Weekly Media Roundup: October 22, 2025

Demand for Afterschool Programs Outpaces Supply as Cost Becomes Growing Barrier, The Hill

According to a new Afterschool Alliance household survey, the parents of nearly 30 million children nationwide want access to afterschool programs, but currently only 7 million students are enrolled. Fifty-six percent of parents cite cost as a reason their child is not enrolled in a program if it's available. School officials and advocates say that insufficient funding is the biggest barrier to making these programs available to every family who needs them. Current federal funding is insufficient and hasn't kept up with inflation. “Great news, these programs are doing exactly what they’re meant to do. The bad news is, and this didn’t really surprise us, is that demand continues to grow, and that for many parents … we always knew this was a struggle for some of our low income parents, but as costs have continued to rise, it’s a bigger struggle for our middle income parents,” Afterschool Alliance Executive Director Jodi Grant told The Hill.i  

Finding Solutions: Grovetown After-School Program Closes, Seeks Community Support Through Book, WRDW (Georgia)

The Dream Academy, a free afterschool program serving North Harlem and Euchee Creek Elementary students in Grovetown, Georgia, has closed after fifteen years due to delays in federal funding, disappointing children who loved the program and their parents who relied on it to keep their kids safe and supported after school. Director Betty Kelley told WRDW, "I'm devastated because I hear from the parents about what they're going through, and I know the children loved it and it's like a part of me that I miss." Grovetown Councilwoman and Dream Academy volunteer Ceretta Smith has helped students create a book called "Welcome to the Dream Academy," demonstrating the program's impact. Proceeds from the book, which can be purchased in-person or online at Amazon, will go towards reopening the program. 

See Which Connecticut Schools Will Get New State Funds for After-School Programs, CT Insider (Connecticut)

Connecticut will provide more than $10 million to support new afterschool programs across the state for the 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 school years. For the current year, $5.3 million will go toward 41 grants across 30 municipalities. The 30 towns will each receive an amount ranging from $50,000 to over $150,000, a welcome relief to school districts facing tighter budgets as federal funds remain uncertain. The grants, which are funded through the state Department of Education's After-School Grant Program, will help local programs provide tutoring, arts and science enrichment, community service opportunities, and athletics. "High-quality after-school programs create opportunities for students to receive the additional academic and social supports they need to thrive,” Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont told CT Insider.

Students of Color Get Their Chance at Sports Broadcasting at BC Central, Lakeview, Blue Water Healthy Living (Michigan)

Two young women of color in Battle Creek, Michigan are building unique platforms for themselves in the world of sports broadcasting with the help of Heart2Heart Radio and the 13th Year Program, and afterschool program created by Joy Consulting. Last week, Simone Brown, a junior at Battle Creek Central High School, interviewed players at the Battle Creek Central vs. Kalamazoo Central football game in an open-air broadcast studio for her podcast "L Simone Sports," which can be listened to live and played back online at heart2heartradio.com. Allivia Rizor, a sophomore at Lakeview High School did the same at a football game earlier this season for her show "Liv on the Mic." The two students also get together for a joint program twice monthly. "I really want to go into sports broadcasting for a career," Brown told Blue Water Health Living, "so this opens up a few doors to get going."