Actualizing Potentials for After School Leadership: A Case for After-School Programs Engaging Emergent Bilinguals Through Play to Offer Equitable Opportunities for Growth.

This article focuses on the challenges faced by emergent bilinguals (EBs)—students who speak a language other than English at home and are developing proficiency in both languages—in U.S. public schools and highlights the potential of after-school programs (ASPs) centered on play to support their holistic development. It outlines how political resistance and limited bilingual education programs contribute to inequities in academic and special education services for EBs, while emphasizing that ASPs, free from many institutional constraints, can foster language, social, and emotional growth through play and meaningful relationships. The article underscores the importance of culturally responsive, play-based ASPs in creating safe, empathetic environments where EBs can develop bilingualism, cultural identity, and emotional well-being, thereby addressing developmental gaps and promoting social transformation.