Washington, D.C. -- The Afterschool Alliance today announced that it has selected Nicole Everingham, Development Director at Collective for Youth, to serve as a 2025 Afterschool Ambassador – one of only 15 leaders in the country chosen for the honor this year. Afterschool Ambassadors continue working with local afterschool programs while serving a one-year Afterschool Ambassador term, during which they engage with community leaders and policy makers to organize events and in other ways grow support for the afterschool and summer learning programs that students and families rely on.

“We are absolutely delighted that Nicole Everingham will serve as a 2025 Afterschool Ambassador for the Afterschool Alliance,” said Jodi Grant, Afterschool Alliance executive director. “This is going to be a pivotal year when we simply must continue the progress in making afterschool and summer learning programs available to more students, even as federal education spending is under scrutiny. We intend to continue spreading the word that afterschool programs are a wise, essential investment because they keep kids safe, inspire them to learn, and give parents peace of mind that their children are safe and supervised after the school day ends. Everingham is exactly the kind of champion we need.”

“I am excited to have the chance to work with the Afterschool Alliance to increase awareness and support for afterschool and summer learning programs this year,” said Everingham. “Now more than ever, students and families need the consistent support and enriching opportunities that afterschool programs provide. Policymakers need to double down on funding prevention programs that work, like afterschool, which not only keep kids safe and engaged but also help them thrive academically and socially. I’m incredibly proud to be part of the afterschool movement and to serve as a 2025 Afterschool Ambassador, advocating for these vital programs that make a real difference in the lives of our young people.”

Collective for Youth, a leading intermediary organization, is dedicated to supporting and strengthening afterschool programs in Omaha. Through professional development, fundraising, quality improvement, and data evaluation, Collective for Youth empowers its partners to provide high-quality programming that benefits over 5,000 students annually.

Each Ambassador will organize a major event for Lights On Afterschool, the Afterschool Alliance’s annual rally for afterschool. Most of the thousands of local Lights On Afterschool events will be on or around Thursday, October 23, 2025.