GAIC and Georgia PTA recently released a report entitled Critical Need: Georgia's Parents Speak Out About Afterschool which analyzes the first survey of Georgia's voting parents to better understand afterschool needs, challenges, and desires among parents across the state.

This new survey finds that 86% of Georgia's parents think afterschool programs are important for children and youth and they want to see more afterschool opportunities in the state. Survey results also support child advocates' call for increased investments in afterschool. In fact, three out of four of Georgia's voting parents support public investment in afterschool. Currently, only 37% of parents believe Georgia's state legislators are doing enough to improve quality and access to afterschool programs in Georgia, and only 42% believe their local elected officials are doing enough to ensure afterschool opportunities for children

Georgia's registered voters with school-age children report that:

• Parents' top three priorities when choosing afterschool programs for their kids are: quality of the staff, program content and staff to child ratio
• There are not enough high-quality afterschool programs in their communities and that middle school students have the fewest opportunities for high- quality programs.
• Afterschool is important for children of all ages, with the intensity of support increasing as children get older.

Critical Need makes several, specific recommendations for Georgia's child and youth advocates and policymakers: improve the quality of afterschool programs, ensure opportunities for middle school youth, and increase access to afterschool programs for Georgia's families

Lights On Afterschool is celebrated nationwide to call attention to the importance of afterschool programs for America's children, families and communities.

Lights On Afterschool was launched in October 2000 with celebrations in more than 1,200 communities nationwide. The event grew in 2001 to more than 3,600 events and then saw over 1 million people celebrating Lights On Afterschool 2006 and 2007. Your participation helps demonstrate the importance of your work, and of afterschool programs nationwide. Help call attention to the need for afterschool resources by celebrating in your community!

A recently released study conducted by the National Council of La Raza (NCLR) finds that afterschool programs are in an important position to improve the academic achievement and social development of Latino youth. While the number of afterschool programs has increased across the nation, this report demonstrates the need for even more resources to support the nation's Latino youth.

The study found key components of afterschool programs that would resonate in all Latino communities are bilingual staff, diverse opportunities for family engagement, programs that embrace multiculturalism and promote diverse cultural traditions, and a balanced approach between academic support and enrichment.

Georgia Rotary District 6900 Governor Ted Propes, announced that one of his signature projects will be promoting afterschool in Georgia. As a result of Governor Propes' leadership, GAIC and the Rotary are building a partnership that includes identifying ways Rotary leaders can take action today on behalf of Georgia's kids. "Investment in quality afterschool initiatives supports our youths' academic achievement, inspires children to stay in school, and gives them an avenue for gaining the tools they need to succeed in life," said District Governor Ted Propes. Support includes volunteer and financial support focused on making quality afterschool programs available to all Georgia children.

A key component of this partnership is participation in the Afterschool for All project, which was launched in 2007 with the goal of collecting 100,000 signatures of Georgians in support of afterschool opportunities being available for all of Georgia's children. In early July, Rotary District 6900 Governor Ted Propes announced his district, which includes more than 70 clubs, would assist GAIC in reaching nearly half of our goal by securing 45,000 signatures. Hundreds of signatures have already been secured.

Children and advocates rallied in front of the Georgia State Capitol on September 17th, 2008 calling on legislators, candidates and the citizens of Georgia to focus on issues concerning the state's youngest citizens.

The non-partisan event was one of many that took place across the nation to coincide with a national rally called "Step Up For Kids Day" in Washington, D.C. sponsored by Every Child Matters and co- sponsored by groups such as Prevent Child Abuse America, Voices for America's Children, and the National Association of Social Workers. Its purpose was to draw public attention to issues affecting America's children such as poverty, health care, juvenile incarceration, early care and education, child abuse, and afterschool programs.

The United Way of Metropolitan Atlanta (UWMA), The Governor's Office of Children and Families (GOCF) and the Department of Human Resources (DHR) are piloting a project to measure the impact of afterschool programs on youth outcomes. The year-long project will enable 15 select programs to implement the Afterschool Program Assessment System (APAS) during the 2008-2009 school year.