It won't show up on the bestseller lists, but St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman is proud to be part of a new book about the importance of after-school programs to a community's overall health.
Coleman is in Washington, D.C., today for the launch of the book "Expanding Minds and Opportunities: Leveraging the Power of Afterschool and Summer Learning for Student Success."
It's a compendium of 70 studies, reports and commentaries from more than 100 city officials, educators and advocates, edited by Terry K. Peterson.
Coleman is listed as co-author of one of the articles in the book: "Municipal Leadership Is Essential: Quality Afterschool Opportunities Strengthen Cities and Our Youth."
His co-authors on the article were:
- Mayor Karl Dean, Nashville
- Council Member Ronnie Steine, Nashville
- Council Member James Mitchell, Jr., Charlotte
- Mayor Betsy Price, Fort Worth
Coleman said:
"Supporting after school programming is part of our city’s education improvement strategy, economic development strategy, neighborhood development strategy and crime prevention strategy. In short, it’s all connected. When young people have quality after school learning opportunities, they are inspired, they are engaged, they are safe and they gain the necessary skills and knowledge to prepare themselves for higher education or skilled jobs."
The book's main themes:
- Solid evidence from research and practice demonstrates that after-school and summer learning programs increase college and career readiness.
- After-school and summer learning programs improve student academic performance as well as a range of youth outcomes (social, emotional, physical wellness, character, resilience, and more).
- School-community partnerships maximize resources, save money, and build community ties.
- After-school and summer learning programs engage families in their children’s learning.