Learn how quality afterschool programs for older youth can help youth stay on track for success, teach life skills and prepare youth for college and the future workforce.

Afterschool Innovations in Brief: Engaging Middle School Youth (2011)

With support from MetLife Foundation, the Afterschool Alliance is proud to present this series of four Issue Briefs examining critical issues facing middle school youth, schools and communities, and the vital role afterschool programs play in addressing these issues. The four briefs address: the multiple benefits of afterschool for middle school youth; Science, Technology, Math and Engineering (STEM); health and wellness for pre-teens and teens; and pathways to higher education and careers.

Students in middle school (grades 6 through 8) face unique challenges as they transition from elementary school to high school. Some youth feel ready for more independence and autonomy, while others still desire the structure and nurturing environment found in elementary school. Regardless of where a child may be developmentally, these years are critical in keeping kids engaged in school and on the right path. Most middle school students are too young to work, and many feel that afterschool programs are designed for younger kids, and they are unwilling to participate. But they need a safe place to go, have fun, and learn. This MetLife Issue Brief provides an overview of middle school age youth and feature afterschool programs that are helping them navigate these waters, preparing them for success in high school, college, and beyond.

With support from MetLife Foundation, the Afterschool Alliance has published this compilation of four issue briefs examining critical issues facing older youth and the vital role afterschool programs play in addressing these issues.

Mentoring is a critical element in every child's social, emotional and cognitive development. It builds a sense of industry and competency, boosts academic performance and broadens horizons. Along with parents, mentors help young people realize their potential by providing them with support, advice, encouragement and friendship. Afterschool programs, with their history of supporting families and communities, are an ideal platform for successful mentoring programs.

Over one million students who enter ninth grade each year fail to graduate with their peers four years later because they drop out of school. Seven thousand students drop out of school every day, and each year roughly 1.2 million students fail to graduate from high school. More than half of these students are from minority groups. Afterschool programs are a proven way to address the issues and risk factors that lead to dropout and provide a path to graduation and beyond.

Not only are middle and high school-aged youth difficult to engage in afterschool activities, but they are more likely to have unique demands on their time in the hours afterschool. This issue brief highlights the challenges providers face in serving older youth and the innovative strategies that programs have used to recruit and retain older youth in afterschool.

With a job market that requires nearly all workers to have a high school diploma, America faces a huge challenge with the dropout crisis. This brief examines the potential role high school afterschool could play in decreasing dropout rates, tackling the achievement gap, and keeping kids on track towards successful futures.

Although much of the funding and programming for afterschool targets younger children, there are myriad advantages for older youth participation in afterschool. This brief examines the growing need for afterschool programming for teens.