Statement of YMCA of the USA President and CEO Suzanne McCormick on President Biden’s State of the Union Address

CHICAGO (March 8, 2024) – YMCA of the USA (Y-USA) commends President Biden for his dedication to supporting our nation’s youth and continued focus on proven strategies and partnerships that accelerate academic learning and enrichment.

Last night, President Biden remarked on the importance of ‘giving every child a good start’ by ‘expanding access to high-quality tutoring and summer learning time’ and ‘ensuring every child learns to read by third grade.’ The Y is proud to partner with the Biden Administration to invest in our children and their futures through the Improving Student Achievement Agenda for 2024.

We can create the most positive outcomes for children by giving them access to healthy relationships, environments and experiences. Children in this post-pandemic era need more support and more time to succeed. Out-of-school time (OST) programs, like before-school, after-school and summer programs provided by Ys across the country, meet these needs. OST strategies are supported by research, which shows that afterschool and summer programs improve school attendance, homework completion, class participation and attitudes towards school.

Quality OST programs offer the kind of activities that support children on their learning journeys. These programs address achievement gaps and boost in-school success while also preparing kids for the future by providing them with skills for 21st century jobs. OST programs are critical in helping students stay engaged in learning and connected to peers and adults. At Ys across America, OST programs also offer much-needed support for both children and working parents by giving kids and teens a safe place to go outside of school.

Our Y programs also nourish kids by providing them with healthy meals and snacks along with opportunities to be active – which have been shown to benefit children by improving their health and test scores.

All children and teens have potential, and the Y looks forward to continuing to work with the Administration to close the academic opportunity gap and improve students’ educational readiness, engagement and outcomes, while helping them grow emotionally and physically. Working together, we can meet the challenges facing our children head on and help them thrive.