Weekly Media Roundup: November 16, 2022

Gulf Shores 'Beyond the Bell' Program Offers Afterschool Programs, Orange Beach News (Alabama)

At the Beyond the Bell afterschool program in Gulf Shores, Alabama, students participate in a variety of STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) activities, including building electric race cars for competitions against other schools, studying environmental science with local experts, and monitoring and managing the Gulf Shores Elementary and Middle Schools’ recycling program. “One of our big programs that is definitely a big hit with the students is called Jedi Academy,” Gulf Shores Middle School Assistant Principal Brittney Reeves told Orange Beach News. “It is learning to fence in full pads using light sabers. Then they take those skills using light sabers when they create a movie. They’ll make a short film, they write it, direct it.” The free afterschool program receives funding through a 21^st Century Community Learning Centers grant.

Hawai’i Medical Service Association Invests $25,000 for Hale ‘?pio Kaua‘i Youth Program, Kaua’i Now (Hawai‘i)

Recognizing the emotional toll the pandemic has had on youth, especially those in underserved communities, Hawai‘i Medical Service Association is donating $25,000 to Hale ‘?pio Kaua‘i’s Ke Kahua O Ka Malamalama, an afterschool program providing youth-driven activities focused on Hawaiian culture and values. According to recent findings from the 2022 KIDS COUNT Data Book, nearly a quarter (23%) more youth in Hawai‘i struggled with anxiety and depression in 2020 than in 2016. Hawai‘i Medical Service Association is providing $25,000 donations to four additional mental health resource organizations – the Boys & Girls Club of Maui, Big Island Substance Abuse Council, Kapi‘olani Medical Center for Women and Children, and Mental Health America of Hawaii. “Our teenage population is struggling due to limited access to mental health resources, and we need to work together to support overall health conditions,” Hawai?i Medical Service Association President and CEO Mark M. Mugiishi, M.D., F.A.C.S. told Kaua’i Now.

Gastonia Women Launch Tutoring Program for Children, Gaston Gazette (North Carolina)

When Dina Thompson, a mental health professional in Gaston, North Carolina, realized that there weren’t sufficient afterschool programs available in her community, she and her wife Bralicia decided to create their own to help fill the gap. Today, the Distinguished Youth Enrichment Program provides meals, one-on-one tutoring, mentorship and life skills education to students of all ages. Thompson hopes to expand the program and eventually open an all-day youth center. “It's nice. It helps you believe in yourself,” Isaiah, a ninth grader in the program, told the Gaston Gazette. “They're really helpful, respectful, and they help us a lot.”

More Students Should Have an Opportunity to Attend After-School Programs, NJ.com (New Jersey)

In a recent guest column for NJ.com, Ebony D. Grace, CEO of NJSACC: The Statewide Network for New Jersey’s Afterschool Communities writes that afterschool programs such as the 21st Century Community Learning Centers Program in Roselle are essential to the success and wellbeing of students and their communities. By keeping students safe, supporting their learning, helping working parents, and exposing students to new interests and experiences – such as a field trip to a Broadway show– afterschool programs help students pursue their dreams and provide a substantial return on investment. “Every child deserves a program and experience like those at Roselle Public Schools. Unfortunately, too many families are unable to take advantage of the benefits after-school provide[s]. We’re leaving those students behind,” Grace writes.