After-school programs can change a kid’s life. I should know. They changed mine | Opinion

As a military kid, I’ve moved around a lot. I’ve often felt lost and confused because I didn’t know anything about my new school or the people in it. It was hard to feel like I belonged anywhere.

Several years ago, an after-school program changed that. Kids Rank, an after-school program designed for military kids, has been an amazing source of support. Not only have I connected with people who have similar experiences to what I’ve gone through, I have learned many new things through hands-on entrepreneurship and community service projects. I’ve also gained leadership skills by helping plan fundraisers and events as a member of Kids Rank’s Youth Advisory Board.

I don’t know where I’d be without the support of my after-school program. I believe every student deserves to have a safe place after school where they can find community, explore their interests and pick up skills they might not learn in school, like I did. With so many students struggling with their mental health and feeling alone after the disruptions of COVID, that’s more important than ever.

That’s why I’m serving as an Afterschool Alliance Youth Ambassador this year. We’re a group of young leaders across the country who are spreading the word about the importance of after-school programs in our communities.

I wanted to make my voice heard, because right now, too many students are missing out on the support after-school programs provide. Here in Washington, for every student in an after-school program, five more are waiting to get in. Nationwide, nearly 25 million students don’t have access to after-school programs because of cost, availability, transportation and other barriers.

As a Youth Ambassador, I had the opportunity to travel to Washington, D.C. this July to send a message to lawmakers that every student should have access to after-school and summer programs. It was the highlight of my summer. I participated in the National Youth Leadership Institute (NYLI) held by the National Summer Learning Association, where I learned that my voice can make a positive impact. I also learned how to become a better leader and to take the path less followed.

After NYLI we put those lessons into action by sharing our stories with lawmakers. At the Engage Every Student Summit held by the U.S. Department of Education, I participated in a fireside chat with Deputy Secretary of Education Cindy Marten and three other youth leaders. It was an amazing conversation. I was proud to make my voice heard because I was the only student at the event who was a military child — the only one who understood what it means to move to another state every few years.

The other students on the panel had different experiences, but our stories had something in common: After-school programs gave us the support we needed to fulfill our potential. I hope you will join me in urging Congress to invest in after-school and summer programs because I know what a difference they make.

This story was originally published August 29, 2023 at 5:00 AM with the headline "After-school programs can change a kid’s life. I should know. They changed mine | Opinion."