Youth Community Connections

CURRENT JOB POSTINGS - July 28, 2010
The City of Brooklyn Park is currently seeking a Youth and Family Program Assistant. To see the full job description and application information, click here.

YWCA - St. Paul has seven openings for Academic Services Instructors. To see the full job posting, click here.

SUPPORTING YOUTH SUCCESS
Minnesota’s youth thrive when they engage in opportunities to grow, learn, and lead in their communities, schools and families. This learning and growth can happen in both formal, structured educational settings as well as intentional non-formal settings such as afterschool, summer and community-based programs. Through Youth Community Connections (YCC), Minnesota’s Afterschool Alliance, the Supporting Youth Success (SYS) Initiative is developing a policy framework that identifies strategies and action steps so communities can recognize, promote and support a broad array of high-quality learning opportunities through both formal and non-formal education.

A Leadership and Advisory Team were recruited to provide advice and expertise in the development of this policy framework. These teams are comprised of partners from around the state including funders, researchers, policy makers, educators, and community-based organization representatives.

SYS YOUTH ENGAGEMENT
With support from the Greater Twin Cities United Way and United Way Worldwide, Youth Community Connections was able to engage a diverse group of young people in a discussion and dialog about learning experiences, specifically formal and non-formal. Youth from across the State of Minnesota shared their recommendations about what types of learning experiences are essential to be successful, where they are engaged in learning opportunities, and how we should measure their learning.

Seven young people from the metro area were recruited for the Youth Advisory Team. The youth advisors designed a process to seek feedback from other youth statewide. The process engaged 170 youth, ages 12-20, in 15 communities through YOUth SPEAK! Community Dialogs. The Youth Advisory Team synthesized the data provided through the YOUth SPEAK! Community Dialogs and presented it to the adult advisors of the SYS Initiative.

To view the data and recommendations of Minnesota’s youth click here. These recommendations will be incorporated into the policy framework and will be shared with the 15 communities across the State of Minnesota.

YCC Hiring New AmeriCorps Promise Fellow
Youth Community Connections is looking for a new AmeriCorps Promise Fellow for 2010-2011. This one year position begins August 15, 2010 and ends August 2011. YCC seeks individuals interested in policy and systems-building work. This individual will assist in the Supporting Youth Success Initiative, which aims to align learning in the classroom with learning in the community, as well as other educational policy efforts of the statewide alliance.

To review a job description, CLICK HERE. For additional information contact Laura LaCroix-Dalluhn at laura@youthcommunityconnections.org or 612-627-0160.

National League of Cities Highlights YCC's Lights On Afterschool Press Conference
December 7, 2009

Municipal Leaders Host Lights On Afterschool Events
by Lane Russell

On Octber 22, more than one million Americans attended more than 7,500 Lights On Afterschool events in cities across the country. This year marked the 10th anniversary of Lights On Afterschool, a national campaign sponsored by the Afterschool Alliance to raise awareness about the importance of afterschool programs.

The events drew attention to data contained in a new Afterschool Alliance report on “America After 3PM” estimating that the number of children who are unsupervised after school rose from 14.3 million in 2004 to 15.1 million in 2009.

The report also highlighted state-level data on afterschool participation, which received attention at many local Lights On Afterschool events. For instance, St. Paul, Minn., Mayor Christopher Coleman and Brooklyn Park, Minn., Mayor Steve Lampi discussed data from the “Minnesota After 3PM” report at a Lights On Afterschool news conference at the state capitol building hosted by Youth Community Connections, Minnesota’s statewide afterschool network.

Municipal officials in many other cities played an active role in sponsoring events and issuing proclamations in support of Lights On Afterschool. School district officials, afterschool providers, community organizations, parents and students joined city leaders at these events to celebrate the impact of quality afterschool programs.

Numerous studies have found that afterschool programs can be effective in reducing juvenile crime, keeping young people safe after school, decreasing the dropout rate, engaging children in enriching educational activities and supporting working parents.

The following examples highlight several instances in which municipal leaders supported local Lights On Afterschool events.

Albany, N.Y.
Mayor Gerald Jennings hosted a meeting with city council members, the Albany Public Schools superintendent and board president, middle school principals and other community leaders to highlight the efforts of the Albany Community Afterschool Network (ACAN) to bring new afterschool programs to three middle schools.

“It is our responsibility to do something,” said Mayor Jennings. “Every day is a Lights On day. We cannot work in isolation.”
Battle Creek, Mich.

