2025-2026 Impact Report
More than Afterschool
Building Confidence, Community & Futures
1,390 Middle School Students Served
Together, AIMS Columbus organizations created high-quality afterschool experiences where middle school students felt safe, connected, supported, and empowered to thrive.
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Every Middle School Student Deserves a Place to Belong
The Need
The middle school years—grades 6 through 8—are a pivotal time in a young person’s life. As youth develop their identities, relationships, and independence—access to safe, supportive, and engaging afterschool opportunities play a critical role in their success.
37
Columbus City Schools
serve middle school students.
9,180+
Middle school students
are enrolled in CCS
1 in 4
CCS middle school students are English Learners.
Source: Ohio Department of Education and Workforce, Fall Enrollment, October 2025.
Our Response
To meet the need for high-quality middle school afterschool programming, AIMS Columbus was launched during the 2022–23 school year.
Shared Vision
Every Columbus middle school student has access to engaging, high-quality, and sustainable afterschool opportunities that help them thrive.
Our Mission
AIMS Columbus works to expand access to high-quality afterschool opportunities by supporting providers, connecting the ecosystem, and informing the network.
Our Role
We are an intermediary. An intermediary helps a network of partners achieve more together than they could on their own.
Support
Equip organizations with professional learning, coaching, technical assistance, resources, and funding opportunities.
Connect
Create opportunities for providers, schools, and partners to build relationships, exchange ideas, and collaborate.
Inform
Facilitate the collection and use of data to identify trends, gaps, and promising practices.
2025-26 AIMS Columbus: Program Outcomes
Together, our network expanded access to high-quality afterschool opportunities for Columbus middle school students.
41
Programs
61,646
Program Hours
13
Organizations
67,947
Services & Activities
1,390
Youth Served
123
Youth Attended Daily
(avg. across programs)
2025-26 Youth Experience
End-of-program results: Middle school students experienced places where they felt safe, connected, supported, and inspired to grow.
91% I felt safe.
90% I had positive relationships with staff.
84% I would recommend this program.
83% Staff listened to and respected me.
74% The program helped me become a better version of myself.
Social-Emotional Growth (DESSA)
Measured using the nationally recognized Devereux Student Strengths Assessment (DESSA), completed by program staff. 314 unique youth assessed.
90% Youth demonstrated social-emotional competencies in the Typical or Strength range
Results are based on data submitted by participating partner programs. Survey findings reflect responses from participating middle school students, while DESSA findings reflect assessments completed by program staff.
Our Network
AIMS Columbus Program
Columbus City Schools Middle School
CCS Middle School +
AIMS Columbus Program
5 Pillars of High-Quality
Afterschool Programs
Through our work with AIMS Columbus providers, we’ve identified five key components that are consistently present in high-quality programs.
These pillars are based on what we’ve observed across our network and the outcomes we’ve seen in participating programs. They provide a shared framework for improving outcomes for middle school students.
1
Continuous Quality Improvement
2
Positive Relationships
3
Safe & Supportive Environments
4
Social-Emotional Learning
5
Youth-Centered Programming
Support
Our Providers
We engaged 210+ staff in 30 hours of professional learning across 7 sessions with 14 guest speakers.
TomTod
Youth Voice: Putting Young People at the Center of Your Program
Roy Hall, Jr.
Building a Champion Mindset: Resilience, Purpose & Leadership
Partnership4Success
Social-Emotional Learning 101
Connect
Our Network
We created opportunities for our diverse network of providers and partners to build relationships, exchange ideas, and explore collaboration throughout the year.
Our events included Monthly Coffee & Conversations, Peer & Partner Connections, and Collaborative Opportunities.
Civic/Public Partner
-
Columbus Recreation and Parks Department - Center Without Walls
Cultural & Community
-
Community Refugee & Immigration Services
-
Ethiopian Tewahedo Social Services (ETSS)
-
Girls on the Run Central Ohio
-
Lower Lights Ministries​
​Literacy & Creative Arts
-
Central Community House - TRANSIT ARTS
- Kingdom Image Arts
-
We Amplify Voices
STEM & Academics
-
PAST Foundation
-
The Driven Foundation
Youth & Family Services
-
Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Ohio
- Directions for Youth & Families
-
YMCA of Central Ohio
Inform
Our Findings
Across the network, organizations delivered services across twelve areas, reflecting a comprehensive approach to supporting middle school students academically, socially, emotionally, and physically.
Arts
College Readiness
Community Service
Entrepreneurship
Life Skills
Meals
Mentoring
Social Emotional
Sports
STEM
Tutoring
Youth Leadership
Organizations reported four overall key findings:
Youth voice increases engagement.
Relationships drive success.
Data strengthens programming.
Transportation remains the largest barrier.
