Afterschool Matters Occasional Paper Fall/Winter 2004

The Four Cs of Afterschool Programming A New Case Method for a New FieldBy Gil G. Noam, Ed.D., Ph.D. (Habil) with Susanna Barry, Lisa Wahl Moellman, Leigh van Dyken, Carol Palinski, Nina Fiore, and Rob McCouchGrowing public and policy interest in the use of afterschool time has led to a need for research methods that allow investigators and stakeholders to examine and refine program models and activities. The case study method offers promise for afterschool research, but case study models must be refined in order to adequately study afterschool programming, which is characterized by collaboration among numerous stakeholders. “The Four Cs”—collaboration, communication, content, and coherence—provide one such framework. This method allows researchers who study afterschool education to respect its unique characteristics as an intermediary space that must accommodate the needs of many stakeholders and as a transitional space that serves the needs of children and youth in their various stages of development. 19 pages. Investing in Social Capital Afterschool Activities and Social Affiliation in Immigrant YouthBy Marc Camras, Ph.D.The 2000 Census indicates a significant increase in foreign-born and first-generation students in public schools, at a time when multicultural communities are challenging long-held notions about civic participation in America. This study of Teen Educators Advocating for Community Health (TEACH) illustrates how an innovative afterschool program attempted to nurture social capital and a sense of belonging in immigrant youth. Drawing on Robert Putnam’s distinction between the bonding and bridging forms of social capital, the study argues that afterschool programs can help immigrant youth develop affiliations with diverse others outside their own communities by developing relevant programming that engages youth with children and adults in a variety of informal settings. The study examines the particular TEACH activities—community service, career development, and a class on public health issues—and features that worked to foster new relationships, attitudes, and feelings of responsibility toward others: Focusing on social affiliation and its role in promoting civic engagement, the study explores how participation in such activities can help immigrant youth attend to the welfare of their own community and of the larger society. 27 pages.https://repository.wellesley.edu/afterschoolmatters/1005/thumbnail.jp

Afterschool Matters Spring 2009

Making the Most of the Middle: A Strategic Model for Middle School Afterschool ProgramsBy Holly MorehouseBuilding on—ratherthan trying to overcome—the unique characteristics of early adolescence, Vermont’s 21st Century Community Learning Centers are using the “five Rs of program design” to improve middle schoolers’ attendance and youth development outcomes. 10 pages. Preparing Youth for the 21st Century Knowledge Economy: Youth Programs and Workforce PreparationBy Graham R. Cochran and Theresa M. FerrariBy emphasizing work-based learning, youth programs can not only meet their youth development goals but also prepare young people for success in the knowledge economy of the 21st century. 15 pages. The Girl Game Company: Engaging Latina Girls in Information TechnologyBy Jill Denner, Steve Bean, and Jacob MartinezA program that teaches middle-school Latinas to program their own computer games seeks ways of overcoming the growing shortfall of both Latinos and women in IT education and careers. 10 pages. It’s All Happening at the Zoo: Children’s Environmental Learning after SchoolBy Jason A. Douglas and Cindi KatzThis study focuses on the combined role of zoos and an out-of-school-time program focused on environmental issues in influencing children’s relationship with and sense of responsibility toward animals and the environment. 10 pages. Putting Our Questions at the Center: Afterschool Matters Practitioner FellowshipsBy Sara L. Hill, Susan Matloff-Nieves, and Lena O. TownsendPractitioner research fellowships help transform out-of-school-time practitioners from consumers of others’ research to makers of knowledge based on their own experience and practices. 5 pages.https://repository.wellesley.edu/afterschoolmatters/1016/thumbnail.jp

