Weekly Media Roundup: March 29, 2023

Commentary: SC Afterschool Programs Can Help Close Gender Gap in STEM Industries, The Post and Courier (South Carolina)

In a recent guest column for the Post and Courier, South Carolina Afterschool Alliance President and CEO Zelda Waymer notes the overlap between Women’s History Month and South Carolina’s STEM (science, technology, education and math) Education Month, and highlights the role afterschool programs play in sparking girls’ interest in STEM. She describes the innovative ways afterschool programs engage students in hands-on activities in robotics, coding and engineering, including through the SC Afterschool Alliance’s STEAMIFY engineering and arts competition. “South Carolina can’t afford to leave women out of the STEM equation. We are needed in STEM careers in South Carolina, and afterschool programming is where we can start to build bridges and close the persistent gender gap,” Waymer writes.

Zaniac’s Afterschool ‘Chess Club’ Teaches Kids Moves of the Game, Gets Them Off Screens, ABC 13 News (North Carolina)

At the Zaniac afterschool program in Asheville, North Carolina, students not only learn computer coding but also how to play traditional board games such as chess. “It’s good for the kids to get off of the computers for a while and engage and use their brains for puzzles or chess,” Oliver Porter, an instructor at Zaniac, told ABC 13 News. “You have to make decisions under pressure; you have to make sure you make the right move.” Students also receive homework assistance and participate in other hands-on STEM activities.

"#LikeAGirl" Program Encourages Athletics and Empowerment for Tomorrows Sportswomen, HillsboroughCounty.org (Florida)

Thanks to a partnership between Hillsborough County and the University of South Florida, the Westchase Recreation Center’s afterschool program in Tampa, Florida, provides a unique opportunity for young girls to build their self-esteem and foster a love of sports. Each week, the “#LikeAGirl” program invites female collegiate athletes to come to the program for a meet and greet and sports demonstration. During a recent visit, Ragan Kinard, a member of the University of South Florida’s women’s volleyball team, spoke to the girls about the challenges of being an athlete: “Do not give up. Your mind will tell you it’s hard, but do not give up. There’s only wins and lessons. There are no losses.”

Demand For After-School Programs High, Survey Says, Tribune-Star (Indiana)

Leaders from the Indiana Afterschool Network (IAN) visited Terre Haute in March to meet with afterschool providers, youth leaders, elected officials and school administrators about the state of afterschool in Indiana, and how the IAN can support out-of-school time providers and their communities. “We’re working to increase access to all kinds of programs for every kid in Indiana. Our vision is that every child has access to a program if they want one,” Derrick Carnes, director of communications for the IAN, told the Tribune-Star. The gathering and was organized by Eleanor Ramseier, Executive Director of Camp Navigate and an Afterschool Alliance Afterschool Ambassador. Terre Haute Mayor Duke Bennett also spoke at the event about the importance of afterschool.