The chance to hang out with LeBron James, the Miami Heat power forward, is pretty rare. But even rarer is the chance for 10 academic all-stars from Akron Public Schools Extended Learning program to be flown to Miami and share the stage with James as he was named the NBA's Most Valuable Player for the fourth time.
Last Friday afternoon Akron students were sitting in class at Seiberling Elementary School in Akron, Ohio, but on Sunday morning, the 10 academic all-stars were enjoying a gourmet breakfast in a swanky dining room at the Mandarin Oriental in Miami, courtesy of the LeBron James Family Foundation. This was one of the many rewards for being selected out of the nearly 500 children participating in the foundation’s Wheels for Education program.
According to the foundation, the Wheels for Education program empowers children from single-parent households through innovative programming and initiatives and strengthening the ties between family members. Through the Wheels for Education program, kids make promises to go to school, do all of their homework, listen to their teachers, be helpful and respectful, and above all else, finish school.
Akron Public Schools Extended Learning program provides afterschool intervention in reading and math, along with enrichment activities in 27 elementary schools and three middle schools. Many children who attend regularly score higher than their peers on state tests. Desiree Bolden, manager of the Akron Public Schools Extended Learning program, also went on the trip and believes James leads by example.
"I can't match him in being a superstar, but I can match him in commitment, and that is so awesome. We love Akron and we love our kids," Bolden said.
Along with their Saturday flight from Cleveland to Miami, a swanky hotel room at the Mandarin Oriental and a seat on stage for the official presentation of James’ fourth NBA MVP trophy, the students were awarded with a trip to the beach and an ice cream party. James also donated a car to the afterschool program to help raise some much-needed funds.
This rare weekend trip for the 10 students in Akron Public Schools Extended Learning program was a public display of the strength and diversity of James’ relationships—with family, with friends, with teammates, with Heat officials and coaches, and perhaps most importantly, with the Akron kids he was inspiring, mentoring and, on this special weekend, transporting.
Before leaving the stage with his MVP trophy, James got a cheery salute from the Akron kids, those he promised not to let down, with anything he did on or off the court:
Join us on Thurs., May 9 at 2 p.m. EDT as we discuss the role that afterschool programs can play in addressing youth violence.
According to a nationally-representative survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 1 in 3 high school youth reported being in a physical fight within a 12 month period, and 1 in 6 high school youth reported carrying a weapon on one or more days within a 30 day period. These alarming statistics underscore the need for quality afterschool programs that keep kids safe, inspire them to learn and help working families. Providing an outlet for positive self-expression, access to caring adult mentors, and a community of supportive peers has been proven to be a winning formula for curbing aggressive behavior and empowering youth to be agents of change in their communities.
This webinar will highlight specific violence prevention strategies and federal funding streams for afterschool programs engaging in this work. Carleen Wray, executive director of the National Association of Students Against Violence Everywhere (SAVE), will discuss how to empower youth to make their schools and communities safer through crime prevention tactics, conflict management and service projects. Ben Forman, executive director of Teens Run DC, will also discuss how the combination of mentoring and a distance running program encourages positive youth behaviors by helping them work toward personal goals.
This week I was in Kansas City as a keynote speaker for the 2013 Best Practices Forum on Dropout Prevention, hosted by the National Dropout Prevention Center/Network. I was thrilled to be a part of the event and share with the audience the many ways the afterschool field is helping our students come to school, stay in school and graduate. Afterschool programs are an instrumental part of any effort to help our students not only graduate from high school, but prepare them for lifelong success and help shape the adult he or she will become.
This is why I am so pleased with the newly released video (below) and guidebook by America’s Promise Alliance, “Expanding Learning, Expanding Opportunities.” Both the video and accompanying guidebook highlights the many ways expanded learning opportunities—including afterschool programs, summer learning programs, and expanded learning time—are providing our kids with opportunities to express themselves creatively, explore their interests and gain hands-on learning experiences they might not have during the school day. Also included are a variety of resources, such as research, best practices and toolkits to assist those interested in learning more about the out-of-school hours.
What happens outside of the classroom can be as important to a student as what happens inside of the classroom. Research has shown that kids in afterschool programs see improvements in their grades, school attendance and behavior in the classroom. Children also become more self-confident and develop higher self-esteem. Students in afterschool programs are also less likely to be victims or perpetrators of violence and working parents have peace of mind with the knowledge that their children are in a safe environment surrounded by caring adults.
