Archives:

Select:

Keys to program success from afterschool professionals

READ FULL STORY

Keys to program success from afterschool professionals

This Afterschool Professionals Appreciation Week, we’re celebrating you: the educators who dedicate your careers to teaching and supporting youth during the out-of-school hours. To highlight the expertise of a few leading professionals in our field, and foster widespread sharing of best practices, we asked four afterschool leaders from across the country to share their keys to success and sustainability.

Have your own pro-tip to share? We want to hear it!

Find ways to serve many needs at once.

“I teach sophisticated language, because it’s a key part of the success we’re having and a reason the engagement we have is so broad-based: people want to be empowered by words. You have to pull kids up—our program is based on research that low-income children have a 30-million-word deficit in oral communication by the time they’re four years old. And when we combine that with gardening, we’re connecting to so many family histories and cultural heritages, and at the same time we’re teaching biology, botany, chemistry, vocabulary, and community service.

“By connecting our work that way, by empowering kids with this rich oral vocabulary, we’re increasing literacy significantly. For a school like mine, which is underachieving, that gets you some buy-in!

“Parents say ‘Oh, wow! They’re doing better in reading and math! I’m going to encourage my kids to go to your summer program and afterschool program.’ But if we were to distance ourselves completely from the academics, they would say, ‘We need you to help meet the school needs, not just babysit the kids after school!’ So we need to give them the academic boost they need.

“Be independent of the curriculum, but honor the need for the literacy and math, and tie it into what the kids love. Give kids choice about how they use their time, in physical activity or gardening or service as teachers to younger kids.”  

– MaryAnn Bash, director of Each One Teach One: No More Gap in Colorado

Relationships—internal and external—build your community.

“When I first started my career in afterschool, I was the youth director at a community center that served new American families. The community center really had nothing—lots of families were moving into the community and had no connections. There was a lot of gang activity and drug-dealing, even in North Dakota! Kids were running around with no place to go, since the parents were working, and many times the only time they’d get a meal or a snack is when they came to the program.

“I learned from that experience how important it is to make connections. At first there was no trust. The parents couldn’t trust anyone because of the things that were going on in the neighborhood. It took a lot of relationship-building with those parents, with people in the community, to begin to build that trust—just to get kids to be able to come to the program and love the program! But before long, the parents were coming to the program and volunteering for the program.

“I’m a pretty outgoing person, to start! But I worked very closely with a colleague to grow my relationships in the community. The family coordinator was in charge of coordinating family events, so I was involved in her parent and adult activities and she was involved in the youth activities. We intermixed a lot, so whenever she met somebody new, I was introduced to that person, and vice versa. We did a lot of activities together and expanding our networks with each other’s help. We had so much success because we worked so well together as a team.”

– Becky Mueller, afterschool network coordinator for South East Education Cooperative in North Dakota

Parents are your partners.

We have a family night and we provide food through in-kind money that we have from the district. At every family night, whole families come and we have food and some kind of activity, like STEM night, literacy night, or a performance night if the students have been doing a workshop. And then we wrap up the night with a raffle with things that we get donated. We try to remove any barriers to them coming; they can bring their young children, we have the food, we try to have activities that the whole family can do. That has been successful for us—there are 75 students in the program and we usually have between 70 and 100 people.

“Communication is very important. Promoting events as early and for as long as possible is the best way to make sure people know about what you’re doing. And it really helps when students are involved in planning the activity. Every fall we have a carnival, but the kids actually make the little activities. It’s got a loose STEM theme, and they’re making the little games, like whack-a-mole and different types of games. The kids get really excited about it, so if the kids are excited about it, they’re more likely to talk their families into coming.

“We also survey the parents to ask them what types of things they’re interested in. I think it helps that the parents know we provide services that are different from the school’s services, so sometimes they’re more likely to come to us for help. They’re more comfortable working with us because of all the positive resources we provide. That helps us too, because if we have that relationship with the parent, if we do have a behavioral issue or something with their child, it’s a lot easier to approach the parent.”

– Joanne Flynn, director of Phillipsburg REACH in New Jersey

Engage with the field and involve your alumni.

