The 2009 Georgia Afterschool Institute (GAI) held in March brought together over 130 afterschool leaders and stakeholders for a powerful and dynamic afterschool professional development experience aimed at improving program quality and building the capacity of out-of-school time (OST) program leaders. The in-depth training designed and led by state and national experts provided afterschool-style, experiential learning techniques from youth development and leadership training to project-based learning. One of the national trainers from San Francisco commented that Georgia is "on the cutting edge" when it comes to professional development for out-of-school time staff.

98.7% of afterschool staff that took part in GAI 2009 thought their participation was useful and 98.8% of participants would recommend GAI to other afterschool providers. 93% of GAI participants believed they learned techniques that they would be able to take back and implement in their programs within the next month. In fact, in the picture above, youth in the Refugee Family Services afterschool program are shown doing a teambuilding activity challenge creating towers out of newspaper that can support one or more objects - just days after staff members attended GAI!

Jennifer Campbell, an afterschool site coordinator from Fayette County remarked, "You gave me inspiration in a time I feel bogged down hearing so much of the negative stuff [i.e. tough economy, budget cuts, etc.]. Experiencing the Georgia Afterschool Institute taught me that even in these tough times I can make changes in my program right now with what I have and make real differences in kids' lives."

This year's Institute included a lunch panel of key systems leaders, including state board of education member Brad Bryant, Sue Snowe and Gary Steppe of the Department of Education, and Jennifer Rippner Buck of EducationCounsel. Panelists spoke on the important contributions extended learning time makes to the state's education mission. GAIC looks forward to building stronger bridges between schools and afterschool community partners.

On April 27th and 28th, afterschool advocates from Georgia including youth, providers, educators, and GAIC staff participated in the annual Afterschool for All Challenge in Washington, DC and encouraged Members of Congress to support increased afterschool funding in the federal budget. Georgia advocates met with Senators Saxby Chambliss and Johnny Isakson, Congressmen John Barrow and Sanford Bishop, and key staff from the offices of Congressmen Jack Kingston, John Lewis, Tom Price and David Scott.

Georgia's efforts were a part of a national initiative that brought 500 supporters from across the country to urge Congress to increase funding for 21st Century Community Learning Centers, which provide high-quality afterschool learning opportunities for approximately 35,000 kids in Georgia. Georgia's afterschool advocates also urged support for the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG), which provides subsidies for low-income parents to pay for child care, afterschool and summer care. CCDBG funding currently provides subsidies for about 54,000 kids in Georgia.

Project YES (Youth Enrichment Services) serves Milledgeville youth from Eagle Ridge Elementary, Oak Hill Middle, Early College, and Baldwin High School. The four afterschool sites support 180 elementary youth and 395 middle and high school youth. Project YES prides itself on small class sizes with a ratio of one certified teacher to eight students. In addition, there is an Education Coordinator at each site that serves as the liaison between the day school and afterschool programs. Each student receives an Individual Academic Plan to utilize as a road map to help him/her achieve academic success.

Project YES operates Monday through Friday and provides bus transportation for all youth participants. The project strives to provide an array of academic and enrichment programming. Some examples include science, technology, engineering and math studies (STEM studies), creative self-expression projects (mural art & photography), lifetime recreational activities (dance & karate), college readiness preparation, and leadership programs. Youth participants are ecstatic about the afterschool services. One youth expressed that the "afterschool program gives me an opportunity to learn different things that I don't get to learn during school," while another youth stated that, "I would probably be in jail today if I wasn't involved in an afterschool program.  It has saved my life."

The Georgia Afterschool Investment Council would like to thank Senator Saxby Chambliss for joining the Afterschool Caucus. Thank you Senator for expressing your support for afterschool programs in Georgia!

Congratulations to Emory University's Challenge & Champions Summer Program for becoming a finalist for the Center for Summer Learning Excellence Award!

Along with the Yerkes National Primate Research Center and the Division of Education Studies at Emory University, the Gwinnett Mathematics, Science, and Technology High School and Georgia Afterschool Investment Council (GAIC) will implement an 8-week high-quality summer learning opportunity that provides a real-world science experience for high school science teachers and students.