Afterschool Snack

Weekly Media Roundup: March 18, 2020

Despite Closed Doors, Cooperage Continues to Serve, WNEP-TV (Pennsylvania) The Cooperage Project provides robust afterschool programming to children in Honesdale, Pennsylvania. The nonprofit recently had to cancel its afterschool program due to the coronavirus pandemic but, like other...

BY: Magen Eissenstat 03/18/20

Weekly Media Roundup: March 11, 2020

IPlay Gives San Antonio Kids a Safe Place to Play and Learn After School, KENS 5 (Texas) At iPlay afterschool programs in San Antonio, Texas, students can play basketball, tennis, soccer, volleyball, run track, get academic support and more. Fifty-eight elementary schools in and around San...

BY: Magen Eissenstat 03/11/20

Weekly Media Roundup: March 4, 2020

'Not a Babysitter': After-School Program Keeps Students Engaged After Final Bell Rings, Cumberland Times-News (Maryland) In the Allegany County Public School afterschool program in Cumberland, Maryland, students have learned about cybersecurity from IBM employees, water testing from the...

BY: Magen Eissenstat 03/04/20

Weekly Media Roundup: February 26, 2020

Charlotte Motel Offers Free After-School Program, Spectrum News (North Carolina) Several families experiencing homelessness stay at the Southern Comfort Inn in Charlotte, North Carolina while they seek permanent housing. To support the children in these families, the motel’s owners began a...

BY: Magen Eissenstat 02/26/20

Weekly Media Roundup: February 19, 2020

Training, Support Unlocking WA After-School Programs' Potential, Public News Service Afterschool programs in Washington state use a wide variety of supports to increase program quality and inclusivity, such as outside assessments, professional development and more. For example, Open Doors...

BY: Magen Eissenstat 02/19/20

Weekly Media Roundup: February 12, 2020

Trump Budget Would Again Ax Afterschool Programs Despite Strong Congressional Support, Youth Today The White House again asked Congress to defund 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) – the chief federal funding stream for afterschool and summer learning programs –in...

BY: Magen Eissenstat 02/12/20

Don't break our hearts—We Love Afterschool!

Announced yesterday, the Trump administration’s FY 2021 budget proposal eliminates funding for 21st Century Community Learning Centers. For the fourth year in a row, the White House is proposing an elimination of funding for local programs that would devastate the 1.7 million children...

BY: Charlotte Steinecke 02/11/20

Weekly Media Roundup: February 5, 2020

Hancock Students Create Films One Picture At a Time, The Daily Star (New York) The Hancock Central School afterschool program in Hancock, New York, recently teamed up with Box of Light, an artist residency program, to teach students about media production. Students in kindergarten through ninth...

BY: Magen Eissenstat 02/05/20

Weekly Media Roundup: January 29, 2020

New After School Program in Syracuse Helping Children of All Abilities, Local SYR (New York) At the ARISE Syracuse afterschool program in New York, students of all ages and abilities complete art projects, play games and learn together. The program’s classroom includes unique features to...

BY: Magen Eissenstat 01/29/20

Weekly Media Roundup: January 22, 2020

“A Day On, Not a Day Off” for Boys and Girls Club of Harrisburg, Fox 43 (Pennsylvania) In honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, sixth- through 11th-grade students in the Boys and Girls Club of Harrisburg afterschool program in Pennsylvania spent their day off from school participating...

BY: Magen Eissenstat 01/22/20

Bringing STEM learning home during social distancing

These are difficult times for so many of our young people and their families. With school closures impacting families across the country, and extracurricular activities put on hold, finding ways for students to stay busy and engaged is likely at the top of mind for parents and guardians....

BY: Chris Neitzey 03/19/20

FY21 budget request looks familiar when it comes to STEM education

It’s been over a year since the Trump administration released their five-year STEM Education strategy, and in that time, appropriations for science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education programs at the U.S. Department of Education, National Science Foundation, NASA, and other...

BY: Chris Neitzey 02/27/20

State of STEM learning in Congress and the White House

Rural STEM Education Act introduced in House A new bill, H.R. 4979 - Rural STEM Education Act, was introduced in the House on November 5 to address the lack of STEM education opportunities for students in rural areas. The bipartisan legislation, introduced by Rep. Lucas (R-Okla.) and...

