| Save the Date: September 15, 2025
VPOST's 16th Annual Conference will be held at the Virginia Crossings Hotel and Conference Center in Richmond, VA on September 15, 2025. Details coming soon! | | | Do you serve middle school youth? The New York Life Foundation's 2025 Aim High grant competition is now open! A total of 30 grants worth $1.8 million will be awarded to afterschool, summer, or expanded learning programs serving middle school youth living in under-resourced communities.
Programs will be selected for grants based on their ability to help youth transition successfully to ninth grade and how they provide academic, social, and emotional supports for youth. Eligible programs can apply for a $20,000 or a $100,000 grant.
$100,000 Level Fifteen (15) 2-year, $100,000 grants ($50,000 per year) to support programs implementing strategies to improve young people's educational attainment by reducing school absences and chronic absenteeism
$20,000 Level Fifteen (15) 1-year, $20,000 general operating grants to support programs that can demonstrate successful student engagement strategies and have strong impact data Applications are due March 7, 2025, at 5 p.m. ET. Learn more about the grant application, view the RFP, and submit your application here. If you have any questions, please reach out to the Afterschool Alliance at aimhigh@afterschoolalliance.org. | | | We love afterschool, and we know that you do too! Afterschool programs keep kids safe, inspire learning, and help working families. Join the nationwide movement on February 14, and share why you, your students, and your community love your afterschool program!
Head to http://www.afterschoolalliance.org/weloveafterschool.cfm and use the ready to go content to post to social media and contact legislators sharing why you love afterschool.
Also from Afterschool Alliance- New Policy Pulse Webinar Series
Join Afterschool Alliance this Friday, February 14, for our first Afterschool Policy Pulse! Every second Friday at noon ET, Senior VP of Policy, Erik Peterson, will recap the latest policy developments, what we know (or don't know!) about how they may impact afterschool and summer programs, and what may be coming up next. Submit your questions in advance so we know what's top of mind for you. | | | Black History Month reminds us of the importance of elevating the stories and achievements of Black Americans year-round. We must be intentional in telling these stories. One of the great strengths of out-of-school time programs is the freedom to go beyond what is taught in the traditional classroom. We can shed light on untold stories and contextualize history to our current day. In this way, we truly can impact our future history. The opportunity to elevate and celebrate Black voices and history is everywhere. Here are some resources we love: Learn About Virginia's Black History: This page includes an extensive listing of Black History events across the Commonwealth, Famous Black Virginians, as well as Black cultural and historical sites. Zinn Education Project's "This Day in History Series" has multiple features of Black Virginians in history. Check out April 24, 1867: Richmond Streetcar Protest May 25, 1865: Black Virginians Cast Freedom Ballots, and, June 5, 1865: Norfolk’s Black Community Presents Address for Equal Rights Virginia Museum of History and Culture has a library of content to help you teach Black History. Guide your participants as they discover the profound impact Black leaders and communities have had on the Commonwealth and the country 15 Classroom Resources on Black History and Life has several resources for connecting Black history to current events and features on-demand webinars, as well as selected Black History and literature resources. Download the Mizzen Education, an app with afterschool lesson plans, to explore the history of jazz music and the contributions of African Americans in the arts. Youth in grades 6-12 can use content from Pulitzer to learn about freedom, resistance, and genius in Black American music, the use of poetry as resistance, and more.
| | | Join Serve Virginia for an inspiring and informative webinar on Thursday, February 13, from 1:00-2:00 PM ET, as we explore the Virginia Youth Mental Health Corps and the Portrait of a Thriving Youth! This free session will dive into the environments that foster youth well-being, the crucial role of service and volunteers in youth development, and key factors that support thriving young people. Whether you're a community leader, educator, or advocate, this discussion will provide valuable insights into shaping a brighter future for youth. Register today! | | | Mark your calendars for March 9-12, 2025, and get ready to join thousands of OST professionals in the vibrant city of Nashville, TN, for an event that promises to be unforgettable.
REGISTER HERE: https://loom.ly/-8LY9Zw
| | | Building Stronger Evidence on Recruiting, Training, & Retaining a High-Quality OST STEM Workforce
How do afterschool and summer programs best recruit, train, and retain OST staff delivering STEM activities? Help us find out! We need to hear from as many Program Directors around the country as possible. We know the results of the survey will positively impact and enhance OST STEM. The National Institute on Out-of-School Time invites you to add your voice to this brief national Program Director survey. They are raffling $25 gift cards each week. Your voice is needed!
Take the survey here.
For more information, contact Georgia Hall at ghall@wellesley edu. | |
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