Summer Energy Drinks Energy drinks have remained a popular beverage choice for young people despite the many risks their consumption brings. The Centers for Disease Control reported that 30%–50% of adolescents drink them, but the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no use of them whatsoever for children under 13 because of their high sugar and… Read more »
Afterschool Professionals have a lot going on, and we want to help! One way we know how to help is by coming up with activities. And so, welcome to The Launchpad, a quarterly curation of curriculum perfect for afterschool programs. These activities will vary by content areas, lengths, difficulties, and ages. To find out when… Read more »
Afterschool Professionals have a lot going on, and we want to help! One way we know how to help is by coming up with activities. And so, welcome to The Launchpad, a quarterly curation of curriculum perfect for afterschool programs. These activities will vary by content areas, lengths, difficulties, and ages. If find out when… Read more »
What if I told you that a 5 second interaction with a child can boost the morale of your students and help that child be more successful in your program? What if those 5 seconds were as easy as giving a friendly greeting to every child as they walked through the door to your program?… Read more »
Afterschool Professionals have a lot going on, and we want to help! One way we know how to help is by coming up with activities. And so, welcome to The Launchpad, a quarterly curation of curriculum perfect for afterschool programs. These activities will vary by content areas, lengths, difficulties, and ages. If find out when… Read more »
The summer sun is shining in Vermont and, in this issue of Head to Heart, I want to highlight an afterschool program that shines in its commitment to SEL, teamwork, and fun. Here is Jane Youngbaer, a champion of Vermont’s Destination Imagination program.. Did you know that Vermont has a program that gives kids of… Read more »
We are tremendously relieved—for youth, their families, and the professionals who work with them—to hear that the Administration will release the FY25 afterschool and summer learning program funds it had withheld, which were congressionally approved and due to states and D.C. on July 1. Make no mistake, this outcome was a direct result of a… Read more »
Recent news of the Trump Administration withholding $6.8 billion in FY25 federal education funding, including $1.4 billion intended for before- and afterschool programs through Title IV Part B, the 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC), is unacceptable. Communities across Vermont know that afterschool and summer programs are providing invaluable learning opportunities for young people… Read more »
With warmer weather on the way, some youth may be engaging in riskier behaviors with their peers. As many of us know, afterschool and summer programs are a great strategy to support upstream, primary prevention for substance use and support youth in navigating tricky social situations. When I saw this article in Education Week, I… Read more »
I came across this article and this article in Education Week and thought about them for a while—so much of what I hear from program staff is they are seeing really high levels of behavioral needs from multiple students, all at the same time. This article affirms what many of us had suspected for a… Read more »
