Resource Database

Celebrate the 16th annual Lights On Afterschool Oct. 22, 2015! During this nationwide event organized by the Afterschool Alliance, afterschool programs open their doors to families, friends, neighbors, and community leaders to join the celebration. Guests take part in activities and learn about the important role afterschool plays in the lives of children, families, and communities. Visit the Illinois ACT Now Coalition for information on Illinois Lights On Afterschool resources and the national Lights On Afterschool website for additional event planning and promotional resources.

The National AfterSchool Association has compiled several cyber ethics resources to help afterschool practitioners support students-and their families-as they explore the internet. Topics include plagiarism and intellectual property, piracy, and cyber etiquette.

The National AfterSchool Association and the Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation have partnered to provide the “Enrichment Zone,” a free curriculum for afterschool programs focused on promoting energy balance. The Enrichment Zone resources explain to students the concepts of “Energy In” (food and nutrition-related activities) and “Energy Out” (physical activities). It focuses particularly on the “Energy Out” aspect to help afterschool programs guarantee students get the daily 60 minutes of physical activity recommended by the National Afterschool Association Healthy Eating and Physical Activity Standards.

As part of its 15-Minute Webinar Series on engaging youth in language and literacy, the National AfterSchool Association has shared several activities related to the topic. Titles include Building Community and English Language Skills in OST, Engaging OST Youth in Language and Literacy through Art, Score! Engaging OST Youth in Language and Literacy through Sports, and Cooking Up English Language Learning in OST.

This research brief from Active Living Research summarizes the growing body of evidence showing that physical activity and fitness can benefit both health and academic performance for children. The brief reviews published scientific articles that examine how physical activity and fitness may help school-aged children maximize their academic performance. It also provides an overview of the effects of physical activity on the developing brain. Afterschool programs who want to demonstrate the importance of including physical activity in their programs will want to consult this brief.

Common sense and research suggest that students are more likely to attend school when they feel connected to caring adults or fellow students who notice whether they show up and can help them overcome challenges to attendance. The Power of Positive Connections, a resource from Attendance Works, outlines a strategy that educators can use to identify the students and families most at risk and helps them build positive relationships that promote regular attendance.

The website eLearning Infographics has a variety of free infographics on topics ranging from the value of extracurricular activities and ways to improve study habits to making homework fun and cyberbullying. Educators can also submit infographics to share on the site.

Hosted by the U.S. Department of Education’s You for Youth (Y4Y) website, this webinar presents strategies and best practices for setting up parent advisory boards. It also outlines tools and resources that afterschool programs can use for advisory board development.

This spring the Afterschool Alliance has hosted several new webinars to help practitioners improve afterschool instruction and programming. Recent topics include social media, keeping students active and healthy, building literacy, and using traditional and social media to support fitness and healthy eating. Free registration is required to access the webinar recordings.

The National Dropout Prevention Center/Network has focused on how youth programs, including afterschool, help at-risk students stay engaged in their education and prepare for future opportunities. The organization has resources, links to model programs, and related webcasts for afterschool practitioners.