Afterschool Snack

ARP ESSER state plans are in! More funds are hitting the ground at the state and local level

With the 2021-2022 school year in full-swing, the federal American Rescue Plan relief funds are making important impacts in states and communities. At this point, all 50 states have submitted their Elementary and Secondary Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER) plans. The Department of Education is...

BY: Jillian Luchner 11/11/21

Public support for quality programs for children and youth remains a top priority for American families and businesses

While Congress continues to work on its appropriations and reconciliation packages, Americans continue to voice their strong support for programs that help them work while providing enriching experiences for their children. In addition to our America After 3 PM Survey, which has consistently...

BY: Jillian Luchner 11/02/21

Lights On Afterschool: Forging futures

As we head into the 22nd year of Lights On Afterschool, the nation’s celebration of afterschool programs, I have mixed feelings. Should we be celebrating? After all, this isn’t the school year we hoped to have. Many of our programs, youth, and families are in crisis. But, I am an...

BY: Jodi Grant 10/26/21

Afterschool programs help boost vaccination efforts

Photo by CDC on Unsplash The approval of COVID-19 vaccinations for children age 12 and older has provided a ray of hope to families and schools nationwide as way to help ensure students’ health and safety as they return to the in-person classroom. In August, the Biden administration...

BY: Nicole Pettenati 10/15/21

49 states, D.C., and Puerto Rico submitted ARP state plans, 37 approved (Part 4)

As summer officially turned to fall this month, almost all states, plus Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico, have now submitted their proposed state plans for the use of American Rescue Plan (ARP) Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER III) Funds to the US Department of Education, and...

BY: Erik Peterson 10/01/21

Looking back, looking ahead: Back-to-Afterschool 2021

I've never been prouder to be an advocate for afterschool programs than I have been since the start of this horrible pandemic. Through thick and thin, afterschool providers have been genuine heroes in their communities. They've helped children and their families through the hardest of...

BY: Jodi Grant 09/28/21

What could the Build Back Better Act mean for afterschool and summer learning?

This week the House of Representatives finished work at the Committee level on the Build Back Better Act legislation that invests in programs that support human infrastructure and includes parts of President Biden’s American Jobs Plan and American Families Plan. The bill is progressing on...

BY: Erik Peterson 09/17/21

New learning loss recovery guidance and survey data suggest strong role for afterschool

Last week, as students across the country continued to return to in-person learning, new survey data released from AASA – The School Superintendents Association, as well as additional guidance on learning loss recovery from the US Department of Education, suggests there is more work to be...

BY: Erik Peterson 09/09/21

Understanding "evidence-based" programs to make the case for ARP funds

In March 2021, President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan (ARP) into law, providing $122 billion in federal education funds to support students impacted by the pandemic. Since then, state education agencies have submitted their proposed plans for the use of the funds to the Department of...

BY: Bella DiMarco 08/19/21

Appropriations, budget resolutions, and infrastructure—oh my!

Historically the month of August is a slow one in Washington, D.C., with Congress taking off for a summer break. While the House and Senate are now in a recess for a several weeks, that break did not come before a frenzy of legislative work that is worthy of a recap. In late July, before...

BY: Erik Peterson 08/16/21

Weekly Media Roundup: November 17, 2021

‘Worst-Case Scenario’: VB Parks & Rec Closing 14 Before/Afterschool Childcare Programs Due to Staffing Shortage, WAVY-TV (Virginia) Virginia Beach Parks & Recreation announced it will close three before-school and 11 afterschool programs starting January 3 due to ongoing...

BY: Magen Eissenstat 11/17/21

Weekly Media Roundup: November 10, 2021

Lakeside, YMCA Partner for After-School Program, The Sentinel-Record (Arkansas) Thanks to federal relief funds, Lakeside Primary School in Hot Springs, Arkansas is offering its S.C.O.R.E. (Successful Children's Out-of-school-time Recreation and Education) program free this year. Facilitated...

