Published March 13. 2014 07:32AM
State Sen. John Yudichak (D-Luzerne/Carbon) joined dozens of educators, advocates and legislators Tuesday at a Capitol rally to call for more funding for Pennsylvania afterschool programs.
"Quality afterschool programs keep our children safe, inspire them to learn and promote positive social development," Yudichak said. "The fight to ensure all children have access to these important programs like the SHINE program locally is a fight worth making for every legislator, every teacher and every parent who cares passionately about the health, welfare and educational development of our children."The Carbon and Schuylkill SHINE Afterschool program, run through Lehigh Carbon Community College (LCCC), was designed to help all students that were having academic or social issues in the classroom environment.Yudichak said that since its inception, SHINE has more than tripled the number of children served, engages 85 percent of parents in their child's education, improves academic performance and reduces juvenile delinquency."The reach and impact of the SHINE program continues to grow, and it has become a model for after school programs across the Commonwealth," Yudichak added. "The benefit of this program for our children and for our community is why we fought to secure $400,000 in state funds for the SHINE program this past budget and it is why we will continue to fight for that funding, and funding for all afterschool programs in this budget."The Capitol rally was held as part of the Pennsylvania Statewide Afterschool Youth Development Network's advocacy day.