A Decade of Making a Difference
NAZA was founded in 2010 by then-Nashville mayor Karl Dean to tackle the severe lack of afterschool and summer learning opportunities for Nashville middle school youth.
“NAZA came out of a huge need in the city. The biggest gap was high-quality, or any out-of-school programming, for the middle school students,” said Elyse Adler, the Assistant Director for Education and Literacy at NPL.
Young people spend only 20% of their time in school, and many are left unsupervised once school is out until their parents finish their workdays. The remaining 80% of time leaves ample opportunity for students to get involved in crime and other harmful activities. Aside from employment obligations, many Nashville families simply cannot afford quality out-of-school time learning opportunities. Both conditions leave a wide gap that leaves many young people at a severe disadvantage.
NAZA would address the problem in five ways: investing in afterschool and summer programs, strengthening program capacity, convening youth development organizations, advocating for holistic youth development, and empowering youth through new opportunities and initiatives.
By combining these efforts, NAZA would create opportunities for middle-schoolers to access free, high quality programs that keep them engaged, provide a positive environment, and equip them to pursue their goals.
Flash forward to 2020, and NAZA has made massive strides toward achieving its mission. More than 15,000 youth have participated in NAZA-funded programs. Meanwhile, more than 5,600 youth development professionals have benefited from NAZA’s free professional development and coaching resources.
And the most important audience — Nashville’s youth — sees the benefits of NAZA’s efforts firsthand:
- 87% of participants experienced improved social competencies
- 92% increased their commitment to their learning
- 90% felt more positive and confident about their identity
- 91% saw a marked improvement in their positive values
“NAZA has been one of the most exciting initiatives to happen to Nashville Public Library in the history of the library. We are so fortunate for whatever role we have played to move the mission forward,” said Kent Oliver, Director of NPL. “We believe in education. We believe in our students here in Nashville. Anytime we can be part of solving a challenge, we are ready to do so.”
While their accomplishments have already made a huge impact in the lives of many Nashville families, the team at NAZA is just getting started.