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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My Why: Purpose

It’s really hard to pinpoint one purpose, cause, or belief that inspires me to do what I do. After thinking about this question, I realized that I have a different approach and reason for working on each project I am involved in, both professionally and personally. But, if I had to sum it up in one word, I would say the reason why I do what I do is “impact.” Professionally, as a researcher, this is particularly important to me because I spend most of my days on my computer anal...Read More

My Why: Darwin and Opportunity

Don’t worry, this isn’t about natural selection. It’s about a boy…named Darwin. But first, let me digress. As I wrote in a previous BOOST blog, my first teaching experience was in Cameroon. I was 21, no training, no textbooks, incomprehensible American accent. Not surprisingly (but not elegantly), I ended up yelling “I can’t take this &$(@” and stomping out of a room filled with 70 third graders. When I got back to NY, I was sure that teaching was no...Read More

My Why: When I Grow Up, I Want to Be “Them”

When I was in middle school, I told my mom that when I grew up I wanted to be “them.” You know…when people say, “Well, they say that you should drink eight glasses of water a day.” “They say that an apple a day keeps the doctor away.” Who exactly are they? I didn’t know. But I wanted in! In my current role as a Senior Technical Assistance Consultant at American Institutes for Research, I present at conferences, conduct site visits in afterschool pr...Read More

My Why: Finding Purpose through Core Values

I have been serving the field of after school for the past 18 years. During the past few years I have been doing a lot of work around Core Values and finding purpose. Through that work I have had the privilege to work and be surrounded by incredible individuals whom I call friends and colleagues. Through my work around Core Values, I have found that my 3 Core Values are Humility, Integrity and Service. I call it HIS work. Humility is about my faith. Integrity is about my hope around the person w...Read More

My Why: Understanding Education as a Pathway to Freedom

My belief for why I do what I do is quite simple. I firmly believe that every child should be afforded the right to a healthy childhood, a fair and equal education, and a strong network of support that navigates and guides that child’s future. Education is the sole key to our freedom and to our ability to advance humanity forward. Unfortunately, as a society we have failed to fully realize that education is a fundamental human right that should not be dependent on where we are born or rais...Read More

My Why: For the Young, Scared Staff Member in All of Us

The “Why” blogging series has me digging deep and pondering the question of “Why do I do what I do?” Is it because I am a kid at heart? Is it because I spent too much time listening to Whitney Houston’s “The Greatest Love of All” in 8th grade? Is it that working with children and youth in after school and camp programs is the closest thing to being a teacher without actually being a teacher – something I swore to my mother, the teacher, I would nev...Read More

When We Awaken

For some reason lately I’ve been thinking about those moments that awaken us in some way—moments that either subtly or profoundly affect the way we interact with the world. Some of those moments are earth-shattering, like the first time Loss comes up and punches you squarely in the face. (For me, that came in the form of a 7 am phone call when I was 17 years old alerting me to the death of one of my most beloveds). Some of those moments are seemingly trivial, like the first time you find y...Read More

Do Good. Have Fun. Make a Difference!

In a month or so I’ll have the privilege of entering the seventh decade of my life. For someone who has always worked hard, played hard, done good (I hope) and had fun (I know), that’s quite an accomplishment – and it came with lot of great support from friends, family and colleagues and luck! I’ve been blessed with being a mother and grandparent, a university professor, a CEO of an international corporation in 22 countries, a tennis professional, a nationally recognized leader...Read More

A Piece of Peace

My son often wakes up very early this morning, wanting the last part of his sleep to be snuggled up in our bed. I love watching him sleep—the sounds he makes; the way he settles his body; his face as it relaxes back into slumber. In those moments, he is completely at peace. I see that kind of peace radiate from my children often. For example, one evening recently after dinner, they went outside to do some “gardening.” This consisted of them sitting squarely in the middle of our garde...Read More

Polo Shirts & School Master Keys Were the Beginning as a Site Coordinator

It was a typical day in my elementary after school program. I was the newly appointed Site Coordinator after 5 years of being a line staff program leader working with 20 youth at the same school. I remember how excited I was to be promoted to the Site Coordinator position. I felt like for the first time someone had recognized my talent in working with youth. I remember how I felt when I received my staff collared polo shirt; line staff wore regular t-shirts. Somehow the collar told everyone arou...Read More

I’m Sorry, Maya Angelou, I Didn’t Understand You

My first exposure to you, Maya Angelou, was inside the folds of a cheesy Hallmark card when I was a pre-teen. I was searching for the best card I could for Mother’s’ Day one year, and I came across a Hallmark design with pastel butterflies and flowers. The quotation inside bore your name, but I don’t remember what the words were specifically. I just remember rolling my eyes, shutting the card and putting it down. I disliked pastels, but more than that I truly disliked pithy say...Read More

Who Leads Your Afterschool Program?

In my roles over the past decade, I’ve met quite a few afterschool and summer program leaders. Some of them strongly portray traits found in successful leaders. These adults set the tone for their sites, providing order and structure, flexibility, sternness, and a passion for children and making a difference in their lives. They communicate high expectations, but are nurturing in helping staff and children achieve them. They do not speak loudly, but carry a clipboard filled with procedures...Read More