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Weekly Media Roundup: February 15, 2023

US Education Chief Visits Jackson Touting ARPA-Funded Out-of-School Programs, WAPT-TV (Mississippi) This week, U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona visited the afterschool program at Casey Elementary School in Jackson, Mississippi to highlight how federal funds from the American Rescue...

BY: Magen Eissenstat      02/15/23

Weekly Media Roundup: February 8, 2023

News 12 Takes a Look at New After-School Class Focused on Educating Kids About Cannabis, News 12 Connecticut (New York) At the Women’s Housing and Economic Development Corporation (WHEDco) afterschool program in the Bronx, New York, middle school students discuss pressing issues, including...

BY: Magen Eissenstat      02/08/23

Weekly Media Roundup: February 1, 2023

After-School Program Returns to Fair Bluff, Signaling Hope for Flood-Battered Town, Border Belt Independent (North Carolina) Due to repeated floods, including those from Hurricane Matthew and Hurricane Florence, the town of Fair Bluff, North Carolina has lost about a quarter of its population...

BY: Magen Eissenstat      02/01/23

Weekly Media Roundup: January 25, 2023

California’s Summer and After-School Programs are Effective and Should be Expanded, Report Finds, EdSource (California) To help students recover from the pandemic, the state of California invested $4 billion in expanded learning programs. A new report from the Partnership for Children...

BY: Magen Eissenstat      01/25/23

Weekly Media Roundup: January 18, 2023

'Safe Spot' Also Filled with Laughter, Energy, Quad-City Times (Iowa) At the Project Renewal afterschool program in Davenport, Iowa, students get help with homework, eat snacks, play games, practice social-emotional skills and take part in arts programming organized by partner...

BY: Magen Eissenstat      01/18/23

Weekly Media Roundup: January 11, 2023

Color a Positive Thought: Bridgeport Man Creates Coloring Book, After-School Program for City Kids, WTNH (Connecticut) Bridgeport, Connecticut native Harry Bell created “Color a Positive Thought,” a coloring book with inspirational phrases, to help children and families facing...

BY: Magen Eissenstat      01/11/23

Weekly Media Roundup: January 4, 2022

Popular After School Program Returns to Lexington Public Library, Fox 56 (Kentucky) Recognizing the community’s need for more afterschool programs, the Lexington Public Library is opening programs at its Northside and Village branches in Lexington, Kentucky, offering STEAM (science,...

BY: Magen Eissenstat      01/04/23

Top afterschool highlights from 2022

Every December, we reflect on the challenges, achievements, and changes in the world of afterschool and summer. 2022 has been a busy and exciting year for our field. From “afterschool for all” echoing in the halls of the Department of Education with the launch of the Engage Every...

BY: Jodi Grant      12/23/22

Weekly Media Roundup: December 21, 2022

'It Shouldn't Have to Be This Difficult': Lack of Afterschool Program Slots has Parents Struggling, Daily Kos A “modest increase” in federal funding for afterschool in the Senate budget package “will allow tens of thousands more children to access a program, where...

BY: Magen Eissenstat      12/21/22

Weekly Media Roundup: December 14, 2022

Anaconda After-School Program Receives Donation from Gov. Gianforte, KXLF (Montana) As part of his 12 Days of Giving holiday campaign, Montana Governor Greg Gianforte donated $18,675 of his salary to the Youth Empowerment Services (YES) afterschool program in Anaconda, Montana to assist with...

BY: Magen Eissenstat      12/14/22

ARP funds used to help young people prepare for the jobs of tomorrow

We continue to improve our American Rescue Plan map, showcasing examples of how cities, states, and school districts use pandemic relief funds to support afterschool and summer learning. What started as a chart with 15+ examples has become an interactive map in collaboration with the National...