Afterschool programs across the country are helping to keep kids safe, inspire learning and help working families. Yet, despite the wealth of research and stories we hear every day on the ways afterschool programs are supporting kids and families, we’ve found that afterschool programs are struggling to keep up their services and meet the demands for afterschool in their communities. Close to 8 in 10 voters want their newly elected federal, state and local officials to fund afterschool programs, and more than three-quarters of voters want them to provide more funding for afterschool programs given the current challenging economic environment.
I hope that you’ll lend your voice to the thousands of other voices speaking out about the crucial role afterschool programs play in making sure our children stay safe, stay in school, and stay excited and engaged in learning. This new guidebook and video from America’s Promise Alliance can be a great tool for engaging others in your community in better understanding and valuing the role of afterschool and ideally get them to lend their voices as well.
“Perhaps the most critical decision parents make in balancing their work and home life is choosing the type of care to provide for their children while they work.” We at the Afterschool Alliance couldn’t agree more with this statement by Lynda Laughlin, author of a Census Bureau report released last week analyzing child care patterns and costs. A positive and encouraging finding of the report is that the percentage of school-age kids who have no regular child care arrangement—kids in self-care—has decreased, and this is particularly true of children with a single, employed parent.
“Who’s Minding the Kids? Child Care Arrangements: Spring 2011” examined the Census Bureau’s Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP) data to determine the child care arrangements of preschoolers (children under 5) and school-age kids (children ages 5 to 14) and found that between 1997 and 2011, the percentage of school-age children in self-care who lived with a single, employed parent decreased from 24 percent to 14 percent. One explanation offered for this decrease was increased investment in afterschool programs. This rationale is highly probable, given that federal funding for 21st Century Community Learning Centers—the only federal funding dedicated exclusively to before-school, afterschool and summer learning programs—was first appropriated $40 million in 1998, and has grown to $1.1 billion for FY2013 and serves approximately 1.1 million kids.
Another noteworthy finding from the report is that the cost of child care has increased over time, although the average percentage of family income spent on child care stayed constant, hovering around 7 percent, between 1997 and 2011. The average weekly cost of child care for families with employed mothers increased from $84 in 1985 (constant 2011 dollars) to $143 in 2011. Looking specifically at school-age care costs, the report finds that the average cost for school-age care was $124 in 2011. Among families living below the poverty line, the average weekly cost for school-age child care was $88, or nearly one-third of the family’s income. Of particular concern is the fact that among families who paid for child care, those below the poverty line spent more than four times the percentage of their income on school-age child care as other families who were living at or above the poverty line (29 percent compared with 6 percent).
Based on these cost figures, it seems safe to assume that families are not getting much help with their child care costs. In fact, only 5 percent of families report receiving help paying for school-age child care and just 3 percent report that they received help from the government.
While there is some good news regarding self care in the report, it is troubling that there are 4.2 million kids, ages 5 to 14 and living with their mom, who didn’t have a regular child care arrangement. Five percent of kids ages 5 to 11 were on their own in 2011 and 27 percent of kids ages 12 to 14 were on their own. On average these kids spend 7 hours per week with no supervised care. These numbers are in line with findings from our 2009 America After 3PM report that 4 percent of kids in kindergarten through 5th grade and 30 percent of kids in 6th through 8th grade were on their own. Given the findings regarding the high cost of school-age care and the lack of assistance in paying for care, it’s not surprising that the number of kids in self-care, while on the decline, still continues to be high.
We know that the hours between 3 and 6 p.m. are the peak hours for juvenile crime and experimentation with drugs, alcohol and other risky behaviors, which is why these numbers illustrate the need for increased investment in afterschool programs to ensure that more kids have the opportunity to participate in programs that will keep them safe, provide academic enrichment and support their working parents.
How kids spend their time during the hours after school is a primary concern for the Afterschool Alliance. I’m happy to share that we’re in the middle of planning for our next round of America After 3PM, the largest national household survey that looks at what kids are doing during the afternoon. The survey provides incredibly useful and relevant data for parents, the afterschool field and policy makers. I can’t wait to see what insights we gain from the survey this time around, especially taking into account the potential impact of sequestration on families, afterschool programs and communities. Stay tuned.
Jeff Cole is the associate vice president of school-community partnerships for the Nebraska Children and Families Foundation and Network Lead for the Nebraska Community Learning Center Network.
