State ED Board Approves Grants for Afterschool Programs

Supplemental expanded learning opportunities will soon be available afterschool at thirty-three sites in Nebraska. Two-Year Expanded Learning Opportunity Grants funded by proceeds of the Nebraska Lottery were approved by the Nebraska State Board of Education.

These grants fund partnerships that provide hands-on enrichment activities and services delivered afterschool and in the summer. The thirty-three eligible sites operate quality afterschool programs funded by a 21st Century Community Learning Center federal grant and have been in operation at least five years.

• Collective for Youth’s programs in Omaha received a $21,609 grant to serve eight sites including Franklin Elementary School, Gilder Elementary School, King Elementary School, Lothrop Elementary School, Miller Park Elementary School, Sherman Elementary School, Lewis and Clark Middle School and Monroe Middle
• Collective for Youth’s programs in Omaha received a $29,966 grant to serve nine sites including Bancroft Elementary School, Belvedere Elementary School, Castelar Elementary School, Central Park Elementary School, Hartman Elementary School, Highland Elementary School, Howard Kennedy Elementary School, Liberty Elementary School and King Science Middle

 

Kids Can/Miller Park and the Tyrome Williams Foundation

On Monday, May 15th & 22nd, the Tyrome Williams Foundation program, Building Dreams, provided a special class for 20 students from the Miller Park/Kids Can program. In collaboration with Via Farina restaurant. Twenty students got the opportunity to learn about the following topics in the field of Business and Entrepreneurship: running a professional business, kitchen safety, and food science through hands on learning experience.  At the conclusion of the workshop, students also learned how to make their own pizza using the restaurant’s wood fed brick oven stove.  Thank you to the Tyrome Williams Foundation for his generous donation of the cost of materials and transportation. The Miller Park Elementary Site Director, Marilyn McBride, Via Farina Restaurant and  Tyrome Williams made this collaborative effort a huge success!

See the video here! – Miller Park students learn STEM skills while making pizza.

 

Site Visits to Lewis & Clark Middle and Gilder Elementary

Collective for Youth recently facilitated a site visits to Lewis and Clark’s Middle School and Gilder Elementary.  Over 35 elected officials, funders, and stakeholders attended the site visits.  

The site visits were informative, interesting, and fun!  Attendees were able to visit with the Site Director and Principal to hear firsthand, just how vital the afterschool program is to supporting a student’s success.  Attendees were also able to take a tour of the program and witness high quality enrichment programs that incorporate Science Technology Engineering Math (STEM), literacy, visual arts, fitness, gardening, music and more!  At the end of each visit, attendees had the chance to connect with staff members and students to learn more about their programming needs and successes.

Collective for Youth believes that by hosting site visits, stakeholders are able to witness first hand  that after-school programs can bring a wide range of benefits to students, families and communities by boosting academic performance, reducing risky behaviors, promoting physical health and providing a safe, structured environment for the children of working parents.

Please contact Nicole Everingham today at 402-932-2025 X 1005 or neveringham@collectiveforyouth.org to schedule a site visit to one of our 31 afterschool programs.

 

Gwyn Williams Presents!

On May 11 and 12, Collective for Youth’s Program Director attended the 6th annual Prime Time Palm Beach County Symposium. The theme of the conference was “The Power of One Caring Adult”. This theme was selected to encourage and share best practices in social and emotional learning (SEL) skill building. SEL speaks to the important work taking place in afterschool and summer camp settings and to the role that OST professionals play in enriching the lives of the children they serve.

Gwyn Williams gave a presentation at the Sixth Annual Afterschool Symposium in West Palm Beach, Florida on May 12. The title of her presentation was, “The Connection Between STEM, Growth Mindset and Social Emotional Learning”.

Gwyn introduced the attendees of the workshop to the natural, yet overlooked connections between Social Emotional Learning (SEL), Science-Technology-Engineering-Math (STEM), and Growth Mindset. STEM curriculum is the perfect way to tie academic learning to the real-world application of SEL, that helps all youth understand that skills and abilities can be developed. The participants practiced these skills through hands-on engaging activities.

By the end of Gwyn’s presentation, everyone in the workshop wanted to move to Nebraska and work with Gwyn Williams and the team at Collective for Youth!

Upcoming training dates-

Summer Leadership Institute will be held on August 2, 3, 4th. Stayed tuned for more information!