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AFTERSCHOOL OBSERVER
JULY 2019
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CONVENE
POLICY & PRACTICE REGIONAL CONVENINGS
This month, the NC Center for Afterschool Programs will host three Regional Convenings in various locations across the state. Each of the convenings will be held at Community Colleges that offer School-Age Career Certificates or Degree Programs. Specific dates, host community colleges and enrichment experts are as follows:
JULY 23: Central Piedmont Community College [Charlotte, NC]
NC Resilience & Learning Project
NC Tennis Foundation
JULY 24: Edgecombe Community College [Tarboro, NC]
Sanford Harmony
Tech Terra
JULY 25: Durham Technical Community College [Durham, NC]
NC Resilience and Learning Project
Dropping Seeds in Motion
Policy & Practice Regional Convenings will provide an opportunity for attendees to engage in meaningful dialogue pertaining to the 2019 Roadmap of Need. The annual Roadmap of Need uses data on economic development, education, health and youth behavior & safety to take a whole child needs assessment of what youth living in each of North Carolina's 100 counties must have in order to thrive in school and in life. In addition to dialogue centered on the recently released Roadmap, attendees will be afforded an opportunity to explore a range of enrichment activities
presented by partnering organizations that can be utilized in programs. Lunch will be provided at each convening and attendees can register free of charge. Space is limited so secure your spot by registering today!
The agenda for each of the Regional Convenings will be as follows:
8:30 am: Registration/Coffee
9 am: Welcome/Roadmap of Need Dialogue
10 am: Program Enrichment #1
11 am: Program Enrichment #2
12 pm: Lunch
12:30 pm: Adjournment
The deadline to register is Friday, July 19th.
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ADVOCACY
AFTERSCHOOL FOR ALL CHALLENGE
June 12 marked the 18th Afterschool for All Challenge, and we made our voices heard!
Supporters from all across the nation told Congress not to eliminate the quality afterschool and summer learning programs that we rely on to keep children safe, inspire them to learn, and give working parents peace of mind. The Trump administration has proposed eliminating all funds for 21st Century Community Learning Centers, the primary federal funding stream for afterschool and summer learning programs. Kicking off the
20th Lights On Afterschool season, our rallying cry of the day was, "Keep the Lights On Afterschool!"
In true afterschool fashion, we educated, demonstrated, and had some fun:
On the same day, 2,000+ supporters united to ask Congress to not just keep funding, we asked for a $100M increase that would give 100,000 young people access to afterschool and summer programs.
- 200+ afterschool providers, community leaders, educators, parents and youth from 41 states met with members of Congress and their staff on Capitol Hill, including 3 from North Carolina
- 5,000+ calls and emails reached Congressional offices
- 800 new supporters joined our cause and contacted Congress for the first time in support of afterschool
- Advocates including Arnold Schwarzenegger took to Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to tell the world that #AfterschoolWorks
During the visit with Congressman David E. Price, North Carolina program advocates presented him with the Lifetime Afterschool Champion Award for his support of afterschool, before school and summer programs across the state of North Carolina and for his commitment to the field as a member of the House Afterschool Caucus.
Pictured L to R:
Kristen M. [Straight Progress CDC], Dr. Sheronda F. [NC CAP], Congressman David E. Price [NC-4], Jonathan H. [Boys & Girls Club of Cabarrus County]
Article from:
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INFORM
SEL FOR KIDS STARTS WITH THE ADULTS WEBINAR SERIES
Understanding our SEL begins with the adults. It is essential that leaders understand and develop their own social and emotional competencies because of their influence on the overall environment. This summer webinar series will dive into the reports that support SEL in afterschool, offer tips for choosing SEL curriculum and guide leaders how to assess their own EQ and determine next steps to grow.
This webinar series is an exclusive offering for Executive members of the National Afterschool Association. Not yet an Executive member?
Upgrade today!
Part 2: Leading with Emotional Intelligence
July 9th, 1:00 pm
Because of their influence on the overall work environment and the professional development of others, it is essential that leaders understand and develop their own social and emotional competencies. In this session, first, you'll learn a bit about emotional intelligence and then, you'll quickly assess your own emotional intelligence (EQ). Finally, you'll learn about strategies and next steps for personal and professional growth, including NAA's upcoming Leading with Emotional Intelligence Professional Learning Community
.
Part 3: Choosing SEL Curriculum for Your Program
July 16th, 1:00 pm
Based on the Wallace Report, NAVIGATING SEL FROM THE INSIDE OUT, this webinar will help leaders understand the key process to find the right SEL curriculum for their programs. Hear from other afterschool leaders about the SEL curricula they've chosen and how it's working for them. Presented by Dr. Stephanie Jones, Professor of Education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education at Harvard University.
