After-school Enrichment
“For many kids, (afterschool) is just a fun place to go, they’re learning and that’s wonderful,” says Jodi Grant, executive director of the Afterschool Alliance, a nonprofit group that promotes access to quality after-school programs. “But I’ve also seen examples of kids who have literally decided not to drop out of school and decided to have careers because of after-school (programs). I’ve heard from kids who said they’d be dead or in jail but for afterschool.” Juvenile crime rates jump during the unstructured hours between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m., when at least one in five school-age kids are unsupervised, according to research conducted by the Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA). After-school programs offer an antidote and help decrease dropout rates, teen pregnancy and drug use among the 10 million U.S. students who use the programs, some studies have found. A 2013-14 U.S. Department of Education report on federally funded after-school programs also found that they help students improve
52 BACK TO SCHOOL | FALL 2018
GETTY IMAGES; BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF AMERICA
When students attend high-quality after-school programs, they discover new friends and passions, receive academic and emotional support and find a safe haven.
2017-2018 National Youth of the Year finalists, top row left to right, Kaila Lemons, Fern Alcantara and Cassidy Littleton. Bottom row: Keyaunte Jones, Sharnae Pegues and Carlos Polanco, who is the current Youth of the Year.