Congratulations to NJ’s Own Darnell Scott for Being Chosen as One of Just 18 ‘Afterschool Ambassadors’ in the Nation This Year

Darnell Scott Will Work in New Jersey to Raise Awareness About and Increase Access to Afterschool and Summer Learning Programs

Washington, DC – The Afterschool Alliance announced today that Darnell Scott, Director of Children’s Programs at the Jointure, has been selected to serve as an Afterschool Ambassador for the Afterschool Alliance in 2020-2021. He is one of just 18 leaders in the United States chosen for the honor this year. Afterschool Ambassadors continue their work at local afterschool programs while serving the one-year Afterschool Ambassador term, organizing public events, communicating with policy makers and community leaders, and in other ways increasing awareness and support for afterschool and summer learning programs.

“We are so pleased that Darnell Scott will serve as an Afterschool Ambassador this year,” said Afterschool Alliance Executive Director Jodi Grant. “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. Darnell 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.”

“I am extremely excited to work with the Afterschool Alliance to increase support for afterschool programs,” said Scott. “In my 18 years working in this field, I have seen the importance and necessity for our youth to attend an afterschool program. In normal times, afterschool programs help young people succeed in school and in life, and support working families throughout New Jersey. These days, we need to help children with academic, social and emotional needs created by the pandemic and support efforts to rebuild our economy. That makes these programs even more essential. I look forward to helping build support for the out-of-school-time opportunities all students need, now and over time.”

“The Garden State Afterschool community is so proud of Darnell,” said NJSACC Executive Director Diane Genco. “He is truly worthy of this honor.”

The Jointure is a nonprofit organization located in Somerset County, New Jersey. Pre-pandemic the Jointure served 600 students in afterschool programs in Bridgewater-Raritan, Branchburg and Manville as well as preschool and kindergarten at the Creative Campus in Branchburg. The Jointure currently serves approximately 75 students at the Creative Campus in four preschool classrooms, two full-day kindergarten classrooms and three virtual classroom for school-age students. In the Jointure’s afterschool program, students work on homework, participate in recreational activities and community service projects and arts and crafts.

Each Ambassador will organize a major event for Lights On Afterschool, the Afterschool Alliance’s annual rally for afterschool, which will include events on or around Thursday, October 28, 2021.