The South Dakota Afterschool Network works to better our state and its communities by connecting providers, parents and policymakers with proven tools and resources to increase the quality of and access to out-of-school time programming for K-12 children and youth.

Afterschool is a lifeline that keeps youth safe, helps kids learn and grow, and provides parents the ability to work without worry. While South Dakota is home to more than 300 afterschool programs, the demand for programs exceeds available spaces. In fact, 1 in 3 South Dakota children (34 percent) who are not in an afterschool program would be enrolled if it were available. That’s more than 42,000 children who are missing out on opportunities to participate in programming that supports their development academically, socially and economically.

Afterschool can provide valuable opportunities for students to explore STEM, and we are here to help your program succeed in STEM Learning! From webinars and trainings to our signature TMC Trailers that bring turnkey STEM activities to your doorstep, our diverse collection of resources meets you and your students where you are and provides the support you need to deliver quality programming to your students at any age. 

The South Dakota Afterschool Network wanted to create a mapping tool to better understand the landscape of afterschool and summer programs available for children and families. From the initial launch of the new mapping tool, we have identified some startling findings.

About SDAN

About SDAN

Who We Are

The South Dakota Afterschool Network works to better our state and its communities by connecting providers, parents and policymakers with proven tools and resources to increase the quality of and access to out-of-school time programming for K-12 children and youth.

l

Mission

The mission of the South Dakota Afterschool Network is to support and sustain quality afterschool, out of school time (OST) and youth development programs to serve the needs of South Dakota’s youth.

Vision

We envision a state where all children have access to high-quality, safe and affordable programming that supports successful academic and positive social outcomes for students, parents, schools and communities.

Meet The Team

Billy Mawhiney

Executive Director

Billy Mawhiney grew up on a farmland in a rural Missouri town of 113. On the farm is where he learned a strong work ethic and how to be a caring neighbor. He is a member of the Wyandotte Nation, the tribe instrumental in the founding of Kansas City, Kansas and Detroit, whose tribe language family comes from the Northern Iroquoian. He began his career in afterschool while in college at the Boys & Girls Clubs in Springfield, Missouri. He spent 8 years at that developing impact programming. He would eventually take a leap into licensed school age programs at the YMCA for the next 4 years. He and his now husband Kyle would eventually move to Brooklyn, New York, where he fell in love with cooking. Billy taught cooking classes for high school students at Validus Prep in the Bronx. They moved to South Dakota to be closer to family, start a family of their own and eventually find his way back to the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Sioux Empire where he was the Director of Operations.

Billy has spent his formative years in South Dakota working on advocacy at the state and federal level, expanding capacity for his organization and will now turn that energy into all afterschool programs throughout the state of South Dakota. In his spare time you can catch him in his heirloom tomato garden or teaching a cooking class at Plum’s Cooking Company in Downtown Sioux Falls.

Jeff Sebern

Director of Programs

Jeff Sebern is our new Director of Programs for the South Dakota Afterschool Network. He holds a B.S. in Biology Education with a coaching endorsement. Jeff started his career as a science teacher in the Alcester-Hudson School district where he also served as Head Girls Track Coach.

“During my time there my passion for working with kids extended into the afterschool arena as I worked part-time in the program at the school which served youth in grades K-6,” Sebern said. “After four years in the school system I began to think about alternative ways I could still work with students but in a way that affords more flexibility and focuses on the student as a whole person.  As Club Director and eventually Teen/Outreach Director with the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Sioux Empire, I was able to find that holistic strategy applied towards the kids we served.  OST programs are crucial to the development of children as they become well rounded, resilient, and ultimately successful adults.  With an additional four years of experience working in this environment, I believe I bring a unique perspective to SDAN that can help support OST programs throughout the state.”

Some of his passions outside of work are spending time with his family and pets as well as outdoor activities such as hiking and fishing. As the spring brings warm weather, you can frequently find him in his waders fishing at an area lake and enjoying the sunset and peaceful environment that comes with it.

Leadership Team

\

Desmond Keller

President of Leadership Team

Black Hills Special Services

\

Billy Mawhiney

Executive Director

South Dakota Afterschool Network

\

Chad Ronish

Black Hills State University

\

Glen Marshall

Boys & Girls Club of Rosebud

\

John Hegg

Community Volunteer

\

Dr. Sherry Johnson

Sisseton Wahpeton Sioux Tribe

\

Louis Canfield

Boys & Girls Club of Watertown

\

Fiscal Sponsor Representative, EmBe

\

Christine Wood

SDSU Extension/4-H

\

Sue Burgard

Community Volunteer

\

Kathleen Slocum

South Dakota State Library

Our Partners

Your support is advancing afterschool and summer programs in South Dakota