BY: Liana Shivers      02/02/23

Afterschool in the Time of COVID-19: Health and wellness for students and families

Evidence shows that afterschool and summer learning programs are safe places where students can connect with one another, develop their confidence, interact with knowledgeable and caring staff, and more. As a part of our blog series following the “Access to Afterschool Programs Remains a...

BY: Sophie Kidd      12/13/22

Afterschool in the time of COVID-19: Barriers to afterschool and summer participation

Unmet demand for afterschool and summer learning programs and other barriers to access are impacting parents and families across the country, though some families are facing more barriers than others. Inequities exist, with unmet demand and barriers to participation being greater among communities...

BY: Sophie Kidd      11/17/22

"I want every girl to know that her voice can change the world": An interview with Girls Empowerment Network

We spoke with Ami Kane, Deputy Director at the Girls Empowerment Network, to discuss how the Spark Change Project is empowering girls to become advocates for the issues that matter the most to them and strengthening critical supports for their students with help from the New York Life...

BY: Maria Rizo      10/24/22

Afterschool in the Time of COVID-19: A look at rural, suburban, and urban communities

Last month, the brief, “Access to Afterschool Programs Remains a Challenge for Many Families,” reported out on national survey results from nearly 1,500 parents or guardians of school-age children, finding that in the U.S., while afterschool programs are delivering on keeping children...

BY: Nikki Yamashiro      09/13/22

Resources to help you Engage Every Student from wherever you sit

New parent data shows that for every child in an afterschool program, there are now four more who are waiting for an available program. It is more important than ever to amplify ways for programs, communities, districts, and states to connect every student to an afterschool program that wants...

BY: Maria Rizo      09/08/22

New survey shows that afterschool programs are still in high demand

Back-to-school season is in full swing and intermixed with the uplifting news stories on students’ return to the classroom are stories of the challenges taking place after the school day ends, from families waitlisted for afterschool programs to program providers struggling to find staff to...

BY: Nikki Yamashiro      08/30/22

Guest blog: Foundations, Inc.'s REACH model accelerates learning recovery in afterschool

By Elizabeth Cieri and Paula Houghton of Foundations, Inc.  Educators across the nation are dealing with academic losses due to the pandemic -- mitigating those losses requires inventive thinking and better practices. “Coming out of the pandemic, we knew all kids suffered learning...

BY: Guest Blogger      08/29/22

Planning tools for your Lights On Afterschool celebration

We’re nine weeks out from the 23rd celebration of Lights On Afterschool! If you’re in search of event ideas or unsure where to begin, we’ve got you covered. Read on to discover our top planning tools to help you organize your event! Register your Lights On event by September...

BY: Tierra Easter      08/19/22

ARP investments in comprehensive afterschool: Kentucky case-study

By Mahika Gupta and Alexa Kamen, the Afterschool Alliance’s inaugural Summer Policy Interns. Mahika is entering her Senior year at Colby College in Maine, working on degrees in English Creative Writing and Astrophysics and participating as a staff writer for her college paper. Alexa...

BY: Guest Blogger      08/18/22

Building peer-to-peer relationships and taking "safe risks": Project Morry

In a conversation with Dawn Ewing, Executive Director of Project Morry, we sat down to discuss how the program is fostering a safe space for youth to re-engage during the summer and how youth are able to define success on their own terms. Project Morry was one of the 36 grantees of the 2021 Aim...

BY: Maria Rizo      01/19/23

What we saw during Lights On 2022: Part 1

Welcome to part one of "What we saw during Lights On 2022." As we head into the new year, we wanted to share some of the first-hand accounts from our staff members who were able to visit afterschool programs during this year's Lights On. You can read part two on the blog. Mark...

BY: Charlotte Steinecke      12/15/22

Now open: Grants up to $100,000 from the New York Life Foundation for Out-of-School Time (OST) programs

The New York Life Foundation is seeking applications for $1,800,000 in grants to afterschool, summer, or expanded learning programs serving underserved middle-school youth. This is the seventh year of the Foundation’s Aim High grant competition, and this year’s awards will bring...

