Thursday will feature a half-day, professional development deep-dive specifically for out-of-school time directors and site coordinators facilitated by Dr. Folami Prescott-Adams of HTI Catalysts and Addie Lentzer of the Vermont Student Anti-Racism Network (learn more below) and Friday will once again bring together Vermont’s out-of-school time directors, staff, educators, partners, and champions for a full day of workshops across three breakout sessions, an inspiring keynote from Dr. Prescott-Adams, networking, and a celebration of the important work you do for Vermont’s children, youth, families, and communities.
The registration cost for the Thursday Deep Dive is $60. Early Bird registration for Friday’s conference costs $150 (down from the regular $175 cost). And it’s $125 for Vermont Afterschool Members!
Be sure to register today at the Early Bird discounted rate and we’ll see you in November!
Folami Prescott-Adams, Ph.D. is the CEO of HTI Catalysts, a collaborative network of consultants whose mission is to create and hold spaces that build community, evoke organizational shifts, and promote cultural justice. Folami has made significant contributions to education transformation and youth development initiatives. She is the author of SETCLAE, a self-esteem through culture curriculum and singer and songwriter on Come Be With Me, her latest CD compilation of her unique brand of Family Music.
In 2020, she created Listening 4 Justice, a storytelling experience grounded in personal and collective history to help us face the world. She is currently writing a book about her own cultural justice journey which includes a guidebook for all to use to reflect on their own journey.
She has degrees from Brown University, Temple University and a Ph.D. in community psychology from Georgia State University. She has four adult children and four grandchildren who constantly remind her that all education begins at home.
This session aims to boost the confidence and capacity of the next generation of youth development leaders. Participants will delve into topics that spotlight organizational culture, effective communication, collaboration and leadership in practice. Co-facilitated by a college student and veteran facilitator, youth-adult partnership in action will be on display. Through interactive exercises and peer learning, attendees will gain practical insights and develop the skills necessary for success. They will walk away with a set of practices to employ that foster team collaboration and will identify their own strengths and mindsets around giving and receiving adjusting and affirming feedback.
Team-Building for Leaders
This workshop will unpack core team-building principles and offer hands-on experience. Participants will engage in activities to enhance communication and collaboration within their teams. By the end of the session, each participant will establish at least three next steps for implementing team-building strategies that improve program outcomes and create a more cohesive and effective team environment. Participants will experience five key strategies for team-building, assess their own leadership style using the Leadership Compass Points, reflect on the value of team-building and plan an upcoming team-building opportunity in their setting.
Presenter: Dr. Folami Prescott-Adams
Level: Advanced
Core Competency: Professionalism and Ethical Practice
Enhancing Program Quality: Strengthening Skill-building Clubs and Activities
In this workshop after-school staff and leaders will develop their understanding, knowledge and ability to provide Skill building opportunities in their after-school programs. As described in the School-Age PQA tool, “The first step in assuring children learn and build skills is for the staff to have intentionally identified what is to be learned and how it is to be learned. This item has two purposes. First, it ensures that the staff has planned learning or skill-building objectives for the activities that day. Secondly, it assesses whether the staff has communicated that purpose to the children.” In this workshop, participants will look at and share examples of skill-building activities and projects and begin to develop ideas for skill-building projects to implement in their program. This workshop involves an introduction to project-based learning, the active-participatory approach and cooperative learning.
Presenter: Kathleen Bray
Level: Introductory
Core Competency: Program Planning and Development
Separate and Connected: How to Better Understand and Iimprove Your Relationships and Communication
Relationships challenge us because every human has two core needs:
The conflicts and confusion we have in relationships are all rooted in the challenge of meeting both needs. This is true for all relationships: personal, professional, and community. This training teaches how we can integrate both drives to be a Me and a WE, and the communication that is a vital part of it. With deeper understanding and personal growth, we can better care for ourselves and each other.
Presenter: Beth Martell
Level: Intermediate
Core Competency: Professionalism and Ethical Practice
Got Games? Unlocking the Potential in Table Top Games
Table top games often evoke fond memories around the table with loved ones and for anyone who’s spent any time in an OST program, “Will you play this game with me?” is a daily question from the young people in our care. Table top games provide a tremendous opportunity to foster positive connections, promote development across domains, and nurture a sense of belonging amongst young people. In this session, participants will be provided with and encouraged to contribute strategies and tips for implementing table top games with children and youth effectively. Participants will consider potential factors of importance when introducing games to children and youth such as age-based attention span, appropriateness of competitive vs. cooperative games, and other developmental factors. Participants will work together to consider the potential outcomes and effective strategies for implementing table top games with children and youth in their programs.