BY: Magen Eissenstat 11/10/21

Weekly Media Roundup: November 3, 2021

State Celebrates Success of Afterschool/Summer Program Expansion, Rutland Herald (Vermont) At a Lights On Afterschool event held in Montpelier, Vermont Governor Phil Scott announced a new initiative to ensure every student in Vermont can access high-quality afterschool and summer learning...

BY: Magen Eissenstat 11/03/21

Weekly Media Roundup: October 27, 2021

Former Teacher Creates After-School Program at Family Business, Columbus Dispatch (Mississippi) A Starkville, Mississippi teacher reimagined her family’s skating rink as an afterschool program for elementary schoolers. Skate Odyssey has been owned by Harley Middleton’s family since...

BY: Magen Eissenstat 10/27/21

Weekly Media Roundup: October 20, 2021

Girls Inc. Launches STEM-Based Program At New College, SRQ Magazine (Florida) In addition to summer and afterschool programs, Girls Inc. of Sarasota, Florida is expanding its STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) opportunities for girls through a multi-year program with New College....

BY: Magen Eissenstat 10/20/21

Weekly Media Roundup: October 13, 2021

Gwinnett Celebrating Importance of Afterschool Programs, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (Georgia) On October 28, Gwinnett County, Georgia, will celebrate Lights On Afterschool with an event titled “Walk Among the Stars.” At the Hollywood-themed...

BY: Magen Eissenstat 10/13/21

Weekly Media Roundup: October 6, 2021

Non-profit Looks to Bring Hope to Chadbourn Youth, WWAY-TV (North Carolina) A new afterschool program in Chadbourn, North Carolina will focus on mentorship, athletics, academics, and character development. Robbie ‘Pedro’ Stephens, a retired military officer and juvenile counselor,...

BY: Magen Eissenstat 10/06/21

Weekly Media Roundup, September 29, 2021

Children of the Valley Program Expanding to Burlington, Sedro-Woolley, GoSkagit.com (Washington) At the onset of the pandemic, the Mount Vernon School District in Washington state reached out to Children of the Valley afterschool program to help provide in-person support to students facing the...

BY: Magen Eissenstat 09/29/21

Weekly Media Roundup: September 22, 2021

Staying Active: McAllen Club Navigating COVID Fears, Funding Cuts, The Monitor (Texas) With strong community support, the Boys and Girls Club of McAllen, Texas has been able to keep its doors open throughout the pandemic. “Financially, the local community has stepped up,”...

BY: Magen Eissenstat 09/22/21

Weekly Media Roundup: September 15, 2021

'Too young to do nothing,' Grandma's House Founder is Tulare's Woman of the Year, Visalia Times Delta (California) When Flora Johnson retired as an elementary school principal after an education career spanning more than three decades, she decided to continue to serve children by...

BY: Magen Eissenstat 09/16/21

November resources from Million Girls Moonshot

Photo courtesy of Million Girls Moonshot Below are the November resources from Million Girls Moonshot. This month’s asset package includes resources to share and utilize related to the four transformative practices: equity and inclusion, engineering mindsets, role models, mentors and...

BY: Chris Neitzey 11/19/21

Prioritizing youth voice in COVID-19 recovery strategies: An interview with Ed Snider Youth Hockey Foundation

We spoke with Summer Haran, Chief Developmental Strategist of Ed Snider Youth Hockey Foundation to discuss how her organization adapted to meet youth needs throughout the pandemic, what aspects were most important when thinking about the future, and how Snider Hockey was able to expand critical...

BY: Maria Rizo 11/16/21

Out-of-school time programs helping children find their passion, purpose, and voice

The mental, emotional, and physical well-being of children has been top of mind throughout the pandemic—for parents, for educators, and for youth development professionals. In a prescient research endeavor, conducted by Edge Research and with the support of The Wallace Foundation, Learning...

BY: Nikki Yamashiro 11/04/21

Upcoming STEM opportunities from Million Girls Moonshot

Teen Science Cafe The Teen Science Cafe is an opportunity for youth in rural areas to engage in conversations around STEM with each other and with a scientist, engineer, or inventor. Uniquely fitted to afterschool and out-of-school time programs, the goal of the Teen Science Cafe is to garner...

