Virtual PD
NAA offers a variety of opportunities for professional development through meaningful content, conversations, and connections. These opportunities are designed to strengthen the afterschool workforce and youth program quality by ensuring afterschool professionals and leaders are equipped to support young people, families, and communities.
Kelsea Rounds
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International Learning Exchange FAQ's
Why is NAA hosting an International Learning Exchange?
As the nation's leader in afterschool programs and professional development, NAA is eager to explore what is working in other places and bring those innovative ideas to our members, funders and national partners. We also welcome the chance to showcase some of the best in program design, development and investment in our field with international partners.
Is this a first-time event?
No, this will be the 2nd ILE experience. In 2015, the National AfterSchool Association Executive members joined their peers for the inaugural International Learning Exchange, in London, England. Participants heard from well-respected London-based program leaders and funders about advancements in professionalism and youth development training, alignment with higher education institutions, promotion of youth engagement and leadership, and other topics to interest afterschool leaders.
The benefits of attending the International Learning Exchange were invaluable. Participants experienced firsthand the broader context of what's happening in the global afterschool community. Through cultural immersion, they were inspired to observe similarities and differences in programming, funding, and research. As a result, participants could view their own programs through an unbiased lens as they sought to validate their current success and make thoughtful improvement upon their return.
Why Dublin?
Dublin has a strong and established system of professional development for its youth workers which aligns well with the NAA mission of promoting and supporting professionalism. Public funding and investment has been a mainstay in the growth and expansion of out-of-school time programs. At the same time, private foundations are investing in innovative strategies that build on the entrepreneurial spirit of the growing business sector and align the school and out-of-school experience for youth. From the arts, to coding, to outdoor education, Dublin has a wealth of engaging programs for NAA to visit!
How many people will be attending?
ILE is limited to 25 attendees. Space fills quickly, so reserve your spot today!
Who is attending?
Attendees are a combination of national and local afterschool program leaders, researchers and funders.
Why should I attend?
You'll experience incredible learning opportunities in one of the world's unique cities, you'll gain tremendous insight into innovative strategies that you can apply in your work, and you'll have the opportunity to network with colleagues from around the country. Equally important, you'll have the opportunity to share your work and your program with other national leaders in our field.
Draft Agenda
| June 27 | Travel Day/Arrive |
| Tour of Dublin, Visit Trinity College | |
| Opening Dinner | |
| June 28 | Morning Panel(s) Discussion |
| Group Lunch, Speaker TBD | |
| Afternoon Site Visits | |
| Group Dinner | |
| June 29 | Depart for Belfast |
| Panoramic Tour of Belfast | |
| Guest Speaker/Panel Discussion | |
| Return to Dublin/Dinner | |
| June 30 | Guest Speaker/Panel Discussion |
| Lunch | |
| Afternoon Sightseeing | |
| Literary Pub Crawl/Dinner | |
| July 1 | Depart for Airport |
| BACK |
Keynote Speakers
With general sessions every day of Convention, our keynote speakers inspire, educate and engage participants. Check out our 2020 Keynote Speakers below.
Sunday, March 15
Gina Warner
President and CEO, National AfterSchool Association
Gina Warner is president and CEO of the National AfterSchool Association (NAA). Gina began her afterschool career as a teen in 4-H programs in rural Alabama, and has continued to work at the intersection of education, youth development, public policy, and nonprofit leadership throughout her career. She relies on her experience as a classroom teacher, an attorney, a U.S. Senate staffer, and a citywide out-of-school time leader to guide her work. As the leader of NAA, Gina works to meet the needs of both emerging and experienced afterschool professionals through enhanced training and development, increased communication, outreach and membership engagement.
Monday, March 16
DeRay Mckesson
Activist, Author, Host Pod Save the People
DeRay Mckesson is a civil rights activist focused primarily on issues of innovation, equity and justice. Born and raised in Baltimore, he graduated from Bowdoin College and holds honorary doctorates from The New School and the Maryland Institute College of Art.
DeRay has advocated for issues related to children, youth and families since he was a teen. As a leading voice in the Black Lives Matter Movement and a co-founder of Campaign Zero, DeRay has worked to connect individuals with knowledge and tools, and provide citizens and policy makers with commonsense policies that ensure equity. He has been praised by President Obama for his work as a community organizer, has advised officials at all levels of government and internationally and continues to provide capacity to activists, organizers and influencers to make an impact.
Spurred by the death of Mike Brown and the subsequent protests in Ferguson, Missouri, and beyond, DeRay has become a key player in the work to confront the systems and structures that have led to mass incarceration and police killings of black and other minority populations. He is also the host of the award-winning weekly podcast Pod Save The People, which creates space for conversation about the most important issues of the week related to justice, equity and identity.
DeRay frequently appears on national media outlets including The Daily Show, The Colbert Report, NPR, MSNBC, CNN, among many others. He has also been featured on the cover of The Advocate, Adweek and Attitude Magazine and has been highlighted in a range of publications including Vogue, Vanity Fair, Interview Magazine, VICE, The New York Times, The Washington Post and The Baltimore Sun. He is a board member of Rock The Vote, was named one of the World’s Greatest Leaders by Fortune Magazine in 2015, one of the 30 Most Influential People On The Internet by Time Magazine in 2016.
