The reviews are in....
"The diversity of workshop options was great!"
"The presenters were awesome! Well prepared, interesting and informative!"
"Lots of info and new tricks to take back with me!"
Amp Up Workshop Schedule
Check out this year's line-up:
| ACTIVE8: 8 Steps to Increased Physical Activity Lloyd Nadal & Arnell Hinkle CANFIT ACTIVE8 will guide youth providers through an easy 8-step process that will not only help improve the physical activity of youth, but allow you to become a physical activity advocate along the way! |
| Afterschool for All: Making the Case to Policy Makers, Your Community, and the Public Chris D'Agostino Afterschool Alliance Learn about information and strategies for afterschool advocacy, sustainability, and public-awareness efforts. Explore the latest afterschool policy and research, including key federal funding developments, new America After 3PM data, and much more. Look at how this policy and research can be leveraged to strengthen afterschool in your community and across the country with a particular focus on middle school programs. |
| Algebra-Anxiety=Achievement: Supporting Student Achievement in Algebra Jameson Rienick San Diego County Office of Education This session will focus on providing afterschool program staff with the knowledge, resources, and skills necessary to support student achievement in middle school mathematics and prepare students for Algebra I. Throughout the session, participants will be given the opportunity to interact with one another during hands-on, engaging, relevant activities designed to help participants better support students in their regular math program. |
| Amp Up Your Morning: YouTube Videos for After School Pablo Garcia Woodcraft Rangers Workshop details to be announced. |
| The Art of Engagement: Drawing on Our Inner Strengths to Our Outer Youth Frank Escobar, Visalia Unified School District; Carlos Santini, Los Angeles After-School All-Stars & Richard Peralta, Central Valley Afterschool Foundation Youth are attracted to people, places, and things that interest them. Learn how to utilize the "art of engagement" to draw them to you (and your afterschool program)! This upbeat, highly interactive "funshop" encourages you to go outside the box in order to draw older youth inside your program lines. |
| The Art of Recruitment Frank Escobar Visalia Unified School District This upbeat and interactive session will focus on tips, tools and strategies for recruiting middle school students into program! From pre-program to middle and late-program recruitment, participants will explore events, activities, and approaches that have proven to be best practices across the after school field! |
| The Art of Retention: Winning The Hearts, Minds, and Feet of Middle Schoolers Richard Peralta Central Valley Afterschool Foundation This workshop will focus on battle-tested strategies and tactics for keeping kids happy, coming back, and telling their friends about afterschool. Like a group therapy session for MSPS, participants will share examples of both success and failure while experiencing retention techniques straight from the R&R Handbook. Strengthen up your arsenal while we address the most challenging BEAST in afterschool. |
| ASES 101 – What You Need to Know About Where Your Funding Comes From and How to Keep It! Lina Ledezma-Cortez, Christine Carrera, Sigourney Francisco, & Courtney Lopez San Diego County Office of Education Money doesn't grow on trees…find out where yours comes from! Get an overview of the basic After School Education & Safety (ASES) grant and attendance requirements in California. Walk away with tips on: best procedural practices to maximize accurate attendance reporting; staying in compliance with grant requirements; and aligning after school programs with the regular school day. |
| Best Practices in Nutrition and Physical Activity for Older Youth Arnell Hinkle CANFIT Join representatives of the California After School Network's Nutrition and Physical Activity Committee as they discuss current issues in nutrition and physical activity, and showcase programs and materials that you can immediately use in your program. The committee will focus and shed light on what works with older youth. |
| Building Teen Leaders Frances Vasquez THINK Together As adults we often focus on what we think teens want or what we think they should want…but instead, let's ask them! Find out how to create an atmosphere where teens can learn, be challenged, and be encouraged – all while taking an active role in the program and in leadership! Discover how to develop Town Hall meetings, street teams, a leadership council, and leadership jobs. Walk through each activity, so you can take back these strategies to your own programs and communities. Learn how to let go and empower students to own their programs! |
| Changing the Culture of Parent Involvement in After School Programs Frederick Becker Becker Institute, Inc. Multi-dimensional after school programs effectively incorporate parents, community, and educational into the process of helping youth to grow into productive adults. Join us in exploring effective ways of developing a meaningful parent component. Learn how to provide parents with information and skills that they want, become a resource of parent information, and create healthy long lasting relationships. |
