Only 10% of Pennsylvania children who want to be in afterschool are enrolled in a program, according to the America After 3PM 2025 report—lower than the national average.
Dianne, mother of ASAP Chess 9th grader Demetrio, struggled to find an afterschool program for her son that was safe and structured but would also fuel his interests and challenge him to learn and grow. And then she found ASAP.
ASAP Keeps Kids Safe and Engaged in the Out-Of-School Time Hours
“My son loves playing chess,” says Demetrio’s mother Dianne. And after years of casual play, “his skill level was just so much more sophisticated than ours. We were just trying to find ways for him to play with other players that would challenge him.”
At first, Dianne was taking her then-sixth grade son to “play chess with just random people in the park,” she laughs. Still, she continued to search for a structured program, and came across ASAP Chess. Dianne and other parents connected the principal to ASAP, and a chess club formed the following school year.
“In Philadelphia, there’s a lot of things going on in the streets that we might not want our kids to be exposed to,” Dianne says. “Places like ASAP, this tournament—we can look around the kids hanging out on their own and the parents are sitting on their own and interacting with each other. They don’t need to hover over their children because they know this is a safe place for their children.”
Last year, ASAP supported almost 3,000 Philly students through 178 afterschool clubs and 45 tournament competitions and events.
ASAP Chess Helps Philly Students Achieve Academically
Currently in the ASAP Chess club at his high school, Demetrio credits his two years with his middle school team for helping him take school more seriously and apply himself in new ways.
“It has helped me a lot with academics, surprisingly,” he says, adding that “before I played chess, I wasn’t the best student.” Through hours of chess instruction and playing with peers, he “learned to plan ahead” and to “think in different ways from someone’s else’s perspective.” Now, he’s considering a career in law!
“It also really just gave me something to do. I didn’t really have anything specifically that I liked to do, but then once ASAP introduced me to chess, that gave me something to focus on and something to get better at and strive for.”
ASAP Helps Kids Find Community & Belonging
But the most impactful part of being in ASAP Chess for Demetrio—and his family—has been the strong, tight-knit community. So much so that when the family considered moving outside of Philly, they decided to stay in the city so Demetrio could stay in his ASAP Chess club!
Of his middle school teammates, Demetrio says, “they motivated me. They helped me get through stuff, and gave me a good environment to be around in general. The community here is great,” Demetrio adds of his past few years with ASAP.
Through participating in the ASAP Chess leagues and tournaments, Demetrio has also built friendships with students from other Philadelphia schools and neighborhoods. “I mean, whenever we come [to tournaments], he’s saying hi to people that I know don’t go to school with him!” Dianne says.
In Demetrio’s own words, “I’m not the best player, but it’s helped me as a person. It’s given me a lot of friends.”And he’s not alone—69% of ASAP kids feel a sense of belonging at school according to our 2025 survey, compared to 37.5% of Philadelphia School District students (grades 3-12).
Today, in the club’s third year, the club has almost 150 students—over 20% of the entire school. And their many first-place school and individual trophies are proudly displayed for all to see!
Your Support Makes a Difference
When you make a gift to ASAP, you’re supporting the growth of a child for years to come. Help us raise $60,000 to ensure kids like Demetrio have access to fun, high-quality afterschool & summer programs that spark a passion, build confidence, and provide a safe community for kids across Philadelphia.
Your donation supports our scholastic league and tournaments, training for club leaders, program curricula, and supplies—and with your support, we can reach even more kids who need a space to learn and play when that school bell rings.