BY: Chris Neitzey 11/15/19

Get the latest afterschool STEM news in your inbox

The next issue of the Afterschool Lab Report is coming in just a few days. Brought to you each quarter by the Afterschool STEM Hub, a project of the Afterschool Alliance, the newsletter provides the latest STEM education policy updates, new resources, upcoming opportunities for advocacy, and new...

BY: Leah Silverberg 10/31/19

Bipartisan Youth Workforce Readiness Act announced

In late September, plans to introduce the bipartisan, bicameral Youth Workforce Readiness Act were announced in the House and Senate by Sen. Smith (D-Minn.) and Rep .Josh Harder (D-Calif.) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.). The legislation would provide funding for hands-on skills education at...

BY: Erik Peterson 10/03/19

4-H is seeking Game Changers this October

By Kittrina Thompson, digital marketing manager, National 4-H Council, 4-H National Youth Science Day (NYSD) is an annual initiative inspiring kids everywhere to take an active interest in STEM topics through hands-on learning. Celebrations begin October 1, with participation across the country...

BY: Guest Blogger 08/22/19

Facebook’s Engineer For The Week program showed my students they are leaders – and just how far their skills can take them

By Afterschool Ambassador Andrea Bridges, executive director, The CARE Center, New Hope, Alabama. I think afterschool programs have special powers when they partner with businesses and organizations to broaden students’ horizons. So when I was recently invited by the Afterschool Alliance...

BY: Guest Blogger 08/20/19

Federal support for STEM and making in afterschool

Picture a center filled with computers, paired with a wood and metal shop, combined with a sewing studio, mixed with an arts and crafts room, filled with people of all ages building and making things to solve problems – this is the foundation of a maker space. Maker spaces were born out of...

BY: Leah Silverberg 08/12/19

An exciting, rewarding experience for our youth

By Afterschool Ambassador Gwynette Williams, director of Collective for Youth, Omaha. When teens are struggling with issues they find difficult to talk about, how can they ask for help? Recently, my middle school students identified that question as a social issue they wanted to...

BY: Guest Blogger 07/16/19

Views from VISTAs: Updates from June 2019

AmeriCorps’ Volunteers In Service To America (VISTA) work to alleviate poverty by providing indirect service to their communities. Our afterschool VISTAs and the work they do are essential to the expansion of afterschool access for the children who need it most, especially in the fields...

BY: Marisa Paipongna 07/15/19

Recap: Education stakeholder briefing from ED, CDC & USDA

The Department of Education held a stakeholder call on March 20 to update the field of education stakeholders on efforts surrounding the Coronavirus. The call came on the heels of a Department of Education announcement that flexibility within the Federal Education K-12 Law ESSA would be offered...

BY: Jillian Luchner 03/20/20

House passes COVID-19 bill

By Jodi Grant and Jillian Luchner. The good news – late last week, the House of Representatives put partisanship aside to begin addressing the coronavirus pandemic, with House Bill H.R. 6201. The Families First Coronavirus Response Act passed the House with "yea" votes from 223...

BY: Guest Blogger 03/16/20

COVID-19: Considerations for the afterschool field

Photo courtesy of CDC/ Karnesha Slaughter (2015) by Scott Housley. The outbreak of COVID-19 raises questions and concerns for all of us. For afterschool providers, intermediaries, and networks, there are even more complexities. While we can’t provide answers for your specific community and...

BY: Ursula Helminski 03/12/20

A message from the Afterschool Alliance on COVID-19

Dear Afterschool Stakeholders, These are scary times. So many of the children, youth and families we serve are already dealing with fears and traumas. Now they will face more. For the first time in my lifetime, we are facing a pandemic and it will change life in America… for a few weeks...

BY: Jodi Grant 03/12/20

Ensuring access to school meals during COVID-19 related school closures

As we hear about more and more schools closing across the country due to COVID-19, we wanted to give you a quick update on ways afterschool programs and partners can help to mitigate the impact on families that rely on school meals. USDA Food and Nutrition Service has approved waivers for a...

BY: Erik Peterson 03/12/20

Breaking the cycle of substance use at Camp Mariposa

By Rose Frey, winter intern for 2019-2020 at the Afterschool Alliance. Photo courtesy of Camp Mariposa's website. There are more than 9 million children in the U.S. that are living in a home with a parent who uses illicit drugs, and these children are at high-risk for a host of issues....

