ARCHS is partnering with Monsanto to promote science in after school as an emphasis on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education continues to grow.

Monsanto's Science Education Outreach Program will offer hands-on demonstrations for After School for All Partnership for St. Louis (ASAP) students. ASAP students in 34 schools will benefit greatly from the expertise of Monsanto's scientists to encourage STEM learning. Monsanto plans to visit all ASAP sites by December 2013.

ASAP is a community effort to increase the quality and access to after school programs in the Greater St. Louis area.

"We are very excited that ASAP students will receive this great opportunity to learn from science professionals at Monsanto," said ARCHS' Vice President of K-12 Programs Kristy Kight. "There is a growing focus on STEM learning in the school day environment, so for after school students to be further engaged in science by experts such as Monsanto staff is a great benefit for ASAP programs."

The Monsanto Science Education Outreach offers 10 programs focused around STEM education, such as States of Matter & Chemistry Fun, Chromatography, Black Light Fun, Chlorophyll: The Power of Plants, How Fast Does that Plant Grow, and more.

Maggie Cole, a member of ARCHS' Board of Directors and the Global Manufacturing Sustainability Lead at Monsanto, assisted in bringing the two organizations together to provide the STEM educational opportunities for ASAP.

"Being on the Board of Directors for ARCHS has given me another avenue to link this community resource where there could be value," Cole said. "The ASAP program provides a great way for Monsanto to reach future scientists in the St. Louis region."

Parents of After School for All Partnership (ASAP) students believe the activities their children receive are having a positive impact.

This past December, 702 parents completed surveys that asked a variety of questions about their ASAP experiences and impressions.

In the survey, 86.1% of parents said the after school programs help produce better school day learning and behavior for their child.

86.5% of parents who have children in ASAP believed the learning their child receives in the after school program has a direct correlation/link to the curriculum taught in the regular school day.

Additionally, 75% said they believe their child's grades have improved since participating in after school.

ASAP is a community effort to expand access to, and increase the quality of, after school programs for the Greater St. Louis Region. ASAP is managed by ARCHS, St. Louis for Kids and the Saint Louis Public School District and is funded by a unique network of public and private funders such as the State of Missouri, the St. Louis Mental Health Board and others

St. Louis Public Schools (SLPS) Coordinator of After School Programs Judith King visits with a student at Henry Elementary during after school. SLPS funds the After School for All Partnership for St. Louis (ASAP) with $100,000 annually because it believes in the many positives after school programming brings to area students.ARCHS Funding Spotlight: On-going series of feature stories about the funders who entrust ARCHS with resources to provide vital community services to the St. Louis region.

The importance of after school programming to St. Louis Public Schools (SLPS) is highly evident.

"ARCHS commitment to SLPS students and their families remains unsurpassed," said SLPS Superintendent Dr. Kelvin Adams. "Now in its fourth year, the After School for All Partnership for St. Louis (ASAP) after school programs have proven to be a vital component in the district's efforts to provide high-quality after school programs designed to improve academic achievement."

ASAP students at Peabody Elementary carve pumpkins as part of their Lights On After School activities.The After School for All Partnership for St. Louis (ASAP) was proud to be one of 6,000 communities across the nation taking part in Lights On After School. The 11th annual Lights On After School was held October 21 and featured more than 1 million Americans rallying for after school programs.

Dozens of ASAP programs participated in Lights On After School and host Fall Festivals, Pajama Jams, Hip Hop Sock Hops, Sports Nights, Academic Olympics, After School Cook Off and more!

ARCHS serves as the strategic fiscal and contract management agent for ASAP. ARCHS is the largest provider of free after school programming in the St. Louis region.

ASAP and its partners have added more than 2,600 new additional "after school slots" to the City of St. Louis. ASAP is working toward a goal of adding more than 5,600 new slots to assure that at least 22 percent of city-based students have access to after school services (the national average).

Check out the photo gallery page (click on picture) to see "Lights On" pictures from ASAP elementary schools Sherman, Peabody, Mason, Lexington, Jefferson and Stevens Middle School (21st Century)!