This article details the development of a physical activity curriculum used in an after-school program for youths. The program, Get Fit! With Math & Lit, employed culturally relevant pedagogies as its guiding framework and the Teaching Personal and Social Responsibility Model to structure its content. This multifaceted framework of the…

High-quality afterschool and summer learning programs are effective ways to support children and teens and accelerate their academic growth. In fact, the American Rescue Plan prioritized a significant amount of funding for out-of-school time programs because of the evidence of their effectiveness. Over the past few years, state educational…

Jon's Heroes in Training (JHT) represents a strong cross-sector collaboration that was created and has evolved over the past five years. JHT is an after-school program where children (ages 3-22) with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnosis come to the local university to engage in high-quality physical education lessons designed and…

Intentionally designed afterschool and summer programs can benefit students' social-emotional skills, accelerate their learning, and even increase their school attendance during the school year. This infographic touches on the value of these programs, possible barriers that might limit access to students, and states with innovative models.

Due to changing federal and state policy as well as increased community concerns about pollinators, assisting clients interested in pollinator health is taking more Extension agent time and resources. In addition, many gardeners tend to be beginners in need of support to recognize best management practices related to pollinating and beneficial…

This Research-to-Policy Resource List focuses on resources in the Research Connections collection published in the past ten years that focus on building high-quality after schools systems. The resources on this list have been assigned to the following categories: building systems, improving quality, supporting the workforce, and sustaining program…

Many out-of-school time (OST) sites are incorporating literacy time in their programming to capitalize on the benefits associated with literacy instruction. Afterschool is a perfect opportunity to foster a love of reading in children. Expanded learning in afterschool programs can make a difference in both short-term and long-term academic…

Including youth in the development and evaluation of out-of-school time (OST) programs has positive effects on youth, the organizations that serve them, and the communities in which they live. Such involvement can improve young people's social competence, foster leadership and engagement, and empower groups. Youth provide unique perspectives on…

The Robert Bowne Foundation (RBF), which published "Afterschool Matters" from 2003 to 2008 and continues to fund the journal and related projects, is closing in December. "Afterschool Matters" sat down with Lena Townsend, executive director, to talk about RBF's legacy and continuing influence on literacy work in afterschool…

In 1998, George Soros and Herb Sturz seized an opportunity to significantly improve children's lives by founding The After-School Corporation (TASC). They believed that increasing the quality and availability of after-school programs, with the ultimate goal of changing public policy, could transform the potential for many New York City kids who…

Mentoring programs are an effective way to offer gifted students authentic learning opportunities. Although there are many mentoring models, the fundamental relationship between mentor and mentee has remained consistent throughout the ages. One mentoring model that has recently grown in popularity is the cross-age mentoring model. In this model,…

The difficult relationship between boys and writing is well documented; its causes and solutions are the source of passionate debate. Of the many trends the author has observed in 20 years as a classroom teacher, one of the most disheartening has been a deteriorating interest in writing among male students. Their disengagement manifests in many…

With many cities showing an interest in afterschool system building and research providing a growing body of useful information, this Wallace Perspective offers a digest of the latest thinking on how to build and sustain an afterschool system, and the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead for this promising work. The report (a follow-up to a…

You have to stick with it. It takes time, patience, trial and error, failure, and persistence. It is almost never perfect or finished, but, with a good team, you can build something that works. These are the lessons youth learn when building a robot, as many do in the out-of-school time (OST) programs supported by the initiative described in this…

Research has shown that an idle summer is not just boring; it can cost a student as much as two to three months of educational progress. Summer is critical to each child's development, both mind and body. Any meaningful attempts to get at America's equity divide and the consequent gap in opportunities for kids must include summer education as a…