BY: Guest Blogger 03/06/20

Local data for community-based prevention: Vermont Youth Project's role in reducing substance use among teens

New data released by the Vermont Youth Project (VYP) indicates risk and protective factors for teens around “family, school, peer groups, and out-of-school time activities.” Among the findings are relatively high substance use figures among teens, as well as an indication of large...

BY: Erin Hegarty 03/02/20

Representing afterschool during National Eating Disorders Awareness Week

When we say that afterschool programs keep children and young people safe, we aren’t only talking about risky behaviors and crime. The welcoming environments, supportive networks, and caring adults that afterschool programs offer are themselves protective factors for a range of issues that...

BY: Charlotte Steinecke 02/24/20

Afterschool Spotlight: Appalachian Youth to Youth

By Rose Frey, winter intern for 2019-2020 at the Afterschool Alliance. Photo courtesy of Appalachian Youth to Youth's Facebook page. In 2017, Partners Aligned Toward Health (PATH) established Appalachian Youth to Youth in two rural counties in western North Carolina, utilizing the Youth to...

BY: Guest Blogger 02/18/20

More children are getting afterschool meals that boost their health and learning

By Clarissa Hayes. Originally published on October 25,2019 as a blog on FRAC Chat, the blog of the Food Research & Action Center. National participation in the Afterschool Nutrition Programs — which are key to closing the hunger gap that exists afterschool for many children...

BY: Guest Blogger 11/01/19

House passes COVID-19 bill

BY: Guest Blogger 03/16/20

One week until the Virtual Afterschool for All Challenge: A policy and appropriations update

A month ago the president released his FY 2021 budget proposal, officially kicking off the appropriations process in Washington, D.C. Since then the House and the Senate Appropriations Committee and Subcommittees have been soliciting spending priorities from members of Congress and the public,...

BY: Erik Peterson 03/10/20

Trump administration proposes eliminating afterschool, again

On a rainy Monday in Washington, the Trump administration released its fiscal year 2021 full budget proposal. The full budget represents the president’s vision for how Congress should spend federal funds for the fiscal year that begins October 1, 2020 (FY 2021) and, for the fourth...

BY: Erik Peterson 02/10/20

FY2020 appropriations update: Afterschool funding increased!

House and Senate appropriators reached an agreement on final subcommittee allocations to avert a shutdown and fund the government past the December 20 deadline. The final bi-partisan bill language specifying funding levels for all government programs provides $1.25 billion for...

BY: Erik Peterson 12/17/19

Federal funding update: Stopgap spending measure until Dec. 20

With federal funding set to expire on November 21, Congress voted to extend temporary funding for the federal government through December 20 with the president signing the bill into law yesterday just hours before the deadline. The federal government has been operating under a continuing...

BY: Erik Peterson 11/22/19

College Affordability Act presents a mixed bag for afterschool supporters

On October 15, Rep. Bobby Scott (D-Va.), Chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, introduced the College Affordability Act (H.R. 4674) (CAA) on behalf of all the Committee Democrats. Working expeditiously, the Committee then passed the bill on October 31 by a 28-22 partisan...

BY: Jillian Luchner 11/18/19

Share your yoice: Join the Let’s Talk About Election 2020 Youth Media Challenge

It is hard to believe, but the 2020 elections are just over a year away! Are you looking for civic engagement opportunities for youth in your afterschool program? Consider participating in Let’s Talk About Election 2020 youth media challenge, a free, standards-aligned program on KQED Learn,...

BY: Alexis Steines 11/12/19

Sen. Harris introduces legislation that would double funding for 21st CCLC

This week, Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) introduced legislation that would authorize doubling the current funding for 21st Century Community Learning Centers, with the additional $1.3 billion targeted to summer learning programs. The Family Friendly Schools Act also establishes a new Title IV Part...

BY: Erik Peterson 11/06/19

Afterschool programs and a trauma-informed approach

“A trauma-informed, culturally responsive lens must be a part of everything we do.” This statement by Laura Norton-Cruz, Director of the Alaska Resilience Initiative, sums up the key message of last week’s Senate Afterschool Caucus briefing for Congressional staff which focused on...

BY: Chandler Hall 09/23/19

Appropriations update: Senate freezes FY20 education funding

By a vote of 301-123, on Sept. 19 the House of Representatives passed H.R. 4378, the continuing resolution (CR) that will fund the government through Nov. 21. In total, 225 House Democrats and 76 House Republicans voted for the CR; three House Democrats, 119 House Republicans, and one Independent...

