Legislators, Parents, Youth, Educators, Advocates Will Come Together In Support of Afterschool and STEM Programming

HARRISBURG, Pa., May 1, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Nearly 200 advocates including students, parents, educators, program providers, community leaders, policymakers, business and faith-based leaders and others from 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 and STEM 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.

Afterschool Caucus members will comment on progress made on issues confronting and relating to the commonwealth's afterschool infrastructure. The rally will give special attention to the 2018 Pennsylvania STEM Ambassadors, tasked with advancing policy goals through outreach, education, targeted relationships with policymakers and building a coalition of local and regional support.

The event is hosted by the Pennsylvania Statewide Afterschool/Youth Development Network (PSAYDN), in partnership with the Allegheny Partners for Out of School Time (APOST), Propel Schools and the Pennsylvania School-Age Child Care Alliance (PENN SACCA). Student entertainment will be led by the 21^st Century Community Learning Center (CCLC) Schools and Homes in Education (SHINE) Schuylkill, Carbon and Luzerne Afterschool program.

Shenandoah SHINE afterschool program students will talk about the exciting STEAM activities and their various experiences. They will present the Blue Devil robot, who will explain how the students code him and get him to speak. Advocacy day guests will join the robot in dancing.  

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.

Wednesday, May 2, 2018 at Noon
Pennsylvania State Capitol Rotunda
North Third Street, Harrisburg, Pa.

WITH
Senator Art Haywood
Representative Jake Wheatley
Representative Ed Gainey
Representative Bernie O'Neil
Representative Mark Longietti
Nikki Navta, Vice President of K12 Computer Science, Zulama by EMC School
Tina Chekan, Superintendent, Propel Schools
YMCA Youth in Government Leaders
PA STEM Ambassadors
PA Afterschool Champions
Laura Saccente, PSAYDN Director
Community Stakeholders

Students Maureen Hartwell and Jameson Neyman from the YMCA Youth in Government programs will emcee the rally. Area business and community leaders will also share stories at the event. 

About PSAYDN
The Pennsylvania Statewide Afterschool/Youth Development Network (PSAYDN) at Center for Schools and Communities promotes sustainable, high quality out-of-school time youth development programs through advocacy and capacity building to enhance the welfare of Pennsylvania's children, youth and families. For more information, go to www.psaydn.org.

CONTACT: Aylissa Kiely Tyndale
717-903-0219

SOURCE Pennsylvania Statewide Afterschool/Youth Development Network

Related Links

http://www.psaydn.org/