BY: Maria Rizo 09/30/21

Afterschool and summer programs may hold the key to post-pandemic recovery for young people

By Neil Naftzger, principal researcher, and Jessica Newman, senior researcher at the American Institutes for Research. Fall is here, with it, a return for many to in-person learning after more than a year of disruption and uncertainty. Over the past six months, the current administration has...

BY: Guest Blogger 09/27/21

An interview with The Wooden Floor, a New York Life Foundation Aim High grantee

As the pandemic changed the learning landscape in and out of school, afterschool programs had to adapt. We spoke with Dawn S. Reese, Chief Executive Officer at The Wooden Floor, to discuss how her organization has pivoted to support students and families, and to hear more about what they undertook...

BY: Maria Rizo 09/24/21

Policy recommendations to promote youth employment in afterschool programs

Source: YMCA of Greater Long Beach By Sam Piha, founder and co-director of Temescal Associates and The How Kids Learn Foundation, both organizations dedicated to promoting the learning and healthy development of youth. Involving older youth as workers within afterschool programs makes a great...

BY: Guest Blogger 09/13/21

Tips for safe, positive sports in your afterschool program

Are you ready to get kids active and playing sports this year? Our partner Coaching Corps is ready to help with free tools and resources from coaching tips based on youth development principles, to operating safely and supporting social-emotional well-being. Read on to sample some of their top...

BY: Ursula Helminski 09/03/21

Engineer for the Week Fall Sprint is now open for registration!

Are you an afterschool practitioner looking for high-quality, cost-free curriculum to help your students develop computer science skills and explore engineering? Do you believe all students should have access to high-quality, cost-free programming where they can develop computer science skills...

BY: Leah Silverberg 09/02/21

A city-wide approach: Leveraging afterschool to support a new school year

By Bela Spooner, Program Director with the Education and Expanded Learning team at the National League of Cities’ Institute for Youth, Education, and Families, and Gislene Tasayco, Senior Specialist with the Education and Expanded Learning team at the National League of Cities’...

BY: Guest Blogger 08/31/21

State child care stabilization grants open with many afterschool programs eligible

As the afterschool field continues to navigate the American Rescue Plan (ARP) opportunities for K-12 funding through the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Funds (ESSER) at the state and local level, ARP also designated $24 billion in child care funding to states to help stabilize the...

BY: Jillian Luchner 11/18/21

ARP ESSER state plans are in! More funds are hitting the ground at the state and local level

BY: Jillian Luchner 11/11/21

Senate Democrats LHHS bill proposes $50 million increase to 21st CCLC as FY2022 Appropriations process continues

This week Senate Appropriations Committee chairman Patrick Leahy (D-VT) released the nine remaining fiscal year FY 2022 appropriations bills that the Senate has not yet addressed, including the FY 2022 Labor-HHS-Education bill. The bills are partisan in nature, and the Committee is unlikely...

BY: Erik Peterson 10/21/21

What could the Build Back Better Act mean for afterschool and summer learning?

BY: Erik Peterson 09/17/21

New learning loss recovery guidance and survey data suggest strong role for afterschool

BY: Erik Peterson 09/09/21

Appropriations, budget resolutions, and infrastructure—oh my!

BY: Erik Peterson 08/16/21

IRS: Monthly Child Tax Credit payments began July 15

A message from the Internal Revenue Service. We are publishing this information about the Advance Child Tax Credit so that afterschool and summer learning programs can share this information with the families they serve. The families served by your afterschool or summer program may be...

BY: Guest Blogger 08/09/21

July resources from Million Girls Moonshot

This month’s resources from the Million Girls Moonshot offer tools and resources for programs looking to implement STEM learning in summer programming. This summer provides an opportunity to reintroduce the four transformative programming areas of the Moonshot: equity and inclusion,...

