It's that time again and we're going to do it better than we've ever done it before....

The New York 21^st CCLC Statewide Technical Assistance Center will host its

9^th Bi-Annual After School Experience Conference, "A Good Vibration," June 12-14 at the Desmond Hotel in Albany.  The event will draw over 650 directors, educators, coordinators and front line-staff throughout the state who will garner cutting edge information to assist them as they continue in this after school movement.

In attendance will be nationally renowned keynote presenters including Jodi Grant, Afterschool Alliance, Honorable Robert Pasternack, former Assistant U.S. Secretary of Education, Ellen Gannett, National Institute on Out-of-School Time, Dr. Elnardo Webster, Roselle Public Schools and ReadNex Poetry Squad. There will be over 45 interactive workshops, informational sessions, a movie premiere, student art gallery, vendors and exhibitors galore.

The event is slated to be not only informational but FUN. There will be a surprise celebrity guest appearance along with many key political supporters of after school programming at the "Blast from the Past" celebratory dinner dance on June 13^th. Participants are encouraged to come decked out in fashions from the 50s, 60s, 70s, and 80s as we stroll down memory lane.

This event is mandatory for all 21^st CCLC and Extended School Day/School Violence Prevention grantees and open to all persons interested in the after school movement.

So, get ready, get ready, get ready! June 12th -14^th will truly be an affair that will not only impress you, but even greater, leave an impact on you. See you there....

For the youth,

This piece started out as a reflection on the 8th anniversary of the Columbine tragedy-April 20, 1999. It was to make the point that a lot had been learned from that tragic event and others like it. It was also to remind one and all about the absolute necessity to be prepared for the unexpected at all times...

1. Evaluate the strategies for Prevention, Intervention and Recovery outlined in your building safety plans.
2. Evaluate your relationships, operating procedures and protocols for chain(s) of command in an emergency with your first responders.
3. Pay particular attention to practices that deal with internal and external communications, and dealing with the media during emergencies.
4. Evaluate entry and exit procedures and practices; the best practice is still a Single, Secured and Monitored point of access.
5. Practice planned drills for evacuation, sheltering and student management during these times.
6. Evaluate/test hardware regularly.
7. Conduct tabletop drills and exercises regularly; analyze gaps and discrepancies and adjust your planning and responses accordingly.
8. Assume and operate with the mindset that safety planning is ongoing, dynamic and never static; that the physical safety plans are living documents whose contents should reflect current practices and procedures.
9. Invest time and resources in training for all staff members in interpersonal violence prevention and other pertinent safety topics and practices.
10. Focus efforts into creating and maintaining a positive, welcoming and inclusive school climate.

Visit The Columbine Anniversary Letter to obtain the document in it's entirety.

• Public/Private Venture (P/PV) - Drawing from surveys and interviews with more than 400 participants and instructors from 5 Philadelphia-based Beacon Centers, the report's findings highlight the importance of two features of high-quality activities: good group management and positive adult support of learning. Quality Time After School: What Instructors Can do to Enhance Learning
• Afterschool for the Global Age - Asia Society and The George Lucas Educational Foundation convened a national meeting to explore strategies for expanding internationally themed programming in afterschool and summer learning initiatives - planned in collaboration with the Afterschool and Community Learning Network and The Children's Aid Society
• High School Survey of Student Engagement - HSSSE is a new survey that offers teachers and administrators actionable information on school characteristics that shape the student experience.
• Research-to-Results, Child Trends - Assessing the diet, exercise,body image and weight of adolescents: A guide for Out-of-School Time program practitioners.
• Harvard Family Research (HFR) is pleased to announce the second research brief in their series "Family Involvement Makes a Difference." This series provides evidence of family involvement's importance for children of all ages, as well as direct recommendations for policymakers, practitioners, and researchers. Visit HFR's FINE Network for family involvement resources. Visit HFR's Research Update and read Highlights from the Out-of-School Time Database.
• Start Small - Wondering why you just can't attract those grant dollars? Try thinking "mini" before "maxi" by Stan Levenson

• National Institutes of Health - The Influence of Religiosity and Spirituality on Health Risk Behaviors in Children and Adolescents - Deadline June 5
• CIGNA Foundation - Targeted Grants - Deadline: Rolling
• MAC AIDS Fund - HIV/AIDS Grant Program. Deadline: June 15
• Teaching Tolerance Grant Program -
  Teaching Tolerance offers grants of $500 to $2500 to Pre-12 classroom teachers for projects designed to reduce prejudice among youth...
• Websites with Funding Source List:
  • Public Education Network (PEN)
  • Partnership for After-School Education (PASE)
  • The After-School Corporation (TASC)
  • The Promising Practices in Afterschool (PPAS)
• Robert Wood Johnson Foundation -
  • Open Call for Proposals
  • Upcoming Calls for Proposal
  • The United States Golf Association (USGA) - Through its Grants Initiative, the USGA empowers organizations that introduce the game to people who would otherwise not have the opportunity, specifically economically disadvantaged youth and individuals with disabilities. Grant Awards are directed to instructional programs, caddie... Deadline: July 6, 2007

• The Positive Action Program has earned several accolades over the years and has qualified for funding from several funding sources. Positive Action will post RFA's that are currently available. In addition to these RFA's, there are other funding sources listed in this section. Please visit the Government and Foundations Funding opportunities pages.

Beginning in May, The Finance Project introduces a new series of audio conferences for program leaders, intermediaries, policymakers and funders to share their valuable ideas and experiences on financing and sustaining youth initiatives. The dates and topics are listed below. Please SAVE THE DATE and plan to join The Finance Project for these important information sharing sessions. Register early as slots fill up fast. A recording and transcription of the calls become available on The Finance Project's website shortly after the call.