BY: Dan Gilbert      12/06/22

Spotlight on STEM at YMCA Houston's 21st CCLC Lights On celebration

This Lights On Afterschool, the Afterschool Alliance partnered with Energy Superheroes and Trailblazers from the award-winning multicultural nonfiction children’s book series, Everyday Superheroes to bring STEM learning to four different local Lights On celebrations. One of those celebrations...

BY: Maria Rizo      11/28/22

Guest blog: Help your students share their thoughts with World’s Largest Lesson education survey

By Michelle Mann, Director, Social Impact, NetApp. Each year, the World’s Largest Lesson creates learning opportunities for educators across the globe to engage students in exploring and problem-solving around the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This school year, the lesson is...

BY: Guest Blogger      11/21/22

"I want every girl to know that her voice can change the world": An interview with Girls Empowerment Network

We spoke with Ami Kane, Deputy Director at the Girls Empowerment Network, to discuss how the Spark Change Project is empowering girls to become advocates for the issues that matter the most to them and strengthening critical supports for their students with help from the New York Life...

BY: Maria Rizo      10/24/22

Expanding possibilities for students with The Wooden Floor, a New York Life Foundation Aim High grantee

In a follow-up conversation with 2021 New York Life Foundation Aim High grantee The Wooden Floor, we spoke with Chief Executive Officer Dawn S. Reese to discuss more on how the Aim High grant has continued to support the program in the past year and what she is seeing among youth today. Read our...

BY: Maria Rizo      09/29/22

5 ways to share your students' entrepreneurial mindsets during Lights On

By Scott Mann, VentureLab, Jessie Jones and Kelly Biggar of Young Entrepreneur Institute (YEI), and Liz Nusken, Ohio Afterschool Network (OAN). Photo courtesy of Youth Panel on Entrepreneurship Education. Afterschool programs play a vital role in helping young people explore and develop...

BY: Guest Blogger      09/26/22

September resources from Million Girls Moonshot

To help students see themselves with a future in STEM and to broaden understanding of science history, it is important for students to learn about a diverse range of scientists and engineers. In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, we highlight a few of the Hispanic and Latinx scientists and engineers...

BY: Chris Neitzey      09/20/22

Resources to help you Engage Every Student from wherever you sit

New parent data shows that for every child in an afterschool program, there are now four more who are waiting for an available program. It is more important than ever to amplify ways for programs, communities, districts, and states to connect every student to an afterschool program that wants...

BY: Maria Rizo      09/08/22

Three new bills would support mentoring for student success

National Mentoring month in January arrived paired with three pieces of legislation to support mentoring activities: A Transition to Success Mentoring Act, Mentoring to Succeed Act, and the Students Helping Younger Students Act. All three bills currently have only Democratic support. Service...

BY: Jillian Luchner      02/10/23

ARP funds used to help young people prepare for the jobs of tomorrow

We continue to improve our American Rescue Plan map, showcasing examples of how cities, states, and school districts use pandemic relief funds to support afterschool and summer learning. What started as a chart with 15+ examples has become an interactive map in collaboration with the National...

BY: Liana Shivers      02/02/23

Results are in! Voters agree that afterschool is a necessity.

Turning on the news today, it’s hard to fathom an issue that can generate good will on both sides of the political aisle. But based on new polling results released today, voters nationwide come together in their support for afterschool programs—agreeing that they are a necessity for...

BY: Nikki Yamashiro      01/31/23

Mammoth spending bill includes support for afterschool, summer, mentoring, and more

In December, the 117th Congress approved a $1.7 trillion bill that included a $40 million increase for the Nita M. Lowey 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) initiative and additional increases across the US Department of Education important to afterschool programs, public schools,...

BY: Erik Peterson      01/23/23

Previewing the 118th Congress: What does it mean for afterschool?

