The Afterschool Alliance has selected Beth Wiseman, Director of School Age Services at the Learning Grove, to serve as a 2024 Afterschool Ambassador.
Wiseman is one of just 15 leaders in the country chosen for the honor this year.
Beth Wiseman (Photo provided)
Afterschool Ambassadors continue working with local afterschool programs while serving a one-year Afterschool Ambassador term, working with community leaders and policy makers, organizing events, and in other ways growing support for the afterschool and summer learning programs families rely on.
“We are thrilled that Beth Wiseman is serving as a 2024 Afterschool Ambassador for the Afterschool Alliance,” said Jodi Grant, Afterschool Alliance executive director. “This is a challenging time for the country’s students and families, and afterschool and summer learning programs are uniquely positioned to help. But there aren’t nearly enough programs to meet the need, and programs are facing significant challenges including funding shortfalls as the pandemic relief tapers off, staff shortages, and more. Now more than ever, we need leaders to spread the word that afterschool programs keep kids safe, inspire them to learn, and give parents peace of mind that their children are safe and supervised after the school day ends. Wiseman is exactly the kind of champion we need.”
“I am delighted to have the chance to work with the Afterschool Alliance to increase awareness and support for afterschool and summer learning programs this year,” said Wiseman “I’ve seen firsthand the many ways these programs help students and families overcome challenges. That’s especially important now. Many of our students have ground to make up and afterschool programs can help them do that. I’m so proud to be part of the afterschool movement and to be a 2024 Afterschool Ambassador.”
At Learning Grove, the driving passion is providing the best care and education for children. Learning Grove offers afterschool programming conveniently oriented within 12 schools in Northern Kentucky and Ohio serving over 600 children. Programming includes homework help, access to healthy foods, enrichment opportunities, time for physical activity, and parent engagement activities. The afterschool programs deliver quality programming with highly trained staff.
Each Ambassador will organize a major event for Lights On Afterschool, the Afterschool Alliance’s annual rally for afterschool. Most of the thousands of local Lights On Afterschool events will be on or around Thursday, October 24, 2024.
The 2024 Afterschool Ambassadors are:
• Colorado, Thornton: Mandi Browning, The PEAK Learning Center
• Delaware, Laurel: Tasha Esham, Laurel Boys & Girls Club
• Iowa, Des Moines: Linda Phillips, 21CCLC and Metro Kids/ Des Moines Public Schools
• Kentucky, Covington: Beth Wiseman, Learning Grove
• Louisiana, Baton Rouge: Yashica Newby, Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Louisiana
• Louisiana, New Orleans: Aaron Frumin, unCommon Construction
• Nebraska, Crete: Joel Bramhall, Cardinal Community Learning Centers, Crete Public Schools
• New Mexico, Farmington: Teahonna James-Belin, Navajo Preparatory School
• North Dakota, Bismarck: Arin Casavant, North Dakota’s Gateway to Science
• Ohio, Columbus: DeAndra Harrison, The Actions that Matter for Youth
• Ohio, Cleveland: Kasey Morgan, MyCom
• Pennsylvania, Philadelphia: Cecelia Armstrong, Sunrise of Philadelphia
• Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh: Deanna Dugan, Propel Schools
• Rhode Island, Providence: Elliot A. Rivera, Youth In Action
• Tennessee, Knoxville: Sindy Dawkins-Schade, SHADES of Development
Some 24.7 million U.S. children not in an afterschool program would be enrolled, if a program were available to them, according to a survey of nearly 1,500 parents commissioned by the Afterschool Alliance and conducted by Edge Research in May and June of 2022. That is the highest number ever recorded. Unmet demand for afterschool programs is significantly higher among Latino and Black children (at 60% and 54% respectively) than among children overall (49%). Cost is the top barrier to enroll, cited by 57% of parents as a reason for not enrolling their child. Ninety percent of parents rate the quality of the program their child attends as excellent (51%) or very good (39%).
A large and powerful body of evidence demonstrates improvements in grades, school attendance, behavior and more among children who participate in afterschool programs. Researchers have also found that students in afterschool programs are more engaged in school and excited about learning and develop critical work and life skills such as problem solving, teamwork, and communications.
