After School All Stars (ASAS) has been a partner of Mercy Lab Foundation since 2016. Within the past year, Mercy Lab has supported After School All Stars in several goals, and progress has been made in several key areas: program content, professional development, evaluation and quality improvement, and community engagement.
After School All Stars provides educational support and experiences to students who are considered at risk and living in urban areas. The students attend the program after their school day is over. ASAS offers programs in Academic Readiness, Health & Wellness, Career Exploration Experiences, STEM, and Visual & Performing Arts.
Some of the new programs that were offered this year include All-Star Academies, which is discipline-focused and skill building courses. Also, the Youth Advisory Board & All-Star Leadership University (YAB), which provides students with service learning and leadership opportunities. Some of the skills taught include public speaking skills and creative problem solving.
Over the next three years, ASAS will prioritize local growth and then turn to national growth to continue to expand across new sites and regions.
During the 2021-2022 school year, ASAS served more than 117,000 students through direct and coordinated services at 453 locations across the country.
When asked about the biggest challenge for ASAS, the answer was “Keeping pace with the overwhelming demand for our services….”