Problems with school work were linked to cigarette smoking, alcohol use, involvement in weapon-related violence and, for white and Hispanic students, suicidal thoughts and attempts. Frequently "just hanging out" with friends was associated with cigarette smoking, alcohol use and, for males and minority females, involvement in weapon-related violence. Having close friends who drink or smoke was a risk factor for those behaviors. Friends' drinking was also related to teens' risk of being involved in weapon-related violence and, for females and Hispanic males, to suicide risk. Having a friend who has attempted suicide was strongly associated with young people's own risk for suicide. Positive family relationships were a protective factor against involvement in weapon-related violence, alcohol use among black youth, suicide among females and black males, and having sexual intercourse, among black females. Being in a romantic relationship was related to having sexual intercourse. Among some subsets of teens, the perceived benefits and costs of having sex or getting pregnant and the perceived--but not actual-- amount of knowledge about birth control also influenced sexual behavior. What did you do to deal with stress and pressure when you were in School?

 Sense of belonging and relationships with peers  Relationships with staff.  Youth leadership.  Educational Benefits  Exposure to new experiences  College preparation.  Internships.  Discussions of community issues.

 Funding  Recruitment/High enrollment  Attendance/Retaining  Pull of other outside endeavors (work/home duties)  Balancing investing more money and time to committed vs. uncommitted youth.  Quantity vs. Quality

 Center based/School based  Wide range of activities vs. one specific area of focus  Academic enhancement and recreational activities were the most common  Focus on topics such as careers, job training and placement, preparation for post-secondary education, and life skills/transition to individual living

The most commonly offered types of activities included:  Academic enhancement activities(78 % of programs)  Recreation activities; sports and games(68 %).  Life skills and activities related to arts and culture(58 %).  Community building activities(51 %)  Career and work activities(47 %).

PARTNERED WITH MIT “An after-school technology based program that brings young people together while providing them with useful resources that can help them in the future.”

1. Children felt safer after school 2. Positive Relations between adults & children improved 3. Higher overall achievement on standardized tests 4. Better school attendance among program participants 5. Greater aspirations regarding finishing high school & attending college

What Makes a Good Program? “LA's BEST grew to become the trend- setter for every out-of-school-time intermediary in the country.” – Robert Wood Johnson Foundation The After School Project, August 2005  Goal Setting  Quality After-School Staff  Attention to Safety, Health, & Nutrition Issues  Effective Partnerships  Strong Involvement of Families  Enriching Learning Opportunities

 Russell C.A., Vile J.D.,Reisner E.R., Simko C.E., Mielke M.B., & Pechman E.(2008). Evaluation of the New York City Department of Youth and Community Development Out-of-School Time Programs for Youth Initiative Implementation of Programs for High School Youth.  Carpenter S. (2009). Teens’ risky behavior is about more than race and family resources. Monitor on Psychology, 32(1 ).