Weekly Media Roundup - October 23, 2013

Santa Fe’s public radio station, KSFR, reported on the award-winning Project GUTS program. The Afterschool Alliance presented the Santa Fe Institute with an award for its science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) related afterschool program for middle school students at its Lights On Afterschool event over the weekend. The Santa Fe Institute’s Irene Lee told KSFR the rigorous computing program allows middle-schoolers to design and develop test models simulating real-world questions.

 

Hundreds of students in Grand Rapids gathered together to celebrate Lights On Afterschool last week. 

Carrie Teer, site coordinator for the Grand Rapids Public School’s LOOP afterschool program at East Leonard Elementary, said if not for the programs, many students would be going to empty homes after school because their parents still are at work.  “That's the other message stressed by the nationwide celebration, the need for resources so more children can attend safe, structured environments. Due to funding cuts, Grand Rapids has gone from 34 to 25 sites, leaving 600 kids without programs,” MLive.com reports.

 

Deputy Speaker Upendra Chivukula was the keynote speaker at the Raritan Valley YMCA’ Lights On Afterschool celebration last week. At the event Chivukula said, “Investing in enrichment programs is extremely valuable to our youth; they keep children safe and improve academic performance and school attendance,” the Star-Ledger reports. “These benefits are not just restricted to classroom performance, but improve behavior and promote a healthy lifestyle… Parents can rest easy knowing their children are being cared for responsibly while involving themselves in fitness activities and enrichment programs.”

Chadron Public Schools celebrated the success of its afterschool program last week with a Lights On Afterschool event at the primary, intermediate and middle school sites. Libby Uhing, who took part in the Lights On Afterschool event with her daughter Eliana, told The Chadron Record that the afterschool program is “a little more laid back, but [the students] get so much academic enrichment,” and that the afterschool program provides a safe place with enthusiastic staff for kids to spend time at.