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Top Stories:
Afterschool Heads to Capitol Hill
Economic Woes Posing Challenges to Programs
Outreach
Inviting a Lawmaker to Visit
Preparing for the Visit
Making It a Great Experience
Following Up
Afterschool for All
Funding News
In Their Own Words...
Afterschool Champion Competing for Olympic Spot
Election Opportunity
Resources
California Update
Mark Your Calendars...

Afterschool News from Around the Nation & Beyond:
California | Massachusetts | New Mexico | Oklahoma | Pennsylvania | South Dakota | Texas | Virginia |

Afterschool Heads to Capitol Hill
Hundreds of advocates from across the country will soon join the Afterschool Alliance for the 7th Annual Afterschool for All Challenge in Washington, D.C. The May 13 and 14 event will highlight the 10th anniversary of 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) and honor state and federal afterschool champions.

This year, the Afterschool Alliance is partnering with the National League of Cities and its National City Afterschool Summit for the event, which will give city officials, superintendents, school board members and afterschool providers the chance to share strategies for growing quality afterschool programs.

The two-day program will include special topic forums, youth-oriented sessions, networking, a "Breakfast of Champions," and visits to Capitol Hill for meetings with elected officials. Celebrity chef Tyler Florence, star of numerous Food Network shows and a strong afterschool supporter, will be among the speakers.

"The Afterschool for All Challenge provides a wonderful opportunity for parents, children, educators, community leaders and others to talk to lawmakers about the benefits offered by quality afterschool programs," Afterschool Alliance Executive Director Jodi Grant said. "With the budget tight and cuts to many programs being considered, it is vitally important that advocates talk directly to lawmakers about the ways afterschool programs support families and communities."

On Tuesday, May 13, advocates will participate in plenary sessions and workshops designed to give them the chance to share ideas and strategies with colleagues from across the country. Workshops will address reaching elected officials and candidates; city-state afterschool partnerships; meeting the needs of older youth; connecting school, parents and communities; and much more. Participants will also be trained to be effective in meetings with Members of Congress and their aides. There will be special sessions for youth.

The "Breakfast of Champions" will take place on Wednesday, May 14 on Capitol Hill, and will feature congressional and state afterschool champions. After the "Breakfast," advocates will meet with lawmakers to discuss the need for more afterschool programs in their communities. Federal funding lags far behind the promise of the No Child Left Behind Act, which authorized $2.5 billion for 21st CCLC in Fiscal Year 2007. Despite a $100 million increase this year, federal funding stands at just $1.1 billion - less than half the promise of No Child Left Behind.

Afterschool supporters who are not coming to Washington, D.C. can participate in the Afterschool for All Challenge from home by emailing or calling their Senators and Representatives on May 14 to encourage them to increase funding for 21st Century Community Learning Centers.

For information and to register for the Afterschool for All Challenge, or to send a message to your Senators and Representatives, visit www.afterschoolalliance.org.

Economic Woes Posing Challenges to Programs
The nation's economic downturn is affecting more than prices at the gas pump and the grocery store. More and more city, county and state governments are struggling with budget shortfalls and making tough decisions about which essential services to continue and which to cut. In some communities, the budget crunch is endangering funding for afterschool programs - and forcing supporters to organize and reach out to new partners in order to keep program doors open.

While some states are considering afterschool funding increases next year, others are struggling. In Florida, advocates are urging lawmakers to dip into the state's "rainy day fund" reserves before enacting even deeper budget cuts. Already lawmakers have cut $500 million from this year's kindergarten to 12th grade spending, and may have to cut another $300 million next year. As a result, the South Florida Sun Sentinel reports that "virtually every school district in the state is considering cuts in afterschool programs, art and music electives and classroom maintenance."

In Annapolis, Maryland, nonprofit groups that provide afterschool programs, drug rehabilitation and other services recently banded together to plead for $650,000 in city funding, which would equal 0.5 percent of the city's $81 million annual budget. The mayor is proposing shifting the funds to crime prevention and not funding the nonprofits at all. "There's a lot of money going into public safety, but if we don't have afterschool programs, it won't matter," Mary Wolf, founder of the Clay Street Computer Learning Center, told the Capital.

In Golden Valley, outside of Minneapolis, Minnesota, all three of the district's middle schools have eliminated afterschool programs to help address an anticipated $5 million shortfall for the 20082009 school year. Parents at the Carl Sandburg Middle School have begun a fundraising campaign to save their program. They need to raise $80,000 to restore the program but, even if they raise those funds, it will need to end at 4:15 instead of 5 p.m. to save on transportation costs and staff salaries. "It's a temporary project to try to have some activities over the next two years that will benefit kids," Sandburg Principal Tom Henderlite told the Minneapolis Star Tribune. "After that, it will be up to the district to have a referendum passed and go back to the plan we used to have."

