How Afterschool Programs Can Support Employability Through Social and Emotional Learning

Understanding the knowledge, attitudes and skills that ultimately contribute to success in school, work and life is a priority for educators and employers. Young people need a variety of important skills to be ready to work, including understanding key work habits and having a strong work ethic.

Do you want to have clear skin and lose weight? The secret is to teach STEM! Well, perhaps not, however, STEM continues to be a driving force in education. STEM is fun, it is an increasingly important part of education, and parents are placing it higher on their priority lists when selecting programs for their kids. Make STEM a priority this year. Both you and the young people you work with will evolve as learners, and who knows? It might even improve your skin and make you thinner.

The 2016 NAA Convention is now only two months away! We've been working hard to put together the best program yet, and are excited to highlight some workshops we're most excited about. You can also preview all of our 140+ sessions on our website.

We've been working hard to line up the best guests and presenters for the NAA Annual Convention in March 2016. Here's a sampling of who will be available to answer your questions and offer inspiration throughout your time in Orlando!

The impact of technology on afterschool professionals is significant. Through technology, afterschool professionals can more effectively interact with one another, grow their afterschool wheelbase, and receive flexible and personalized learning.

I was in my late 20s when my boss at the time referred to me as "a woman in a hurry." Feeling that was appropriate recognition for my hard work and initiative, I glowed with the praise.

It wasn't until this year that I realized her "compliment" maybe wasn't quite as positive as I had interpreted it to be.

Are you ready to get "gritty"?

Cutting-edge researcher and MacArthur Fellow Dr. Angela Lee Duckworth headlines NAA16 for an engaging discussion on "grit"–the skill she believes is most closely tied to lifelong success.

The NAA board of directors welcomes new faces into leadership roles:

• Shelley Lambert, Chair
• Gretchen Yeager, Vice Chair and Treasurer
• Jaime Garcia, Secretary

Afterschool programs have significant potential to promote healthy eating and physical activity for the 10.2 million US children they serve, according to a new volume of New Directions for Youth Development (NDYD) focused on health and afterschool.

Handwriting is being replaced by typing and talking replaced by texting ... and some kids don't know the difference.

Young people are learning that communicating in 140 characters or less is acceptable.