Photo caption: Lyndsy Greene, associate executive director of After-School All-Stars Atlanta, Georgia First Lady Sandra Deal, and Walt Thompson, After-School All-Stars Atlanta executive director, pose for a photo at the biannual Georgia Afterschool and Youth Development Conference.
The After-School All-Stars Atlanta program received the 2018 Excellence Award from Georgia Afterschool and Youth Development (ASYD).
This award recognizes “outstanding after school or youth development programs that meet the highest standards of quality in the field and demonstrate capacity to meet the needs of children, youth and families in their communities,” according to ASYD’s website.
After-School All-Stars Atlanta, housed in Georgia State University’s College of Education & Human Development, provides comprehensive after-school programs for at-risk and high-need students in the metro Atlanta area, including homework assistance, tutoring, sports and recreation, mentoring and enrichment programs.
“As an organization, After-School All-Stars Atlanta strives to offer programs that have strategically been designed, developed and tested over 24 years to engage at-risk youth in positive educational, sports, cultural, health and well-being and community enrichment programs,” said Walt Thompson, After-School All-Stars Atlanta executive director and CEHD associate dean for graduate studies and research. “These programs help to build self-confidence and self-esteem, to encourage youth to say no to gangs, drugs and violence, and yes to hope, learning and life. Our aim is to offer programs that are both fun and meaningful for children in collaboration with school leaders, teachers, parents and community leaders.”
As a recipient of the Excellence Award, After-School All-Stars will receive one free registration to the 2020 Afterschool and Youth Development Conference in Athens, Ga., and a gift basket of program supplies.
The Excellence Award was presented as a part of the biannual Georgia Afterschool and Youth Development Conference, which was held Sept. 26-28, 2018, in Columbus, Ga. The Georgia ASYD Conference connects upwards of 600 afterschool and youth development program providers and stakeholders throughout the state for three days of professional development, networking and interactive workshops.
“We are honored to recognize fantastic afterschool programs across the state,” said Katie Landes, director of the Georgia Statewide Afterschool Network. “After-School All-Stars Atlanta exemplifies the type of programming and commitment to the young people and families served that is needed in the youth development field to lead Georgia’s youth to brighter futures.”
For more information about After-School All-Stars Atlanta, visit https://afterschoolallstars.org/asas_chapter/atlanta.
For more information about Georgia Afterschool and Youth Development, visit https://georgiaasyd.org.