Keynote: The Scientific Impact of Kindness and Workshop: Owning Your 4 Walls Transforming Your School Culture with Kindness
2024-10-21 11:00 - 13:15 (America/Denver)
Keynote: The Scientific Impact of Kindness
Science shows kindness is powerful—so much so that UCLA created the Bedari Institute to study it. In this presentation, Brian Williams will explore its impact on student culture and guide the audience through 5 acts of kindness, leaving them with practical strategies to spark their own kindness movement.

Workshop: Owning Your 4 Walls Transforming Your School Culture with Kindness
In this inspiring talk, Brian Williams, founder of Think Kindness, shares science-backed strategies to help educators transform the culture in their immediate environments. Drawing from over a decade of experience speaking to over 1.1 million youth, Brian offers actionable tips to build community, compassion, and empathy that can be applied right away.

Register Now!

Engage: Facilitating Service-Learning in Afterschool
2024-10-22 10:00 - 13:00
Learn about the mindshift needed to engage young people as authentic partners through service-learning, and how service-learning is different than community service. We will walk through the framing ideas and the steps to create and facilitate valuable youth experiences, including the IPARD process of Investigation, Preparation and Planning, Reflection, and Demonstration. At each level, we will share examples and tools that can be used and adapted for your program participants. You will leave ready to begin or enhance your afterschool program!
Learning objectives:
– Shift the paradigm from project to process
– Understand high-quality service-learning practices
– Have a plan to implement with your participants
– Gain access to free activities, tools, and templates

Supporting Your OST Program with Child Care Funds: ECECD Licensing and the Star Levels
2024-10-23 11:00 - 12:30
Provider Panel: OST Experiences with Child Care Licensure (description coming soon!)
Register

Lights On Afterschool
2024-10-24
It’s officially Lights on Afterschool Day in New Mexico!
Read the Governor’s proclamation!

Lights On Afterschool is an annual celebration of the importance and impact of Afterschool programs on our communities. This year, the 25th year of Lights On, more than 1 million Americans will celebrate at 8,000 events nationwide and more than 50 in New Mexico! Register your event here and learn more about Lights On Afterschool at https://afterschoolalliance.org/loa.cfm

Entrepreneurial Learning for All: Activities & Tools to Grow Your Practice
2024-10-25 11:00 - 12:30
Discover innovative activities and tools to enhance your entrepreneurial teaching practice in this engaging session by VentureLab. Participants will explore practical strategies for fostering an entrepreneurial mindset among students, with hands-on activities that can be easily integrated into various learning environments. Join us to equip yourself with the resources needed to inspire creativity, problem-solving, and critical thinking in the next generation of innovators!
Register

Deep Dive- Afterschool Suppers- A Snapshot of Participation- October 2023
2024-10-31 13:00 - 14:00
Join FRAC for a deep dive into the findings of the newly released Afterschool Nutrition Report including participation data on both the Afterschool Supper and Afterschool Snack programs. Also, hear from the Afterschool Alliance on their current initiatives to expand afterschool programs!

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OST Advocacy Day
2024-11-11 09:00 - 14:00
Join NMOST and our community partners to advocate for increased investment in youth at the Roundhouse. For more info, reach out to igates@nmost.org

Global Insights: An International Service-Learning Panel
2024-11-13 10:00 - 11:30
Join us for Global Insights, a lively panel with service-learning experts from around the world! We’ll explore how service-learning supports youth development, highlighting how different cultures and schools use service-learning to promote global citizenship.
Learn about new practices and strategies that make a real difference in communities worldwide!
Discussion topics will include:

How service-learning builds leadership, empathy, and civic engagement.
Success stories from international service-learning projects.
How service-learning promotes global awareness and responsibility.
Ensuring fairness and mutual benefit in service-learning projects.
The importance of community involvement in service-learning.
New trends and future opportunities in service-learning.

Who Should Attend:

Educators and school administrators
Youth program coordinators
Community leaders and activists
International development professionals
Parents and guardians
Students and young adults
Anyone interested in global education and youth development

The webinar recording of this event will be shared with all registered attendees after the event!