| Culminating Events to Amp Up your Program Linda Ellett & Michelle Ling Poway Unified School District District-wide culminating events are great motivators for attendance and active participation of students. These highly visible events garner campus-wide attention, and promote district and community awareness of your program. This workshop will highlight events such as robotics, duct tape fashions, and Amazing Race. Students will share their real-life experiences and viewpoints on culminating events. Hands-on materials will be provided, so that you can recreate these events at your own school! |
| Deepening Youth Engagement Nicole Yohalem, M.Ed. Forum for Youth Investment OST activities are unique developmental contexts where young people can make choices, practice decision-making and take on leadership roles – skills and experiences that are critical for building intrinsic motivation and promoting self-direction and learning. Discuss the value of engaging young people as leaders and learn about and share specific strategies for offering youth voice and choice at both the activity and organizational levels in after-school. |
| Digital Literacy Emil Ahangarzadeh San Diego County Office of Education This session will provide participants with an overview of current and upcoming trends in educational practices that bolster students' use of digital tools and prepare them to be transliterate in a 21st century society. |
| Dynamic Public Speaking in Middle Schools Stacey Garrett Tehama County Department of Education S.E.R.R.F. Program Public speaking is a life skill that greatly benefits students in school and beyond. This enriching activity has been successfully implemented in after school programs in Northern California for the last four years. This session gives participants activities, step-by-step procedures, engaging games, and resources for making Dynamic Public Speaking a FUN part of your after school program. Be prepared to interact, compete, and laugh! |
| Easy Bake Data – Cooking Up Your Story for Success and Respect Joann Hoffman Hoffman, Clark & Associates So many times we have data, but it is boring, cumbersome, and not user friendly. This workshop will present tools in an interactive forum to maximize data use for the ultimate goal of gaining stakeholder involvement and engagement. Not only is data mandated for accountability, but it can be leveraged to increase participation of school sites, parents, and youth. Come and learn how to tell your story with data in ways that are creative and fun! |
| Eradicating Bullying in a Minute or Less Helice "Sparky" Bridges & Doug Luffborough Difference Makers International Participants will: 1) Practice the 10-Step Power of Acknowledgment hands-on life skills that transform mediocrity and negativity into a world of possibility, pro-activity and prosperity where they live, learn, and work. 2) Receive leadership training so they can teach peers, parents, neighbors… everyone how to IGNITE WHAT'S RIGHT™, shifting the focus from what is NOT working in their communities to what IS working and 3) Discover a community outreach project to raise the self-worth of siblings, parents/guardians, and neighbors. |
| Essential Principles in Learning Michael Funk Sunset Neighborhood Beacon Center The Learning in Afterschool Project is promoting five key learning principles that focus on how children learn best. Hear about the new research that supports these principles and hear directly from youth leaders about why they find the principles important. Participants will learn in a hands-on way as to how to apply these principles to their own programs. Two program tools, The Best of Both Worlds (a project-based guide) and a self-assessment rubric are focused on learning and will be used to help program leaders apply these learning concepts. |
| Every Monday Matters- You Matter! Craig Orona & Toni Lamb Every Monday Matters Every Monday Matters (EMM) communicates that it is the plain, simple, ordinary individual, either acting alone or together with others, who can change the world. EMM promotes the fact that people have the power to create change. YOU MATTER. This workshop will assist you in creating a YOU MATTER culture within your school and within your students. |
| Football Literacy: Using the Gridiron to Get Boys and Girls Reading and Writing Dan Verdick ABDO Publishing Are you ready for some football?! In this fun session, you'll march down the hall and score touchdowns with your readers! Includes a list of top football books and resources for kids and teens; surprising stats on football's popularity - and how it continues to break records; ways to work in media literacy, multi-generation research projects, and American history studies using the NFL and more! A perfect session for cities or regions with a proud NFL history, it's great for getting boys to read - though girls are fans, too! Includes a quick demo of Inside the NFL, the first football database for elementary and middle school readers from Sports Zone, an imprint of ABDO Publishing. |
