TASC eNews: May 2009

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	Upcoming Events: May 21 Neighborhood-Based Approaches to Improving Child and Family Well-Being National League of Cities Audioconference May 26 - 29 International Child & Youth Care Conference ICYCC Ft. Lauderdale, FL May 26 - 28 The After School Experience Conference: Moving Beyond the Status Quo The New York 21st CCLC Statewide Technical Assistance Center Albany, NY June 3 Creating Camp Culture American Camp Association, NY June 9 - 12 5th Biennial Childhood Obesity Conference California Department of Public Health Los Angeles, CA June 11 - 12 Summit on Incorporating Social Justice and Service-Learning into the STEM Curriculum Learn and Serve America Ithaca College June 11 - 13 American Democracy Project: Diversity and Civic Engagement ADP National Meeting Baltimore, MD June 14 - 16 National Conference on Children and Youth Savings Corporation for Enterprise Development Brooklyn, NY June 14 - 16 2009 ESL Conference: Multiple Cultures, Multiple Voices The Center for Schools and Communities Harrisburg, PA June 25 Promoting School Readiness: The Challenge of Reaching ALL Children National League of Cities Audioconference July 7 - 9 21st CCLC 2009 Summer Institute US Department of Education Nashville, TN July 13 -16 Summer Seminars for Afterschool Program Professionals NIOST Boston, MA July 15 - 17 Delivering Impact: Improving Nonprofit Effectiveness 2009 Alliance Annual Conference Palm Springs, CA July 24 - 26 Teaching and Learning in Out-of-School Time Institute The Center for Afterschool Education at Foundations, Inc. Arcadia University Congratulations to Center Grads The Center for After-School Excellence at TASC salutes the after-school professionals who will graduate on June 24 from credit-bearing certificate programs offered in partnership with York and Medgar Evers Colleges, Kingsborough and Hostos Community Colleges and Hunter College Graduate School of Education. The graduates, who work at programs operated by community-based organizations, completed courses yielding between nine and 12 college or graduate school credits. We're inspired by their dedication to learning and enhancing the quality of their programs.			FEATURE TASC Receives Stimulus Funds to Grow AmeriCorps After-school programs in New York City will be able to hire more staff members to lead community service projects with kids, thanks to TASC's receipt of federal stimulus funds to expand its AmeriCorps service initiative. During this school year, TASC trained 300 AmeriCorps members to work in New York City after-school programs, where they led community service projects such as neighborhood clean-ups. The New York State Commission on National and Community Service has announced that TASC will receive $513,236 through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (the stimulus bill) to train 174 new AmeriCorps members to work with kids after school. AmeriCorps is a federally funded volunteer program which allows people to serve their communities while earning money for college tuition or to repay student loans. To learn about TASC members' recent service, visit the TASC Web site. LEGISLATIVE WATCH President Obama's May 7 release of the federal budget left many in the after-school field scratching our heads. In a letter to Congress that accompanied the budget, President Obama explained that the budget would first "address some of the deep, systemic problems that have been ignored for too long by making critical investments in education, so that every child can compete in the global economy..." Most in the after-school field expected critical investments in education to include after-school programs. Our expectations were dashed when the President's budget did not take a step forward to increase funds for 21st Century Community Learning Centers, the largest and most direct federal commitment to after-school. To accommodate students' after-school needs, the administration is suggesting that Title I and the $ 1 billion dollar increase for School Improvement grants could support after-school and summer learning. But to see real gains, we need to persuade national leaders to transform words into action for 21st Century. The after-school field must make more evident the connection between investing in early childhood education and after-school programs, along with dropout prevention. All are essential to address deep, systemic problems. The president proposed new early childhood initiatives, including $500 million for pre-kindergarten programs and $300 million for an Early Learning Challenge Fund. Other education investments in the budget include an increase of $1.5 billion for Title I School Improvement Grants and a new $50 million high school dropout prevention program. Both could make modest increases available to after-school programs. But to reach millions of students who have urgent needs, after-school, summer and expanded learning time programs all require dedicated expansions. Beyond employing tens of thousands of workers across the country, after-school programs also provide working parents with the assurance that