WORKSHOPS 

Phase 1 of our 2020 workshops is listed below. NOTE: This list does not include Town Hall, Panel Sessions, Film Festival, and our four workshop strand sponsors. Stay tuned for additional workshops coming soon!

25 TOOLS IN 120 MINUTES To Rock Your Program!
Eric Rowles, CEO, Leading to Change, Huntersville, NC

Get ready for a LIGHTNING round of FREE proven tools and strategies to raise your youth engagement game. We'll cover the BEST of technology, program design, media, funding, and even after school/parent communication methods. You'll leave with your head spinning, a handout of resources, and NEW ideas to take back to your program!
MLA, DS, E, M, H
Strand: Program, Design, Development & Quality 

Activity Tinkering
Phil Brown, Senior Trainer, High 5 Adventure Learning Center, Brattleboro, VT

Most facilitators love adding to their bag of tricks. We often spend less time exploring how to make maximum use of the activities we do know. Join us and learn simple icebreakers or pick up engaging new props. This workshop will equip participants to tinker with the variables of a handful of activities in order to reveal how truly malleable they are.
DS, E, M, H, HE
Strand: Program, Design, Development & Quality

All Power to the Program!
Khariyyah Shabazz, Operational Programmatic Director; Vannary Jim, Programmatic School-Based Director, Higher Ground Neighborhood Development Corp., Oakland, CA

Our workshop will focus on the enriching process of taking after school activities and transforming them into community initiatives. By sharing our stories in an interactive and engaging way, we will illustrate how HG's WFD, Brookfield Greening Project, and Strong Behavior Health cultivated momentum with partnerships that gradually led to outside funding. We will explain our best practices on how to build from the services that are embedded within your program.
ULA, MLA, DS, CB, PK, E, M, H, HE
Strand: Program Design, Development & Quality 

Art Projects to Engage Families in Wellness
Daniel W. Hatcher, Director of Community Partnerships, Alliance for a Healthier Generation, Washington, DC

Get ready to tape, paint, mold, stencil, and DIY your way to health-focused family engagement! Come ready to be creative and get a little messy. You'll leave with fun ideas to engage families in nutrition and physical activity through art.
DS, PK, E
Strand: Partnerships & Building Relationships 

Brainball & Games, Games, Games
Tim Taggart, Senior Director, Palos Sports, Alsip, IL

Brainball is supported with 17 years of research improving spelling, reading, math, and fine motor skill development. The games portion will cover many unique games that kids love to play and keeps them highly active and engaged while learning individual/team skills, strategy, teamwork, and motor skill development.
DS, E, M, H
Strand: Large Exhibitor Showcase; Program, Design, Development & Quality 

Building Student Confidence and Critical Mindsets through Design Challenges
John Hiester, Executive Director, Breakthrough Silicon Valley, San Jose, CA; Erica Barrueto, Senior Director, The Bowers Institute, The Tech Interactive, San Jose, CA

Learn how The Tech and Breakthrough implemented a design-challenge curriculum for first-gen college-bound 7th graders! Design Challenge Learning engages students in a design process to solve real-world problems. Students build collaborate, persevere and think critically through an open-ended process that results in a team-driven solution. Design challenges engage all students, including those that don’t see themselves as STEM capable and gives them a chance to showcase many skills.
MLA, DS, CB, E, M, H
Strand: Program, Design, Development & Quality 

Changing the School Climate: Addressing the Unique needs of LGBTQ Youth
Valentina D’Alessandro, OUT for Safe Schools® Coordinator; Mike Freeman, CAN Program Supervisor, Los Angeles LGBT Center, Los Angeles, CA

Participants will learn how to increase support for LGBTQ students, will be provided with opportunities to brainstorm issues on school campuses, and create action plans that uplift the needs and perspectives of LGBTQ youth. Effective adult allies can help youth gain a positive sense of self, preventing them from isolation, depression, and substance misuse. This interactive workshop will provide best practices that you can start using TOMORROW by creating safe spaces on campus.
MLA, DS, E, M, H
Strand: Program, Design, Development & Quality; Older Youth 

Creating Hunger-Free Communities
Clarissa Hayes, Senior Child Nutrition Policy Analyst, Food Research & Action Center