Mayor Mark A. Behnke issued a proclamation to designate the day as Lights On Afterschool Day in the Greater Battle Creek area, and called upon residents to get involved in local afterschool programs and activities.

Las Vegas
The City of Las Vegas hosted 69 Lights On Afterschool events with approximately 2,000 participants and visitors, including U.S. Department of Education Deputy Assistant Secretary John McGrath.

Omaha, Neb.
Mayor Jim Suttle issued a proclamation, and Omaha Public Schools’ (OPS) 21st Century Community Learning Centers and the Middle School Learning Center Initiative co-hosted a rally that began with a walk from Central High School to the OPS Teacher Administrative Center.

Vancouver, Wash.
Mayor Royce Pollard received an Afterschool Hall of Fame award from School’s Out Washington, the Washington statewide afterschool network, in front of 500 afterschool providers as part of the network’s annual Bridge from School to Afterschool and Back Conference.

Details: The 11th annual Lights On Afterschool will be held on October 21, 2010. To learn more about Lights On Afterschool, visit www.afterschoolalliance.org.

For more information on NLC’s afterschool initiatives, visit www.nlc.org/iyef or contact Lane Russell at (202) 626-3008 or russell@nlc.org or Bela Shah Spooner at (202) 626-3057 or shah@nlc.org. Click here to see this article on the National League of Cities' website.

NEWS RELASE: October 21, 2009
CONTACT: Laura LaCroix-Dalluhn
612-627-0161 (o)
651-769-7933 (c)

Minnesota Celebrates Progress for Children
and
Youth Afterschooland Lights On Afterschool Day

Afterschool learning opportunities are critical for the 2,000 hours of discretionary
non-school time that Minnesota children and youth have each year.

MINNEAPOLIS – A new national survey finds an increase in participation in afterschool programs by Minnesota children and youth over the last five years, along with high satisfaction rates among their parents. The percentage of Minnesota children and youth in afterschool programs increased to 12 percent, up from just 8 percent in 2004. But a significant percentage of the state’s young people are still unsupervised each afternoon after the school day ends. The data come from the landmark America After 3PM study, conducted for the Afterschool Alliance and sponsored by the JCPenney Afterschool Fund. It is being released this month in conjunction with Lights On Afterschool, a nationwide rally for afterschool set forOctober 22.

“We are excited about the progress we are making in Minnesota,” said Youth Community Connection’s Executive Director Laura LaCroix-Dalluhn. “But there’s still a long way to go. The great majority of Minnesota parents who want their kids in afterschool programs aren’t able to find them, usually because programs aren’t available, they can’t afford the fees, or transportation issues make it impossible. These are all barriers we can and should overcome. Quality afterschool programs keep kids safe, inspire them to learn, and help working families. Every Minnesota family that needs an afterschool program should have access to one.”

The new study finds that 32 percent of the state’s school-age children and youth are on their own in the afternoons, and another 14 percent are in the care of their brothers or sisters. In addition, the parents of 33 percent of children not already in afterschool say they would enroll their kids in a program if one were available. The Minnesota data from the study will be discussed at a news conference at:

10:00 AM, Thursday, October 22
State Capitol
Room 125
75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard
St Paul

WITH
St. Paul Mayor Christopher Coleman
Brooklyn Park Mayor Steve Lampi
State Senator Mee Moua
Jodi Gibson, President, JCPenney Afterschool Fund
Jodi Grant, Executive Director, Afterschool Alliance
Laura LaCroix-Dalluhn, Executive Director, Youth Community Connections
Dale Blyth, PhD, Director, University of Minnesota Extension Center for Youth Development
Jennifer Skuza, Minnesota Urban 4-H Director at University of Minnesota Extension

In key respects, the Minnesota results from the America After 3PM study reflect national findings:

Governor Tim Pawlenty has declared October 22nd as Lights On Afterschool in Minnesota. Lights On Afterschool is a nationwide event to recognize the critical importance of quality afterschool programs in the lives of children, their families and communities. It is a project of the Afterschool Alliance – a nonprofit public awareness and advocacy organization working to ensuring that all children have access to quality afterschool programs.
"There are nearly one hundred different Lights On Afterschool Celebrations around the state tomorrow recognizing the importance and benefits of learning afterschool and beyond the classroom. We are excited to share these opportunities with the public," says Laura LaCroix-Dalluhn, Executive Director of Youth Community Connections.