Presenter: Abigail J. Argentine
Level: Introductory
Core Competency: Curriculum and Learning Environments
Team Culture and Collective Purpose
This interactive workshop is designed to cultivate a positive, team-driven culture by highlighting the power of collaboration, connection, and mutual respect among staff. Participants will learn practical strategies to strengthen relationships, align around shared program values and goals, and foster an inclusive environment where every team member feels valued and inspired. By embracing a team mentality, organizations can enhance staff morale, increase support across roles, and ultimately deliver more impactful and enriching experiences for the youth they serve.
Presenter: Ben Ardel
Level: Intermediate
Core Competency: Program Planning and Development
Core Competency: Curriculum and Learning Environments
Grant Writing Basics
Securing a grant can make a major difference in your afterschool program. In this training, I will teach you the basics, where to search for grants, and ways to improve your writing to give you the competitive edge for your next grant writing project.
Presenter: Katelyn Irwin
Level: Introductory
Core Competency: Program Planning and Development
Building STEM Learning Adventures
Engaging elementary school-aged youth in STEM can be both fun and incredibly impactful. This session will equip afterschool professionals with the tools and strategies to create captivating STEM learning adventures, even with limited resources. We’ll dive into the fundamentals of designing STEM activities that resonate with K-5 learners, focusing on leveraging local resources, building a “web of understanding,” and transforming hands-on to “minds-on.” We’ll showcase how Go2Science’s ready-to-use research adventures can amplify your efforts, providing structured, high-interest content that integrates literacy, math, and global awareness into STEM exploration. You will be provided with valuable, immediately applicable strategies you can implement regardless of your budget.
Presenters: Beth Heidemann & Curtis Bentley
Level: Introductory
Core Competency: Curriculum and Learning Environments
Introduction to Afterschool Business Management
First Children’s Finance provides center directors and other program leaders with the opportunity to learn about the basics of business related to their afterschool program. We will discuss strategic planning tools, enrollment management and marketing your programs to increase your business sustainability. This training will include an introduction to FCF’s Financial Analysis process to help school-age business leaders pinpoint opportunities for program improvement. We will also include an overview of FCF’s Business Leadership Cohort that will be offered for Afterschool Professionals in the future.
Presenter: Jen Severence
Level: Introductory
Core Competency: Program Planning and Development
Making Quality Visible: Telling Your Afterschool Story Through Evidence
Your program does amazing work every day- now it’s time to make sure that quality shines through in your STARS application. In this hands-on, idea-packed session, we’ll explore creative, meaningful ways to document and showcase the heart of your afterschool program and the every day quality practices! From photos to project samples to staff reflections and youth voice, you’ll leave with practical strategies and fresh inspiration to tell your program’s story in a way that feels authentic and representative of the quality care you provide. Whether you’re just getting started in STARS or looking for ways to continually capture your continuous quality improvement, this workshop will help you turn your everyday excellence into compelling evidence to recognize your program’s quality!
Presenter: Courtney Isham
Level: Intermediate
Core Competency: Program Planning and Development
Supervisor School
Welcome to Supervisor School! A new school year brings fresh opportunities—and for you, that includes stepping into an exciting new supervisory role. You were chosen for this position because someone recognized your potential to lead, inspire, and support others. Whether you’re brand new to leadership or looking to sharpen your supervisory skills, this training will provide the essential tools and knowledge you need to succeed. In this session, we’ll cover the fundamental responsibilities of a supervisor, including: upholding and enforcing policies, ensuring the safety and well-being of those in your charge, leading and motivation a team of your peers and navigating challenges with confidence and professionalism. You’ll leave with a stronger understanding of your role, a clearer sense of purpose, and practical strategies to become a more effective and confident leader.
Presenter: Shondra Jones
Level: Introductory
Core Competency: Professionalism and Ethical Practice
SEL-Based Opening Circles
This workshop expands upon the evidence and research supporting the practice of a daily circle in afterschool and summer programming. Participants will learn about how to incorporate SEL into opening circle structure, why these few minutes are so important for setting the tone for the rest of the day, and how to build consistency in your schedule to to prioritize circle time.
Presenter: Marla Goldstein
Level: Introductory
Core Competency: Program Planning and Development
Handling Common Situations: Teaming with Youth Staff in Afterschool
This workshop was created in partnership with youth working in afterschool around the state. When we asked youth employees across the state what they needed support with, they resoundingly said they wanted more training on how to handle the situations they are encountering with the students in their program WITH their adult colleagues. This workshop is for youth employees and their adult colleagues to align on how they want to handle the common situations they may encounter together in their program. We will focus on content around relationships and boundaries, leading and supporting groups, managing behavior, and engagement with adult partners. This session will be a space for youth employees and their adult colleagues to create structures for how to handle situations as a team and walk away with a clear understanding and alignment on how to support each other.
