Weekly Media Roundup: September 8, 2021

Girls Inc. Kicks Off its After School Program for Girls, Messenger-Inquirer (Kentucky)

The Girls Inc. program in Owensboro, Kentucky resumed its After School Academy last week, during which students get help with their schoolwork, develop their leadership skills, explore science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), participate in community projects and more. Earlier in the pandemic, Girls Inc. operated a safe space for students to do remote learning and get academic support during school hours. “We have never been so proud of the work we did during that time period, possibly because it was some of the most challenging work we have ever done,” CEO Tish Correa Osborne told the Messenger-Inquirer. “We were out of our comfort zone, but knew if we didn’t step up, too many girls were at risk for falling behind.”

Opportunities Abound for Youth at Greater Miami Service Corps, Miami’s Community News (Florida)

The Safety Net Leadership Institute in Miami, Florida is offering students ages 14 to 17 the opportunity to engage with the community in a safe afterschool environment. “Students all over Miami-Dade County deserve access to quality afterschool programming on leadership, financial awareness, tutoring, mentorship, career exploration, and more, to support their growth and expand their access to new opportunities,” Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava told Miami’s Community News. “Investing in our youth is the best way to build a more prosperous and safer future for everyone in our county.” The program is part of the Greater Miami Service Corps and includes community service, leadership and tutoring.

Holdrege YMCA Benefits Kids Through Camps, Sports, Meals, Kearney Hub (Nebraska)

This past summer, the Don Sjogren Community YMCA in Holdrege, Nebraska provided 1,581 free meals to students. “The YMCA Kids Café has been nourishing kids for more than a decade, and we are proud to continue this important program to support local families,” YMCA CEO Riley Gruntorad told the Kearney Hub. The YMCA also hosted multiple summer camps for elementary and middle school students and their afterschool program was in full swing by mid-August.

Teens to Have Their Say in New Afterschool Program Launched by the Anton Art Center, Macomb Daily (Michigan)

Starting in September, students in Macomb County, Michigan will work on their own art projects in an open studio, explore new mediums and art tools, connect with professional artists, and access free WiFi and snacks at the Do It Yourself Art Center (D.I.Y.A.C.) afterschool program. The Anton Art Center is launching the program thanks to a $30,000 grant from the Generator Z initiative, which centers teen voices and leadership to conceptualize and fund innovative afterschool programming. “In today’s educational systems, students don’t always attend school with others from their community. D.I.Y.A.C. at the Anton Art Center is intended to help provide a common creative place for young creatives from Mount Clemens and Macomb County to come together and learn from one another,” Executive Director Phil Gilchrist told Macomb Daily.