Youth Community Connectionsis Minnesota’s statewide afterschool alliance, which is focused on building public awareness and enhancing systems-level support for high-quality afterschool and out of school time learning opportunities. More information is available at www.youthcommunityconnections.org.

The Afterschool Alliance is a nonprofit public awareness and advocacy organization working to ensure that all children have access to quality afterschool programs. More information is available at www.afterschoolalliance.org.

The JCPenney Afterschool Fund is a charitable organization committed to providing children in need with access to life-enriching afterschool programs that inspire children to be smart, strong and socially responsible. To date, JCPenney and the JCPenney Afterschool Fund have contributed more than $80 million to local afterschool programs in every JCPenney community through partnerships with the YMCA of the USA, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, National 4-H and FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology). For more information, visit www.jcpenneyafterschool.org.

Minnesota Selected to Join the New Supporting Student Success Initiative
Minnesota was one of five states selected to take part in the Supporting Student Success initiative, a joint effort of the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO), the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), and the National Governor’s Association’s (NGA) Center for Best Practices. The project is made possible with support from the C.S. Mott Foundation.

Youth Community Connections submitted Minnesota’s application which aims to develop a framework outlining strategies to align formal and non-formal learning practices and policies. This is a great opportunity to anchor the importance of non-formal learning opportunities in the non-school hours as a way of supporting student success and preparing them for their future.

StarTribune - Minneapolis - St. Paul, Minnesota
Business Forum - Monday, April 13, 2008

For most in the business community, education is recognized as the key to a productive workforce.

Early learning, K-12, higher education, continuing education and “lifelong learning” are now a comfortable part of the vocabulary of many business leaders who are facing 21st century global challenges.

Now after-school learning, and the role that it can play in workforce preparation, is likely to be included in future plans.

When pollsters from Lake Research Partners and the Tarrance Group surveyed a statistically valid sample of about 1,200 likely U.S. voters in November, they found remarkable consensus on the subject known as “after-school.” Eighty-three percent agreed that very young children all the way through their teen years should have “organized activity and a safe place to go after school every day.” Large majorities of all races, ages and geographic regions as well as both parents and non parents strongly agreed.

Even as economy worsened, 76 percent of those surveyed said that federal, state and local taxpayers must “increase funding for after-school programs.”

These results were shared at “The National Network of Statewide Afterschool Networks” in Clearwater Beach, Fla. in January, where 38 states, including Minnesota, were represented.

The meeting was sponsored by the Flint, Michigan based Charles Stewart Mott Foundation. Attendees included about 300 leaders from education, youth and community based programs, law enforcement, federal, state and local program managers, policymakers, foundations and business.

Over the last century, the notion of “after school” has quietly evolved from a form of charity to an essential educational opportunity for America’s children. Today, there is an emerging consensus about the value of quality after-school care for children as the need for structured activities has captured the attention of parents — the vast majority of whom are in the workforce.

Afterschool summit

Due to global economic, technical and social changes, today’s young people will be living and working in a vastly different world than the one their parents and teachers experienced.

Gov. Tim Pawlenty, working with the broadly based Minnesota Statewide Afterschool Alliance, convened a summit last May to pull together state leaders to focus attention on the need for high-quality after-school learning opportunities. School age Minnesotans, Pawlenty said, must be well prepared to participate in the economy and as responsible citizens. “After-school activities engage young people with caring adults in meaningful and productive ways,” Pawlenty said, developing skills through various volunteer and community-service opportunities.

Research has found that school-age youngsters have nearly 2,000 hours of non-school time each year. Through calculating the hours for after school, week end and summer vacations, young people have available in discretionary time the equivalent of a full-time job.

In Minnesota, more than a third of our K-12 youth are responsible for taking care of themselves every day.

The after-school opportunity, summit organizers argued, is to find productive and relevant learning and personal development experiences for all of Minnesota’s young people during their out-of-school time, when too many of them experience “learning loss.”

Leaders from Minnesota Chambers of Commerce are beginning to frame an initiative with after-school organizers, including the U’s Youth Community Connections and the Mentoring Partnership of Minnesota.

Considering the changing demographics and upcoming “Baby Boomer” retirements, the development of “human capital” is the No. 1 business concern, according to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and its Institute for a Competitive Workforce.

Additionally, business requires workers who can read, write, speak and use basic math in doing their jobs. Other qualities employers look for in future workers include a dependable work ethic; a self-starter; problem solver, creativity and teamwork.

