The Spring 2026 issue of AfterSchool Today, The Power of Recognition: Building a Stronger OST Field, is now live.

Released in celebration of Afterschool Professionals Appreciation Week, this issue highlights a critical truth for our field: recognition is not an extra. It is essential to a thriving out-of-school time  workforce and the positive outcomes we strive to create for young people.

Across the issue, contributors explore how recognition shapes workforce retention, strengthens organizational culture, and builds environments where both youth and professionals feel seen, valued, and supported. The issue also features the 2026 Next Generation of Afterschool Leaders, 30 emerging professionals helping to shape the future of OST.

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Thank you for the ways you continue to contribute to and shape the OST field. We’re grateful to be in community with leaders who are committed to strengthening practice, supporting professionals, and advancing positive outcomes for young people.

Ever wonder what colleagues, partners, and other afterschool professionals across the nation are reading to support them in their work? Check out our regular AfterSchool Today feature, What Afterschool is Reading!

In the most recent issue of AfterSchool Today, Christin Rollins reviews Why Are We Here? Creating a Work Culture Everyone Wants, Sean Reyes reviews Respect is the Currency: Now Professionals Earn Trust, Influence, and Credibility Without Titles or Recognition, Chyrel Oates reviews The Future Begins with Z: Nine Strategies to Lead Generation Z as They Disrupt the Workplace, and Cristina Briskie-Wood reviews Strong Ground: The Lessons of Daring Leadership, the Tenacity of Paradox, and the Wisdom of the Human Spirit.

Out-of-school time programs have long played a vital role in supporting young people, families, and communities. A recent Wallace Foundation article, The Evolution of Out-of-School Time, highlights how the field has grown and changed and what is needed to ensure more young people have access to high-quality programs.

The article traces the evolution of OST from its early roots in child care and youth development to today’s more expansive understanding of programs as essential spaces for learning, connection, belonging, and career exploration. It also underscores a persistent challenge: demand continues to outpace access, leaving millions of young people without the programs families want and need.

For NAA, the piece reinforces what the field sees every day: quality OST experiences depend on both strong programs and a strong workforce.

“Across the country, providers, partners, and advocates increasingly recognize that investing in both youth and the professionals who make these experiences possible is essential to youth success,” Gina Warner, president and CEO of the National Afterschool Association shared in the piece.

That message is especially timely as the field continues navigating workforce challenges, funding uncertainty, and growing expectations for programs to support young people’s academic, social, emotional, and developmental needs. Investing in OST means investing in the people who create safe, engaging, and meaningful experiences for young people every day.

The Wallace article also points to the importance of continued research, partnership, and policy support to strengthen program quality and expand access. As the field evolves, NAA remains committed to elevating the role of OST professionals and advocating for the systems, resources, and recognition needed to help young people thrive.

For our members, this is both a reflection of how far the field has come and a reminder of the work ahead: building a future where every young person has access to high-quality out-of-school time experiences led by supported, skilled professionals.

Read the full Wallace Foundation article today.

Games end. Leadership continues.

After South Carolina’s NCAA Women’s Basketball Final Four win over UConn, one moment stood out. A coach left the floor right away, while his team was left behind. It was a brief moment, but it revealed a lot about leadership in tough times.

Let’s look at this example from a youth development perspective. Young people notice more than just the game or the score — they pay attention to what adults do.

What We Model Matters

As youth development professionals, we focus on social-emotional growth, relationship building, and professionalism, as detailed in the NAA Core Knowledge, Skills, and Competencies. We show these qualities by example, not just by teaching them.

In:

• How we handle stress.
• How we respond to loss.
• How we show up for others when it’s difficult.

When a leader leaves before the team has had time to process what happened, when the team needs support and guidance, like listening, debriefing, or simply a strong presence, it sends a message. The moments right after a loss are when true leadership shows up. Leaving too soon can make it seem like we walk away when things get tough.

In youth development, we do the opposite. We know that presence matters, so:

• We stay.
• We guide.
• We help young people move through disappointment with integrity.

Leadership in tough times doesn’t go unnoticed; it actually shapes how people view leadership. When a coach leaves before the team, it gives both adults and young people a chance to reflect:

• What does it look like to stay present for others when emotions run high?
• How do we handle disappointment in ways that support the people who rely on us?
• What message do our actions send about responsibility and respect?

These questions help us understand what happened and think about the kind of leaders we want to be. In out-of-school time, we use moments like this to teach, connecting real-life examples to the values we want to build.

