School's out for the day but what are your kids up to? Sometimes, this is the time when kids get into trouble.

But a great after school program can help provide a safe environment where kids can continue learning after the school bell rings.

Studies show that youth who participate in after school programs are 63 per cent more likely to graduate from high school and continue to post secondary education.

After school programs help build self-esteem and have been proven to help improve a child's chances of staying in school. They offer supervised activities such as computer instruction, sports, literacy tutoring, music and art lessons, nutrition guidance, and homework help. And may be the only place a child has a chance to shine.

This is why the RBC After School Grants Project has provided more than $27 million to hundreds of community-based programs in Canada, helping almost 29,000 children since 1999.

Parent: Since we have this opportunity now, most parents go to work because they know they have a safe place for their child. They don't just teach them about education, they teach them moral stuff, they have so many activities the kids are involved in.

Child: I like coming to the after school program because my friends play with me and I do African drumming, read books, and I do homework and dance!

Supporting your local after school program: an investment that's guaranteed to pay off.