Legislators, Parents, Youth, Educators, Advocates Come Together for Afterschool Programs; New Afterschool Caucus Announced

HARRISBURG, Pa., May 4, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Nearly 200 advocates including students, parents, educators, program providers, community leaders, policy makers, business and faith-based leaders and others across Pennsylvania will come together in the capital to highlight the importance of afterschool and out-of-school time youth development. The event is part of the Pennsylvania Statewide Afterschool Advocacy Day. For every Pennsylvania child enrolled in an afterschool program, there are two more who are not and whose parents would enroll their child, if a program were available. In Pennsylvania, 85 percent of parents support public funding for afterschool programs, and that support crosses all political party and geographic lines. Legislative visits will remind the commonwealth's leaders that afterschool programs keep kids safe, inspire them to learn and help working families. The event will be a call to action for all levels of government, philanthropy, business and every sector to step up and do more to support afterschool.

Co-chairs Senator John Yudichak (D-14), Senator Ryan Aument (R-36), Representative Mindy Fee (R-37) and Representative Jake Wheatley (D-39) will announce the formation of a bicameral bi-partisan Afterschool Caucus whose purpose will be to provide education, policy development, research and periodic briefings on pertinent issues confronting and relating to the commonwealth's afterschool infrastructure.

3:00-3:45PM on Tuesday, May 5, 2015
Pennsylvania State Capitol Rotunda
Harrisburg, Pa.

WITH
Co-Chairs of the Afterschool Caucus
Senator John T. Yudichak
Senator Ryan Aument
Representative Jake Wheatley
Representative Mindy Fee

and
Senator Bob Mensch
Representative Bryan Barbin
Representative Leslie Acosta
Community Stakeholders

Dasia Smith, a senior at Braddock Hills High School in Pittsburgh and Molly Oken, a senior at Central Dauphin High School in the Harrisburg area will also speak at the rally about the impact of afterschool programs on their lives and why they believe programs are important for young people of all ages.

Student Reporters from Pittsburgh Youth Media will be observing youth participants' visits to the legislature and documenting how youth can use their voices to advocate for their education and community.

The Pennsylvania Afterschool Advocacy Day is sponsored by The Pennsylvania Afterschool Youth Development Network (PSAYDN), Allegheny Partners for Out-of-School Time (APOST), and the Pennsylvania School-Age Child Care Alliance (PENN SACCA). More information is available at www.psaydn.org.

Contact: Aylissa Kiely; 717-903-0219; [email protected]

SOURCE Pennsylvania Statewide Afterschool Youth Development Network

Related Links

http://www.psaydn.org

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