Toledo, Ohio had a thriving downtown area that housed corporations and businesses. Families lived and worked in and around downtown. Like many cities, Toledo suffered from urban sprawl, leaving behind families with fewer opportunities for employment and resources. While many families still call Toledo home, parents often have to look for work outside of their neighborhood, which leads to children having limited options for the after-school hours before their parents return from work.

After-School All-Stars (ASAS) came to the struggling area in 2012, starting afterschool programs in Birmingham Elementary and Walbridge Elementary Schools. The Toledo Public Schools Superintendent recognized the tremendous opportunity gap students in the downtown area faced, and decided to try something more dynamic and comprehensive than afterschool care that was the equivalent to childcare. He believed ASAS offered an exciting and unique program that would both engage and support students’ academic and social-emotional needs.

One of those students is Santos.

Santos has been described as a mature, self-driven, and motivated student by many of the ASAS staff. His involvement with ASAS runs deep, from enjoying football during the health and fitness hour to participating in special events like the NBA Math Hoops Tournament. The latter is a day-long tournament where students from around the state compete in board games that utilize their math skills. Determined to win the tournament, Santos and his team-partner put in a lot of extra work while they attended ASAS programming. It was time well spent because they won the tournament and took home the title of NBA Math Hoops Champion!