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 Afterschool
programs keep kids safe, help working families
and improve academic achievement.
- More
than 28 million children today have parents
who work outside the home.1
- As
many as 15 million kids have no place to go once the school
day ends.2
- Studies
show that students involved in afterschool programs get
better grades, attend school more and have improved behavior.
They express greater hopes for the future and more interest
in school.3
- Teens who participate in afterschool are less likely to
skip class, use marijuana and other drugs, smoke,
drink alcohol or engage in sexual activity.4
- Two-thirds
of Americans say that it is difficult to find programs in
their communities and that not enough programs are available.5
- About
13 percent of children and adolescents are now seriously
overweight.6 Afterschool programs can provide physical activity and reinforce healthy behavior.7
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Sources:
1 U.S. Department of Labor [top]
2 U.S. Census Bureau, Urban Institute estimate, 2000 [top]
3 "Extra Benefits Tied to Extracurriculars," Education Week,
October 2000 [top]
4 YMCA of the USA, March 2001 [top]
5 Afterschool Alliance, Mott/JCPenney Afterschool Poll, July
2001. [top]
6 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1999 [top]
7 "Promoting Better Health for Young People Through
Physical Activity and Sports: A Report to the
President From the Secretary of Health and Human
Services and the Secretary of Education," Fall
2000 [top]
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