BY: Erik Peterson 09/20/19

Enter the 2020 Lights On Afterschool Poster Contest: $500 grand prize!

We’re bringing back the Lights On Afterschool poster contest! Grab your markers and sketchbooks, your digital art pads and pens: the afterschool artist who creates the winning masterpiece will take home $500 for their afterschool program! As always, the winning artwork will be printed on...

BY: Charlotte Steinecke 02/07/20

From New York to San Francisco, America’s landmarks shined for Lights On Afterschool

Hernando De Soto Gateway to Memphis Bridge in Memphis, TN. Courtesy of Mary Graham. Last Thursday, as America celebrated Lights On Afterschool for the 20th consecutive year, landmarks across the country lit up in yellow and blue to support the afterschool programs that keep kids safe, inspire...

BY: Magen Eissenstat 10/28/19

20th Lights On Afterschool: 1 million people, 10,000 events, 1,000s of lightings and billboards

For the 20th Lights On Afterschool, afterschool programs, supporters, and youth took the nation’s only rally for afterschool to new heights. More than 1 million students, parents, educators, business and faith leaders, policy makers, community members, and more gathered at schools, parks,...

BY: Ursula Helminski 10/25/19

It's finally here: The bright, brilliant, record-breaking 20th Lights On Afterschool!

The lights will be on for afterschool programs today as students, parents, educators, business and faith leaders, policy makers, community members and others come to schools, parks, campuses, state capitols, city halls, museums, malls, and other venues to show their support for afterschool...

BY: Charlotte Steinecke 10/24/19

Lights On Afterschool events showcase healthy eating, stress management & active lifestyles

Afterschool programs are key players in ensuring children’s well-being, addressing challenges such as hunger and food insecurity, managing stress, encouraging physical activity, and avoiding alcohol and drugs. Many Lights On Afterschool events this year are showcasing how afterschool programs...

BY: Lisa Lederer 10/22/19

New sample materials for Lights On Afterschool

There are just three more days until the 20th Lights On Afterschool, and we've got a few final updates for your celebration! We've updated our news release, detailing some of the amazing events happening this year and the new report from Fight Crime: Invest In...

BY: Charlotte Steinecke 10/21/19

10 bright ideas for a fun, easy Lights On event

The 20th Lights On Afterschool is only a few days away! There's still time to plan an amazing event, or to add another dimension to your plans for October 24. Visit our Last-Minute Ideas page to find easy, fun ways to celebrate. Here are a few examples to spark your...

BY: Charlotte Steinecke 10/18/19

Reach out now to generate coverage of your Lights On Afterschool event!

For most afterschool programs, and for the afterschool field overall, Lights On Afterschool is the most visible time of the year. It’s a time when we use social and mainstream media to share the wonderful, fun, educational activities afterschool programs offer and the many ways they support...

BY: Lisa Lederer 10/15/19

City leaders & education advocates light up billboards nationwide for the 20th Lights On Afterschool

Adapted from a recent press release. Big, bright news for the 20th Lights On Afterschool! In partnership with the Afterschool Alliance, the National League of Cities, and the National Summer Learning Association—a coalition of afterschool supporters—joined with Clear Channel Outdoor...

BY: Charlotte Steinecke 10/14/19

We challenge you: Raise your arms for afterschool!

We're just two weeks away from the 20th Lights On Afterschool. Join us in celebrating afterschool and summer learning programs that make a huge difference in the lives of our kids with the 3rd annual Lightbulb Challenge! Every year, we challenge friends of afterschool across the country to...

BY: Charlotte Steinecke 10/10/19

Recap: Education stakeholder briefing from ED, CDC & USDA

BY: Jillian Luchner 03/20/20

FY21 budget request looks familiar when it comes to STEM education

BY: Chris Neitzey 02/27/20

New legislation on building a diverse teacher workforce with Grow Your Own Programs

Sen. Doug Jones (D-Ala.) introduced the Classrooms Reflecting Communities Act (S. 2887) late last year to engage student learning by helping educators in schools become more demographically representative of the communities they serve, and supporting rural schools struggling with teacher...

BY: Jillian Luchner 01/17/20

FY2020 appropriations update: Afterschool funding increased!