Try This Application Activity for Staff and Youth:

Option 1: Ask your group to think about a time when they felt disappointed or lost something important. Who was there for you, and how did that make you feel? What can we do to support each other during tough moments?

Option 2: After a challenging experience, gather your group and invite everyone to share one way they can be present for others when things don't go as planned. Use this as an opportunity to model and discuss the impact of showing up for one another.

The Lesson That Lasts

People might forget the score, but they will remember who stayed with them during tough times. They will remember who showed up, even when things were disappointing. They will remember who showed up and what real leadership looks like when it matters most.

That’s the part of the game that lasts long after the final buzzer.

Contributed by Heidi Ham, Chief Operating Officer of the National AfterSchool Association.

The youth development field is strongest when research, practice, and policy are in conversation with one another. One of the key platforms making that connection possible is the Journal of Youth Development (JYD) — a leading peer-reviewed publication dedicated to bridging what we know with what we do in service of young people.

Right now, there is an important opportunity for leaders across the field to help shape that work.

JYD is inviting applications for Associate Editors, a role that sits at the intersection of scholarship and practice. Associate Editors partner with the Editor-in-Chief to guide the peer review process, elevate emerging topics, and ensure that published research is both rigorous and relevant to the realities of youth-serving professionals. In doing so, they play a direct role in influencing how knowledge is produced, shared, and applied across youth development systems.

This moment matters. The out-of-school time (OST) field continues to navigate workforce challenges, access gaps, and evolving youth needs. At the same time, there is growing recognition that solutions must be grounded in both evidence and lived experience. JYD’s commitment to bridging research and practice and to advancing equity and authentic representation in scholarship reflects a broader movement across the field to ensure that knowledge drives meaningful, inclusive impact.

For NAA, this alignment is clear. As a national leader and convener for afterschool and out-of-school time, NAA works to elevate the workforce, strengthen systems, and advance evidence-based approaches that improve outcomes for young people and those who serve them. Platforms like JYD are essential to that work, helping to ensure that research reflects the voices, expertise, and experiences of practitioners and communities alike. JYD is supported by partners including the National AfterSchool Association.

JYD is seeking individuals with demonstrated expertise in youth development research and/or practice, experience with peer-reviewed publications, and a commitment to advancing equity in the field. Professionals from across sectors — including intermediaries, higher education, nonprofit leadership, and research organizations — are encouraged to consider this opportunity.

Associate Editors serve a two- to three-year term and contribute not only to the journal, but to the broader direction of youth development nationwide. For those looking to shape the field at a systems level, this is a meaningful way to lead.

If this opportunity aligns with your experience or someone in your network, now is the time to act. We encourage you to learn more, apply, and share this call with colleagues who are helping to move the field forward.

Please submit materials or direct inquiries to Dr. Barry A. Garst, Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Youth Development, bgarst@clemson.edu.

Launched in 2000, Lights On Afterschool is the only nationwide event celebrating afterschool programs and their important role in the lives of children, families and communities. The effort has become a hallmark of the afterschool movement and generates media coverage across the country each year. Organized by NAA’s strategic partners at the Afterschool Alliance, Lights On Afterschool draws attention to the many ways afterschool programs support students by offering them opportunities to learn new things and discover new skills. The events send a powerful message that millions more kids need quality afterschool programs.

The Alliance needs your help to promote the 2026 Lights on Afterschool event! This year, they are looking for any artwork that represents the spirit of afterschool programs, including murals, paintings, social media graphics, and more! Art does not have to have been created specifically for the poster contest. For more information about Lights On Afterschool and to learn more about the contest, head to their website .

Voting will take place June 22-26 on the Alliance’s social media accounts.

City leaders across the country agree: afterschool programs are not optional, they are essential. A new survey brief from the National League of Cities shows strong support for afterschool’s role in education, safety, and community well-being, while calling attention to the need for deeper collaboration and investment. Discover key insights and implications for the afterschool field here.

As the National AfterSchool Association approaches our 40th anniversary, we’re taking a moment to look back, because the story of afterschool is often the story of a person. A mentor. A safe space. A relationship that made someone feel seen. In a recent series of interviews, three NAA Board members reflected on their earliest experiences with out-of-school time and what continues to drive their commitment to the field today. Their stories are different, but the theme is the same: afterschool changes lives.

