Historic Afterschool Funding Increase Approved by Congress and the President
"Afterschool providers and advocates had reason to celebrate this holiday season! Congress had to make some very difficult spending decisions this year and despite cuts to some critical programs for kids - including level funding the Child Care and Development Block Grant - after months of receiving calls, emails and letters from the afterschool community, Congress and the President are giving the 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) Program a badly needed and well deserved funding increase. On December 26th, the President signed an omnibus spending bill that provides a $100 million increase for 21st CCLC for Fiscal Year 2008, putting the total funding at an all time high of $1.1 billion. To see how this funding increase will affect your state, click here."
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The After School Experience (TASE)
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It's been said that the best events take on a life of their own. Truly this holds for The After School Experience's 10th Bi-Annual Conference held at the Westchester Marriott in Tarrytown November 27 - 29, 2007 with the theme The After School Experience: "Simply the Best!". What an incredible event. What a committed group of attendees. Following are some highlights:
l Along with our fabulous New York State out-of-school time program providers and partners, the conference drew attendees from Florida, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Dakota and Puerto Rico.
l Two dynamic youth performances: Revelation Performing Arts Dance Troupe depicting the dichotomy of the life of a teenager in Brooklyn and Darfur and the harsh similarities of their experiences was powerful; and the execution of dance movements by The American Ballroom Theater program which inspired the movie "Mad Hot Ballroom Dancers" left grantees totally floored.
l Over 45 top notch, interactive workshops and informational sessions with topics ranging from program sustainability to gang awareness.
l Nationally renowned keynote presenters from California, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Washington, D.C.
l An impressive Student Art Gallery with artwork from programs throughout the state and over 21 exhibitors from various national and state agencies and businesses.
l The After School Experience Awards Ceremony honoring 13 peer-chosen program grantees not only from New York but also from North Dakota and Florida.
l Katha Cato, Director of Henry Street Settlement, led an on-site "Lights on After School" campaign and brought her students and staff in to showcase thousands of bulbs completed by her program and community which will be given to state legislators during a meeting in 2008 to promote afterschool programming in New York State.
l The capstone was the After School State-of-the-Union Address by our beloved John Soja who confirmed that a fourth round 21st CCLC Request for Proposal would indeed be released along with the provision of regional informational technical assistance sessions conducted by the New York State Education Department with assistance through the Student Support Services Network.
We know that our work doesn't stop with the TASE Conference; the real work is in the field. Kudos to our afterschool program providers who are "Simply the Best!". |
Thanks to ALL who made the The After School Experience (TASE)
Training Conference a Memorable Experience!
Comments from some of the many participants:
"The speakers were just so incredible, the workshops were fantastic and I made really good contacts too. Let's unite our states and make the East Coast a powerhouse!"
- Lynn Valenty,Office of Educational Support Services, New Jersey Department of Education
"I had a blast and really enjoyed connecting with so many of the grantees in New York. And kudos for having such an upbeat, energetic, and engaging conference. Everyone seemed to truly be having fun... and having attended a number of these around the
country, I can honestly say that's not always the case." - Sidd Vivek, Afterschool Alliance
"I want to congratulate you and the staff on a fantastic conference!!!!!!! I applaud you!!!!" - Susan Kessler, Long Island Student Support Services Center
"This is to express a congratulatory shout of praise and a heartfelt thank you. You and your team did a phenomenal job as always but this conference had a special twist. The After School Experience, November 2007 focused on every thought and action that each participant could relate to and want."
- Monique S. McDowell, Highbridge Community Life Center
"Great conference! You guys are super organized." - Jason Robles, New York State Police Department
"I normally hate conferences but I knew that this was one I wanted to be at. Thank you for honoring all of us by the thoughtfulness and planning that so obviously went into this event."
- Diane Reiser, Brooklyn College Community Partnership
"The conference was AMAZING! Thank you to you and your team for the support and attention to detail to ensure folks had a meaningful experience."
