After School Advocacy
After School Advocacy
-Objective- to garner evidence in support of afterschool program initiatives
-After school programs are funded in many different
ways, from parent fees to foundation grants to
taxpayer dollars.
-More than 120 sources of federal funding have been
identified as supporting afterschool.
-advocating for after-school is to supply evidence
based research documenting the purpose
and effectiveness of such programs.
This study basically examines two questions related to
outcomes associated with after-school programming.

The first question
is speaking about the quality of experience
in after-school programs,
as well as mediating the effect of program
participation on social
competence and academic performances?

The Second question asked among
program participants, was what are the
differences in quality of experience when
in programs versus other settings after school
related to higher
social competence and academic performance?
Study Outcome
The study chose Middle school students, who were attending 8
programs in 3 different
Midwestern states
 A total of 4,970 randomly sampled
experiences in and out of after-school programs.
 More Engagement during
after-school hours partially mediated the relationship between
participation in after-school programs and social competence. In
addition, relative perceptions of engagement, challenge, and
importance when in after-school programs compared to elsewhere
after
school predicted higher English and math grades.
 Results suggest that
the quality of experiences in after-school programs may be a more
important factor than quantity of experiences
predicting positive academic outcomes.

At-Risk Students in After-School Programs:
Outcomes and Recommendations
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Second Article is supporting Afterschool based
programs that can redesign and expand the school schedule for
students, with also providing these students with high-quality
afterschool programs, and provide comprehensive support to these
students within these programs.
School administrators can effectively
use their physical space, curriculum materials, and staff members
to
support the development and implementation of after-school
programs.
With school leaders establishing program logistics and setting a
positive tone, all personnel can better see the values/benefits of
keeping students after school.
About the Program
New York Junior Tennis & Learning (NYJTL) ACES Program at PS 37Q
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Type: non-profit tennis and education-themed community organization
Grades: kindergarten to fifth grade
Number of kids: 120
Activities: tennis, character development, art, science, dance, and nutrition
Goal
To develop the character of young people through tennis, emphasizing the ideals
and life of Arthur Ashe (founder of program).
Voices of the Parents
“...program is very helpful to both child(ren) and parent.”
“...supports community”
“...spark in my child's eye”
Voices of the Children:
“...feels like a family ”
“...experience new things”
“...get help with school work”
“...helps me to learn about myself”
Voices of the staff:
“...collaborates with day school” (work hand in hand of
each other)
“...love the kids”
“...program helps the children to help build confidence in
children”
“...learns something new everyday from children”
Differences Between Children in an After
School Program and Those That Are Not*
Children in an
After School
Program
Children NOT
in an After
School Program
Academic
Advantage
No
Academic
Assistance
Leaders
Followers
Confident
Insecure
*very similar to impact on children
The Impact of After School Programs
Behavior transformations
Builds relationships
Understands the effects of bullying
and is against it also stands up for others
Become leaders not followers
Are confident
About the Queens Community
House Beacon Program

Program was found in 1998.
 Located at Russell Sage Junior High school
(Forest Hills, Queens NY)
 One of eighty Beacon programs
 Directed by Patrick Pinchinat
What is a beacon Program?
Beacon Programs are schoolbased community centers
serving children, youth and
adults.
 Program offers a variety of
activities for different age
groups.
 Main Goal is to attract youths
and continue learning from
what is taught in classrooms.

Activities


The program offers
a variety of activities
How help and
tutoring is available
(comes first in the
schedule)
Why this program?

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Program pushes students to build a voice and make
decisions on their own.
Students get to learn useful skills that help them in
the future (according to Patrick there isn't enough
time in a regular school schedule to teach students
valuable skills (Building resumes))
Program pushes students to become mentally,
physically and emotionally stronger.
Youths are exposed to individual choice model (they
choose their own schedules and what activities they
want to be a part of).
Support given by training counselors, parent
coordinators and leaders.
Voices of Parents
Parents: “This is a safe place for our
children, it keeps them off the street and
occupied while we are at work”.
 Parents are involved but leaders would
like to see more involvement; beacon
program has a parent coordinator.

