Weekly Media Roundup: September 13, 2023

Afterschool Program Helps Madison Students Breathe for Change, Wisconsin State Journal (Wisconsin)

At the Meadowood Neighborhood Center’s afterschool program in Madison, Wisconsin, students learn to reduce stress by controlling their breathing, practicing yoga, reading books to therapy dogs and participating in other social-emotional learning practices. “We piloted pieces of it last year, and now we are to a point where we are ready to fully implement programming,” Tauri Robinson, director of the Meadowood Neighborhood Center, told the Wisconsin State Journal. “It’s changed my life. I’ve seen it impact some of our children, especially our children with higher needs.” The center offers two afterschool programs, one for elementary school children and another for middle and high school students.

‘A Breath of Fresh Air’: How San Diego Families Are Impacted by Free After School Programs, KPBS (California)

With additional state funding, the San Diego Unified School District in California has increased the number of spots available in its free PrimeTime afterschool program this year, cutting its waitlist in half to 1,000 students. “I remember the exact moment that I found out that [my sons] had been accepted into the program, and I was jumping up and down for joy,” Deniece Hasson, mother of three elementary school aged boys, told KPBS. “Being able to alleviate that part of the budget was just a breath of fresh air to know that we have room to save, to do other things and not have to worry about sort of paycheck to paycheck, making sure that we are able to cover these costs.”

Education Secretary Praises Springfield After-School Program During Visit, The Associated Press

Last week, U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona visited Fairview Elementary School’s SCOPE afterschool program in Springfield, Illinois to promote the Education Department’s “Raise the Bar: Lead the World” initiative. During the visit, Secretary Cardona praised the school’s partnership with the Springfield Boys & Girls Club and emphasized the importance of community partnerships with schools to meet students’ needs. “I’m going to places where I can lift up examples of what’s happening. This after school program is an example of what we need to see across the country to meet students where they are,” Secretary Cardona told the Associated Press. 

Chicago Youth Programs Often End With the Summer. Young People Want More., The Trace (Illinois)

Research demonstrates out-of-school time programming’s potential to reduce violence, but young people in Chicago say there’s not enough opportunities during the school year compared to the summertime. “So many kids are being left behind because they can’t afford [afterschool programs],” Afterschool Alliance Executive Director Jodi Grant told The Trace. “Publicly funded programs don’t have enough resources to serve more kids.” A recent WBEZ analysis showed Chicago teenagers struggle to find recreational opportunities outside of downtown. Programs including the One City Basketball League are working to fill the gap by expanding to provide programming throughout the year.