Weekly Media Roundup: April 28, 2021

After-School Program at Local Charter School a Popular Activity for Students, East Idaho News (Idaho)

Each day after school at White Pine Charter School in Ammon, Idaho, more than 200 students gain new skills and explore a wide range of interests, including robotics, Spanish language, art, creative writing, math, and more. Students also stay physically healthy through sports and fitness activities. The afterschool program is currently planning for summer learning activities as well. Program Director Alysa Trust told East Idaho News that “running the afterschool program is one of the most fulfilling things I’ve accomplished as an educator. It’s been so exciting to see these students light up when they are able to dive into their own, specific interests.”

Eastman Foundation Awards $25,000 to Boys & Girls Club, Kingsport Times News (Tennessee)

Thanks to a $25,000 grant from Eastman Foundation, the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Kingsport, Tennessee will be able to offer its Code in Class summer enrichment program. “COVID-19 caused a rapid shift to remote learning last year and impacted nearly every aspect of educational and afterschool programming,” Willie McLain, Eastman Foundation president, told Kingsport Times News. “Many families depend on afterschool programs to provide a safe place for their students to attend, and many students depend on these programs as a source for friendship, tutoring, mentoring and much more.” With the additional funding, students will not only learn computer coding but also how to build an actual computer.

Use Federal Relief to Expand Summer Learning and After-School Programs, Yakima Herald (Washington)

Northwest Community Action Center Program Coordinator Beth Monfils, an Afterschool Ambassador for the Afterschool Alliance, discusses the many ways afterschool programs help students cope with stress and uncertainty, succeed in school, and pursue their goals in a column in the Yakima Herald. Although parent satisfaction with and public support for afterschool programs is high, there is not enough funding to meet the demand, and 650,000 children in Washington State are still waiting for a spot in a program. Monfils argues that increasing funding for afterschool is crucial to helping students recover from the pandemic. “Now, through the American Rescue Plan, we have an unprecedented opportunity to do that,” she wrote. “Using these funds to support and expand afterschool and summer learning programs is essential for recovery.”

'Just the start': Strong Foundation Reopens William 'Kid' Franklin Club in West Montgomery, Montgomery Advertiser (Alabama)

With financial backing and support from the Strong Tower Church, the William ‘Kid” Franklin Boys and Girls Club in Montgomery, Alabama has opened its doors once again to provide afterschool programs, summer camps, athletics and job training. The building, abandoned since 2007, was in dire need of repairs. The church invested $1 million over four years to restore the club to its former glory. “This community center will help people from all walks of life and I am so very proud to have this in the capital city,” Governor Kay Ivey told the Montgomery Advertiser.