kid-grit

I am still processing. It hasn’t been a week yet but I still bursting! WOW, ??, what a conference. I have been reading the many posts here from colleagues who are sharing the same sentiments. National Summer Learning Association you rocked the education space on November 10th to November 13th in the nations capital. Thank you to Christi Kobus Rokicki (she/her/hers), CFRE, CVA , Lauren Krattiger , Natalia Sol, Brodrick Clarke , Terri Ferinde, Ed.D. (and Team) and Aaron Philip Dworkin for throwing a festival of thought provoking promise to 1000 educators, advocates, policy makers, and nonprofit leaders. I hope you are celebrating ?? your phenomenal impact from last weeks five star ?? event. The plenary sessions, networking events, Broadway performance, and workshops were inspiring and filled with a throughline of building communities across sectors and politics for the sake of our countries youth. I left each part of the conference thinking how magical this gathering of people is. I was able to speak/facilitate a fun, fellowship icebreaker for pre-conference participants and the release of the updated summer learning guide (get your copy now, run don’t walk!), a laughing session for an endorphin release and a leadership session on how to run inclusive and collaborative meetings. I am a grateful girl. Responses were positive and relationships were built. Yes! ???? Saw some of my friends (made new ones too) and colleagues there too, lucky me! Lindsay Litzinger , Michelle Ament, EdD , Troy Selvey, MCAA , Jodi Grant Melea Meyer MFA, EdD , Joshua D.S. Brady, M.Ed. , Michael Funk , Sterling Nell Leija, @erinskene-pratt, Rebecca Goldberg , Karen McCann McClelland, Tyneisha Gibbs and so many others— you brighten the room when you appear. Keep up the good fight! kid-grit blog to come with more of this! #summerlearning #education #summerlearninggap #summerchangeseverything #policy #advocacy #youth

I noticed something. I spent the beginning of this week at School's Out Washington annual conference. I haven’t attended this event in person since 2019. Back of then, at this event, the afterschool program felt like the standard 3pm to 6pm, enrichment style, academic support and 21st century skill building, incredible programs. In 2024, the participants were largely youth workers who were supporting refugee families from Africa, South America, Asia, and the Ukraine. This felt different than before. The Team at SOWA does an excellent job pre-conference with supporting speakers with a webinar focused on how to be an inclusive and welcoming presenter. It’s was such a valuable and well thought out session, and now; after spending a few days in this environment I can see why. Thank you! They invited me to speak and present a session on how to solve problems using 4 questions in a circle ??. This workshop is built for not only students but for adults (staff and families) as well. There were over 50 people in the session and it was on Tuesday (you know what day that was), I scrapped the first icebreaker to do a breathing activity to release stress, I’m sure you can figure out why. Then we went into the session. WOW! It was so intense and appreciated on that day. There are no accidents. Congratulations to Team SOWA! Thank you for letting me enter your space and state to be with this truly amazing group of international educators doing the most important work of acclimating youth into the US’s K12 education system. kid-grit . . . #conference #adultsel #emotionalIQ #education #refugees #professionaldevelopment #Socialemotionallearning #problemsolving #lifeskills #expandedlearning #washington #sowa #schoolsoutwashington

Huge thanks to ExpandLA for hosting an all star ?? event tonight continuing the #lightsonafterschool celebration honoring Los Angeles Unified School District after school programs! It was truly an honor to be in such an intimate space with so many of our partners and friends such as Boys & Girls Clubs of Carson, LA After School All Stars, BeyondTheBell, Educare, and Woodcraft Rangers. Moreover, it was an honor, listening to LAUSD’s Superintendent share recent data and impressive achievements about MATH & READING increased scores in LAUSD - congratulations! ?? IYKYK out of school time programs lend a heavy hand to these improvements. Lastly, Expand LA and colleague, Jackie Cohen —- congratulations for all of the collaboration and thoughtfulness you are doing to create community in the city of Los Angeles. It’s no easy task and it’s clear you’re making an intentional effort that is truly making an impact and difference! Bringing us all together for the common good and cause! #itsforthekids! . . . #education #intermediary #nonprofit #afterschool #expandedlearning #ost #extendedschoolday #community #losangeles #LA #LAUSD #kidgrit kid-grit Kim Richards, MBA, CPC

?? Calling all out-of-school time and school leaders (#teachers and #principals, we mean you, too)!?? #CrayolaCreativityWeek is back Jan 27-Feb 2, 2025! ?? Sign-up your program to celebrate so you can be the first to know about the inspiring new celebrity guests, hands-on learning videos + activity downloadables, and daily #giveaways! ???????! ??Register for free at: https://bit.ly/4fhJMfJ