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!
Middle schoolers debate private handgun ownership
“Working with ASAP has been so wonderful because they try so hard to make relevant social topics accessible for our younger students, and let them have fun and learn sportsmanship in the process.”
-Meg Gurenlian, Debate Coach and Teacher at Mastery Hardy WilliamsDebate students have learned this year that like many cities in America, Philadelphia’s efforts to control the COVID-19 pandemic have coincided with an alarming rise in gun violence. Particularly concerning is the dramatic increase in shootings involving youth. To date, 55 children under the age of 18 in Philadelphia have been a victim of gun violence. Meanwhile, communities, advocates, and lawmakers have all demanded action and have voiced several different strategies to address the issue.
It is against this backdrop that the intrepid young minds of ASAP’s middle school debate league have dedicated themselves over the last several months to examining a commonly proposed solution to the problem of gun violence: a ban on handguns.
ASAP Spring Debate Topic
Resolved: That the private ownership of handguns should be banned in the United States.
Hardy Williams ASAP Debate Team
One of those league clubs is Mastery Hardy Williams – a first-year program led by their dedicated coach Ms. Meg Gurenlian. With only weeks before their first tournament this February, the Hardy Williams students extensively researched this deeply contested topic to understand different perspectives and create compelling pro and con arguments.
“[Debate] is fun to me because while it’s hard for you to try to win, it is fun researching topics that we hear about on a daily basis and to actually know the both sides of the issue.”
-Marquez Rosario, 7th gradeGoing against more experience debaters was a humbling experience, but the Hardy Williams team was determined to compete – and improve — at every remaining tournament. They excelled quickly, and their months of hard work culminated with winning their first award when 7th grader Mazeedat placed as a Top 10 Speaker at the April 6th tournament.
“Coaching is thrilling because you get to see kids teach themselves and their peers and grapple with really hard things while you sit in the background and cheer them on and provide guidance.”
— Meg Gurenlian, Debate Coach and Teacher at Mastery Hardy Williams.Why it matters
ASAP is privileged to work with so many extraordinary educators like Ms. Guerlian who help to create spaces outside of the classroom where students can develop important skills and — spaces where their voices are valued. We celebrate the Hardy Williams team for giving it their all this season and we celebrate Ms. Gurenlian for going the extra mile to give her students the opportunities to shine!!
How you can help
If you’d like to help ASAP create more opportunities for youth in Philadelphia, we hope you will consider making a donation or by clicking here for more ways to give.
“After school activities are part of students’ lives, so if you take it away you’re taking part of their lives.”
Yves-Melsein Metellus, 12th gradeDear Friend,
Over the last 18 months, the pandemic has robbed young people in our city of many of the experiences, such as after school programs and relationships that enrich their lives and shape their futures. With the support of individuals like you, ASAP is helping schools give their students after school activities that can reignite their love for learning, reconnect them to their school communities, and give them safe spaces when the school day ends.
Together, we are giving students the opportunities they deserve. Students like Yves.
After leaving his native Haiti in 2018, Yves enrolled at Franklin Learning Center (FLC) which offers a “newcomer” program for immigrant students. There, Yves’s Algebra teacher, Ms. Saganti, took an interest and invited him to join her ASAP Chess club. Yves was still learning English and didn’t know how to play chess, but he immediately felt at ease:
“Not speaking the language, you feel like an outlier. But they were all immigrants, so right away I had a sense I belonged.”
― YvesInspired by his new friends, Yves was soon studying tactics on YouTube at night and competing in ASAP Chess tournaments on the weekend. By February 2020, this “newcomer” to both chess and America was recognized as the top 10th grader in ASAP’s citywide chess league! It was an affirming moment for Yves and for his coach.
“I have seen kids with the fear they can’t do it. But their skills and confidence increase. They find the courage to be there and to compete. It is a big achievement.” ― Yves
Teens need our help. In a recent study, 46% of parents said their teen has shown signs of new or worsening mental health conditions since the pandemic began.
Yet, it seemed Yves’s triumph would be short-lived. Just weeks later COVID-19 shut down schools across Philadelphia and abruptly ended the chess season. It was a crushing blow.
“The world just stopped. It was very sad. I didn’t know when I’d see people again.”
― YvesBut Yves wasn’t about to give up on chess or his team. They mattered too much. Thankfully, Ms. Saganti was also determined to help her students remain connected. With ASAP’s support, she started a virtual chess club. It caught on quickly.
“Club ran Fridays 3:15 to 4:15 but they stayed til 5pm. I told them ‘Go home, log out, do something else!’ But they didn’t want to, because of the friendships.”
― Ms. SagantiUnder Ms. Saganti’s guidance, FLC’s chess club has flourished during the pandemic – providing a space for even more newcomers to find their place and hone their talents.
“Chess is a platform for these kids. They learn strategies; how to communicate. It helps them connect to one another.”
― Ms. SagantiYves, now a senior and team captain, is eager to win more awards when in-person tournaments return. But the past year has helped him gain perspective on what is truly valuable:
“Ms. Saganti has nurtured me since I was a freshman. When you have someone you can count on — someone that’s there for you – that’s a precious type of relationship.”
― YvesASAP is proud to work with so many dedicated educators and mentors, like Ms. Saganti, to help students do what they love after school. With your gift, we can provide the platforms for more kids, just like Yves, to feel at home and pursue their full potential.
“I have grown in ways I couldn’t have expected. I look back and say ‘Wow, that was me two years ago and this is me now.”
― YvesAs we work towards brighter futures for kids in Philly, we are most grateful for your support.
Sincerely,
ASAP
P.S. Relationships matter! 89% of teachers say ASAP clubs help them develop strong relationships with students. Join us in supporting the mentors making a difference in the lives of Philly kids!