Part 4: Living, Teaching, and Embracing "YOU MATTER"
July 30th, 1:00 pm
We spend our days helping students understand that they matter and that they can make a lasting impact on their communities and the world. But the success of students starts with us living it. Participants will discover how much and why they matter-to themselves, their relationships, their communities, and their students-and why it's important to remember and practice this message while leading students. Participants will also learn how to stay grounded in their passion, purpose, and positivity as we model healthy relationships and Social and Emotional practices with our students. Webinar sponsored and presented by Kristin Lorey, Director of Education,
Every Monday Matters.
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FIRST NORTH CAROLINA
FIRST North Carolina inspires the next generation of engineers, computer scientists and innovators through the FIRST K-12 robotics programs. Various clubs, schools and organizations offer after-school FIRST programs to engage kids in a fun, hands-on exploration of building and coding.
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ADVOCACY
NATIONAL SUMMER LEARNING WEEK
National Summer Learning Week is a celebration dedicated to elevating the importance of keeping kids learning, safe, and healthy every summer, ensuring they return to school in the fall ready to succeed in the year. Led by the National Summer Learning Association (NSLA), the event has transitioned from a national advocacy day to a week-long celebration aimed at elevating the importance of keeping kids learning, safe and healthy every summer, ensuring they return to school in the fall ready to succeed in the year.
- Monday, July 8: Kick-Off Day [Share Your Learning Story]
- Tuesday, July 9: Discovery Day [STEM]
- Wednesday, July 10: Masterpiece Day [Arts]
- Thursday, July 11: Future Leaders Day [Career & College Readiness]
- Friday, July 12: Bookworm Day [Literacy]
Resources are provided by
NSLA
for families, students, communities and elected officials on their website. North Carolina summer program providers are invited to register their programs online to ensure that families in communities statewide can locate available programs during the summer months.
Your participation sends a powerful message across the nation that summers matter and offers an opportunity to showcase how summers can make a life-changing difference in the lives of young people.
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SUPPORT
STEM LESSON SPOTLIGHT
STEM is more than Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. STEM is
hands-on, minds-on FUN.
When we teach STEM, we:
- Ignite curiosity
- Reinforce what students learn in the classroom
- Build critical thinkers who can collaborate
- Build STEM families and economically vital communities
- Empower a new generation of innovators and problem solvers.
This month's lesson represents Life Science. The lesson includes:
- Snapshot Overview
- Fast Facts
- Lesson
- STEM To-Go
- Video Overview
To view this month's lesson and to download each aspect of the lesson content to utilize in your program, click
here. Let us know what you think about this month's STEM lessons on twitter @ncafterschool.
BABY PLANTS
Life Science
Check out this lesson
here.
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INFORM
NC SUMMER LEARNING TOOLKIT
Summer is Here - Are You Ready for Summer Learning Week? Here's some tools you can use!
Over the summer students can lose academic gains made during the school year, and research shows that summer learning losses can accumulate each
year, influencing reading proficiency. While students tend to progress at the same rate during the school year, over the summer more than 80 percent of children from economically disadvantaged families lose reading skills.
That is why the North Carolina Early Childhood Foundation has updated our Summer Learning Toolkit for 2019, created especially for providers of
summer programs! The easy-to-use tools can help program staff understand the importance of summer learning so they can communicate effectively with parents. The toolkit comes with a short presentation and talking points, Facebook posts, text messages, a fact sheet, a template for Summer Learning Week stickers and more!
The tools can be found and downloaded
here and are available in both English and Spanish. On that same page, you'll find a webinar recording from 2018 about the toolkit.
Don't Forget to Celebrate Summer Learning Week July 8-13, 2019. Post Your Summer Learning Week events on the National Summer Learning Day
map!
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SUPPORT
NC OUT-OF-SCHOOL TIME MAPPING DATABASE
The NC Center for Afterschool Programs [NC CAP] developed a statewide, searchable database for out-of-school time programs that serve K-12 youth before school, after school, summers, weekends and during school breaks. Programs that take place in schools, school-age child care centers, community-based organizations, faith-based organizations, universities, libraries, museums, camps, and other locations can register their programs in the statewide mapping database. You can utilize this database to search for information on program locations, activities, number and grades of youth served. This database helps families, schools, communities and elected officials locate programs for their youth. It also aids in identifying community assets and gaps in out-of-school time programming.
Registering your program in the statewide database is easy and takes less than two minutes. Register your program today!
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ADVOCACY
LIGHTS ON AFTERSCHOOL 2019 REGISTRATION IS OPEN!
This October marks our 20th Lights On Afterschool celebration!
Sign up today to be part of the 20th Lights On Afterschool celebration! All who register will receive event planning tip emails and 10 free posters to promote your event.
This year, in response your feedback, we've upgraded our sign up system so that event hosts can log in and update your event details whenever you like!
Changed your date, venue, or time? Have an exciting new partner or VIP speaker to announce? You can return to the sign up page, login, and edit your event as needed.
