Excel Beyond the Bell is Back in Session!

We are excited to launch another year of Excel Beyond the Bell (EBB), which provides high-quality out-of-school time programs in middle schools in Montgomery County. The Collaboration Council partners with the Department of Recreation and MCPS to fund, monitor, and support programs in schools throughout the County.

We invite you to watch a short video about EBB featuring Out-of-School Time Program Manager Thylan Singleton.

For more information, please visit excelbeyondthebell.org

Welcome New Team Members!

The Collaboration Council's growing team gives us more capacity and expertise to assess and respond to our community's needs. Please join us in welcoming our newest team members.

Zamzam Nur formerly served as Americorps Vista at the Collaboration Council and returned to join us as a Grants and Contracts Coordinator. She is a certified Scrum Master with over ten years of experience in the Learning and Development domain. Her community has been a significant source of growth and nourishment for her. She is part of a constellation of healers, educators, mentors, activists, artists, and leaders who have helped her to internalize the value of commitment, courage, focus, openness, and respect. With a compassionate heart, she looks forward to contributing to the organization and collective wellness.

Freddy Climaco is joining Thylan Singleton on the Out-of-School Time (OST) Team as our new OST Program Coordinator. He spends most of his free time with family, watching sports like soccer, Formula 1, and studying for his graduate program. He also enjoys learning about new music. He is a big believer of approaching people from a holistic view and learning about social-emotional reactions before changing behaviors. He looks forward to learning more about the entire team and the work done throughout the county!  

Jenny Kim, our new Senior Accountant, has more than 20 years of experience in finance and accounting and holds a Master of Science degree in accounting. She has previously worked for nonprofits, small businesses, and Top Fortune 50 companies, and she enjoys working with data! She aims to solve and simplify complex problems and to share the beauty of numbers with everyone. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with family, having long conversations at the dinner table, finding new places to eat, learning new things, and reading.

Advancing Youth Development Training:

The Cornerstone of Positive Youth Development in Montgomery County

The Collaboration Council recently held an Advancing Youth Development (AYD) Training for community partners and providers. This was our first in-person AYD Training since we switched to virtual sessions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and it was especially exciting and rewarding to bring people together to share and learn.

The goal of the AYD Training is threefold:

1. Facilitate commitment to the “why” of positive youth development.
2. Embrace the value of self-assessment.
3. Learn methods and strategies to ensure authentic and transformative youth development practices.

Watch a short video to hear several participants reflect on what the recent training meant to them.