Resource Database

Discovery, Inc. and Discovery Education have partnered to present I Do Solemnly Swear: The U.S. Presidential Inauguration. This behind-the-scenes virtual field trip helps educators, students, and families across the United States and worldwide learn more about the traditions of the U.S. presidential inauguration. Inaugural experts and historians share their perspectives and insights through a series of interviews and provide information about the current administration.

Although the pandemic may have changed how 21st CCLC programs deliver programming, federal requirements for providing 21st CCLC programs have not changed. Y4Y has offered a three-part webinar series to show how virtual and hybrid afterschool programming can be impactful, engaging, and fun. The series includes tools and techniques for virtual and hybrid afterschool settings and examples from practitioners who have successfully transitioned to virtual or hybrid programming.

In August 2020, America’s Promise Alliance and The 74 co-hosted a virtual youth town hall about returning to school in the age of COVID-19. Fifty-three percent of students who participated in the virtual town hall reported that their schools had not sought their opinions on reopening. The town hall also captured students’ experiences during the pandemic and suggestions for supporting education and engagement.

Staying engaged during online learning and a pandemic is challenging. This blog post from American Youth Policy Forum outlines ways educators can help students remain engaged, motivated, and enthusiastically learning. Ideas include creating a welcoming environment, focusing on relationships, maintaining constant communication, and teaching students how to self-regulate. Each suggestion includes examples and links to resources.

Wide Open School, an organization that helps families and educators find trusted resources to enrich and support distance learning, has curated resources and activities to support winter wellness. These include a 21-day challenge for healthy habits, cards of encouragement, and reflection exercises.

Young people have shared that the pandemic has disrupted their networks and deepened their sense of isolation. It has also increased feelings of depression, anxiety, and stress. This video series from the U.S. government’s Interagency Working Group on Youth Programs captures this youth feedback and identifies specific steps supportive adults can take to help youth cope.

The Wallace Foundation has a new report on the benefits of partnerships between schools and OST programs focused on building social and emotional skills. The report covers the early work of six communities that have gone about incorporating social and emotional learning (SEL) programs and practices in school and OST. Early lessons include the following: defining what SEL skills students and adults need to develop, planning supports to develop SEL skills, developing a common language for SEL, setting aside staff time for clear and frequent communication, and documenting and formalizing SEL routines and practices.

Mindfulness is the practice of being fully present, aware of where we are and what we’re doing, and not overly reactive or overwhelmed by what’s going on around us. This practice remains important as our world remains a stressful place. This webinar from Y4Y shares strategies for promoting positivity and awareness among staff and students.

The American Youth Policy Forum (AYPF) has created a youth-focused section of the organization’s website. The microsite contains artwork, resources, and tools designed by and geared towards young people with experiences in foster care and juvenile justice systems.

A new report on summer learning programs finds that high-quality summer programming can produce meaningful benefits for students, especially for students who can attend regularly and for consecutive summers. The report also includes implications for policy and implementation, including providing academic supports, program duration, and providing high-quality programming.