Weekly Media Roundup: April 4, 2018

As State’s First Lady Visits, After-School Programs Worry About Funding (KTVF, Alaska)

Alaska First Lady Donna Walker, as part of her role as Honorary Chair of the Alaska Children’s Trust Board of Directors, toured Joy Elementary School in Fairbanks last week to learn more about the school’s afterschool programs. Alaska Afterschool Network director Thomas Azzarella and Joy afterschool program coordinator Marilyn Eggleston led the tour and introduced the First Lady to participating students, according to KTVF. During the visit, Azzarella explained to the First Lady that the constant federal budget battles surrounding education and 21st Century Community Learning Centers funding have taken its toll, some afterschool program staff had to be let go because of the funding instability.

Theater Program Transforms Students into Acrobats in Aldine ISD (KTRK, Texas)

Students are tumbling, dancing, singing, and more through an afterschool arts program at Aldine Independent School District. Students work with highly-trained teachers and professionals to learn acrobatics and explore their physical abilities. “It’s exciting to be able to work with these kids. They have all this talent inside them,” teacher Sarita Salinas told KTRK. “It gives them the opportunity to change who they would be or could be. It gives them another value system and a pride, an incentive to do better in school and get good grades.”

Organization Aims to Enrich the Lives of Local Hispanic Children (Auburn Plainsman, Alabama)

Two afternoons a week, the nonprofit Esperanza House works with Hispanic students on their homework and gives them a safe, nurturing place to spend the afterschool hours. Esperanza House provides youth development, education and mental health programs to Auburn’s Hispanic families by holding weekly dinners for families, donating school supplies and funding scholarships for youths to attend summer camp. “When the kids are healthy and happy, it’s benefiting all of us,” board member Carolyn Fichtner told the Auburn Plainsman. “The kids are happy – the community is happy.”

Mentors Teach Hard Work & Teamwork Lead to Success (CBS Miami, Florida)

Afterschool program Urgent Inc is helping teenagers find their voice through film, photography, visual arts, music, and radio broadcast journalism. The program teaches teens to transform their communities through effort and teamwork, according to CBS Miami. Staff, like Urgent Inc artistic manager Shedia Nelson, empower students to set goals and believe in themselves. “She guides me as if I’m a leader, in that I can accomplish anything in life and that I should never let barriers stop me,” 17-year-old Marcus Williams said of Nelson. The students’ most recent project was a filmed commercial for Urgent Inc, produced and directed by Williams.