“When I was first hired, I was encouraged by parents to go out and make this job my profession. I sent out materials and went on expeditions to see what was out there.”

Over time, active engagement in afterschool as a profession meant that Denise Sellers joined more professional groups on her own and found ways to participate in her community in many different capacities.

“Our responsibility to our kids doesn’t—and shouldn’t—end when they age out of the program.”

Having older kids participate in other ways after they’ve aged out of the program contributes insights from children who have been in the program and offers a chance for younger children to develop supportive and powerful relationships with their older peers. There are also opportunities for college- and post-college-age alumni to join the program as staff, trustees, and parents of their own enrolled kids, contributing that valuable perspective from all angles.

– Denise Sellers, executive director of Haddonfield Child Care in New Jersey

Youth Voice Week 2024 was a huge success

The voices of young people are still echoing in afterschool programs across the nation, in the halls of Congress, and across social media after a powerful Youth Voice Week! From March 25-29, the Afterschool Alliance partnered with the Collective for Youth Empowerment in STEM & Society and...

BY: Maria Rizo      04/15/24

By helping create my afterschool program, I became the person I am today

By Ava Havidic, Afterschool Youth Ambassador, class of 2024. March 25 to 29, 2024 is Youth Voice Week! All this week, we will publish blogs from our Afterschool Youth Ambassadors, as they describe the impact their program has had on their lives and why afterschool is important to them and their...

BY: Guest Blogger      03/29/24

I'm grateful to my afterschool program for giving me a place to belong and helping me make friends.

By Gabrielle Haynes, Afterschool Youth Ambassador, class of 2024. March 25 to 29, 2024 is Youth Voice Week! All this week, we will publish blogs from our Afterschool Youth Ambassadors, as they describe the impact their program has had on their lives and why afterschool is important to them and...

BY: Guest Blogger      03/27/24

I have been led by my afterschool teachers, and now I am leading the youth of today.

By Jay'Len Clark, Afterschool Youth Ambassador, class of 2024. March 25 to 29, 2024 is Youth Voice Week! All this week, we will publish blogs from our Afterschool Youth Ambassadors, as they describe the impact their program has had on their lives and why afterschool is important to them and...

BY: Guest Blogger      03/26/24

Afterschool gave me access to opportunities that improved my outlook on life.

By Brandon Tibbs, Afterschool Youth Ambassador, class of 2024. March 25 to 29, 2024 is Youth Voice Week! All this week, we will publish blogs from our Afterschool Youth Ambassadors, as they describe the impact their program has had on their lives and why afterschool is important to them and...

BY: Guest Blogger      03/25/24

It's almost Youth Voice Week! Here's how to participate.

Next week marks the start of Youth Voice Week 2024, and all eyes are on the young people in afterschool. From March 25 to 29, we’re amplifying young people’s voices as they share the issues that are most important to them, and we’re inviting your program’s youth to...

BY: Maria Rizo      03/22/24

Afterschool is changing the narrative in my community

By Brandon Tibbs, Afterschool Youth Ambassador, class of 2024. Where I’m from, there’s three ways to be: a “Norbit” (a scholar), a “hoodlum,” or a baller. Afterschool programs aim to change that narrative. A typical day in the ComED youth program would...

BY: Guest Blogger      03/21/24

In afterschool, I had amazing experiences and got to meet amazing people

By Gabrielle Haynes, Afterschool Youth Ambassador, class of 2024. Throughout middle school, I loved going to the Boys and Girls Club afterschool, and I especially loved the staff. Being at the club felt like home to me; it just felt normal and comfortable. Every day, at about 2:15 pm, we would...

BY: Guest Blogger      03/19/24

In afterschool, we're building community and celebrating progress

By Edgar Euceda, Afterschool Youth Ambassador, class of 2024. One meaningful lesson I've learned in the Elsik Afterschool Debate Club, particularly as president of the club, is the importance of having a community that's not only supportive but also celebrates progress.  A few...

BY: Guest Blogger      03/14/24

In afterschool, I discovered that my voice could make a difference, in my life and the lives of others.

