2023 Fall Conference Workshops
Workshop Legend
- Active/Nutrition
- Behavior Management
- Diversity Equity Inclusion (DEI
- Fine Arts (Music Drama, Dance)
- Social Emotional Learning (SEL)
- Science, Technology. Engineering & Math (STEM)
- Supervision/Management
- Take It & Run (participants will leave with easy-to-use plans/activities)
- Early Elementary
- Older Elementary
- Middle School
- High School
- Entry
- Developing & Proficient
- Advanced
- Supporting the Social/Emotional Development of School Age Children – This interactive session explores the principles and milestones of social and emotional development in school age children and includes strategies staff can use in daily interactions with the children in their care.
Kathleen Wilby, M.Ed (SEL, Early Elementary School, Older Elementary School, All) - Implicit Bias & Microaggressions – Though often unintentional, implicit bias and microaggressions can create challenges in diverse spaces, particularly those that are youth-focused. This workshop will explore the definition, formation, and impact of implicit bias, and impart concrete strategies and suggestions of how to intervene when encountering prejudice and bias in real life.
Cadence Pentheny, Triangle Community Center, Norwalk (DEI, All, Entry, Developing & Proficient)
- Addressing Difficult Conversations – Effective leadership and effective team culture require difficult conversations. Though lack of confrontation may feel good, it is a warning sign of poor team functioning, referred to as artificial harmony. Confrontation is necessary for optimal team functioning and program outcomes.
Katherine Spinney, Coaching LLC (Supervision/Management, All, Developing & Proficient)
Using STEM Programs for Career Exploration with the Blue/Green Economy – Mystic Aquarium offers national STEM Mentoring Programming and recently added a Blue and Green Economy career exploration module for Middle School and High School students that we will explore. We will explore the high level of the module which helps expose youth to experts in the field along with participating in hands-on transferrable STEM activities that give young people a snapshot of what it would feel like to work in the growing professions. Participants will also learn of other the many federal funding opportunities supporting these types of programs and the way to become a site with Mystic Aquarium.
Ayana Melvan, Senior Director of Strategic Partnerships, Mission Programs, Mystic Aquarium (STEM, Middle School, High School, Advanced)Mindful Yoga Breaks Wise Owl Workshop: The Joy of Sharing Yoga & Mindfulness with Children of All Ages – In this workshop, we will explore the many benefits of yoga and mindfulness using games, props & exercises. You’ll learn fun, easy to learn & practical tools to incorporate into your program to help us manage our emotions, so we can find calm, peace, joy and gratitude, even when things feel out of control.
Lani Rosen-Gallagher, M.Ed., RYT 200, RCYP, Full of Joy Yoga (SEL, Take It and Run, Early Elementary School, Older Elementary School, All)
- Everyone Loves a Party, Right? – We often rely on our own experiences to inform our beliefs about how others may feel in similar situations. The assumptions we make, however, can lead to misunderstandings, less-than-helpful responses, and decisions that don’t help us reach our goals. In this session, we will explore the range of emotions we and others might feel in a variety of situations and discuss their impact on our responses. We will extend this understanding to our work with children and youth and explore strategies for supporting young people in a variety of settings.
Charlene Voyce, Insight and Innovation Consulting (SEL, All, Entry, Developing & Proficient)
Make Math Engaging – This hands-on and minds-on session will be packed with easy-to-implement activities to increase engagement in your afterschool program when doing math. We’ll dive into how to make math fun and accessible to all youth. It’s no secret that the M (math) in STEM and STEAM gets a pretty bad rap. Join this session to change that! Connect with other energized afterschool professionals and walk away with ready-to-use activities that can spark joy in your program while doing math!
Perrin Chick, M. Ed, ACRES (STEM, All, All)Make Space for Emotion Liberation with our Bodies – You may be familiar with Emotion Regulation or Management, if you have practiced Social Emotional Learning. During this class, we will go beyond regulation strategies such as mindfulness into Emotion Liberation activities that help us and our students move through big emotions. Warning: You will be invited to movement and dancing that is accessible.
Armela Toro Waters (Fine Arts, SEL, Take It and Run, Early Elementary School, All)Engaging STEM – Attendees will understand the significance of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Medicine) education to our nation’s future and its vital importance to our children’s ability to compete in the increasingly high tech global economy. Young children are naturally inquisitive, and it is critical that we build on this innate curiosity to foster a passion for learning. The goal of this workshop is to explain a simple, yet highly effective, means of providing a strong STEM foundation for all children.
Dr. Heidi Gold, Little to Great Scientists (STEM, Take It and Run, Early Elementary School, Older Elementary School, Middle School, All)Afterschool Leadership Essentials: Setting Goals, Managing Time and Creating a Vision – Are you stepping into a leadership role as an Afterschool program supervisor? This workshop is tailored for individuals new to supervisory roles, providing essential skills to set meaningful goals, master time management, and create a visionary tone for your Afterschool program. You’ll hear practical advice, discuss the challenges of this work, and leave empowered with resources and an action plan for success.
Nichelle Harris, Ten Speed Consulting, LLC (Supervision/Management, Take It and Run, All, Entry, Developing & Proficient)
- Positive Discipline – Helping Children Through Big Emotions – Positive Discipline teaches tools to help adults build an environment of encouragement, cooperation, communication and mutual respect with the children in their lives. In this participative workshop, we will focus on tools that help us guide children through their big emotions. Participants will learn what happens in the brain when we get upset and practice a positive approach that focuses on solutions rather than punishment.
Marcela Ramos (Behavior Management, SEL, Early Elementary School, All)
Making Downtime Fun! – In this workshop participants will learn proven strategies that will help youth workers engage children in a fun and interactive way. Through these activities you will help children gain a stronger sense of self, connect with others and most of all, have fun!
Tai Richardson, Richardson Training and Consulting, LLC (Active/Nutrition, Take It and Run, Early Elementary School, Older Elementary School, Middle School, All)Weaving SEL into the Fabric of OST Routines and Activities – Incorporating Social and Emotional Learning into Out of School Time program activities can positively impact the youth’s emotional well-being and social skills. Come learn how to integrate and achieve immediate impact and meaningful results by weaving SEL into the fabric of your program.
Ashton Gauthier, SEL4CT, Connecticut Network for Children and Youth (SEL, All, All)- Engaging STEM Activities – Are you always on the lookout for fun activities that you can take back to your program and run with tomorrow? What if we told you we have a whole week’s worth of activities for you? What if we told you it comes with the supplies you need to do these activities, that it wouldn’t be expensive to replace so you could do them again without a big supply order? What if those activities were also hands-on, minds-on STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) focused activities that don’t require a fancy technical STEM background? What if those activities had been tested and tweaked for effectiveness and FUN to work with kids in OST already? What if you could try out these activities, ask questions and feel confident about it today? Did I mention that at the end you’d get the supplies (free) to do this with your program at least once?
CLASP STEM Cohort, Connecticut Network for Children and Youth (STEM, Take It and Run, All, All)
Inclusion is Healthy – This workshop will highlight the physiological and mental health effects of not feeling a sense of belonging and how community culture building can either perpetuate or mitigate these impacts.
LaToya Fernandez, DEI Officer Norwalk (DEI, All, All)Strengthening the School/Afterschool Relationship – Take a deep dive into the challenges after school programs face in connecting and coordinating with school staff. Learn the WHY, HOW and What of connecting informal education programs with school districts. Gain ideas on how to build bridges to provide better coordinated efforts for the students you serve and how to use Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) to open conversations with school administrators.
Nichelle Harris, Ten Speed Consulting, LLC (Supervision/Management, Take It and Run, All, All)