With 2022 in the rearview mirror, we can also say farewell to the 117th Congress. The new Congress marks a return to ‘divided government’ with the White House and Senate being led by Democrats and the House of Representatives under the control of the Republican Party. What might the...

BY: Erik Peterson      01/09/23

$50M in 21st CCLC funds from Bipartisan Safer Communities Act sent to states

This summer, a group of 20 Democratic and Republican Senators, led by Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and John Cornyn (R-Texas), worked to pass the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which included gun safety measures, mental health support investments, and school safety provisions that aim to...

BY: Erik Peterson      11/03/22

Opportunity: CCDF supplemental funds available for school-age programs

Now and over the next year, states are focusing on spending “child care CCDF supplemental funds” that must be obligated by 2023 and liquidated in 2024. State administrative agencies of the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF, also known as CCDBG) recently faced three concurrent...

BY: Jillian Luchner      10/25/22

Uplift youth voices during Lights On Afterschool!

We are just three weeks away from Lights On Afterschool! Here is your weekly to do list: Distribute a media alert telling reporters about your event. Facing uncertainty about an element of your event? Review our case studies for expert advice from afterschool...

BY: Tierra Easter      09/30/22

ARP investments in comprehensive afterschool: Kentucky case-study

By Mahika Gupta and Alexa Kamen, the Afterschool Alliance’s inaugural Summer Policy Interns. Mahika is entering her Senior year at Colby College in Maine, working on degrees in English Creative Writing and Astrophysics and participating as a staff writer for her college paper. Alexa...

BY: Guest Blogger      08/18/22

New resource from Department of Education on implementing quality afterschool and summer programs

In tandem with the launch of the historic Engage Every Student initiative last month, the Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences (IES) released a new tool to support states, school districts, and community based programs in using evidence to implement and expand quality...

BY: Erik Peterson      08/16/22

ARP funds used to help young people prepare for the jobs of tomorrow

We continue to improve our American Rescue Plan map, showcasing examples of how cities, states, and school districts use pandemic relief funds to support afterschool and summer learning. What started as a chart with 15+ examples has become an interactive map in collaboration with the National...

BY: Liana Shivers      02/02/23

Top afterschool highlights from 2022

Every December, we reflect on the challenges, achievements, and changes in the world of afterschool and summer. 2022 has been a busy and exciting year for our field. From “afterschool for all” echoing in the halls of the Department of Education with the launch of the Engage Every...

BY: Jodi Grant      12/23/22

$50M in 21st CCLC funds from Bipartisan Safer Communities Act sent to states

This summer, a group of 20 Democratic and Republican Senators, led by Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and John Cornyn (R-Texas), worked to pass the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which included gun safety measures, mental health support investments, and school safety provisions that aim to...

BY: Erik Peterson      11/03/22

More than half of superintendents say summer learning/enrichment programs will decrease or end after ARP funding runs out, according to new survey

This summer, The American Association of School Administrators (AASA) released the third part of their series “School District Spending of American Rescue Plan Funding” which surveys district leaders on how they’re using ARP funds to respond to the pandemic and learning...

BY: Sophie Kidd      10/11/22

Learning about summer learning

Summer enrichment funding for every state was required in the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER). The State of Summer Learning Grants: An Analysis of States’ Use of ARP Summer Enrichment published in July by the organization Education...

BY: Jillian Luchner      09/19/22

Resources to help you Engage Every Student from wherever you sit

New parent data shows that for every child in an afterschool program, there are now four more who are waiting for an available program. It is more important than ever to amplify ways for programs, communities, districts, and states to connect every student to an afterschool program that wants...

BY: Maria Rizo      09/08/22

Guest blog: Foundations, Inc.'s REACH model accelerates learning recovery in afterschool

By Elizabeth Cieri and Paula Houghton of Foundations, Inc.  Educators across the nation are dealing with academic losses due to the pandemic -- mitigating those losses requires inventive thinking and better practices. “Coming out of the pandemic, we knew all kids suffered learning...