By Jully Myrthil, Afterschool Youth Ambassador, class of 2024. Being a project leader and board member for Young Voices (YV), a youth organization advocating for policies affecting youth and their communities, has been a life-changing experience. Young Voices has allowed me to use my voice to...

BY: Guest Blogger      03/05/24

Youth Voice Week 2024 was a huge success

The voices of young people are still echoing in afterschool programs across the nation, in the halls of Congress, and across social media after a powerful Youth Voice Week! From March 25-29, the Afterschool Alliance partnered with the Collective for Youth Empowerment in STEM & Society and...

BY: Maria Rizo      04/15/24

By helping create my afterschool program, I became the person I am today

By Ava Havidic, Afterschool Youth Ambassador, class of 2024. March 25 to 29, 2024 is Youth Voice Week! All this week, we will publish blogs from our Afterschool Youth Ambassadors, as they describe the impact their program has had on their lives and why afterschool is important to them and their...

BY: Guest Blogger      03/29/24

I'm grateful to my afterschool program for giving me a place to belong and helping me make friends.

By Gabrielle Haynes, Afterschool Youth Ambassador, class of 2024. March 25 to 29, 2024 is Youth Voice Week! All this week, we will publish blogs from our Afterschool Youth Ambassadors, as they describe the impact their program has had on their lives and why afterschool is important to them and...

BY: Guest Blogger      03/27/24

I have been led by my afterschool teachers, and now I am leading the youth of today.

By Jay'Len Clark, Afterschool Youth Ambassador, class of 2024. March 25 to 29, 2024 is Youth Voice Week! All this week, we will publish blogs from our Afterschool Youth Ambassadors, as they describe the impact their program has had on their lives and why afterschool is important to them and...

BY: Guest Blogger      03/26/24

Afterschool gave me access to opportunities that improved my outlook on life.

By Brandon Tibbs, Afterschool Youth Ambassador, class of 2024. March 25 to 29, 2024 is Youth Voice Week! All this week, we will publish blogs from our Afterschool Youth Ambassadors, as they describe the impact their program has had on their lives and why afterschool is important to them and...

BY: Guest Blogger      03/25/24

Afterschool is changing the narrative in my community

By Brandon Tibbs, Afterschool Youth Ambassador, class of 2024. Where I’m from, there’s three ways to be: a “Norbit” (a scholar), a “hoodlum,” or a baller. Afterschool programs aim to change that narrative. A typical day in the ComED youth program would...

BY: Guest Blogger      03/21/24

In afterschool, I had amazing experiences and got to meet amazing people

By Gabrielle Haynes, Afterschool Youth Ambassador, class of 2024. Throughout middle school, I loved going to the Boys and Girls Club afterschool, and I especially loved the staff. Being at the club felt like home to me; it just felt normal and comfortable. Every day, at about 2:15 pm, we would...

BY: Guest Blogger      03/19/24

In afterschool, we're building community and celebrating progress

By Edgar Euceda, Afterschool Youth Ambassador, class of 2024. One meaningful lesson I've learned in the Elsik Afterschool Debate Club, particularly as president of the club, is the importance of having a community that's not only supportive but also celebrates progress.  A few...

BY: Guest Blogger      03/14/24

In afterschool, I discovered that my voice could make a difference, in my life and the lives of others.

By Jully Myrthil, Afterschool Youth Ambassador, class of 2024. Being a project leader and board member for Young Voices (YV), a youth organization advocating for policies affecting youth and their communities, has been a life-changing experience. Young Voices has allowed me to use my voice to...

BY: Guest Blogger      03/05/24

It’s important for everyone to feel equal and important. I feel that way in afterschool.

By Willany Sayles, Afterschool Youth Ambassador, class of 2024. Even though I participated in afterschool programs all of my elementary years, my middle school did not have an afterschool program my 6th and 7th grade years because of the pandemic. However, my elementary school was right down the...

BY: Guest Blogger      02/20/24

Measuring Youth Development: How out-of-school time programs collect and use data

Data collection can be one of the most useful – and most challenging – aspects of running an afterschool or summer program. A new Child Trends report commissioned by The Wallace Foundation explores the ways OST programs gauge their work, challenges to collecting data, and tips to...