Afterschool programs in Shelton, Connecticut, received a welcome reprieve from a local business. Earlier this month, when the Board of Education decided to close elementary and intermediate schools at the end of the school day due to budget cuts, afterschool programs were left with no place to meet. SportsCenter, which has party rooms and meeting spaces, two ice rinks, a driving range, batting cages, a fitness center and laser tag, jumped in to provide space for afterschool programs that otherwise would have been left homeless. SportsCenter owner Alan Phillips told the Connecticut Post, "These are challenging economic times, but it's unfortunate that the budget cuts impact the children. Our business is keeping kids active and healthy. We want kids to be able to take part in after school activities, not sitting on the couch playing video games." Phillips invited Girl and Boy Scouts and other afterschool groups affected by the closures to meet at SportsCenter.

The economic downturn is tightening public and private budgets and posing new challenges for afterschool programs. "We need to increase our advocacy and reach out to elected officials and government leaders, businesses that can become new partners, and the media which can carry messages about how popular and important afterschool programs are to our communities," said Afterschool Alliance Executive Director Jodi Grant. "Quality afterschool programs are immensely popular because they provide a valuable service to children and families. That gives us a lot of leverage in budget debates, but we have to organize and speak out."

Tools to help programs with advocacy and outreach are available on the Afterschool Alliance website at www.afterschoolalliance.org.

Outreach
The Afterschool for All Challenge provides a unique opportunity for afterschool supporters to come to Washington, D.C. and talk to elected officials about the essential role afterschool programs play in their communities. Equally important, however, is giving lawmakers the chance to visit afterschool programs and see the activities firsthand. A site visit by a lawmaker does as much as anything to drive home the ways afterschool programs change young people's lives and put them on the path to a better future.

Inviting a Lawmaker to Visit
Rosalie Buzzas, Afterschool Ambassador and Director of The Flagship Program in Missoula, Montana, says persistence is key to securing a lawmaker visit. Buzzas has a unique perspective; she is a former State Representative who also runs an afterschool program.

On February 29, United States Senator Jon Tester visited her afterschool program. Buzzas said she made her initial request to Senator Tester's office in the fall, nearly six months before his visit. She recommends contacting the District office rather than calling the Washington, D.C. office to make the invitation. "They're the ones that schedule them when they come back home," she says, so the District office "is the best point of contact and will usually know about your program."

When Buzzas contacted Senator Tester's District office, she was told she would be "put on rotation," meaning that her program was added to a long list of pending requests. To avoid being lost in the shuffle, she checked back every month or so to remind staff members of her invitation and also that her students were counting on the visit.

Preparing for the Visit
When the time came, "they called and gave two days notice," Buzzas remembers. "I moved some classes around," rearranging special events scheduled for later in the week at her high school program so they would take place during Senator Tester's visit. An additional challenge was that she would have only 45 minutes to show him the best of afterschool.

Buzzas decided to focus on respect, because two high schools had recently experienced anti-gay and lesbian demonstrations. Senator Tester agreed to meet with the Respect Club to discuss the issue. "He got into a really amazing discussion with the kids," she says. He also spent time with the Peer Action Team that was developing a media message to share with peers about the dangers associated with underage drinking. "Senator Tester went away feeling like this is really worthwhile," she adds.

Making It a Great Experience
Because the Senator was short on time, Buzzas selected the site that was closest to his previous engagement. She worked closely with the school's principal to ensure that everything would run smoothly, paying attention to details including pre-arranging a parking spot for the Senator.

Buzzas coordinated with the District office to identify media needs, and contacted local television stations and newspapers to alert them to the visit. The school newspaper staff also shadowed the Senator, and covered his visit in the school newspaper.

Above all else, Buzzas emphasizes the importance of letting lawmakers speak directly with youth. Children are the most effective advocates for afterschool programs, she says, and program directors should be sure to allow plenty of time for unfiltered youth/lawmaker interaction.

Following Up
"Persistence and politeness, and making it a good event for them is always good," she notes. She prepared packets of information for Senator Tester and his staff, including statistics from the Afterschool Alliance on afterschool need and demand in the state, and information on her program. While escorting the Senator to various events, she drew his attention to information in the packets.

After the visit, each student who met Senator Tester sent him a personal thank you card. Buzzas also sent his staff photos from the visit. Senator Tester, in turn, sent each student a personal thank you.

