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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Meet the BLT: Marissa Serna
Marissa Serna Child Care Coordinator, Alta Loma School District, Alta Loma, CA Who or what inspires you? My family inspires me. I want to be the driving force for my children to do more than I ever have, as they have been my force to do more. Is there a quote or saying that you live your life by? “Do what you feel in your heart to be right, for you’ll be criticized anyway.” -Eleanor Roosevelt What is one characteristic that you believe every leader should possess? Communication...Read More
Meet the BLT: Jeanaah Sampson
Jeanaah Sampson Regional Manager, EduCare Foundation, Van Nuys, CA Who or what inspires you? My mom inspires me. She’s shown me how to be a strong, independent woman with focus. All I am today is a reflection of what I have been taught over the years. What would students be surprised to find out about you? That I can be shy and socially awkward at times. Whenever they see me I’m always so loud and talkative. They’d never think I was quiet and reserved. What is one characteristic that you believe...Read More
More Than 5 Smart Ideas for Professional Development on a Shoestring Budget
Last week I received an email about an upcoming staff development opportunity for my team. It sounded so good. It met our goals, it spoke directly to our growth areas, it was what staff were asking for… and then I saw the price. $7,500! YIKES! That is pretty much all of the staff development budget for the year, and then some. I have always found it a fine line to walk, to be able to provide the quality and quantity of staff development opportunities for my team and still maintaining the b...Read More
Webinar 3: Igniting Leadership in Young People
Editor’s Note: A special thank you to author @jillgordon for sharing the third of four of Youth Philanthropy Initiative of Indiana’s webinar series. Today’s post focuses on youth leadership practices that can be implemented in your program too! Click on the webinar link below “Igniting Leadership in Youth” for the full program. And keep your eyes open in April for the next special webinar from Youth Philanthropy Initiative of Indiana. The Youth Philanthropy Initiative of Indiana (...Read More
Butterfly, Spread Your Wings and Self-Care
Editors Note: This blog was first published on The Leadership Program‘s website on January 29th. Breakfast Club blogger and author, Erika Petrelli, has generously repurposed this blog for the BOOST Breakfast Club out-of-school time readership. The field of out of school time can be so difficult—we give so much to the youth that we serve, and constantly worry that it’s not enough because we are only one person and how much can we possibly impact? We give to others at the detriment of our ...Read More
Coding Club: What High School Students Can Teach Us About Leading Afterschool Programs
None of the high school or elementary students noticed me when I slipped into their after-school classroom last fall. The room buzzed with happy energy as the older students crouched at computers, coaching their younger peers on using Scratch to create animated games. This after-school Coding Club was the first of its kind for my organization, Ann Arbor Public Schools Community Education and Recreation (“Rec & Ed”). We have a decades-long history of providing after-school programs in our sch...Read More
What is a Recovering Principal?
Car in park, deep breath, let the day begin… Greeted by my custodian with an update of the daily damage caused by outsiders accessing a vulnerable campus, graffiti on the walls, drug paraphernalia on the playground, no sub coverage due to the shortage, deep breath, IEP meeting starting at 7:45 a.m., check the security cameras, contact the police department to come and investigate, deep breath, parent urgently needing to meet, and a big smile wishing students a wonderful day during morning ...Read More
Meet the BLT: Frances Vasquez
Frances Vasquez Vice President of Programs, arc, Torrance, CA Who or what inspires you? Young people! They are incredible, resilient humans. I want to make the world better for them. I had a lot of opportunities growing up, and I want to be able to give them as many opportunities as I can. I had some incredible people in my life who poured so much love into me. I want to do the same for others. How do you encourage creative thinking within your organization? I have a sign in my office that says,...Read More
Meet the BLT: ElizaBeth Phillips
ElizaBeth Phillips Senior Program Development Director, Child Development Centers, Sacramento, CA Who or what inspires you? My Grandma inspires me. She was a teacher for many years and believed in John Dewey’s learning theories. I would spend my school breaks, afternoons, and sometimes my mornings with her before school and she always had fun things for me to do. And lo and behold I always learned something too. But, she inspires me in more ways than just her teaching style. She has a true love ...Read More
Hands-On DIY Wellness Projects: The Ultimate Life Hack
In the month of January, Alliance for a Healthier Generation is celebrating #NewDaysResolution. Gone are the old New Year’s resolutions that are ultimately broken (and leave us feeling terrible). 2018 is about making a daily commitment to achieve one simple healthy change that leaves us feeling fulfilled and proud. For example, on the first day of January, I used all of my leftover veggies to make this delicious smoothie (ignore the color). On January 2, I used my lunch break to get a 25-m...Read More
Meet the BLT: Heather Williams
Heather Williams Strategic Initiatives Coordinator, California Department of Education, Expanded Learning Division, Sacramento, CA Who or what inspires you? I’m inspired by many things, but if I’m particularly seeking inspiration there are a few places I go look. One is reading. Whether fiction, non-fiction, books, articles, research, in the information age and particularly with the internet, we have so much reading material at our fingertips. It doesn’t take long before I can ...Read More
The Flawed Leader… Follow Up 6 Months Later
Social Power is defined as the degree of influence that an individual or organization has among their peers and within their society as a whole. 6 months ago, I shared in this blog my challenges with my own leadership and that of the organization I started and grew over the past 15 years. I poured out on the table the comments my staff made in relation to my leadership flaws, and the ways I needed to be better for my team. Since then I have openly spoken in three different states in front of lar...Read More