PROVIDENCE AFTER SCHOOL ALLIANCE

PASA HELPS CLOSE PERSISTENT OPPORTUNITY GAPS AMONG PROVIDENCE YOUTH BY EXPANDING ACCESS TO AND ENGAGEMENT IN AN ECOSYSTEM OF HIGH-QUALITY OUT-OF-SCHOOL TIME LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS. OVER TWO DECADES, PASA HAS BUILT TWO EXPANDED LEARNING INITIATIVES IN COLLABORATION WITH THE CITY OF PROVIDENCE, THE PROVIDENCE PUBLIC SCHOOLS, AND THE LOCAL COMMUNITY: THE AFTERZONE FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND THE HUB FOR HIGH SCHOOL. BY WORKING IN TANDEM, THE AFTERZONE AND THE HUB HAVE HELPED OVER 17,000 YOUNG PEOPLE IN PROVIDENCE STAY ON TRACK TO GRADUATE AND ENGAGE IN THEIR OWN LEARNING WITH MULTIPLE AND DIVERSE LEARNING PATHWAYS FROM 6TH GRADE TO GRADUATION.AS A FREE, CITYWIDE, AFTER-SCHOOL NETWORK FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL YOUTH, THE AFTERZONE PROVIDES YOUNG PEOPLE WITH ACCESS TO A WIDE VARIETY OF ARTS, SPORTS AND STEM PROGRAMS THAT OFFER SELF-DRIVEN OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW SKILLS, EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING THAT FEELS RELEVANT TO YOUTH, AND INCORPORATES YOUTH VOICE, CHOICE AND CAREER EXPLORATION. THE HUB BUILDS UPON THE AFTERZONE BY ENSURING THAT THE BENEFITS OF A COORDINATED SYSTEM OF ENRICHING AFTER SCHOOL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES DON'T END WHEN MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS LEAVE 8TH GRADE AND PROVIDES DEEPER LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES TO HIGH SCHOOL YOUTH. WITH A FOCUS ON COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS, THE HUB'S ENRICHMENT AND CREDIT-BEARING PROGRAMS ENABLE YOUTH TO GAIN THE CRITICAL 21ST CENTURY SKILLS THEY NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN THE CLASSROOM, WORKPLACE, AND BROADER COMMUNITY. KEY TO ENSURING THAT YOUNG PEOPLE EXPERIENCE POSITIVE OUTCOMES FROM THE AFTERZONE AND HUB IS PASA'S COMMITMENT TO CONTINUOUS QUALITY IMPROVEMENT. PASA OFFERS A YEARLONG CALENDAR OF FREE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES TO OVER 50 COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AND PROVIDES ONGOING COACHING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO YOUTH WORKERS. YOUTH OUTCOME ASSESSMENTS ADMINISTERED EACH YEAR ENABLE PASA TO MEASURE AND DOCUMENT PROGRESS IN OUR GRADUATE PROFILE SKILLS: PROBLEM SOLVING, PERSEVERANCE, COMMUNICATION, TEAMWORK, AND ENGAGEMENT IN LEARNING.IN FY25, RESPONDENTS TO THE AFTERZONE PROGRAM SURVEY INDICATED THAT PARTICIPATION POSITIVELY IMPACTED THEM:80% SAID IT HELPED THEM FIND OUT WHAT THEY WERE GOOD AT AND WHAT THEY LIKED TO DO;83% SAID AFTERZONE HELPED THEM TO GET ALONG BETTER WITH FRIENDS;82% SAID AFTERZONE HELPED THEM MAKE NEW FRIENDS;82% SAID AFTERZONE HELPED THEM FEEL GOOD ABOUT THEMSELF; AND,72% SAID THE PROGRAM MADE THEM WANT TO COME TO SCHOOL MORE OFTEN.AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL, RESULTS FROM THE HUB SURVEY SHOWED:92% OF RESPONDENTS REPORTED INCREASED LEARNING INTEREST; 92% REPORTED A POSITIVE CHANGE IN CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS; AND, 78% REPORTED A POSITIVE CHANGE IN THEIR ACADEMIC MOTIVATION.ADDITIONAL HSA MEASURES (% RESPONDENTS WITH POSITIVE CHANGE):92% ACTION ORIENTATION92% RELATIONSHIP WITH PEERS89% EMPATHY89% REFLECTION84% ASSERTIVENESS75% PERSEVERANCE75% OPTIMISMPASA'S MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL MODELS AS WELL AS ITS QUALITY SYSTEM HAVE BEEN REPLICATED IN OVER 40 CITIES AROUND THE COUNTRY SUPPORTED BY TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROVIDED TO INTERESTED CITIES. PASA KNOWS YOUTH WILL SUCCEED IN SCHOOL AND MAKE MORE INFORMED CAREER AND COLLEGE CHOICES WHEN THEY HAVE EXPERIENCED LEARNING BEYOND THE CLASSROOM THAT CAPTURES THEIR PASSIONS, IMAGINATIONS, AND TALENTS.