High-profile acts of violence can undermine students’ and educators’ sense of safety and well-being far beyond where the tragedy takes place. How students understand these disturbing events and deal with them can also vary widely depending on their developmental level.

The following is a list of age-appropriate steps educators can take to help kids feel safe, protected, and comfortable processing the feelings that surround school shootings and violence.

Read the Full Article by Laura Baker on Education Week

Engineering has become a staple of STEM programming for youth. How can we confidently bring engineering into our programming and support youth as they engage in problem-solving?

In this module, you’ll gain first-hand experience with engineering by solving a design problem. As a participant, you’ll examine the components of the engineering design process and discuss ways to model the process with youth.

Asking Purposeful Questions is a prerequisite to this skill. (Which you can learn more about on their website)

*The expectation is that you will be live at all three sessions and an active member of this coaching cohort

Thursdays: 3/16/2023, 3/30/2023, and 4/13/2023 from 10:00 AM-12:00 PM EST 

Less than 50% of high school girls know a woman in a STEM career.

Let’s change that - recruit STEM professionals to support the youth you serve today! 

VolunteerMatch attracts more than 1M site visits each month, and is easily one of the best ways to find strong role models for the youth you serve. 

The Million Girls Moonshot has partnered with VolunteerMatch to connect STEM experts with OST programs! Create a free VolunteerMatch account and post volunteer opportunities to work with your youth today!

Register here to find role models and mentors in STEM. 

Promote engineering, inquiry, and discovery in your programs during this year's Engineering Week with these free resources:

Don't Forget to Register!

Prepare for sunshine and soul shine at the NAA Convention in Orlando, Florida, from March 19-22, 2023. NAA23 is the ultimate charging station—powering human connections, inspired learning, and meaningful recognition for OST professionals. Experience the joy and rejuvenation, ‘the light,’ that comes from joining in community with a collective why. Out of school time professionals, this gathering is for you, for us, for ALL OF US, because together we shine!

Considering bringing robotics into your Out of School Time programs?

You’ve come to the right place! During the February 16th, at 2 PM ET webinar, panelists from a museum, community outreach, and enrichment center will share how they've used innovative STEAM robotics in OST settings – providing kids with engaging, hands-on fun, practicing critical thinking and creative problem-solving.

Hear about how KIBO, a screen-free STEAM robot, is easily (and playfully) implemented into elementary-level programs and how you can integrate these experiences into your learning environments – creating programs your young learners won't want to leave!

In a conversation with Dawn Ewing, Executive Director of Project Morry, she discusses how the program is fostering a safe space for youth to re-engage during the summer and how youth are able to define success on their own terms. Project Morry was one of the 36 grantees of the 2021 Aim High awards program. Aim High grants are awarded to afterschool, summer, or expanded learning programs that help economically disadvantaged middle school students successfully transition to high school.

Read the Full Article by Maria Rizo on the Afterschool Alliance website

Millions of professionals and volunteers work with young people every day in the many settings where youth play, learn, and grow outside of the school day. The Power of Us Workforce Survey invites youth-serving professionals and volunteers to contribute to a national survey to explore, define, and elevate the youth fields workforce now through the end of March. For more information about the new opportunities to promote the survey, please visit the website or contact Gislene Tasayco

Take or share the Power of Us Workforce Survey before March 31!

Please save the date for the 2023 Color of Education Summit. This event is such an important one for both classroom and afterschool educators in our state and we hope to see many of the providers in our network there! If you are interested in speaking, presenting, moderating (at) or sponsoring this event please contact Dr. Deanna Townsend-Smith

Supported by the Mott Foundation, Mizzen is available at no cost to afterschool professionals! Download the Mizzen By Mott app to access STEM activities at your finger-touch! You’ll find it in Mizzen here.