Buzzas believes the visit improved the Senator's perception of afterschool, and hopes he will now join the Congressional Afterschool Caucus. "It's just so worth it," she says. "If you can put a face to this work, it really does make a difference."

Tips and sample materials for setting up your own site visit are available at www.afterschoolalliance.org.

Afterschool for All
Partners in Afterschool for All now total close 18,500. Thanks to all of you who are helping to spread the message of afterschool for all! The Arizona Center for Afterschool Excellence (ACAE) recently held a rally for afterschool at the state capitol and used the Afterschool for All campaign to successfully recruit close to 60 state legislators and their aides to sign on to the effort in support of Arizona's afterschool programs. Lisa Rice, Executive Director of ACAE, says: "We have lots of new friends and introduced the word 'afterschool' into the vocabulary of all the legislators. We're looking forward to building on this foundation." Don't be shy about showing your support for afterschool. Display the Proud Partner of Afterschool for All web banner on your website and invite your friends, colleagues and community leaders to join Afterschool for All. Questions/Comments? Contact Marie Coichy, Project Manager, Afterschool for All at mcoichy@afterschoolalliance.org or at 646/943-8662.

Funding News
The Afterschool Alliance's website has resources for afterschool providers, including tips for initiating relationships with funders and businesses, and for identifying funding opportunities. To learn more, visit www.afterschoolalliance.org.

New Grants Database The NonProfit Times and NOZASEARCH recently unveiled a searchable database of more than 4,000 $1 million-plus corporate donations. The free service requires no registration and individuals can search for specific businesses or create an instant list by location or cause.

GRANTS/AWARDS AVAILABLE

Grants for Student Newspapers The Newspaper Association of America Foundation 2008 Student/Newspaper Partnership encourages middle and high schools to partner with professional newspapers and seek funding to start, re-launch or revitalize print and online student newspapers. The maximum award is $5,000, and public and private schools serving grades seven through 12 and working in partnership with daily or non-daily professional newspapers are eligible. The application deadline is May 16. For more information, visit Newspaper Association of America Foundation .

Grants for Arts, Literacy and Family Violence Prevention Target Corporation is offering Local Store Grants to support communities where Target does business. Local Store Grants fund arts, early childhood reading, and family violence prevention programs. Grant amounts range from $1,000 to $3,000. The application deadline is May 31. For more information, visit Target.

Awards for Youth Internationalism The Asia Society and The Goldman Sachs Foundation are sponsoring the 2008 Youth Prizes for Excellence in International Education competition. High school youth are invited to write essays or create multimedia features examining a social or economic issue that has relevance to them in a global context. Up to five winners will receive $10,000 each and trips to New York City in November. The application deadline is June 12. For more information, visit 2008 Youth Prizes for Excellence in International Education.

Grants for Education, Health and Community Development The RGK Foundation offers grants to support innovative programs in education, medicine/health and community. Among other things, grants support programs that attract female and minority students into mathematics, science and technology; promote the health and well-being of children and increase their access to health services; and support youth development. Average grants are in the range of $25,000. There is no application deadline. For more information, visit RGK Foundation.

In Their Own Words...
"Research shows that when students have a place to go after school where they can study and be supervised by an adult, not only are they less likely to get into trouble, they also get a better education. That's why we pushed for more funding for afterschool centers in the budget and why I asked for the funds to help keep programs like this going in Wisconsin... Offering extra help with homework, advanced tutoring and an adult-supervised safe-haven free of trouble, afterschool programs like this one help provide students a solid foundation that will help them for the rest of their lives." -- U.S. Representative David Obey, visiting Antigo East Elementary School's afterschool program, US Fed News, April 4, 2008

"Children need high quality activities that will enable them to continue learning while they are not sitting in a classroom. By investing in afterschool programs, we ensure that children are safe, that they have more chances to succeed in life, and that we're building the state's future." -- Arizona State Representative Clovis Campbell, US States News, April 4, 2008

"Afterschool programs, recreation leagues and other youth activities are as much a part of our public safety strategy as is the hiring of police officers. Kids who have someplace safe to go, who have activities to occupy their time, and who have adults interested in them are less likely to turn to gangs, paint graffiti on our businesses, and become involved in other criminal behaviors." --Modesto, California Mayor Jim Ridenour, Modesto Bee, March 30, 2008

Afterschool Champion Competing for Olympic Spot
Afterschool opens many doors and, in this case, it may open the door to the Beijing Olympics for 16-year-old Judo champion Lisette Abad, a participant in the After-School All-Stars Greater San Jose Judo program since 2001. As a member of the U.S. Judo National Team, she recently captured four Bronze Medals in the Pan American Junior Championships in Buenos Aires, earning her the Top 8 Qualification Spot at the U.S. Olympic Trials.

