A Bibb County educator has been chosen as only one of 18 Afterschool Ambassadors for the Afterschool Alliance.
Dr. Janice Flowers, the district’s director of Before and After School Programs, was selected to serve as one of only 18 Afterschool Ambassadors in the nation.
“I am delighted to work with the Afterschool Alliance to increase support for afterschool programs,” Flowers said. “It’s a tremendously important issue in my community and state. In normal times, afterschool programs help young people succeed in school and in life, and support working families throughout Georgia. Now more than ever, afterschool programs are essential in caring for children with academic, social and emotional needs created by the pandemic and supporting efforts to rebuild our economy. I look forward to helping build support for all programs that offer a safe place for our children to learn and grow outside of the regular school day.”
The Afterschool Alliance requires ambassadors to continue their work at local afterschool programs while in the role for one year.
Ambassadors must organize public events and communicate with policymakers and community leaders to support the state’s afterschool programs.
Each Ambassador will organize a major event for Lights On Afterschool next October. However, Flowers says if the pandemic continues, they will look to the World Health Organization for the next steps.
“We are so pleased that Dr. Janice Flowers will serve as an Afterschool Ambassador this year, with the pandemic increasing the need for quality afterschool and summer learning programs so dramatically, we need strong advocates who have their fingers on the pulse of their communities,” said Afterschool Alliance Executive Director Jodi Grant. “Janice will do a terrific job mobilizing community and business leaders, parents, policy makers, educators and others to send the message that afterschool programs are vital to our recovery from COVID-19. Afterschool programs keep kids safe, inspire them to learn, and give families peace of mind that their children are safe, learning, and constructively engaged while parents are at work or looking for jobs.”
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