Nearly one in seven households with children cannot buy enough food for their families -- and hungry children can't learn. Fortunately, the federally-funded nutrition programs can play a critical role in alleviating hunger by providing support for healthy snacks and meals. This session will cover the basics of the nutrition programs, tips for implementation, ideas for partnership and collaboration, and the next steps for making your community hunger-free.
ULA, MLA, DS, CB, PK, E, M, H
Strand: Partnerships & Building Relationships

Creative Action: Global Learning and Art that Impacts the World
Leonetta Elaiho, Senior Manager - Students Rebuild; Valerie Sloane, Senior Associate, Bezos Family Foundation, Seattle, WA

This workshop will explore and define creative activism through the lens of global learning and civic engagement. Participants will learn about campaigns leveraging creative activism strategies, with an emphasis on how young people helped catalyze each movement. Students Rebuild is a free program that helps K-12 students engage in global creative activism through art-making, and attendees will learn about this program while getting hands-on creating art that will impact youth hunger.
MLA, DS, E, M, H
Strand: Program, Design, Development & Quality 

Creativity in Leadership
Brad Lademann, Resource Center Coordinator, Missouri AfterSchool Network, Columbia, MO

Whether you are leading students or leading a staff of adults, it is easy to fall into the "we've always done it this way" trap. Join us for this session as we explore what creativity looks like, what holds back our creativity, and how we can develop our ability to think creatively. We will work together, through discussion and creative thinking exercises, to expand our thinking when it comes to our programs and our people.
MLA, DS, CB, E, M, H
Strand: Program, Design, Development & Quality; Staff Leadership

CQI - A Model for Programs, Partnerships, and Site Level Staff
Emily Tay, Project Coordinator; Sue Gevedon, Expanded Learning Program Specialist, Los Angeles County Office of Education, Downey, CA

Having a culture of CQI is critical to a program’s success. But what does it really take to implement CQI at the site level? Come learn about the CQI journey taken by expanded learning programs in LA County. Hear from agencies about their experience with changing work culture, learn best practices, and get hands-on with tools. Let’s move beyond seeing “quality” as a check in the compliance box, to incorporating practices that shift the culture and allows for embedding quality improvement daily.
MLA, PK, E, M, H
Strand: Program, Design, Development & Quality

Creating a Sustainable Self-Care Plan Through Introspective Journaling
Scott Amick, Youth Programs Director, Odyssey Teams, Chico, CA

Self Care is so much more than a trip to the day spa. Through this system of journaling, participants will use good old-fashioned pen and paper to have a conversation with "the voice inside their heads.” Created in the wake of rebuilding from a catastrophic wildfire in Northern California, this workshop will encourage an introspective journey that will yield a gentle mirror towards habits that exist inside our comfort zones - especially during times of high stress.
ULA, MLA, DS, CB, M, H, HE
Strand: Program Design, Development & Quality; Sustainability; Older Youth

Demystify STEM with Wonder Kits
Amanda Esaena, Project Manager, Wonder Kits, Dallas, TX

Inspired by curiosity, Wonder Kits provide everything you need for a quality, hands-on STEM activity that anyone can facilitate. Partnering with organizations such as T-Mobile and Texas Instruments, Wonder Kits add career exploration at any grade level. From designing your own wind-powered car to learning how to protect your brain, Wonder Kits bring creativity and fun to national standards. Learn the best tips and tricks in this engaging workshop to demystify STEM.
ULA, MLA, DS, E, M, H
Strand: Exhibitor Showcase, Program, Design, Development & Quality 

Develop Emotional Intelligence with The +|- Code
Eloi Delmonico, Director, Source Code Technology, Essex Junction, Switzerland

The +|- Code is a school and after-school program to help students develop their emotional Intelligence. It helps children and teenagers improve their discernment and better understand their emotions and environment. Learn about a unique tool to decode fake news, facial expressions, to solve conflicts, and make better choices. It is also a fun interactive and instructional game to enjoy with friends, educators, and parents!
ULA, MLA, DS, CB, M, H
Strand: Exhibitor Showcase; Older Youth

Digital Activism for Youth with a Design Thinking Approach
Amanda Ebokosia, CEO, The Gem Project, Newark, NJ

This workshop will explore how practitioners can support youth in leading a project that addresses a social problem by the ideologies of design-thinking, through the tools of technology and its digital environments. Through critical thinking and problem-solving, participants will be taken through the stages of design-thinking, while tackling relevant scenarios.
MLA, DS, H, HE
Strand: Program, Design, Development & Quality

