Grow. Explore. Belong.
Built for Kids. Backed by Community. Designed for What's Next.
About Us
NextGen: The best place to be after 3PM.
NextGen After Academy is a Mississippi-based nonprofit redefining what after-school, intercession, and summer programming looks like for K–6 students. We combine academic support, social-emotional development, family engagement, and culturally relevant enrichment to help children belong, become, and believe.
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What Makes Us Different
We started with a blank slate and one question: what would afterschool look like if we designed it for what kids actually need?
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We focus on what matters most: growth. Every day, students receive small-group support aligned to Mississippi College- and Career-Readiness Standards, with targeted help in reading and math. Whether building fluency for the 3rd Grade Reading Gate or boosting MAAP readiness, our tutoring and homework blocks are designed to move students forward.
Every student — from kindergarten through sixth grade — engages in daily enrichment that builds real-world skills. Our STEAM-based enrichment is built to grow with students. In the early grades, kids explore through sensory play, early engineering, and hands-on design. As they get older, they level up into coding, robotics, culinary exploration, and even beginner AI tools like prompt writing. Every experience is crafted to build creativity, problem-solving, and the confidence to try something new.
Every student is part of a daily crew. A NextGen crew is a consistent, grade-level group where students connect daily. Crew time helps students practice reflection, set goals, and strengthen their sense of identity and belonging.
Through partnerships with approved meal providers, we offer healthy meals and snacks every day. Students also engage in daily movement — from structured physical activities to free play — supporting focus, wellness, and a strong mind-body connection.
Families are involved in every part of the program. We maintain open communication, host regular family events, and create space for parents to participate in student learning, celebrations, and planning. Our model honors families as partners.
Students engage in hands-on projects that integrate academic skills, creativity, and collaboration. These experiences are designed to give learning real context — from student showcases to community-based challenges, while helping students connect school to life.
We use ongoing assessment and observation to tailor instruction, inform supports, and measure progress. Our team uses real-time information to make smart decisions that keep every learner moving forward.
We build safety through consistency and care. Our daily structure is designed to help students know what to expect and feel secure enough to take risks. Trusted relationships, predictable systems, and high expectations create the foundation for meaningful learning.
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Join a NextGen Crew
At the center of everything we do is crew. These are small, steady circles where students build trust, set goals, and stretch.
The
Explorers
Kindergarten-1st Grade
This crew is all about curiosity, wonder, and learning through play. Explorers are encouraged to ask big questions, try new things, and see the world as something waiting to be discovered.
The
Creators
2nd Grade-3rd Grade
Creators bring bold ideas to life. This crew builds confidence through imagination, expression, and hands-on learning that helps kids see themselves as makers and storytellers.
The
Builders
4th Grade-5th Grade
Builders take ownership. Through collaboration, leadership, and real-world challenges, they learn how to work together, solve problems, and turn ideas into action.
The
Leaders
6th Graders
Leaders step into their purpose. They set goals, mentor younger students, and practice the skills they’ll carry into middle school and beyond — with voice, vision, and responsibility..
The NextGen Experience
This is what after school should look like.
The Way We Lead
At NextGen, leadership is intentional. Every adult in our space is held to a set of non-negotiables that define how we lead, how we serve, and how we show up for kids every single day.
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We Lead With Joy
Because our energy sets the tone.
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We Lead With Consistency
Because kids deserve our full attention.
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We Lead With Excellence
Because what we do/expect, they will mirror.
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We Lead With Care
Because this work is deeply human, and every child deserves it.
Your Year, Covered.
School isn’t year-round. But your schedule is. That’s why we offer after-school, intercession, and summer care.
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Mon-Fri | School Dismissal to 6PM
Homework help, data-driven tutoring, enrichment and crew time.
Fall + Spring Breaks | Full-Day Programming
No school? We're still open. Our intercession camps offer creative projects, field trips, and community learning.
8 Weeks | Themed Sessions + Field Trips
When the school year ends, the fun begins! Full-day experiences rooted in joy, exploration, and hands-on learning.
Think STEM, coding, splash days, and hands-on everything.