BY: Guest Blogger      08/29/22

NCES data release shows increased opportunities for summer learning and more mental health supports

In early August, the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a part of the Institute of Education Services, the research branch of the Department of Education, released findings from its June 2022 School Pulse Panel (SPP) study. The study’s goal is to collect data on the impact the...

BY: Sophie Kidd      08/25/22

ARP investments in comprehensive afterschool: Kentucky case-study

By Mahika Gupta and Alexa Kamen, the Afterschool Alliance’s inaugural Summer Policy Interns. Mahika is entering her Senior year at Colby College in Maine, working on degrees in English Creative Writing and Astrophysics and participating as a staff writer for her college paper. Alexa...

BY: Guest Blogger      08/18/22

ARP investments in comprehensive afterschool: Connecticut case-study

By Mahika Gupta and Alexa Kamen, the Afterschool Alliance’s inaugural Summer Policy Interns. Mahika is entering her Senior year at Colby College in Maine, working on degrees in English Creative Writing and Astrophysics and participating as a staff writer for her college paper. Alexa...

BY: Guest Blogger      08/05/22

Mammoth spending bill includes support for afterschool, summer, mentoring, and more

In December, the 117th Congress approved a $1.7 trillion bill that included a $40 million increase for the Nita M. Lowey 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) initiative and additional increases across the US Department of Education important to afterschool programs, public schools,...

BY: Erik Peterson      01/23/23

January is National Mentoring Month

Afterschool programs are excellent places for young people to meet and engage with supportive adults and find mentors. From STEM superheroes introducing girls to 21st century STEM careers, to caring adults helping with homework and encouraging students realize their full potential, mentorship in...

BY: Charlotte Steinecke      01/10/23

Program Toolbox recently updated for new, established, and growing programs

Starting a new program or working to grow a program can be exciting and fulfilling—but it can take hard work. We’ve created a toolbox of resources to help you at every point in the process. With a variety of guides, tools, case studies, and best practices from out-of-school time experts...

BY: Maria Rizo      11/22/22

Afterschool supports LGBTQ students

By Tran Tonnu, marketing manager at School's Out Washington, and Janell Jordan, King County program manager. This article originally appeared on School's Out Washington's blog on June 17, 2021. It has been republished here with their permission. For LGBTQ folks, June...

BY: Guest Blogger      06/28/22

$1.8M awarded to middle school out-of-school time programs

The New York Life Foundation and the Afterschool Alliance are pleased to announce the 2022 Aim High grant recipients. In its sixth year, the Aim High grant has provided a total of $7.95 million dollars to help fund afterschool, summer and expanded learning programs as they help middle school...

BY: Dan Gilbert      06/14/22

Guest blog: Social and emotional learning in the spotlight

By Jenna Tomasello, associate director at The Hatcher Group. This blog post was originally published on the Wallace Foundation blog on March 11, 2022.  The social isolation students experienced because of the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent school closures has shined a spotlight on unmet...

BY: Guest Blogger      04/21/22

New America After 3PM special report: Promoting healthy futures

From STEM learning opportunities afterschool and during the summer to young people’s summertime experiences, the America After 3PM survey has provided a wealth of data on what the after school and summer hours look like for children and youth and parents’ expectations of and opinions on...

BY: Nikki Yamashiro      04/13/22

Funding opportunity: National grant initiative for civic learning projects

By Frances Hannan, Program Officer for the WW Higher Education Media Fellowship and the Director of Multimedia Projects at the Institute for Citizens & Scholars. The Civic Spring Fellowship has open applications for two innovative grant initiatives that will support young people looking to...

BY: Guest Blogger      04/04/22

Afterschool field creates resources to help support the mental health of young people

With year 3 of the COVID-19 pandemic now underway, mental health is recognized as one of the largest issues among youth today. The ways in which young people have suffered during the pandemic are heartbreaking - from increased anxiety and social isolation to coping with grief and loss. Fortunately,...