- Danielle DiMare, Office of School and Youth Development, NYC Department of Education
"What an incredible conference. It was a pleasure to be invited in and to participate in such a wonderful event...I am using something learned here at the national event." - Sylvia Lyles, U.S. Department of Education
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Spotlight:
Hero Tamakloe - Hollis, Greater New York YMCA
Keeping kids busy once the school bell rings is a huge challenge, both for teachers and parents. Hero Tamakloe, of P.S. 95 in Hollis, has turned his dedication to children into a recipe for success as the site coordinator of the "Virtual Y" afterschool program.
The Virtual Y represents a partnership between the Greater New York YMCA and the NYC Department of Education to help schools provide a safe place for children whose parents work during the day.
Tamakloe, who emigrated from the African nation of Togo in 1988, has held a multitude of jobs in New York City. He's been a cab driver, interned with the MTA, and worked at Woodhull Hospital, all after working on behalf of the Togo Embassy at the United Nations. Read More... |
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The World of Money is committed to prepare underserved youth for the arena of money, by following a Money Track curriculum. Areas include: wealth consciousness, money creation, disciplined savings, stock market investment, bank accounts, real estate investing, mutual funds, credit, mortgages, house-hunting, IRA, business etiquette et al. The Summer Financial Literacy Training Institute was launched in 2006. It is the mission of the World of Money, to give young people, ages 12 - 18, empowering tools to survive economic roller-coasters and racial exclusion, by using their innate intelligence and creativity to expand their access to the free enterprise system beyond that of consumerism, to entrepreneurship, disciplined saving, and the understanding of investing in capital markets. World of Money also serves outside organizations and corporations through tailored financial literacy workshops.
Session One: July 15, 2008
Session Two: July 22, 2008
Session Three: July 29, 2008
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Message from Our Director
Greetings and Happy New Year Colleagues:
During the holiday break I had the opportunity to take some much needed down time. While in Tallahassee, Florida, celebrating the holiday season with the apple of my eye, my only child, Chaquita, I had the opportunity to catch two profoundly impactful movies - The Kite Runner and The Great Debaters. Both centered on the lives of youth and featured youth actors in leading roles. A central thread woven through both movies was the ability of youth to self-actualize and persevere despite societal adversity. As I allowed myself to be drawn in to the story and tag lines, I could not help think about the youth we serve.
I've learned that along with reading, writing and arithmetic the greatest factor in meeting the academic, social, emotional, physical and spiritual needs of our most precious assets - our youth - is a positive relationship. And, so, as we embark on the best years of our lives in the After School Movement, let's remember that it does not matter so much what kind of car we drive, how big our house is, how many Benjamins we have in the bank, the fancy clothes and bling we possess, what matters most today and always will, is the difference we make in the lives of our youth. The world then becomes a better place because we have chosen to focus our dollars, energy and time where it matters most - on our youth!
Shalom,
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Mentoring received a boost early this month, when the President issued a proclamation designating January 2008 as National Mentoring Month. In the announcement, he praised the impact of mentoring and declared his Administration's continued support. National Mentoring Month is an initiative of the Harvard Mentoring Project, MENTOR, and the Corporation for National and Community Service.
One of the highlights of National Mentoring Month is Thank Your Mentor Day™, which this year falls on Thursday, January 25. On that day, be encouraged to go to the National Mentoring Month channel on YouTube, where you can find videos by more than a dozen well-known individuals-including Quincy Jones, Sting, Clint Eastwood, and Maya Angelou-in which they thank the mentors in their lives for guiding them along the path to success. If enough of you go to the site, we can make these inspiring videos YouTube's top-ranked videos of the day, which will bring even more attention to this worthy cause!
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Resources
- Mentoring, Policy and Politics - In this policy brief, former P/PV President Gary Walker asks, "Is mentoring now a durable part of American social policy? If so-is this unalloyed good news?" Adapted from an article that first appeared in The Handbook of Youth Mentoring, the brief reflects on the impact and appeal of mentoring, addresses various critiques of the movement and suggests future directions for mentoring's application. Read More...