Drug Trends and Prevention
Jim Crittenden, Program Specialist, San Diego County Office of Education, San Diego, CA; Joe Eberstein, Program Manager, San Diego County Marijuana Prevention Initiative, San Diego, CA

This session will explore drug trends and common drugs of abuse with today’s teens. We will explore the "opioid crisis", vaping, marijuana, and other popular trends. The session will explore the effects of substances on the adolescent brain and new reports on the vaping epidemic. The presenters will also share best practices and strategies to prevent and reduce youth substance use.
MLA, DS, M, H
Strand: Partnerships & Building Relationships; Older Youth 

Elementary Math Games for Fact Fluency and Place Value Using Dominoes and Dice
John Felling, Consultant - Author, Box Cars and One-Eyed Jacks, Edmonton, Alberta

Come prepared to play our newest games for Fact Fluency and Place Value. Participants will be using our student's favorite math manipulatives, Dominoes and Dice. Participants will learn ways to differentiate games to meet the needs of all learners including ELL and special ed students. Gameboards, journal ideas, and student samples will be shared throughout. Come prepared to shake, rattle, and roll your way math success!
MLA, DS, E
Strand: Exhibitor Showcase; Program, Design, Development & Quality

Fostering Protective Factors in Youth: Making an Impact That Can Last a Lifetime
Dan Gilbert, Sr. Project Manager, SEL Specialist; Nikki Yamashiro, Sr. Director of Research, Afterschool Alliance, Washington DC; Eric Johnston, Executive Director, Todos Juntos, Canby, OR

Research tells us that the adolescent years are a highly important developmental period for brain growth and a critical period for youth to develop skills that will help them grow into healthy, capable, responsible adults. Join us for a lively panel discussion featuring perspectives from research and practice and learn more about how youth development programs can focus on developing the skills, behaviors, and beliefs that youth will need to thrive.
ULA, MLA, DS, E, M, H
Strand: BOOST Nation Town Hall; Program Design, Development & Quality; Partnerships & Building Relationships; Older Youth

Framework for Understanding Poverty
Dr. Ruby K. Payne, Founder, aha! Process, Highlands, TX

Explore class differences and 10 actions you can implement in your classroom or program to improve the success of low-SES students. This workshop is based on Dr. Ruby K. Payne’s book A Framework for Understanding Poverty, which has sold more than 1.5 million copies. Educators who participate in this training will use concrete instructional strategies to help students from poverty, understand hidden rules of economic class and effects on behaviors and mindsets, develop stronger relationships with students to impact behavior, and reduce discipline referrals.
ULA, MLA, DS, CB, PK, E, M, H
Strand: Pre-conference Academy 

A Generation Threatened by Tech
Michael Jacobus, Executive Director, Reset Summer Camp, Inc., Orange, CA

Excessive screen time, social media, online gaming and the culture of 24/7 streaming is robbing a generation from productivity, healthy nutritional habits, social and personal connections, and even good sleep. This has lead people today to be quick to anger, unfocused and desperate for stable routines. This session will explore a wide variety of causes and offer a few solutions to this growing threat to the very fabric of our society.
DS, CB, M, H
Strand: Program Design, Development & Quality; Staff Leadership; Partnerships & Building Relationships 

Get Ready, Get Set… Code!!!
Steven L. Willis, STEAM Program Manager; Devin Swift-Bailey, Maker Lab Assistant, Chicago Youth Centers, Chicago, IL

There is an opportunity during out-of-school time to develop intentional and innovative programs that can help supplement or enrich youths’ academics skills. Get Ready, Get Set… Code presents one of the many fun ways that a coding club can be implemented in a way that reinforces science and math knowledge.
MLA, DS, M, H
Strand: Program, Design, Development & Quality 

Girls Who Code and You: Building Partnerships to Teach Girls to Code and Change the World
Dr. Anna Katz, Regional Partnership Coordinator; Valerie Tomici, Manager, Community Partnerships & Outreach, Girls Who Code, Culver City, CA

Women hold less than a quarter of U.S. computing jobs and this number is declining. Schools, districts, and community partners can play critical roles in closing the gender gap in technology and inspiring and equipping girls to pursue 21st-century opportunities. Join us to learn more about how your organization can partner with Girls Who Code to empower young women to access tech opportunities and change the world through computer science.
ULA, MLA, DS, E, M, H
Strand: Program, Design, Development & Quality; Staff Leadership; Partnerships & Building Relationships 

