Afterschool Outcomes in the News - Dec 1-9, 2011

A number of news articles this past week featured the beneficial outcomes of afterschool programs, from high school graduation and college readiness to math and leadership skills. 

• The benefits provided by various southern Maryland afterschool programs were covered in a story December 2.   A robotics program is popular among students, and in the words of student Patrick West, 11, ““if you don’t understand a lot of math, you can come here and make [math] a little easier.”  According to the article, participants challenged to move a robot through a series of moves “were enthusiastically scribbling math equations on a chalkboard and paper and typing into a computer until they came up with the right numbers to program into the robot to perform the task.” At another program, a local parent cited improvement inhis daughter's grades. And at Tiara Troopers, elementary girls learn to run competitively, earning funds for charitable causes while building self-confidence and leadership and teamwork skills. Support from community volunteers, Booz Allen Hamilton and a 21st Century Community Learning Center grant make the programs possible.

“Love of Learning Lingers Long After Classes: After-School Programs Enrich Students’ Days,” Southern Maryland News, Southern Maryland Newspapers, December 2, 2011.  http://www.somdnews.com/article/20111202/NEWS/712029616/1075/love-of-learning-lingers-long-after-classes&template=southernMaryland

• A Dec. 3 editorial in The Leaf Chronicle discusses the great leaps—from 76 to 93.5 percent—in graduation rates achieved in the Clarksville-Montgomery County School System. The involvement of community partners and afterschool programs played a key role: 

"Such outstanding progress doesn't occur by accident. It takes a district-wide concentration on improvement along with support from parents and the community at large. In fact, CMCSS turned a corner in 2008 when school officials enlisted the help of the local community and businesses for "100% Graduation is Clarksville's Business." The program asks businesses, churches, civic groups and others to find ways to encourage high school students to stay in school and earn that diploma. The program recognizes that high school graduation is the first rung on the ladder of lifetime success, and that students who are well-prepared when they leave high school become productive employees and citizens.  The schools worked to add after-school programs, virtual high school and credit recovery to improve student achievement and give extra help to those children who might have fallen permanently behind in years past. Other intervention and transition programs have been created to truly ensure that no child is left behind. 

“Unified effort led to great scores,”   The Leaf Chronicle, December 3, 2011. http://www.theleafchronicle.com/article/20111204/OPINION01/112040306/EDITORIAL-Unified-effort-led-to-great-scores

• The Los Angeles Wave featured a story about the Learning, Enrichment and Academic Resources Network (LEARN) 12th annual Lights On Afterschool event and the success of their college readiness programming. LEARN held events at California High School in Whittier, El Rancho High School in Pico Rivera and Mountain View High School and Rio Hondo Elementary School in El Monte.

“Prior to LEARN’s involvement at El Rancho High School, only 24 percent of graduating seniors completed their A through G requirements which are needed to attend any University of California or California State University school,” said AVID Coordinator Gerardo Correa. “With the help of LEARN, the AVID program (Advancement Via Individual Determination) was instituted at El Rancho High School and has focused on college readiness. This year, our A through G completion rate is over 40 percent. That’s a big difference in just four years.”  Junior Christian Mota, a summer program alum, said, “It changed my life completely,” he said. “I highly recommend it to anyone.”

“LEARN hosts Lights On Afterschool celebration,” Los Angeles Wave, December 1, 2011. http://www.wavenewspapers.com/news/local/east-edition/LEARN-hosts-Lights-on-After-School-celebration-134849683.html