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Congress heads home for August recess: Time to take action for afterschool

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Congress heads home for August recess: Time to take action for afterschool

The time is here when Congress goes on a month-long recess and senators and representatives return to your home town eager to hear your voice. The House recess begins this week and the Senate in early August. Plan now to reach out to your Members of Congress through meetingssite visits,  emaillettersand town halls  to emphasize the need for continued federal support of afterschool, before-school and summer learning programs. We give you details on these five actions to take and why to act now.

Did you know the Congress is close to completing the reauthorization of the country’s largest federal education legislation, the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), also known as No Child Left Behind?

The Senate and House both passed versions of the act, but they are not the same. The Senate version carefully included the 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) which help fund afterschool programs for over 1.7 million children in low-income communities nationwide. The House version left the program out.

But, even getting language for 21st CCLC isn’t enough! Supporting low income children and working families requires funding and the Senate Appropriations Committee proposed cutting the Department of Education’s 21st Century Community Learning Center (21st CCLC) initiative by $117 million for Fiscal Year (FY) 2016.

When the Congress reconvenes in September, important decisions will be made that directly affect your community. Your input now can make a difference. More than 117,000 children could lose access to quality afterschool, before-school and summer learning programs if the funding cut becomes law.  Every student should have access to an engaging, safe space to play and develop when school is out. Make sure Congress knows how important these programs are!

Here are five actions you can take to act now:

  1. Schedule meetings with your representative and Senators or their staff. To do so, you can either visit your Members’ of Congress website or call their district offices. Click here to find contact information for your elected officials. Here are talking points that you can use to make the case in support of funding afterschool programs.
  2. Invite you Members of Congress on a site visit of your summer or afterschool program. If your summer program is still in session, or if your afterschool program is starting up, consider inviting your elected officials to an end-of-year or program kick-off celebration. This guide will walk you through the process of hosting a site visit. 
  3. Send an email to your Members of Congress. Friends of afterschool can weigh in on appropriations using our action alert system. Sample talking points are provided and you are encouraged to add your own compelling reasons why afterschool programs matter.
  4. Send a letter to the editor. Here’s a resource with a template letter to customize and send. Check your newspaper’s website or editorial/letters page for instructions on how to submit letters to the editor.  Many newspapers have an automated letter-submission page on their websites, while others provide an email address for you to use.

Find and attend a town hall meeting. To find out when and where these are being held, check your representative or senator’s website, Facebook and/or Twitter accounts, the local newspaper or call the office. Once there, be sure to ask questions!  Ask your elected official what he/she is doing to support young people and working families during the hours and months when school is out. Tell him or her we cannot afford cuts to programs like 21st CCLC that engage young people, keep them safe and help working families. Ask if he or she supports alternatives to sequestration and funding for 21st CCLC. Some of these town hall meetings are held over the phone or Web. Don’t be afraid to ask your questions on the phone or in person. 

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By Gabrielle Haynes, Afterschool Youth Ambassador, class of 2024. Throughout middle school, I loved going to the Boys and Girls Club afterschool, and I especially loved the staff. Being at the club felt like home to me; it just felt normal and comfortable. Every day, at about 2:15 pm, we would...

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My afterschool program always believed in me. We help each other become the best versions of ourselves.

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My afterschool program has evolved in amazing ways. I have, too.

By James Tonetti, Youth Afterschool Ambassador, class of 2024.  My exposure to afterschool programs came at an early age. I was just six years old when the note went home that I was to stay after school two days a week to work on reading. Snacks would be provided. I loved my afterschool...

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In afterschool, I had amazing experiences and got to meet amazing people

By Gabrielle Haynes, Afterschool Youth Ambassador, class of 2024. Throughout middle school, I loved going to the Boys and Girls Club afterschool, and I especially loved the staff. Being at the club felt like home to me; it just felt normal and comfortable. Every day, at about 2:15 pm, we would...

