Washington, D.C. — The Afterschool Alliance announced today that James Tonetti, a Project Connections participant and Monument Mountain Regional High School eighth grade student, is serving in its 2024 cohort of Youth Afterschool Ambassadors. Tonetti is one of just 10 students from across the nation chosen for the honor on the basis of his essay in a recent competition.
The 10 Youth Afterschool Ambassadors will spread the word about the importance of afterschool programs by sharing their personal experiences and their perspectives on how these programs support young people and their communities. The Youth Ambassadors will hone their advocacy and leadership skills by participating in the annual Afterschool Alliance Youth Voice Week, as well as connect with members of Congress and their aides as part of the annual Afterschool for All Challenge later this year. They also write for the “Afterschool Snack,” the Afterschool Alliance blog, about the impact afterschool programs have had on their lives.
“We are so grateful that James is serving in the 2024 cohort of Youth Afterschool Ambassadors,” said Afterschool Alliance Executive Director Jodi Grant. “He has a powerful perspective to share with community leaders, advocates, educators, and lawmakers about how the support afterschool programs provide has helped unlock his potential. Afterschool programs keep students safe, inspire them to learn, give working parents peace of mind, and help youth feel connected and supported. Unfortunately, unmet demand for afterschool is at an all-time high. It is more important than ever that we learn from the experiences of young leaders like James. We know he will do fantastic work promoting the benefits of afterschool for all.”
“I’m proud to serve as a Youth Afterschool Ambassador,” said Tonetti. “When I was in elementary school, I was grateful to participate in an afterschool program that helped me catch up in reading and introduced me to a mentor I loved. Today, I’m passionate about spreading the word about the diverse activities my district’s afterschool program offers, from exploring the woods, to helping out at the elementary school, to taking a photography class. Students from all backgrounds deserve a safe ‘third space’ outside of their home or the classroom to explore their interests, learn new skills, get academic support, socialize, and have fun. That’s a message I’m excited to share as widely as possible as a Youth Ambassador this year.”
The 10 Afterschool Ambassadors in this year’s cohort live in Alabama, the District of Columbia, Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Texas. They are:
- Jay’Len Clark-Carr (he/him) IGNITE Afterschool Program, Philadelphia, Penn., age 16
- Edgar Euceda (he/him), Elsik Debate Club, Houston, Texas, age 16
- Ava Havidic (she/her), Broward Youth Coalition of United Way, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., age 17
- Gabrielle Haynes (she/her), Boys & Girls Club of Truckee Meadows, Reno, Nev., age 14
- Jully Myrthil (she/her), Young Voices, Providence, R.I., age 17
- Issa Ouarid (he/him), Life Pieces to Masterpieces, Washington, D.C., age 14
- Willany Sayles (she/her), Gadsden City Schools 21st Century Afterschool Program, Gadsden, Ala., age 14
- Brandon Tibbs (he/him), ComED Youth Ambassadors and Black Male Leadership Academy, Chicago, Ill., age 15
- James Tonetti (he/him), Project Connections, Stockbridge, Mass., age 14
- Aurie-Anne Vixama (she/her), After-School All-Stars South Florida, Miami, Fla., age 14
Some 24.7 million U.S. children not in an afterschool program would be enrolled, if a program were available to them, according to a survey of 1,500 parents commissioned by the Afterschool Alliance and conducted by Edge Research in 2022. That is the highest number ever recorded. Unmet demand for afterschool programs is significantly higher among Latino and Black children (at 60 percent and 54 percent respectively) than among children overall (49 percent). Cost is the top barrier to enrollment, cited by 57 percent of parents as a reason for not enrolling their child. Ninety percent of parents rate the quality of the afterschool program their child attends as excellent (51 percent) or very good (39 percent).
A large and powerful body of evidence demonstrates improvements in grades, school attendance, behavior, and more among children who participate in afterschool programs. Researchers have also found that students in afterschool programs are more engaged in school and excited about learning and develop critical work and life skills such as problem solving, teamwork, and communications.
Torani is a generous supporter of the Afterschool Alliance’s Youth Ambassador Program.
NOTE: The Afterschool Alliance is a nonprofit public awareness and advocacy organization working to ensure that all children and youth have access to quality afterschool programs. More information is available at Afterschool Alliance’s website.
