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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#ButterflyEffectChallenge
but·ter·fly ef·fect noun (with reference to chaos theory) the phenomenon whereby a minute localized change in a complex system can have large effects elsewhere As an experiential educator and group facilitator working in the realm of social-emotional learning and leadership development, I am used to helping people “get out of their comfort zones.” As educators, it is not only our duty to encourage people to go beyond where they are comfortable and into this place called “learning” but to...Read More
A New [School] Year’s Resolution
Editors Note: Please welcome brand new BREAKFAST CLUB BLOGGER Amy Btiebet, from Open Doors Academy, in Cleveland, Ohio. We are thrilled she has joined the extraordinary BOOST BLOGGING team! — Hi friends! My name is Amy, and this is my first BOOST blog. I debated writing about a wide range of topics that I felt somewhat confident in after 10 years in youth development—how to run engaging summer programming, transitioning from managing youth to managing staff, growing pains in a rapidly d...Read More
Where Oh Where Is The “Honeymoon Period”? 4 Grounding Tips to Start Off The School Year
Fall is here, and another school year is upon us. This is my fourth year at my particular before and after school site, and I like to think in general I have a good idea of what’s going on. I’ve ironed out our daily routine, I know our kids well enough to have supports built in to overcome our most common challenges, and I’ve given the “welcome back to school” speech so many times that some of my older kiddos could probably quote it back to me. But, each year, regardless of my preparedness, I al...Read More
Alternative Facts
Does anyone else remember the days when you had to watch the news at 6 pm because dad was home and you only had one TV? I am old enough to remember Walter Cronkite concluding his nightly newscast with the number of US soldiers killed in Vietnam that day. I learned about the world from Harry Reasoner, Chet Huntley, and David Brinkley. Reporting the news was a sober responsibility, entrusted only to the most credible and respected journalists. At least it sure seemed that way to me. During the Wat...Read More
Doubling Down: Parenthood Strengthened My Commitment To Children, Families & Communities
I was fortunate to find my way to youth development work. As a college student, I was an intern at a local preserve where I led groups of all ages. The director saw something in me and referred me to a local summer camp where I discovered my talent and passion for this work. In pursuit of that passion, I applied and was honored to be accepted as an Americorps Tutor in an expanded learning program. Within the first three weeks of my term, I lost my vehicle in an accident. To fulfill my service to...Read More
9 Necessary Tips For Managing Stress In An Uncertain World
Seventeen years ago, at the age of 22 years, I walked out of a store in Philadelphia with a small black rectangular electronic device with a built-in antenna and 12 numerical buttons that gave me immediate access to the world at my fingertips. I remember calling my parents in Cleveland as I walked down Walnut street, proudly announcing my first step into the world of accessibility thanks to technology. I remember the sheer excitement I felt, holding a piece of the world in my hand, the incredibl...Read More
Sharing The Vision And Shaping The Future: A Message To The Next Generation Of Leaders
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the passage of California’s first comprehensive afterschool legislation. Since then, the investment in California’s most vulnerable children and young people has grown to $630 million a year and redefined what quality expanded learning means and looks like. Those of us who were privileged to lead the way through uncharted terrain worked in complex organizational environments in cities, counties, school districts and nonprofit organizations. We explored new...Read More
Beyond Grief: The Power of Lily’s Legacy
This blog is difficult to write. I have been a Breakfast Club blogger since 2014. I have shared my thoughts about the impact of our work, the future of our field, and the evolution of our leaders. Every time, I give my heart and passion into every word and hope that it will inspire others. This process has come easy for me until one life-changing moment in 2016. The 2016 BOOST Conference had just wrapped up. Minutes after the conference closing, I found myself surrounded by the BOOST Leadership ...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
Sports as a Vehicle for Mentorship
I have been playing sports my entire life. I credit the sport of soccer for the individual that I am today! Since the beginning, playing soccer in Peru and the United States, I have been blessed to have some incredible mentors in my life. I vividly remember my father Williams Marchesi spending time with me every single afternoon after his work day, working on basic soccer skills while he passed down history, culture, and lessons learned. What I remember most about this time is what he taught me ...Read More
4 Things I Learned From Bonnie Reiss That After School Leaders Should Reflect On
We are honored to share a reflection from Breakfast Club blogger @diegoarancibia about lessons learned from a pioneer and innovator, Bonnie Reiss. Bonnie was the mind behind the inception of Arnold’s All Stars, now known as the After-School All-Stars. Bonnie Reiss, a top advisor to former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, was a lifelong liberal Democrat who found common ground with the Republican governor on education and environmental issues. Here are four tips from Bonnie for anyone to use for...Read More
Social-Emotional Fitness: Neophobia vs. Neuroplasticity
“What were you thinking?!” “I can’t believe you did that!” These are just some of the favorite phrases of “disbelief” we like to use as adults when we come face to face with mistakes made by youth. I know this personally and professionally. I have two daughters ages 7 and 11, and I will admit that these words have been a part of my “go-to” statements when trying to figure out what led to them messing up. When you understand the mental and emotional state of adolescence, the question referenced ...Read More