BOOST Conference Panel Sessions
Wednesday, May 1
10:30AM - 12:15PM
Youth Voices in STEM and Community Engagement: Strategies and Models
Anita Krishnamurthi, Ph.D., President of the Collective for Youth Empowerment in STEM & Society (CYESS), Afterschool Alliance, Washington, DC; Leah Silverberg, Senior Project Manager, Afterschool Alliance, Washington, DC; Abbey Mae Pitcher, Program Manager, Technovation, Menlo Park, CA; Candid Mack, Youth Advisory Board (YAB) Coach and Program and Events Coordinator, National Girls Collaborative Project, Dallas, TX
Interested in STEM? In community engagement? In centering teen voices? Come hear about a new initiative from the Afterschool Alliance that is supporting connections between these issues. We will present new research that maps effective strategies and models and features four partners actively engaged in this work: Million Girls Moonshot, National Girls Collaborative, Technovation, and the Science Museum of Minnesota. You will leave with ideas, tools, and support you can use to do this work.
M, H, MLA, CB, DS
Strand: Panel; Program Design, Development & Quality
2:45PM - 4:45PM
How Do We Address Equity From Within? Lessons From Young Leaders and Researchers on Improving OST Participation and Belonging
Bronwyn Bevan, Ph.D., Vice President, Research, The Wallace Foundation, New York, NY; Deepa Vasudevan, Ed.D., Researcher, Human Services: Youth, Family, & Community Development, American Institutes for Research (AIR), Arlington, VA; Sam Mejias, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Social Justice and Community Engagement / Visiting Fellow at London School of Economics and Political Science, Parsons School of Design, The New School, New York, NY; Spandana Pavuluri, College Student, Vanderbilt University, Louisville, KY; Helen Wilson Obuna, College Student, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO
Out-of-school-time programs help develop interests, skills, and connections. Yet youth from lower-income families don’t have the same OST program participation rates as many of their peers. Delve into the findings of a youth participatory action research project on how youth experience OST programs. While adults may focus on “quality" checklists, youth focus on the social dimensions of peers and belonging. Hear insights on engaging youth in program design and co-constructing spaces where youth belong.
H, HE, ULA, MLA, DS
Strand: Panel; Program Design, Development & Quality; Partnerships & Building Relationships; Older Youth
Thursday, May 2
10:00AM - 12:00PM
California Community Schools Partnership Program
Selena Barajas-Ledesma, MSW, Ed.D., Director I, Community Schools Initiative, Los Angeles County Office of Education, Downey, CA; David Castro Jr., Executive Leadership Coach, Central Valley Regional Technical Assistance Center, The Office of the Fresno County Superintendent of Schools, Fresno, CA
Additional panelists coming soon
California Community Schools Partnership Program (CCSPP) is a 4.2 billion dollar historical investment in public education. Participants will learn about what has transpired so far and how their school site and district can participate in it.
E, M, H, ULA, MLA, CB
Strand: Panel; Program Design, Development & Quality; Staff Leadership, Partnerships & Building Relationships; Sustainability
1:15PM - 2:30PM
Engage Every Student: The Power of Partnerships
Brandis Stockman, Program Manager, Education & Expanded Learning, National League of Cities, West Valley City, UT; Shital Shah, Senior Advisor, Strategic Partnerships, Office of the Secretary, US Department of Education, Washington, DC; Lisa Salazar, Executive Director, City of Los Angeles Youth Development Department, Long Beach, CA; Sheryl Davis, Ed.D., Executive Director, San Francisco Human Rights Commission, San Francisco, CA; Nicole Kooiker, Deputy Superintendent, Cedar Rapids Community School District, Cedar Rapids, IA
As modeled by the U.S. Department of Education’s Engage Every Student initiative, this session highlights the value of intentional collaboration between state and local school districts, elected officials, and afterschool and summer learning programs. Hear from municipal and school district leaders about how they are leveraging partnerships, and come away with a plan to develop sustainable partnerships to increase access to high-quality afterschool and summer learning programs.
E, M, ULA, MLA, CB, DS
Strand: Panel; Program Design, Development & Quality; Staff Leadership; Partnerships & Building Relationships; Sustainability
3:45PM - 5:15PM
Center Youth Voice: 5 Trauma-Informed Activities
Daniel Hatcher, MPH, Senior Director of Strategic Partnerships, Alliance for a Healthier Generation, Washington, DC; Cassandra Arechiga, Trauma-Informed Care Specialist, Woodcraft Rangers, Los Angeles, CA; Sunny Vachher, Founder & Chief Executive Officer, SUNNY, Producer, TED/TED-Ed, United Nations Ambassador, Los Angeles, CA
Belonging and connectedness are essential for youth well-being; at the heart of this is storytelling. In this interactive panel, attendees will learn simple trauma-informed activities to help youth (and adults) find and share their voice. All resources shared are free and publicly available.
M, H, MLA, CB, DS
Strand: Panel; Program Design, Development & Quality; Partnerships & Building Relationships; Older Youth
Friday, May 3
9:15AM - 11:15AM
Model of Innovative Practice: Best Practices for Families in Need of Services
John Acosta, MBA, Homeless Innovation Program Coordinator, San Luis Obispo County Office of Education, Atascadero, CA; Carrie Collins, Family Advocate Services Director, The Link Family Resource Center, Atascadero, CA; Mariana Gutierrez, Family Resource Center Program Supervisor, Community Action Partnership of San Luis Obispo, San Luis Obispo, CA
Communities and schools face unique challenges in identifying, supporting, and connecting with families who need services. San Luis Obispo County’s SAFE System of Care was identified by CDE as a Model of Innovative Practice: scalable best practices for wraparound services, blending and braiding of funds, and strategies that have a positive impact on student/family connection and achievement.
PK, E, M, H, HE, ULA, MLA, CB, DS
Strand: Program Design, Development & Quality; Partnerships & Building Relationships; Sustainability
Panel Session workshops contact
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Please note: Name badges are required to attend all BOOST Conference events including all meals and all workshops.