Global Service-Learning as a Tool for Building Empathy and Kickstarting Social Action
Bibi Al-Ebrahim, Education Director; Brandon Blache-Cohen, Executive Director, Amizade, Pittsburgh, PA; Arlene Kee, Assistant Director for Youth Services, Education Authority for Northern Ireland, Belfast, Northern Ireland

Global service-learning programs have been out-of-school activities traditionally accessed by the financially wealthy. Data shows that these experiences are not stand-alone experiences, but rather incite long-lasting positive impact on young people years afterward. This session will explore the successes and challenges that the partnership between the Education Authority of Northern Ireland and Amizade has experienced in providing such experiences to large numbers of Northern Irish youth.
ULA, MLA, DS, M, H, HE
Strand: Program, Design, Development & Quality; Older Youth 

Go WILD: Exploring Natural Phenomena for All Ages
Lauren Bergh, Zoo Education Specialist, Project WILD Coordinator, Santa Ana Zoo, Santa Ana, CA

Go WILD for All Ages presents Project WILD activities, resources and philosophy, and a hands-on, interactive workshop for both formal and informal educators. Come PLAY as we try a variety of activities from Project WILD, Aquatic WILD, Flying WILD, and Growing Up WILD, and explore how activities can be adapted for students of all ages and all abilities. Activities include STEM components, home expansions, and career connections. Participants receive full copies of all activities presented.
MLA, DS, CB, PK, E, M, H
Strand: Program, Design, Development & Quality; Staff Leadership; Partnerships & Building Relationships

Growth Heartset® - A Culture of Caring
Stu Semigran, President & Co-Founder; Bryn Drescher, Facilitator, EduCare, Van Nuys, CA

It has been said, “whoever our students may be, whatever subject we teach, ultimately we teach who we are.” Enjoy learning EduCare’s 8 Skills for Heartset® Education and develop a personal "Growth Heartset”. A growth heartset becomes a way of being… a way of teaching that sparks our students’ own SEL. This highly interactive session focuses on creating communities of caring from the “inside out” with connection, empathy, and love, all based on EduCare’s field-tested ACE Program that has reached nearly 50,000 students in the U.S. and internationally. Participants learn strategies of self-awareness (mindfulness), emotional self-management (or self-care), relationship building, and empathic listening, and ways for developing students.
MLA, DS, CB, E, M, H
Strand: Pre-conference Academy 

Ice Breakers, Warm-Ups, and ACTION! Team Games
Andy Tupy, Regional Sales Manager, Gopher Sport, New Prague, MN

Gopher Sport will be leading participants through a workshop focused around a few of our newest activities! We won’t just be playing games though, we’ll also be showcasing some great classroom management and skill development pieces you can take home and implement in your class. Get ready to sweat, learn and have some fun!
MLA, DS, E, M
Stand: Large Exhibitor Showcase; Program, Design, Development & Quality; Partnerships & Building Relationships 

“IN MY FEELINGS” SEL Competency for Family and Youth Engagement
Dr. Tasha Johnson, Senior Director, Character Development Learning Institute; Kelly Wise, Technical Advisor, YMCA – USA, Chicago, IL; Angela Strickland, Youth Development Program Director, YMCA of Western North Carolina, Ashville, NC

This workshop will cover a variety of topics including learning about personal space, managing feelings, understanding sensory needs, creating community, and conflict resolution. The goal is to build a toolkit to create an environment that supports youth and family's social-emotional needs.
MLA, DS, PK, E, M, H
Strand: Staff Leadership

Innovation Meets Rural Revitalization: Saving Our Community Schools
Jason Crawford, Superintendent, USD 283 and The Ag Experience, Longton, KS

Small school districts across the country are finding themselves quickly losing their relevance and ability to sustain appropriate educational opportunities for students due to changing economics and declining enrollment. Listen to how one local community is changing their destiny by providing unique opportunities for students across the county to join and live on-site in a program called The Ag Experience.
ULA, MLA, DS, H
Strand: Partnerships & Building Relationships; Sustainability

Law Enforcement as Partners in Expanded Learning Programs and Advocacy
Catherine Van Ness, Associate Director, Fight Crime: Invest in Kids, Washington, DC; Susan Manheimer, Chief of Police, San Mateo Police Department, San Mateo, CA

