BCSD's Flowers Chosen as 'Afterschool Ambassador' One of 18 in the Nation This Year

Staff Report

Tuesday, December 15th, 2020

The Afterschool Alliance announced today that Dr. Janice Flowers, Director of Before and After School Programs for the Bibb County School District, has been selected to serve as an Afterschool Ambassador for the Afterschool Alliance in 2020-2021. She is one of just 18 leaders in the United States chosen for the honor this year. Afterschool Ambassadors continue their work at local afterschool programs while serving the one-year Afterschool Ambassador term, organizing public events, communicating with policy makers and community leaders, and in other ways increasing awareness and support for afterschool and summer learning programs.

"We are so pleased that Dr. Janice Flowers will serve as an Afterschool Ambassador this year," said Afterschool Alliance Executive Director Jodi Grant. "With the pandemic increasing the need for quality afterschool and summer learning programs so dramatically, we need strong advocates who have their fingers on the pulse of their communities. Janice will do a terrific job mobilizing community and business leaders, parents, policy makers, educators and others to send the message that afterschool programs are vital to our recovery from COVID-19. Afterschool programs keep kids safe, inspire them to learn, and give families peace of mind that their children are safe, learning, and constructively engaged while parents are at work or looking for jobs." 

“I am delighted to work with the Afterschool Alliance to increase support for afterschool programs,” said Flowers. “It’s a tremendously important issue in my community and state. In normal times, afterschool programs help young people succeed in school and in life, and support working families throughout Georgia.  Now more than ever, afterschool programs are essential in caring for children with academic, social and emotional needs created by the pandemic and supporting efforts to rebuild our economy. I look forward to helping build support for all programs that offer a safe place for our children to learn and grow outside of the regular school day.”

The Bibb County School District, in partnership with the United Way of Central Georgia, is thankful to receive Nita M. Lowey 21st Century Community Learning Centers funding to offer free academic and enrichment opportunities to families at ten of its schools; Ballard Hudson, Bruce, Bernd, Hartley, Heard, Heritage, John R. Lewis, Skyview, Southfield, and Veterans. However, all children need access to equitable afterschool opportunities and learning experiences. 

Each Ambassador will organize a major event for Lights On Afterschool, the Afterschool Alliance’s annual rally for afterschool, which will include events on or around Thursday, October 28, 2021.

The 2020-2021 Afterschool Ambassadors are:

  • Delaware: Ray Taylor, 4H After-school Program, Newark;

  • Florida: Nicole Carter, City of Hallandale Beach-Hepburn Center Afterschool Tutorial Enrichment Program, Hallandale Beach;

  • Florida: Kwamara Thompson, Palm Beach County Boys & Girls Clubs, Palm Beach (and Classroom, Inc., New York, NY);

  • Georgia: Tiffany Collie-Bailey, Girls Inc. of Greater Atlanta, Marietta:

  • Georgia: Dr. Janice Flowers, Bibb County School District, Macon;

  • Illinois: Kenny Riley, Carole Robertson Center for Learning, Chicago;

  • Illinois: Teresa Dothard-Campbell, Lights ON for Learning – Glenview Middle School, East Moline;

  • Maine: Barrett Takesian, Portland Community Squash, Portland;

  • New Jersey: Darnell A. Scott, The Jointure, Rariton and Branchburg;

  • New York: Angela Todriff-Mundy, Family YMCA of the Glens Falls Area, Glens Falls;

  • New York: Stephanie Graf, Cornell Cooperative Extension Association of Jefferson County, Watertown;

  • North Carolina: Emily Neff, WAMY Community Action, Inc. / Avery County Afterschool Program, Boone;

  • Ohio: Debbie Frison, 21st Century Community Learning Center Glenwood/Rosa Parks Elementary, Toledo;

  • Oregon: Amber Lomascola, Expanding Horizon Youth Center, Myrtle Creek;

  • Pennsylvania: Chuck Inverso, Neshaminy Kids Club, Langhorne;

  • South Carolina: Ray C. Funnye, The Village Group, Georgetown;

  • Wyoming: Shannon Christian, Worland Youth Learning Center, Worland;

  • Wyoming: Tiffany L Wutzke, Youth Clubs of Park County, Cody. 

The America After 3PM household survey of more than 30,000 families, commissioned by the Afterschool Alliance and released this month, finds that unmet demand for afterschool programs has reached an all-time high. For every child in an afterschool program in America today, three more are waiting to get in. The study finds significant inequities, with Black and Latinx children disproportionately without afterschool opportunities. Ninety-four percent of parents of afterschool students say they are satisfied with their child’s program. 

A large and powerful body of evidence demonstrates improvements in grades, school attendance, behavior and more among children who participate in afterschool programs. Researchers have also found that students in afterschool programs are more engaged in school and excited about learning and develop critical work and life skills such as problem solving, teamwork, and communications.