UPDATED! Catch NIOST at the NAA Convention in DC

March 4, 2020

NIOST looks forward to connecting with convention attendees at NAA20 Reimagined - Virtual Convention! Between April 19 and May 2, Part 2 of the convention takes place. Visit our virtual booth in the Learning Expo to learn more about our products and services, get our giveaways, and schedule an appointment to discuss your specific needs.

Be sure to catch Dr. Georgia Hall, NIOST Director and Sr. Research Scientist, in her pre-recorded Spark Session: "Read Up/Write Up/Talk Up: Building Literacy Rich Environments in OST" (found in Level 3). National Afterschool Matters fellows Brad Lademann and Sonia Toledo are also presenting workshops.

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NIOST researchers, staff, and our National Afterschool Matters (NASM) Fellows will be joining over 2,000 members of the out-of-school-time (OST) community at the National AfterSchool Association Convention in Washington, D.C., March 15 to 18. Here’s how to find us.

NIOST Director and Senior Research Scientist Georgia Hall will be presenting “Read Up/Write Up/Talk Up: Building Literacy Rich Environments in OST,” on Wednesday, March 18, from 10:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.. She explains:

Proficient skill in reading is critical for success in school, college and career readiness, and viable employment in 21st century society. Unfortunately, the vast majority of children from low-income families are not proficient in reading by Grade 3. A growing body of literature shows that high-quality OST programs can support youth learning and development by providing additional time and opportunities to learn and practice specific literacy skills and strategies. OST programs can in fact include program components that have been shown to support the development of critical literacy skills during the early elementary years, such as family engagement and high-quality literacy activities.

Additionally, two of our NASM Fellows will be presenting:

• Sonia Toledo, founder and CEO of Dignity of Children and part of our 2015 NASM cohort, will speak on “Real Talk: Developing our Emotional Intelligence for our Kids’ Sake!” on Monday, March 16, from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. She explains, “Through conversation with others, we get to develop our capacity to understand the world and develop our self-worth and purpose in life. This workshop will explore how we can create a learning culture in our classroom, where children and youth learn how to be in communication with others to develop their emotional intelligence and their critical thinking skills. We will introduce techniques to keep children and youth in communication about world issues and things that matter to them most. Our intention is to build children and youth sense self-worth, communication skills and literacy skills.”
• Brad Lademann, resource center coordinator at the Missouri AfterSchool Network and part of our 2019 NASM cohort, will discuss “Burnout Happens: What It Is and How To Avoid It, on Monday, March 16, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.. in Baltimore 3 and 4. He says, “Burnout is a very real problem that is often experienced by administrators and staff in the world of afterschool. Come learn about what burnout looks like and take-away strategies to help staff stay mentally healthy.”

Check your program for room locations of all sessions.

NIOST will also have a table in Booth 704 of the exhibit hall. Stop by and see what’s new and exciting, including:

• Our revised APAS assessment tools, which include language changes and specific examples that more fully reflect equity, inclusion, and diversity in the experiences of youth, families, and the OST workforce.
• A new, free resource: “Coaching for Quality in Out-of-School Time: A How-To Guide.”
• The new issue of the Afterschool Matters journal, which includes articles on OST programs incorporating creative youth development; STEM learning; tinkering; hip-hop music; and visual, performing, and digital arts, as well as how summer programs can attract and retain high school students of low socioeconomic status.

We hope to see you there!