ASAP/After School Activities Partnerships’ mission is to develop high quality after school activities and resources to empower youth and strengthen communities in Philadelphia. The organization was founded in 2002, by Marciene Mattleman, at the request of City leaders to bring to public awareness the dangers of the afternoon hours for unsupervised youth. Since 2006 ASAP has coordinated four citywide initiatives that engage thousands of Philadelphia youth (grades K-12) each year in fun, enriching out-of-school time (OST) activities and experiences that develop critical academic, social, and emotional skills through a combination of structured programming and informal play: •ASAP Chess: With 150 clubs meeting weekly and competing monthly, ASAP Chess develops the problem-solving and strategic-thinking skills of more than 2,300 youth. •ASAP Debate: Through ASAP Debate, over 500 youth in 45 middle and high school clubs explore important issues while building critical reading and public speaking skills. •ASAP Drama: For more than 950 youth in 27 clubs, ASAP Drama nurtures young people’s powers of expression, teamwork skills and cultural knowledge through participating in group performances and attending professional productions. •ASAP Scrabble: Through weekly play and citywide events, ASAP Scrabble strengthens the essential building blocks of literacy and mathematics for more than 1,200 students in 85 clubs. Over the last two decades, ASAP has emerged as a leader and trusted collaborator in Philadelphia’s out-of-school time sector. Supported by strategic partnerships with city agencies, community organizations and a broad network of stakeholders, ASAP has served more than 85,000 school-aged youth since its inception. We believe: "WHAT HAPPENS AFTER GRADUATION, STARTS WITH WHAT HAPPENS AFTER SCHOOL"