In 1992, Arnold Schwarzenegger saw children growing up without safe places after school. Three decades later, his one idea now helps 140,000 students a year

Arnold Schwarzenegger noticed a problem almost three decades ago that many children were facing and it went far beyond what happened inside the classrooms. The issue he saw was that many children had few safe and structured places to go once the school day ended. After this what began in 1992 as an effort to bring sports and activities to under-resourced young people has since grown into After-School All-Stars (ASAS), an organisation that now serves about 140,000 students each year.

The initiative has since expanded far beyond what its initial focus point was. For over more than three decades, Schwarzenegger has also pushed for greater public funding for after-school programmes, arguing that the hours immediately after school can be critical for children and families.

The basic problem, as he has explained it, was that parents were often still at work when school ended. That left some children returning to homes without supervision, while others spent those hours outside, including on streets or at malls.


In speeches and advocacy around after-school programmes, Schwarzenegger has linked those unsupervised hours to the risk of children being exposed to crime, drugs, gangs and violence.

Started with sports in 1992

Schwarzenegger and Danny Hernandez founded the Inner-City Games Foundation in 1992, initially bringing sports and fitness activities to children in under-resourced communities.

The Los Angeles chapter was established the same year, followed by the organisation receiving official 501(c)(3) nonprofit status in 1993. More chapters were then launched across the US, including in Atlanta, Las Vegas, Orlando, New York City and San Diego.

The idea was built around giving children structured activities after school rather than simply ending their day when classes finished.

By 2003, the organisation had expanded its mission and changed its name to After-School All-Stars. Its programmes moved towards comprehensive school-based support, covering areas beyond sports and fitness.

Schwarzenegger took the issue into politics

His involvement did not stop with the organisation he had founded. In 2002, Schwarzenegger led a campaign in California for Proposition 49, the After-School Education and Safety Act.

According to the USC Schwarzenegger Institute, this measure provided more than $500 million a year for after-school programmes at California public schools.

A USC account of his advocacy says Schwarzenegger spent $2.3 million of his own money on the campaign for the initiative.

The programmes were designed to keep schools open after regular classes, providing students with activities including homework help, sports, STEM and career-related programmes.

Schwarzenegger later continued lobbying for after-school funding at the federal level. At a 2017 National After-School Summit, he described the period between 3 and 6 p.m. as a particularly important time for young people.

“This is not a party issue, this is a people’s issue,” Schwarzenegger said at the summit, where he urged after-school leaders to push back against proposed federal funding cuts.

Fitness activities to wider opportunities

The organisation's growth also changed what children could access through its programmes.

ASAS eventually added high school and college preparation, career exploration, community service and health and fitness activities. In 2010, it launched CampUS programming focused on high school and college success, while STEM CampUs followed in 2013 with programmes involving areas such as engineering, graphic design and applied sciences.

The organisation also developed a national Youth Advisory Board, allowing participating students to help shape programmes and lead service initiatives.

Its reach continued to grow and in 2012, ASAS reported serving 95,502 students, its highest number at that point. The organisation later expanded summer programming to 212 sites in 2021, reaching 11,000 students during the summer.

Schwarzenegger's connection with after-school education has continued alongside his careers in Hollywood, bodybuilding and politics.

He has worked with the Afterschool Alliance to advocate for federal funding and has remained involved with ASAS. The organisation has also attracted prominent ambassadors and partners over the years, including Dwayne Johnson, Kobe Bryant, Chris Bosh and LeBron James.

In 2024, ASAS reported annual revenue of $104.7 million, up from $91.5 million in 2023, with 89% of revenue going directly to programmes.