As a first time participant in the Afterschool for All Challenge, I really didn’t know what to expect as we were filing into the Russell Senate Office Building. Having nominated Kristin Williams, Director of Community Initiatives at Omaha’s Sherwood Foundation, as Nebraska’s Afterschool Champion (a MUCH deserved recognition for all her work promoting afterschool programs in high poverty schools in Omaha and across the state), I knew state level advocates would be recognized for their work. I didn’t realize that a bipartisan group of senators and representatives would be joined by other national advocates and young people from nearby programs at the “Breakfast of Champions” to make such a strong case for why afterschool programs are so important for our nation’s future before heading to meetings on Capitol Hill.
I was especially hearted by Sen. Lisa Murkowski’s (R-AK) comments in support of S. 326, which strengthens the crucial federal 21st CCLC grant program, highlighting how important afterschool programs are for residents of her largely rural state. I was honored to have the opportunity to chat with and share my enthusiasm for rural afterschool programs with Sen. Murkowski as she was leaving the ornate and historic Kennedy Caucus Room.
I carried this enthusiasm for the importance of rural afterschool programs over into the meetings that I had with 4 of Nebraska’s 5 Congressional delegations after the “Breakfast of Champions.” Retiring Sen. Mike Johanns met with our group and reflected on his understanding of the importance of afterschool programs that he gained while serving as Nebraska’s governor.
We had similar meaningful discussions about the importance of afterschool and summer programs with Congressional staff in all of our visits. During these talks we emphasized the importance of the 21st CCLC grant program for facilitating the strong school-community partnerships that are at the heart of Nebraska’s afterschool programs, stressing how this proven, effective federal investment is multiplied many times over through meaningful collaborations in communities across our state.
We left Washington feeling good about our discussions, but uncertain what impact these conversations might have. This uncertainty dissipated the next week when we received a follow up call from the staff of newly-elected Sen. Deb Fischer’s Omaha office. Following our meeting in D.C., Sen. Fischer’s chief of staff contacted their local office to schedule a site visit in order to get a first-hand perspective on this important work in Nebraska.
We contacted the Collective for Youth, an intermediary facilitating out-of-school-time (OST) programs in the Omaha Metro Area, to arrange a tour of Marrs Middle School’s afterschool program, a 21st CCLC collaboration administered by the local nonprofit Completely Kids that has a well-regarded STEM program. Unsurprisingly the site visit was a big success, with the senator’s staff gaining a first-hand experience of the important role that afterschool programs play in the lives of youth in high poverty schools and the vital role of 21st CCLC grants in facilitating this school-community partnership that is leveraging local investments and supporting thousands of working families in our state.
With these positive experiences now under my belt, first in Washington and then back home in Nebraska, the Afterschool for All Challenge will definitely be an activity central to my work advocating for more high quality afterschool programs.
The federal government will remain open after March 27, as a result of the Senate and House passing a final Continuing Resolution (CR) for Fiscal Year (FY)2013. The Senate passed their version of the CR late yesterday, and the House followed suit by passing the Senate version unchanged earlier today. The Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act of 2013 will fund all federal agencies through the end of September and changed some federal funding levels from last year, however the 5 percent across-the-board sequester cut was left in place. The final CR also didn't include the House version's 0.098 percent across the board cut.
The Labor, Health and Human Services as well as Education programs were not included in the CR and therefore funding for these programs will remain at FY2012 levels through the end of the current fiscal year. There were several anomalies in the spending bill, including a $50 million increase for the Child Care Development Fund (CCDF) to support care for 9,000 more children from working families—significant because not many programs were slated for increases.
The 21st Century Community Learning Centers initiative is funded at $1.15 billion in FY2012 and (like most non-defense discretionary funding) will be subject to the 5 percent sequester. AmeriCorps VISTA funding and other programs through the Corporation for National and Community Service will remain at FY2012 levels, although subject to the 5 percent sequester cut. Key Juvenile Justice funding that supports afterschool programs include Youth Mentoring Grants ($90 million) and Title V—Delinquency Prevention Incentive Grants ($20 million).
For more details on the CR process leading up to the votes this week see this blog post from last week.
Some of the strongest champions for afterschool are city and town leaders. Whether they approach afterschool from the lens of keeping kids safe; helping working families continue to work; or supporting students’ learning, health and wellness, city leaders are often quick to see the value of afterschool programs in their communities.
