Advocating for Youth
in the State House
Citizen Schools Wins $300,000 in Matching Grants in Massachusetts

When the final gavel fell, Massachusetts legislators had taken a great step toward improving the educational outcomes of young people. In June, the Commonwealth's elected representatives approved a matching grant of $300,000 for "Middle School After-School Learning," which will go to Citizen Schools programs in six Massachusetts communities. Two tireless education visionaries in the Massachusetts General Court, Senator Edward Augustus, Jr. (D, Worcester) and Representative John Quinn (D, New Bedford) were indispensable advocates for Citizen Schools and for the real beneficiaries: the youth of Massachusetts.

Join the movement to extend learning with Citizen Schools. To invest in our growth, click here.

The funding for Citizen Schools' programs in Massachusetts has been part of the state's trail-blazing commitment to out-of-school learning.   This year's budget also appropriates $6.5 million dollars for extending learning time programs, expanding the school day in ten Massachusetts' schools.   Citizen Schools is at the forefront of the extended learning movement in Massachusetts as one of the non-profit education organizations working with schools to make the best use of the opportunity.

Citizen Schools' prominence in Massachusetts policy circles is partly due to Senator Augustus and Representative Quinn's persuasive advocacy. Senator Augustus visited the program at Worcester's Accelerated Learning Laboratory.   "I had a chance to see first hand the great programs that Citizen Schools was running and how they tied in with the academic day," he says. As a Worcester School Committee member and a high-ranking official at the United States Department of Education, Augustus understood the important role high-quality after school programs have in education reform.   He believes Citizen Schools programs help students achieve great success by encouraging them to think academically between 3:00-6:00 PM. "It is not just an add-on program.   Citizen Schools complements what is going on during the school day."  

Augustus attended a showcase of student learning that Citizen Schools calls a WOW! The presentations impressed Augustus: "At that age, kids start to get self- conscious about their actions and being part of a group.   At the WOW!s, kids seem comfortable and willing to be a part of something positive and enriching.   That experience gives kids the self confidence they need to say no to drugs, gangs, and other destructive behavior."

The first-term senator and Vice Chair of the Joint Committee on Education has always been a strong supporter of education and economic development issues.   He co-sponsored an amendment to fund Citizen Schools in the senate budget and circulated letters to his colleagues about the program, even bringing his colleagues in Worcester and the Chair of the Joint Committee on Education to the middle school to let the young people make their own case. A group of the senator's staffers was so inspired that volunteered to teach an apprenticeship on public policy to the students, sharing their knowledge to build future leaders.

Complementing Augustus in his efforts was seven-term representative John Quinn.   An established leader in improving schools, Quinn encountered Citizen Schools while working to reverse the drop-out trend in New Bedford.   Quinn was co-sponsoring a bill to prevent students from dropping out of high school.   "As a comprehensive strategy to try to prevent students from dropping out, I think that getting kids to succeed earlier in their education will lead to them being more involved and interested later in high school," Quinn says. "Citizen Schools has a lasting effect on students because it reaches students early and shows them how to succeed."

As an advocate for Citizen Schools, Representative Quinn frequently spoke highly of the program to his colleagues throughout the House of Representatives. His enthusiasm translated into a high turnout for the   Legislative Briefing and Advocacy Day that Citizen Schools held in February 2006.   Representative Quinn felt so strongly about the quality of the program that he signed on to letters advocating for Citizen Schools and co-sponsored an amendment to get the "Middle School After-School Learning" funding request into the House budget.            

Like Augustus, Quinn was moved by the skills the young people demonstrated after spending their afternoons with volunteer Citizen Teachers. He said, "I attended a WOW! at the Keith Middle School in New Bedford .   You could see the tremendous sense of accomplishment and pride in the face of virtually every student." Thanks to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Citizen Schools will be able to continue helping young people excel and share their pride with the whole community.

To view this page on the web, click here :: To forward this article to a friend, click here
To subscribe to this newsletter, click here :: To unsubscribe to this newsletter, click here

CITIZEN SCHOOLS
308 CONGRESS STREET
BOSTON, MA 02210
TEL 617.695.2300      FAX 617.695.2367
[ www.citizenschools.org ]