[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 3]
[Senate]
[Pages 3520-3521]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




      NATIONAL AFTERSCHOOL ASSOCIATION 20TH ANNIVERSARY CONFERENCE

  Mr. DODD. Mr. President, next week, members of the afterschool 
community will be gathering for the 20th anniversary of the National 
AfterSchool Association Conference. The initial conference held two 
decades ago marked the first formal meeting of afterschool 
professionals under their own organization to discuss and develop 
solutions to address the needs of school-age children during their 
hours out of school.
  Of course, back then we didn't call it afterschool. Instead, we 
talked about ``latchkey'' programs for ``latchkey kids.'' At the 
outset, these programs replaced the need for latchkeys around the neck 
with welcoming, safe, and nurturing environments; they were a prime 
factor in the creation of the Act for Better Child Care.
  As pioneers in the school-age movement, this passionate, dedicated 
group of leaders recognized that the needs of these students were 
distinct from those of early childhood. Their movement helped school-
age providers network and share resources, culminating in the creation 
of the National School-Age Care Alliance, which later became the 
National Afterschool Association, NAA. Over time, 36 State affiliates 
were established.
  In the past two decades, the field has evolved and NAA with it. 
Parents wanted more opportunities for their children, and the need for 
assuring quality programming became evident. In collaboration with the 
School Age Child Project at Wellesley College, NAA developed national 
quality standards and a national accreditation process for afterschool 
programs. These standards became the foundation for other groups' 
guidelines for programs for school-age children.
  The NAA continues to be a leading voice in the afterschool community 
with almost 10,000 members nationally and internationally. The 
professionals who make up NAA's membership supply a critical component 
of quality programs, providing children with high-quality programming 
and positive relationships with adult mentors. The NAA has worked on 
behalf of the afterschool workforce to improve its quality and ensure 
that the profession's voice is heard. Today, their annual conference 
remains a key way for the afterschool community to share and network.
  Afterschool has grown by leaps and bounds and now includes a 
diversity of programs providing a wide array of opportunities for young 
people. These

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programs tackle a variety of issues including bolstering academic 
performance, preventing childhood obesity, and exposing children to the 
arts and music. Through time, the NAA has always maintained its 
commitment to supporting quality programs with well-trained staff 
dedicated to helping children grow to the best of their abilities. 
Because of the NAA, parents can more successfully balance their work 
and home life and millions of American children have safe places to 
grow and develop when the school day ends.
  I am proud to join with those in attendance at this milestone NAA 
conference celebrating the journey of the past 20 years. I congratulate 
the members of the afterschool community on this special anniversary 
and thank them for their hard work creating safe and engaging 
environments for our children.

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