By ERIN HEGARTY Posted: Jan 29, 2021
Mark your calendars: through Friday, February 12, the Afterschool Alliance will be shining a spotlight on our seven incredible Youth Ambassadors. During Youth Voice Week, each day will be dedicated to a different Youth Ambassador whose story they will be sharing on the Afterschool Snack and on social media.
Afterschool Alliance did not make any posts or videos available for our channels because for this social media event, they want us to follow them on Facebook and Twitter and to share their posts on our channels.
Each year, Afterschool Alliance selects a group of youth to serve as afterschool advocates—they receive training on how to talk about their afterschool experiences in the context of the national afterschool field and guidance on how to advocate to policymakers using their afterschool stories. As part of their ambassadorship, these Youth Ambassadors participate in the Afterschool for All Challenge, where they meet with their congressional representatives and offer remarks at the Afterschool for All Showcase!
The seven youth in Afterschool Alliance’s fourth cohort of Youth Ambassadors are:
- Deborah Adekunle, from Providence, Rhode Island’s PVD Young Maker and Youth In Action Afterschool Programs, age 16
- Javonna Grimes, from Minneapolis, Minnesota’s YMCA of the Twin Cities Beacons Afterschool Program, age 18
- Minche Kim, from River Vale, New Jersey’s Pascack Pioneers FIRST Robotics Afterschool Program, age 16
- Anayre Martinez, from Miami, Florida’s Miami Arts Studio Speech and Debate Afterschool Program , age 16
- Angeles Mejia-Sierra, from Oakland, Florida’s HANDY Youth Force L.I.F.E. Afterschool Program, age 14
- Aundre Smith, from Galveston, Texas’s Boys and Girls Club of Greater Houston Afterschool Program, age 15
- Quinn Stanford, from Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania’s Summit Early Learning Afterschool Program, 13
While hearing stories from these youth, we encourage youth from around Tennessee to share out their own afterschool stories! Youth aged 13 and older can fill out this form with their own afterschool stories, for a chance to be featured on the Afterschool Alliance’s blog.
Then, we’re crowning Youth Voice week with one of our favorite days of the year: We <3 Afterschool on February 12!
As you will hear from the Youth Ambassadors over the course of Youth Voice Week, afterschool programs are keeping kids safe, inspiring them to learn, and helping working families, especially during the pandemic.
In addition to the inspiring stories we hear from afterschool programs every year, this year we’re encouraging young people to share why they love afterschool! Visit the We <3 Afterschool page to find a printable activity sheet, graphics, and social media copy for your programs, young people, and parents to use. You can post your story or explore other posts via the hashtag #IHeartAfterschool on Twitter and Instagram.
RSVP to join Afterschool Alliance in celebrating youth voices during Youth Voice Week and We <3 Afterschool!