Weekly Media Roundup: February 2, 2022

Student Entrepreneurs Get Education, Motivation in Norman, Journal Record (Oklahoma)

At the Loveworks Leadership afterschool program in Norman, Oklahoma, middle school students are encouraged to pursue their passions and become young entrepreneurs. Participants explore their interests in woodworking, art, computer coding and gardening while also learning valuable skills in accounting, communications and business development. “We’ve seen the impact on students, and we know it’s worth the investment and the resources,” Executive Director Michael Hirsch told the Journal Record. “Without the program, students from this demographic may never learn about business.” Recent student-run business ventures include the production and sales of fresh salsa at local farmers’ markets and the creation of a video game that received a patent.

Doors Now Open at Ozark Free After School Program, WTVY (Alabama)

Thanks to a new afterschool program in Ozark, Alabama, students are taking part in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) activities and art classes and connecting with mentors each day after school. “I wanted to have a program where children can come and have a safe haven after school and where they can learn and have fun and if they need help with homework and to provide a nutritional meal,” Shanika Reeves, founder of the All of God’s Children afterschool program, told WTVY. The free program also supports older students working to complete their GED and college applications.

Afterschool Programs Coping with Staff Shortages That Are Serious and Worsening, Markets Herald

A new Afterschool Alliance survey finds that 87% of afterschool program providers are concerned about staffing shortages, and that the share of programs with waitlists has risen sharply. Providers also reported that staffing shortages are leading to increased costs. “These new findings are sobering, especially since we know Omicron has increased staffing problems since this survey was conducted. While many programs report using federal COVID relief funds to support staff recruitment and retention, those funds are likely to end long before the afterschool staffing crisis does,” Afterschool Alliance Executive Director Jodi Grant told Markets Herald. “If we don’t provide resources to help afterschool programs staff up, students, families, and our country will suffer.”

Willmar Middle School After-School Program Offers Academic Help and a Little Fun, West Central Tribune (Minnesota)

Students in the SOAR afterschool program at Willmar Middle School in Minnesota get help with homework, build relationships with teachers, develop social and emotional skills, and take part in fun activities including swimming, robotics, art and dodgeball. About 80 students currently participate in the program, which has a waiting list and is now open three afternoons per week, after losing its 21^st Century Community Learning Centers grant. It provides snacks, meals and transportation. Science teacher John Kuznik told the West Central Tribune that SOAR helps build community at the school. “I interact with kids I don’t have as students,” Kuznik said. “[They] will see me here, and they'll say hi to me in the hallway."