BY: Chris Neitzey 07/30/21

ARP Webinar Series Recap: How to access ARP funds for afterschool and summer

The Afterschool Alliance hosted a webinar series to help programs understand how billions of dollars provided by the American Rescue Plan (ARP) can be used to support afterschool and summer programs. While funds go directly to education and child care agencies, programs are specifically mentioned...

BY: Maria Rizo 07/26/21

Virtual Hill Briefing recap: Helping Students Recover and Accelerating Success

On July 20, the House Afterschool Caucus in partnership with the Afterschool Alliance hosted a Capitol Hill Briefing Helping Students Recover and Accelerating Success for congressional staff and afterschool stakeholders. With a proven track record for increasing resilience, supporting positive...

BY: Maria Rizo 07/22/21

How well are afterschool programs serving children with special needs or disabilities?

In afterschool programs, children of all abilities can take part in hands-on learning experiences, have time to collaborate with peers, snack on healthy eats, and are able to be active and outdoors in the care of knowledgeable and supportive staff. The flexible and responsive nature of afterschool...

BY: Nikki Yamashiro 10/11/21

Join us for virtual Lights On events: Celebrating youth voice

We are counting down the weeks until Lights On Afterschool, the nation’s largest rally for afterschool programs. In a typical year, 1 million people join together at more than 8,000 events nationwide to celebrate the impact and value of afterschool. This year, programs rose to the moment...

BY: Maria Rizo 10/07/21

Looking back, looking ahead: Back-to-Afterschool 2021

BY: Jodi Grant 09/28/21

An interview with The Wooden Floor, a New York Life Foundation Aim High grantee

BY: Maria Rizo 09/24/21

Webinar recap: Celebrating afterschool programs and staff

Lights On Afterschool is five weeks away, and it has never been more important to celebrate the impact of afterschool programs. Nationwide, programs are gearing up for the 22nd Lights On Afterschool celebration. On September 9, the Afterschool Alliance’s Tiyana Glenn hosted “Lights On...

BY: Maria Rizo 09/20/21

Remembering Herb Sturz

By Jodi Grant, executive director at the Afterschool Alliance; Dr. Terry K. Peterson, senior fellow at Richard Riley Institute at Furman University and College of Charleston; and Dr. Lucy Friedman, president of The After-School Corporation. This summer, our community lost one of our...

BY: Guest Blogger 09/10/21

How the pandemic sparked my passion to help people who are homeless

By Genesis Strother. Genesis, 15, attends North Atlanta High School and wrote this article as part of her work as a student at VOX ATL's afterschool program. This article was originally published on VOX ATL on July 21, 2021 and is republished with their...

BY: Guest Blogger 08/17/21

An Apology in Action

By Maddy Goldstein, student, writing for YCteen magazine, published by Youth Communication. Youth Communication is a nonprofit youth media organization that promotes youth literacy and civic engagement through youth-led media. The organization provides teen-written stories and curriculum...

BY: Guest Blogger 07/27/21

There is still time to apply to be a 2021 Afterschool Alliance Youth Ambassador!

By Leah Silverberg, STEM Projects and Field Outreach Associate at the Afterschool Alliance, and Juliana Montell, a student at The Boys & Girls Club of Kennebec Valley. Applications close June 30 to become one of the next Afterschool Alliance Youth Ambassadors. Each year, we...

BY: Guest Blogger 06/23/21

Spotlight: Massena Central School District Community Schoools

By the New York State Network for Youth Success. This blog was originally a spotlight on the network's June 2, 2021 newsletter and has been republished with their permission. You can sign up for the New York State Network for Youth Success newsletter on their website. Community schools...

BY: Guest Blogger 06/10/21

Prioritizing youth voice in COVID-19 recovery strategies: An interview with Ed Snider Youth Hockey Foundation

BY: Maria Rizo 11/16/21

Afterschool programs help boost vaccination efforts

BY: Nicole Pettenati 10/15/21

How well are afterschool programs serving children with special needs or disabilities?

