Resources

Deborah Lowe Vandell, Ph.D., is the Founding Dean of the School of Education at the University of California, Irvine, where she is a Professor of Education and of Psychology and Social Behavior. The author of more than one hundred fifty articles and three books, Dr. Vandell studies the effects of afterschool and summer programs on children's academic, social, and behavioral development.

The Google Science Fair is a global online competition open to individuals and teams ages thirteen to eighteen. Students sign up for the Science Fair with a free Google account at GoogleScienceFair.com.

Charles Smith, Ph.D., is the founder and Executive Director of the David P. Weikart Center for Youth Program Quality, a division of the Forum for Youth Investment, and Senior Vice President at the Forum. The Weikart Center currently provides technical supports to a portfolio of more than eighty-five quality improvement systems and quality intermediary organizations in thirty-eight states, including several thousand direct service organizations. Dr. Smith leads the measures and analytics team at the Weikart Center. His current areas of focus include design and implementation of lower-stakes performance accountability policies and integration of afterschool systems with schools.

Starting with the End in Mind—Using School and Community Needs Assessments to Design High-Impact Afterschool Programs.

 In this episode, we talk with Derryck Fletcher of the Y of Central Maryland—the state's largest provider of youth development programs. During our conversation we discuss the importance of cultivating strong partnerships with schools and families to develop high-quality afterschool programs that meet children where they are.

The theme of ‪#‎NAA2015‬ is "Passionate Professionals, Powerful Stories" because we all have a story—and it's time to share yours! In a few words, tell your story in our downloadable graphic, snap a picture, and share using ‪#‎MyAfterschoolStory‬. Inspire others today!

The National Afterschool Association has been awarded funding from the Noyce Foundation to develop the first afterschool STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) credential.

The investment centerpiece—a STEM-related micro-credential and digital badge series—offered by NAA and developed with Click2SciencePD, will serve as a validated, industrywide indicator that afterschool staff have the requisite competencies to facilitate STEM learning across a variety of settings.

Gina Warner, President and CEO of The National AfterSchool Association (NAA), has been selected to be a member of the inaugural class of Presidential Leadership Scholars, a unique leadership development initiative that draws upon the resources of the U.S. presidential centers of Lyndon B. Johnson, George H.W. Bush, William J. Clinton, and George W. Bush. These presidential centers have partnered to bring together a select group of leaders who have the desire and capacity to take their leadership strengths to a higher level in order to help their communities and our country.

From 1988 to 2015, Carla Sanger, M.Ed., served as president and chief executive officer of LA's BEST (Better Educated Students for Tomorrow) After School Enrichment Program. 

Access to afterschool programs is growing more unequal, and that's pushing disadvantaged kids further behind.

While numerous studies indicate a positive correlation linking academic achievement to afterschool programs that offer enrichment activities, data also shows that fewer students are able to access those valuable activities, largely due to their socio-economic status and funding cuts to programs.

How to Conference like a True Afterschool Professional: Tips for NAA Convention Attendees

As a convention attendee, you'll experience informative and varied professional development sessions, exhibits, and the best networking with like-minded afterschool professionals. These tips will help you personalize your learning and plan a fun and engaging experience: