Legislators, Parents, Youth, Educators, Advocates Will Come Together In Support of Afterschool Programs

HARRISBURG, Pa., May 8, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Nearly 200 advocates including students, parents, educators, program providers, community leaders, policy makers, business and faith based leaders, and others from across Pennsylvania will come together in the capitol 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.

Co-chairs Senator Ryan Aument (R-36), John Yudichak (D-14), Representative Bernie O'Neil (R-29) and Representative Jake Wheatley (D-39) will comment on progress made by the bicameral bi-partisan Afterschool Caucus, which provides education, policy development, research and periodic briefings on pertinent issues confronting and relating to the commonwealth's afterschool infrastructure. Findings will be released from the Afterschool & STEM System Building Evaluation 2016, an ambitious study supported by the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation and STEM Next, that examined the impact of afterschool programs on student attitudes. The event will also highlight the need to protect Pennsylvania's 21^st Century Community Learning Centers, the only federal funding stream that directly supports afterschool programs in the commonwealth.

Legislative visits will remind Pennsylvania 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 10, 2017; 12:45-2:00 PM
Pennsylvania State Capitol Rotunda
North Third Street, Harrisburg, Pa.

WITH

Senator John T. Yudichak
Senator Ryan Aument
Senator Sharif Street
Representative Jake Wheatley
Representative Bernie O'Neil
Pennsylvania Department of Education Representative
Laura Saccente, PSAYDN Director
Community Stakeholders

The event will be hosted by the Pennsylvania Statewide Afterschool/Youth Development Network (PSAYDN) in partnership with the Allegheny Partners for Out of School Time (APOST) and the Pennsylvania School-Age Child Care Alliance (PENN SACCA).

Media Contact: Aylissa Kiely, 717-903-0219

About PSAYDN

The Pennsylvania Statewide Afterschool/Youth Development Network (PSAYDN) 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. PSAYDN is managed by the Center for Schools and Communities. More information is available at www.psaydn.org.

SOURCE Pennsylvania Statewide Afterschool/Youth Development Network

Related Links

http://www.psaydn.org