The Summit is sponsored by the National League of Cities with support from the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation. The sessions, in Washington, D.C., offered more than 100 municipal leaders from across the country opportunities to meet with Congressional leaders and officials from the U.S. Department of Education, and to learn strategies for building citywide afterschool systems from national experts.

The National League of Cities partnered with the Afterschool Alliance to recognize these officials at the Alliance's fifth annual "Breakfast of Champions" celebration, with more than 400 after school advocates. Following the breakfast, attendees led a delegation of afterschool providers and children to Capitol Hill to urge Congressional representatives to support federal funding of afterschool programs.

The Summit highlighted the critical role of local elected officials in supporting afterschool programs, which have been proven to improve public safety, help working families, and improve students' academic achievement and health. Municipal officials have been key players in investing in afterschool programs, calling for quality standards for programs, reducing barriers to access, making programs sustainable, and strengthening partnerships with schools, businesses, state governments, afterschool providers and community groups.

The Summit culminated with a call to action encouraging all municipal officials to make afterschool a priority for their cities.

In Akron, as a response to citizens' forceful expression for extended learning opportunities, the City and its public schools partnered in the Fall of 2001 to create the Akron After School program (AAS). AAS makes schools centers of community life by offering a unique blend of programs and services for students.

Akron After School provides expanded opportunities for youngsters in a number of the district's highest poverty, lowest performing elementary schools. The collaboration provides funds to 10 public schools to provide high quality youth development activities in school buildings during the non-school hours.

The cooperative agreement is intended to ensure that all Akron schools become Community Learning Centers. The Mayor's Office was intimately involved in the development of the Akron After School program and he has assigned a member of his cabinet to actively participate in the planning and implementation of the project.

"Nothing is more important right now in our community than stepping up for these kids," said Plusquellic. "This partnership helps ensure the after-school safety and education of many, many of our children…children who really need our help."

Summit participants were joined by Henry Johnson, Aassistant Ssecretary of the U.S. Department of Education and Robert Stonehill, the Ddirector of the Department of Education's 21st Century Community Learning Centers (CCLC) program. Stonehill discussed the future of federal funding for 21st CCLC, which is the main source of federal funding for afterschool programs.

Also speaking at the event were mayors from Philadelphia; ; St. Petersburg; Providence; Columbus, Ohio; Akron, Ohio; Bridgeport, Conn.; Las Cruces, N.M.; and Alexandria, Va.; council members from Charlotte and Detroit, city commissioners from New York and Chicago, and representatives of the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation and Wallace Foundation.

"Municipal officials like Mayor Plusquellic have made an important difference in the lives of children and youth by providing them with high-quality llearning opportunities after school," said Clifford M. Johnson, executive director of the National League of Cities' Institute for Youth, Education, and Families (YEF Institute).

"Their leadership and commitment are essential in preparing our country's next generation of citizens, workers, and leaders."

The National League of Cities is the nation's oldest and largest organization devoted to strengthening and promoting cities as centers of opportunity, leadership and governance. NLC is a resource and advocate for 18,000 U.S. cities, towns and villages, which collectively serve 225 million people. The YEF Institute, created as a special entity within NLC in 2000, helps municipal officials take action on behalf of the children, youth, and families in their community.

END

Akron After School
Administration Building
70 N. Broadway
Akron, OH 44308
(330) 761-2825 - Fax (330) 761-3223

CONTACT:
Desiree Bolden
330-761-2808

Akron's Afterschool Associate Bolden to Travel to
Nation's Capital, Visit Lawmakers to Discuss Afterschool Funding

Advocate Karen Moore, City of Akron Recreation Bureau and students, Caitlin and Ian Bolden, Raina Henderson and Rod Moore will accompany.

Desiree Bolden, Project Director, Akron After School will travel to Washington, D.C. this week to encourage lawmakers to increase funding for afterschool programs. Lawmakers are on track to once again freeze the budget for the federal government's main afterschool funding initiative, 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC), next year, even though millions of children and families are without the afterschool programs they need. Bolden is one of more than 500 concerned citizens from around the country who are traveling to Capitol Hill to discuss the benefits of afterschool programs. She leads a delegation of 6 including 4 students.

In Washington, she will join the fifth annual Afterschool for All Challenge on Wednesday, May 24. The daylong event will begin with a "Breakfast of Champions" in support of afterschool programs, cosponsored by the Afterschool Alliance and the National League of Cities. At the Breakfast, student Caitlin Bolden will introduce Mayor Coleman of Columbus and talk about how after school has influenced her life.

After the "Breakfast of Champions," Bolden and others will go to Capitol Hill to meet with Members of Congress and aides to discuss the 21st CCLC federal afterschool initiative. The President proposed and Congress is on track to freeze funding at less than $1 billion in Fiscal Year 2007; that is less than half of what was authorized in the No Child Left Behind Act. The resulting $1.5 billion shortfall represents more than $20 million in real cuts to the funding provided in 2002. In Akron, a 21st CCLC grant supports the Akron After School program. Akron After School provides expanded opportunities for youngsters in a number of the district's highest poverty, lowest performing elementary schools.

The Afterschool Alliance is a nonprofit public awareness and advocacy organization working to ensure that all children and youth have access to afterschool programs by 2010. Bolden will depart Akron Monday and return Thursday morning. To arrange an interview with her, before, during or after the trip, contact Desiree Bolden, 330-761-2808. Contact the Afterschool Alliance at 202-371-1999.