BY: Nikki Yamashiro 10/11/21

My hometown is fighting a hidden opioid epidemic, and so is my family

Art by Aidan Ventimiglia/VOX ATL By Kalliope Samaltanos, high school junior and student at VOX ATL's afterschool program. This article was originally published on VOX ATL on August 25, 2021 and is republished with their permission. We are sharing this opinion piece as part of our...

BY: Guest Blogger 09/07/21

Tips for safe, positive sports in your afterschool program

BY: Ursula Helminski 09/03/21

40+ ARP ESSER plans submitted, 28 approved: Supporting afterschool and summer enrichment (Part 3)

Two months after state education agencies were asked to submit their proposed state plans for the use of American Rescue Plan (ARP) Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER III) Funds to the US Department of Education, almost half of all states have had their plans approved. The...

BY: Erik Peterson 08/13/21

Supporting and promoting mental health in out-of-school time

The National Center on Afterschool and Summer Enrichment (NCASE) recently released a practice brief, “Supporting and Promoting Mental Health in Out-of-School Time,” that explores some of the current mental health needs of youth, their families, and the out-of-school time (OST)...

BY: Bella DiMarco 07/20/21

State ARP plans: Supporting afterschool and summer enrichment (Part 1)

It has been more than one month since state education agencies were asked to submit their proposed state plans for the use of American Rescue Plan (ARP) Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER III) Funds to the US Department of Education. To date, the Department has posted state...

BY: Erik Peterson 07/09/21

Promoting healthy futures for young people

“The most meaningful part of my afterschool program is the sense of community and family that I feel inside the program. Sometimes a child doesn’t have that example at home of a family and feels alone and isolated. I can relate to that. When I went to my afterschool program, it was this...

BY: Nikki Yamashiro 07/02/21

Learning ecosystems are essential threads in our nation's fabric

By Gregg Behr, executive director of The Grable Foundation and co-chair of Remake Learning, and Ryan Rydzewski, science and education reporter. It started in Pittsburgh like it started everyplace else: A one-off school closing, just for a day or two. Then a district-wide closure —...

BY: Guest Blogger 05/06/21

Senate Democrats LHHS bill proposes $50 million increase to 21st CCLC as FY2022 Appropriations process continues

BY: Erik Peterson 10/21/21

Looking back, looking ahead: Back-to-Afterschool 2021

BY: Jodi Grant 09/28/21

What could the Build Back Better Act mean for afterschool and summer learning?

BY: Erik Peterson 09/17/21

Appropriations, budget resolutions, and infrastructure—oh my!

BY: Erik Peterson 08/16/21

Highlights from American Rescue Plan Twitter Chat: Maximizing ARP's impact on youth

Last week, the Afterschool Alliance hosted a tweetchat to highlight resources and strategies for programs and education leaders to support youth recovery and maximize the impact of American Rescue Plan (ARP) relief funds, ESSER funds, and child care funds by expanding out-of-school time learning...

BY: Maria Rizo 07/29/21

Virtual Hill Briefing recap: Helping Students Recover and Accelerating Success

BY: Maria Rizo 07/22/21

Support for 21st Century Community Learning Centers remains high among all parents

This week, the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Committee on Appropriations will meet to mark up the proposed FY 2022 budget. In this process, the Committee will the set the funding levels of many important services and initiatives American families are relying on this year,...

BY: Chandler Hall 07/13/21

U.S. House Subcommittee proposes $100 million increase to 21st CCLC as FY2022 Appropriations process continues

This week the House of Representatives continues the FY 2022 appropriations process with multiple subcommittee mark-ups. On July 12 the House of Representatives’ Labor, Health and Human Services, Education (LHHS-ED) and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee will mark up its FY 2022...

BY: Erik Peterson 07/12/21

American Rescue Plan ESSER III afterschool and summer implementation update: States efforts, new tools, and more

Since President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan (ARP) into law on March 11, 2021, state education agencies (SEAs) have been working to maximize the impact of the $122 billion in federal education funds to support students impacted by the pandemic. While SEAs have until June 7, 2021, to...