BY: Ursula Helminski      04/02/24

Find essential OST research on the new Wallace Foundation website

Notice anything new? The Wallace Foundation has recently unveiled a new website. To help users navigate the new site, the foundation has provided an accompanying FAQ to address common questions about the site’s updated features. While steps were taken to ensure that former webpage links...

BY: Charlotte Steinecke      01/23/24

Culturally responsive STEM programming: Aim High awardee Geeking Out Kids of Color

This blog is part of a series covering the work of New York Life Foundation Aim High grantees. Awardees receive support for their outstanding out-of-school time programs serving underserved middle school youth. The Aim High grant request for proposals is open now through February 1, 2024...

BY: Maria Rizo      01/02/24

Promising practices and innovative responses for high-quality arts programming in OST

Welcome to the second part of our series unpacking The Wallace Foundation’s recent report, “Setting the Stage: Practical Ideas for Implementing High-Quality Afterschool Arts Programs.” In this blog post, we will discuss the Youth Arts Initiative’s efforts to connect youth...

BY: Elizabeth Bannan      10/17/23

Guest blog: Sparking joy… districtwide

By Laurie Posner, communications consultant. This article originally appeared on the Mizzen Minute on October 2, 2023. It is being shared here with permission. As an out-of-school time professional, having vetted education content at your fingertips — for free — can be a huge help....

BY: Guest Blogger      10/09/23

Connecting young people with high-quality arts programming in multipurpose OST settings

Welcome to our two-part series unpacking The Wallace Foundation’s recent report, “Setting the Stage: Practical Ideas for Implementing High-Quality Afterschool Arts Programs.” In this blog post, we will discuss the Youth Arts Initiative’s efforts to connect youth from...

BY: Elizabeth Bannan      10/03/23

New podcast discusses youth perspectives on program design

In March of 2023, The Wallace Foundation released a three-part podcast series titled Beyond the Classroom, where youth research team members, out-of-school time (OST) practitioners, and field experts discuss the findings of a 2022 student-led study commissioned by The Wallace Foundation,...

BY: Elizabeth Bannan      08/01/23

U.S. Dept. of Ed. calls for more afterschool and summer supports

The U.S. Department of Education’s Engage Every Student Initiative marked its one-year anniversary last week with the Raise the Bar Summit, a celebration of the progress made toward expanding afterschool and summer programs for youth across the nation and a platform to exchange...

BY: Ursula Helminski      07/17/23

21st CCLC youth gain life and work skills

Parents and youth alike value the opportunities that afterschool and summer programs offer to develop life and work skills, such as teamwork, problem-solving, decision-making, and communications, as well as exposure to career paths. In a fall 2022 survey, 88 percent of parents said that afterschool...

BY: Ursula Helminski      06/29/23

Building peer-to-peer relationships and taking "safe risks": Project Morry

In a conversation with Dawn Ewing, Executive Director of Project Morry, we sat down to discuss how the program is fostering a safe space for youth to re-engage during the summer and how youth are able to define success on their own terms. Project Morry was one of the 36 grantees of the 2021 Aim...

BY: Maria Rizo      01/19/23

The power of representation: Being a role model for the next generation

By Dawn Marie Johnson, MSW, Director of Leadership and Culture for the South Dakota Afterschool Network; School Board Member, Sioux Falls School District Dawn Marie Johnson has been involved in supporting young people and school and afterschool organizations for the past decade. Growing up...

BY: Guest Blogger      07/27/23

U.S. Dept. of Ed. calls for more afterschool and summer supports

The U.S. Department of Education’s Engage Every Student Initiative marked its one-year anniversary last week with the Raise the Bar Summit, a celebration of the progress made toward expanding afterschool and summer programs for youth across the nation and a platform to exchange...

BY: Ursula Helminski      07/17/23

Creating a safe space in afterschool for LGBTQIA+ youth

Photo courtesy of The Gender Spectrum Collection Afterschool programs provide a safe space for youth to be their most authentic selves, with opportunities to engage with peers outside of the school day, connect with caring adults, and explore their interests and passions. But LGBTQ+ youth in...

