How Important Is Time? Upcoming Event Shines Light on After-School Program (Dothan Eagle, Alabama)
The Boys & Girls Club of Hawk-Houston is hoping to engage the Dothan community with its afterschool program by hosting its tenth annual Lights On Afterschool event next Thursday. “We want to shine a light on the importance of the afterschool program in the community,” CEO Altha Newman told the Dothan Eagle. “The program needs the support of the community for us to be able to grow it, to serve more kids and their families.” The club provides students with a safe environment between the hours of 3 and 6 p.m., a place where they can work on homework, exercise, and receive a healthy meal.
Henderson Children’s Center Draws Praise from Governor (Henderson Gleaner, Kentucky)
Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin visited the one-year-old Audubon Kids Zone last week to see the afterschool program in action. The program was founded a year ago in the poorest neighborhood of Henderson, according to the Gleaner, and aims to help students in need succeed academically and in life by building lasting relationships and supporting them in their goals. “This is a gem,” Bevin told the staff during his visit. “This should be celebrated and replicated in other communities.”
Little Free Library Has New Best Friend – Girl Scouts (Youth Today)
For the past several years, the nonprofit Little Free Library has helped bring free books to children and communities across the country, partly through a partnership with the Girl Scouts. More than 500 of the libraries that have been built were set up by Girl Scouts, according to Little Free Library program manager Margaret Aldrich. “Community service is a core value of Girl Scouting. Girl Scouts establishes a sense of learning for girls,” and they want to extend that to others, Girl Scouts of Southwest Texas chief development and communications office Stephanie Finleon Cortez told Youth Today.
Annual Lights On Afterschool Brings Law Enforcement and Kids Together (KNOP, Nebraska)
The North Platte Kids Klub at Wild Bills held its Lights On Afterschool celebration this past Friday. Youths in the program bowled and played laser tag with Lincoln County law enforcement officers, giving students the opportunity to build a positive relationship with police officers at a young age. “They help the community,” Kids Klub member Brooklyn Fries told KNOP. “They save the people who are getting hurt by bad guys.”
Environmental Science Center Creates Future Conservationists (Westside Seattle, Washington) The nonprofit Environmental Science Center connects youth and other community members with nature. The center hopes that by introducing students to the environment through hands-on scientific...
BY: Luci Manning 03/21/18
Mobile Community Center Heads to Troubled Neighborhood; High Hopes for After-School Care (Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Texas) The Las Vegas Trail Revitalization Project and Catholic Charities of Fort Worth will hopefully be opening a brick-and-mortar community center later this year; until then, an...
BY: Luci Manning 03/14/18
Community Schools a Way to Improve Education (Commercial Appeal, Tennessee) Knoxville businessman and Republican gubernatorial candidate Randy Boyd vouches for community schools – like the one he helped launch at Pond Gap Elementary School – as a way to help low-income students...
BY: Luci Manning 01/31/18
Contest Pitting Students Against JPL Engineers Draws a Vast Pool of Contenders (La Cañada Valley Sun, California) Students from around the world, including those in Los Angeles afterschool programs, faced off against teams of engineers from La Cañada’s Jet Propulsion...
BY: Luci Manning 12/13/17
These Girls Now Have Big Dreams — Thanks to these Mentoring Programs (The Miami Herald, Florida) Three unique afterschool programs in South Florida are inspiring girls to build their confidence and professional ambition. Honey Shine motivates girls to pursue higher education while...
BY: Luci Manning 11/15/17
Former Student Shares How Bellevue’s Jubilee Reach Provided Help (Bellevue Reporter, Washington) Current University of Washington student and REACH afterschool program alumna Jeyma Garcia will share how instrumental the REACH afterschool program was to her at the annual Festival of Trees...
BY: Luci Manning 11/08/17
Georgia Students Learn Pre-Engineering as They Revamp Shipping Containers for Haiti (Youth Today, Georgia) Marietta High School students in the school’s civil engineering club and afterschool design class are designing a community center out of shipping containers to help communities in...
BY: Luci Manning 09/27/17
Best Speaks in Support of After-School Programs (Branson Tri-Lakes News, Missouri) Last Tuesday, Branson Mayor Karen Best spoke at a congressional briefing organized by the Afterschool Alliance in support of federal funding for afterschool programs. Best emphasized afterschool...