BY: Erik Peterson 06/01/21

Biden administration releases full FY 2022 budget proposal, increases afterschool funding

On May 28, the Biden administration released its full FY 2022 discretionary budget request, about six weeks after releasing an initial budget blueprint. With regard to education, the proposal includes $1.31 billion for the Nita M. Lowey 21st Century Community Learning Centers, an increase of $52...

BY: Erik Peterson 05/28/21

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Want to make a bigger impact? Involve young people in organizational design and leadership

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RECENT AFTERSCHOOL SNACKS

News Roundup

research

Policy

STEM

FEATURED FOR Nov 29, 2021

Policy

State child care stabilization grants open with many afterschool programs eligible

News Roundup

Weekly Media Roundup: November 17, 2021

In the Field

Prioritizing youth voice in COVID-19 recovery strategies: An interview with Ed Snider Youth Hockey Foundation

In the Field

Civic engagement and activism in afterschool programs: An interview with a youth development researcher

Funding

Looking for funding? Our updated funding database can help!

Policy

ARP ESSER state plans are in! More funds are hitting the ground at the state and local level

News Roundup

Weekly Media Roundup: November 10, 2021

Lights On Afterschool

Lights On Afterschool 2021 in images

In the Field

Culturally responsive programming resources from WHUT for afterschool educators

STEM

Share your ideas for advancing equity in Science and Technology with the White House

research

Out-of-school time programs helping children find their passion, purpose, and voice

ARP ESSER state plans are in! More funds are hitting the ground at the state and local level

Public support for quality programs for children and youth remains a top priority for American families and businesses

Lights On Afterschool: Forging futures

Afterschool programs help boost vaccination efforts

49 states, D.C., and Puerto Rico submitted ARP state plans, 37 approved (Part 4)

Looking back, looking ahead: Back-to-Afterschool 2021

What could the Build Back Better Act mean for afterschool and summer learning?

New learning loss recovery guidance and survey data suggest strong role for afterschool

Understanding "evidence-based" programs to make the case for ARP funds

Appropriations, budget resolutions, and infrastructure—oh my!

Weekly Media Roundup: November 17, 2021

Weekly Media Roundup: November 10, 2021

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Weekly Media Roundup, September 29, 2021

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November resources from Million Girls Moonshot

Prioritizing youth voice in COVID-19 recovery strategies: An interview with Ed Snider Youth Hockey Foundation

Out-of-school time programs helping children find their passion, purpose, and voice

Upcoming STEM opportunities from Million Girls Moonshot

Afterschool and summer programs may hold the key to post-pandemic recovery for young people

An interview with The Wooden Floor, a New York Life Foundation Aim High grantee

Policy recommendations to promote youth employment in afterschool programs

Tips for safe, positive sports in your afterschool program

Engineer for the Week Fall Sprint is now open for registration!

A city-wide approach: Leveraging afterschool to support a new school year

State child care stabilization grants open with many afterschool programs eligible

ARP ESSER state plans are in! More funds are hitting the ground at the state and local level

Senate Democrats LHHS bill proposes $50 million increase to 21st CCLC as FY2022 Appropriations process continues

What could the Build Back Better Act mean for afterschool and summer learning?

New learning loss recovery guidance and survey data suggest strong role for afterschool

Appropriations, budget resolutions, and infrastructure—oh my!

IRS: Monthly Child Tax Credit payments began July 15

July resources from Million Girls Moonshot

ARP Webinar Series Recap: How to access ARP funds for afterschool and summer

Virtual Hill Briefing recap: Helping Students Recover and Accelerating Success

How well are afterschool programs serving children with special needs or disabilities?

Join us for virtual Lights On events: Celebrating youth voice

Looking back, looking ahead: Back-to-Afterschool 2021

An interview with The Wooden Floor, a New York Life Foundation Aim High grantee

Webinar recap: Celebrating afterschool programs and staff

Remembering Herb Sturz

How the pandemic sparked my passion to help people who are homeless