All kids deserve an opportunity to succeed in life. Yet, by ending federal funding for afterschool programs across the country, President Trump’s new budget would disinvest in the futures of nearly 18,000 Kentucky children.
Afterschool programs are critical to our young people. They make a huge difference in their lives. Take, for example, Jessica.
Jessica always had a thing about math. She didn’t just hate it—she feared it. Math made her so anxious that she tried to get herself into trouble just to avoid class.
By fifth grade, Jessica earned average grades in all her other classes, but in math, she never got higher than a D. Her teachers referred her to the Covington Partners afterschool program.
Jessica’s problems with math reminded her afterschool specialist of her own son’s similar struggles. The specialist suggested for Jessica an online math tutoring resource that her son enjoyed. In three weeks, Jessica’s math grade shot up to a C+. With Covington Partners, she continues to improve.
Afterschool programs like Covington Partners benefit everyone. They help children learn and grow, families balance work with home, and prepare the workforce of the future.
From Covington Partners website
That’s why the President’s proposal to eliminate the 21st Century Community Learning Centers program, the only dedicated federal funding source for afterschool experiences, makes no sense. In Kentucky, demand is so great that, for every child in an afterschool program, more than two are waiting to get in.
That’s not surprising, given that 60 percent of Kentucky parents say that afterschool programming gets their kids excited about school and 73 percent say that afterschool programming helps them keep their jobs. An astonishing 87 percent of Kentucky parents support public funding for afterschool programs.
I grew up in Covington and went to Latonia Elementary and Holmes High School. I walked the same hallways these kids walk today. All kids should have the same opportunity I had to succeed both in school and in life.
As board chair of Covington Partners, I’m proud of the work our program does to provide that opportunity for the 2,200 students we serve in our elementary, middle, and high schools. It cares for the whole child: from breakfast in the morning to a nourishing dinner in the evening, providing academic support and wraparound services in a safe and nurturing environment that parents trust.
Our coordinators work closely with teachers and principals and track data to find out what is happening in kids’ day-to-day lives (i.e. their grades, their attendance, etc.) so that they can adjust their programming to address students’ struggles.
Our enrichment programs are fantastic. They include a summer workshop with the YMCA that introduces middle school girls to careers such as welding and carpentry; a computer coding lab taught by local university students at the county library; and a farm-to-table business based at one of our elementary schools that teaches students what it takes to run a small business all while providing fresh vegetables from the school garden to local restaurants.
For working parents, afterschool programming provides incredible peace of mind. They know that their kids are in a safe place after school, with caring adults, learning and having fun. When kids get home, their homework is done, and they’ve had a healthy dinner.
And, as Jessica’s story shows, afterschool programs work. Research shows that when children participate in afterschool programs, they attend school more often, they get better grades, record higher test scores and they are more likely to graduate. Regular afterschool attendance also improves children’s homework completion, class participation, and classroom behavior.
Across Kentucky, afterschool programs need 21st Century Community Learning Center funding to continue working for as many children as possible. Without it, children, families and employers all lose out.
As current board chair, Latonia Elementary and Holmes High School alumni and External Communications Manager for Prysmian Group North America, I consider myself to be a vested member of our local community.
Covington Partners works every day to keep our community moving forward by eliminating boundaries to learning and success. Through innovation and collaboration, they create safe and engaging environments for our students and families to learn and grow. I stand by Covington Partners and every other organization that supports afterschool programming.
We need to invest in opportunities for all our kids. Our community afterschool programs are opportunities we can’t afford to lose.
Charlie Schicht is Covington Partners board chair.
