Weekly Media Roundup: January 31, 2024

Advocates of Afterschool Opportunities Rally in Albany for $119M Funding Boost, Spectrum News 1 (New York)

On Tuesday, afterschool leaders, students, and lawmakers gathered in Albany, New York to press for an additional $119 million in state funding to ensure universal access to afterschool. At the rally, students shared about how their afterschool programs have shaped their lives, and program leaders spoke to the challenges programs are facing, including severe staffing shortages. "Afterschool should not be for those who can afford it. It should be for everyone. A parent should not have to choose between going to work or ensuring their child's safety," Kelly McMahon, chief executive officer of the New York State Network for Youth Success, told Spectrum News 1.

Raleigh After-School Program Aims to Help Latino Students with English Language, Spectrum News 1 (North Carolina)

In Raleigh, North Carolina, the Aprendo afterschool program provides English language support and mentoring to local Latino and refugee families. “Through this program, we are able to help them with whatever need they may have in regard to the reading for school,” Lynda De Dios, educational coordinator at Aprendo, told Spectrum News 1. “We are also able to help with homework, which a lot of times parents cannot help with because again they don’t speak the language.” Aprendo’s parent organization, Neighbor to Neighbor, recently received $180,000 from a student-led fundraiser at Enloe High School,l and it plans to use a portion of the funds to expand Aprendo’s English Language Learners afterschool program.

Boys & Girls Club Fights Student Absenteeism with After-School Programs, CBS 12 (Florida)

In response to high absenteeism rates in Florida schools, the Boys & Girls Club of Palm Beach County are engaging students with afterschool programs at 13 school sites and seven clubhouse locations. The Florida Department of Education reports one in five students in the state are absent 21 or more days of school. Boys & Girls Club staff members work closely with students who continually miss school and look to address the issues surrounding each case. “The children are only able to be successful in the classroom if they have the ability to get their homework done and feel supported and prepared for the next day,” Candace Burrs, the regional director of club operations for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County, told CBS 12. “It only takes that one caring adult to make such an impact in a child’s life.”

Travis Kelce Teams Up to Donate 25k Meals for Kansas City Youth, KCTV 5 (MO)

Students in the Operation Breakthrough afterschool program in Kansas City, Missouri will receive 25,000 free meals thanks to a donation from Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce. Kelce partnered with Kodiak, a breakfast food brand, to provide convenient and nutritious breakfast options for the students. “We will be making a meaningful difference in the day-to-day life of hundreds of Kansas City kids, and I couldn’t be more excited to make this happen,” Kelce told KCTV 5