BY: Luci Manning 09/20/17
Yoga Is for Keikei Too (The Garden Island, Hawaii) Children are increasing their strength, balance, coordination, endurance, flexibility and more in afterschool yoga programs throughout Hawaii. Instructors believe that the breathing techniques and challenging poses in yoga help students learn to...
BY: Luci Manning 09/13/17
If You Think This Camp’s Unusual, You’re Dead Right (Riverdale Press, New York) A cemetery may not seem like an obvious location to host a summer camp, but for some 20 students from the Bronx, it has been the perfect place to spend time outside while learning about the history of...
BY: Luci Manning 08/02/17
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...
BY: Luci Manning 04/04/18
Mobile Community Center Heads to Troubled Neighborhood; High Hopes for After-School Care (Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Texas) The Las Vegas Trail Revitalization Project and Catholic Charities of Fort Worth will hopefully be opening a brick-and-mortar community center later this year; until then, an...
BY: Luci Manning 03/14/18
For Camden Teens, ‘Black Panther’ Lives Up to the Hype (Courier Post, New Jersey) Some 100 students from Camden area schools and afterschool programs were treated to an advance screening of the new ‘Black Panther’ film thanks to Campbell Soup Company’s Black...
BY: Luci Manning 02/21/18
Henley Student Honored for After-School Program (Herald and News, Oregon) High school sophomore Nicole Cleland was recently honored with a $1,000 donation from U.S. Cellular to put towards the innovative afterschool program she developed for elementary school students. Cleland’s program...
BY: Luci Manning 02/14/18
New Team Sport Opens for Creston Youth (Creston News Advertiser, Iowa) Nearly 70 Creston students in fourth through 12th grade are learning focus, self-control, patience and discipline through archery after school. The Creston Archery team opened last year as part of the National Archery in...
BY: Luci Manning 01/24/18
Students Learn How to Create Meals with Sparse Resources (Tahlequah Daily Press, Oklahoma) A Hulbert High School senior is helping her peers learn to cook delicious, creative meals through Kayla’s Teen Cooking Club. Kayla Rooster runs the club through the Hulbert Community Library, working...
BY: Luci Manning 01/17/18
Harvard Law Grad Helps Low-Income Students Aim High (Christian Science Monitor) A Queens-based afterschool program is helping low-income students apply to and prepare for elite higher education. Legal Outreach offers writing courses, SAT prep and workshops, and even helps get students placed in...
BY: Luci Manning 01/10/18
Neighborhood Center Is a Hit with Residents (Chico Enterprise-Record, California) Anaheim’s new community center at Ponderosa Park is attracting locals of all ages to its afterschool programs, nutrition classes and educational workshops. The newly refurbished center opened last month and...
BY: Luci Manning 01/03/18
Program Helps Students Deal with Trauma, Stress at Home (Las Vegas Review Journal, Nevada) Nonprofit Healing Hearts’ afterschool program has made a big difference helping youths work through their stress, anger, anxiety and depression. The Teens in Action program addresses trauma and...
BY: Luci Manning 11/22/17
These Girls Now Have Big Dreams — Thanks to these Mentoring Programs (The Miami Herald, Florida) Three unique afterschool programs in South Florida are inspiring girls to build their confidence and professional ambition. Honey Shine motivates girls to pursue higher education while...
BY: Luci Manning 11/15/17
Environmental Science Center Creates Future Conservationists (Westside Seattle, Washington) The nonprofit Environmental Science Center connects youth and other community members with nature. The center hopes that by introducing students to the environment through hands-on scientific...
BY: Luci Manning 03/21/18
Mobile Community Center Heads to Troubled Neighborhood; High Hopes for After-School Care (Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Texas) The Las Vegas Trail Revitalization Project and Catholic Charities of Fort Worth will hopefully be opening a brick-and-mortar community center later this year; until then, an...
BY: Luci Manning 03/14/18
Ellie the Elephant Teaches Empathy (Boothbay Register, Maine) The YMCA’s FitKidz afterschool programs hosted an unusual visitor last month: a giant, talking robot elephant. During her visit, Ellie the elephant, sponsored by the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, detailed her life...
BY: Luci Manning 03/07/18
Kevin Durant Donates $10 Million to Prince George’s Co. Students (WTOP, District of Columbia) NBA star Kevin Durant has donated $10 million to help underprivileged students from his hometown go to college, according to WTOP. His donation will help start the College Track afterschool...