The Trials will be held June 13 to 15 in Las Vegas. Abad will be joined by her After-School All-Stars Judo partner Alexandra Duran, who has also been with the program since 2001.

The After-School All-Stars Judo program began in September 2001 through a partnership with San Jose State University. Its goal is to offer an afterschool Judo program to inner-city youth. The free program operates five days a week with the first hour dedicated to homework help, followed by 90 minutes of Judo. The After-School All-Stars Greater San Jose Judo program regularly competes against the top Judo clubs in the nation.

Election Opportunity
The Youth Policy Action Center is inviting youth and youth workers under age 30 to serve as poll workers for the 2008 presidential election. The Mobilize the Polls Program is recruiting 500 volunteer poll workers as a way to give youth the opportunity to participate further in the election process. Interested volunteers should be registered to vote. For more information and to participate, interested parties should email their name, state and congressional district to Maya Enista at maya@mobilize.org.

Resources
New Research on Benefits of Afterschool The Society for Research in Child Development released a report earlier this month by William T. Grant Foundation President Robert C. Granger that examines student outcomes in afterschool. "After-School Programs and Academics: Implications for Policy, Practice, and Research" identifies promising approaches to program improvement and focuses on program-evaluation literature, observational studies, commentaries and statements of program standards. It concludes that further research is needed on ways to increase program effectiveness and encourages policy makers to support "student-centered, active, project-based learning that plays to the comparative strengths of the after-school hours." The report is available at www.srcd.org.

Afterschool in Rural Communities The Center for American Progress has released a report examining the educational challenges faced by rural communities. It concludes that expanded learning opportunities, including afterschool programs, have a positive impact on students and their families. "Additional Learning Opportunities in Rural Areas: Needs, Successes and Challenges" examines the unique conditions faced by rural educators and highlights programs that are successfully engaging rural students. It also explores possible federal, state and private funding sources that could help replicate these programs in rural communities across the country. To view the report, visit www.americanprogress.org. To read a column on it by Terry K. Peterson, PhD, Senior Fellow at the College of Charleston and Chairman of the Afterschool Alliances Board of Directors, click here.

California Update
Proposed Legislation Would Negatively Impact Afterschool Funding

The California Afterschool Network reports that Senator Tom McClintock has introduced a bill that sets new limits on funding the state's afterschool programs. If passed, SB 1492 would give the state legislature authority to set the annual funding level for the After School Education and Safety (ASES) program, repealing the portion of Proposition 49 that requires voter approval to lower its funding. Under the bill, ASES program funding would be released only in years in which the previous fiscal year ends with at least a three percent surplus, and the Department of Finance and Legislative Analysts Office projects that, in the two following fiscal years, General Fund revenues will exceed General Fund expenditures.

Under current law, a ballot initiative is needed to implement SB 1492. The measure proposes a new ballot initiative that would for all practical purposes repeal Proposition 49, putting an end to guaranteed state funding for afterschool programs which serve hundreds of thousands of students.

A separate bill, AB 2890 introduced by Assemblymember Mike Duvall, would allow school districts to spend categorical funds on programs other than those for which they were intended. Passage would mean that ASES funds intended for afterschool programs could be diverted.

Mark Your Calendars...
April 30 - May 2, 2008 The Coalition for Community Schools will host its National Forum 2008 in Portland, Oregon. The theme is "Community Schools for All." Participants will learn to mobilize local leadership as champions for community schools system-wide; increase their capacity to advocate with national, state and local policy makers; plan and organize at the school and community levels; utilize research data and information; apply best practices; and more. For information, visit Coalition for Community Schools.

April 30 - May 3, 2008 The Best Out-of-School-Time (BOOST) conference will be held at the Palm Springs Convention Center and Wyndham Palm Springs Hotel in Palm Springs, California. One of the nation's largest afterschool conferences, BOOST offers networking and team-building opportunities, numerous workshops, and information on the latest trends and research in out-of-school time programming for elementary, middle and high school-age programs. For more information, visit BOOST.

May 13 - 14, 2008 The Afterschool Alliance and the National League of Cities will host the Afterschool for All Challenge in Washington, D.C. The event will include two days of workshops, speakers, advocacy opportunities and fun for hundreds of afterschool providers and leaders from around the country and some of the parents and children they serve. For more information, visit Afterschool Alliance.