Engage Every Student Recognition Program Office Hours
2024-11-13 11:00 - 12:00
The recognition program aims to recognize Non-Profit Organizations, Local Education Agencies (LEAs) and Municipalities or Local Government Entities working together to expand access to high-quality afterschool and summer learning programs. This year’s application will close on January 31, 2025 at 11:59 p.m. ET. We have set up office hours for interested applicants to attend to learn more about the eligibility criteria and application process. The US Department of education will hold one office hour on November 13 and another in January to answer FAQs and help potential applicants.
Register

Explora: Makey Makeys
2024-11-13 15:00 - 17:00
An in-person workshop for educators, librarians, and out-of-school time providers (2 CEU hours)
Join us for coding activities with Makey Makeys, an easy-to-use microcontroller. Learn a variety of activities adapted to young learners. You’ll immediately be able to apply these ideas with your students!
More information
Register

YEI: Educator Power Hour- Fun with Entrepreneurial Games
2024-11-18 14:00 - 15:00
YEI Power Hours are hosted by Young Entrepreneur Institute, where we believe every child should understand and experience entrepreneurship. Learn more about our programs at www.youngentrepreneurinstitute.org.
Our next Educator Power Hour, Fun with Entrepreneurial Games, is Monday, November 18th at 4 PM Eastern. Register by filling out the form.
Contact echois@us.edu with any questions.

Girls Who Code Community Partner Webinar
2024-11-19 13:00 - 14:00
Join us on November 19th for the next Community Partner webinar and connect with other leaders from school districts, library networks, and nonprofit organizations!
Register

Afterschool Alliance Webinar: Securing Funding and Long-Term Sustainability
2024-11-20 13:00 - 14:00
Finding funding is a top issue for afterschool programs everywhere — let’s talk about what you need to know to secure funds and advocate for long-term program sustainability. Designed to build on the Afterschool Alliance’s sustainability blog series, we’ll dig into questions about where programs can source funds and what they need to do to make sure afterschool remains in local, state, and federal budgets now and going forward. We’ll hear stories from the field as local programs describe how they’ve kept the lights on afterschool for kids in their communities.
To learn more about sustainability for afterschool, check out our Afters$chool Funding series on our blog:

21st Century Community Learning Centers
AmeriCorps
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
Child Care Development Block Grant
Education for Homeless Children and Youth (EHCY)

Speakers:

Tiyana Glenn, Project Manager, Afterschool Alliance
Sindy Dawkins-Schade, Executive Director, Afterschool Alliance
Nikki Gillani, School Partnerships Manager, Afterschool for Children and Teens Coalition

Register

NAA: Community Connections Convening
2024-12-04 11:00 - 12:00
On Oct. 9, the National AfterSchool Association hosted our inaugural Community Connections virtual convening. The first in a three-part series, the October meeting gathered together our affiliates, key partners, and past participants in the 2024 Workforce Summit to discuss our recently released OST Job Quality Standards and Usage Guide & Assessment.
In small groups of like-minded practitioners, our attendees discussed ideas for increasing awareness of the Job Quality Standards as well as ideas about adopting them into programs, intermediaries, and communities. It has been exciting to see how our partner and member organizations have already been implementing the standards: Our new blog series, Job Quality in Action, has been highlighting some of the great work that either directly incorporates or aligns with our standards, including childcare workforce grants in Minnesota and a two-part webinar in Illinois focused on assessing and improving job quality.
Even if you didn’t participate in the October convening, we encourage you to register for and join us on the Dec. 4 meeting, in which we plan to focus on professional development pathways for those working in OST, including the development of written plans, support of goal setting, establishment of apprenticeship opportunities, and encouragement of alumni involvement.
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER.

Explora: Patterns to Virtual Thinking
2024-12-12 10:00 - 12:00
A virtual workshop for early childhood educators, librarians, and out-of-school time providers (2 CEU hours)
Discover ready-to-go activities which will support young students’ understanding of patterns, sequencing and other skills needed for coding. You’ll immediately be able to apply these ideas with your students!
Register by December 1st for kit pick up or shipment for the first 20 registrants. Login and material sharing is an option.
More information
Register

Patterns to Virtual Thinking Workshop
2024-12-12 10:00 - 12:00
A virtual workshop for early childhood educators, librarians, and out-of-school time providers (2 CEU hours)

Discover ready-to-go activities which will support young students’ understanding of patterns, sequencing and other skills needed for coding. You’ll immediately be able to apply these ideas with your students!
Register Here!

NGCP Holiday Sweater Networking
2024-12-12 11:00 - 12:00
Join NGCP for a fun-filled hour of networking with other individuals who are passionate about STEM equity!
Grab your hot cocoa and your favorite winter or holiday sweater for this fun and festive collaboration networking event! During this event, you will get the chance to meet and exchange information with individuals who are interested in STEM equity through a combination of large group and breakout group activities. This event will serve as an opportunity to create collaborations among individuals and organizations committed to engaging girls and other historically excluded groups in STEM so that we can improve opportunities by leveraging resources and expertise. From educators to researchers, college students to caregivers, we welcome ALL interested individuals to register and join the fun!

