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Afterschool programs are an indispensable form of support for many families. In addition to ensuring that children and youth are in a safe and supervised environment while school is out, afterschool programs provide academic enrichment opportunities, offer students a space to socialize with peers, and link students to supportive mentors. As society expects children and youth today to explore content-area topics in-depth and to develop critical-thinking, problem-solving, and analytical skills, afterschool programs are increasingly important resources to round out the learning experiences of children and youth.

Harvard Family Research Project dedicates the summer 2015 issue of the FINE Newsletter to exploring how, and in what ways, afterschool programs can effectively engage students. We focus on the research supporting positive engagement and on promising practices from providers in the field who do it well. 

Commentary

Leave Them Wanting More!: Engaging Youth in Afterschool Afterschool programs are a powerful influence in the lives of young people, but their benefits can only be realized if youth are engaged. This commentary explores the different dimensions of youth engagement in afterschool programs and offers promising practices for those seeking to promote and foster youth engagement.

Voices From the Field

	“This Is Their House, Too”: An Afterschool Space Designed for and by Teenagers Engagement in afterschool programming is one way to keep middle and high school youth engaged in their education. Learn about how the Everett Boys & Girls Club located just outside of Boston, uses intentional informality to keep students coming back and wanting more.
	Q & A With S. Craig Watkins: Family Engagement in Connected Learning In this Q&A, S. Craig Watkins discusses the family’s role in the connected learning model, and how students can link what they learn in schools, afterschool programs, and their communities using digital technology.
	Federal Collaborations: Bringing Authentic STEM Experiences to High-need Communities through the Nation’s Largest Out-of-School Program Ellen Lettvin from the U.S. Department of Education highlights how the 21st Century Community Learning Centers program is collaborating with various federal agencies to bring STEM into out-of-school time learning.

SNAPSHOTS! Anywhere, Anytime Learning

Make Your Own Maker Space Looking to create an engaging maker space for children and family groups? MAKESHOP, at the Children's Museum of Pittsburgh, offers some helpful tips to bring your maker space to life.

Full STEAM Ahead: A Mobile Classroom for Students and Families to Explore Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math Providing children with access to high-quality STEM experiences is challenging—sharing those experiences with parents can be even more difficult! Check out how one Texas school district is bringing family engagement to a whole new level with a STEM career-focused mobile curriculum!

HFRP Research & Resources

Explore More: Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math Resources Children can develop 21st-century skills, even outside of the classroom. This resource guide offers hands-on, maker-inspired activities, along with advice from museums, libraries, and afterschool programs, for educators and families to use when exploring STEM topics with children.

HFRP Interact

Web Chat: Engaging Families and Youth in Afterschool and Summer Learning Join us on Tuesday, June 23, 2015, from 1‒2 PM (EDT), when we talk with some of the authors from this issue of the FINE Newsletter about ways to promote youth and family engagement in afterschool spaces.

Family Involvement News

Family Involvement News: Summer 2015 Discover who is thinking about families in the reauthorization of ESEA, how home visits support engaged families, and why collaboration among schools, communities, and families is important for student success.