Afterschool Matters Fall 2018

In this issue: System Building, Relationships, and Quality Interview with NIOST’s Ellen Gannett By Georgia Hall Over the last nine months, Ellen Gannett, former director of the National Institute on Out-of-School Time, has transitioned to a new part-time role as NIOST’s senior strategist. Georgia Hall, the new director and managing editor of Afterschool Matters, asked Ellen to share her perspectives on the field and on a lifetime dedicated to raising the quality of youth experience during the out-of-school time hours. A New Way to Assess Nutrition Knowledge: The Healthy Plate Photo Method By Ashley Walther, Weiwen Chai, Tara Dunker, Lisa Franzen-Castle, and Michelle Krehbiel Out-of-school time (OST) programs serve youth from diverse demographic backgrounds. According to the Afterschool Alliance, of the 10.2 million young people in OST programs in the U.S., 24 percent are African American and 29 percent are Latinx; 45 percent qualify for free or reduced-price school meals (Afterschool Alliance, 2014). The Micro Temporal Arc: A Practical Planning Tool for Afterschool Student Engagement By Scarlett Eisenhauer For many youth, afterschool programs positively fill the time between school and home. Quality out-of-school time (OST) programs clearly can have beneficial social and academic effects on youth. Supporting Effective Youth Work: Job-Embedded Professional Development in OST By Jocelyn S. Wiedow Youth work practitioners play a critical role in providing high-quality out-of-school time (OST) opportunities. Creating High-Performance Afterschool Programs By Sonia Toledo In more than 25 years of training afterschool directors in New York City, I have learned that one of the greatest challenges supervisors face is developing and retaining their staff. I spend most of my energy researching best practices for afterschool and figuring out how to educate directors and make the research applicable to their work. Youth GO: An Approach to Gathering Youth Perspectives in Out-of-School Time Programs By Sara T. Stacy, Ignacio D. Acevedo-Polakovich, and Jonathan Rosewood Including youth in the development and evaluation of outof- school time (OST) programs has positive effects on youth, the organizations that serve them, and the communities in which they live. A Seat at the Table: Listening to Adolescent Black Girls By Abigail Amoako Kayser, Annalee Jackson, and Brian Kayser Despite having many identified strengths, adolescent Black girls in the U.S. have historically fared poorly. Afterschool Matters: Call for Papers for Fall 2019 By Georgia Hall The Fall 2019 issue will include a focus on creative youth development. CYD is a new term for a longstanding theory of practice that integrates creative skill building, inquiry, and expression with positive youth development principles, fueling young people’s imaginations and building critical learning and life skills.https://repository.wellesley.edu/afterschoolmatters/1037/thumbnail.jp

Afterschool Matters Spring 2000

A Tale from the Youth Field: Using Stories to Understand Community-Based Youth ProgramsBy Sara HillA vivid portrait of a little girl, her mother, and their experience at a neighborhood agency demonstrates how stories taken from the field can illustrate the power of peer education and motivate staff toward more inspired educational after school programming. 8 pages. The Power of Play: A Literature-Based After School Sports Program for Urban YouthBy Tom ZierkA program that combines sports and literature can improve students’ reading, writing, and comprehension skills. What’s more, it promotes children’s personal development and selfesteem, and forges a link between sports, literature, and their daily lives. 6 pages. Creating an Agency Culture: A Model for Common HumanityBy Eileen C. LyonsChildren thrive individually when they feel part of a group. Thus every youth organization must intentionally create an agency culture that promotes positive values and relationships. Using social group work theory and her own experience as an agency director, the author proposes a Model for Common Humanity: nine principles that can guide the fostering of an agency milieu. 12 pages. Making Learning Work By Shirley Brice HeathThe worlds of business and youth-based community organizations share similar philosophies of creativity, collaboration and communication. Using research conducted at an urban youth theater program, the author demonstrates how young artists play organizational roles and act with a “sense of agency” comparable to that of the corporate world. 13 pages. Naming Common Ground: Literacy and CommunityBy Jonathan Shevin and Chris YoungAt a family service agency in the North Bronx, staff members have drawn a vital connection between community and literacy. The authors explain how their literacy program evolved from a basic tutoring opportunity into a curriculum using themes and information gleaned from the young participants’ immediate community surroundings. 6 pages. Check it Off ! A Youth Development Approach to Staff TrainingBy Jessica Mates and Arva RiceAn effective youth development-based training program includes such key elements as building trust, engaging participants, and setting high expectations. This article presents practical suggestions and a useful checklist for progam planners. 3 pages. Passion & Practice by Paul Whyte 3 pages.https://repository.wellesley.edu/afterschoolmatters/1000/thumbnail.jp

Afterschool Matters Fall 2014

In this issue: Curriculum and Professional Development for OST Science Education: Lessons Learned from California 4-HBy Steven M. Worker and Martin H. Smith Keeping Children Safe: Afterschool Staff and Mandated Child Maltreatment ReportingBy Maria Gandarilla and Julie O\u27Donnell Long-Term Participants: A Museum Program Enhances Girls’ STEM Interest, Motivation, and PersistenceBy Jennifer D. Adams, Preeti Gupta, and Alix Cotumaccio Paper Copters and Potential: Leveraging Afterschool and Youth Development Trainers to Extend the Reach of STEM ProgramsBy Stephanie A. Lingwood and Jennifer B. Sorensen The Quest for MasteryBy Diane Gruber, M.A. The Role of Out-of-School Time in Reducing Hunger and Preventing ObesityBy Daniel W. Hatcher, Crystal Weedall FitzSimons, and Jill R. Turley Who\u27s Afraid of the Big Bad Core? The Common Core Standards and Out-of-School Time ProgramsBy Suzanne Marten, Sara Hill, and Anne Lawrence “Writing Is Not Really Something I Do”: Engaging Reluctant Male WritersBy Steven W. Garlidhttps://repository.wellesley.edu/afterschoolmatters/1029/thumbnail.jp