| FRESH Start: Preparing 8th to 9th Grade Transition - Strategies That Promote the Success of Incoming 9th Graders into High School and After School Michelle Perrenoud Los Angeles County Office of Education We know that a large number of youth make the decision to drop out as a result of negative experiences and academic failure during their first year of high school. This session will focus on strategies that attract and engage youth, ensuring their successful transition from middle school to high school. Come learn about the latest research, program design, and development strategies, and new innovative practices. Walk away with a strategy and action plan uniquely designed by you to Lead Strategically, Work Collaboratively, and Act Intentionally. |
| Freshman Leadership Training - Ensuring a Smooth Transition into High School Martha Cordero A Word Fit for Kids! Studies show the nation is facing a serious high school drop-out crisis, especially among economically disadvantaged students. This interactive workshop demonstrates strategies to equip 8th grade students with the tools necessary to smoothly transition into the high school environment and navigate their experience through graduation. Engage students in leadership development, community service, and mentoring to build their confidence and success! |
| Gang Awareness and Prevention Strategies Anthony Ceja San Diego County Office of Education Participants will learn the current gang trends, gang culture, along with becoming aware of the many risk signs for gang involvement, such as graffiti, tattoos, hand signs, clothing, behavior and the many aspects of gang culture. They will learn why youth are attracted to gangs, and how they become involved. Participants will learn gang prevention strategies to be used in schools and in homes. There will be time to dialogue about gang related issues the participants are facing. |
| Getting "In" With Discipline Ray Trinidad & Rodney Garcia !Mpact People Join this faced-paced and interactive workshop to help create a culture of respect through positive relationships in your after school by using the "INs" during program. Over the years, this workshop has helped numerous after school providers in Southern California build positive and structured programs benefiting students and staff. |
| Good Game! How Youth Sports Can Empower Young People to Engage in Social Action Eric Gurna Development Without Limits Good Game is an innovation in youth sport development that is being tested in select communities across the country. Good Game is an action-oriented curriculum designed for volunteer coaches that embeds community service as an integral part of the team experience. The curriculum is based on bringing to life seven fundamentals that represent the intersection between great athleticism and inspired social action. Good Game was created by Athletes for Hope, with significant funding from the W. K. Kellogg Foundation. |
| Got Kids 2.0 Nicholas Martinez & Sandra Bishop South Bay Community Service Want to "Amp Up" your after school program attendance, retention, and participation? Then this session is for you! This workshop will provide you with tools, strategies, and support to facilitate the transition of taking your after school program from where it currently is to where you would like it to be! |
| Hip-Hop in the Classroom: Engagement Strategies for the 21st Century Student Vlad Gutkovich Flocabulary Can hip-hop boost test scores? In this innovative session, a Flocabulary educator will demonstrate engaging, proven approaches to incorporating student interests into the academic enrichment curriculum. The session will focus on modeling actionable strategies, but will also feature a research discussion and interactive "academic raps" writing workshop. Participants will come away with culturally relevant, high interest strategies that can be implemented for immediate and measurable success. |
| How to Become a First Generation College Student Christopher Yanov & Jesse Enriquez Reality Changers Reality Changers became California's leading tutoring program for scholarships after realizing an alternative approach to traditional "gang prevention" programs. This session will outline the strategies that Reality Changers has used (and not used) to turn $300 of seed money into $15,000,000 in scholarships for youth. |
| How to Stay Out of Power Struggles Frederick Becker Becker Institute Inc. Are phrases like: "I don't want to." and "You can't make me!" or "Why should I?" becoming all too familiar of a response when asking youth to do something? Please join us and learn how to stay out of power struggles. Learn the five types of power we use to control others and how to get back to respect and cooperation. |
| Hydroponics Alexis Harry NASA Aerospace Education Services Project Hydroponics is a technology for growing plants in nutrient solutions without the use of a medium such as soil to provide mechanical support. This workshop gives an overview of this fascinating technology that can potentially be used for extended manned spaceflight. Gain an understanding of plant growth in a small controlled environment. Discover how hydroponics can engage your middle school students! |
