Weekly Media Roundup, July 20, 2022

After-School Programs Are Part of Addressing Pandemic-Related Issues, But Funding is a Challenge, Hawai’i Public Radio (Hawai’i)

Research shows classroom disruptions and student behavior problems have increased during the pandemic. Afterschool leaders in Hawai’i say they’ve seen these challenges, and that their programs they have an important role to play in helping students reengage, recover, and develop social and emotional skills. After-school programs “help students with academic improvement, working on reading and math skills. They engage youth in learning, and they help with school attendance. They prevent youth violence," Paula Adams, executive director of the Hawai'i Afterschool Alliance and an Afterschool Ambassador, told Hawai’i Public Radio. Advocates say increased federal and state funding would help afterschool and summer programs meet students’ needs in a sustainable way.

Portland-Area Summer Learning Programs Try Novel Approaches to Spark Teens’ Curiosity, Fondness for School, The Oregonian (Oregon)

This summer, the Beaverton, North Clackamas and Portland school districts in Oregon are offering more than traditional summer school courses. High school students are taking a range of enrichment classes, including career training classes, courses for additional school credit, and programs to ease the transition into high school. “These programs are an opportunity to explore things in a very focused environment,” Aeylin Summers, North Clackamas School District’s summer program coordinator, told the Oregonian. “The practical side of it is that it provides students with the current of hope, not just in recovering credits but in hope to decide that they do like school, that they do like learning.”

Kids Giving Science Mill Summer Camp at TLU a Thumbs Up, Seguin Today (Texas)

At the free Science Mill camp held at Texas Lutheran University in Seguin, Texas, students are hard at work learning about STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) and the exciting careers they could pursue. Seguin Independent School District Superintendent Matthew Gutierrez is not only a strong supporter of the camp, which is part of the district’s six-week summer learning program, but he has firsthand knowledge of its benefits since his son attended the program. “He loved every minute of camp and talked about nothing else each night at home. From our conversations, it was clear that his new knowledge sparked a desire to learn more,” Gutierrez told Seguin Today. “I believe that by teaching our children to love learning, we do more than educate them. We transform their lives. That transformation can have a generational ripple effect.”

Federal Initiative Leverages COVID Aid to Expand After-School, Summer Learning, Education Week (National)

Last week, the U.S. Department an Education announced the Engage Every Student Initiative – an unprecedented effort to help all students access out-of-school time (OST) programming. The new initiative includes online resources for state and local education leaders about how to use federal funds to create and expand OST programs, and a partnership with the Afterschool Alliance, The National Comprehensive Center, the National League of Cities, the National Summer Learning Association, and the School Superintendents Association, which will coordinate with more than 50 allied organizations to boost OST programs. “Evidence shows that students thrive when schools, communities, philanthropies, and government at every level work together to provide enriching, engaging opportunities for students to learn, grow, and build community beyond the classroom,” U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona said in announcing the initiative. “This is especially true for students most affected by the pandemic.”