Funding Restored in Fairfax County!
YOU DID IT! Thanks to your incredible advocacy, full funding has been restored for the Fairfax County middle school afterschool program for the 2025-26 school year. According to the Fairfax County Government Website, “Following feedback from thousands of residents, the board restored full funding for the middle school after-school program.” Together, our community sent more than 26,000 emails and showed up powerfully, including youth advocates, to speak at budget hearings. This victory is a direct result of your voices, passion and persistence. Thank you for standing up for young people and the programs that support them.
SAVE THE DATE for VPOST’s 16th Annual Conference
Join us on September 15th at the Virginia Crossings Hotel for our 16th Annual Conference! Registration is now live! Make sure you’re signed up for our e-communications so you stay in the loop! Join our mailing list here.
There are so many ways to be involved in our 2025 conference, The Heartbeat of OST: Relationships that Inspire, Empower, and Transform. Check out our official conference page to learn more about:
- Video Spotlights
- Awards and Nominations
- Workshop Presentations
- Sponsorship and Exhibition
- Registration
We look forward to seeing you in September!
STEM Next’s 2025 Flight Crew – Meet the Virginia Ambassadors
Meet Nik and Michelle, high schoolers from Virginia, two of 77 young people nationwide selected to join the 2025 Flight Crew – STEM Next’s National STEM Ambassador Program! They will be representing Virginia as they use their voice to show how STEM outside the classroom changes lives!
As part of the STEM Next’s mission to connect young people to career opportunities, Flight Crew members receive training in leadership development, public speaking, social media, resume-building, and interview preparation – PLUS connections to mentors and career role models who provide guidance as they pursue their STEM goals.
Learn more about STEM Next’s program here.
Afterschool Programs Strengthen the Economy
One of the most powerful cases for investments in afterschool’s impact on the economy! From parents working in the after-school hours without worry, to cascading benefits for youth from extra education hours, higher attendance, and more exposure to new experiences and potential careers, afterschool contributes at least $3 for every $1 spent.
Afterschool Alliance’s new factsheet about how afterschool programs benefit kids, support working families, save businesses money, and strengthen the economy, demonstrates the case for afterschool in the economy.
Jeanine Turner Selected as a National Ambassador
Jeanine Turner, Chief Impact Officer of Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Richmond, has been selected by the Afterschool Alliance as a National Ambassador!
Each year, the Alliance selects 12-20 Ambassadors from around the country, and this year, Jeanine Turner will serve as a 2025 Afterschool Ambassador!
Congrats, Jeanine!
A Quick Guide on Youth Advocacy for Out-of-School Time Programs
Out-of-School Time Programs are a place for youth to discover their passion and make connections with adults and peers alike. Who better to tell decision makers the power of OST programs? Speaking truth to power can seem intimidating but it doesn’t have to be! This quick guide will help youth craft and share their unique story.
Former VPOST STEM Youth Ambassador Receives National Award
Join us in congratulating Medha Pappula for receiving the NCWIT Aspirations in Computing Award! Our former STEM Youth Ambassador was honored for her unique talents, aptitude, and aspirations in technology and computing.
Each year, U.S. high school students in grades 9 through 12 receive recognition for their technological achievements. Medha was selected from over 3,700 exceptionally talented young applicants. Congrats, Medha!
VPOST Quality Standards 2nd Edition
The diversity of out-of-school time programs and staff is a strength that allows us to create unique and locally-driven solutions. But it also means we need a common language to define program quality in Virginia. To address this, VPOST released Quality Standards (Best Practices) in 2017. Now in 2024, we present the second edition of the Quality Standards.
Lights on Afterschool 2024!
On October 24th, VPOST and friends across the Commonwealth celebrated Lights on Afterschool (LOA). Lights on Afterschool is a national showcase for out-of-school time (OST) & Summer learning programs.
Afterschool programs make a difference in the lives of young people every day, inspiring learning and preparing students for a bright future! On October 24th, thousands of programs shared how they’re keeping the lights on afterschool for our children.
We Paved the Way Across Virginia!
VPOST’s 15th Annual Conference took on a new form in 2024. Guests from all over The Commonwealth joined us in different regions across Virginia for: Paving the Way: Connecting OST Locally and Across Virginia. VPOST and friends traveled to Richmond, Hampton Roads, Roanoke, and Fairfax, and brought speakers, opportunities, and door prizes that showcase the uniqueness of each region.
VPOST would like to say a special thank you to the businesses and organizations that made these conferences possible:
Caitlin Brown, Alexandria Beyond the Classroom, selected as 2024-2025 White-Riley-Peterson Fellow
VPOST is excited to announce that our friend and partner, Caitlin Brown, Alexandria Beyond the Classroom, has been selected as a 2024-2025 White-Riley-Peterson (WRP) Policy Fellow!
The WRP Policy Fellowship is run by the Riley Institute at Furman University and equips participants with a real-world understanding of the art, science, possibilities, and realities of policy-making around afterschool and expanded learning.
For the next 10 months, Caitlin Brown will be learning how to improve afterschool programs and opportunities in the Commonwealth of Virginia. We can’t wait to see what wonderful things these fellows do across the country!
Learn more, here.
$5 MILLION FOR VIRGINIA OST INCLUDED IN STATE BUDGET!
Thank you to everyone who took the time to advocate for Virginia Afterschool Programs. YOU DID IT! VPOST is thrilled to share that $5 million for Virginia OST has been included in the state budget. Thank you again for taking the time to respond to our action alerts and letting legislators know how important these programs are for our communities!
