Congratulations to the 2023 State of Alaska Positive Youth Development Afterschool Program Grantees!
The Positive Youth Development Afterschool Program (PYDAP) is designed to support afterschool programs aimed at increasing protective factors and decreasing risk factors among youth in grades 5 through 8 during non-school hours, including evenings, weekends, and school breaks. The primary focus is to prevent or delay the initiation of adolescent marijuana and substance misuse.
The PYDAP grant program is funded by the Marijuana Education and Treatment (MET) Fund which was established through the Alaska legislature. Twenty-five percent of the tax collected on marijuana products goes toward the MET fund which is used for marijuana use prevention, education, and treatment programs.
This approach is rooted in positive youth development research and emphasizes creating safe, supportive, and productive environments for youth to thrive and make healthy choices.
Anchorage School District - 21st Century Community Learning Center: Alaska Native Cultural Charter School, Fairview Elementary, Lake Otis Elementary, Mountain View Elementary, Muldoon Elementary, Ptarmigan Elementary, Russian Jack Elementary, Tyson Elementary, Willow Crest Elementary, Wonder Park Elementary
ASD’s 21st Century Community Learning Centers offers a 13-week Positive Youth Development Afterschool course titled MasterMinds for all 5-8th grade CCLC students in the Fall and Spring semesters of each program year. This program will provide comprehensive programming that promotes building a web of supports and developmental ecology that support students in learning and applying new skills related to problem-solving, character building, and reducing the risk of exposure to marijuana use. Activities provided through this program will focus on providing explicit instruction that focuses on whole child development by engaging students in activities that support all aspects of the child’s community, environment, and relationships.
Project GRAD of the Kenai Peninsula - CHILL Time: Chapman Elementary, Razdolna School, Voznesenka School
Project GRAD Kenai Peninsula offers exciting afterschool programming at three of the district’s smallest and most rural and isolated schools. Activities are offered four days per week and include a nutritious snack, a structured physical activity, a STEAM or youth empowerment focus lesson, and Circle Time to promote respectful communication that fosters peer connection and trusting adult/youth relationships. Their afterschool coaches prioritize hands-on learning to enhance skills in critical thinking, problem-solving, and curiosity about the world.
Boys & Girls Clubs of Alaska: Fairbanks, Mat-Su, Woodland Park, Utqiagvik, Nome, Kotzebue, Selawik, Metlakatla
Positive youth development at Boys & Girls Clubs represents an intentional approach to programming that places youth at the center of their own learning. Since members choose the activities they most enjoy, positive youth development looks a little different at each Club. One Club might offer an open gym, while another may focus on enriching art programs, and another may engage in cooking classes. This youth-centric approach is the same across all Clubs and reflects the knowledge that a quality after-school environment can support the social, emotional, physical, and cognitive needs of young people in important ways.
United Way of Mat-Su - Youth 360: Houston Middle School, Houston High School, Wasilla Middle School, Wasilla High School
Youth 360 is a youth development initiative in the Mat-Su Valley seeking to build social connections and promote involvement in activities during after-school hours. They operate 3 after-school youth clubs in the Mat-Su Valley, utilizing school facilities in Houston and a community location in Wasilla. Regular activity blocks include cooking, recreation, arts, music, youth leadership, and much more. These efforts serve their vision of Mat-Su youth and families thriving in a caring and connected community.
Ahtna’ T’aene Nene’ “Copper River Native Association”: Glennallen
Youth Advocates of Sitka: Blatchley Middle School
Youth Advocates of Sitka is offering a brand new afterschool program focused on recreational activity, community building, and supporting personal growth. This program, based at Blatchley Middle School in Sitka, will center around students in 6th through 8th grade, aiming to strengthen their connections to their peers, supportive adults, and the community. Students will have the opportunity to explore various physical activities, such as basketball, rock climbing, disc golf, ping pong, roller skating, and activities of their choice. Students will establish positive connections with their peers through games, art, and conversations centered around relationship building.
RurAL CAP - Resilient Alaska Youth (RAY)
RurAL CAP’s Resilient Alaska Youth (RAY) AmeriCorps program addresses rural Alaska’s high rates of youth substance abuse and suicide through the cultivation of resiliency, supportive relationships, and positive cultural identity. In collaboration with local partners, RAY AmeriCorps members plan and implement curriculum across communities statewide. Members are individuals over 18 who promote positive development and experiential learning in youth through cultural, youth engagement, and life-skill building activities. RAY AmeriCorps members are recruited locally from their communities by a sponsoring community program partner like tribal or city councils, local schools, or health clinics. Successful applicants are supervised by a locally identified site supervisor and are expected to work closely with community residents. Members serve terms aligned with the academic calendar year and are provided with comprehensive training and support.
OPT-In Kiana: Kiana
The primary goal of OPT-In Kiana is to recognize and highlight the positive aspects of youth and the community. They believe that all youth have something valuable to offer. The program provides activities that reduce risk factors, enhance protective factors, and promote youth achievement. These activities involve active experiential learning, community engagement, and positive planning for the future.
Nenana City School District: Nenana K-12 school
Nenana City School District partnered with Railbelt Mental Health and Addictions to run an afterschool youth program called “Lynx Leaders”. The sessions begin with a snack and team-building exercise, followed by a discussion led by the coordinator, often focused on interpersonal relationships. Afterward, the youth engage in STEM or cultural activities, such as building traditional skin drums, then conclude with a reflection activity. Overall, this program aims to provide a safe space for students to express themselves and navigate adolescence, steering away from substance misuse.
What is Positive Youth Development?
Positive youth development is an approach, a way to think about young people, which focuses on their assets (capacities, strengths, and developmental needs) and not solely on their deficits (risks, negative behaviors, and problems). This approach calls for shifting attention away from a crisis mentality that concentrates on stopping problems, to developing careful strategies that increase young people’s exposure to positive and constructive relationships and activities that promote healthy, responsible, and compassionate choices. Adapted from A Guide to Positive Youth Development.
The Adolescent Health Program has a vision where all Alaskan youth:
Feel they matter in their community
Feel that their teachers care about them
Participate in supervised afterschool activities
Volunteer in their schools or community
Have three or more supportive adults they can turn to