Afterschool: the “Best Part of the Day”
What is your favorite memory from afterschool? What made it the best part of your day? Was it the endless hours of fun with friends? The caring staff that spent time teaching you new skills? The awesome snacks and helpful homework assistance? Or perhaps you loved the chance to do something physical like play a game or participate in a sport after a long day?
For thousands of Alaska’s children and youth, the return of school means the return of what Karen says is “the best part of the day”, afterschool! Afterschool programs are youth development programs that provide opportunities for enrichment, skill-development, and building protective factors during out of school hours.
As school heads back in to session, afterschool programs are gearing up to provide children, youth, and families a variety of supports, including:
a safe environment when caregivers are working
knowledgeable and caring staff
opportunities to build life skills
STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) learning opportunities
physical activities
healthy snacks or meals
interactions with peers that help build social skills
homework help
In 2022, Alaska ranked 49th in Education nationwide (KIDS COUNT 2022). We know that investing in afterschool and expanding its reach in Alaska is one highly effective strategy to bolster academic and social-emotional success. Research has shown that participation in afterschool programs leads to increases in student attendance, grades, graduation rates, self-esteem, which is linked to a reduction in suicide, protective factors to overcome trauma and decreases in expulsion and youth engagement in risky behaviors like alcohol consumption or crime.
In 2020, we celebrated when Alaska ranked 4th in the nation for afterschool and 1st in parental satisfaction for the variety of activities offered. Alaska’s afterschool programs are high-quality as well as in high-demand. Right now, for every child benefiting from an afterschool program, 3 more are waiting to get in. Now is the time to increase critical supports for families and make sure that every child has the option to engage in afterschool.
Fortunately, things are looking up for Alaska’s kids, especially with the U.S. Department of Education’s Engage Every Student Initiative. The Initiative was announced in July 2022 as a move to ensure every student who wants a spot in a high-quality program has one. In addition, on the state level, this year the Alaska Legislature passed a budget that included additional funding for afterschool!
As a program of Alaska Children’s Trust, the Alaska Afterschool Network looks forward to continuing to advocate for afterschool and support afterschool professionals in the important work that they do, creating “the best part of the day” for children all across Alaska!
Now is the time to explore afterschool program options for the school year. Check with your child’s school, local libraries, community centers, and churches to learn about programs near you. You can also look for a program on the Alaska Afterschool Network find a program map.
Interested in working in an afterschool program?
There are dozens of available job opportunities across Alaska in the afterschool field!
