I was sitting in Model United Nations with some of my friends, when our teacher announced to us that there will be no after school funding in all of FCPS Middle school for the 2025-2026 school year. This came as a shock, and I, as an Eighth grader, am not affected. However, this is detrimental to children around me. I was involved in many after school programs in seventh grade, and when I reached eighth and didn't have any classes with anyone I knew, I felt betrayed and isolated, but now, I see them weekly in after school. I don't feel isolated anymore, even if I don't see the people I care about everyday. After school truly helped my mental health this year, and I'm sure it will have the same effect on other rising middle schoolers. Taking away after school is cruel to the students, and, in fact, many in-school programs have out-of-school events that require after school. Also, not everyone has a good home life, and after school can provide an outlet to be away from home. Things like doing Model United Nations, Science Olympiad, Technology Student Association, and Student Council Association extremely important in the long run. Something MUST be done to stop the schools taking away passion, friendship, physical health, and education. 

Please!!! Post on social media, and bring attention to this issue! We need this to END. #BringBackASFunding #BBASF 

Top Comments:

"This is such an important issue to be resolved and as a student in Model UN myself, although this is my last year in middle school, I sincerely doubt that this funding problem won’t spread to high schools. These programs are so important to mental health and to expressing yourself. I’ve grown so much over the past two years in MUN and I can’t even fathom the possibility and reality that other people my age entering middle school with the same uncertainty I had won’t be able to join these wonderful communities."

-Victoria

"As someone that is personally involved in a LOT of afterschool clubs, afterschool is something that shouldn't be axed. Afterschool, for a lot of people, is something that lets them do something other than just go home and do nothing. It lets people interact with other people in ways that they might not otherwise, or would not have met at all without after school. It also lets people improve their grades and their situation in a certain class, because it lets people see their teachers when they otherwise might not be able to see them outside of class. It also means that people can escape their parents, if they have a situation where their parents might be abusive. If after school is gone, it ruins a lot of what people want to do, and what they look forward to throughout the week."

-Rory