BY: Guest Blogger      03/19/24

In afterschool, we're building community and celebrating progress

By Edgar Euceda, Afterschool Youth Ambassador, class of 2024. One meaningful lesson I've learned in the Elsik Afterschool Debate Club, particularly as president of the club, is the importance of having a community that's not only supportive but also celebrates progress.  A few...

BY: Guest Blogger      03/14/24

In afterschool, I discovered that my voice could make a difference, in my life and the lives of others.

By Jully Myrthil, Afterschool Youth Ambassador, class of 2024. Being a project leader and board member for Young Voices (YV), a youth organization advocating for policies affecting youth and their communities, has been a life-changing experience. Young Voices has allowed me to use my voice to...

BY: Guest Blogger      03/05/24

It’s important for everyone to feel equal and important. I feel that way in afterschool.

By Willany Sayles, Afterschool Youth Ambassador, class of 2024. Even though I participated in afterschool programs all of my elementary years, my middle school did not have an afterschool program my 6th and 7th grade years because of the pandemic. However, my elementary school was right down the...

BY: Guest Blogger      02/20/24

My view on the importance of afterschool

By Jay'Len Clark-Carr, Afterschool Youth Ambassador, class of 2024. I’ve been in the IGNITE Afterschool Program for as long as I can remember. It’s been a very welcoming community and has opened up different opportunities for me in the future. But sadly, not everyone has the...

BY: Guest Blogger      02/13/24

Never giving up is the key to opening doors that have traditionally locked out disadvantaged children.

By Ava Havidic, Afterschool Youth Ambassador, class of 2024.  As a shy eighth grader, I yearned to step outside my comfort zone. However, I did not know where to start. As soon as I attended an online webinar from Broward Youth Coalition (BYC) in the summer before ninth grade, I felt...

BY: Guest Blogger      01/30/24

My afterschool program helped me become an advocate for myself and my peers.

By Aurie-Anne Vixama, Afterschool Youth Ambassador, class of 2024. For the past two years, I’ve had the honor to participate as the youth advisory board president for South Florida After-School All-Stars. Being a part of an afterschool program has truly changed my life. At the young age of...

BY: Guest Blogger      01/26/24

My afterschool program always believed in me. We help each other become the best versions of ourselves.

By Issa Ouarid, Youth Afterschool Ambassador, class of 2024. I started Life Pieces in October 2011 at the age of three. I was very shy and struggled to make friends, but Life Pieces provided an environment for me to open up. In 2013, I lost my grandmother and my form of grieving caused me to...

BY: Guest Blogger      01/16/24

My afterschool program has evolved in amazing ways. I have, too.

By James Tonetti, Youth Afterschool Ambassador, class of 2024.  My exposure to afterschool programs came at an early age. I was just six years old when the note went home that I was to stay after school two days a week to work on reading. Snacks would be provided. I loved my afterschool...

BY: Guest Blogger      01/11/24

Meet our 2024 cohort of Youth Afterschool Ambassadors!

“We are so proud to announce the 2024 class of Youth Afterschool Ambassadors,” said Afterschool Alliance Executive Director Jodi Grant. “In their applications, youth shared powerful perspectives about their afterschool experiences, and we can’t wait to help them share...

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U.S. Dept. of Ed. calls for more afterschool and summer supports

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BY: Ursula Helminski      07/17/23

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BY: Charlotte Steinecke      01/03/23

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The power of representation: Being a role model for the next generation

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Success stories: The Burma Center

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BY: Sophie Kidd      06/26/23

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BY: Ursula Helminski      05/15/23

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...

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BY: Guest Blogger      09/12/22

Afterschool supports LGBTQ students

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BY: Guest Blogger      06/28/22

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BY: Jodi Grant      07/10/23

Opportunities for communities: Partnerships that support whole child recovery

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BY: Guest Blogger      06/08/23

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BY: Dan Gilbert      05/31/23

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BY: Charlotte Steinecke      05/04/23

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BY: Maria Rizo      10/24/22

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BY: Guest Blogger      08/29/22

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BY: Charlotte Steinecke      06/03/22

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BY: Guest Blogger      05/26/22

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