BY: Luci Manning 02/28/18
Henley Student Honored for After-School Program (Herald and News, Oregon) High school sophomore Nicole Cleland was recently honored with a $1,000 donation from U.S. Cellular to put towards the innovative afterschool program she developed for elementary school students. Cleland’s program...
BY: Luci Manning 02/14/18
CareFlight Lands at Johnson Elementary School for BOYS2MEN Program (Montrose Daily Press, Colorado) More than 40 boys at Johnson Elementary School were thrilled to get a visit from a medical helicopter last week as part of the BOYS2MEN afterschool program. Community figures like firefighters,...
BY: Luci Manning 02/07/18
Community Schools a Way to Improve Education (Commercial Appeal, Tennessee) Knoxville businessman and Republican gubernatorial candidate Randy Boyd vouches for community schools – like the one he helped launch at Pond Gap Elementary School – as a way to help low-income students...
BY: Luci Manning 01/31/18
New Team Sport Opens for Creston Youth (Creston News Advertiser, Iowa) Nearly 70 Creston students in fourth through 12th grade are learning focus, self-control, patience and discipline through archery after school. The Creston Archery team opened last year as part of the National Archery in...
BY: Luci Manning 01/24/18
Students Learn How to Create Meals with Sparse Resources (Tahlequah Daily Press, Oklahoma) A Hulbert High School senior is helping her peers learn to cook delicious, creative meals through Kayla’s Teen Cooking Club. Kayla Rooster runs the club through the Hulbert Community Library, working...
BY: Luci Manning 01/17/18
Obama Dons Santa Hat, Brings Holiday Cheer to DC Kids (CNN, District of Columbia) Afterschool students from the Boys & Girls Club of D.C. celebrated the holidays with a special visitor last week – former President Barack Obama. After arriving in a Santa hat...
BY: Luci Manning 12/20/17
If You Think This Camp’s Unusual, You’re Dead Right (Riverdale Press, New York) A cemetery may not seem like an obvious location to host a summer camp, but for some 20 students from the Bronx, it has been the perfect place to spend time outside while learning about the history of...
BY: Luci Manning 08/02/17
After-School Unicycle Program Gains Traction across Texas Schools (Daily Texan, Texas) Austin schoolteacher Jimmy Agnew is teaching students self-confidence and team-building skills through a unique activity – unicycling. Agnew’s nonprofit, One Wheel Many Children, grew out the...
BY: Luci Manning 07/26/17
After-School Funding Is a Smart Public Investment (Springfield News-Leader, Missouri) Springfield Police Chief Paul Williams argues for 21st Century Community Learning Centers funding in a Springfield News-Leader op-ed: “Over the long run, these programs can improve social-emotional skill...
BY: Luci Manning 05/24/17
Teenage Girls Who Code Get Encouragement from U.S. Bank (Marketplace) U.S. Bank offered its support to six teams of girls participating in a coding challenge called Technovation, encouraging them to develop apps that would help people manage their finances. The teams, several of which were made...
BY: Luci Manning 05/10/17
Sew Bain Club Sends Handmade Clothing to Nicaragua (Cranston Herald, Rhode Island) Nearly a dozen girls have been spending their afterschool time learning to design clothes and use a sewing machine for a good cause. The girls in the Sew Bain afterschool club, part of Afterschool Ambassador Ayana...
BY: Luci Manning 04/19/17
Chefs of the Future Contest Has Kids Cookin’ Good (Daily News, New York) Thirteen youths competed this weekend to see who could come up with the healthiest, most interesting recipe in the Recipe Rescue competition, part of an afterschool program run by the Department of Youth and Community...
BY: Luci Manning 03/08/17
Aspire High Teaches Eager Middle Schoolers about College Life (The Signal: College of New Jersey, New Jersey) An out-of-school time program in New Jersey is showing underprivileged students that college can be part of their future. Aspire High arranges college visits for middle schoolers,...
BY: Luci Manning 02/15/17
After School Program in Roanoke Gives Students Interest in Manufacturing (WDBJ, Virginia) Breckenridge middle schoolers are learning skills that could one day lead to well-paying manufacturing jobs at Roanoke’s Maker Mart afterschool program. Students in the program work with drills and...
BY: Luci Manning 02/08/17
Students Empower Children’s Futures (Reflector: Mississippi State University, Mississippi) Mississippi State University students are acting as homework helpers and positive role models to low-income students in Starkville through the Brickfire Mentoring Program. The Brickfire Project helps...