Afterschool Matters Fall 2011

English Learners and Out-of-School Time Programs: The Potential of OST Programs to Foster EL Success By Julie Maxwell-Jolly OST programs can benefit the growing population of English learners in U.S. public schools by giving them the gift of time in which to learn both English and subject matter content. 12 pages. Learning English and Beyond: A Holistic Approach to Supporting English Learners in AfterschoolBy Jhumpa Bhattacharya and Jimena QuirogaEnglish learners are a diverse group with diverse experiences and needs. While schools focus on teaching them English, afterschool programs can build on their strengths to address their social and emotional needs. 7 pages. Éxito: Keeping High-risk Youth on Track to Graduation through Out-of-School Time SupportsBy Tracey Hartmann, Deborah Good, and Kimberly EdmundsAn intensive intervention including project-based learning and case management services keeps at-risk ninth-and tenth-graders engaged and helps them overcome barriers to school success. 10 pages. You Are Here: Promoting Youth Spaces through Community MappingBy Kathrin C. Walker and Rebecca N. SaitoYouth Action Crews map the youth development programs and places in their neighborhoods in order to raise public awareness of the opportunities-and of where such opportunities don’t exist. 10 pages. A Place for the Arts: Lessons Learned from an Afterschool Art Experience with Reclaimed MaterialsBy Angela Eckhoff, Amy Hallenbeck, and Mindy SpearmanA three-day art project in an afterschool program with no specific arts component illustrates the potential-and the challenges-of engaging children in creating art using recycled materials. 8 pages. Power Sharing: Building Community School Relationships from Friendship to MarriageBy Carol R. HillWhat happens when the relationships among a Beacon center, its school, and an intermediary organization move from mere friendship into dating and eventually even marriage? 4 pages. Researcher’s Notebook: Converging issues in an Out-of-school Time Program for African Refugee ChildrenBy Michelle PorcheField notes from a study of a family support program for African immigrants reveal some of the challenges faced by these parents and their adolescent children. 3 pages.https://repository.wellesley.edu/afterschoolmatters/1022/thumbnail.jp

Afterschool Matters Spring 2018

Welcome from the Managing Editor of Afterschool Matters, Spring 2018 Wellesley College, home of the National Institute on Out-of-School Time, has a significant connection to Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, site of the Parkland, Florida, school shooting. 1 page. By Georgia Hall Critical Friendship: Helping Youth Lift as They Climb Together By Tanya G. Wiggins Critical friendships can help youth build their own social capital and counteract negative messages from society and peers. 9 pages. Youth-Led Participatory Action Research: Promoting Youth Voice and Adult Support in Afterschool Programs By Yolanda Anyon, Heather Kennedy, Rebecca Durbahn, and Jeffrey M. Jenson Participatory action research with a social justice emphasis can help keep middle school students engaged in afterschool. 9 pages. Seed Balls and the Circle of Courage: A Decolonization Model of Youth Development in an Environmental Stewardship Program By A. R. S. Wenger-Schulman and Lauren Hoffman Drawing on child-centered pedagogy from Native American traditions, facilitators help young New Yorkers take responsibility for the local ecology. 6 pages. Positive Change Through a Credential Process By Tinnycua Williams Being forced to earn a school-age care credential was an unexpected boon for this afterschool program director. 3 pages. Measuring Program Quality, Part 2: Addressing Potential Cultural Bias in a Rater Reliability Exam By Amanda Richer, Linda Charmaraman, and Ineke Ceder Like assessments of youth outcomes, the instruments used to assess program quality need to be as free from bias as possible. 9 pages. Beyond “Research Into Practice” By Diane Gruber Review of Creating Research-Practice Partnerships in Education by Penuel & Gallagher. 2 pageshttps://repository.wellesley.edu/afterschoolmatters/1036/thumbnail.jp