The value of out-of-school-time programs for youth development and as an alternative to incarceration may be self-evident to many of us. However, for those less familiar, the connection is not so apparent. In this session, hear from experts who have made this connection for different stakeholders; that out-of-school-time programs are both a prevention and intervention strategy for youth, including new research from Fight Crime: Invest in Kids on the “Prime Time for Juvenile Crime.”
ULA, MLA, DS, CB, M, H, HE
Strand: Panel, Partnerships & Building Relationships; Sustainability

Let's Talk: Building Resiliency for Runaway, Homeless, and At-Risk Youth
Rachel Reynolds, Outreach and Prevention Specialist, National Runaway Safeline, Chicago, IL

Adolescence is a difficult time, compounded with ongoing stressors at school, home and within the community, many youth enter into a crisis. Some youth may even run away or resort to unsafe behaviors. The issue of runaway, homeless, and at-risk youth impacts every community. In fact, every year 4.2 million young people ages 13-25 endure some form of homelessness. This session will focus on runaway and homeless youth prevention services and how to build life skills for youth.
MLA, DS, CB, M, H
Strand: Program, Design, Development & Quality; Partnerships & Building Relationships

The Mini-Drone Revolution: Indoor Drones for STEAM Exploration
Tyler Downey, STEM Specialist and Training Coordinator, PCS Edventures!, Boise, ID

Explore how mini-drones can be used to stimulate interest in STEM, teach coding, and be used as a means of artistic expression. Learn the basics of drone flight and safety through our interactive video course Droneology, examining how drones are becoming a regular part of our daily lives. Then learn how to code drones using DroneBlocks, a free drag-and-drop programming language, followed by a video showcasing how this foundational skill can be implemented to create drone performance art.
MLA, DS, E, M
Strand: Exhibitor Showcase; Program, Design, Development & Quality

Monopoly: Expanded Learning Edition
Joshua Blecha, Region 7 County Lead; Emma Chavez, Project Specialist; Alejo Delgado, Project Specialist; Charles Clancy, Project Specialist; Elena Kosareff, Project Specialist, Fresno County Superintendent of Schools, Fresno, CA

Rolling the dice is just the beginning to...Program Ownership! PASS GO, collect 200 dollars and play with us as your program attempts to own as much Expanded Learning property as possible! From Boardwalk (Quality Standards) to Park Place (CQI), travel as game pieces on our life-sized game board to learn about what it takes to fully take ownership of your Expanded Learning program. Everyone wins in this hands-on workshop but choose your game piece wisely!
ULA, MLA, DS, CB, E, M, H
Strand: Program, Design, Development & Quality; Staff Leadership; Partnerships & Building Relationships; Sustainability

Our Stories Matter: Building Connections Through Storytelling Circles
Richard Reyes, Executive Director, PLUS ME Project, Los Angeles, CA

Everyone has a story that matters, but sometimes it can be difficult for students or adults to vulnerably open up and share their life experiences with others. In this workshop, participants will learn how to build their own personal stories and facilitate storytelling circles with small or large groups. We will build connections with each other, gain inspiration by listening to each other's stories, and take away tools that we can use at our own sites that build empathy and communication.
ULA, MLA, DS, CB, M, H, HE
Strand: Staff Leadership; Partnerships & Building Relationships; Older Youth

Play on Words - Elementary Literacy Games
Jane Felling, Consultant – Author, Box Cars and One-Eyed Jacks, Edmonton, Alberta

Come prepared to play hands-on literacy games that are perfect for learning centers, cross graded groups, regular and ELL students in your afterschool setting. Games integrate the use of literacy dice, word decks, and letter tiles. Concepts include: learning the alphabet and its' sounds, rhyming, word families, and patterns, vocabulary games, parts of speech, comprehension, gameboards, shared ideas for journals, and more.
MLA, DS, PK, E
Strand: Exhibitor Showcase; Program, Design, Development & Quality 

Playworks - Education Energized!
Alejandra Liera, Program Manager; Bertina Denogean, Regional Partnership Director; Phil Dizon, Regional Partnership Director, Playworks, Carson, CA

Playworks - Education Energized! Take away key strategies to run a fast, smooth, program. Experience new, inclusive, games and activities with a focus on SEL.
ULA, MLA, DS, CB, PK, E, M
Strand: Program, Design, Development & Quality; Staff Leadership; Partnerships & Building Relationships

Promoting Safety, Inclusion, and Well-Being for LGBTQ+ Youth
Dr. Vincent Pompei, Director, Youth Well-Being Project, Human Rights Campaign Foundation, Washington, D.C.

