Afterschool Alliance Names Connecticut After School Director "Afterschool Ambassador"

The Afterschool Alliance announced the selection of Bill Stover, Director of Supplemental Programs of Windham Public Schools, to serve as a 2010-2011 Afterschool Ambassador. He is one of just 18 local leaders from 16 states selected for the honor this year. Each Ambassador will continue directing or supporting a local after school program while also serving a one-year Afterschool Ambassador term organizing public events, communicating with policy makers, and building support for after school programs.

“Bill will bring great energy and talent to his role as an Afterschool Ambassador. I look forward to working with him to build even stronger support for after school among parents, business and community leaders, lawmakers and others. We are proud to have Bill on our team," said Jodi Grant, executive director of the Afterschool Alliance.

“I’m thrilled to have this wonderful opportunity to help secure the future of after school programs for kids and families in our community, and across the state and nation,” said Stover. “After school programs are critical to student success and the economic security of working families. I look forward to helping expand support for them.”

The Windham before and after school programs offer safe, creative and educationally enriching activities to over 300 kindergarten through sixth grade students. Each day the students participate in a variety of learning enrichment activities, health and recreation time, academic support centers, as well as regular educational field trips to all parts of the state. To assist students to improve their reading skills, they are engaged in a reading tutorial program twice a week for a total of three hours. In addition, over 200 local university students provide one on one mentoring during the program as part of the Nutmeg Big Brother and Big Sister Program.  

The Afterschool Alliance is a nonprofit public awareness and advocacy organization working to ensure that all children and youth have access to quality after school programs. More information is available at www.afterschoolalliance.org.