Local After-School Program Wins National Award

The Afterschool Alliance, a Washington-based national non-profit group dedicated to ensuring that all chil- dren have access to after-school programs by 2010, has awarded first place to the After School Enrichment Program (ASEP) in its "Home Run Contest" honoring financial stability and commitment to the community. ASEP is open to students of McKinley Elementary School, at Castro and 14th Street, and is run by founder and Duboce Triangle resident Libby Albert. In addition to the prestige of this national recognition, Libby will be provided tickets and a trip for two to Miami for three World Series games.

"One of the things that makes ASEP special is that its leaders have cultivated a broad range of partnerships and funding sources," said Afterschool Alliance Executive Director Judy Y. Samelson. In an era of cutbacks and closures, Ms. Samelson praised ASEF for "piecing together a stable budget that draws on a number of sources, including local and federal government dollars, as well as charitable giving. As a result, the program is able to continue doing what afterschool does best: help kids leam, keep them safe and help working families. We think other afterschool programs will want to follow that example, which is why we are honoring this remarkable program.

Libby was grateful "for the great trip and the recogni- tion of our program. It is such an honor for us," she said. She acknowledged the success of ASEP is largely due to her staff and the parents, and also the McKinley school staff and its principal, Bonnie Coffey-Smith. McKinley, she noted, is known as "the best kept secret in San Francisco because it is a small neighborhood school with highly qualified teachers and committed families. My children attended this school and I can't say enough good things about it."

ASEP was founded in 1999 by Libby and her friend, Margaret Sheehan (who left in 2001): two mothers struggling to find quality, affordable after-school care for their children. It grew quickly from 20 students to 100 today, reflecting the enthusiasm and need for quality after-school care shared by other McKinley parents.

ASEP's close partnership with the school has helped produce a significant improvement in grade-level "decoding" skills for the very diverse and multi-lingual K-5 student population: from 28 percent in September 2002 to 71 percent in May 2003.

In addition to homework and tutoring help, ASEP also offers scholarships, physical fitness, cooking/ nutrition, literature, arts and nature activities, and has won grants from such sources as the School District, the City, Team Up For Youth, the Sierra Club, and the Junior League.

No one is prouder than the success of ASEP and its director than Libby's husband, Peter. "The World Series? in Miami," he said, wistfully. "Well, that's great. It does relieve some of the pain from not having the Giants or the A's in the game."