Challenges being faced

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QCHBP is one of the
programs being threatened to
close due to budget cuts.
Has been threatened before
but got reopened for one year
due to rally's and meetings
(Students where the ones
fighting for their programs they
were the voices of the rallies
etc)
“ what people fail to realize its
about meaning, when you
take away your taking away
from the community and
putting our children at risk of
being on the streets” (Patrick
Pinchinat)
Why the Rally?
Its budget time and it would seem that the mayor and city council is once
again gearing up for its usual rigmarole. After proposing cuts to indispensable
city programs, they get to look like saviors when, at the last minute, they
swoop in and restore some of the funding. One of the troubling aspects of this
year's tricks is the cut back on the after-school programs, and it is very
disconcerting to the countless blue-collar and low-income parents.
Presently, New York funds enrichment programs that run from 3 to 6 p.m. at
454 sites, serving 53,000 elementary, middle and high school students and
costing $90 million; the proposal is to reduce that to 261 sites, serving 27,000
children for $71 million. The cut-back would save $19 million in a budget of
$67 billion, or about a quarter of 1 percent. Adding to the woes, some of the
scheduled closures are acknowledged to be among our city's best.
These programs allows those parents who are financially unable to provide
after-school care to work while their kids are learning and not out on the
streets unsupervised. What happens to these folks now?
What avenues are they to turn to?
Students, concerned parents and dedicated staff of different After School
Program gather together across the steps of Queens Borough Hall, with the
elected officials and Borough President Helen Marshall, as they made their
voices heard at a rally on April 24, 2013 to protest proposed budget cuts that
would leave many of them without a home away from home.
Voices

“Children, you are our future,” Borough
President Helen Marshall told them. “You
are going to be the leaders of the world. If
you have programs after school, it’s a big
help. We want these centers to stay open.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=4796308145343&set=vb.12251681
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https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=4806414357992&set=vb.12251681
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Student’s voice
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“How would you feel if your second home was gone?” 10-year-old
Jessica Calvo asked the crowd as she stepped up to the podium.
Referring to the Queens Community House Beacon after-school
program she attends at JHS 190 in Forest Hills, one of two
threatened in the borough, Calvo continued, “Beacon helps with
educational, personal and homework problems. Last year, I went to
summer Beacon. It was one of the best times of my life. If you really
care about after school you would try to save it. You know, we have
the power to accomplish anything if we try our hardest.”
Natalie Herrera, 11, who attends the same program, echoed the
sentiments when she said, “The Beacon is my second home. We
love these programs and we need to fight not only for ourselves but
also for future generations to come. Please save our after-school
and early child-care programs across the city.”
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=4806573521971&set=vb.1
225168199&type=2&theater
Help Save After School Program
Most of us here attended an after school
program or we know someone from an
After School Program.
 Help us save Beacon and other program
by calling 311 or your City Council
Members to express your concern.
 We can make a difference.

Learning Engagement
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Decreases school absence
Increases graduation rate
Improved classroom behavior
Improved classroom participation
Life Outcomes
• Decreases juvenile delinquency
• Decreases aggressive behavior towards
others
• Reduces use of drugs and alcohol
Traits of Effective Programs
Art
 Cooking
 Dance
 Drama
 Health and Wellness
 “Interest Based”

(child’s choice)
Relationship
Building
 Academic Support

Youth Development Model
review of the literature
Outcomes
Definition

Life course framework
→social, emotional,
moral and self-efficacy

Universal
→ safe, strong support,
access to opportunities
and exploration
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Davies & Schulman 2007
teen pregnancies
dropout rates
drug and alcohol use
fighting
sexual initiation
(promiscuity)
academic achievement
school behavior
contraception
Meta-Analysis
of After School Programs
Durlak & Weissberg
Strong Points
Well-controlled (all data had control group)
Evidence Based after-school procedures
Focused on personal and social skills
Findings
After-school programs have positive effects
• Youth self-perception
• Bonding to school
• Positive social behaviors
• School grades
• Achievement test scores
Conclusion
7 Essentials
of
Project Based
Learning
Public
Education
After
School
Programs
Need to Know
Driving Question
Student Voice &
Project Based
Learning
7 Essentials for Project Based Learning Giving
Students Meaningful Work
Larmer & Mergendollar. 2010
Choice
21st Century Skills
Inquiry & Innovation
Feedback & Revision
Publicly Presented
Product
Student Voice
and Choice
21st Century
Skills
Publicly Present
Lamer & Mergendoller. 2010
• Student-Centered
Learning
• Students develop and
hone individual skills
• Collaboration
• Communication
• Science Fair Project
• Play / Performance
“The belief that all genuine
education come about through
experience does NOT mean
1859- 1952
Philosopher, Psychologist
& Educational Reformer
that all experiences are
genuinely or equally
educative.”
Dewey, John. Experience and Education. 1938
Resources

Afterschool programs: Making a difference in america's
communitiesby improving academic achievement, keeping kids
safe and helping working families. Retrieved
from https://bbhosted.cuny.edu/@@/BF2CEEE238C1814A8D4
25ABFD8175E77/courses/1/YORK_EDUC_283_CCE_201302/
db/_10387670_1/Afterschool Programs Making a Difference in
America's Communities.pdf
Schulman, S. S., & Davies, T. D. (2007). Evidence of the impact
of the ‘youth development model’ on outcomes for young
people – a literature review.National youth agency. ,
Durlak, J. A., Weissberg, R. P., & Pachan, M. (2010). A MetaAnalysis of After-School Programs That Seek to Promote
Personal and Social Skills in Children and
Adolescents.American Journal Of Community Psychology,
45(3/4), 294-309.