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 views and opinions expressed in this blog are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any other agency, organization, employer, or company. Enjoy the brain food.

The BOOST Breakfast Club Blog is Brain Food for In and Out-of-School Time Leaders!

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New Adventures In Youth Gardening

If you’ve ever watched a child taste and enjoy a vegetable that she grew herself — the same vegetable that she won’t eat at home that’s from the grocery store — you know some of the power of youth gardening. Children and teens benefit from gardening in many ways, from eating more fruits and vegetables and increased nutrition knowledge to improved leadership and collaboration skills. Out-of-school time gardening programs can be connected to school gardens or take place in community ga...Read More

Why I Cringe At The Word ‘Daycare’

Every weekday morning, I pick my 14-month-old daughter out of her crib, hold her tight and let her play with her mobile (that’s really just a wind chime). She closely examines the reflective stones and Bee figures, pulls on it, and then lets it wildly swing back-and-forth. This simple moment allows us a gentle minute to connect, feel each other’s energy and inject love into each other’s being. I think of it as the way I fill up my tank (…and hers) before the long day ahead. I’ve done...Read More

5 Ways to Use BOOST Cafe for Professional Development

We thought it was a good time to re-share about BOOST Cafe and how you can use it to BOOST your professional development! Since its launch, we have added some incredible new resources! Check out the FREE online learning opportunities Need resources to reconnect with yourself, look no further than the Virtual Calming Room Find FREE e-BOOST downloads to use with your staff, youth, and communities Make someone’s day and send them a BOOST E-Card Want to explore BOOST Cafe further, then fill ou...Read More

The Power of Positive Thought

With the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, life can become overwhelming. As youth workers we want the young people we work with to embrace the positive messages of the holiday season, be it gratitude and thankfulness to knowing that they are loved and cherished. While we go the extra mile at work to ensure our youth enjoy their holiday season, we may also be stressing about our personal schedules and responsibilities around the holidays. How will I find time to purchase all those presents...Read More

Brokering Youth Interests, Opportunities, And Relationships

Learning happens in both formal settings like school, and informal spaces such as museums, libraries, afterschool clubs, and online affinity spaces. At museums and libraries, youth can engage in following passions on a wide range of interest-driven topics, from makerspaces to retro-videogaming. In afterschool clubs, youth may learn 3D printing, computer coding, digital photography, or debate skills. In online affinity spaces, youth can explore other interests not always available locally. Online...Read More

What is Bullying?

I believe that the word “bully” evokes different emotions and attitudes in each person because of the extensive variations of its effects on children. After reading several varying definitions of “bullying,” I have chosen the stopbullying.gov definition because of its inclusive description of “bullying.” “Bullying is unwanted, aggressive behavior among school-aged children that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behavior is repeated, or has the potential to...Read More

Join The Largest Global Convening For After School, Expanded Learning, And Out-of-School-Time Professionals

The BOOST Conference is the largest, most recognized, and comprehensive global convening for after school, expanded learning, and out-of-school time professionals. Set in a retreat-like atmosphere in Palm Springs, CA, this extraordinary annual event will rejuvenate your passion, boost your creativity for quality programming, and provide tools and resources that will inspire you to create change. We invite you to join us, and 2,500 global educators April 30-May 3, 2019 to inspire youth, inspire l...Read More

Character Building with Esports Programs

In 2017, more people watched the League of Legends Championship than Game 7 of the World Series and the final game of the NBA Finals that year. This statistic was shared by ESPN, who—for the first time this past September—featured esports player, Tyler “Ninja” Blevins on the cover of its ESPN The Magazine. But what exactly is esports? Is it just kids just shooting at each other in online video games? Well, it can be. But esports can also be strategy card games, like Hearthstone, which is set in ...Read More

Designing Innovation for Equity: What’s Taking So Long?

Editor’s Note: This blog was originally posted on May 07, 2018 on the TGR Foundation’s blog site. We are reposting with the author’s permission.  — Recently, I had the opportunity to participate in a panel discussion at the ASU+GSV Summit, representing TGR Foundation and the work we do. Speaking to a packed room, our session, Designing Innovation for Equity, set out to broadly explore equity issues in relationship to the Innovation Economy-focused redesign of education sy...Read More

10 Reasons Why You Should Thank Your After School Professional!

It is spring break for my own kids, so breakfast consisted of me cooking pancakes to order for two kids and eggs to order for two more.  I ate the leftovers…again! Today I want to use this forum to say thank you to all of you Site Coordinators and Program Leaders.  We all know the big things you do. Regardless of what organization you are in, what age young people you serve, or where in the country or world you live, we know you keep kids safe during critical after school hours, ensure grant com...Read More

Youth Development’s Hippocratic Oath

Editor’s Note: this blog is used with permission from the author. It was first published on October 14th, 2016 at https://arancibia.org/rodrigoblog/2016/10/14/youth-developments-hippocratic-oath.  In 1964, Louis Lasagna, the academic dean of the School of Medicine at Tufts University, looked at the work of Hippocrates and crafted the modern version of the Hippocratic Oath that is used in many medical schools today.  This galvanizing text is used as a declaration for the medical field to ra...Read More

Speak on What We Do! Youth Development is for You!

I believe you cannot learn youth development without experiencing it. What I mean by “youth development” is distinct from “education.” Reflecting on nearly 19 years in our field of many names, I embrace Expanded Learning here in California as it embodies the heart of our work.  When I hear Michael Funk, Director of the Expanded Learning Division at the California Department of Education, talk about the importance of love, I feel at home.  It inspires me to reach out to those of you who can relat...Read More

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