Three of four entry level jobs now require a high school diploma and at least two additional years of schooling — a trend that will accelerate as more routine work is turned over to machines, according to the institute.

Among the allies in the after-school or out-of-school time effort is the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Through its Child Care Development Fund, begun during the Clinton administration, continued by President Bush and supported by the Obama administration, state profiles of resources have been developed. These contain effective tools to sustain quality in after-school efforts, and a technical assistance service so that state’s can better share their best practices.

Working parents and employers had best engage now in how the after-school movement continues to unfold in Minnesota and beyond.

Chuck Slocum (chuck@willistongroup.com) is president of The Williston Group, a management consulting firm. His firm has worked on business engagement issues with Youth Community Connections, Minnesota’s Statewide Afterschool Alliance.

Interagency Working Group on Youth Programs Develops New Website "Find Youth Info.Gov" Dedicated to Strengthening Youth Programs

FindYouthInfo.gov (http://www.findyouthinfo.gov/), is a collaborative effort of 12 Federal Departments and Agencies developed out of a shared goal of strengthening community resources to support our Nation’s youth. This site provides targeted information to help youth-serving organizations and community partnerships plan and implement effective youth programs.

FindYouthInfo.gov offers customized strategies and practical resources designed to help communities:
·        Build and sustain effective community partnerships
·        Generate maps of community resources
·        Develop evidence-based youth programs addressing risk and protective factors
·        Access up to date information on Federal programs, funding opportunities and youth-related issues

This Web site features many Federally-developed interactive tools to help users build quality partnerships within their communities and help America’s youth reach their full potential. Online tools include social bookmarking, a calendar of events, news feeds, mapping tools, searchable youth program database, and much more.

FindYouthInfo.gov will be continually updated with new features and enhancements. Comments and suggestions on the site are appreciated, and can be submitted through the online Feedback Form. Visitor feedback will be used to enhance the Web site in the coming months.

Visit FindYouthInfo.gov today and learn about all its great features, and sign up for e-blasts to stay abreast of the latest youth-related news and new site features.

About The Interagency Working Group on Youth Programs: The Interagency Working Group on Youth Programs (IWGYP) includes members from: the U.S. Departments of Agriculture; Commerce; Defense; Education; Health and Human Services (Chair); Housing and Urban Development; Justice (Vice-Chair); Labor; the Interior; and Transportation; the Corporation for National and Community Service; and the Office of National Drug Control Policy. Established February 7, 2008 by Executive Order 13459, Improving the Coordination and Effectiveness of Youth Programs, the IWGYP is responsible for promoting achievement of positive results for at risk youth.

Minnesota’s Youth Speak Up!
State Capitol Rally March 5 To Draw 400 Youth Statewide

MINNEAPOLIS – (March 2, 2009) More than 400 young people from schools and youth-serving organizations around the state will voice their concerns about the well being of youth in Minnesota at a Rally for Minnesota Youth on March 5 at the State Capitol in St. Paul.

“If current funding for youth services does not stay intact, we will lose quality youth programs, jobs and, most importantly, critical services that help youth stay on the right path for future success,” says Jessi Strinmoen, director of services, Minnesota Youth Intervention Programs Association and a member of the Minnesota Youth Policy Alliance. “Cutting services for our youth, in the midst of a recession, will most certainly lead to an increase in youth crime, which will place an even greater burden on taxpayers, families and communities. As the legislature and local governments work to address the immediate budget crisis, we hope they don’t eliminate resources that keep communities strong and vibrant. Children and youth need a safe place to call home, caring adults, and learning opportunities outside the school day that keep them engaged in their community in meaningful ways, ready to enter the workforce or go on to post secondary education.”

Youth will flood the capital to urge lawmakers to ensure that critical programs serving at-risk young people remain fully funded and accessible, despite the current state budgetary shortfall. A dramatic “All Youth Deserve A Chance” rally will take place in the Capitol Rotunda, beginning at 12:30 p.m., when young people and a number of supportive state and civic leaders gather for an hour-long celebration of Minnesota youth services. The rally will include a “Youth Shout-Out” and an inspirational unveiling of a giant American flag formed as 60 red, white, and blue banners are unfurled from the balcony of the Capitol rotunda by youth participants, as well as high-energy entertainment and remarks by Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak, St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman and several legislative leaders.