Connected, Supported, and Thriving
What Middle School Students Experienced in Afterschool Programs
Every number in this report represents a middle school student whose life was impacted by caring adults, meaningful opportunities, and a place to belong.
Together, survey responses, social-emotional learning data, and middle school student stories demonstrate the difference high-quality afterschool programs make in the lives of Columbus youth.
​
Data showed us what students experienced. Stories helped us understand why it mattered.
Across afterschool programs,
middle school students told us they:
Connected with Trusted Adults
Discovered New Interests
Built Confidence
Found Where They Belonged
Discovered their Potential
Positive Relationships
Trusted Adults Matter
“They know my child. They don’t just supervise them, they care about them.”
Caring adults helped middle school students feel known, supported, and connected.
Across programs such as ETSS and the YMCA, caring adults intentionally built relationships through mentoring, daily check-ins, encouragement, and consistent support.
Parents and middle school students described feeling known, supported, and connected. Those trusted relationships helped middle school students improve attendance, build confidence, strengthen emotional regulation, and navigate challenges both inside and outside the classroom.
90%
Reported positive relationships with program staff.
83%
Felt heard and respected.
Youth-Centered Programming
When Youth Help Lead
“The best ideas often came from the students themselves.”
Middle school students had opportunities to share ideas and help shape their experiences.
​
Across programs, including ETSS, CRIS, and We Amplify Voices, middle school students helped choose activities, provided feedback, served as leaders, participated in Teen Summits, and contributed programming ideas. Youth became more invested because they weren’t simply attending; they were helping create.
Providers consistently reported higher engagement, stronger ownership, and increased leadership when youth voice guided decision-making.
“I love WAV because it’s very welcoming and it gives you a chance to express your creativity.”
Columbus middle school student
Social-Emotional Learning
Building Confidence
& Persistence
Middle school students developed skills and confidence as they worked through challenges.
Ayaan, a participant with Directions for Youth & Families, sometimes became discouraged when projects didn’t go as planned.
​
Through arts programming and staff encouragement, he learned to persist, adapt, and work through challenges instead of giving up. Staff saw growth not only in Ayaan’s artistic abilities but also in his self-confidence and willingness to keep trying.
90%
Scored in the Typical or Strength Range (DESSA).
74%
Reported becoming
a better version of themselves.
91%
Reported feeling safe.
Safe & Supportive Environments
Finding a Second Family
“The best ideas often came from the students themselves.”
Middle school students had opportunities to share ideas and help shape their experiences.
​
Across programs, including ETSS, CRIS, and We Amplify Voices, middle school students helped choose activities, provided feedback, served as leaders, participated in Teen Summits, and contributed programming ideas. Youth became more invested because they weren’t simply attending; they were helping create.
Providers consistently reported higher engagement, stronger ownership, and increased leadership when youth voice guided decision-making.
Continuous Quality Improvement
Student Feedback Helped Shape Programs
Providers used feedback from middle school students to inform program planning and activities.
At the YMCA, middle school students regularly influenced activity selection and program planning based on their interests and feedback.
84%
Would recommend their program to a friend.
Looking Ahead
Today, AIMS Columbus reaches about 1 in every 7 Columbus City Schools students in grades 6–8, with programming in 38% of CCS schools serving middle school students. While this represents meaningful progress, thousands of middle school students still lack access to the safe, engaging, and enriching opportunities they deserve.
No single organization can meet this need alone. Schools, providers, funders, public agencies, families, and community partners all played a role in building a stronger afterschool ecosystem.
Since its launch, AIMS Columbus has continued to develop its role as an intermediary, supporting providers, connecting the afterschool network, and using information to better understand needs and opportunities. Together, we are building the foundation for lasting impact.
As we looked ahead, our focus remained clear: expanding access to engaging, high-quality, and sustainable afterschool opportunities that help every Columbus middle school student thrive.
Strategic Priorities
Expand the Network
Grow a connected learning community that reflects and supports the diverse organizations serving Columbus middle school students.
Increase Equitable Access
Expand partnerships, resources, and investment to increase equitable access to high-quality afterschool programming across Columbus.
Build for Sustainability
Build the organizational capacity, sustainability, and shared leadership needed to ensure AIMS Columbus continues to serve the community for years to come.
Thank You
This work is possible because of the dedication of our:
​
-
Providers
-
School partners
-
Middle school students
-
Families
-
Advisory Committee members
-
Funders
-
Community champions
Thank you for believing in the potential of every young person and for investing in a stronger future for Columbus.
Join Us
Whether you’re a middle school student, family member, educator, nonprofit leader, funder, community partner, or advocate, there is a place for you in this work.
Together, we can ensure every middle school student has access to opportunities that inspire learning, strengthen relationships, and help them thrive.