their children are safe while parents are at work or searching for a job. To move from recession to recovery, workers need a broad range of supports, including accessible after-school programs. TASC is urging citizens to contact their Congressional representatives to address these priorities in the federal budget. To take action, please visit the TASC Web site. FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES * Advantage After School Program 2009 * Deadline: June 19 The New York State Office of Children and Family Services invites incorporated not-for-profit community-based organizations and faith-based organizations to submit proposals for the development of quality after-school programs based on the Advantage After School model. For more information, visit the Youth Funders Database. Adobe Youth Voices Program Deadline: May 29 Through participation in this program, educators receive technical resources, enhance their teaching strategies, gain new skills and work with other educators and youth media experts to enable youth to express themselves using digital tools, and to create media with a meaningful purpose. For more information, visit the Youth Funders Database. Sober Truth on Preventing Underage Drinking (STOP) Act Grants Deadline: May 29 The STOP Act grant program is designed to prevent and decrease alcohol use among youth throughout the United States. This initiative aims to disseminate information regarding state-of-the-art practices and initiatives that have proven effective in preventing alcohol consumption among youth. For more information, visit the Youth Funders Database. Learning in the Arts for Children and Youth Program Deadline: June 11 This program offers funding for projects that help kids acquire knowledge and understanding of the arts and to build their skills. Projects must provide participatory learning and engage students with skilled artists, teachers and excellent art. For more information, visit the Youth Funders Database. Gladys Marinelli Coccia Awards Deadline: June 15 Youth Service America is pleased to launch the first annual Gladys Marinelli Coccia Awards to recognize two young female social entrepreneurs, ages 14 to 17, whose initiatives serve the common good. For more information, visit the Youth Funders Database. For the most up-to-date funding opportunities, be sure to visit the Youth Funders Database. RESOURCES Staff Your New York City Summer Program Organizations that hope to hire trained and qualified high school students to work with younger children can advertise job openings, at no cost, through the TASC Job Bank. Organizations can also advertise unpaid internships and volunteer opportunities. To post openings, go to the TASC Job Bank. Out of School Time Policy Commentary #14: "After School Grows Up: Helping Teens Prepare for the Future" A recent commentary from The Forum for Youth Investment takes readers on a cross-country tour of after-school innovation � from northern and southern California to Chicago, New York and New Hampshire. The brief discusses two different school-based models in California, lessons from recent evaluations of After School Matters in Chicago and the OST Initiative in New York City. For more information, visit The Forum for Youth Investment Web site. Planned Reflection Time in Afterschool An excerpt from The National Institute on Out-of-School Time (NIOST) School-Age Notes discusses how after-school programs use planned reflection time. In the field of service-learning, planned reflection time is widely used to promote personal development and learning. Through oral and written reflection, participants give attention to the types of personal changes taking place through activities, linking actions and effects. For more information, download the brief from the NIOST Web site. Making Every Day Count: Boys & Girls Clubs' Role in Promoting Positive Outcomes for Teens This report is the third in a series based on Public/Private Venture's three-year study of the role Boys & Girls Clubs play in the lives of the youth they serve. The findings offer a promising picture of the role clubs can play in teens' lives; they also point to valuable lessons for the larger out-of-school-time field, where there is increasing interest in the question of how to effectively engage teens - a population that has been critically underserved in many low-income communities. For more information, visit the P/PV Web site. JOB OPPORTUNITIES Web Communications Manager Location: New York, NY The After-School Corporation Data Coordinator Location: New York, NY The After-School Corporation Summer's In Program Coordinator Location: New York, NY The After-School Corporation Director of Children's Programs Location: New York, NY Jewish Community Center After-School Program Site Coordinator, Elementary Location: Queens, NY South Asian Youth Action After-School Program Director Location: Staten Island, NY Sports and Arts in Schools Foundation Have a job to advertise in our eNewsletter? Email info@tascorp.org. Please visit the TASC Web site for all of TASC's job opportunities.
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