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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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
Does Self-Doubt Mean I Lack Self-Confidence?
Do you ever experience self-doubt when you’re about to do something new? Do you ever get the jitters and feel nervous? Do you ever wonder where your self-confidence has gone when this happens? Guess what…you’re normal! You’re supposed to feel a little nervous before you do something new because your brain is wired that way to protect you. You see, whenever you experience something new, your brain builds connections called “neural pathways” that let you know th...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
When the Disconnections Run Deep, Youth Need Deeply Connected Systems
For my first post on the BOOST Breakfast Club Blog, I had planned to play it safe. Stick to a topic like youth program quality or youth outcomes measurement that I know well and have already written about, and pose a provocative, though largely, intellectual question or two about it. But this week, I’ve been distracted by the most devastating, and difficult to process, news I’ve heard about a young person I’ve known personally in my twenty years in the field. I was shaking when I received the p...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
BOOST CEO Tia Quinn on Making a Difference
As I walk into the office of BOOST Collaborative I see artwork, inspirational t-shirts, magazines, and vision boards. I have been interning here for about three weeks now, and I have learned so much about the professional world. Rachel leads me into an open office room, which is freezing cold from the air conditioning. The office has no walls, just windows, creating a cool open space. My mentor Tia and I have worked closely together for the past few weeks, but I am excited to learn more about he...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
A Call to Martians Everywhere
Before I begin… I feel compelled to share with all of you a secret; a secret of the greatest personal significance; one that has undoubtedly shaped my identity and continues to influence my behaviors as I navigate this, which we call human life. I … am half Martian. Yes. It is true. For those of you that do not know me, you’re probably deeply confused, and for those of you that do, remarkably validated. Have no fear. I come in peace, despite your institutions telling me to, ...Read More
Inner City Scholars
For most inner city students of color, college is a distant dream. The thought of four more years of school is enough to discourage many inner city students from going for the gold in education. The military seems to be the golden ticket instead of college. In fact, 2 out of every 4 seniors I have counseled from the inner city intend to choose the military over college. Conversations of escaping current situations and making instant money surpass the collegiate pursuit. I am not bashing the mili...Read More
In Pursuit of the Perfect Bag
I was in NYC recently and scored my first “street bag” in the nearly three years since I’ve lived there. For those of you unfamiliar with New York City ways, vendors align every corner of the popular tourist neighborhoods, selling cell phone covers, hats, scarves, and, among other thing, purses. While I lived in New York I was a frequent buyer of said purses, in constant pursuit of the perfect bag. The best thing about these purses is that they typically cost about $20 or $30, ...Read More
Q & A With Preston Pohl, Season 5 Contestant on The Voice
When NBC debuted their new singing competition… The Voice, many people wondered how it might be unique from other shows like it. The difference was made pretty starkly, and in dramatic fashion. First, instead of judges, the show uses coaches who compete to work with singers they think are best, and to mentor them through the show. Secondly, the coaches make their picks solely on the quality of the voices, without seeing the contestants. These two factors have set the show apart. And as Exe...Read More
The Next Generation of Afterschool Staff
When I started out in the afterschool field 30 + years ago I never envisioned this work as a career. I had taken a position as the Outreach Director at a YMCA in New Jersey. One of the many items on my job description was operating the After School Kare (ASK) program at one school site. Fifteen years later when I left the Y the ASK program had grown to 32 sites in 7 school districts with 1600 children. Since that time I’ve worked as a state contract administrator, trainer, and evaluator fo...Read More