Students Across New Jersey Ask their Communities to “Listen Up!” as they share their words and take meaningful action in efforts to change our world.

New Jersey After 3 (NJA3) is a private, nonprofit organization dedicated to expanding and improving afterschool opportunities for New Jersey’s kids. Our vision is for all New Jersey children to have easy access to high quality, comprehensive, structured, supervised and enriching afterschool activities. For the 2008-09 school year, NJA3’s network of afterschool programs includes over 100 schools, serving 14,000 kids.

To recognize and celebrate Global Youth Service Day 2009, NJA3 afterschool programs across New Jersey will be working with afterschool students in March and April to explore the importance of literacy, and how it impacts each of us, our community and our world at large.

The NJA3 “Listen Up!” initiative is a statewide service learning project organized by NJA3 that engages the students in its afterschool programs in meaningful examination of and action toward promoting literacy. Throughout the spring, thousands of students across New Jersey will be participating in the “Listen Up!” initiative. In conjunction with GYSD, NJA3 students will then share what they have learned by leading “Listen Up!” Literacy Fairs on and around April 24-26, 2009, that feature activities aimed at promoting reading and writing.

In many of the NJA3 programs, AmeriCorps members will be leading the efforts to have youth “Listen Up!” The NJA3 AmeriCorps program is designed to engage the students in its afterschool programs in meaningful service learning activities that build their sense of civic responsibility, enhance their academic lessons with hands-on activities and address vital needs in their communities.

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