The Georgia Statewide AfterSchool program announced its AfterSchool Community Champions for the year. 

Bulloch County boasts two champions – Joy Deal with the Statesboro Bulloch County Parks and Recreation Department; and Joseph Folsom with the Bulloch Counseling Center and the Journey Child and Adolescent Center.

The AfterSchool Community Champions Program is a board of AfterSchool Program professionals who help advance, connect and support quality out-of-school time programs to promote the success of youth throughout Georgia.

The two Bulloch champions, along with many others from around the state, will receive training that will help them strengthen community awareness, support effective programs and advocate for AfterSchool Programs and their impact on a student’s success.

“AfterSchool care is a vital and necessary program for working parents,” Deal said. 

“I believe quality Afterschool programs help children to thrive. It gives them great socialization skills, introduces them to wonderful college student mentors and offers them a group of caring individuals that support every child.”

“It is an honor to be included as a champion,” Folsom said. “I am extremely excited to be able to network with others in the Afterschool world and be able to include mental health wellness approaches into these programs. We are excited about growing our AfterSchool Program called ‘SHINE’ for elementary and middle-school aged children that have a mental health diagnosis. We want to be able to help more children and families in the area.” 

For more information about Georgia Statewide AfterSchool, visit www.afterschoolga.org. For program information with the Statesboro Bulloch County Parks and Recreation Department, visit www.bullochrec.com. 

For program information with the Bulloch Counseling Center, email Folsom at jtfolsom@pine

landcsb.org.