BY: Maria Rizo      06/27/23

Success stories: The Burma Center

Reflecting on the findings from our recent voter poll, "Afterschool a Priority for Asian American and Pacific Islander Voters," the Afterschool Alliance is amplifying the work of out-of-school providers supporting AANHPI students and their families. The Burma Center is a...

BY: Sophie Kidd      06/26/23

Building peer-to-peer relationships and taking "safe risks": Project Morry

In a conversation with Dawn Ewing, Executive Director of Project Morry, we sat down to discuss how the program is fostering a safe space for youth to re-engage during the summer and how youth are able to define success on their own terms. Project Morry was one of the 36 grantees of the 2021 Aim...

BY: Maria Rizo      01/19/23

January is National Mentoring Month

Afterschool programs are excellent places for young people to meet and engage with supportive adults and find mentors. From STEM superheroes introducing girls to 21st century STEM careers, to caring adults helping with homework and encouraging students realize their full potential, mentorship in...

BY: Charlotte Steinecke      01/10/23

New video: This Is Afterschool

We're starting 2023 off with the release of our anthem video, This Is Afterschool, which puts a spotlight on some of the amazing activities available in quality afterschool and summer learning programs. From ballet to sailing, and from rocketry to theater, afterschool programs are...

BY: Charlotte Steinecke      01/03/23

Celebrating 25 years of masterpieces with a masterpiece of a movie

“We want to show the softness.” – Mingotae Kebede, director and producer A filmmaker and former staff of a long running Washington, DC Afterschool program, Life Pieces to Masterpieces was asked to help the program create a small video to commemorate the program’s 25th...

BY: Jillian Luchner      12/09/22

California celebrates the 20th Anniversary of Proposition 49

The energy was buzzing at Bell Gardens Intermediate as students, school leaders, and afterschool advocates including former California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona gathered to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Proposition 49, the initiative that created...

BY: Emily Murtaugh      12/05/22

Program Toolbox recently updated for new, established, and growing programs

Starting a new program or working to grow a program can be exciting and fulfilling—but it can take hard work. We’ve created a toolbox of resources to help you at every point in the process. With a variety of guides, tools, case studies, and best practices from out-of-school time experts...

BY: Maria Rizo      11/22/22

Celebrate Black History Month in afterschool

February marks the celebration of Black History Month, an opportunity to honor and commemorate the profound contributions of Black folks throughout history. See new resources for afterschool providers to engage students in meaningful discussions and activities that highlight and celebrate Black...

BY: Maria Rizo      02/16/24

Culturally responsive STEM programming: Aim High awardee Geeking Out Kids of Color

This blog is part of a series covering the work of New York Life Foundation Aim High grantees. Awardees receive support for their outstanding out-of-school time programs serving underserved middle school youth. The Aim High grant request for proposals is open now through February 1, 2024...

BY: Maria Rizo      01/02/24

Recapping NIEA's Convention: Education Sovereignty. It Begins with Us.

In October, advocates came together in Albuquerque, New Mexico, for the National Indian Education Association’s 54th annual Convention and Trade Show. This year’s theme was "Education Sovereignty. It Begins with Us." The convention was filled with inspiring speakers and...

BY: Sophie Kidd      11/03/23

The power of representation: Being a role model for the next generation

By Dawn Marie Johnson, MSW, Director of Leadership and Culture for the South Dakota Afterschool Network; School Board Member, Sioux Falls School District Dawn Marie Johnson has been involved in supporting young people and school and afterschool organizations for the past decade. Growing up...

BY: Guest Blogger      07/27/23

Success stories: The Burma Center

Reflecting on the findings from our recent voter poll, "Afterschool a Priority for Asian American and Pacific Islander Voters," the Afterschool Alliance is amplifying the work of out-of-school providers supporting AANHPI students and their families. The Burma Center is a...

BY: Sophie Kidd      06/26/23

Activities and resources to celebrate Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month

May is Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander Heritage Month - a month to honor the accomplishments and contributions of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the United States while celebrating their diverse heritages. Here are a few resources and ideas to help you think about ways...

