With school now in full swing, some parents might be wondering what to do with their children after school to set them up for success in the future. One local organization is providing free support for teens, and showing them why what they do after school really matters.
“The moment I got that acceptance letter I was like YES!”, Araceli Mireles, an After School Matters alum said.
Mireles remembers the day she was accepted into a program that would change her life. She was a high school freshman and excited to join the Chicago based “After School Matters.”
“After School Matters is a non-profit organization that is nurturing our future generations in order to learn different practices whether it’s careers or just being able to learn a trade as well,” Mireles explained.
Tony Diaz Chief Program Officer, said the organization provides summer and after school programming for Chicago teens and high school teens between the ages of 14 and 19.
Diaz has seen tens of thousands of teens join After School Matters in his 16 years with the organization — Mireles is one of them. She joined at the not so subtle advice of her mother.
“Ummm…well…I wasn’t the best student actually. I was terrible,” Mireles laughed. “My mom said you need to find something to do with your life because I had way too much free time on my hands.”
It turned out to be a life changing experience. So far this year, After School Matters has served 19,000 Chicago area students, organizers said. The free experience even comes with financial perks.
“Our teens actually get paid a stipend to participate depending on the program they sign up for,” said Diaz.
Today, Mireles isn’t just an After School Matters alum. She now works as an instructor, teaching the next generation of Chicago teens culinary skills. She’s thankful for how the program shaped her future and is excited about the opportunity to shape the future of today’s teens.
“Don’t give up on yourself,” Mireles said. “Trust yourself that you can do better. It’s so much easier to give up on your future but being able to take that first step to know that I can make my life a little bit better and coming to ASM is a great way to get it started.”
More information on After School Matters and how to apply can be found here.