MASTER CLASSES
BOOST Master Classes are classes offered to attendees by world-class experts of a specific discipline in order to develop skills in fundamental concepts and stimulate thought in a specific area. BOOST Master Classes may include lectures, panels, research findings, promising practices, case studies, real-world issues, and valuable industry expertise by respected leaders in their field.
Additional fees ($30 per class) are associated with BOOST Master Classes. We highly recommend that you pre-register for Master Classes when you register for the BOOST Conference. We cannot guarantee that on-site registration for these classes will be available.
*Please note that there is an additional fee of $30 to attend each Master Class. You will have an opportunity to register for Master Classes when you register online for the conference. Already registered and want to add a Master Class? Log-in to your online account and add one or all of the Master Classes. If you have questions about registration for these classes, please contact us at 619-23-BOOST (619-232-6678).
Interested in facilitating a BOOST Master Class, or have an idea for a Master Class topic or instructor? Please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with creative ideas.
Wednesday, May 1
10:30 AM-12:15 PM
Youth Development (Older Youth Focus) - Talking To Students About Difficult Topics Without Losing Your Job
Deborah Gilboa, MD, aka “Dr. G.”, Parenting & Youth Development Expert and Author, Pittsburg, PA
Sex. Drugs. Grief. Alcohol. Divorce. Deployment. No matter what the topic, these hard subjects require effective and repeated conversations between adult and child. Dr. G will take the fear out of addressing these issues with clear steps to having these talks in ways that grown-ups can manage and children can hear. Dr. G will help educators be able to navigate these difficult talks in a professional and appropriate manner while helping to educate and build resilience in their students and give them somewhere they can turn to when they have difficult questions in the future.
Click here to learn more about Dr. G
2:45 PM - 4:45 PM
Youth Development (Elementary Focus) - Partnering With Parents: Sharing Expertise and Goals To Create A Strong Child-Centered Team
Deborah Gilboa, MD, aka “Dr. G.”, Parenting & Youth Development Expert and Author, Pittsburg, PA
Parent involvement has a causal relationship to greater academic achievement, fewer risky behaviors in teens, stronger parent-teacher/school relationships, improved child and teen behavior, higher graduation rates, and increased enrollment after high school. Parents, counselors, therapists, and educators share the same goal: student success, but often see themselves as being on opposite sides of the fence. How do we get parents to see we’re on the same team? In this interactive session, participants will examine their current parent engagement efforts for indicators that demonstrate shared values, mutual respect, and a spirit of collaboration while maintaining the educators' professional values and integrity.
Click here to learn more about Dr. G
Thursday, May 2
10:00 AM-12:00 PM
A Deep Dive Into Radical Healing with Shawn Ginwright, Ph.D.
Shawn Ginwright, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer, Flourish Agenda Inc., Oakland, CA and Associate Professor of Education and African American Studies, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA
This session provides a fresh and exciting view of Radical Healing and community change. In this session, Dr. Ginwright vividly illustrates how strategic plans and logic models seldom produce the transformation we seek in schools and youth development programs. Schools, community organizations, and city governments often change their policies, and practices but seldom transform the hearts of the people in their organizations. Change happens when people’s hearts are transformed. The session explores self-reflection and offers a process for deeper engagement with young people. The session provides practical strategies and activities that can be used to improve school climate, restore the social-emotional health, and establish equity in schools and youth-serving agencies.
Click here to learn more about Dr. Shawn Ginwright
1:15 PM - 2:30 PM
School Sucks. After School Shouldn't
Jonathan Mooney, Author, Entrepreneur, Activist
Santa Monica, CA
Jonathan Mooney knows first hand the transformative power of after school programs. During the school day, he was one of “those kids”. The kid chilling out with the janitor in the hallway or hiding in the bathroom to escape reading class. But in his after school programs, parks and rec robotics program, YMCA soccer league, school district run science programs, he was no longer the stupid, crazy, lazy kid but someone how could learn and be successful. In this personal, humorous, and researched based talk, Jonathan explores the foundational principles of transformative out of school time experiences that change kids' lives. Far from arguing that after school programs should “align” with the school day, Jonathan celebrates the unique pedagogy and values of the after school programs and raises the provocative challenge that the traditional school day should be more like the best after school programs.
Click here to learn more about Jonathan Mooney
Please note: Name badges are required to attend all BOOST Conference events including meals and workshops.
