Pennsylvania Statewide Afterschool/Youth Development Network honored Congressman Lou Barletta as an Afterschool Champion for outstanding work in developing, supporting and promoting meaningful high quality afterschool/out-of-school time programs to benefit children, youth and families across Pennsylvania.

The awards took placeTuesday during PSAYDN's annual reception, which brought together elected officials, program providers, youth, faith-based leaders, parents and business leaders from across the state to emphasize the importance of afterschool programs in the state.In addition to offering kids a safe, supervised place to go before and after school, on weekends and during summers to get academic help, programs provide a variety of activities - art, music, dance, sports, science, service learning, career exploration and more - that help kids develop new interests and skills.The Afterschool Champion Awards honor programs, elected officials, youth and individuals for excellence in the service of children, schools and communities.Barletta was nominated by Rachel Strucko, director of the Lehigh Carbon Community College SHINE Afterschool program in Carbon and Schuylkill counties."Congressman Lou Barletta is a shining example of a true afterschool champion," Strucko wrote in her nomination letter."Over the last the five years Congressman Barletta has tirelessly worked to protect funding for 21st Century Community Learning Centers, which supports programs like SHINE, that had been targeted for elimination."Strucko said that in addition, Barletta negotiated 14 changes to the ESSA bill in support of afterschool programs, and specifically the SHINE model in the House Education and the Workforce Committee; and sent a letter to lead House and Senate negotiators imploring them to preserve the 21st CCLC program, resulting in the authorization of $1 billion in funding for the 21st CCLC programs.Barletta has also worked with state Sen. John Yudichak to secure over $1 million in funding, which helped with a second model being created in seven SHINE centers in Luzerne County."His dedication to afterschool programs has resulted in the eight SHINE centers in Carbon and Schuylkill counties still funded, including the Panther Valley School District where he began his journey five years ago," Strucko wrote.