| I Feel Like I'm Somebody: Sense of Belonging and Afterschool Programs Logan Robertson Cutler-Orosi Joint Unified School District Developing a sense of belonging and meaningful membership is a critical human need. After school programs can provide an ideal opportunity for youth to connect with each other and with positive role models. Learn about the ways that youth in the PHOENIX Program developed a sense of belonging and create a plan to expand opportunities for belonging in your own afterschool program. |
| Inspiring Youth as Partners Kamaljeet Singh-Khaira Network for a Healthy California This session will demonstrate how Youth-led Participatory Action Research has been applied to obesity prevention work, among low resource youth and their mentors in California. The session will also highlight local case studies and promising approaches to engaging young people in authentic processes to increase access to: healthy foods, more places to play, improved conditions, and opportunities to be more active. |
| It's All About Me: Bringing Nutrition Education and Physical Activity to Middle Schoolers Taylor Ford & Melissa Moore CalSERVES Ever notice how middle schoolers are so focused on themselves and body image? Join us as we examine this natural developmental stage and learn how to leverage this energy to engage youth in making healthier choices. You will enjoy a sampling of nutrition and physical activity lessons that address the issue of negative body image head on! Walk away with a list of accessible internet and published nutrition and physical education resources to bring back to your program. |
| It Started with Recycling Mark Galindo & Jennifer Ryan St. Vincent de Paul Village St. Vincent de Paul Village Children's Program has made huge leaps in improving the quality of programming by giving the children THE voice in what programs and opportunities are made available to them. It all started with the recycling committee and quickly grew from there. Participants will learn how the children present their ideas with a business module and how the adults (teachers, supervisors, and managers) support and guide the children through these processes. |
| IT'S MIDDLE SCHOOL. IT'S DIFFERENT. IT'S SPECIAL! Steve Bruecker SPARK This hands-on session will focus on how to make middle school physical activity programs more inclusive, active, and enjoyable. The presentation will showcase activities and instructional strategies around three themes: Cooperation and Trust, Disguising Fitness, and Modifying Traditional Sports. Rated RR for Relevant and Really Fun! |
| Let's Paint! Mark Osterink Arts Attack Are you ready to express yourself? Meet Mark Osterink of Arts Attack as he leads you in a hands-on art project. Have fun while exploring color, space, and art appreciation as you create a colorful landscape. Along the way you will learn tips and techniques to help you with your visual art program. |
| Life, Service, Action: Empowering Students to Solve Problems and Serve their Communities Aaron Dworkin & Emely Martinez Cockrell After-School All-Stars After-school programs have the unique opportunity to inspire students in creative ways and provide them with the skills, mentors, information and experience they need to identify and tangibly solve local problems. Come learn best practices from the After-School All-Stars National "Life, Service, Action" initiative, which connects after-school enrichment to service and empowers students to learn and take action. |
| Long Term English Learners in the Spotlight Terry Barron San Diego County Office of Education After school programs are well positioned to offer support to Long Term English Learners. Attend this activity-based session to gain an understanding of who Long Term English Learners are, their characteristics, and how after school programs can assist them. |
| Making YOUR TEAM the "A TEAM" Sandra Bishop & Nicholas Martinez Chula Vista Middle School Learn how to develop and cultivate a high quality "A-TEAM" staff. Discover trade secrets to getting the most from your staff while keeping them motivated and accountable in this dynamic and interactive session. |
| Online Education for the 21st Century Darin Curtis Tierra del Sol Middle School Find out how our middle school created two new on-line learning labs for two self-contained programs. Learn about how each class was given brand-new Apple laptops, Smartboards, document cameras, and flat screen TVs, along with individual access to online academic courses and project-based assignments. See how we were able to radically revolutionize the teaching and learning opportunities for students and teachers through technology! |
| Peer to Peer Youth Mentoring Programs: Developing Tomorrows Leaders Craig Orona ActivAlliances, Inc. Implementing a Peer to Peer Youth Mentoring Program will benefit the mentor, mentee, your organization, and community. Mentoring programs teach leadership skills, responsibility, compassion, and allows a positive environment for student engagement. Student mentors can assist other students in successfully transitioning from middle school to high school, with their academic needs, provide support and guidance, involve their peers in school activities, and more! |
