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!
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What Is So Special About After School?
After 20+ years of working in after school, I have learned that there are many things that make after school special. Some might be apparent, but others might be less obvious. One go-to resource for me is information from the Afterschool Alliance, This is Afterschool, which reminds us of all of the benefits of after school. They sum it up in a few words. “Decades of research prove afterschool helps kids attend school more often, get better grades, and build foundational skills, like communicatio...Read More
Mindset: An After-School Legacy from Kobe Bryant
Kobe “Bean” Bryant was one of the youngest players to enter the National Basketball Association (NBA), at 18 years of age. He played 20 years for one of the greatest sports franchises in the history of professional sports, the Los Angeles Lakers. He was a five-time NBA World Champion, two-time Men’s Basketball Gold Medalist, twice the Most Valuable Player of the NBA Finals. He was voted the NBA’s Most Valuable Player in 2008. He became one of Nike’s greatest ambassadors, next only to...Read More
3 Ways To Living A Purpose Driven Life
I did not understand how in-depth it was to “living a purpose driven” life, or even what it meant. I remember reading books that talked about living a “purpose driven life,” but I did not think it pertained to me. I’m not a religious person. But I know now, later in my life, that being connected with my spiritual self keeps me in line with my purpose in life. I remember going to a retreat the first time I heard this. Micheal Bernard Beck, from the movie The Secret, ...Read More
The Beginning Of Wisdom: Part One
Editor’s Note: This blog was first posted on Tuesday, January 14, 2020, and is being reposted with permission from The Leadership Program. As we are in the middle of another January, many of us are also already likely facing a reckoning of the status of our new year’s resolutions. Already, they may be sputtering; they may even still be stuck at the start. Resolutions are tricky because they are so often tied up in an accounting of our perception of our success or failure, basically as huma...Read More
We All Count: Out-of-School Time and the 2020 Census
Starting in spring 2020, the US Census will count every person living in our country. Every. Single. Person. How cool is that?! The information collected from the Census is used to decide how many seats each state gets in the US House of Representatives, and how to share $675 billion in federal funds each year. So, getting an accurate count of every person in our country is incredibly important. States that are not fully represented in the Census count will, literally, be shortchanged for the ne...Read More
Taking Time over the Holidays to Reset
This blog was originally posted in 2018, the content is so relevant we wanted to repost. Self-care over the holidays is a magical way to enter the New Year! _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Many of us have the opportunity to take some time away from work over the end of the year holiday season. While this time usually results in time away from work, it is often over-scheduled and jammed with holiday parties, family g...Read More
Redefining Failure: Event vs. Identity
This blog was first published on the MCUVO!CE website and is being republished with permission from Breakfast Club Blogger Marcus Strother. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ “I’ve failed over and over and over in my life… And that is why I succeed.” -Michael Jordan The statement offers a power that most of us miss. The greatest painter, singer, basketball player, educator, etc. has failed multiple times and yet in our sc...Read More
All The Single Moms
What did I have for breakfast today? I think I finished the kids’ Honey Nut Cheerios and must have downed some coffee. I can’t recall though, because I am losing my mind. My wife has been out of town on a work trip for two weeks and I am trying to hold down the fort as a single dad. I am running a zone defense and I am privileged enough to have the support of a part-time nanny… and still, I am getting crushed. This experience reminds me, once again, how much I appreciate all the Single Mom...Read More
Shine On!
In the Expanded Learning field, we prioritize building personal connections and creating a sense of belonging. We all have a why or purpose for what we do, and, while it is often altruistic, we’re all human and seek some level of recognition and appreciation. When we are at our best, we shine full of hope and with an energy that keeps us motivated to push ahead. The goal of this blog is to share my perspective on why it is important to work collectively and shine together, especially when in a p...Read More
Showing The Broken Places PT 1
This blog was originally posted on https://www.tlpnyc.com/blog/the-broken-places on Friday, September 13, 2019, and has been reposted with permission from Breakfast Club Blogger Erika Petrelli. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ I’ve come to understand something in the last few months that is in direct opposition to everything I’ve decided that I “knew” for as many years as I can remember. This realization is both shoc...Read More
Afterschool = Great Opportunity
As I pack my bags to head off to another location to go train, I reflect on how I arrived in the afterschool field. It has been more than 10 years now and I have loved every minute of it. Even though I focus more on adult learning, as I train afterschool providers, I still have several opportunities to conduct site visits and interact with youth. I am amazed every day at the dedication of afterschool professionals, and wanted to share a few reflections of my own at this time. What is compelling ...Read More
All You Need Is Love
A couple of years ago I bought a new car. It came with a 6-month free trial for a satellite radio service. I don’t typically listen to the radio. I actually enjoy the moments of peace and quiet I can have when I’m driving. It’s an opportunity to think. But when my son Oliver is in the car with me, he always insists on having something to listen to. He is 11 years old, so his first choice is hip hop, but the language is a bit uncomfortable for me, so we tried the comedy channel, which was worse. ...Read More