- High-Quality After-School Programs Tied to Test-Score Gains - Disadvantaged students who regularly attend top-notch after-school programs end up, after two years, academically far ahead of peers who spend more out-of-school time in unsupervised activities, according to findings from an eight-state study of those programs. Known as the Promising Afterschool Programs Study, the new research examined 35 programs serving 2,914 students in 14 communities stretching from Bridgeport, CT, to Seaside, CA. The programs, all of which had been operating at least three years when the study began, were selected because of a record of success. For advocates of after-school programs, the results offer a counterpoint to a controversial 2005 evaluation of the 21st Century Community Learning Centers program, a federal initiative that finances after-school enrichment programs for 1.3 million elementary and middle school students nationwide. Read More...
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The Afterschool Landscape-A View Across the States - Education stakeholders across the country have begun to recognize the value of quality after-school programs, and are consequently taking steps to increase the access to these programs. The  After-school Investments State Profiles Series highlights the ranges of policies and practices that support after-school programs, most of which are publicly financed. The group finds that high quality after-school programs can have significant positive effects on student outcomes, while at the same time low-quality programs can have negative impacts. In light of this research, states have begun to develop definitions of quality, create measures of program quality and improve programs through licensing, accreditation, professional development and incentives. States are also able, through a tiered reimbursement system, to tie higher rates of subsidy reimbursements to high levels of program quality. The profiles provide a snapshot of the state of after-school in every state. Read More...
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Funding Opportunities
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- As public and private funding for children, families, and communities becomes more strained, leaders have a growing interest in understanding how they can maximize federal resources to support promising programs and  initiatives. That is not an easy task! State officials often know the funding programs that flow through their agencies but have little knowledge of others that flow through other agencies. Community leaders are often confused about which sources are federal and which are state. Moreover, they have a difficult time gaining access to information that tells them the specific requirements of individual programs and how funds from several sources can be blended and braided successfully. To address this urgent need, The Finance Project has developed significant resources to help leaders identify and understand how to use federal funding effectively. Visit The Finance Project's Information Resource Center for further information.
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Youth Service America - Grants and awards support and motivate youth, teachers, service-learning  coordinators, and youth-serving organizations to plan and implement projects for National Youth Service Day and on-going service throughout the year. For Grants now available visit Youth Service America. Deadline: Varies
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Alliance for a Healthier Generation
The Alliance for a Healthier Generation recommends the Healthy Youth Funding Database (HY-FUND). It is a  user-friendly tool that contains up-to-date information about funding opportunities for adolescent and school health programs. These funding opportunities are from federal agencies and the private sector. For more info visit Funding Opportunities. Deadline: Varies
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Foundation and the President's Council on Physical Fitness, developed the Champions for Healthy Kids grant program in 2002. Each year, the General Mills Foundation awards 50 grants of $10,000 each to community-based groups that develop creative ways to help youth adopt a balanced diet and physically active lifestyle. Deadline: January 15, 2008
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The NEA Foundation - Student Achievement Grants- Grants seek to improve the academic achievement of students in any subject area(s). The proposed work should engage students in critical thinking and problem solving in order to deepen their knowledge of standards-based subject matter. The work should also improve students' habits of inquiry, self-directed learning, and critical reflection. Grant funds may be used for resource materials, supplies, equipment, transportation, software, or scholars-in-residence. Proposals for work resulting in low-income and minority student success with honors, advanced placement, or other challenging curricula are particularly encouraged. Deadline: Varies
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Littlest Volunteers Contest - Wondertime Magazine and The Walt Disney Company are looking for stories about teaching young children the joys of volunteering. They are asking that volunteers share their story of what they and their little ones have learned from an experience. Maximum Award: $5,000 to winner's favorite charity. Eligibility: adults (parent, caregiver, or early childhood educator) volunteering with a child aged eight and younger. Deadline: February 29, 2008
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NFIB Young Entrepreneur Awards - The NFIB Young Entrepreneur Award program was  established to raise awareness among the nation's youth of the critical role that private enterprise and entrepreneurship play in the building of America. The scholarships recognize and honor the students who receive them and provide financial assistance to both the students and their parents who must finance higher education. Deadline: Varies
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The Coming Up Taller Awards recognize and reward outstanding after-school and out-of-school arts  and humanities programs for underserved children and youth. Maximum Award: $10,000. Eligibility: Programs initiated by museums, libraries, performing arts organizations, universities, colleges, arts centers, community service organizations, schools, businesses and eligible government entities. Deadline: January 31, 2008
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The Christopher Columbus Awards Program combines science and technology with community problem-solving. Students work in teams with the help of an adult coach to identify an issue they care about and, by using science and technology, work with experts, conduct research and put their ideas to the test to develop an innovative solution. Maximum Award: $25,000, an all-expense-paid trip to Walt Disney World to attend the program's National Championship Week and a $2,000 U.S. Savings Bond for each student team member. Eligibility: middle-school-age (sixth, seventh, and eighth grade) children; teams do not need to be affiliated with a school to enter. Deadline: March 17, 2008
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Parental Involvement
How to Increase Family Involvement in Afterschool
In 2002, SEDL published A New Wave of Evidence: The Impact of School, Family, and Community Connections on Student Achievement. This resource examined growing evidence that family and community connections with schools make a difference in student success. SEDL identified more than 50 studies in its findings and concluded there is a positive and convincing relationship between family involvement and benefits for students, including improved academic achievement. It's easy enough to entice parents to see their children perform in a play or talent show, but how can afterschool practitioners encourage and create opportunities for parental involvement in academics?
