ABSTRACT
R. James, a middle-school student in South Carolina, voicing his disappointment when the state legislature eliminated funding for his school's after-school program. This chapter examines three key points: the need to fill the dangerous "gap time" after school; the way after-school programs help equip students to meet future challenges; and the critical components of programs that keep at-risk students on the path to promotion and graduation. Research supports the idea that utilizing out-of-school time activities to build student-adult relationships has a positive impact on student motivation and achievement. Expecting children and young adolescents to master more material and tougher standards within the same traditional school day or year can lead to difficulties. The school district in rural Timmonsville, South Carolina resolved transportation problems by consolidating this mix of activities and providers at the middle school. Additionally, after-school programs provide hope, opportunities, and academic support to students who might fall through the cracks in the traditional educational setting.
