In Part 3 of our series with the Missouri AfterSchool Network, host Karin Wolfe sits down with program leaders serving rural, urban, and small-town communities across Missouri to explore what meaningful student engagement looks like in middle and high school afterschool programs. 

Guests share how student voice and choice, relationship building, hands-on learning, leadership opportunities, and career exploration experiences are helping young people discover their interests and future pathways. From entrepreneurship and virtual-reality career simulations to service learning and college visits, this episode highlights how afterschool programs create space for students to explore, connect, and grow. 

This episode also examines how afterschool professionals intentionally create environments where young people feel heard, supported, and empowered to think about their future goals in authentic and meaningful ways. 

Guests include: 

• Katie Schiefelbein, Hollister R-V School District 
• Peter Gioia, Mission: St. Louis Beyond School 
• Tracy Ross, Van Buren R-1 School District 

Resources mentioned in this episode: 

• The Missouri AfterSchool Network’s Resource Library (career awareness and youth entrepreneurship): https://moafterschool.org/resource-library 
• VentureLab (entrepreneurship-related curriculum and tools): https://venturelab.org  
• 220 Youth Leadership (leadership development programs): https://www.220leadership.com