Because.

• There are over a thousand children in our area without supervision or safety after school lets out.

       20% of twelve-year-olds are left alone regularly while their parents are at work.

• Juvenile crime triples when the school bell rings at the end of the day.
• Children have 7 times greater risk of being the victim of a violent crime (for example, murder, violent sex offense, robbery, and assault) during the hours after school. For young people, ages 6 to 17, this risk peaks at 3:00 p.m., the end of the school day.
• Eighth graders unsupervised for 11 or more hours a week experience twice the risk of substance abuse as those who are under some form of adult supervision.
• In a Louis Harris poll, half of the teachers questioned said that "children left on their own after school" is the primary cause of school failure.
• Absent a meaningful attachment to a group, some kids are drawn to gangs. Children, especially adolescents, crave excitement and group activity. If they can't find it in programs organized by responsible adults, they become far more likely to find it in gangs. Too many children today have too little access to structured activity with positive role models.

Afterschool programs keep our children safe and provide them with much needed, supervised, structured activity. Studies around the nation have proven time and again that children in afterschool programs:

• Are two times less likely to use drugs.
• Are one-third less likely to become teen parents.
• Have improved school attendance and do their homework more often and better.
• Show better achievement in math, reading, and other subjects.
• Learn to respect people who are different from themselves and develop better conflict resolution and social skills.

Given what afterschool programs can do for youth and our nation's focus on the needs of children, you might think that afterschool programs exist in every community. They don't.  

• Nearly two-thirds of voters report difficulty in finding quality, affordable programs.
• There are an estimated 1000 "latchkey" children in Rock Hill alone. 
• Twice as many elementary and middle school parents want afterschool programs as are currently available.

It is because of this great need that FORWARD STEPS was created .Forward Steps is a non-profit agency providing afterschool programs dedicated to raising academic achievement levels for low-income and at-risk children in inner city areas and to encouraging them to become active, involved members of society.

FORWARD STEPS began it's pilot program in the South Central Neighborhood, in Rock Hill, SC. This neighborhood, said to be one of the most dangerous and crime-ridden areas of the inner city urban core, a neighborhood that desperately needed a safe haven in which children grades K-8 could obtain homework assistance, mentoring, friendship, and above all, protection from the dangers and negative influences they encounter in their daily lives.  

Now FORWARD STEPS  is working with City of Rock Hill , WEED AND SEED communities throughout the City to plan and open similiar sites. All services are free.

We invite you to take a look at the program offered by FORWARD STEPS and we hope you will share with us in the experience of making a positive difference in the lives of these wonderful children.

Additional Benefits of Afterschool Programs:

• Afterschool programs improve children's grades and attitudes about learning because they have a safe, relaxed atmosphere in which to work.
• Afterschool programs give kids an opportunity to make new friends and build relationships with caring mentors and adults.
• Afterschool programs lessen the worries of parents who cannot be with their children after school.
• Afterschool programs can involve entire communities in the enrichment of children.
• Afterschool programs encourage families to become more effective partners in their children's education and development.

Americans Agree that Afterschool Programs Are Important

• Nine out of 10 Americans?both parents and non-parents?think that afterschool programs should be available to all youth today.
• 91% of adults say it is important to them to ensure access to afterschool programs for children in their community.
• 90% of adults favor providing afterschool programs to children from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. daily.
• 86% of adults feel afterschool programs are a necessity for their communities.
• 85% of adults believe it is difficult for parents to find afterschool programs in their own communities.
• 71% of adults think that expanding quality afterschool programs is an issue that should be addressed by businesses in the community.
• 95% of adults surveyed say that afterschool programs help working families and build the social skills of children.
• And, 94% say afterschool programs help teach children how to resolve conflicts. 
• More than two-thirds of the public gives higher priority to providing access to afterschool programs than cutting taxes. 
• Three out of five voters are willing to increase their taxes to pay for afterschool programs. 

Sources for Statistics:

Afterschool Alliance, www.afterschool.org