Why update your event info? Having your event details up to date means:
- Our Find an Event website will show your correct event details, ensuring that people looking for events in your community can find your celebration; and
- As we speak with media interested in Lights On Afterschool, we will able to direct them to the right place and time to attend your event.
We know, you may not be excited about one more login/password to manage, but we think this new functionality will be helpful.
Looking for inspiration? Browse descriptions of past events held by programs. You can even
search our event database for ideas by topic, activity, audience, planning time, or level of difficulty.
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INFORM
SUMMER FOOD SERVICE PROGRAM (SFSP)
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The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) offers free summer meals to kids across North Carolina. The program is similar to the School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs, except meals are free to all kids that come to a registered summer meals site.
Here are three easy ways to find and advertise free summer meals sites near you:
- Text "FoodNC" to 877-877
- Call toll free 1.866.3Hungry (1.866.348.6479) or 1.877.8Hambre (1.877.842.6273)
- Visit the USDA's Summer Meal Site Finder at fns.usda.gov/SummerFoodRocks
FREE: Meals are free to children and teens ages 18 and younger who come to a summer meals site.
SAVE MONEY: Free summer meals will help families save money and stretch their already tight food budgets.
NUTRITIOUS: Food served at summer meal sites follows USDA nutrition guidelines and are paid for by the USDA.
SAFE: Summer meal sites are safe places for kids and teens to go, such as schools, churches, and community centers.
FUN: Many sites offer educational and recreational activities that kids of all ages can participate in so they can eat, hang out with friends and take part in activities offered.
NO ID, NO REGISTRATION: Parents don't need to apply to the program to get a free summer meal for their kids. Children simply need to come to a summer meals site in their community, and enjoy a healthy meal without the hassle of having to fill out an application or enroll in a program. No ID or registration needed.
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PROGRAM SPOTLIGHT
NC CAP wants to highlight your program!
The North Carolina Center for Afterschool Programs would like to highlight program successes statewide. Tell us about your program and you might be our Program Spotlight in the next edition of the Afterschool Observer or on Social Media. Click the Program Spotlight below to be redirected to the updated survey link to tell us about your program.
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SUPPORT
FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
The After School Advantage (ASA) Program is a signature education program and flagship community involvement initiative. The program strives to close the "Digital Divide" for disadvantaged children who get left behind because they do not have the means to access computers in today's increasingly digital society. Its goal is to address the needs of underprivileged/at-risk children ages five to 18 with a meaningful, yet fun, learning experience during the critical after-school hours in a safe environment. It does this by providing qualifying non-profit community agencies and public schools with digital learning centers. Each digital learning center is unique in its design and specific to an organization's custom needs.
The American Honda Foundation engages in grant making that reflects the basic tenets, beliefs and philosophies of Honda companies, which are characterized by the following qualities: imaginative, creative, youthful, forward-thinking, scientific, humanistic and innovative. They support youth education with a specific focus on the STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) subjects in addition to the environment. Funding priority is youth education, specifically in the areas of science, technology, engineering, mathematics, the environment, job training and literacy.
CAPTAIN PLANET ecoSOLUTION & ecoTECH GRANTS
ecoSolution Grants have been the defining basis of Captain Planet Foundation's work over the last 25 years. The goals of these grants are to: Empower youth by providing hands-on environmental stewardship opportunities; Inspire youth and communities to become agents of change for their environment; Serve as a catalyst for education that uses the environment as a context for applied and STEM learning. ecoTech Grants were created to combat the notion that students needed to choose between "the screen" or "the green" and to encourage educators and students to explore the role technology can play in designing and implementing solutions to some of our most pressing environmental challenges. ecoTech Grants support projects that leverage technology to achieve greater or innovative environmental outcomes.
The TD Charitable Foundation funds only charitable, non-profit organizations, public schools and other qualified local government entities that serve residents of communities with TD Bank's geographical footprint. In regards to education, TD Charitable Foundation focuses on reading, writing, math and financial literacy for all ages, pre- and afterschool programs that reinforce basic learning skills, English as a second language, tutoring and mentorship, and education-focused youth development programs and initiatives.
Wells Fargo makes contributions in areas that we believe are important to the future of our nation's vitality and success. Their first priority is to support programs and organizations whose chief purpose is to benefit low- and moderate-income individuals and families. They look for projects that keep our communities strong, diverse, and vibrant.
They support organizations that promote academic achievement for low- and moderate-income students by:
- Eliminating the pre-K - 12th grade achievement gap in public education through curriculum-based or school-sponsored programs
- Facilitating merit-based access to higher education for underrepresented groups
- Advancing teaching through recruitment, professional development, support, and retention of teachers.
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MISSION
To influence policy and serve as a catalyst, convener, and clearinghouse for afterschool programs through advocacy, professional development, and quality improvement.
VISION
High quality afterschool programs accessible to all North Carolina children and youth helping them to succeed in and out of school.
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