But young people will also make their case for continued support through dozens of individual meetings with their legislative leaders in their offices that day. And many will participate in educational workshops, entitled “Government 101: How Bills Are Made Into Laws…Or Not!”.

Minnesota has made excellent progress in recent years by expanding programs to help youth in areas such as homelessness, mentoring, out-of-school time, workforce development and youth intervention, says Strinmoen. “It would be especially tragic if now, when these types of programs are most needed, state funding was reduced for them.”
Children and youth who have the fundamental resources of caring adults, safe places, a healthy start, an effective education, and opportunities to serve are 5 to 10 times more likely to succeed as students, citizens, parents and employees. A groundbreaking 2007 Wilder Research/University of Minnesota study of mentoring and early youth intervention programs reported returns of $2.72 and $4.89, respectively, for every $1 invested in these services. The Youth Policy Alliance believes that investing in Minnesota youth is part of the solution to the long-term budget concerns of this state.

“Minnesota is a great place for kids, but some kids aren’t fully sharing all that the state has to offer them,” says Strinmoen. “Just like adults, youth need early intervention, job opportunities, mentors, engaging learning opportunities out of school and in the summer and safe housing. Current studies tell us that more than 1,700 youth are on our streets trying to survive all by themselves, for example. All of our youth need a safe place to live, supportive people in their lives, and opportunities to develop into good citizens.”

Jeremiah Luckett will be among the youth at the rally to share his story. A 16-year-old from Minnetonka High School, Jeremiah lives with guardians other than his parents. His life really began to open up to new possibilities when he connected with a mentor through Minneapolis-based Bolder Options. “Before I had a mentor, I wasn’t excited about the future, didn’t think of any events as special, and was just living day by day without hope for the future,” Jeremiah says. “Now, I’ve been thinking about what I want to do with my life – thinking about college, where I want to go, and how I can be a positive role model in my community.”

“Honestly, I didn’t have any role models to look up to while I was growing up, and I’d like to change that, Jeremiah adds. “By supporting mentoring, you’re helping the future. I’m a perfect example of a person whose perspective has changed because someone cared about where I would end up in life.”

Along with youth, Strinmoen said nonprofit organizations will also be sharing their concerns with legislators and advocating greater investment in early youth intervention, mentoring, out-of-school time, youth workforce development programs, and ending youth homelessness.

Rally Sponsors
The All Youth Deserve A Chance capitol rally is sponsored by youth-serving organizations, including the Minnesota Alliance With Youth, the Minnesota Workforce Council Association, Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota, Youth Community Connections, Mentoring Partnership of Minnesota, and the Minnesota Youth Intervention Programs Association with support for the Youth Policy Alliance from the McKnight Foundation.

AFTERSCHOOL ALLIANCE NEWS RELEASE: May 14, 2008
CONTACT: Gretchen Wright – 202/371-1999

St. Paul Mayor Christopher Coleman Honored as an Afterschool Champion in Nation’s Capital

Parents, Educators, Students, Afterschool Leaders, City and State Leaders Urge Congress to Reject Proposed Funding Cut

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Afterschool Alliance today honored St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman for his support for afterschool programs at the “Breakfast of Champions,” a gala event in Washington, D.C. Mayor Coleman was one of 17 individuals and four organizations honored for their tireless work on behalf of afterschool programs. He was nominated by Youth Community Connections, Minnesota’s Statewide Afterschool Alliance.

Mayor Coleman has made afterschool programming a priority in St. Paul. He is working to ensure that the City helps to meet families’ needs by organizing out-of-school programming and partnering with youth programs across St. Paul. Mayor Coleman has also expanded the public transportation system to offer free rides to young people to afterschool programs and other locations that provide learning opportunities.

The “Breakfast of Champions” is part of the seventh annual Afterschool for All Challenge which brings together hundreds of parents, educators, children, program directors and advocates from around the country for a series of events and meetings with Members of Congress. The 2008 Challenge is co-sponsored by the National League of Cities and the Afterschool Alliance. Following the “Breakfast,” the advocates fanned out across Capitol Hill for meetings with their U.S. Senators and Representatives, and congressional staff.

“Parents, children and communities rely on afterschool programs to keep kids safe, inspire them to learn and help working families,” said Afterschool Alliance Executive Director Jodi Grant. “But federal funding isn’t keeping up with the demand for afterschool, and President Bush proposes to cut federal afterschool funding even further. We’re in our nation’s capital this week to honor afterschool champions and remind lawmakers that these cuts are short-sighted and counterproductive. All kids need the opportunities that afterschool programs provide. Bipartisan support in Congress defeated the last proposed cut to afterschool programs, and we are seeking bipartisan support again this year so we can counter the President’s proposal and bring quality afterschool programs to all children who need them.”