Presenters: Katie O’Shea and Matt Wolf
Level: Introductory
Core Competency: Professionalism and Ethical Practice
Strengthening Your Core: Programs and Partnerships That Will Endure
At a time when funding is uncertain and the needs of young people are greater than ever, out-of-school time programs must lean into what makes them essential—and sustainable. This workshop will guide you in identifying your program’s core values at a micro level, then help you scale that clarity to shape team-wide vision and strategy. You’ll explore how understanding who you are as a program enables you to better communicate your value—not only through data and storytelling, but also by activating the strength of your community. Learn how to engage and leverage community partnerships to expand your reach, deepen your impact, and create shared ownership in your program’s success. Together, we’ll explore ways to build a structure rooted in collaboration—one that supports student outcomes now and stands strong through future funding shifts.
Presenter: Beth Ann Miller
Level: Intermediate
Core Competency: Family and Community Partnerships
Jr Iron Chef VT: What it Takes to Host a Team!
Come learn all about the Vermont Jr Iron Chef Competition that hosts hundreds of Vermont youth each year in a 1 day, statewide, fun, and timed cooking event. Learn what it takes to host a middle school or high school team – the preparation beforehand, the day of event, and the bigger picture outcomes of this special activity. Hear from winning coaches, and be prepared to do some hands-on cooking with a little food prep yourself!
Presenter: Dana Hudson
Level: Introductory
Core Competency: Youth Engagement, Voice, and Choice
From Diet Culture to Body Trust: Helping Communities Navigate a Culture Obsessed with Thinness
We live in a culture obsessed with bodies, yet we rarely examine how our everyday language about food, health, and weight shapes the children in our lives. In this session, we’ll explore the concept of “fat talk”—those casual but powerful comments that reinforce body shame, diet culture, and weight-based discrimination.
Grounded in evidence and lived experience, this session offers tools to better understand how children internalize body messages, and how fatphobia intersects with identity, health, and belonging. Participants will reflect on their own body stories, unpack myths around weight and health, and learn practical, compassionate ways to shift the conversation. This is not about blame—it’s about awareness, courage, and change. Together, we’ll move toward a more affirming, inclusive, and connected approach to raising body-confident kids in a world that desperately needs it.
Presenter: Annie Valentine
Level: Introductory
Core Competency: Safety and Wellness
Make Math Engaging (It Can Be More Than Homework Help!)
This mentally and physically interactive session will be packed with easy-to-implement activities to increase youth engagement when doing math in your afterschool program. We’ll dive into how to make math fun and accessible to all youth. Connect with other energized afterschool professionals and walk away with ready-to-use activities that can spark joy in your program while doing math!
Presenter: Perrin Chick
Level: Introductory
Core Competency: Youth Engagement, Voice, and Choice
We invite organizations and businesses to support Vermont Afterschool by purchasing an exhibitor table. Exhibiting at our conference offers an opportunity to market your services, products, or resources to over 200 afterschool professionals.
Vermont Afterschool offers exhibitor tables as an incentive to conference sponsors at certain giving levels. Exhibitor tables are also available for $175 on a first-come, first serve basis (space is limited this year). Click here to reserve an exhibitor table.
Individual Vermont Afterschool Members receive a $25 registration discount. Small Organization Memberships are eligible to receive a $25 registration discount for each registrant (limit of 3 registrants). Large Organization Memberships are eligible to receive a $25 registration discount for each registrant (limit 6 registrants). Visit our Membership page to learn how to become a Vermont Afterschool Member.
Early Bird Rate (deadline 9/12/25) – $150 Non-members/$125 Members
Regular Rate – $175 Non-members/$150 Members
Thursday Deep Dive – $60
Lake Morey Resort
82 Clubhouse Road
Fairlee, VT 05045
802-333-4311
www.lakemoreyresort.com/
Individuals planning to stay at Lake Morey Resort Thursday are eligible to receive a discounted rate. To take advantage of this discount, please call Lake Morey Resort directly (800-423-1211) or use the Online Group Code (AFTERSCH) on their website no later than October 6, 2025. Reservations received after this date will be accepted on a space available basis. A credit card deposit of $100 per room is required to confirm all room reservations.
Thursday
12:45 PM: Welcome
1:00–5:00 PM: Deep-Dive Training
Friday
8:00–8:45 AM: Registration & Caffeine
8:45–9:00 AM: Welcome from VTA Executive Director
9:00–9:45 AM: Keynote Address from Dr. Folami Prescott-Adams
10:00 AM–12:00 PM: Workshop Block 1
12:00–12:45 PM: Lunch
1:00–2:30 PM: Workshop Block 2
2:45–4:15 PM: Workshop Block 3
4:15–5:00 PM: Afterschool Cafe (Closing Remarks, Dessert, Raffle)
Vermont Afterschool, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, and contributions are tax deductible. Your gift supports our efforts to increase the quality of and access to afterschool and summer programs in Vermont, as well as to empower youth.
