Program Profile
Behind Every Successful Fox Valley Park District 21st CCLC Site Is a Strong Evaluation Collaboration
West Aurora is a community that values its afterschool programs—so much so that there are waiting lists to get into the programs at the Fox Valley Park District 21st CCLC program. The program quality is strong thanks to the collaborative relationship between program staff and the evaluation team from Aurora University.
News from the Field
Summertime Is Fun Time at the Columbia College 21st CCLC Program
The Columbia College 21st CCLC program focuses on the arts as a way to get students energized and motivated. Last summer’s program was the first time students had attended afterschool programming in-person since the start of the pandemic. Their energy and enthusiasm made sustained projects like mural painting, art, and activism a resounding success.
Make Learning Outside of School Count
What do learning math concepts through boatbuilding, shadowing a teacher to see classroom management practices in action, and developing software skills while studying video game development all have in common? These are all examples of credit-for-learning opportunities available through afterschool programs. A recent Afterschool Alliance Issue Brief, Credit for Learning: Making Learning Outside of School Count, discusses credit-for-learning programs and the many ways students benefit from credit-for-learning opportunities.
A Framework for Boosting High School Students’ Math Confidence
In a recent Edutopia article, author Ranjani Iyer uses a four-step framework to help students develop a growth mindset and positive attitude toward math. The SAFE framework includes the following steps: Self-Reflection, Affirmation, Failing Forward, and Enliven. Helping students visualize where they want to be using “heartful” affirmations and celebrating small successes help build mathematical confidence in Iyer’s classroom.
Important Dates and Events
Grants and Other Opportunities
The New York Life Foundation Aim High Grants program includes 1- and 2-year grant programs to support afterschool and summer learning programs to provide foundational skills and guidance that middle school students need to successfully transition into high school. This year, the 1-year grants focus on supporting programs’ racial equity and social justice efforts. The 2-year grants support programs in enhancing direct service activities, technical assistance, capacity building, and their efforts in continuing to serve youth while facing the challenges of the pandemic and beyond. Read more about the Aim High Grants at https://afterschoolalliance.smapply.io/. The deadline for the grant proposals is February 1, 2022.
Join Us Online
Do you have a question for your afterschool colleagues? Would you like to know what’s going on in other Illinois 21st CCLC programs? Join the Illinois Quality Afterschool Facebook Group.
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