This study examined the program effectiveness of Health Rocks!, a youth substance use prevention program. Merging data from 128,544 youth participants in 21 states between 2009 and 2021, this study compared self-reported levels of knowledge, skills, and internal and external assets before and after the program. Youth reported significant increases…

There are many environmental issues surrounding the global production and use of plastics. Three science curricula (Grades K-2, 3-5, and 6-8) were developed to introduce youth to the past, present, and future of plastics. Designed using research-based methods and grounded in effective science pedagogy, the curricula provide young people…

Researchers examined social and emotional learning (SEL) ratings for two samples of 559 and 406 predominantly elementary-age youth of color, who were enrolled in out-of-school time (OST) programs serving communities mostly of high socioeconomic need in Palm Beach County, Florida. Covering the 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 school years in the context of…

Engagement in citizen science can result in participant outcomes including increased science and environmental literacy and civic action. One factor which may increase the likelihood of these outcomes is facilitation by groups such as employers, schools, or other organizations. We examined how a partnership between SciStarter and Girl Scouts of…

Get Islington Reading was a three-year campaign to develop a community of happy, confident young readers aged 9 to 14 across the London Borough of Islington. The campaign was funded by the Charity of Sir Richard Whittington through The Mercers' Company and delivered by the National Literacy Trust and The Reading Agency in collaboration with…

Background: The goal of the study was to develop and verify a pathway model (or theory of change) for STEM Scouts, an out-of-school time (OST), positive youth development program for elementary through high school-aged youth. Pathway models include connections between hypothesized activities to short-, mid-, and long-term outcomes. STEM Scouts is…

It has long been held that participation in sport, physical activity (PA) and physical education (PE) can yield valuable benefits for young people (Bailey et al., 2009. The educational benefits claimed for physical education and school sport: An academic review. "Research Papers in Education," 24(1), 1-27.…

In this dissertation, I examine how two major social programs in Kentucky--state-funded preK and Family Resource and Youth Service Centers--impact children's outcomes across the state, including racial, ethnic, and economic equity through elementary school. In each chapter, I will analyze how early childhood opportunities relate to outcomes…

This qualitative study examines how youth of Color with and without disabilities used youth participatory action research (YPAR) to advance a youth-centered conceptualization of inclusive education (IE). We examined data over the course of an academic year, which included weekly video recordings of whole-group and small-group interactions in the…

This article describes ROCKETS, an after-school program for at-risk youth, and how the university students became involved in this service-learning project. The article discusses the steps that were taken to start the program, what is being done to continue the program, and the challenges that faculty have faced. This program is an authentic…

Many afterschool physical activity programs and curricula are available, but evaluation of their effectiveness is needed. Well-marketed programs such as the Child and Adolescent Trial for Cardiovascular Health (CATCH) Kids Club have shown limited effectiveness in increasing physical activity for participants in comparison to control groups.…

Positive youth development (PYD) deserves more empirical attention, particularly among children of diverse racial-ethnic backgrounds. Given the need among families for monitoring and supervision during out-of-school time, community-based afterschool is a potentially promotive ecological setting. This study explores the quality of afterschool…

The term "social-emotional learning" (SEL), defined by the Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning (CASEL) as "a process for helping children develop the fundamental skills for life effectiveness," is a current buzzword in education, highlighting the important role that both practitioners and researchers…

This evidence guide provides detailed research summaries on the effectiveness of specific afterschool programs for improving outcomes for students in grades K-12. The purpose of the guide is to present information that education agencies, afterschool providers, and others can use as they make decisions about afterschool programming. The guide is a…

Cultivating leadership identity early in a child's development is crucial. This article examines the development of an intentional leadership identity development program for young girls. Using participatory action research (PAR), faculty and students from a college school of social work and administrators and teachers from a suburban…