October 9, 2007

Afterschool Alliance names Hoshiko Afterschool Ambassador

Mary Hoshiko, vice president of Program and Community Devel-opment for the YMCA of Santa Clara Valley, will be serving as a 2007-2008 Afterschool Ambassador. Hoshiko is one of 22 local leaders from 19 states selected for the honor. 

Each ambassador will continue directing, working for or supporting a local after school program while also serving a one-year term organizing public events, communicating with policy makers and building support for after school programs.

“After school programs keep children safe, inspire them to learn, and help working families,” said Afterschool Alliance Executive Director Jodi Grant. “Mary Hoshiko brings talent and experience to the challenge of making after school programs available to all families.” 

As part of the Afterschool Alliance’s Oct. 18 Lights On Afterschool, program, Hoshiko will be participating in the Breakfast of Champions at San Jose City Hall’s Rotunda, recognizing 30 champions from local programs.

“Following the breakfast, many of the 70 after school sites throughout the county will be hosting activities to introduce their programs,” Hoshiko said. 

In 2006 - 2007, Hoshiko led the expansion of 24 state-funded YMCA after school programs in partnership with nine school districts serving an additional 2,400 youth in high need communities. 

The YMCA of Santa Clara Valley serves more than 56,000 youth annually through enriching early childhood, after school, camping, swimming, sports and parent/child programs that help children mature into healthy, productive adults. 

After school programs offer young people safe, enriching, fun and engaging places to spend their afternoons. Youth in after school programs have been shown to perform better in school and have greater expectations for the future, while children who are unsupervised in the afternoons are at greater risk of becoming involved with crime, substance abuse and teenage pregnancy. 

The Afterschool Alliance is a nonprofit public awareness and advocacy organization working to ensure that all children and youth have access to quality after school programs by 2010. More information is available at www.afterschoolalliance.org.