Youth Policy Op Ed - McKamey & Restler

When COVID-19 struck and left America in shambles, I was only a seventh grader. Back in middle school, I didn't have much interest in after school programs or clubs. However, after spending most of my seventh and eighth grade days inside due to covid, once I entered high school I had the urge to go out and explore Providence to the fullest. Because I was only a freshman and had to get my mom's permission for everything, my options were very limited. That is when I heard from a friend about an afterschool program that was just across Classical High School--New Urban Arts. New Urban Arts (NUA) opened my eyes to what all afterschool programs should be like. There I was able to meet new friends, learn how to make art in several different ways, and express myself freely. It gave me a place to relax and calm myself down after a long day of school. I was able to meet with most of the artist mentors and create a close relationship with them as well. I spent a lot of time with a mentor named Ian who taught me the entire process of the art of screen printing.

CONNECTION: While reading the McKamey and Restler piece, I found that it resonated with my experience at NUA. Due to spending so much time at NUA, I was able to talk to other students and learn more about why they spent so much time there. I personally spent a lot of my time at NUA because I wanted somewhere to relax, create art, and hangout with friends. However, I learned that for some people that may not be the case--some kids were waiting for their parents who worked late hours to pick them up, some might've needed help with studying or writing papers (these were mentioned in the McKamey and Restler piece), or some kids didn't want to go home and just pushed it as late as they could before they had no choice but to leave. This was--and still is--extremely common for kids in all grades. Many kids may not have found comfort in these after school programs, but they needed somewhere safe to stay.

TikToks ↓ ("Rare Aesthetic" - Afterschool Programs)

https://www.tiktok.com/@user0623678603/video/7545597462455667999?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=7537191062348072503

https://www.tiktok.com/@anthropologetic/video/7488794811693042975?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=7537191062348072503