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The Afterschool Alliance recently announced that Jamora Arroyo-Jefferson, an 11th grade student at Ransom Everglades Upper School and a participant in Breakthrough Miami, PAMM Teen Arts Council, Miami Waterkeeper Junior Ambassador Program, and the Children’s Trust of Miami-Dade Youth Advisory Committee, is serving in its 2023 class of Youth Afterschool Ambassadors.
Arroyo-Jefferson, 17, is one of just seven students from across the nation selected for the honor. She was chosen on the basis of her video submission in a competition held last year.
The seven Youth Ambassadors promote the value and impact of afterschool programs by sharing their experiences in these programs and their views about the role afterschool programs play in their communities. The Youth Ambassadors will participate in the annual Afterschool Alliance Youth Voice Week as well as connect with members of Congress and their aides as part of the annual Afterschool for All Challenge later this year. They also write for the Afterschool Snack, the Afterschool Alliance blog, about the importance of afterschool programs.
“We are thrilled that Jamora is in the 2023 class of Youth Afterschool Ambassadors,” said Jodi Grant, Afterschool Alliance executive director. “She has a powerful story to tell about the impact afterschool programs have had in her life, and we are proud to give her a platform to share her experiences and advocate for afterschool. Afterschool programs keep students safe, inspire them to learn, provide peace of mind to working parents, and also help children re-engage and recover during this difficult time. But sadly, too many young people don’t have a program available to them. Jamora will do a terrific job showing us all why we need to expand afterschool programs to reach more of her peers.”
“I’m so excited to serve as a Youth Afterschool Ambassador,” Arroyo-Jefferson said. “I participate in a variety of afterschool programs, and each one has been a valuable opportunity to develop my leadership skills and connect with peers who share my interests.
Breakthrough Miami has had a huge impact on my life. This program has helped me both academically and professionally and even afforded me the chance to meet U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona as part of National Summer Learning Week.
“I have also developed my creativity as a member of the PAMM Teen Arts Council, gotten hands-on environmental stewardship experience as a Miami Waterkeeper Junior Ambassador, and served my community as part of the Children’s Trust of Miami-Dade Youth Advisory Committee. As a Youth Afterschool Ambassador, I will work tirelessly to highlight the positive impact of afterschool programs on the lives of students like me,” Arroyo-Jefferson added.
The seven Youth Afterschool Ambassadors in this class come from Alabama, Delaware, California, Florida, Oklahoma, South Dakota, and Washington.
Some 24.7 million U.S. children not in an afterschool program would be enrolled, if a program were available to them, according to a survey of 1,500 parents commissioned by the Afterschool Alliance and conducted by Edge Research in May and June of 2022. That is the highest number ever recorded. Unmet demand for afterschool programs is significantly higher among Latino and Black children (at 60 percent and 54 percent respectively) than among children overall (49 percent). Cost is the top barrier to enroll, cited by 57 percent of parents as a reason for not enrolling their child.
A large and powerful body of evidence demonstrates improvements in grades, school attendance, behavior and more among children who participate in afterschool programs.
Researchers also have found that students in afterschool programs are more engaged in school and excited about learning and develop critical work and life skills such as problem solving, teamwork, and communications.
The Afterschool Alliance is a nonprofit public awareness and advocacy organization working to ensure that all children and youth have access to quality afterschool programs. More information is available at www.afterschoolalliance.org.
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