The aims of this study were to 1) describe the children's physical activity (PA) patterns during the after-school period and 2) to compare the type and intensity of activity during the after-school period of children with or without participation in organized PA programmes. The participants were 456 children from four primary schools in Hong Kong.…

After figuring out why many kids hate math, these longtime educators Bob and Ellen Kaplan created an after-school program in which children as young as 5 formulate equations of their own--and actually enjoy doing it. This paper discusses the experiences of the Kaplan couple, Bob and Ellen, on their Math Circle class during after-school sessions…

As the need for providing youth with positive, constructive, and supervised after-school opportunities is increasingly recognized, advocates and policymakers face the challenge of funding quality, affordable, accessible youth development programs that meet the needs of working families and enrich learning and social development for youth.…

What are the common tasks facing cities committed to saturating their city with high quality out-of-school opportunities, available to every young person? While no list is definitive or complete, we identify ten critical tasks. (Background and Contact information is appended. Contains 5 footnotes and 9 figures.)

Recognition of the range of potential benefits linked to out-of-school experiences has led to a rapid expansion of out-of-school time opportunities across the United States. This guide outlines an approach for bringing the community together to meet out-of-school time needs of children, youth, and families. Launched in 1994, the MOST (Making the…

Noting the increasing use of out of school care (school-age care outside of normal school hours) in Scotland, this report reviews research on : care-focused provision and study support. Considered in the review were 33 reports referring to work in the United Kingdom, 3 referring to Scandinavian practice, and 1 report on U.S. research. The report…

Primary support programs may be identified as programs, places, and activities beyond schools that are available to and appropriate for all children and their families and that supplement the family's own capacity to promote its children's safe and healthy development. This report examines 77 quality youth-serving programs that provide some…

This paper describes a model of an after-school program for low-income suburban children of different ages (3-14 years). Housed in an industrial park, the program serves the children of both working and non-working parents and accepts into the program all children who apply for whom funding can be found. (This includes non-English speaking…

Noting that most evaluations of out-of-school (OST) programs have examined the programs as a whole without taking into account the specific activities offered, this issue of "Out-of-School Time Evaluation Snapshots" surveys the range of activities being implemented in OST settings across the country to better understand and promote…

After-school programs have the potential to keep children safe and out of trouble and can help to improve the academic performance of the increasing numbers of participating children. This report presents positive research on after-school programs and examples illustrating the potential of high-quality after-school activities to keep children…

This commentary explores the relationship between mentoring and after-school, two fields that have garnered significant policy attention and momentum over the past several years. The question is not which makes more sense--mentoring or after-school--but how can we utilize both strategies to increase the likelihood that young people have the…

This document presents discussion on the Juvenile Crime Control and Delinquency Prevention Act (H.R. 1150) and provides testimonies of experts with first-hand knowledge of quality delinquency and violence prevention programs. An opening statement from Representative Mike Castle (Delaware) related the problem of children who become involved in…

First authorized in 1994, the 21st-Century Community Learning Centers program supports after-school programs in approximately 7,500 rural and inner-city public schools . A distinguishing characteristic of 21st-Century programs is the inclusion of academic activities. This report presents the first-year findings from an evaluation of the program.…

Noting that after-school programs are becoming an important developmental support for low- and moderate-income families and their children, this book describes the historical development of these programs, their current status, and critical issues facing after-school programs. Divided into historical eras, the book examines: (1) the evolution of…

Noting the major changes in mothers' work lives and the significance that out-of-home care arrangements take on in children's lives, this book is a collection of accounts of what children do after school, both outside and inside after-school centers. The centers described are in differing communities, with differing values and differing ways of…