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Extended learning adventures are fun. Research proves student successes:

• Younger children (ages 5 to 9) and those in low-income neighborhoods gain the most from after-school programs, showing improved behavior, work habits, and academic performance.
• Young teens who participate in after-school activities achieve higher grades in school and engage in less risky behavior. Because these programs are voluntary, however, participants are likely to be among the more motivated youngsters in a given population.
• Participation in after-school activities is associated with improved attendance, the development of new skills and interests, decreased time watching television and increased time spent on homework, and the development of higher aspirations, including plans to complete high school and go on to college.

Sources: U. S. Department of Education (2000), After-School Programs: Keeping Children Safe and Smart; The David and Lucile Packard Foundation (1999), When School is Out; Donna Trousdale (2000), First-Year Evaluation of an After-School Program for Middle School Youth, Educational Research Service; Beth M. Miller (2001), The Promise of After-School Programs, Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.