Weekly Media Roundup: February 15, 2023

US Education Chief Visits Jackson Touting ARPA-Funded Out-of-School Programs, WAPT-TV (Mississippi)

This week, U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona visited the afterschool program at Casey Elementary School in Jackson, Mississippi to highlight how federal funds from the American Rescue Plan Act have supported out-of-school time programs as they help students recover both academically and emotionally from the pandemic. “We want to highlight the fact that when these dollars were made, (they were intended) to rescue what students lost during the pandemic,” Cardona told WAPT-TV. “There are some examples that really shine brighter than others, and this is one of them.”  Secretary Cardona also met with out-of-school time leaders from Bean Path, the Children’s Museum and the Mississippi Afterschool Network.

Atlanta Awards $1M in Youth Development Grants, 11 Alive (Georgia)

In January, Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens introduced the “Year of the Youth” initiative, a project to expand resources and programs for Atlanta’s youth and to reduce gun violence. In February, the initiative awarded $1 million in grants to 19 youth development and afterschool programs. “Just weeks into our Year of the Youth, we are making direct investments into the local non-profit organizations who know their communities personally,” Mayor Dickens told 11 Alive. “Atlanta is a group project, and these community partners will help us ensure all of Atlanta’s youth have the cradle-to-career support they deserve.”

12 Black Leaders to Know: Ray Funnye, The Post and Courier (South Carolina)

When civil engineer and Georgetown, South Carolina County Director of Public Services Ray Funnye noticed youth in his community didn’t have many recreation options after school, he and his wife began hosting baseball games outside their home. That effort led them to form the Village Group nonprofit to provide comprehensive afterschool and summer learning opportunities, including science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), sports, academics, career exploration and more. “It’s about career readiness,” Funnye, an Afterschool Alliance Afterschool Ambassador, told the Post and Courier. “That’s the whole idea.” Funnye was named one of “12 Black Leaders to Know” by the Post and Courier in recognition of his work with the county and with Georgetown’s youth.

Art Tatum Zone Seeing Major Success With Afterschool Program, Has Even Bigger Plans, WTOL (Ohio)

At the Art Tatum Zone afterschool program in Toledo, Ohio, students receive academic support and participate in activities focused on social and emotional learning. The program, named after Toledo’s legendary jazz musician Art Tatum, also includes art, theater and music enrichment. "We understand that education opens so many doors and provides so many choices. What we also understood is that it's more than just reading, writing and mathematics, we wanted to create a love for learning in all of our students," Executive Director Christine Sweeney told WTOL. In addition to afterschool programming, Art Tatum Zone provides educational opportunities for adults and organizes neighborhood revitalization projects.