By Chris Ferguson, National Center for Family and Community Connections with Schools
Contrary to the assumption of many educators, research on family and community connections with schools has revealed that parents are interested in their children's academic success regardless of ethnicity, culture, or economic status, although they may not know how to help their children or may feel incapable of assisting them (Henderson & Mapp, 2002). Read More...
Commonly, when parents attempt to talk to their teenagers about school, the response is short and uninformative. Adults, whether teachers or family members, have taken this resistance as a sign of rejection. However, research in this field shows that, in fact, teenagers do want to interact with their parents, as well as other adults, and have them involved in their lives (Duffett & Johnson, 2004). Educators have also assumed that parents aren't as involved or as interested in the progress of their adolescent children. However, Shaver and Walls (1998) have found that parents do have a desire to be involved in lives of their adolescent children, regardless of their economic status or ethnicity. Parents just aren't always successful in their efforts, so they tend to be more cautious in their actions. The crux of family-school involvement at the middle and high school level is determining the kinds of adult interactions that not only allow teenagers to have autonomy and respect but also meet the needs of families and schools. Read More... |
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Mark Your Calendar
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Reducing Youth Violence In New York State - February 4 - 6, 2008 - Albany, NY - NYS Division of Criminal Justice Services invites you to connect with colleagues from criminal and juvenile justice agencies, education, social services and community-based organizations! Share the latest information and perspectives on: 1) Factors that contribute to youth violence; 2) Strategies for promoting youth development and enhancing public safety; 3) Prevention, intervention, treatment, re-entry and aftercare; and, 4) Effective programs, partnerships and collaborations.
- CASF'S Annual Advocacy Day - February 13, 2008 - Albany, NY - Hundreds of children, providers, parents, law enforcement officials and other after-school advocates will gather in Albany for CASF's Annual After-School Advocacy Day. The event will feature a combination of demonstrations and performances by after-school programs (i.e. dance, crafts), an awards program, and meetings with legislators and their staffs to make the case for increases in after-school funding. Hundreds of students, generally brought by after-school providers, attended last year's event. This is an opportunity for students to see how state government works, and to display the skills that they have learned in their program. For more information, and to register, click here
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Beyond School Hours XI - February 14-17 - Jacksonville, FL - For 10 years, Foundations' trademark, Beyond School Hours conferences, have brought afterschool educators together to share ideas about quality programming for children and youth. This year's conference, Beyond School Hours XI: Bringing Learning to Life, is sure to please. We are excited to announce that our friend, Dr. Maya Angelou, distinguished author and world renowned poet, will return as our special guest keynote on Friday, February 15, 2008. Her opening address will be just one of many exciting offerings on the roster of dynamic events and activities. More Info...
- National City Afterschool Summit - May 12-14, 2008 - Grand Hyatt Hotel, Washington, DC - Municipal officials from across the nation are invited to attend the second National City Afterschool Summit, which will highlight and promote the leadership of city and school officials in providing quality afterschool programs for children and youth.
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