Afterschool program faces questions about future

Bethany Lange, Herald Reporter
Posted 5/30/17

Afterschool program in danger

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

Log in

Afterschool program faces questions about future

Posted

EVANSTON — Federal cuts to education funding would strike a major blow to Evanston’s afterschool programs, the Uinta County School District No. 1 board of trustees learned May 9. 

Tamra Petersen said Evanston’s afterschool program has been recognized as one of the best programs in the state, and it partners with UCSD No. 1 for transportation, snacks and staffing. It also works with Evanston Child Development Center, Youth Opportunities Unlimited! and Uinta County 4-H. 

Because the afterschool program has an educational focus (the grant shifted toward academic goals in 2012), schoolteachers are recruited to teach during that program. The afterschool program supplements the school day with programs like science, Spanish, art, STEM, Readers Theater and more. 

Petersen said the afterschool program has received the 21st Century Grant since early 2000 and has worked with the school district on it for the last eight years. 

The elementary afterschool program alone has 913 participating students (70 percent of the K-5 students), and students attend an average of 37 days in the year. 

Petersen said the program is good for kids because they have a safe environment and get to work more with their teachers, and it is good for parents because they can be assured of their children’s safety. The program also offers a packet with worksheets, dice, playing cards, crayons, pencils and more to encourage students to continue learning through the summer. 

However, the program is now fighting for funding after President Trump proposed cutting the 21st Century Learning Centers grant. Petersen said the grant has bipartisan support, and Congress has the ultimate say, but afterschool programs lean heavily on the grant. 

Trustee David Bennett asked how much the program costs UCSD No. 1 (since the school district contributes). Petersen said the school district currently spends $75,000, and all the grants pay about $480,000 every year (the grants are awarded in five-year cycles and also go toward ECDC and the Evanston Youth Club for their programs). Elementary school alone gets around $325,000. 

Were the 21st Century Grant to disappear, organizers would have to figure out new funding sources or change the program. 

Another program in Evanston is just trying to get started as well: Latinos in Action. Latino parents are wanting to become more involved in their children’s education, so the secondary schools are working with the parents. Some Latino parents and students recently traveled to Salt Lake City for a Latinos in Action conference. 

Evanston High School senior Judith Sanchez said the conference was empowering for her. They heard from Hispanic astronaut José Hernández, who shared his history. Sanchez said kids in Hispanic communities usually don’t feel they have the potential to achieve their goals, and the conference gave them more confidence. 

“We all have hope when we hear of these people working so hard to make it happen,” she said, “and we know that our Hispanic and Latino culture can do the same, and we want the best for them.” 

Evanston Middle School principal Eric Christenot said the group is able to raise the funds as long as they have support from the school district.