DeRay is the author of On the Other Side of Freedom: The Case for Hope.
Tuesday, March 17
Alex Sheen
Founder, because I said I would
Alex Sheen is the founder of because I said I would, a social movement and nonprofit dedicated to bettering humanity through promises made and kept. Sparked by the loss of his father, Alex and his organization send “promise cards” to anyone anywhere in the world at no cost. Alex is someone who truly honors commitment. He once walked over 240 miles across the entire state of Ohio in 10 days to fulfill a promise. In just two years, because I said I would has sent over 9.81 million promise cards to over 153 different countries. The promises written on these cards have made headlines around the world. His charitable projects and awareness campaigns have been featured on ABC World News with Diane Sawyer, CNN, The Today Show, NPR, The Los Angeles Times and many other programs.
Wednesday, March 18
Stacey Abrams
Political Leader, Non-Profit CEO, Entrepreneur and Author; First Black Woman to be a Gubernatorial Nominee of a Major Party in the U.S.
Political leader, nonprofit CEO, author and serial entrepreneur Stacey Abrams made history and captured the nation's attention as the first Black woman to become the gubernatorial nominee for a major party in any state, going on to win more votes than any other Democrat in Georgia's history. After eleven years in the Georgia House of Representatives, seven as Minority Leader, Abrams became the 2018 Democratic nominee for Governor of Georgia in what was one of the most-watched and closest elections of the year. After witnessing the election’s mismanagement by the Secretary of State’s office, Abrams launched Fair Fight to ensure free and fair elections.
Sought-out to speak everywhere from TED, where her talk has racked up over a million views and counting, to college campuses, to the Commonwealth Club, Abrams is a powerful and passionate speaker heralded for her candid insights on politics, leadership, entrepreneurship, social justice, and being a true force for change. As TIME wrote of her, "people tend to remember the first time they heard Stacey Abrams speak, and it’s easy to see why."
Abrams' New York Times bestselling book Lead from the Outside: How to Build Your Future and Make Real Change, is a personal and empowering blueprint for outsiders who seek to become the ones in charge. From her experiences launching a company, to starting a day care center for homeless teen moms, to running a successful political campaign, Abrams illuminates that finding what you want to fight for is as critical as knowing how to turn thought into action.
Dedicated to civic engagement, Abrams has founded multiple organizations devoted to voting rights, training and hiring young people of color, and tackling social issues at both the state and national levels. A recipient of Harvard's Institute of Politics’ John F. Kennedy New Frontier Award, Abrams has also been named a "Public Official of the Year" by Governing Magazine.
See Stacey’s TED Talk here: https://www.ted.com/talks/stacey_abrams_3_questions_to_ask_yourself_about_everything_you_do?language=en
2014 Highlights
We had a blast at the 2014 convention blast in New York City! Over 2,200 attendees from across the country gathered to learn, network, and share.
The convention kicked off with special performances by Broadway stars. Google's Jaime Casap gave a keynote presentation on the power and potential of the web, technology, and Google tools in education.
There was an abundance of learning and sharing with over 150 engaging workshop sessions, 20 poster presentations, and 10 Ignite sessions. We explored NYC with over 15 site visits to some of New York City's top cultural landmarks, including the Statue of Liberty, the Met, and The Electric Company (among many others!).
Download the 2014 Program Book to see the full details of last year's convention.
Click here to view more pictures from the 2014 NAA Convention.
Afterschool for All Challenge
On Tuesday, March 10, we're teaming up with the Afterschool Alliance and afterschool professionals from around the country to meet face to face with members of Congress and urge them to support kids and families who rely on afterschool programs.
- Afterschool for All Challenge participants will bring powerful stories to our nation's capital to share with our federal elected officials on Tuesday, March 20. (Registration for the Challenge is closed, unfortunately).
- At the Convention, we'll host prep workshops and trainings on Monday afternoon to prepare you to meet with your representative, and learn ways you can engage with your local policymakers when you return home.
- We'll share a Challenge info-packet at registration for all Challenge participants, outlining your personalized Challenge schedule.
- You'll receive training on Monday afternoon on how to be an effective advocate for afterschool and then you'll hone those advocacy skills by participating in meetings on Capitol Hill with your elected officials.
- Your voice matters – after last year's meeting the number of co-sponsors of the Afterschool for America's Children Act more than quadrupled!
If you can't make it to DC, but still want to help:
Congress need to hear from constituents like you who care about making afterschool for all a reality. In the coming months we'll be sharing everything you need to reach out from home, including sample scripts and a guide for planning a district meeting with your local Congressional office, courtesy of the Afterschool Alliance. Check back for more updates.
Use the hash tag #Invest3to6 to encourage your representatives to support afterschool and the Afterschool for All Challenge.
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2014 Highlights
Last year, participants from 46 states met with their senators and representatives to talk about the many ways afterschool programs support children, families, school and communities, and to urge them to support the Afterschool for America's Children Act. Hundreds more afterschool supporters participated in the event from their own communities.
