November 18, 2025

Empowering the People Behind the Program: How AI Supports Afterschool 

Everyday, afterschool programs across the country open their doors to students ready to create, move and explore. And behind those doors are program directors and site leaders balancing limited prep time, high expectations and an ever-changing staff.

Nearly 30 million students would enroll in afterschool if a program were available. Yet most programs already operate at capacity, with more than half reporting staff shortages and 87 percent of program providers concerned about finding qualified people to hire.

That challenge has left many directors asking a hard question: How do we give students great, hands-on learning without burning out our staff?

The Cost of “Manual Creativity”

Every program is full of great ideas waiting to be brought to life. But when lesson planning depends on individual experience, it can be difficult to keep creativity consistent across sites. A seasoned educator may have a go-to activity that always shines, while a new staff member is still learning the ropes and building confidence.

The result is a system that works harder than it should, where directors spend more time troubleshooting than scaling what already works.That’s where AB Studios helps programs evolve from personality-driven to process-supported, making creativity something every site can sustain.

Where Leadership Meets Innovation

With AB Studios, afterschool leaders can turn creativity into something that scales. The AI Lesson Builder acts like a creative copilot, transforming short prompts into ready-to-teach, story-powered lessons designed for real afterschool environments: short blocks, mixed ages, limited materials and big imaginations.

A site leader might type, “Grades 4–6, teamwork challenge, recycled materials, 30 minutes,” and receive a complete, standards-aligned activity with a creative mission, step-by-step flow, and reflection prompt.

For staff, it removes the stress of starting from scratch.
For leaders, it creates consistency without micromanagement. 

As Scott Wayman, Chief Strategy Officer at AB Studios, explains, “Our goal isn’t to replace educators. It’s to empower them. We’re helping leaders build teams that feel creative, capable and confident every day.”

Consistency That Scales

Afterschool programs thrive when great experiences can be shared, not just remembered. With AB Studios, every team member can deliver story-powered, hands-on lessons that align with the organization’s mission and spark curiosity at every site.

The platform brings planning, content and scheduling together in one place. The calendar tool helps directors map lessons, track themes, and align enrichment experiences across their network, turning weekly logistics into a clear, visual rhythm of creativity.

Our intuitive platform helps directors:

• Save time and reduce prep from hours to minutes.
• Maintain quality and equity across sites.
• Support training with ready-to-teach lessons.
• Gain visibility into what’s working, without micromanaging.

It’s a system built for the rhythm of afterschool, where staffing changes are common, time is short, and quality matters most.

Building Confidence Through Simplicity

AB Studios was designed so every educator, no matter their experience level, can step in and feel ready to lead a creative, engaging session from day one.

Whether it’s a new staff member covering a group for the first time or a site leader looking to refresh their program, the platform makes it easy to find, plan and teach lessons that work.

In pilot programs with partners like AlphaBEST Education, staff reported spending less time preparing and more time connecting with students. One director described it best: “It makes prep so much quicker. You just jump in, get started, and always know exactly where you are in the session.”

The Future of Afterschool

AI is already reshaping classrooms, and afterschool programs are next. More than 60 percent of educators now use AI tools to save time and boost engagement. In enrichment, the opportunity is even greater, blending creativity, flexibility and personalized learning.

Families count on programs to spark curiosity and confidence. Staff count on leadership to make their work sustainable and meaningful. And students count on afterschool to be the part of the day where learning feels alive. AB Studios is built for that balance, helping teams scale what works and create experiences that inspire curiosity, creativity and joy across every site.

Ready to see how AB Studios can help your team scale creativity and consistency across every site? Learn more here.