Category: Youth

by Daren Howard March 2, 2021 Number of comments0
Education Youth

An Open Letter to Pandemic Educators

For educators in a pandemic, our greatest priority is not academic progress, but social and emotional well-being. You have likely spent the last year under intense pressure trying to do anything you can to make a difference. Have your efforts closed the achievement gap? Should they be expected to? No, of course not. In everything you do, you have shown kids that they belong, that someone cares for them, that they are worth all your effort, and that you want them to be safe. That is the primary mandate of the educator. Only then will academic progress follow.

by Daren Howard September 17, 2020 Number of comments0
Education Justice Nonprofit Youth

On the Frontlines of Pandemic Education

While many schools cannot provide in-person classes, afterschool programs are delivering in-person enrichment on school campuses – and all is not quiet on the education front. The coronavirus pandemic continues to have devastating effects across the world and has become a divisive political issue in the United States. This virus has laid bare our society’s injustices, including inequity in public education. Distance learning has potential, and I hope we figure it out.

by Daren Howard August 9, 2018 Number of comments0
Announcements Education Youth

Why you should celebrate Lights On Afterschool

I’ve been in the after school and summer learning field for more than 15 years. I started with internships and line staff positions. I eventually became a Site Coordinator and continued to advance in the Expanded Learning field. I’ve been an advocate and a technical assistance provider, and now I’m privileged to be fundraising for an advocacy and capacity building organization focused on Expanded Learning. In each of these roles I’ve observed the opportunity provided by public moments. Like the Expanded Learning time equivalent of Back to School Night, “Lights on Afterschool” provides a powerful public moment for after school programs.