The path our careers take in youth development programming often comes through interest and passion. Many of us were going in another direction when we stumbled upon this field that impacts so many communities nationally. I didn’t understand the scope of the field until I went to my first work conference in 2000 with Carol […]
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The Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE) is pleased to announce that the Nita M. Lowey 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) Grant application for the 2026-27 school year is now open in the Electronic Grants Management System (eGMS). The purpose of the 21st CCLC grant is to fund community learning centers that provide […]
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We are quickly approaching the days when spring break has passed, Memorial Day seems far away, and everyone is looking forward to May flowers. The games that got you through the winter have become mundane and the mere mention of them makes staff shudder. As many programs do, my program also ran on a shoestring […]
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I recently attended the 2026 National AfterSchool Association Convention in Washington, DC. When they asked how many people were first time attendees more than half raised their hands. This could mean a couple of things, 1) programs have faced incredible turnover and have to invest in professional development for staff, 2) there are more programs […]
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We have all been there…sleeping in the middle of the night, watching a tv show, or enjoying some solitude and out of nowhere comes {Beep} {Beep}, a few seconds go by {Beep} {Beep}. Trying to remember when we changed the batteries last, at the same time pressing the button to be sure the current one […]
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In our field there are several times throughout the year that programs are able to highlight what is going on in their communities. Local stories, making local impact. Best practices are often hidden in plain sight in out-of-school time. We work in isolation at our sites or programs, often down the road from another program. […]
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Through the years the term quality has been a cornerstone of excellence, something we always hope our programs are or take for granted that there are no glaring issues. Quality is like putting air in the tires of your program. When your car tires are full you get better gas mileage, when they are low […]
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Staff are trained and the kids are back in school. The program has been running for a week or two now, and the summer planning you did to start the year is already beginning to take shape. Staff understand the expectations and implement the program activities with enthusiasm and fidelity to the why of what […]
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This October marks the 26th year of the nationwide Lights On Afterschool celebration. Each year thousands of programs and tens of thousands of children take part in events, recognitions, and community engagement. In 2022, along with partners, we started an annual event to kick-off the month, to give programs time to plan and prepare for […]
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As the summer winds down and sights start to get set on gearing up your afterschool program, many of the staff that worked those long hot days will be back for the school year. Summer provides the opportunity for staff to develop skills and build confidence in their work, connecting these to the afterschool program […]
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