We have seen tremendous strides toward LGBTQ equality and yet current data reveal serious challenges faced by LGBTQ youth, including rejection, bullying and a lack of support from educators. This pre-conference will cover the current state of LGBTQ youth, build cultural competency and review best-practices and resources that make a positive difference. Participants will hear directly from a national expert on school safety and inclusion for LGBTQ youth, a parent of a transgender child and a few LGBTQ students. Interactive activities, opportunities to practices new skills, and time for small group discussion will be provided. If you desire to become an emerging expert and become a stronger advocate for change, this pre-conference is for you.
ULA, MLA, DS, CB, PK, E, M, H
Strand: Pre-conference Academy

A Public/Private Collaboration to Address Dating Violence
Alexis Jefferson, Program Manager, Institute for Creative Community Initiatives, Lanham, MD; Dr. Alexander Chan, 4-H Agent, University of Maryland Extension, Clinton, MD

The Institute for Creative Community Initiatives built a partnership with the University of Maryland Extension in order to teach teens in Prince George’s County MD, healthy dating practices with the expectation to decrease teen dating violence and domestic violence in our community. The partners utilize the Train-the-Trainer model to ensure that there are school-based, faith-based and community-based professionals trained to deliver the adapted Relationship Smarts curriculum throughout the County.
ULA, MLA, DS, H
Strand: Partnerships & Building Relationships 

Redefining Juvenile Justice and Youth Outreach from a Developmental Approach
Dr. Kathleen Van Antwerp, Co-Executive Director; Senta Greene, Co-Executive Director, Full Circle Consulting Systems, Inc., Ventura, CA

This workshop/ learning experience will offer a comprehensive, evidence-based educational curriculum for youth, parents, community providers, and law enforcement officers in the science of child and adolescent development to intercept and divert youth violence, crime, and delinquency. Our educational model focuses on enhancing academic performance and the social-emotional well-being of youth and fostering emotional well-being and resilience by providing safety, stability, and consistency.
MLA, M
Strand: Program, Design, Development & Quality

Resilience Can Be Taught: Strategies to Build Resilience in Every Student
Christian Moore, Founder, WhyTry Organization, Provo, UT

Resilience is something we’re all born with. Learn about vital skills of resilience and 3 keys to creating a resilient climate. This engaging presentation will empower you to deliver these skills to students of any background and learning style, enabling them to thrive not only in school but in life.
ULA, MLA, DS, M, H
Strand: Staff Leadership

Resilience Is Everything
Dee Hankins, Inspirational Speaker, Rancho Cucamonga, CA

Resilience: The ability to bounce back. It’s what enables students to come out of challenging experiences with a positive attitude about themselves and their futures. After 18 years in foster care and watching his daughter battle brain cancer, Dee turns those unexpected events into incredible life lessons.
ULA, MLA, DS, M, H, HE
Strand: Program, Design, Development & Quality; Staff Leadership; Partnerships & Building Relationships; Older Youth

The Resilient Mindset - Camp Australia's CARE Program
Liz Weir, Organisation Development Manager; Renae Quinn, National Training Manager, Camp Australia, Glen Iris, Australia

It is important all educators working with children to understand that they operate best when they are at their healthiest and function at their peak, this indicates they are resilient. Teaching educators to understand their and each child’s body is an information system and that all behaviour is communication. When your body is resilient and calm it regulates and balances blood pressure, heart rate, and blood sugar levels.
ULA, MLA, DS, CB, E, M, H
Strand: Program, Design, Development & Quality; Staff Leadership; Partnerships & Building Relationships 

Scaling Summer 101: Building Community-Wide Systems for Summer Learning
Mashona Council, Youth Development Consultant, Council Consulting, LLC, Atlanta, GA; Dr. Femi Vance, Field Consultant, National Summer Learning Association, Lemon Grove, CA

You have community partners who understand how summer learning can benefit youth. So, what’s next? We know that cross-sector coordination is needed to bring summer learning to scale. Come to this session to delve into our Community Indicators of Effective Summer Learning Systems, a framework for building high-quality summer learning systems. Using this framework you and your partners can develop a robust and sustainable summer learning system.
ULA, MLA, PK, E, M, H, HE
Strand: Partnerships & Building Relationships 

Securing Sustainable Funding
Dr. Andria “Andi” Fletcher, Consultant, Sacramento, CA

