April 25th through April 29th is Afterschool Professionals Appreciation Week. Afterschool Appreciation Week recognizes those who work with youth during out-of-school hours. The week is marked by celebrations and public relations efforts to encourage people to thank afterschool professionals who make a difference in the lives of young people in their communities.

An estimated 10.2 million children participate in afterschool programs each year. Afterschool programs have become more than just childcare and are credited as the way to enhance academic and life outcomes for the youth they serve. With increased demand on programs, comes increased responsibility on the estimated 850,000 professionals in afterschool. Make sure to let the afterschool professionals in your life know how important they are and how much you appreciate their hard-work. 

Help spread the word on Afterschool Professionals Appreciation Week by downloading the flyer or images to use on social media. For more information on how to support Afterschool Professionals Appreciation Week, click here. 

The National Afterschool Association released the Promoting Professionalism Brief which examines afterschool program quality improvement efforts across the country and how quality in afterschool is tied to the professional development systems for practitioners.