City of Philadelphia Archives

A mayor for after school

ASAP is thrilled that Mayor Parker is proposing new investments in enrichment programming as part of her vision for year-round schooling to keep our kids safe. Following her budget address, Councilmember and Chair of the Committee on Children and Youth Anthony Phillips voiced his support to WHYY: “robust out-of-school type programming will help us with violence prevention.”

Read about Parker’s budget address!

Since the mayoral transition, ASAP has worked closely with other afterschool programming advocates to help advocate for the Mayor’s vision to include of out-of-school-time for Philadelphia youth. A lot of this work also involves connecting both City and School District administration.

Most recently, the District announced it would end controversial practice of leveling — which in the past had made it challenging for ASAP to retain and recruit after school club leaders, a majority of whom are school teachers, each fall. This unpredictable yearly shuffle was hugely disruptive to students of all ages, and we are optimistic that its abolishment is a sign of more decisions to come from District and City leaders that center the needs of Philly kids. Our kids need that stability.

District nearing a fiscal cliff

But unfortunately, the District is still facing a fiscal cliff in the near future, and planning for a 2024-25 school year without the federal COVID relief funding. That funding provided 8,000 students with spots in an after school program, almost 2,000 of which are ASAP programs. Without committed funding from the City, state, or District, this means that come Fall 2024, thousands of Philly kids will be left without an after school program. We need your help to advocate for new funding and keep our kids safe and engaged after school!

How to become an Afterschool Advocate!

If you’re reading this, we know you care about our youth having access to safe, enriching spaces after school and in the summer!

Check out these three ways to help advocate for Philly kids and the importance of safe and enriching after school spaces:

Contact your City Councilmember

Contact your City Councilmember and share a brief message on what afterschool programming means to you or your family. Not sure how to contact your Councilmember directly? Find your Councilmember’s contact info here.

Find my Councilmember

Submit written testimony

Submit written testimony to the School District of Philadelphia School Board of Education, or speak at a School Board meeting on the importance of robust afterschool programs.

Share your story!

At ASAP we care about YOUR story!

Why are after school programs important to you and your family?
What did it mean to be part of an after school community ?
How did after school programs help keep your kids safe while you were at work?
What did you learn about your community when volunteering with ASAP?

Share your afterschool story with ASAP. Whether you are a current student or program alum, parent or caregiver, afterschool professional, teacher, or volunteer — we want to make your voice heard! Your stories help ASAP and partner organizations alike make the case for after school in Philadelphia. Together we can share our impact on social media, through newsletters, and in conversations and with family and friends.

Share your story with ASAP!

Advocates seize the moment!

The momentum in Philadelphia for afterschool programming has rarely been stronger. This is an all-hands-on-deck moment to capitalize on unprecedented mayoral AND School District support. With your help, ASAP can give even more students access to quality programming that creates a greater sense of belonging at school, provides a safe haven, and lets students in every neighborhood of the city realize their potential.

Learn more about how ASAP meets the need!

Dear Friends,

I am excited to share that ASAP’s Board of Directors has formally selected me as the organization’s Executive Director. During a time of much change in Philadelphia, I am honored that the Board has entrusted me with leading the organization, ensuring that ASAP can remain a constant source of community for our students and partners.

Sara Morningstar with husband Rich their son

Nearly thirteen years ago, I came to Philadelphia hoping to make my new home a better place, first working with City Year Philadelphia and then several School District of Philadelphia schools through the Gear Up program. My passion for building connections with Philly students and educators is what led me to ASAP, where over the past decade I’ve had the pleasure of serving in various roles, including the last six months as Interim ED. Throughout my tenure I’ve deepened my roots here, becoming both a true Philadelphian (Go Birds!) and mother to a tenacious almost-three-year-old. And while my son is not yet old enough for ASAP’s programs, navigating childcare has only deepened my commitment to ASAP’s mission. I know that soon enough, I’ll need a safe space for my child to continue learning after school lets out, while I’m still finishing up my workday.