Michael Huang: Building Bridges for Families

For NAA Board Member Michael Huang, afterschool first looked like a family tutoring center in West Covina, California. As a child, he watched his mother stay late to talk with parents long after the last worksheet was finished. Only later did he understand what was really happening: she was translating systems, answering questions, and helping immigrant families access public education with confidence.

That early lesson stayed with him. Today, in his work supporting district and community engagement at Communities In Schools, Michael still centers relationships as the foundation for meaningful support and sees afterschool as a place where young people find belonging, connection, and opportunity.

Read Michael’s full interview.

Damon Johnson: Service That Reaches Beyond the Classroom

Damon Johnson’s afterschool “spark” started in a school cafeteria, watching students rush in each afternoon excited, energized, and ready to learn in a different way. That enthusiasm pulled him into the work, and he quickly discovered what makes out-of-school time so powerful: autonomy, creativity, and the ability to explore what young people need beyond the traditional school day.

One moment, in particular, shaped his perspective forever. A simple question — “Is everything okay?” — opened the door for a struggling single father to share his story. That conversation turned into connection, support, and eventually a job opportunity that helped shift an entire family’s trajectory. For Damon, it’s a reminder that afterschool serves not just children, but whole communities.

Read Damon’s full interview.

Femi Vance: The Power of an “Anchor” Adult

For Femi Vance, afterschool memories begin at the Boys & Girls Club in San Diego: a van ride, songs at opening ceremony, and a trusted adult named Miss Vicki. Miss Vicki was the person Femi went to — her cheerleader, her steady presence, her anchor. When that relationship was suddenly lost, it left a lasting impact and a lifelong question: what does it mean for a young person to be seen, and what happens when that support disappears?

That experience shaped Femi’s leadership in OST, from program design grounded in community feedback to her commitment to elevating youth voice, especially for teens, who are too often misunderstood.

Read Femi’s full interview.

Afterschool is built on moments like these: small interactions that become turning points, and relationships that ripple outward over time. As NAA looks ahead, we remain committed to the workforce and the community of professionals who make those moments possible every single day.

If 2025 had a defining characteristic, it was volatility.

In the out-of-school time and youth development field, professionals faced rapid AI adoption, political tension, funding uncertainty, and ongoing workforce instability. They were under constant pressure to do more with less. Change never let up! Many leaders and practitioners found themselves reacting rather than planning, and adapting rather than designing.

But through all this, one thing became clear: moving quickly is not a strategy by itself.

Looking ahead to 2026, the most significant change for OST will not be about the next tool, platform, or policy. Instead, it will be a shared move toward greater intentionality. This change means building people-first systems that prioritize meaningful relationships and thoughtful design over quick reactions and short-term fixes. For instance, OST programs might create mentorship models in which experienced staff guide newcomers, fostering personal growth and stability, and incorporate regular feedback from both young people and staff to promote a more collaborative and supportive environment that meets participants’ needs.

From Rapid Adoption to Responsible Technology Use

Technology is now a must in youth development. In 2025, OST organizations quickly adopted new tools, especially AI-powered platforms for scheduling, communication, curriculum, and data collection.

In 2026, the question will shift from "Can we use this?" to "How can we use it responsibly?"

Responsible use means ensuring privacy, that technologies are accessible and equitable, staff have adequate training, and that tools foster meaningful youth engagement.

The next phase of technology integration will emphasize:

• Reducing administrative burden so staff can spend more time with youth
• Supporting, not replacing, professional judgment
• Protecting privacy, equity, and access
• Ensuring tools work for programs of all sizes and resources

The best technology will stay in the background for young people and help professionals do their jobs, strengthening relationships rather than getting in the way.

Reclaiming Humanity in Youth Work

Youth development has always been about relationships, but the emotional demands on professionals have grown. In 2026, the field will openly recognize what many already know: staff well-being is key to program quality.

Burnout is not a personal failure. It shows that the system needs to change. To address this, systemic solutions are necessary. These include adjustments to workload distribution to prevent overload and the introduction of mental health supports that empower staff to manage stress effectively. We see growing recognition that:

• Stability for young people depends on stability for the adults who serve them
• Healing-centered and trauma-informed practices must extend to staff
• Supervision, schedules, and role design matter as much as passion and commitment

In 2026, organizations will show their values not just in words, but in how they design jobs, support leaders, and create places where people can stay and grow.

Job Quality as Infrastructure

For years, OST saw workforce challenges as short-term problems. By 2025, it was clear that workforce instability is a deeper, ongoing issue.

