At the NAA Convention, on Wednesday, March 23, we'll learn how to put cutting-edge research to practice.

The Learning Expo at NAA's Annual Convention is much more than rows of booths and giveaways—it's an engaging, interactive and educational experience you'll want to visit again and again! Learn about the most innovative and creative ideas in afterschool from our 100+ exhibitors, enjoy networking with your afterschool colleagues, and test hands-on experiences and products via the Learning Labs.

Providing high-quality STEM learning is bigger than simply presenting hands-on activities. The goal is to create an atmosphere of discovery where kids are engaged in creative and critical thinking. Asking good questions is an important part of creating the right environment. Through intentional questioning you can stretch young peoples' curiosity, reasoning ability, creativity, and independence.

An innovative guide called "Preparing Youth to Thrive: Promising Practices in Social & Emotional Learning" has been launched in an effort to help afterschool programs across the country bring social and emotional skill development to the youth they serve.

Recently, the NAA Convention was ranked as one of the top Educational Conferences for 2016 by STEAM Education!

Positive behavior begins and ends with relationships—not with the rules. While systems and guidelines can provide structure for young people, cultivating an environment of meaningful connections between staff and youth creates a culture where positive behavior is part of the ongoing learning and development of youth.

Afterschool professionals are superheroes that go above and beyond the call of duty. Show the world your superpower with our downloadable graphic! At Convention, we'll focus on the power of afterschool - the power of YOU!

YouTube is the hottest thing around-just ask any kid or teen you know! It's great for a laugh or to make us smile, and it's also a cool place to learn. YouTube videos can teach your afterschool students how to do new things and also share their knowledge with others. Learn how to make YouTube videos with help from Fidgets2Widgets.com, an innovative STEM afterschool program.

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.

We asked. You answered. We deliver.

Last spring, through the annual AfterSchool Today reader's survey, the NAA community expressed interest in additional resources to support science, technology, engineering and math—the subjects known as STEM.