 1-3.  The growth is extraordinary, testimony to what the program means to our students, our school and our community.  In fact, the elementary teams are formed using a lottery system, because demand surpasses the school's resources of space, staffing and financing.  With respect to the latter—money—we face a particular challenge rooted in our rural setting: We have to travel to Kansas City or St. Louis to compete (three hours one-way.)

We're fortunate that the Camdenton R-III School District and community have embraced FIRST.  Camdenton Optimist member and STEM Alliance organizer John Albright says that “FIRST has been life-changing for many of the youth that participate in Camdenton’s afterschool program.  One hundred percent of the graduating seniors have gone on to universities and are majoring in STEM-related fields for the last four years!  What an incredible testament to the community, school, mentors and coaches.  Our students are being accepted at some of the most prestigious colleges in the United States because of their involvement with FIRST robotics.”

The Camdenton 4-H LASER teams have to be creative to operate.  With no large corporate sponsorship, the students and mentors rely heavily on 21^st Century Community Learning Centers (21CCLC) funding to support their STEM efforts.  The team also wrote successful NASA and Boeing grant proposals to help pay competition fees.  Other sponsorship includes local business such as Sakelaris Ford, which sponsors the team’s largest fundraising effort.  Numerous other businesses provide funding, meals, mentors, materials and support. 

In an effort to repay the community for its incredible support of the afterschool program, the FIRST LASER teams from elementary to high school levels give back with service projects each year.  They've raised money for the Joplin Tornado Relief Fund to help Joplin High School form a robotics class after the 2011 F5 tornado destroyed their schools and community; they've also raised money for breast cancer research and to support a Citizens Against Domestic Violence children’s play room.  FIRST encourages teams to become involved with their community and always to leave the world a better place.

Providing opportunities that our students might not otherwise have in a rural area is what FIRST and our other afterschool programs are all about.  We want our youth to have options and the same opportunities that students from urban and metropolitan areas have in regard to STEM careers and exploration.  I want the fifth-grader who said she wants to be an astronaut to still be saying that when she's a high school senior.

In addition to providing an academically enriching environment that keeps kids engaged, the study finds that kids involved in quality summer learning programs saw their grade-level vocabulary skills increase, reported improved work habits and parents saw improved attitudes toward school.  Key findings from the report include:

• Kids participating in the summer learning programs saw their instructional grade level vocabulary assessment increase by more than 1/3 of a grade.
• Improvement in grade level vocabulary over the summer was most significant among middle schoolers who had below grade level vocabulary skills at the start of summer.
• Summer learning program participants maintained high school day attendance rates.
• Nearly 7 in 10 parents (68%) shared that their child improved their attitude toward reading.
• 77% of parents say that their child’s attitude toward school has improved since attending the summer program.
• Close to 9 in 10 parents (89%) say the summer learning program helped their child get along better with other children and 82% say that the program helped their child get along better with adults. 

Another notable take away from the report is the importance of a program’s quality.  The authors conclude that “young people are most likely to benefit” when a summer learning program is thoughtfully planned out and intentionally designed, is youth centered, incorporates fun and hands-on projects that build on academic skills, and fosters engagement among youth and staff.  Kids who report “excellent” experiences with staff and their peers in their summer learning program rate their work habits, reading efficacy and social competencies 30% higher than kids who reported only a “low” or “fair” experience. 

There was almost unanimous agreement among parents that they were satisfied with their child’s summer program (98%).  Summer learning programs have the ability to not only close the achievement gap, but they have the power to engage kids in new and interesting ways.  Parents in the Fresno focus group shared that they believed their child’s attitude toward reading improved because the program provided an environment where they felt less pressure and had more fun. 

If you’re interested in learning more about the numerous benefits of summer learning programs, you can read the full report or check out the 2-page executive summary.

We propose to add agencies responsible for administering statewide afterschool networks or other coordinating entities for out-of-school time care (if applicable) at new paragraph (H). Approximately, 39 states have established statewide afterschool networks. (National Network of Statewide Afterschool Networks,www.statewideafterschoolnetworks.net) These networks bring together different stakeholders to consider ways to improve the quality, quantity, and sustainability of school-age programs in their State. The CCDF program provides assistance to children up to age 13, therefore we believe it is critical that child care administrators partner with statewide afterschool networks or other entities, such as State associations of school-age programs, in order to better understand and respond to the unique issues related to improving access to and the quality of before-and-after school programs.