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.

South Dakota Celebrates 20 Years of Lights On Afterschool in 2019

South Dakota celebrated the 20th anniversary of Lights On Afterschool in coordination with the SoDakSACA Afterschool Conference on October 11, 2019. The event was scheduled to take place at the Sanford Lab Homestake Visitor Center in Lead, but was moved to the conference location in Spearfish due to an early fall blizzard. The program went on as planned in spite of the blizzard with over 100 participants celebrating the programs that dot our state.

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2023 Impact Report

Creating Impact Across the State South Dakota Afterschool Network has seen a great deal of change over the last year. With change has come growth, opportunity and success. Take a moment to celebrate with us the success we have found throughout the year and let us...

Meet Jake – Mental Health Coordinator

Meet Jake – Mental Health Coordinator

Jake has made it his mission to make an impact on mental health and change the way we look at it. After multiple suicide attempts and being diagnosed with depression, anxiety, and psychosis, Jake looked to create new programs and spaces to help others not feel so...

2022 Impact Report

Creating Impact Across the State South Dakota Afterschool Network has seen a great deal of change over the last year. With change has come growth, opportunity and success. Take a moment to celebrate with us the success we have found throughout the year and let us...