Register

YEI: Educator Power Hour
2024-12-16 16:00 - 17:00
YEI Power Hours are hosted by Young Entrepreneur Institute, where we believe every child should understand and experience entrepreneurship. Learn more about our programs at www.youngentrepreneurinstitute.org.
Our next Educator Power Hour, Zooming into 2025: Creative Strategies to Jump Start the New Year, is Monday, December 16th at 2 PM Mountain Time. Register by filling out the form.
Contact echois@us.edu with any questions.

Engage Every Student Program Recognition Office Hour
2025-01-08 14:00 - 15:00
Engage Every Student will offer two opportunities for potential applicants to receive technical assistance for the 2024-2025 Engage Every Student Recognition Program. Specifically, attendees will learn about the Eligibility Criteria and the Application Components.
Register

Summer EBT Deep Dive: Creating Lasting Databases
2025-01-09 13:00 - 14:00
Join FRAC and state and national partners to learn about strategies for creating the Summer EBT student database. Hear from experts on the technology behind the data systems and requirements, as well as best practices from a participating state.

Register

Afterschool Alliance Webinar: Policy and Funding in 2025: White House and Congress (Virtual)
2025-01-15 12:00 - 13:00
The new year marks the start of the 119th Congress and a new administration. Washington will focus on various policy priorities, both new and ongoing, from enhancing government efficiency to restructuring federal tax policy. Presenters will discuss what to expect regarding federal education policy and how it could affect afterschool and summer learning programs. They will also discuss the opportunities and challenges that come with the new policies and share ways parents, students, program leaders, and afterschool supporters can take action to emphasize the importance of these programs for families and communities.
Register

YES Enrichment: Unlock STEM Potential through Informal Learning (Virtual)
2025-01-15 17:00 - 18:00
Join us for an engaging webinar designed for enrichment educators, where we’ll explore a dynamic engineering curriculum tailored to inspire creativity and problem-solving in young learners. This session will showcase YES’s socially-engaged engineering that brings engineering concepts to life, making them accessible and fun. Participants will learn how to foster critical thinking, collaboration, and innovation through engineering challenges, while also gaining practical tips on integrating these activities into afterschool or enrichment programs. Whether you’re new to engineering education or looking to expand your teaching toolkit, this webinar will provide valuable strategies to engage students in STEM learning.
Register

Blending and Braiding Series: Strategies for Leveraging Nonprofit Organization Resources and Supports (Virtual)
2025-01-16 11:00 - 12:00
To effectively support young people across the country America’s public schools partner with nonprofits and other external organizations. These partnerships can allow schools to access funding and services they do not have the capacity to apply for or provide on their own. This session will feature leaders from nonprofit networks and community-based organizations that are leading the way in scaling effective practices by utilizing a mix of federal, state, and local funding.
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Afterschool Alliance Webinar: Policy and Funding in 2025: State and City Initiatives (Virtual)
2025-01-16 12:00 - 13:00
Twenty-seven states now have dedicated funding for afterschool and summer programs in their budgets, with eleven states creating new funding streams in the past three years. As federal relief funds run out, state and local governments must find ways to continue or expand access to quality afterschool and summer programs. Hear from state and city leaders about how they’ve worked with lawmakers to prioritize afterschool programs and learn how you can get involved in efforts to increase public investments in these programs.
Register

2025 Youth Leadership Summit (Virtual)
2025-01-20 10:00 - 13:00
Join us for NYLC’s annual, virtual Youth Leadership Summit, where youth from around the nation will come together and engage in civics! This year’s Summit will be held on January 20th, a day to honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., in order to engage with his legacy of civic leadership as we explore serving in our own communities.
Led by youth and for youth, the Youth Leadership Summit is a space to learn from youth leaders, dive into dynamic discussions with peers from diverse backgrounds, and expand leadership and critical thinking skills. Through virtually participating in breakout sessions and large group activities, you will get the chance to cultivate valuable relationships with like-minded individuals and hone your ability to communicate your plans for social change effectively.
With this year’s theme of youth civic engagement, you’ll learn about the possibility of leading your community by creating a non-profit, a startup, or a school club centered around issues you care about. You will also learn how your career can be an ongoing testament of being engaged in solving important civic issues within your community.
Between speakers, we will have interactive breakout rooms, trivia, group projects, icebreakers, and deep discussions. So, don’t miss out on this day; we’re excited to see you there!