This exciting workshop will inspire you to think differently about how you approach fund development and provide you with the tools you’ll need to secure balanced, diversified, and sustainable investments in your program. More than 35,000 participants have already benefitted from this innovative, proven strategy and you can, too!
ULA, CB, E, M, H
Strand: Partnerships & Building Relationships; Sustainability 

SEL is Everywhere: Making It Work in Your Program
Robb Armstrong, Program Manager; Justin McGlamery, Wingman, Dylan's Wings of Change, Canton, CT

SEL is the process through which we understand and manage emotions, set and achieve goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions. Boiled down, this can be referred to as basic human skills. We all are using elements of this in our everyday lives. This workshop will use hands-on activities to spur conversations and discuss how to view your programming through SEL lenses and refocus the outcomes of activities you may already be using.
MLA, DS, CB, E, M, H, HE
Strand: Program, Design, Development & Quality; Staff Leadership; Partnerships & Building Relationships; Older Youth

Skillastics: Physical Activity Made Simple
Sandy Slade, CEO & Founder, Skillastics, Corona, CA

Is your staff overwhelmed? Is it impossible to motivate kids to move? The Skillastics® Program makes it easy for you & or your staff to organize, motivate & engage kids to move learn & love it! You’ll leave this session with an understanding of the Skillastics® Program & learn why it’s the #1 large group physical active resource used in over 25,000 AS & PE programs nationwide! Also, walk away from this workshop with numerous FREE instant activities that you can implement immediately.
ULA, MLA, DS, E, M
Strand: Large Exhibitor Showcase; Program, Design, Development & Quality; Staff Leadership; Sustainability

Slaying Dragons for Good: Using Role-Playing Games to Promote SEL and Youth Development
Jason Peerce, Manager, Training & Development, Camp Fire National Headquarters, Frankfort, KY

Youth are gaming more than ever and with that comes a world of opportunity for youth development practitioners! This workshop will cover the benefits of using role-playing games such as Dungeons and Dragons in programming and how it fosters SEL skills such as empathy, self-awareness, and more. Participants will engage in their own mini-quest and learn best practices on implementing role-playing games in their programs. Come find out how slaying dragons can positively impact youth!
DS, M, H
Strand: Program, Design, Development & Quality; Older Youth 

STEM Studio - TGR Foundation
David Tong, Director, TGR EDU: Create, TGR Foundation, Irvine, CA

DESIGN. INNOVATE. COLLABORATE. Imagine a place where creativity and innovation are paramount. Where teachers take on the role of students, delving into hands-on STEM activities and a place where inquiry-based learning leads to real-world applications. Where like-minded educators gather to collaborate and take risks. This is STEM Studio: an immersive experience in STEM education based on a transformational educational philosophy facilitated by TGR EDU: Create. Join us in this pre-conference session to explore strategies that will enhance your curricula and prepare your students for careers in STEM.
MLA, CB, DS, E, M, H
Strand: Pre-conference Academy 

Strengthening Our Understanding of Mental Health and Wellness
Zakir “Zak” Parpia, Director of Programs, California School-Age Consortium, Berkeley, CA

Expanded learning programs play a central role in supporting a young person’s mental health. One key first step in supporting a young person’s mental health is understanding the connection between the trauma a young person experiences in their lives, the impact that trauma has on their mental health, and the behaviors the young person externalizes in our programs. Join us as we explore these connections to better support our youth in our programs.
MLA, DS, E, M, H
Strand: Program, Design, Development & Quality

Summer Time Engaging Madness (STEM) - Engaging Youth and Families in the Sun
Farin Young, Outreach Specialist, Hayward Promise Neighborhoods, Hayward, CA

Participants will receive best practices in creating a summer camp that allows 4th to 7th-grade students to receive college credit while promoting STEM and sports activities. The success of the program is due to the effort given to engage families and provide a safe learning environment.
DS, E, M, HE
Strand: Program, Design, Development & Quality

Supporting a Creative Generation: Practical Tools For Your Pedagogy and Organization
Jeff M. Poulin. Managing Director, Creative Generation, Washington, DC

The next generation will face the most pressing challenges of our time. The research seeks to understand youth and their development through innovative educational means, like creativity, technology, and social/emotional well-being. In this workshop, dive deep into the theories of the Creative Generation towards shifting educational practice and organizational infrastructure. Attendees will discuss new and disruptive ideas towards re-imagining our systems and application to professional contexts.
ULA, MLA, CB, M, H, HE
Strand: Staff Leadership 