BY: Luci Manning 02/01/17
Congressional Delays Leave Programs Hanging (News & Observer, North Carolina) Writing in the News & Observer, Afterschool Ambassador Betsey McFarland explains the uncertainty that comes with congressional budget delays: “The delay in adopting a full-year federal budget means that...
BY: Luci Manning 01/11/17
For Camden Teens, ‘Black Panther’ Lives Up to the Hype (Courier Post, New Jersey) Some 100 students from Camden area schools and afterschool programs were treated to an advance screening of the new ‘Black Panther’ film thanks to Campbell Soup Company’s Black...
BY: Luci Manning 02/21/18
Henley Student Honored for After-School Program (Herald and News, Oregon) High school sophomore Nicole Cleland was recently honored with a $1,000 donation from U.S. Cellular to put towards the innovative afterschool program she developed for elementary school students. Cleland’s program...
BY: Luci Manning 02/14/18
Students Learn How to Create Meals with Sparse Resources (Tahlequah Daily Press, Oklahoma) A Hulbert High School senior is helping her peers learn to cook delicious, creative meals through Kayla’s Teen Cooking Club. Kayla Rooster runs the club through the Hulbert Community Library, working...
BY: Luci Manning 01/17/18
Neighborhood Center Is a Hit with Residents (Chico Enterprise-Record, California) Anaheim’s new community center at Ponderosa Park is attracting locals of all ages to its afterschool programs, nutrition classes and educational workshops. The newly refurbished center opened last month and...
BY: Luci Manning 01/03/18
Tennis Program Helps Students to AIM High (Gainesville Sun, Florida) “Katie Munroe credits her involvement with the Aces in Motion education program with motivating her to realize her dreams of going to college,” according to the Gainesville Sun. The AIM afterschool program...
BY: Luci Manning 08/16/17
With Help of a BMX Pro, at-Risk Youth Pedal Their Way to a Better Future (Fresno Bee, California) A biking afterschool program at Sequoia Middle School is steering students away from dangerous decisions and toward a fun, positive learning environment. BMX Jam, started by former BMX racing...
BY: Luci Manning 08/09/17
Squash Gives Kids a Way to Win Big on Court, in Life (Plain Dealer, Ohio) Students from low-income neighborhoods throughout Cleveland are being recruited to play a somewhat unusual sport – squash. Some 45 students participate in Urban Squash Cleveland. “This is really about youth...
BY: Luci Manning 05/31/17
Chefs of the Future Contest Has Kids Cookin’ Good (Daily News, New York) Thirteen youths competed this weekend to see who could come up with the healthiest, most interesting recipe in the Recipe Rescue competition, part of an afterschool program run by the Department of Youth and Community...
BY: Luci Manning 03/08/17
New Arapahoe Programs Boost Schools’ Test Scores (Riverton Ranger, Wyoming) Students in the Fremont County School District have improved their performance on key academic assessments, thanks in part to a new series of reading, math and afterschool programs. The schools’ 21st Century...
BY: Luci Manning 03/01/17
Aspire High Teaches Eager Middle Schoolers about College Life (The Signal: College of New Jersey, New Jersey) An out-of-school time program in New Jersey is showing underprivileged students that college can be part of their future. Aspire High arranges college visits for middle schoolers,...
BY: Luci Manning 02/15/17
Contest Pitting Students Against JPL Engineers Draws a Vast Pool of Contenders (La Cañada Valley Sun, California) Students from around the world, including those in Los Angeles afterschool programs, faced off against teams of engineers from La Cañada’s Jet Propulsion...
BY: Luci Manning 12/13/17
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...
BY: Luci Manning 05/03/17
After School Program in Roanoke Gives Students Interest in Manufacturing (WDBJ, Virginia) Breckenridge middle schoolers are learning skills that could one day lead to well-paying manufacturing jobs at Roanoke’s Maker Mart afterschool program. Students in the program work with drills and...
BY: Luci Manning 02/08/17
Students Empower Children’s Futures (Reflector: Mississippi State University, Mississippi) Mississippi State University students are acting as homework helpers and positive role models to low-income students in Starkville through the Brickfire Mentoring Program. The Brickfire Project helps...
BY: Luci Manning 02/01/17
‘Hidden Figures’ Stars Encourage Girls to Pursue STEM Careers During LA Screening (EdSource) Approximately 10,000 middle and high school girls from the Los Angeles area had a chance to attend a special screening of the new film ‘Hidden Figures’ and hear from some of the...