BY: Ursula Helminski      05/15/23

Building peer-to-peer relationships and taking "safe risks": Project Morry

In a conversation with Dawn Ewing, Executive Director of Project Morry, we sat down to discuss how the program is fostering a safe space for youth to re-engage during the summer and how youth are able to define success on their own terms. Project Morry was one of the 36 grantees of the 2021 Aim...

BY: Maria Rizo      01/19/23

Celebrating 25 years of masterpieces with a masterpiece of a movie

“We want to show the softness.” – Mingotae Kebede, director and producer A filmmaker and former staff of a long running Washington, DC Afterschool program, Life Pieces to Masterpieces was asked to help the program create a small video to commemorate the program’s 25th...

BY: Jillian Luchner      12/09/22

Guest blog: A book about everyday superheroes inspired Girlstart campers to pursue world-changing careers in STEM

By Alexa Brown and Hannah Winkler, coordinators at Girlstart. Girlstart aims to increase girls’ interest and engagement in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) — a mission accomplished through free summer camps and after-school programs across Texas,...

BY: Guest Blogger      09/12/22

Afterschool supports LGBTQ students

By Tran Tonnu, marketing manager at School's Out Washington, and Janell Jordan, King County program manager. This article originally appeared on School's Out Washington's blog on June 17, 2021. It has been republished here with their permission. For LGBTQ folks, June...

BY: Guest Blogger      06/28/22

Welcome Leslie Brooks, our new STEM Hub Manager

Hi everyone! My name is Leslie Brooks and I am so delighted to be joining the Afterschool Alliance as the new STEM Hub Manager. I am trained as a veterinarian with several years’ experience working as a clinical practitioner. Now, you might be wondering, how does a veterinarian end up at the...

BY: Leslie Brooks      09/19/23

Welcome Lucy Maddox, our Communications Associate!

Hello! My name is Lucy Maddox, and I’m very excited to be joining Afterschool Alliance as a Communications Associate! When I was growing up, afterschool and summer programs were a big part of my childhood. My parents, who both had full-time jobs, pushed me to join every afterschool activity...

BY: Lucy Maddox      07/24/23

Welcome Rebecca Salms, our new Office Administrator!

Hello! My name is Rebecca Salms, and I am so excited to be the new Office Administrator at the Afterschool Alliance. As is the case for so many others, raising a family without access to afterschool programs would have been a struggle, maybe even impossible, for me. Luckily, we did have access...

BY: Rebecca Salms      06/15/23

An afterschool champion starts a new chapter

It was September of 2004 when the Afterschool Alliance first lauded David Cicilline, then Mayor of Providence, for headlining a rally at the Rhode Island State House that was the culminating event in the state’s remarkable four-day Lights On Afterschool celebration. Our appreciation for him...

BY: Jodi Grant      06/12/23

Amobi Okugo joins board of the Afterschool Alliance

We are thrilled to introduce you to the Afterschool Alliance’s newest board member, Amobi Okugo! When we first met Amobi, he was surrounded by excited youth at a Lights On Afterschool celebration. A former professional soccer player, he had volunteered to come play with kids and show them...

BY: Ursula Helminski      05/16/23

Introducing Jasmine Crovador, our new Administrative Assistant!

I am beyond excited to have joined the Afterschool Alliance team as an Administrative Assistant for our Executive Director, Jodi Grant. In this role, I will be able to apart of both the development and administration side of Afterschool Alliance. Please allow me now to dive into who I am and why...

BY: Jasmine Crovador      04/20/23

Welcome Elizabeth Bannan, our new Project Associate!

Hi! My name is Elizabeth Bannan (she/her) and I am the new Project Associate on the Field Outreach team at Afterschool Alliance. I will be focused on supporting our youth ambassador program and the Million Girls Moonshot Flight Crew program. Throughout my childhood and teenage years, I was able...

BY: Elizabeth Bannan      01/17/23

Introducing Emily Murtaugh, our Engage Every Student Fellow!

Hi! I’m Emily Murtaugh, and I am one of two Engage Every Student (EES) Fellows on the Research Team. In this role I am researching how ESSER III dollars have been allocated and will be spent by school districts. As a result of this work, we will have a better understanding of the impact ARP...