Just in the first few months of 2013, city leaders’ enthusiasm for afterschool has been evident at several afterschool-related events. Starting off with St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman’s remarks at the release of the Expanding Minds and Opportunities Compendium in early February, where he spoke about how afterschool has been a key issue for him as mayor. Mayor Coleman and several other mayors, including Afterschool Alliance board members Nashville Mayor Karl Dean and Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price co-authored an article for the Expanding Minds and Opportunities Compendium in which they said:
“Time and time again, we have seen how a high-quality afterschool program can change a young person’s life and how such programs can have a positive ripple effect on families and neighborhoods.”
Fortunately, The Wallace Foundation recognizes the important role that mayors and city leaders play in supporting quality afterschool and has been investing in city systems for years. On Feb. 21 and 22, nearly 400 leaders from 57 cities came together in Baltimore to discuss how to better coordinate efforts to support the availability of high-quality afterschool programs. The Better Together: Building Local Systems to Improve After-School Conference focused on the role of afterschool systems, reaching youth most in need, financing afterschool systems and using data to drive continuous improvement. A summary of the event and links to related resources are now available courtesy of the Collaborative for Building After-School Systems, a co-sponsor of the convening.
The support for afterschool is not limited to the cities that The Wallace Foundation has supported. The National League of Cities has an Afterschool Policy Advisors Network (APAN) that includes members from more than 300 cities. This network helps local elected officials and senior municipal staff promote afterschool opportunities in their cities and nationally by sharing research, tools and best practices. I recently had the opportunity to talk with members of APAN and other interested city leaders at the 2013 Congressional City Conference. While city and municipal leaders at the conference were tackling big challenges like handling the effects of sequestration and addressing gun violence in cities, the attendees at my session showed strong support for afterschool and the important role that it can play in their communities.
Together with the National League of Cities, the Afterschool Alliance will continue to look for ways to raise the voices of city and municipal leaders on behalf of afterschool. Given the recent afterschool and city leadership events, I have a feeling we will have no shortage of mayors and city leaders ready to help!
On Wednesday, March 13, Kayla Brathwaite, a YMCA afterschool program participant and youth leader from New York City, testified before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies about the critical role afterschool programs play in supporting youth and working families. She urged Congress to maintain the nation’s current investment ($1.15 billion) for 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) and to support afterschool and summer learning.
Brathwaite is a high school student from Queens, NY. She has participated in YMCA afterschool programs since middle school, and currently participates in the Y’s Youth and Government and Teens Take the City programs. The Y’s afterschool programs provide Kayla, like so many other youth, with enrichment and recreational opportunities, academic supports and interventions, leadership development, health and wellness guidance, and arts and humanities programming. Kayla’s mother depends on 21st CCLC funding to not only bridge the gap between school and home during the critical hours of 3 to 6 p.m., but to also provide her with an affordable, high quality afterschool option.
Kayla testified, “I know that I am one of the lucky ones, one of the lucky kids in New York City who has the support of the people around her and an organization like the YMCA to help her succeed.” She continued, “I am here today with my mother who probably appreciates these funds and the programs they provide even more than I do since these programs allow my mother to be at her job knowing that I am in a safe place at the YMCA.”
In her written testimony, Kayla stated, “I am here today for all youth who need these programs to succeed and for all parents who need these programs to help keep their jobs and for the employers who employ those parents—we should not forget that these programs or the lack of these programs will have an effect on our economy."
Afterschool advocates can reiterate Kayla’s message by sending an email to Congress supporting funding for 21st CCLC and afterschool and summer learning programs.
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Last Friday afternoon Akron students were sitting in class at Seiberling Elementary School in Akron, Ohio, but on Sunday morning, the 10 academic all-stars were enjoying a gourmet breakfast in a swanky dining room at the Mandarin Oriental in Miami, courtesy of the LeBron James Family Foundation. This was one of the many rewards for being selected out of the nearly 500 children participating in the foundation’s Wheels for Education program. 
Along with their Saturday flight from Cleveland to Miami, a swanky hotel room at the Mandarin Oriental and a seat on stage for the official presentation of James’ fourth NBA MVP trophy, the students were awarded with a trip to the beach and an ice cream party. James also donated a car to the afterschool program to help raise some much-needed funds.
Join us on Thurs., May 9 at 2 p.m. EDT as we discuss the role that afterschool programs can play in addressing youth violence.
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