I believe ASAP’s greatest strength is our ability to build relationships and a strong community of like-minded kids and caring adults across Philadelphia. Our staff are experts at creating and sustaining the partnerships that make our work possible. Whether speaking with students’ families, reconnecting with club leaders, meeting new partners who share our passion for after school, or catching up with students on their post-graduation plans – it’s clear that relationships play a key role in unlocking the inherent potential of our city’s young people.

Photo Credit: Rachel Utain Evans ft. Sara Morningstar and Keeya Branson Davis of Peco at the ASAP-PECO 17 Annual Checkmate Violence Chess Marathon

November 6th 2014 GSK Impact Award Recipient: ASAP/After School Activities Partnerships. Photograph by Alan Brian Nilsen/ABNphotography.

But despite all of the wonderful growth I’ve witnessed over the years, there is still so much work to be done for Philly kids. Navigating a post-pandemic world, our students continue to struggle with feeling connected to their school communities, and too many of our children are falling victim to the city’s ongoing gun violence epidemic. And with pandemic relief funds expiring soon, the School District of Philadelphia is facing yet another fiscal cliff, likely forcing drastic cuts to programming that our children so desperately need to reach their full potential.

Still, there’s a sense of optimism in the city. Philadelphia is under the leadership of our first Black female mayor, Cherelle Parker – another mother who understands the significant role of out-of-school time activities to keep kids safe and engaged in learning, all year long. Just last week during her remarks at Superintendent Watlington’s inaugural State of Public Education, Mayor Parker emphasized the critical importance of investing in the city’s youth; stating that her number one priority heading into budget season is funding education and ensuring the safety of all our children across the city (Photo Credit: School District of Philadelphia).

Looking ahead, ASAP is excited to meet this moment – to tap into this renewed sense of commitment. We stand ready to partner with the City and the School District to dramatically expand access to enriching, year-round out-of-school learning opportunities for our kids. What I love most about Philadelphia is this enduring sense of community – despite being a city of diverse neighborhoods, Philly ultimately sticks together.

And ASAP kids stick together, too – across different clubs and schools, year after year. As always, we are most grateful for your support; it’s what makes our vision a reality.

Stick with ASAP – our kids deserve nothing less.

Yours in partnership,

Sara Morningstar
ASAP Executive Director

If you have questions regarding ASAP’s new leadership team, please contact Sara Morningstar at smorningstar@phillyasap.org or ASAP’s Director of Development & Communications, Tori Bakey-Urban at vbakey@phillyasap.org

Learn more about how ASAP meets the needs of Philadelphia students across the city.

Learn more!

A message from ASAP’s Executive Director, Justin Ennis

“I’ve always loved a good fight. I’ve always rooted for the underdog. I’ve always cherished the difficult victories — and near-victories — the most.

Put another way, I’ve always been Team Philly.

Fresh out of college, the vague notion of “fighting” on behalf of Philly public schools and their students is what brought me to ASAP as an AmeriCorps VISTA 17 years ago to manage their nascent scholastic chess program. I was hardly a decent chess player, but I thought it would be a fun way to spend a year…

Executive Director Justin Ennis at Chess tournament

In retrospect, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. Yet, as soon as I organized my first chess tournament, that all changed. Behind schedule, under-supplied, and under-staffed — the event was a disaster. But to see 200 kids queueing up outside the Community College of Philadelphia on a chilly Saturday morning, eager to spend their weekend putting their skills to the test, committed to learning from their mistakes, and hoping to make connections with like-minded peers – this chaotic spectacle of a poorly-run chess tournament made me realize what all my previous fights were missing: a sense of purpose.

From that moment on, every day spent working on behalf of these students — and on behalf of the dedicated educators, parents, and volunteers who ran ASAP’s chess clubs — was a gift. And thanks to the patient and generous wisdom of my two dearest mentors and friends – ASAP’s founder Marciene Mattleman and former executive director Maria Walker – the chess tournaments became better-run, trophy cases across the School District became packed with chess awards, and many more kids throughout Philly got the opportunity to showcase the amazing things they could do with just 32 pieces and 64 squares.

