PASCO, WA – Educational Service District (ESD) 123 is proud to announce that Margarita Alaman, 21st Century Community Learning Centers Program Director, has been selected as a 2023 Afterschool Ambassador for the Afterschool Alliance. She is one of only 16 afterschool leaders in the country chosen for the honor this year. Afterschool Ambassadors continue their work with local afterschool programs while serving a one-year Afterschool Ambassador term, organizing events, working with community leaders and policy makers, and in other ways increasing support for the afterschool and summer learning programs families rely on.
“We need strong, creative champions to spread the word about the essential role afterschool programs play in keeping kids safe, inspiring them to learn, and giving parents peace of mind that their children are safe and supervised after the school day ends,” Afterschool Alliance Executive Director Jodi Grant said. “Alaman is poised to be just the kind of powerful advocate we need.”
As an Afterschool Ambassador, Alaman will be networking within the community to create support and engagement, as well as working with local and state politicians to advocate for the importance of afterschool programs. The ESD 123 21st Century program will also be partnering with other local organizations to plan a community event in May and a Lights On Afterschool event on October 26, with details on both events to come.
The grant-funded 21st Century program engages students in grades K-12 with academics, college and career readiness, social-emotional learning, and more outside school hours at 14 sites across seven school districts in the ESD 123 region. Alaman looks forward to showcasing the hard work her team and other afterschool programs put in for kids and their families.
“I’m just excited to embrace what afterschool is and spread knowledge on how important it is for kids to have a safe place to be and feel a sense of belonging within their own communities,” says Alaman.
For more information, contact Molly Curtiss at 509.544.5787 or mcurtiss@esd123.org.
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About ESD 123: Educational Service District 123, based in Pasco, WA, is one of nine ESDs in Washington. Dedicated to delivering collaborative solutions that promote learning, ESD 123 serves 23 school districts in seven counties of Southeastern Washington. Under Superintendent Steve McCullough and its board of directors, this legislatively mandated, not-for-profit educational organization provides efficiency of educational systems and equity of learning opportunities for over 70,000 Washington students. For more information about ESD 123, please call 509-544-5700 or 888-547-8441 or visit www.esd123.org.