| Project Learning Tree's New Green Schools Program Kay Antunez & Meera Varigonda Project Learning Tree An orientation to the new Project Learning Tree program featuring student-led school site environmental investigations, assessments and a "taking-action" component. The program is web-based and developed around the principles of service-leaning. The PLT network provides support and offer grants to assist in the action strategies. The program is ideal for after-school implementation and developing community partnerships. |
| The Power of Peers – Motivate Middle School Students to Read Outside the Classroom Eric Gurna Development Without Limits Discover how to get even the most resistant student hooked on reading, writing, listening, and exploring ideas by tapping into the "power of peers." Explore multimedia material written by and for teens, along with interactive group activities that help adolescents recognize their strengths, form values, build strong relationships, and make smart decisions. |
| Queen Bees and King Crabs ShaKenya Edison Pajaro Valley Unified School District Increase attendance by strategically targeting 10 students. Learn strategies to successfully recruit students to your program and add successful program activities given school's demographics. |
| Raising the Bar: 15 Strategies for Keeping Students on Task and Ensuring Positive Behavior Judith VanBrocklin, Ed. D Learn how to first identify disruptive behaviors we see in our after school programs and then identify and practice strategies to improve or eliminate those behaviors and help students become more productive. Participants will have the opportunity to design a follow-up plan for their programs. |
| Soft Skills for Hard Times Ezra Holland Ezra Holland Consulting, LLC During these economically challenging times, our organizations need to focus keeping our staff motivated and inspired. This humorous and high-energy workshop will cover best practices and latest theory in team development, leadership, communication, and problem-solving solutions. By attending this hands-on, multi-media presentation participants will walk away inspired, motivated, and energized. |
| Stand Up! Speak Out! ShaKenya Edison Pajaro Valley Unified School District This workshop assists school staff with starting a school-wide anti-bullying/safe school campaign. This workshop will share strategies on how to collaborate between regular day and after school programs to positively impact the school culture by empowering the students, staff and parents. |
| Nine Steps to Success: Teens Can Make It Happen Stedman Graham, M.Ed. S. Graham & Associates Participants will learn the 9-Step Success Process, which helps them to clearly understand who they are and, on the basis of this identity and understanding, become equipped to create a vision for their lives that encompasses their passions and strengths. They will learn how the Teens Can Make It Happen program then guides students, step-by-step, in creating a plan for how to go about achieving their life's vision. |
| Stress Reduction 101 Ezra Holland Ezra Holland Consulting, LLC An upbeat and interactive workshop filled with a variety of simple, accessible stress-reduction ideas and techniques for beating burnout ...and real-world ways to make time for you and your significant others. Includes a special section on overcoming hurry sickness and urgency addiction. |
| Substances Kids Use and Why You Need to Know Jim Crittenden San Diego County Office of Education An interactive discussion on substance abuse trends in San Diego County. We will explore what substances teens are abusing, including synthetic forms of many drugs, prescription and over the counter drugs, and other commonly abused substances. The session will also offer tips on how after school programs can play a role in reducing substance use among teens. |
| Success with Challenging Behavior Wendi Garrison & Nili Mathews Kids Included Together Chances are you serve youth and teens with ADHD every day in your existing programs. Come learn how to help these bright and creative children to be successful in your program. Explore myths about youth and teens with ADHD and discover what to look for as you design accommodations for them in your program. Learn to prevent challenging behaviors with positive support strategies to help all youth and teens be successful. |
| Summer Bridging Programs for Underperforming Incoming 9th Grade Students Bill Fennessy, Sergio Barragan, Jamie Struthers & Monique Cruces THINK Together This session will feature three different versions of Summer Bridging Programs offered by THINK Together. These successful Summer Bridging Programs will be presented in a "cascading" manner, featuring the Site Leaders running these programs, the Student Leadership that provides the Enrichment portion of the programming, and the 9th grade students that participated in the programs. |