After 3 years running ASAP’s chess program, I left for a stint at the Arts & Business Council, a program of the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce. But my heart was still with ASAP’s students and club leaders, and in 2011 I was honored to return to ASAP as its new executive director. In retrospect, I had no idea what I was getting myself into…again. But this time around I knew “the why.” As ASAP’s ED for the last 12 years my fight has been to convince school, civic, and philanthropic leaders of the urgent need to close the after school and summer enrichment gap for youth in Philadelphia. My fight has been to help under-resourced schools in the city provide their students with opportunities to discover and explore interests outside of the classroom that can unlock their potential and inspire them to be their best. Then there’s my favorite fight of all — to empower children from historically marginalized communities with the confidence that they belong among the brilliant minds in the ultra-competitive arenas of chess and Scrabble, that their voices deserve to be heard in the elite world of scholastic debate, and that their ideas and their stories are worthy of the stage.

And each day has been a gift.

Executive Director Justin Ennis with founder Marciene Mattleman and Mr. Gil

Now, after nearly two decades with ASAP, I am ready for a new fight.

I am humbled and excited to announce that on August 15, 2023 I will start my next chapter as the new executive director of the Philadelphia Outward Bound School (POBS). Much like ASAP, POBS has been an incredible champion for young people in Philadelphia for over 30 years. With the mission to change lives through challenge and discovery, POBS has impacted more than 75,000 students through activities and expeditions that nurture leadership, resilience, and compassion. While I have big shoes to fill taking over for Meg Wise as she pursues her next adventure, I have the privilege of working with an incredibly talented and devoted team who has made POBS a standard-bearer in the worlds of experiential learning and youth development. Together, we will endeavor to take POBS to new heights and forge new pathways for students and educators to discover just what they are capable of.

As I prepare to move on from ASAP, I offer my most sincere gratitude to all the individuals and partners who have supported, encouraged, and tolerated me and my various soapboxes over the last 12 years. Your impact on me and ASAP has been beyond measure.

To everyone on ASAP’s amazing staff and our incredibly devoted board members – past and present – thank you for inspiring me, challenging me, uplifting me, and entrusting me to lead such an exceptional, ambitious, and impactful organization. It has been the honor of my lifetime.

Interim Executive Director Sara Morningstar

And while leaving ASAP is bittersweet, I am overjoyed that I will be leaving the organization in phenomenally good hands. Earlier this month, ASAP’s board unanimously voted to name Sara Morningstar as the organization’s Interim Executive Director. I’ve had the honor of working alongside Sara for nearly a decade, most recently in her roles as ASAP’s Director of Programs and Deputy Executive Director. During her tenure Sara has preserved our “whatever it takes” dedication to service while helping transform ASAP into an organization with a deep commitment to learning and continuous quality improvement.

As Interim ED, Sara will lead a team that I can easily say is the strongest group of leaders and after school champions that we have ever had. This is the group that led ASAP to its best year ever in 2023, surpassing our pre-pandemic figures for youth served and increasing our number of programs in neighborhood public schools and communities with the highest rates of gun violence by 50% — in just one year!!

To ensure ASAP can build on last year’s incredible campaign and deepen its impact in schools and communities that need us the most, the board also unanimously promoted Tori Bakey-Urban to the position of Director of Development & Communications. A department of one, Tori has been a driving force in ASAP’s growth over the last 7 years and is poised for great things with this new opportunity.

I hope you can join me in congratulating Sara and Tori on their well-deserved recognition!!

Without a doubt, ASAP is an organization on the rise. Bolstered by our amazing school and community partners, our incredible network of supporters, and our dedicated colleagues in the City and School District, I am certain that ASAP’s best days are yet to come. On behalf of Sara, Tori, and the rest of the team at ASAP — thank you for staying in the fight with us.”

ASAP Executive Director Justin at Scrabble Event

For questions regarding ASAP’s Executive Director transition, please contact smorningstar@phillyasap.org or vbakey@phillyasap.org. And to stay up to date on organization updates, please subscribe to our newsletter.