BY: Luci Manning 01/18/17
Students Build Toys for Kids in Need (Chicago Daily Herald, Illinois) Some 20 students in Lake Zurich Middle School South’s afterschool woodworking program used their new skills to brighten the holidays for children who have been victims of domestic violence. Over the course of four...
BY: Luci Manning 12/21/16
Bellringer Aids Safe Passage (Ventura County Star, California) The Thousand Oaks police department and other Conejo Valley agencies are giving 124 youngsters an alternative to joining a gang and getting into trouble after school through Project Safe Passage. The afterschool program operates near...
BY: Luci Manning 12/14/16
Establishing a Culture of Peace (Indianapolis Star, Indiana) Students in the Martin Luther King Center afterschool program now have a safe space to relax, take a few deep breaths and escape the drama of their daily lives. The community center decided to create the new Peace Room to give students a...
BY: Luci Manning 12/07/16
Nutrition Fair Provides Dose of Education for All Kinds of Students (Centre Daily Times, Pennsylvania) A partnership between Penn State University and the State College Area School District recently gave university students an opportunity to teach “nutrition at a community level” to...
BY: Luci Manning 12/01/16
Students Partner with Elementary School, Teach Science (Stanford Daily, California) Twice a week, elementary schoolers at East Palo Alto Charter School receive special science lessons from Stanford University students as part of the Science Bus afterschool program. The lesson plan is entirely...
BY: Luci Manning 11/23/16
Chefs of the Future Contest Has Kids Cookin’ Good (Daily News, New York) Thirteen youths competed this weekend to see who could come up with the healthiest, most interesting recipe in the Recipe Rescue competition, part of an afterschool program run by the Department of Youth and Community...
BY: Luci Manning 03/08/17
New Arapahoe Programs Boost Schools’ Test Scores (Riverton Ranger, Wyoming) Students in the Fremont County School District have improved their performance on key academic assessments, thanks in part to a new series of reading, math and afterschool programs. The schools’ 21st Century...
BY: Luci Manning 03/01/17
Aspire High Teaches Eager Middle Schoolers about College Life (The Signal: College of New Jersey, New Jersey) An out-of-school time program in New Jersey is showing underprivileged students that college can be part of their future. Aspire High arranges college visits for middle schoolers,...
BY: Luci Manning 02/15/17
Our Club Boys Get a Trim and a Treat (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Arkansas) Sixteen boys in the Our Club afterschool program went back to school this week with spiffy new haircuts thanks to local barbers. The afterschool program works with homeless and low-income students through Our House, a...
BY: Luci Manning 01/04/17
Mentor Programs Steer Teens Away from Gangs (Associated Press, Oregon) A community-wide coalition is aiming to keep youth from joining gangs through a variety of activities, including sports, art, spirituality and bicycle building. The Jackson County Gang Prevention Task Force includes...
BY: Luci Manning 11/02/16
After-School Program Seeks to Inspire Students (NBC Washington, District of Columbia) Students in the After-School All-Stars program at Hobson Middle School are taking a different kind of STEM class: one focused on science, travel, entrepreneurship and math. The students celebrated Lights...
BY: Luci Manning 10/26/16
Rally Will Help Celebrate Afterschool Programs in Hawaii (Hawaii News Now, Hawaii) The Hawaii Afterschool Alliance will celebrate Lights On Afterschool with a rally at the Hawaii State Capitol Rotunda today. The rally will allow children to show off their talents for art, dance and music and...
BY: Luci Manning 10/19/16
4-H Brings Science, Technology to Somali Youth (Minneapolis Star Tribune, Minnesota) A 4-H program in Minneapolis is teaching Somali youth about the scientific process and trying to encourage an interest in scientific fields among students who recently moved to the United States. About 30...
BY: Luci Manning 08/24/16
Police Mentorship Program Pairs Officers with City Youth (Jersey Journal, New Jersey) Students at the Bayonne Youth Center are being given the chance to build self-confidence thanks to a new partnership with the Bayonne Police Department. Several police officers volunteered to mentor the youths...
BY: Luci Manning 08/10/16
Kids Have a Blast, Learn Cyber Basics (Pensacola News Journal, Florida) Elementary and middle school students are learning how to better secure their computers, phones and tablets at Global Business Solutions Inc.’s (GBSI’s) Summer Cyber Camp. The program teaches students about the...
BY: Luci Manning 07/06/16