Breakfast Club Blog
The BOOST Breakfast Club Blog is a curated space where bloggers from around the world contribute content on a continual basis about a variety of topics relevant to in and out-of-school time. The BOOST Breakfast Club blog is at the heart of an ongoing dialogue where expanded learning and education professionals share their personal thoughts and stories from the in and out-of-school time field. They also tell us what they ate for breakfast!
The BOOST Breakfast Club Blog is Brain Food for In and Out-of-School Time Leaders!
Interested in becoming a blogger? Email [email protected]
Click here to Register for a free account or click here to Login to your existing account.
How Do You Provide Youth Voice and Choice?
When program providers in the Expanded Learning Field are asked if they incorporate youth voice and choice, the answer is often a quick “yes” or “of course.” This blog is about digging a little deeper into what incorporating youth voice and choice can look like, beyond some of the traditional practices. I am a firm believer that our field of work is all about providing services and learning environments where young people feel both physically and emotionally safe. And in turn, youth are more li...Read More
Building Stronger Afterschool Programs With Nutritious, Reimbursable Suppers
Afterschool programs are a critical resource for communities and provide measurable benefits to students academically, socially, and behaviorally But did you know that in addition to providing valuable learning opportunities, afterschool programs also can tap into funding to provide meals alongside enrichment and educational activities? The Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) Afterschool Meal Program provides funding to serve suppers and snacks to children after the school day ends, on wee...Read More
Are You Leading With WHY?
What gets you out of bed in the morning — what you do or why you do it? If you are in the youth development field, I have a feeling that your “why” motivates you the most. You’re driven to make a positive difference in the lives of young people. In his book “Start with Why,” Simon Sinek argues that we are pretty good at saying what we are doing and how we are doing it, but not always good at explaining the why of what we do. His message to the business community: making the why clear can i...Read More
“You Will Always Miss 100% of the Shots You Don’t Take”
“You will always miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” This is a powerful quote from Wayne Gretzky, one of the most famous and highest-scoring professional hockey players of all time. It is also a very powerful lesson to share with kids. So many people, kids and grownups, let their dreams stay on their “wish list” instead of putting them on their “to do” list – leaving them there to die as the years slip by. But that doesn’t have to happen! Here are three common “stoppers” that keep peo...Read More
Champion Wellness With Fitness Professionals: 3 Tips To Get Started
The nation’s celebration of afterschool, Lights On Afterschool, is just around the corner. Now is a great time to engage new partners and participants in your out-of-school organization. This fall try something new by partnering with local fitness professionals to attract attendees and strengthen your organization’s commitment to wellness – who knows, you might get the attention of a new funder or political champion! Not sure where to start? Here are 3 tips from my friend Haley Hopkins at The Am...Read More
Healthy Kids on a Budget: Discount Store Scavenger Hunt
Back-to-school is here! Like most educators, you probably spend money out of your own pocket for supplies, enrichment materials, treats, and rewards. I recently went to my local discount store with $20 and a mission to find simple things to bring healthy afterschool to life. Check out my finds and corresponding activities below, then share your ideas in the comment section. Supply list: neon tape, plastic orange cones, math flashcards, animal flashcards, foam activity ball, wooden clothespins, p...Read More
Youth Development at a Hot Dog Stand
Good youth development practice can emerge in unusual places. For thirteen-year-old entrepreneur Jaequan Faulkner, good youth development came in the form of a street vendor permit. The teenager opened a hot dog business in his Minneapolis neighborhood on Penn Avenue North, meeting with early success and a booming business. Then young Jaequan ran into an obstacle that nearly upended his entrepreneurial pursuit – he lacked the proper permit to run a freestanding food stand. Jaequan had an idea an...Read More
“Treat Yourself,” Simple and Healthy Ways to Celebrate
As we head back-to-school, I hope you’re making time to recover from a busy summer and practice self-care. This summer, I’ve tried to slow down a bit, unplug from technology when I can and enjoy reading a book – yeah, one made of paper! My favorite summer read has been The Deepest Well. It explores the impact of childhood adversity and the steps to take to counter those experiences. Like many people in America, I scored high on the Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) questionnaire; now I’m findin...Read More
Leaping Into the Void: Modeling Learning for Our Students
Artist Yves Klein perfectly captured how it feels to be engaged in the creative act in this 1960 piece entitled Leap Into the Void. I have been teaching the creative process and making art for most of my adult life, and this image perfectly captures the feeling of not knowing where you’ll end up when you begin to make something. Leaping, literally, into the unknown, not knowing if you’ll fall to your death or grow wings and soar, is a wonderful metaphor for the process I’ve tried to teach studen...Read More
Math IS fun!
No, I am not being sarcastic. Math often gets a bad rap. It can be considered a four letter word! There was even a talking Barbie that exclaimed, “Math class is tough!” (You can read about the controversy here and even see her in action here.) Are we bringing up a generation of kids who think they don’t like math at a time when math is key and so important? In my 20 years at Collaborative Classroom, I have had the opportunity to work with many folks, both young and old across the country. Many w...Read More