Despite the many setbacks and obstacles, over 460 afterschool professionals attended The After School Experience (TASE) at two New York locations, Liverpool and New York City. TASE accomplished its mission to expand the concept of education beyond conventional policy and pedagogy. From keynote sessions to expert panels to workshops and interactive intensive institutes, professional development training was provided to support the cognitive growth of the 'whole child' including social and civic development, character education and physical health.

TASE Highlights

Expert panels, intensive institutes and interactive workshops were conducted by the many afterschool public and private organizations including grantee agencies (see list below) that partnered to provide the best professional development training:

• Center for Social and Emotional Education
• Children's Aid Society
  
• Jan Coffey
  
• New York 21st CCLC Statewide Technical Assistance Center
• New York City Department Of Education
• New York State Afterschool Network (NYSAN)
• New York State Center for School Safety
• Partnership for Afterschool Education (PASE)
  
• Peaceful Schools
• ReadNex Poetry Squad
  
• Research Works Inc.
• The After School Corporation (TASC)
  
• The Finance Project
  
• Ulster BOCES
  

All provided practical information on mandatory requirements, updates, advocacy and the afterschool movement at-large and more. TASE presentations are available at the NY 21st CCLC Statewide Technical Assistance Center's website.

Although the regional trainings provided outstanding professional development and many attendees rated both events as the BEST afterschool professional development trainings ever attended, we hope to hold a collective, statewide, event in the future. "Where there is unity, there's strength." 

The following is an adaptation from Building Global Competence by the New York State Center for School Safety.

In the 21st century, the world has been rapidly changed by economic, political, technological, and social forces. Globalization is a word commonly used today as our world becomes increasingly interconnected. One globalization theorist accurately reflects upon the fact that 'our lives are becoming increasingly intertwined with those of distant people and places around the world. These links are not always new, but they are more pervasive than ever before.'

What is Global Competence? The term most often describes the body of knowledge, along with skills and attitudes, necessary to live and work effectively in the new global environment.

Why Global Competence is Necessary. Practically every aspect of our current society requires us to rely on or at least interact successfully with very different people and very different cultures.

We Have Fallen Behind. Our education system is not preparing young people for the new global reality. Students must develop competence beyond the basic subjects to have a grasp of foreign languages and a deeper understanding of other countries and cultures. American students often lack sufficient knowledge about other regions in the world, languages, and cultures, and as a result will face great difficulty competing and leading in a global environment.

Resources for Teaching Global Competence. The New York Online Virtual Electronic Library contains a large database of resources accessible to anyone with a New York State driver's license.Various international organizations have websites that effectively provide the user with resources related to global competence. The Asia Society is one of the leading global organizations, operating with the goal of fostering relationships and promoting understanding among people, leaders, and institutions in the United States and Asia. Other international organization websites with similar resources are:

• Council on Foreign Relations
• World Affairs Council
• World Bank
• United Nations

Successful afterschool programs develop and promote strong relationships among youth, schools, families, and community institutions and as such, are powerful resources for global literacy. "It is critical that afterschool programs take the next step and give young people new opportunities and skills to experience and engage the world" (Asia Society).

The New York State Center for School Safety (NYSCSS) is one of four New York statewide centers and one of 22 national safe school centers. NYSCSS provides technical assistance and training in the areas of: school safety law (SAVE), afterschool and youth development, and crisis response and systemic safety planning. It also provides support to schools, families, communities and government organizations in creating safe and healthy environments.

NYSCSS provides support in the following areas: 1) New York 21st CCLC Statewide Technical Assistance Center (TAC); 2) ACT for Youth Center of Excellence; 3) Safe Schools Against Violence in Education (SAVE) Compliance; and 4) Crisis Response Hotline Number: 1-877-7SAVENY (877-772-8369).