Welcome from the Managing Editor of Afterschool Matters, Fall 2019

By Georgia Hall

At the beginning of September, NIOST welcomed a new group of 16 Afterschool Matters Fellows to our campus for a two-day retreat filled with reflection, thoughtful writing, and inquiry-focused discussion. A sentence one of the fellows wrote has stuck with me: “Relevant OST programming never loses sight of its role as an entity where youth and their families are connected to the best promises of a civil and caring society.” Yes, OST practitioners and researchers want to see ourselves as relevant! We value our role as caretakers of children and youth, but we also strive for relevance as we support healthy development, social and emotional wellness, and academic achievement. These aspirations are our contribution to a civil and caring society.