BY: Erik Peterson 12/17/19

Federal funding update: Stopgap spending measure until Dec. 20

BY: Erik Peterson 11/22/19

College Affordability Act presents a mixed bag for afterschool supporters

BY: Jillian Luchner 11/18/19

State of STEM learning in Congress and the White House

BY: Chris Neitzey 11/15/19

Bipartisan Youth Workforce Readiness Act announced

BY: Erik Peterson 10/03/19

Appropriations update: Senate freezes FY20 education funding

BY: Erik Peterson 09/20/19

Putting afterschool to work: Career exploration in out-of-school settings

By Jillian Luchner, Christopher Neitzey, and Austin Estes from Advance CTE. This is a cross-post of the first blog post in a series on the intersection of CTE and afterschool programs, exploring strategies and opportunities to bridge learning both in and out of the classroom. The original...

BY: Guest Blogger 06/25/19

Archives:

Expanded COVID-19 resources live on the Afterschool Alliance website

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Expanded COVID-19 resources live on the Afterschool Alliance website

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RECENT AFTERSCHOOL SNACKS

Policy

Funding

Policy

Afterschool Challenge

FEATURED FOR Apr 2, 2020

Funding

Maintaining and building relationships with funders during COVID-19

Policy

Congress nears passage on third Coronavirus response legislation

News Roundup

Weekly Media Roundup: March 25, 2020

In the Field

Expanded COVID-19 resources live on the Afterschool Alliance website

Funding

How federal legislation can help non-profits support employees during COVID emergency

Policy

Get out the count – it’s Census Day!

Afterschool Challenge

Virtual advocacy day earns results for afterschool

Policy

CARES Act signed into law, includes support for afterschool, nonprofits, and child care

Funding

Maintaining and building relationships with funders during COVID-19

Policy

Congress nears passage on third Coronavirus response legislation

In the Field

Trump administration hosts call with nonprofit leaders amid pandemic

Weekly Media Roundup: March 18, 2020

Weekly Media Roundup: March 11, 2020

Weekly Media Roundup: March 4, 2020

Weekly Media Roundup: February 26, 2020

Weekly Media Roundup: February 19, 2020

Weekly Media Roundup: February 12, 2020

Don't break our hearts—We Love Afterschool!

Weekly Media Roundup: February 5, 2020

Weekly Media Roundup: January 29, 2020

Weekly Media Roundup: January 22, 2020

Bringing STEM learning home during social distancing

FY21 budget request looks familiar when it comes to STEM education

State of STEM learning in Congress and the White House

Get the latest afterschool STEM news in your inbox

Bipartisan Youth Workforce Readiness Act announced

4-H is seeking Game Changers this October

Facebook’s Engineer For The Week program showed my students they are leaders – and just how far their skills can take them

Federal support for STEM and making in afterschool

An exciting, rewarding experience for our youth

Views from VISTAs: Updates from June 2019

Recap: Education stakeholder briefing from ED, CDC & USDA

House passes COVID-19 bill

COVID-19: Considerations for the afterschool field

A message from the Afterschool Alliance on COVID-19

Ensuring access to school meals during COVID-19 related school closures

Breaking the cycle of substance use at Camp Mariposa

Local data for community-based prevention: Vermont Youth Project's role in reducing substance use among teens

Representing afterschool during National Eating Disorders Awareness Week

Afterschool Spotlight: Appalachian Youth to Youth

More children are getting afterschool meals that boost their health and learning

House passes COVID-19 bill

One week until the Virtual Afterschool for All Challenge: A policy and appropriations update

Trump administration proposes eliminating afterschool, again

FY2020 appropriations update: Afterschool funding increased!

Federal funding update: Stopgap spending measure until Dec. 20

College Affordability Act presents a mixed bag for afterschool supporters

Share your yoice: Join the Let’s Talk About Election 2020 Youth Media Challenge

Sen. Harris introduces legislation that would double funding for 21st CCLC

Afterschool programs and a trauma-informed approach

Appropriations update: Senate freezes FY20 education funding

Enter the 2020 Lights On Afterschool Poster Contest: $500 grand prize!

From New York to San Francisco, America’s landmarks shined for Lights On Afterschool

20th Lights On Afterschool: 1 million people, 10,000 events, 1,000s of lightings and billboards

It's finally here: The bright, brilliant, record-breaking 20th Lights On Afterschool!

Lights On Afterschool events showcase healthy eating, stress management & active lifestyles

New sample materials for Lights On Afterschool

10 bright ideas for a fun, easy Lights On event