The school day at Homer Plessy’s campus in New Orleans’ 7th Ward ends at 3:30 pm, but the school doesn’t close for another two hours.
About 100 kids participate in free after-school programming — from coding to music to graphic design — thanks to federal funding.
“We help out the families because a lot of them need after-school programming because they’re working,” said Corey Williams, a program leader with Community Works, a Louisiana nonprofit that runs Plessy’s after-school program and others.
Most parents in Louisiana want to enroll their kids in after-school programs but aren’t able to, according to a recent survey from the After School Alliance, a nonprofit advocacy group.
Parents cited cost — many programs aren’t free — and limited spots as the main issues. Plessy’s program has a waiting list. Williams said his organization is trying to staff up, as much as funding allows, so they can bring in more kids mid-year.
Louisiana received $28 million this year for after-school programs, part of $1.3 billion in funding nationally. The money goes directly to schools and education partners, like Community Works.
The Trump administration withheld the money for Plessy’s program and others over the summer as part of its crackdown on education grants, but later released the funds.
“There were a couple of weeks there where I was really worried,” said Chandler Nutik, Community Work’s executive director. “I do think it brought a lot of attention to the importance of after-school programs.”
This week, Plessy, along with thousands of schools across the country, held events to celebrate its after-school program and highlight the importance of funding.
Second and fourth graders partnered on a musical number, strumming guitars and playing percussion for an audience of parents.
Students read poetry about light in honor of the theme, “lights on after school,” while a trio of girls previewed their plans for an upcoming fashion show: windbreakers.
Toward the end, the showcase turned into more of an open mic, and the small crowd gave a standing ovation when a boy named William danced like a robot.
