In this Newsletter:
After-School: An election year issue
Every election, from a local school board to a presidential election, brings about the opportunity to raise topics to the forefront of public debate and news coverage.
But what concerns will be raised? Whose voices will be heard? What will the candidates and pundits choose to care about and talk about? It is the voices of people like you, in local communities, that drive candidates' campaigns. The Afterschool Alliance has developed an afterschool campaign kit that contains proven strategies and tested materials.
Why engage Candidates on Afterschool? Afterschool keeps kids safe, helps America’s families and inspires learning—years of polling have shown these messages resonate with voters.
Candidates listen to voters.
If a campaign is aware that voters are engaged, aware and passionate about an issue, he or she is compelled to learn more and even present a plan. According to a household survey: Afterschool Alliance’s America After 3 PM , nearly 9 out of 10 voters are concerned that children are unsupervised after school with too much unstructured time. Half are very concerned. The are equally concerned about children and teens.
Candidates listen to the media.
Coverage in the press is essential for any candidate running for office. From local cable access and community newsletters to broadcast TV, media gets attention. If afterschool is being covered by the press, it is very likely that a candidate will become engaged, or more so, on the issue.
For all these reasons, and more, engaging candidates on afterschool promotes afterschool in your community, congressional district, or state. It helps spread the word on the importance of afterschool, and brings us closer to providing Afterschool for All! For more information, visit the
Afterschool Alliance website
.
Kids Deserve Better, July 31, 2008 [http://www.kidsdeservebetter.org/educate.cfm]
The Michigan After-School Partnership has recently asked each candidate running for the Michigan Senate or House of Representatives to sign a pledge supporting after-school. Results will be posted on the MASP website.
Lights On Afterschool is October 16, 2008
Have you started planning your Lights On Afterschool event? For the second year in a row, the Empire State Building - a New York City landmark - will be lit a vivid yellow in honor of Lights On Afterschool day. This year's celebration will mark the 10th anniversary of the 21st Century Community Learning Centers federal afterschool initiative. Visit the
Afterschool Alliance's website
for planning tips, links to new tools, and posters.
Michigan Participation Project Trainings
The Michigan Participation Project (MPP) is designed to give nonprofit organizations tools to efficiently and effectively incorporate nonpartisan voter engagement and education efforts into their everyday activities. MPP is hosting several Voter Engagement Trainings to further assist in this effort:
Midland
– August 18, 2008, 1:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m., United Way of Midland County, 220 West Main Street, Suite 100, Midland
Detroit
– August 19, 2008, 9:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m., Gleaners Community Food Bank of Southeastern Michigan, 2131 Beaufait, Detroit
Oakland County
– August 19, 2008, 2:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m., ArtServe Michigan, Riley Broadcast Center, 1 Clover Court, Wixom
Lansing
– August 20, 2008, 9:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m., Michigan Nonprofit Association, 1048 Pierpont Dr., Suite 3, Lansing
Grand Rapids
– August 20, 2008, 2:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m., Fair Housing Center of West Michigan, 20 Hall Street SE, Grand Rapids
Traverse City
– August 21, 2008, 1:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m., United Way of Northwest MI, 521 South Union Street, Traverse City
Registration is complementary, but pre-registration is required and space is limited. To register, contact Allison Squires at asquires@mnaonline.org or 517-492-2400, indicate which Michigan Participation Project training you would like to attend and include your contact information.
Make Your Voice Heard
Michigan's Children is partnering with the Michigan Education Association and others to host public hearings to discuss solutions to improve education success for all of Michigan's children. A series of public hearings have been occurring throughout the state since May running until October. These hearings will focus on discussing solutions to reduce Michigan's dropout rate and create multiple pathways to graduation. For more information go to,
http://www.michiganschildren.org/
.
Sept. 4, Traverse City
Sept. 11, Ishpeming
Sept. 18, Western Wayne County
Sept. 25, Saginaw
Oct. 2, Kalamazoo