Afterschool Matters Occasional Paper Spring 2006

Many Versions of Masculine: An Exploration of Boys’ Identity Formation through Digital Storytelling in an Afterschool ProgramBy Glynda A. Hull, Nora L. Kenney, Stacy Marple, & Ali Forsman-Schneider Both scholarly literature and popular media often depict predominantly negative and one-dimensional images of boys, especially African-American boys. Predictions of these boys’ anticipated difficulties in school and adulthood are equally prevalent. This paper reports qualitative research that features case studies of nine urban boys of color, aged nine to eleven, who participated in an afterschool program where they learned to create digital multimedia texts. Drawing on an analysis of the children’s patterns of participation, their multimodal products, and their social and intellectual growth over time, the study revealed that these children demonstrated many versions of male selves, and that their digital stories narrated these identities in ways that often challenged hegemonic versions of masculinity.https://repository.wellesley.edu/afterschoolmatters/1009/thumbnail.jp

Afterschool Matters Fall 2015

A Youth Development Approach to Evaluation: Critical Participatory Action Research By Sarah Zeller-Berkman, Carolina Muñoz-Proto, and María Elena Torre Before the School Bell Rings: How a Before-School Physical Activity Program Improves Executive Functions By Georgia Hall, Kristen Fay Poston, and Stephanie Harris Bringing in the Tech: Using Outside Expertise to Enhance Technology Learning in Youth Programs By Thomas Akiva, Kaleen Tison Povis, and Ani Martinez Creating Opportunities for Mutual Affiliation: Gang Prevention and Relational-Cultural Theory in Project YES By Stacy T. Randell, Amy E. Smith, and Bernard A. Steinman Learning Across Space Instead of Over Time: Redesigning a School-Based STEM Curriculum for OST By Phyllis Leary Newbill, Tiffany A. Drape, Christine Schnittka, Liesl Baum, and Michael A. Evans Research-Based Practices in Afterschool Mentoring Programs By Sara C. McDaniel, Anna-Margaret Yarbrough, and Kevin Besnoy Using Action Research to Engage Youth in Improving OST Programming By Brian Hubbard “A Deep Passion for Reading and Writing”: An Interview with Lena Townsendhttps://repository.wellesley.edu/afterschoolmatters/1031/thumbnail.jp

Afterschool Matters Occasional Paper Spring 2005

In between Work and School: Youth Perspectives of an Urban Afterschool Multimedia Literacy ProgramBy Katherine Schultz, Edward Brockenbrough, and Jaskiran DhillonIn recent years, afterschool programs have come to be envisioned as sites for addressing the failure of urban schools to provide adolescents with the requisite skills and knowledge to participate in a rapidly shifting social, political, and economic landscape. The purpose and nature of such educational endeavors has taken many varied forms, as a growing number of stakeholders become invested in shaping the direction and implementation of afterschool programming. However, youth, as the recipients of these programs, have rarely been looked to as sources of experiential knowledge about the potential roles of afterschool programs in their personal development and academic education. Drawing on data from a yearlong ethnographic project documenting a media arts program housed in an urban comprehensive high school, this article foregrounds outh perspectives on their experience in an afterschool program, addressing in particular the ways in which this arts-based program functioned as a hybrid space between work and school. An investigation of youth perspectives invites us to rethink the potential of such educational spaces to enhance the learning of students who are most often marginalized in traditional school settings. It also raises important questions about knowledge production, skill development, and youth empowerment in afterschool programming. 18 pages. The Connection between Afterschool Programs and In-School Success: The Science Mentoring ProjectBy Cheri Fancsali and Nancy NevárezThis study investigated the ways in which the Science Mentoring Project, an afterschool program with a youth development focus and mentoring component, helped fifth-grade participants develop key competencies in five areas: personal, social, cognitive, creative, and civic competencies. Development of these competencies, in turn, positively affected participants’ school experiences. Using program observations, teacher interviews, student surveys, a student focus group, and mentor feedback forms, researchers studied how—not just whether—the project’s youth development activities affected school performance. The study’s evidence suggests that developing the key competencies affected three areas of participants’ school experiences: engagement and motivation, including increased interest in possible science careers; constructive behaviors, including positive risk-taking; and academic skills and knowledge, including increased awareness of environmental issues and vocabulary. The role models provided by high school mentors also helped build a critical foundation for student success. The findings of this study suggest the importance of including a youth development focus in afterschool programs. 17 pages.https://repository.wellesley.edu/afterschoolmatters/1006/thumbnail.jp