Investigating an Asset-Based Literacy and Leadership Afterschool Program for Minoritized High School Students

Abstract The current study used a qualitative research approach to investigate a reading-intensive afterschool program in an underserved neighborhood that has experienced disproportionate levels of stress, violence, and trauma. Consistent with an asset-based framework, the program viewed students’ identities and experiences as strengths to propel academic achievement and the development of agentic learners. Qualitative one-on-one interviews were conducted with ten high school-aged Black and Hispanic youth who participated in the program during the 2020–2021 academic year. Participants reflected on how the program promoted positive youth development by emphasizing relationship-building, developing a culture of connectedness, and helping them prepare for the future. The program also established literacy as a social practice where the surrounding context appeared to shape academic and social-emotional outcomes. Results suggest that out-of-school time organizations are in a unique position to support adolescent identity development. The implications of study findings are discussed in terms of the power of leadership and literacy programming to center culture and identity for Black and Hispanic youth participating in afterschool programs.