Weekly Media Roundup: October 1, 2025

OPINION: We Need More ‘Math People’ In Our Country. Let’s Boost Learning Beyond the Traditional School Day, Hechinger Report

In a recent guest column for the Hechinger Report, Institute for STEM Ready America Director Camsie McAdams notes that although math and quantitative reasoning skills are used in everyday transactions such as grocery shopping and are needed across many industries including public health, finance, and technology, too few students have developed the curiosity and confidence to thrive in their math classes. Afterschool and summer programs, McAdams argues, are a critical part of the solution. These programs “give young people a chance to engage with math in low-pressure settings that don’t feel like an extension of school” by teaching quantitative skills in the context of video games and fun projects, helping students build confidence and start thinking of themselves as “math people.” “Expanding access to these programs isn’t just to help kids grow math skills today, it’s a long-term investment in our workforce and our future,” McAdams concludes.

The Progress Report: San Diego Unified Has More Than Doubled After-School Care, Voice of San Diego (California)

Thanks to significant increase in state funding, PrimeTime, the San Diego Unified School District’s free before- and after-school program for grades K-8, has expanded to more than two dozen new schools and doubled enrollment over the past three years. While federal afterschool funding is under threat, some state and local governments, including in California, are taking steps to increase access to afterschool to support students and working families. San Diego Unified received another funding boon in Governor Gavin Newsom’s 2025-2026 budget, which will be used to drastically increase employment at PrimeTime sites, bringing the district closer to Trustee Shana Hazan’s goal of universal after-school care — a milestone which would be “game changing for local families and for kids,” Hazan told the Voice of San Diego.

Scranton JCC Offering Afterschool Programs, WYOU 22 (Pennsylvania)

At the Scranton, Pennsylvania Jewish Community Center’s afterschool programs this fall, activities include a cooking class taught by a registered dietitian, a Lego building class, arts and crafts, and “afterschool in the pool,” a time to swim and have fun without instruction. These programs, offered quarterly and free with family memberships, give kids age five to twelve a chance to socialize, learn life skills, and build healthy habits. Director of Youth Services and Recreation Cari Kalinoski told WYOU 22, “They feel a little freer, a little happier, and it’s a little more independent for them.”

City, County Increase Boys & Girls Club Funding as Youth Demand Grows, Fort Worth Star-Telegram (Texas)

Webb County and the City of Laredo, Texas have each recently allocated six-figure funding to the Boys & Girls Club of Laredo to support youth programs and events. This represents a significant increase from last year’s allocations of $12,500 and $50,000, respectively. Joey Tellez, president of the Boys & Girls Club of Laredo, hopes to expand services for high school students.  “Each time we open up the club for those 13 through 17, more and more come, and it's going to happen when we continue to open up more programs, and that's why we continue to look for more funding,” Tellez told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. The increase in funding is driven by high demand for the Boys & Girls Club’s programming and the possibility of a partnership to share facilities between the organization and local governments.