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Mark Your Calendars! You’re invited to…

ASAP’s 20 Year Anniversary Celebration & Fundraiser

Date: Thursday, September 22, 2022

Time: 5:00pm – 8:00pm

Location: Craft Hall
901 N Delaware Ave, Phila, PA 19123

All proceeds benefit youth in Philadelphia through out-of-school time programs and experiences that enrich and inspire. Because…

After School: We Build Futures!

Event Features:

On Thursday, September 22, 2022, ASAP is hosting a special event & fundraiser to celebrate 20 years of making the after school hours count.

We look forward to coming together to honor all of the partners, educators, and stakeholders who have helped us serve more than 90,000 youth since our inception, and hearing from guest speakers on why ASAP’s mission is now more important than ever. The theme for the event is After School: We Build Futures and all proceeds support ASAP’s goal to increase the number of ASAP programs in Philadelphia public schools by 50%, serving an additional 1,000-2,000 kids by 2025.

Click here to download our save the date!

Click here to reserve your spot!

While online schooling extends into the winter months, ASAP is partnering with the City of Philadelphia to provide students at in-person Access Centers* with a range of interactive enrichment activities.

*What is an access center?

*Access Centers provide Philadelphia’s most vulnerable students with a safe place for digital learning when caregivers work outside the home and have no childcare supports. Centers are located across the city and also provide meals

One of the most popular Access Center activities has been ASAP Scrabble. Working with community partners such as Community Council, Indochinese American Council and CORA, students come together throughout the week using a curriculum that connects reading skill exercises with informal and formal Scrabble competition.

Then, each Friday when schools release early, students gather on Zoom for Scrabble workshops with longtime ASAP Scrabble guru, John Green (AKA Johnny Scrabble), to learn new word skills and Scrabble strategies. These meetings have proved to be positive experiences for not only the students, but the adults who have been apart from their students as well.

And despite all of the challenges of virtual programming, ASAP continues to receive positive feedback from coaches who have witnessed their students’ progress. According to coaches, Scrabble clubs are also providing a much-needed social outlet for students both during and after the school day.

“They all formed their own group when they got out of school today. Now they even play by themselves without me telling them to!” -Catara Lane, Indochinese American Council

So far this year, ASAP has organized more than 130 after school clubs throughout the city. These Access Center workshops are just one example of the many ways ASAP has adapted its traditional Chess, Debate, Drama and Scrabble programs to keep students engaged during out of school time hours. As we work to meet this need for our students, we appreciate your continued dedicated support and partnership.

Make your donation here!

All donations made to ASAP throughout this season will be receipted with a card to pair with your loved ones’ gifts, sharing the impact your donation made this year: an opportunity for our city’s young people to discover new worlds, new talents and new friends, even when we are apart. Check out our personalized cards here!

Yours in Service,

ASAP

Click for more ways to give!

As you likely know by now, the City of Philadelphia announced its new “Safer at Home” restrictions set to begin this Friday for the purpose of curbing the rising number of COVID-19 cases as we enter a critical period of the pandemic.

No doubt, the new restrictions will require many difficult sacrifices for families, communities, and businesses throughout the region. And for all of us who have been looking forward to resuming many of our favorite pre-pandemic activities, we acknowledge your feelings of fatigue and frustration.

But abiding by these restrictions does not mean we have to put the needs of our city’s children on hold. In fact, this is an important time for us to rally around youth in Philadelphia to give them the opportunities they deserve.

And as ASAP has learned in the last eight months, despite the many challenges of virtual programming, there is still enormous interest among students to participate in fun, engaging virtual activities that speak to their interests and give them a sense of belonging even when we are apart.

As our schools and partners get more settled into their new virtual routines, we expect many more clubs will be up and running in the coming weeks.

In addition to helping our school and community partners transition their usual in-person programs to virtual settings, here are just a few ways ASAP has been keeping kids enriched, engaged, and inspired after school this year:

*ASAP Scrabble Elementary School League meets to practice & compete!*

So as we enter this next phase of the pandemic, ASAP is prepared to do everything we can for our students to make sure this year a minor detour on their road to health, happiness, and success.

In this important work, we are most grateful for your support and partnerships. Many thanks.

Yours in service,