Youth Leadership Summit Agenda:

11:00 AM – Introduction
11:15 AM – Speaker Presentation: Larissa May / Daniella Ivanir, youth engagement leaders with #HalfTheStory, a nonprofit dedicated to improving the next generation’s relationship with social media and teaching them to advocate for their digital health.
11:45 AM – Kahoot!
12:00 PM – Speaker Presentation: Eric Zhu, a high school senior who co-founded the start up Aviato, a platform for private market data. In pursuing his passion, he was faced with the real challenge of being underestimated because of his young age. Despite this, he raised $20 million from investors and plans to further his work by creating a climate fintech start up.
12:30 PM – Group Activity
1:00 PM – Break Time!
1:15 PM – Speaker Presentation: Bernice Espinoza, a civil rights lawyer focusing on combating social justice issues through her career. She specializes in criminal law, immigration law, and outside of work, spends her time immersed in continuing to help her community.
1:45 PM – Regards / Closing Survey
Please note that all times are in CST.

Meet the speakers:

Bernice Espinoza

Bernice Espinoza is a civil rights lawyer focusing on combating social justice issues through her career. She specializes in criminal law, immigration law, and outside of work, spends her time immersed in continuing to help her community. She will be able to provide insight on how your future career path and active community service can be a way to engage in civics.

Daniella Ivanir

As the Youth Engagement and Advocacy Associate at #HalfTheStory, Daniella develops programs that empower youth leaders with tools to advocate for a more equitable and healthy digital landscape for future generations. Her journey in peer support began at 15 as a suicide hotline volunteer for TeenLine, and later founded Lean On Me UC Berkeley, the first anonymous peer emotional support hotline on her college campus.

Larissa May

Larissa May is a digital wellness entrepreneur and the founder of #HalfTheStory, a non-profit dedicated to improving the next generation’s relationship with technology. Larissa founded #HalfTheStory after facing her own struggles with social media, and has spent the past 10 years driving the rapidly growing global movement towards digital wellness.

Eric Zhu

Eric Zhu is a high school senior who co-founded the start up Aviato, a platform for private market data. In pursuing his passion, he was faced with the challenge of being underestimated because of his age. Despite this, he raised $20 million from investors and plans to further his work by creating a climate fintech start up. He is a prime example of the power of youth in adult-run spaces and will give insight on how to engage with decision-makers that will invest in your projects.

Why should you attend the Youth Leadership Summit?

Expand your knowledge
Foster valuable relationships
Enhance your leadership skills
Cultivate critical thinking skills
Connect with like-minded peers and professionals
Personal growth, skill development, and networking
Learn how to generate positive change in your communities and beyond!

Engineers Week 2025: Engaging Kids in Engineering (Virtual)
2025-01-22 10:00 - 11:00
You can make a big difference as volunteers and educators during Engineers Week. Not sure where to start? We can help! Join us on January 22 to learn how to talk about engineering so kids will listen, how to lead hands-on activities, and other ways you can get involved.
Register

Summer EBT Deep Dive: Strategies for Creating a Strong Application (Virtual)
2025-01-23 13:00 - 14:00
States are required to have a statewide Summer EBT application for Summer 2025. Join FRAC and our state and industry partners to hear about best practices for ensuring successful roll-out in 2025. This webinar will feature an overview of the optional application system available from USDA, as well as state options for setting up user-friendly application systems for this summer.

Register

NMOST's Advocacy Day at the Roundhouse (In-Person)
2025-01-24 09:00 - 14:00
Join us from 9 AM – 2 PM in the 8 tables closest to the Rotunda in the East and West Halls of History. This is a chance to show up and advocate for increased funding levels for out-of-school time programs in New Mexico. Visit nmlegis.gov/Members/Find_My_Legislator to find and contact your legislators and set up a meeting.
Address: 490 Old Santa Fe Trail, Santa Fe, NM
Don’t miss our press conference in the Rotunda at 10 AM!
OST leaders, staff, parents, youth, and community members are invited!
Contact igates@nmost.org if you have any questions

Exploring the Possibilities: 505 Thrives (In-Person)
2025-01-25 08:30 - 13:00
NMNWSE invites middle school and high school young women in Albuquerque and surrounding communities to attend a one day conference with hands-on technical career workshops designed to help students explore STEM career options.
Lunch and morning snacks will be provided to all.
Register here: https://form.jotform.com/243254176401147
When:
January 25, 2025
8:30am – 1:00pm
Where:
UNM School of Engineering
210 University Blvd NE
Albuquerque, NM 87106
Interested teachers and students should contact:
Sandra, Coordinator
e: 505thrives@gmail.com

YEI Educator Power Hour (Virtual)
2025-01-27 14:00 - 15:00
Educator Power Hours are monthly, virtual, FREE professional development for educators. The Young Entrepreneur Institute’s goal is to provide tools for the classroom that focus on entrepreneurship and life skill-building.
Our Power Hours focus on a variety of topics including marketing, financial figuring, creativity, and more.
Our next Educator Power Hour, Guest Speakers in the Classroom, is Monday, January 27th at 4 PM Eastern. Register by filling out the form.
Contact echois@us.edu with any questions.

Register