BY: Christopher Echevarria      03/15/22

Celebrating Black History 365 with Howard University Television

By Keisha Nelson, Education and Outreach Manager WHUT- Howard University Television. Black History Month may only last 28 days, but opportunities for learning don’t end in February. There are many ways to celebrate the past and present contributions of Black people to U.S. history,...

BY: Guest Blogger      02/28/22

Oklahoma afterschool program supports Native American youth

Heather Taylor, an afterschool program director, and Native American Student Advocate for Tahlequah Public Schools spoke with Sophie Kidd from the Afterschool Alliance about the history of her program and how they support Native youth. How did your program start? Tahlequah Public Schools...

BY: Sophie Kidd      02/13/23

The importance of culturally driven Native American mental health interventions

By Sasha Neyra. Sasha, 16, is a Junior at Arcata High School and a Member of Big Lagoon Rancheria and wrote this piece as a part of her role as a Student Research Assistant at Two Feathers Native American Family Services. Two Feathers is excited to welcome our student research assistant. Part of...

BY: Guest Blogger      02/09/23

Building peer-to-peer relationships and taking "safe risks": Project Morry

In a conversation with Dawn Ewing, Executive Director of Project Morry, we sat down to discuss how the program is fostering a safe space for youth to re-engage during the summer and how youth are able to define success on their own terms. Project Morry was one of the 36 grantees of the 2021 Aim...

BY: Maria Rizo      01/19/23

New America After 3PM brief focuses on Native American youth and families

For the first time, an analysis of the Afterschool Alliance’s America After 3PM survey provides an in-depth look at the afterschool experiences of Native American youth. The new brief, “America After 3PM for Native American Families,” presents data collected pre-pandemic and...

BY: Sophie Kidd      01/12/23

Celebrating 25 years of masterpieces with a masterpiece of a movie

“We want to show the softness.” – Mingotae Kebede, director and producer A filmmaker and former staff of a long running Washington, DC Afterschool program, Life Pieces to Masterpieces was asked to help the program create a small video to commemorate the program’s 25th...

BY: Jillian Luchner      12/09/22

Now open: Grants up to $100,000 from the New York Life Foundation for Out-of-School Time (OST) programs

The New York Life Foundation is seeking applications for $1,800,000 in grants to afterschool, summer, or expanded learning programs serving underserved middle-school youth. This is the seventh year of the Foundation’s Aim High grant competition, and this year’s awards will bring...

BY: Dan Gilbert      12/06/22

Guest blog: A book about everyday superheroes inspired Girlstart campers to pursue world-changing careers in STEM

By Alexa Brown and Hannah Winkler, coordinators at Girlstart. Girlstart aims to increase girls’ interest and engagement in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) — a mission accomplished through free summer camps and after-school programs across Texas,...

BY: Guest Blogger      09/12/22

Child nutrition reauthorization bill would significantly increase access to summer meals

On July 20, House of Representatives Education and Labor Committee Chairman Bobby Scott (D-Va.) and Civil Rights and Human Services Subcommittee Chair Suzanne Bonamici (D-Oregon) introduced the Healthy Meals, Healthy Kids Act, a comprehensive, evidence-driven reauthorization of federal child...

BY: Erik Peterson      07/25/22

Afterschool supports LGBTQ students

By Tran Tonnu, marketing manager at School's Out Washington, and Janell Jordan, King County program manager. This article originally appeared on School's Out Washington's blog on June 17, 2021. It has been republished here with their permission. For LGBTQ folks, June...

BY: Guest Blogger      06/28/22

Celebrating Juneteenth in afterschool programs

Image by William Adams from Pixabay Juneteenth National Independence Day also known as Freedom Day, or Jubilee day honors the emancipation of slaves in the United States. More than 150 years after its first celebration, the Juneteenth holiday provides an opportunity to learn and teach about the...

BY: Tierra Easter      06/17/22