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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Meet Our 2023 BOOST Conference Presenting Organizations

The annual BOOST Conference is the largest, most recognized, and comprehensive global convening for after school, expanded learning, and in and out-of-school time professionals. We are delighted to welcome the following presenting organizations to the 2023 BOOST Conference on April 25-28 in Palm Springs, California. We look forward to gathering with you all in person to connect, learn, and network with the BOOST Community! Register your team today – Online registration ends April 15th. &nb...Read More

5 Ways to Use BOOST Cafe for Professional Development

We thought it was a good time to re-share about BOOST Cafe and how you can use it to BOOST your professional development! Since its launch, we have added some incredible new resources! Check out the FREE online learning opportunities Need resources to reconnect with yourself, look no further than the Virtual Calming Room Find FREE e-BOOST downloads to use with your staff, youth, and communities Make someone’s day and send them a BOOST E-Card Want to explore BOOST Cafe further, then fill ou...Read More

Keep Learning Online with BOOST

Dear BOOST Family, We are very much looking forward to “seeing” you at the virtual BOOST Conference April 27-30, 2021. We are planning a vibrant, engaging, and fun BOOST experience for you and your team. Did you know we have been facilitating virtual trainings, BOOSTer Summits, Legacy Summits, and other online professional development events since May 2020? We have conquered the virtual world to make sure that our learning is accessible and engaging – and BOOST online/virtual professional ...Read More

Building SEL in Communities Online

  Did you know that BOOST has been offering trainings, workshops, and learning communities online over the past year? Many of our past sessions are available for rewatch on our YouTube page, with new videos added regularly. We currently have over 100 free educational videos for you to enjoy! On October 16, 2020, our friend (and BOOST Ambassador) Nathan Houston, Founder of IAMIMPACT in Sacramento, CA, presented a training on Building SEL in Communities Online. In this 45-minute training, Nat...Read More

BOOST Online Film Festival Partnership Announced

BOOST, in partnership with IndieFlix for Education, offers film-based programming that inspires positive action, personal revelation, and social change for all ages. We provide social-emotional learning experiences that have a long and lasting measurable impact. Our social-impact, film-based programs, and accompanying live panel discussions, activities, resources, tips, and tools provide you with content, inspiration, and instruction to achieve a positive outcome in your classroom and programs. ...Read More

Using YouTube for PD- BOOST Your Learning

Did you know we have over 100 educational videos on our YouTube page? Our digital content includes past BOOST Conference keynote speakers and general session entertainment, fun enrichment activities, as well as dozens of videos recorded from our BOOST Training and Online Learning Community. We have created a fillable YouTube PD Reflection & Action Planning Form to support your professional development and allowing you to: Reflect on your learning. Track your learning and stay accountable. Cr...Read More

Activities That Inspire Impact- Showing Up for Students, Families, and Communities

Did you know that BOOST has been offering trainings, workshops, and learning communities online over the past year? Many of our past sessions are available for rewatch on our YouTube page, with new videos added regularly. We currently have over 100 free educational videos for you to enjoy! On June 15, 2020, a group of BOOSTers gathered on Zoom to learn about Activities That Inspire Impact- Showing Up for Students, Families, and Communities. This 90-minute training highlights programs providing s...Read More

3 Family Engagement Resources to Try this Month

Community gatherings, potlucks, and school parties are great opportunities to re-engage the caregivers, older siblings, and families that your program supports year-round. These events, in addition to being fun and light-hearted, can build protective and supportive factors for families and children experiencing adversity. The benefit of out-of-school time goes beyond the social-emotional to the physical needs of families. According to the Afterschool Alliance, more than 4 in 5 parents in communi...Read More

Join The Largest Global Convening For After School, Expanded Learning, And Out-of-School-Time Professionals

The BOOST Conference is the largest, most recognized, and comprehensive global convening for after school, expanded learning, and out-of-school time professionals. Set in a retreat-like atmosphere in Palm Springs, CA, this extraordinary annual event will rejuvenate your passion, boost your creativity for quality programming, and provide tools and resources that will inspire you to create change. We invite you to join us, and 2,500 global educators April 30-May 3, 2019 to inspire youth, inspire l...Read More

Three Lessons from Practitioners in the Field of Expanded Learning

This past month I had the opportunity to attend the Site Coordinator Symposium by the California AfterSchool Network hosted at the historic Queen Mary ship in Long Beach. This two-and-a-half-day event hosted 500 practitioners from the field of Expanded Learning programs in California, with the majority of them being Site Coordinators from across the state. I wanted to share the three takeaways that stood out the most for me that had heart & meaning and reinforced my two-decade experience in ...Read More

Knowing My Why Is The Root Of My Success

In 2008, I got the courage to start my own professional development company. I have been designing my purpose for this company for the last 11 years. “Dignity of Children believes that all children are born with inherent dignity. They have a right to be loved, nurtured, and valued. Children and youth deserve to be kept safe. They are entitled to a proper education. Children thrive when adults understand their developmental needs, recognize their strengths, and foster their resilience. To evoke t...Read More

Transformation: It’s Time For Personal Change

As we look ahead to imagine what this new year will bring it reminds us that we have an opportunity to change course or dream bigger. The year ahead provides space for transformation. Many people begin the first 30 days with resolutions to tackle. What if, instead of a list of resolutions, we made a commitment to do one thing that would be such a game changer that it would ultimately change the course of our future? In 2016, I tackled something new and challenging each month. A few months ago, s...Read More