NextUp RVA Students from Henderson and Boushall Middle School.

We’re at an important crossroads. In Virginia, 36 percent of middle school students care for themselves after school, and only nine percent participate in after-school programs. The importance of middle school and Out-of-School Time (OST) programs as part of our students’ educational experience cannot be overstated.

The middle school years are a pivotal time for keeping youth safe and focused on their education and hopeful about their future.

Learning beyond the bell

NextUp RVA provides a free, coordinated system of after-school programs for Richmond middle schools. It’s the new resource for students who are ready to customize how they learn and play after school. It’s arts, it’s science, it’s sports, it’s life skills, it’s self-expression, it’s problem solving — and it’s always productive and fun.