BOOST Conference Panel Sessions

Wednesday, April 26

10:30AM - 12:15PM

Deepening Public & Private Partnerships for a Collective Summer of Joy
Moderator: Dr. Ana Ponce, Executive Director, Great Public Schools Now (GPSN), Los Angeles, CA
Panelists: David Anderson, President and CEO, LA's BEST, Los Angeles, CA; Benjamin Dickow, Director, LA STEM Collective, Downey, CA; Debe Loxton, Senior Executive Director, Los Angeles Unified School District, Beyond the Bell, Los Angeles, CA; Lisa Salazar, Executive Director, City of Los Angeles Youth Development Department, Los Angeles, CA

The last two summers and for the first time ever, every low-income neighborhood in Los Angeles offered free in-person enrichment programs. Participants will learn about the unprecedented public and private collaboration across Los Angeles Unified, City of LA, philanthropy, and nonprofits. To date, close to 100,000 students have participated and nearly 1,000 field trips have been provided. Learn how to maximize and combine public and private funding streams for summer/after-school programs, and the role of OST intermediaries and city-wide systems in expanding access and quality of summer programs.
ULA, CB, E, M, H
Strand: Panel; Partnerships & Building Relationships

2:45PM - 4:45PM

Creative Pro Sports Partnerships for STEAM Outcomes
Moderator: Nick Monzi, CEO, Learn Fresh, Philadelphia, PA
Panelists: Leslie Walker, Executive Director, Sixers Youth Foundation, Philadelphia 76ers, Philadelphia, PA; Debbie Williams, Community Engagement Programs Manager, Oklahoma City Thunder, Oklahoma City, OK; Corey Wilson, VP of Community Engagement & Executive Director, Pacers Foundation, Indiana Pacers, Indianapolis, IN

Join the Learn Fresh team and their professional sports partners to learn about the organization’s vision for STEAM learning at scale through creative partnerships with professional sports leagues such as the NBA and MLB Players Associations. We will discuss the process for expanding our programs to engage K-12 students while inspiring you to create your own vision to integrate STEAM disciplines in your classroom or program.
ULA, MLA, CB, E, M, H 
Strand: Panel; Program Design, Development & Quality; Partnerships & Building Relationships

Thursday, April 27

10:00AM - 12:00PM

Effective Ways School Administrators are Supporting Expanded Learning Partnerships
Moderator: Dr. David Franklin, Education Author & Professor, The Principal's Desk, Eagle, ID
Panelists: Jason Crawford, Superintendent of Schools, Jeff West USD 340, Meriden, KS; Monica Murray, Principal, John Marshall High School, Richmond Public Schools, Richmond, VA; Jessica Vocca, Principal - DDB, Cottonwood-Oak Creek School District #6, Cottonwood, AZ; Eveline Huh, Ed.D, Director of Child Development & Special Programs, ABC Unified School District, Cerritos, CA 

Strong partnerships between schools and expanded learning programs are the foundation for building stronger, more equitable support systems for children and their families. Learn how these Principals invest in building collaborative relationships to provide high-quality support for learning outside of the regular school day to meet the needs of their students and families. 
ULA, MLA, CB, E, M, H 
Strand: Panel; Program Design, Development & Quality; Partnerships & Building Relationships

1:15PM - 2:30PM

Making Afterschool Learning Count: Introducing Credit-for-Learning Programs
Moderator: Alexis Steines Rao, Vice President of Field Outreach, Afterschool Alliance, Washington, D.C.
Panelists: Elliott Rivera, Executive Director, Youth in Action, Providence, RI; Dr. Tracye Strichik, Co-Director, Alabama Expanded Learning Alliance, Tuscaloosa, AL

In several states, new legislation is allowing afterschool and summer learning programs to pilot opportunities for youth to earn credit for learning taking place outside the school day. Through partnerships with afterschool programs, schools, community-based organizations, and businesses, youth are engaging in learning opportunities that earn credits on high school transcripts. Learn more about the credit-for-learning concept and how to advocate for these opportunities in this session.
ULA, MLA, CB, M, H
Strand: Panel; Program Design, Development & Quality; Older Youth

3:45PM - 5:15PM

Partnerships for Student Success - Utilizing National Service Members to Build Capacity
Moderator: Tiyana Glenn, Project Manager, Afterschool Alliance, Washington, D.C.
Panelists: Thomas Azzarella, Director, Alaska Afterschool Network, Anchorage, AK; Rachel Bruns, Chief Engagement Officer, America's Service Commissions, Washington, D.C.

We’ll discuss how afterschool and summer learning programs can leverage national service members. We’ll share tips on how to apply for national service members – including how you can work with your state service commission or state afterschool network, ideas on member recruitment, and how to support national service members in your program. Additionally, we will have a panel of experts share their experience as service members and the use of service members in AmeriCorps programs.
ULA, MLA, CB, DS, E, M, H
Strand: Panel; Partnerships & Building Relationships

Friday, April 28

9:15AM - 11:15AM

Preparing Students with the Life Skills They Need to be Successful
Moderator: Barry Schwartz, Vice President, Startup Smartup, San Francisco, CA
Panelists: Ashley Hemmy, Director, Corporate Social Responsibility, American Student Assistance, Boston, MA; Dr. Saliha Nelson, CEO, URGENT, Inc., Miami, FL; Anthonette Peña, Program Director, B-Unbound, Big Picture Learning, San Diego, CA

Join us in exploring the many ways we can prepare our youth to be successful in their careers and in their communities. Learn about innovative career and motivational programs being used during out-of-school time hours. The panel will explore how to use collaborative relationships, internships, mentors, and coaches to prepare students for the workplace and to use their talents in their community.

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Please note: Name badges are required to attend all BOOST Conference events including all meals and all workshops.