BY: Emily Murtaugh      11/14/22

Welcome Liana Shivers, our Engage Every Student Fellow!

Hello! My name is Liana Shivers and I am one of the Engage Every Student Fellows at Afterschool Alliance. As a fellow, I review ESSER III school district spending plans to identify how federal COVID-recovery funds are being allocated to afterschool and summer programs. I have always gravitated...

BY: Liana Shivers      11/11/22

Welcome Sophie Kidd, our new Project Associate!

Hi there! My name is Sophie Kidd and I’m the new Project Associate at Afterschool Alliance, where I’ll be working with the field outreach and research teams. I am the child of two educators, and when I was growing up, our dinner table conversations centered around classrooms,...

BY: Sophie Kidd      05/02/22

New podcast discusses youth perspectives on program design

In March of 2023, The Wallace Foundation released a three-part podcast series titled Beyond the Classroom, where youth research team members, out-of-school time (OST) practitioners, and field experts discuss the findings of a 2022 student-led study commissioned by The Wallace Foundation,...

BY: Elizabeth Bannan      08/01/23

New guide to support district engagement in the National Partnership for Student Success

The National Partnership for Student Success (NPSS) just published a helpful resource for the field: a District Partnership Toolkit. NPSS is public-private partnership between the U.S. Department of Education, AmeriCorps, and John Hopkins Everyone Graduates Center, with a goal to bring 250,000...

BY: Jillian Luchner      04/25/23

"I want every girl to know that her voice can change the world": An interview with Girls Empowerment Network

We spoke with Ami Kane, Deputy Director at the Girls Empowerment Network, to discuss how the Spark Change Project is empowering girls to become advocates for the issues that matter the most to them and strengthening critical supports for their students with help from the New York Life...

BY: Maria Rizo      10/24/22

Resources to help you Engage Every Student from wherever you sit

New parent data shows that for every child in an afterschool program, there are now four more who are waiting for an available program. It is more important than ever to amplify ways for programs, communities, districts, and states to connect every student to an afterschool program that wants...

BY: Maria Rizo      09/08/22

Guest blog: Foundations, Inc.'s REACH model accelerates learning recovery in afterschool

By Elizabeth Cieri and Paula Houghton of Foundations, Inc.  Educators across the nation are dealing with academic losses due to the pandemic -- mitigating those losses requires inventive thinking and better practices. “Coming out of the pandemic, we knew all kids suffered learning...

BY: Guest Blogger      08/29/22

Ensuring access to school meals this fall

As we approach the upcoming school year, school nutrition programs are increasingly important in ensuring children are fed during the hours they are in and out of school and addressing food insecurity exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Last week, the Afterschool Alliance participated in the...

BY: Maria Rizo      08/11/22

From afterschool to the White House: A conversation with Life Pieces to Masterpieces alum Cateo Hilton

In February of this year, soon-to-be-high-school-graduate Cateo Hilton of Washington, D.C.’s Life Pieces to Masterpieces afterschool program was asked to speak at the White House at an event marking the end of Black History Month. Life Pieces to Masterpieces’ Andrew Blickle serves as an...

BY: Matt Freeman      07/12/22

Investing ARP in afterschool & summer: Overview of trends, opportunities, challenges

We’ve released a new overview looking at the trends, opportunities, and challenges around investing American Rescue Plan (ARP) dollars in afterschool and summer programs. Use this overview to help educate partners, policymakers, local leaders, and educators on the opportunity to support youth...

BY: Ursula Helminski      06/06/22

New resources to plan for summer learning and make the case for afterschool

Sharing the latest on COVID funds for afterschool or summer programs that support students’ well-being and academic growth, preparing for summer 2022, and more: The latest updates and tools to help you advance partnerships between schools and afterschool or summer programs to support...

BY: Charlotte Steinecke      04/28/22

MAP: Where are COVID funds supporting afterschool & summer programs?

If you’ve been following our COVID work, you know we’ve been working to track how and where federal COVID relief funding has been tapped to support young people with comprehensive afterschool and summer enrichment programs. Three major funding bills – the Coronavirus Aid, Relief,...

BY: Ursula Helminski      04/19/22