Weekly Media Roundup: May 3, 2017

Council Bluffs Schools to Expand Grant-Funded Before-, After-School Clubs After Seeing Benefits (Daily Nonpareil, Iowa)

A study by the Iowa Department of Education showed that participation in afterschool programs leads to increased attendance, better behavior and improved academic performance for students. Thanks to the favorable review, the Council Bluffs Community School District will receive additional funding to expand its afterschool and summer programming this year. “I’m amazed and thrilled because the data we’re getting is right in line with what people are seeing, which is increased achievement and attendance and decreased behavior,” 21st Century Grant Program Director Sandra Day told the Daily Nonpareil.

After-School Programs Help Nebraska Thrive (North Platte Telegraph, Nebraska)

In the North Platte Telegraph Nebraska State Board of Education member Molly O’Holleran and Beyond School Bells network lead Jeff Cole discuss that afterschool programs like Kids Klub in North Platte benefit not just students, but also parents and businesses: “Over half of the elementary school students in North Platte Public Schools are registered in KIDS Klub. These families depend on KIDS Klub to bridge the gap between the end of the school day and the end of the workday. The parents and guardians of these registered students are employed by over 350 local businesses. These Lincoln County businesses depend on KIDS Klub so their employees can come to work with the peace of mind they need to focus on their jobs. The evidence is clear and demonstrable: After-school programming benefits all Nebraskans, urban and rural alike.”

All-Girls Group at D.C. High School Aims to Build Confidence (Washington Post, District of Columbia)

At Phelps Architecture, Construction and Engineering High School, 13 girls meet once a week after school to discuss how they’re feeling, how their schoolwork is coming along, and how things are going at home as part of the H.E.R. Story afterschool club. H.E.R. Story, which stands for Helping Empower Regalness, is a space for girls to come together to support one another in the hopes of boosting their confidence and their academic achievement, according to the Washington Post. D.C. Public Schools is planning to implement similar support groups for girls of color in schools across the city this summer.

Students Plant, Give Marigolds to Older Residents (Sunbury Daily Item, Pennsylvania)

A group of children in an afterschool program planted marigold flowers to give to residents of the Maria Joseph Manor nursing home last month, according to the Sunbury Daily Item. The program, Heeter’s Little Hearts, leads students on community service projects to develop compassion and caring for others.