Supporting Transgender/Non-Binary Youth
Kathie Moehlig, Executive Director; Al Johnson, Community Engagement Coordinator, TransFamily Support Services, San Diego, CA

Led by one of the country’s leading authorities on supporting transgender/non-binary youth and their family, this session will give you the tools and resources you need to more deeply understand issues around gender, and use this knowledge to support and empower our youth. Leave with powerful, practical strategies that work.
ULA, MLA, DS, CB, E, M, H, HE
Strand: Partnerships & Building Relationships 

System Building Beyond the Bell
Fausto A. Lopez, Content Area Specialist, American Institutes for Research, Chicago, IL; Amy Anderson, Senior Manager, Experiential Learning; Jahaziel Hiriart, Senior Manager, Social & Emotional Well-Being, The Opportunity Project, Tulsa, OK

Developing powerful environments where youth can thrive requires coordination, critical backbone services, and a commitment to quality improvement. The current focus on SEL creates an opportunity for alignment across learning settings. Join us for this interactive session focusing on integrating learning systems through quality expanded learning opportunities. We will highlight promising practices in coordinating the alignment of strategies across learning settings in Tulsa, OK.
ULA, MLA, DS, CB, E, M, H
Strand: Program, Design, Development & Quality

Teaching Students to Lead the Way in Restorative Practices
KishaLynn Elliott, Director, Program Evaluation and Restorative Practices Trainer, Monarch School, San Diego, CA

What happens when you put the power to build community and repair harms into the hands of students? This hands-on workshop will walk you step-by-step through Monarch's processes for training and engaging students in restorative practices. Attendees will hear best practices and lessons learned through building student restorative leadership in a fun and engaging way. Share power and challenge the growth of your students by equipping them with restorative skills for life!
DS, H
Strand: Program, Design, Development & Quality

A Trauma-Informed Approach to SEL and Relationship Building
Dr. Jessica Mitchell, Associate Director, Research & Evaluation; Angie Scott, Director, Youth Protection, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, Tampa, FL

The presence of a stable, caring adult can help children increase their resiliency and recover from exposure to traumatic events. Big Brothers Big Sisters has developed and implemented trauma-informed practices nationwide that focus on building resilience and strengthening SEL skills through one-to-one mentoring. Attendees will review the trauma-informed care training materials and resources, including tools to identify trauma and service needs, as well as learn how BBBS demonstrates their effectiveness on SEL.
ULA, MLA, DS, CB, E, M, H
Strand: Program, Design, Development & Quality

Turning Crickets into Stories: Active and Reflective Processing Practices for SEL Outcomes
Justin McGlamery, Chief Locus Focuser, Focus Your Locus Teambuilding, Training, & Development, Hartford, CT

Have you ever had that group and it seemed as though they had a great learning experience, but when you ask a follow-up question or try to process the activity you are met with only silence and the sound of crickets? In experiential learning, the reflective processing portion of the program is equally important as the experience or learning activity itself. Workshop participants will learn a variety of activities and effective reflection/processing techniques for optimal SEL outcomes.
MLA, DS, E, M, H, HE
Strand: Program, Design, Development & Quality; Staff Leadership; Partnerships & Building Relationships; Older Youth

Yoga: A Self-Regulation Tool
Christina Aanenson, OST Supervisor, Hopkins Kids & Company, Minnetonka, MN

In this workshop participants will learn some yoga tips and tricks to use with their students including how yoga can be used as a self-regulation tool or a fun group activity.
DS, E
Strand: Program, Design, Development & Quality

You Gotta Laugh! Using Laughter and Humor to Strengthen Your OST Program
Clint Darr, Afterschool Regional Educator, Missouri Afterschool Network, Fulton, MO

Laughter: the best medicine for our kids AND us! Embrace the power of laughter and how it can improve your out of school time program and energize you, your staff, and your students! Learn the social-emotional benefits of laughter and practice laughter yoga techniques with a certified laughter yoga instructor. When not ROTFL, learn techniques, tips, and strategies for using humor and laughter in your out of school time program as well as in your personal life.
ULA, MLA, DS, PK, E, M, H, HE
Strand: Program, Design, Development & Quality

Please note: Name badges are required to attend all BOOST Conference events including all meals and all workshops.