This year, President Bush proposed cutting the federal budget for afterschool programs by $281 million and converting the successful 21st Century Community Learning Centers afterschool initiative (21st CCLC) into a risky voucher system. If Congress agrees to his proposal, 300,000 students would lose access to afterschool programs.

Other state champions honored at the Afterschool for All Challenge are: Boise Mayor David Bieter; Columbia Mayor Bob Coble; Kacy Conley, YMCA of Central Maryland in Baltimore; Omaha Mayor Mike Fahey; Grand Rapids Mayor George Heartwell; Savannah Mayor Otis Johnson; Morgantown Mayor Ron Justice; U.S. Attorney Jim Letten of Louisiana; Charlotte City Council Member James Mitchell; Missouri State Representative Danie Moore; New York City Commissioner of the Department of Youth and Community Development Jeanne Mullgrav; San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom; Linda Robinson, Kentucky Department of Education; New Hampshire State Senator Kathleen Sgambati; Maxine Quintana, Denver Mayor’s Office for Education and Children; and Pennsylvania State Representative Jake Wheatley.

The Afterschool Alliance and MetLife Foundation also presented the first-ever MetLife Afterschool Innovator Awards at the “Breakfast of Champions” to four organizations that have developed and implemented innovative afterschool practices. The awardees are profiled in Afterschool Innovations in Brief, a series of Issue Briefs developed by the Afterschool Alliance with funding from MetLife Foundation. They are: The After-School Corporation in New York; LA’s BEST in California; The Native Youth Club in South Dakota; and Lincoln Community Learning Centers in Nebraska.

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 www.afterschoolalliance.org.

Afterschool Opportunities Summit will bring together youth advocates, Gov. Pawlenty and business leaders to support youth

Afterschool learning opportunities are critical for the 2,000 hours of discretionary non-school time that Minnesota youth have each year.

Minneapolis, Minn. (April 29, 2008)- A collaboration of afterschool advocates, state government and public safety officials, and business leaders will meet in Saint Paul at the Amherst . H. Wilder Foundation on Monday, May 1 to discuss greater support for youth afterschool. Governor Tim Pawlenty will preside over the Governor's Afterschool Opportunities Summit whos goal is to promote and support efforts that will ensure that all children and youth have access to high quality afterschool learning opportunities. The summit calls the public and private sectors together to support quality afterschool learning opportunities. Research has shown that youth who participate in afterschool learning opportunities have better attendance, higher academic performance, and more positive attitudes about school and learning.

"It is critical that government, nonprofit and private sector resources are leveraged to help support meaningful afterschool learning opportunities for Minnesota youth," says Laura LaCroix-Dalluhn, executive director of Youth Community Connections, Minnesota's Statewide Afterschool Alliance. Youth Community Connections provides "a table" for public and private organizations that support or funds youth development through afterschool learning programs. "Afterschool learning programs also help protect investments in early childhood education and serve as a critically important element of workforce development for the state's economy."

The Governor's Aftershool Opportunities Summit highlights leading Minnesota institutions involved in afterschool, education, public safety as well as business leadership. In addition to Governor Pawlenty, speakers at the summit will include The McKnight Foundation board chairperson Erika L. Binger, University of Minnesota President Robert Bruininks, Mark.

Hugo Lopez, associate director of the Pew Hispanic Center , and Deborah Lowe Vandell of University of California, Irvine. Two key panels of local and state leaders will speak to the Call to Action and make commitments about how they can contribute to the overall goal.

Sponsors of the event include Governor Tim Pawlenty's Office, the National Governor's Association, The McKnight Foundation, the Minnesota Department of Education, the University of Minnesota, the Greater Twin Cities United Way and Youth Community Connections.

This event is not open to the public, however press access is possible. Contact Laura LaCroix-Dalluhn for event information at 612.627.0161 or laura@youthcommunityconnections.org.

Minnesota Celebrates Progress for Children and Youth Afterschooland Lights On Afterschool Day

Afterschool Opportunities Summit will bring together youth advocates, Gov. Pawlenty and business leaders to support youth

Minnesota Celebrates Progress for Children
and
Youth Afterschooland Lights On Afterschool Day