I was asked to serve as an Ambassador for the Afterschool Alliance for the state of Nevada this year. I accepted with trepidation, not fully knowing what to expect. However, the Alliance flew us to Washington, DC for extensive training and support for this position. They have also been supportive through email and conference calls. In addition, when it was time for my first even with policy makers, they flew a rep out here to support me in that as well.
The Afterschool Alliance is a wonderful nonprofit that helped me grow and focus on how to advocate for youth and their families using several different methods. They really helped me understand how to use my voice with federal, state, and local officials. The Afterschool Alliance demonstrates and models how to fight for youth and their families to have a safe place to go during out-of-school time where they can grow and have a high quality of life!
Afterschool Alliance is filled with genuine individuals who always keep our student's best interest at heart. Through this organization, I have been equipped with the best training, tools and support to raise awareness in my community and to local lawmakers about the role after school programming plays in the lives of our children. Without the work of Afterschool Alliance, the funding needed to provide students with meaningful opportunities during after school hours would not be possible.
The Afterschool Alliance is on the front lines protecting federal funding and access to high quality afterschool programs for over 1.6 million across the country, including over 33,000 students in Kentucky. As a recent participant in the Afterschool Ambassador program, the Alliance has given me the confidence to advocate for increased local investments in afterschool programs and engage with media partners to get the word out. Students and families in my community benefit because of the tireless work of the Afterschool Alliance.
The Afterschool Alliance is a wonderful organization who has been able to spread the word about the need for quality afterschool programs though its Lights On event held accross the country every October. In the Spring they send our nations youth to the House & Senate to let their representatives know about the wonderful things they are doing in their afterschool programs. They stress the need to make sure that the appropriate funding continues to allow for a safe, productive time for our children both before and afterschool.
The Afterschool Alliance is an outstanding organization run by a dedicated and exceptional staff and supported by advocates from across the country. Their work has been pivotal in the quest for "Afterschool For All" and advancing issues for children and youth. TOP NOTCH!
The Afterschool Alliance is the best hope for securing permanent funding for the after school programs that our young people need and deserve. I know when I get involved in their efforts I'm working along with thousands of other sfor the same purpose. We're making a difference for children. We still have a long way to go, but as long as the Afterschool Alliance is here, I have a great deal of hope.
The Afterschool Alliance is a tremendous organization that can help after school professionals, as well as interested citizens, learn how to inspire others to join the charge for access to quality afterschool programs for all of America's children. I have depended on the Alliance from my first day in the field seven years ago, and their expertise and consistent quality of information always makes them the first place I go for all issues afterschool. As a former program director, I first used the Afterschool Alliance to learn more about the field, to connect me to resources to help me improve and expand and how to advocate for more community support for afterschool. Our program held Lights On Afterschool events and participated in advocacy efforts at the state and national level. As a technical assistance provider to state departments of education, school districts and afterschool programs of all shapes and sizes, the Afterschool Alliance was the go-to site. The information on each state was invaluable for programs to learn how to define the needs in their communities and how to advocate for support for those needs. As an Afterschool Alliance Amabassador (Emeritus) for the last three years, it has been my honor to represent the Alliance and support the work they do. The well crafted media templates, strategies and networking are invaluable. Now working for a statewide afterschool network, the Alliance again is still the go-to for state and national statistics, to find information on legislation trends and hot topics and to find well written and compelling issue briefs and reports on the issue of afterschool. The Afterschool Alliance is truly a national resource for all that is afterschool and a first stop for anyone wanting to learn more, do more - be more.