School is back in session, and for many families, after-school programs are getting underway. And chances are, some of those kids are getting hands-on STEM learning. But hundreds of thousands of kids are missing out. According to the Michigan After-School Alliance, 93% of Michigan kids in after-school programs have access to STEM learning. That’s a massive jump from 60 percent in 2014. But there’s a catch. Nearly 829,000 Michigan families want an after-school program for their child—and more than 678,000 don’t have access to one. That means about 5 in 6 Michigan kids are still missing out. Michigan lawmakers have responded by awarding a record $135 million to after-school and summer programs this year. But advocates say there is still a lot of work to do. In Metro Detroit, some organizations are already doing that work.  Here’s who joined Local 4 Live Monday morning to talk more about this: Vicky Parker, the founder and CEO of Elite Focus Enterprise, a Metro Detroit organization delivering hands-on STEM projects through before- and after-school programs; Bartel Welch with Code 313, a Detroit nonprofit that partners with schools to bring free STEM opportunities to Detroit-area youth, including an annual drone basketball tournament, and Stephanie Van Koevering with the Michigan Afterschool Partnership.
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