| Up Your Grant $$$ Jonathan O'Brien Sandy Point Ink In this "roll-up-your-sleeves-let's-do-some-work-and-win-some-grant-money!" work session, participants will be coached through the process of outlining a brief funding request letter appropriate for submission to businesses, corporate sponsors, foundations, and local grant agencies. Participants will learn: what kinds of programs get funded, how to create an "ask" that is compelling and competitive, how to locate potential funders, and how potential funders rate proposals. |
| Using After School for Outreach and Support: Empowering our Youth, Affecting Tomorrow Cathye M. Estes McLane High School This workshop is designed to show how after school programs can bridge the regular school day. Through academic tutorial enrichment, credit recovery, and community service youth attendance, grades, and test scores have improved. The after school program is the hub of the school for activities, academics, athletics, career/vocational training, college workshops, and postsecondary transitions. Youth are also able to experience job shadowing through stakeholders, such as Fresno Parks and Recreation BEST program, and community partners, Junior Achievement and AT&T. Students achieving a 3.0 and above act as peer tutors and receive community service hours and credits for their services. Choose to EMPOWER and AFFECT YOUTH FUTURE through PURPOSE. |
| We Are Ready: Engaging and Preparing 8th Graders for Success in High School and Beyond Aaron Dworkin & Emely Martinez Cockrell After-School All-Stars The after-school field can play a major role to help solve the national high school dropout crisis. Come learn best practices to better prepare at-risk 8th graders for their transition into and graduation from high school. This interactive workshop will showcase engaging activities that educate students on how to connect their passions to success in high school and beyond. |
| Working with Controlling and Rescuing Parents Frederick Becker Becker Institute, Inc. Many parents struggle with their child not living up to expectations. Right or wrong, most parents will defend and protect their child and rescue them from their negative behaviors. Join us in learning how to work with parents and help them to help their child. Learn how to teach them skills. This will be an interactive class…bring your questions! |
| Youth Development Aaron Raby Stanislaus County Office of Education This interactive, hands-on session will teach you the skills and provide you with activities that will strengthen your afterschool program in the areas of student leadership, student involvement, and behavior modification strategies. This workshop looks to improve peer to peer accountability in your programs as well as give staff the tools to work successfully with the students they oversee. This workshop is highly interactive and activity based, so please come ready to have fun and work together! |
| Youth Development, Technology, and Social Enterprise Bob Cabeza YMCA of Greater Long Beach Participants will walk away inspired about how to integrate technology and the entrepreneurial spirit into their existing youth programs. They will learn cutting edge techniques on how to engage urban youth and learn research-based "Best Practice" models of how to run great youth-centered after school and summer programs. A special emphasis will be on STEM and 21st century learning skills along with workforce skills and supports for academics. |
| Youth Leadership: Developing the Potential of Leaders Michelle Perrenoud Los Angeles County Office of Education Youth Development Specialists are in the business of developing youth… however, Youth Development is NOT something you do TO youth, but it is the result of programming WITH youth. This session will focus on strategies that attract and engage all youth, ensuring their meaningful development includes their voice and action. Come learn about: what Youth Development really is, what it looks like, and what your leadership role is; the difference between youth participation, involvement, and engagement; and know what youth want and are looking for. Learn how to intentionally plan for and assess the quality of engagement you have with youth. Develop an Action Plan and get started today! |
| Youth Transition: How to Thrive Instead of Just Surviving Frederick Becker Becker Institute, Inc. Between the ages of 12 to 20, youth undergo major changes. Join us and learn how to help youth cope with the physical, mental, social, environmental, and physiological changes that will set the blueprint for their adult life. |
| Youth-led Orientations to Build Connections for Transitioning Students Adrian Ruiz & Andy Paul Youth Development Network Explore a model of youth-led orientation that utilizes youth leaders as resources in creating an orientation for incoming middle school youth. This kind of youth-led experience helps develop ownership of the program and builds relationships between existing youth and the incoming youth to assist with successful transitions and to create a more engaged environment for all youth. |