Afterschool Alliance

More than 500 parents, youth, city leaders, educators and advocates from around the country visited Capitol Hill on Wednesday, May 24, to encourage Members of Congress to increase funding for afterschool programs as part of the fifth annual “Afterschool for All Challenge.” Sponsors of the Challenge event included: the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, The Atlantic Philanthropies, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, the Open Society Institute, Microsoft, NAMM, the Wallace Foundation, FowlerHoffman LLC, T-Mobile USA, Washington Partners LLC, Winning Connections, and Time for Kids.

The day began with a Breakfast of Champions at which Providence Mayor David N. Cicilline, Columbus Mayor Michael B. Coleman, and former Florida Secretary of State and Orlando Mayor Glenda E. Hood spoke on behalf of a group of mayors being honored for their efforts to make afterschool programs available to all families in their cities. The mayors who were honored at the event included: Rick Baker of St. Petersburg, Florida; Walter James of Bladensburg, Maryland; William Mattiace of Las Cruces, New Mexico; Garret Nancolas of Caldwell, Idaho; John Purcell of Lawton, Oklahoma; and Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick of Detroit, who was represented by Deputy Mayor Anthony Adams.

"If there ever was one thing that could make a huge dent in juvenile delinquency, in teen pregnancy, in making sure that our kids get on the straight and narrow, improving graduation rates – it’s afterschool. You know it and I know it."

-- Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) at lunchtime reception

"When it comes to finding solutions, afterschool programs are the ones each and every one of us should support. Across party lines, across different backgrounds, from neighborhood to neighborhood, we need to and we should support afterschool programs. Investing in afterschool programs means investing in our future."

-- Former Florida Secretary of State and Orlando Mayor Glenda E. Hood at Breakfast of Champions

After the Breakfast of Champions, students, educators, parents and afterschool leaders fanned out across Capitol Hill for more than 200 meetings with Members of Congress and staff. In the meetings, they discussed the benefits afterschool programs provide, and urged Congress to increase funding for afterschool.

At a lunchtime reception co-sponsored by T-Mobile USA, Senators Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Ted Stevens (R-AK) and Craig Thomas (R-WY) joined the call to increase afterschool funding. Local, state and national office-holders were on hand to pledge their commitment to making afterschool available to all children and youth. The reception was followed by an outdoor performance of the Culver Thump Squad, a drum line from Evansville, Indiana. Senator Richard Lugar (R-IN) and numerous Congressional staff members and advocates turned out for the performance.

Throughout the day, advocates sounded the alarm that funding for the bi-partisan No Child Left Behind Act has fallen far behind authorized levels; $2.5 billion is authorized for the 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) next year. If the initiative were funded at No Child Left Behind levels, 1.5 million more children would have access to quality afterschool programs, leaders said.

To prepare for their hill visits, advocates spent the previous day in workshops and panels with legislators, funders and community leaders from across the country who provided insight and advice on afterschool advocacy and topics such as math and science in afterschool, afterschool for older youth, election year opportunities and statewide advocacy.

5th Annual Afterschool for All Challenge a Great Success!

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