Weekly Media Roundup: October 14, 2026

The Benefit of Free After-School Programs, Bloomberg

In a recent opinion video for Bloomberg, economist Kathryn Anne Edwards argues the federal government should fund universal afterschool programs so all kids can be safe after school, parents can work, and businesses can recruit and retain the employees they need. Edwards also highlights afterschool programs’ potential to help alleviate the youth mental health crisis by boosting students’ confidence and sense of belonging. “We have one limited source of federal funding for afterschool. With federal funding comes federal evaluation, and evidence in hand [is] that afterschool programming benefits kids – everything from having better attendance during the day, to less crime after school, to getting more opportunities for enrichment that makes them feel more confident or even physically and mentally healthier,” Edwards says. “Universal afterschool funding is an easy win in a world of hard problems.”

Yorktown Community Schools, Boys & Girls Clubs of Muncie and Yorktown Methodist Church Partner to Launch New Afterschool Program, Muncie Journal (Indiana)

Recognizing the need for more afterschool programs for middle school students, Yorktown Community Schools is partnering with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Muncie and Yorktown Methodist Church to open a new afterschool program designed specifically for this age group in Yorktown, Indiana. “From our early conversations, it was clear that the school and Boys & Girls Clubs were seeing the same need,” Dominic Bordenaro, CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Muncie, told the Muncie Journal. “We both wanted to find a way to give middle school students a place to go after school where they could be supported, have opportunities to grow, and build relationships with adults who care about their future.” Beginning in January, Yorktown Methodist Church will host the new afterschool program while the Boys & Girls Clubs will provide academic support, career exploration, community service, financial literacy and much more.

South San Francisco Warns of After-School Care Cuts Due to State Funding Dispute, KPIX (California)

For working parents, afterschool programs provide essential support that allows them to maintain their work schedule while ensuring their children are supervised in a safe, enriching environment. However, a long-running funding dispute between California and San Mateo County threatens subsidized afterschool programs and childcare, potentially increasing costs for families and putting providers’ jobs at risk. “We do need help taking care of our kids while we’re at work,” Magaly, a single mother in South San Francisco, told KPIX. “We need these kind of [afterschool] programs.” Although state lawmakers have agreed to negotiate a new funding plan, uncertainty remains.

Wisconsin Out of School Time Alliance Launches Teen Mental Health Resource Hub, CWB Radio (Wisconsin)

In the 2023 Wisconsin Youth Risk Behavior Survey, three in five high school students reported experiencing at least one mental health challenge in the past year. To help parents, educators and afterschool professionals support youth who are struggling, the Wisconsin Out of School Time Alliance partnered with the Wisconsin Office of Children’s Mental Health to launch the new Teen Mental Health Resource hub, with practical tools and information from trusted sources. “Supporting youth mental health requires all of us: families, schools, after-school programs, health professionals and communities,” Linda Hall, director of Wisconsin Office of Children’s Mental Health, told CWB Radio. “Young people need environments where they feel connected and supported, and the adults in their lives need reliable tools to help create those environments.”