July 14 - 17, 2008 The National Institute for Out of School Time (NIOST) will host its annual summer seminar in Boston, Massachusetts. Seminar topics include Advancing School, Afterschool and Community Partnerships; Quality Advisor Training; System Building; and Afterschool Program Assessment System. The seminars are in-depth, research-based events designed to empower providers with the tools necessary to elevate their programs. For more information, visit National Institute for Out of School Time.

** And mark your calendars now for the 9th Annual Lights On Afterschool on October 16, 2008!

More information on upcoming conferences and events is available at www.afterschoolalliance.org.

Afterschool News from Around the Nation & Beyond

California

Sixth, seventh and eighth grade students at the Gifted and Talented Education afterschool program in Orland are helping bring hope and comfort to children in Africa who have been orphaned by AIDS. Through the Mother Bear Project, which gathers and ships hand-knit teddy bears overseas, the students are learning to be creative, compassionate and concerned about international issues. Teacher Susan Squyres-McNally told the Chico Enterprise-Record that the students had been examining AIDS in Africa and the Darfur crisis, and the Mother Bear Project seemed a good fit.

Massachusetts

For many at-risk youth in Lawrence, the violin offers a path to a gang-free life. Kids are "in gangs because they lack a sense of identity and belonging," Marcia Lier, director of Community Strings of Lawrence, told the Boston Globe. "A lot of kids in our program have difficult home lives, but [playing the violin] builds such self-confidence, such pride. I've seen some big-time attitudes fall by the wayside." Community Strings offers free violin lessons before, during and after school, on Saturdays and throughout the summer to more than 75 students in second through eighth grades. The program teaches students to give back to the community as well, scheduling performances in local hospitals, nursing homes and rehabilitation centers.

New Mexico

No list of divas is complete if it doesn't include a marshmallow and a pineapple princess, judging from audience reaction to performances by youth from the Students Achieving for Excellence afterschool program at Rio Rancho elementary schools. In collaboration with the Santa Fe Opera's Student-Produced Program, students created their own operas, including "ANT Opera," "Candy Canyon," "Journey for the Cure" and "The Special Adventures of Two Worlds." They performed them at the Rio Rancho High School Performing Arts Center, reports the Albuquerque Journal.

Oklahoma

For nearly 25 years, youth in north Tulsa have been able to turn to Lewis Bumpers, director of the Community Action Resource Association's youth center, for tutoring, homework help, field trips and other support during the after school hours. Some students who attended the program when they were younger have begun volunteering there. But Bumpers is asking the community to do more to protect children in the wake of by two recent homicides that police believe were committed by local teens. "Build me a good gym, and I will show you what we can do to get the crime rate down among teenagers," he told the Tulsa World.

Pennsylvania

In the wake of high profile funding controversies, the Board of Directors of Philadelphia Safe and Sound has voted to cease the agency's operations on June 30. The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that the organization, which was the city's primary provider of afterschool, anti-truancy and violence-prevention programs, had a budget that had ballooned to $60 million under former Mayor John Street. The city is currently seeking a nonprofit to manage intermediary services. Some programs will be curtailed, and more emphasis will be placed on to programs serving children in high-crime areas.

South Dakota

Community leaders and city officials are considering providing buses to transport youth in Aberdeen to afterschool programs, summer programs and events. The Head Start bus, which at present is not used in the summer, and Aberdeen Shuttle and Taxi, which provides 24 hour transportation to the disabled but is underused, would be employed to run a new route that includes schools and the aquatic center, the Aberdeen American News reports.

Texas

According to the Waco Tribune-Herald, a new afterschool program at Lakewood Villas Apartment Community has transformed the troubled complex once referred to as a "war zone" into a welcoming place. The PPA Group of Austin bought the complex last summer, promising to bring positive change. The building's afterschool program, which provides tutoring, enrichment and meals, deserves much of the credit. "Many of the residents are hard working, responsible single parents with multiple jobs living paycheck to paycheck," said Richard Sorrentino, spokesman for the PPA Group, a socially conscious company looking to meet the needs of tenants - in this case a safe and enriching place for their children to go after school. The company also plans to build ballparks on extra land, and is seeking volunteer sports coaches.

Virginia

Students are busy shooting arrows after school in the Emerald Hill Elementary afterschool program in Culpepper. The archery program, funded by a state grant, began in 2006 as part of the school's physical education program. Because of the program's popularity, it extended into an afterschool program. "You get to shoot arrows and see how good you are," student Donald Bock told the Culpepper Star-Exponent. "It's cool."