Indiana Statewide Newsletter
November 5, 2019
News & Policy
From Risk to Opportunity: Afterschool Keeps Kids Safe
This week, Fight Crime: Invest in Kids released a new report that reinforces the vital role that afterschool programs play in turning the hours after school, and before parents return home from work, into a time of learning and growth for our young people. From Risk to Opportunity: Afterschool Programs Keep Kids Safe When Juvenile Crime Peaks is available online, along with state-level data on juvenile crime.
Indiana Wins STEMx Grant to Expand and Share Innovations

Last week, the national STEMx network announced funding for 5 states - including Indiana - to expand quality STEM education programs and add to the national conversation on innovative education.

The STEMx network, a coalition of leading STEM education organizations, selected the winners through a competitive process. Read more about the opportunity below.
More Can Still Be Done to Feed Hungry Children After School

More than 1.3 million children benefited from afterschool suppers on an average weekday in October 2018, a 10.4% increase from the previous year, according to the annual Afterschool Suppers: A Snapshot of Participation report, released today by the Food Research & Action Center. While the increase is encouraging, much more can be done to ensure that kids who rely on school lunches can also rely on afterschool suppers.
Program Spotlight
Safe Harbor's Michigan City Robotics Team
Over the past eight years, Safe Harbor’s high school robotics program has been changing student outcomes related to STEM skills and the pursuit of STEM careers. Starting with engaging ten students on a single high school robotics team in 2011, they now reach 1,300 students per year with eight robotics teams (from 1st to 12th grade) and eight other innovative STEM programs.

Robotics Team alumni have successfully served STEM-related internships at several organizations such as Sullair, Dwyer Instruments, Intel, Texas Instruments, Task Force Tips, and RSA Security. Others have gone on to start their careers in STEM-related fields.

Robotics students also developed a plan to build new electrical control panels for the La Porte Wastewater Department’s remote pump stations, with a 40% cost savings to the city. For their work, each student earns $750 and the team gets $1,500 per panel. Since the program started, the robotics students and the team have earned $24,000.

These and other accomplishments have led to the recognition of team Coach and teacher Ralph Gee as Outstanding Young Educator Award by the Indiana Association of Career and Technical Education.  
Events
Professional Development, Conferences, and More
Webinar | How to Introduce STEM Robotics into Your Program
November 12, 2019 | 1:00 PM EST
The early grades are a wonderful time to spark young people's interest in coding, robotics and engineering. Youth can integrate creative STEM/STEAM learning while collaborating and creating with arts and crafts, gaming, hands-on science projects, storytelling and more. Learn more about this FREE webinar.

ITSACC Webinar | Family Child Care (FCC): Supporting Quality
November 13, 2019 | 1:00 - 2:30 PM EST
As part of the 2019 Infant/Toddler & School-Age Child Care (ITSACC), this interactive webinar session will focus on the supports needed by FCC Providers. We will examine state policies, systems and technical assistance strategies that assist FCC providers in the provision of high- quality care to children within mixed-age groups. Participants will explore a newly published brief entitled “Voices from the Field” which includes strategies identified in focus groups conducted with family child care providers during the past year in various parts of the country. In addition, participants will have the opportunity to share best practices and initiatives from their work. Register today!

Monroe County Childhood Conditions Summit 2019
November 19, 2019 | Monroe Convention Center, 302 South College Avenue, Bloomington, IN
For the last three years, Youth Services Bureau of Monroe County and Building a Thriving Compassionate Community (BTCC) have engaged approximately 200 community members annually for the Monroe County Childhood Conditions Summit (MC3). The summit's original theme of “what surrounds us shapes us,” was grounded in the understanding that children are shaped by the relationships they have, the neighborhoods they live in, the places they learn and play, and the community organizations that serve them. The 2019 MC3 Summit will explore conditions by focusing on equity and inclusion. Every child is our child, therefore, we share a collective interest in our children’s future. Learn more here.
Upcoming Regional Learning Network Meetings
Out-of-School Coalition of Bartholomew County
November 11 @ 8:00 AM EST
Gramz Bakery
409 Washington St.
Columbus, IN 47201

Bloomington Afterschool Network
November 14 @ 10:00am EST
Allison Jukebox Community Center
349 S Washington St
Bloomington, IN 47401

Evansville Afterschool Committee
November 15 @ 10:30 AM CST
St Vincent Medical Arts Building
3700 Bellemeade Ave.
Evansville, IN 47714

Marion County Out-of-School Time (OST)
November 19 @ 12 PM EST
Indianapolis Housing Agency – 16 Park
1621 N. Park Ave
Indianapolis, IN 46202
Mark Your Calendars
IYI Kids Count Conference
December 2 - 4, 2019 | Indianapolis, IN
The Indiana Youth Institute's (IYI) Kids Count Conference is the Midwest’s largest gathering of youth-serving professionals. Gain practical resources from national experts, learn best practices from programs like yours, and make connections that last all year long. Explore timely issues for youth in the areas of health, holistic learning, family engagement, equity and inclusion, and more. Learn more here.
2020 NAA Annual Convention
March 15 - 19, 2020 | Washington DC
Join the 2,300 members of the National Afterschool Association (NAA) community at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center for four days of networking, learning and inspiration: special events, workshops, daily keynotes and an interactive learning expo, all designed to meet the needs of the developing professionals and emerging and current leaders of afterschool. Learn more here.
Funding Opportunities
IDOE STEM Acceleration Grant Opportunity
Deadline: November 22, 2019
IDOE STEM Acceleration Grants will support districts having an interest in accelerating, scaling, or implementing a STEM curricula grounded in problem/project-based or inquiry-based pedagogy, and incorporating teacher training and support. Additionally, STEM career exposure for students should be embedded in STEM programming throughout the K-12 educational continuum. Learn more here.

Next Generation Hoosier Educators Scholarship
Deadline: November 30, 2019
This scholarship provides 200 high-achieving high school and college students interested in pursuing a career in education the opportunity to earn a renewable scholarship of up to $7,500 each year for up to four academic years. Students must apply through ScholarTrack, so they will need to create a full student account before they can access the application. Learn more here.

Accelerating Promising Practices for Small Libraries
Deadline: December 2, 2019
Accelerating Promising Practices for Small Libraries (APP) is a special initiative of the National Leadership Grants for Libraries Program. The goal of this initiative is to support projects that strengthen the ability of small and/or rural libraries and archives to serve their communities and to build grantee capacity through participation in a community of practice. IMLS invites applications that focus on transforming school library practice, community memory, or digital inclusion. Learn more here.
445 North Pennsylvania St.
Suite 945
Indianapolis, IN 46204
www.indianaafterschool.org | 317.822.8211