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Make plans to join us in DC today!
Hotel and Travel Information
Hotel and travel information coming soon!
Attendee Demographics
Access to key decision-makers
Job Function:
| Upper level Administration | 34% |
| Mid-Level Administration | 47% |
| Direct Service-Teacher | 47% |
| Technical and Operational | 12% |
Attendee Categories:
| Attendee Members | 80% |
| Attendee Non Members | 20% |
| First Time Attendees | 54% |
| Male | 17% |
| Female | 83% |
Buying Influence:
| Made a purchasing decision at Expo | 53% |
| Reviewing products for future purchase | 77% |
| Rated the Exhibit Hall as Important | 85% |
| Number of attendees | 1,600 |
Youth Group Ages Served
| Infants to Pre-School | 27% |
| K-5th | 89% |
| 6th-8th | 57% |
| 9th-12th | 31% |
| College | 7% |
| Special Needs | 20% |
| English as a 2nd Language | 14% |
Sample of NAA Attendees
Sample Companies
21st Century Community Learning Center • 4H Youth Development • ABC Care, Inc. • Alabama AfterSchool Community Network • American Federation of Teachers • ARCH Kentwood Public Schools • Arlington County Parks & Recreation • Baldwin County Board of Education • Ball State University • Boston After School & Beyond • Boys & Girls Club • California Afterschool Network • California STEM Learning Network • Capitol Region Education Council • Care AfterSchool Inc. • Clark University • Columbus Parks & • Connecticut State Department of Education • Delaware City Schools • Detroit Youth Foundation • East Brunswick NJ Public Schools • Florida Afterschool Alliance • Girls Inc • Girl Scouts • Horizon Education Centers • Illinois Afterschool Alliance • Indiana Afterschool Alliance • Indiana University • Kentucky Department of Education • Kids Country • Nashville Public Schools • Michigan Department of Education • Missouri Afterschool Alliance • National Science Foundation • New Jersey Department of Education • New Jersey Academy of Education • New York Academy of Science • New York City Schools • New York Department of Education • Pennsylvania Afterschool Network • Play Centers Inc. • Purdue University • Virginia Tech • YMCA
2017 Exhibit Listing
Shouldn't your organization be listed here?
Session Strands
There are five key strands for this year's convention. Please select the one strand that fits your proposal best.
- Developing Afterschool and Youth Professionals. NAA is committed to professionalizing the field of afterschool. If you have a presentation that focuses on professional development or leadership, this is the place for you!
Example session topics include: career pathways, higher education, supporting staff, giving and receiving feedback, leadership development, internal communication, organizational culture, using data, observation and assessment, management, work/life balance, stress management, research, organizational practices, coaching and supervision, staff recruitment and retention, workforce development, etc. - Building Partnerships and Sustaining Programs. Partnerships and funding are two key elements for a successful afterschool program. If you have developed partnerships in your community, found new ways to secure funding, or are just great at writing grants, we need you to teach others. Overall, these sessions focus on how to engage specific communities and/or how to fundraise and sustain programs.
Example session topics include: collaboration, strategies for working with school districts, community-based organizations, families, parents, communities, PTA's, local government, community schools, community partnerships, corporate partnerships, partnerships with colleges and universities, fundraising, grant writing, non-profit management, board development, etc. - Quality and Innovative Programming. Programming is at the heart of the NAA Convention (not to mention the heart of afterschool programs). If you're creating excellent programming, using new techniques or tools, integrating technology, or achieving high academic results thanks to a new approach to learning, we need you to teach others how to replicate it.
Example session topics include: aligning to the Common Core, using technology in the classroom, visual, culinary and performance arts, project-based learning, learning environments, curriculum implementation, academic and school day alignment, imagination and creativity, hands-on and experiential learning activities, STEM, cultural enrichment, financial literacy, service learning, summer programming, research, etc. - Supporting the Whole Child. For sessions tailored to specific children, address certain needs., or focused on health and wellness. If your program is saving money by eating organic, supporting social-emotional development, or have fun new exercises and recreation ideas, we need to learn from you!
Example session topics include: social-emotional learning, health and wellness, nutrition, youth engagement, mentoring, , college readiness, risk behavior prevention, youth-led learning, early learning, middle-year engagement, engaging older youth, safety, nutrition, physical activity, recreation, mental health, meals/snacks, healthy eating, bully prevention, recognizing and responding to child abuse and neglect, character education, behavior guidance, classroom management, healthy start, inclusion, special needs, etc. - Telling Your Story. Storytelling is a powerful tool, and can be used in the boardroom, classroom, and Capitol Hill. How are you telling your story? Are you a social media guru? A policy specialist? A poet? We're calling on storytellers from all walks of life to help us improve our communication techniques.
Example session topics include: public speaking, public relations, communications, marketing, media, social media, blogs, writing, policy, visual, culinary and performance arts, poetry, drama, data visualization, infographics, social interaction, intercultural communication, small group communication, facilitation, nonverbal communication, etc.
National AfterSchool Association • 2961A Hunter Mill Road, #626 • Oakton, VA 22124 • info@naaweb.org