In 2026, job quality will become a key component of the OST foundation. It will be essential for access, equity, and youth outcomes. This foundation includes:

• Clear career pathways and professional identity
• Compensation and benefits aligned with skills and responsibility
• Predictable schedules and supportive working conditions
• Professional development connected to growth, not just compliance
• Voice and agency for staff at all levels

The question is no longer just about keeping staff, but about designing roles that people can keep doing for the long term. Sustainable role design involves incorporating strategies such as flexible scheduling, which allows staff to balance personal commitments with professional responsibilities more effectively. Clear advancement paths provide a vision for career growth and development within the organization, motivating staff to commit to their roles. By implementing such strategies, OST leaders can create a supportive environment where staff feel valued and have a clear trajectory for their future.

Systems That Support Connection and Belonging

As society becomes more divided, OST programs remain important places where both young people and adults feel they belong.

In 2026, expect increased investment in systems of connection, including:

• Stronger partnerships among OST providers, schools, families, and communities
• Intermediary leadership that reduces fragmentation
• Shared frameworks aligning program quality, workforce development, and equity
• Professional networks that reduce isolation and build collective strength

In youth development, we know that connection is essential, and it does not happen by accident. It takes careful planning.

Equity as Practice

Equity conversations in OST are maturing. In 2026, the focus will continue to move from intention to implementation with less talking and more doing.

This shift examines who has access to advancement, whose labor society undervalues, and how policies affect a workforce composed mainly of women and people of color. We will measure equity less by statements and more by outcomes.

We will measure equity by results, not just by what we say. Possible metrics for measuring equity in OST include promotion rates, pay equity among different demographic groups, and the representation of diverse individuals in leadership roles. By establishing these metrics, we provide professionals with a starting point for ensuring fair and equitable practices.

Looking Ahead

The main opportunity in 2026 is not to move faster, but to ensure our values and actions align. This approach means aligning technology with humanity and expectations with support.

If 2025 showed us how fast things can change, 2026 will push us to decide what we want to build next and how we can do it together with purpose.

Contributed by Heidi Ham, Chief Operating Officer of the National AfterSchool Association

When National AfterSchool Association Board Member Femi Vance thinks back to her earliest connection to afterschool, she remembers walking into the Boys & Girls Club near her home in San Diego. She remembers the van that picked her up after school. She remembers the songs everyone sang during the opening ceremony. And most of all, she remembers Miss Vicki.

“It was just me and my mom until I was 14, and so she was always looking for things for me to do after school,” Femi said. The Boys & Girls Club became that place.

As soon as she arrived each afternoon, she chose her activity for the day. Over time she began to choose the same activity again and again.

“I would go where Miss Vicky was,” she recalled. “And because I kept going where she was, we started having a really good relationship.”

That relationship was the start of something bigger. It was the start of three trends in Femi’s life that would shape Femi’s career, her philosophy of youth work, and her leadership in the out-of-school time field.

1. Afterschool Showed Femi the Power of Being Seen

One of Femi’s favorite memories is tetherball. “I was not a tall kid, but I was pretty decent at tetherball. But I would get a little intimidated by some of the older kids,” she said. “[Miss Vicky] encouraged me — ‘You can still beat them.’ She was my cheerleader.”

That encouragement mattered. So did the quiet moments.

Femi remembers hanging out in the Boys & Girls Club’s “treehouse,” a space that wasn’t actually in a tree but felt tucked away and special. Kids could dress up or explore dramatic play, but Femi mostly wanted to sit with Miss Vicki and talk. If the group moved to the cubby maze, she found the little nook where Miss Vicki sat and settled in next to her.

These weren’t formal activities. They were small, consistent moments where one adult gave one young person steady attention. For Femi, they became a blueprint.

“She felt like an anchor,” Femi said. “When you go to a place and you get to like, ‘I’m going to go find my person.’ So, she was my person.”

Then, suddenly, Miss Vicki was gone.

A tragic event forced Miss Vicky to leave the Boys & Girls Club. Femi only learned what happened through the news. The loss was abrupt and painful.

“I was just so sad that she wasn’t there anymore. It was not the same without her,” Femi said. “The activities were the same, but I didn’t have the same go-to person.”

That absence stayed with her. It planted a question she carried into adulthood: What does it mean for a young person to have an anchor, and what does it mean to lose one?

2. Afterschool Helped Femi Discover the Work She Was Meant to Do

As Femi grew older, she explored different paths. She worked as a nanny. She worked in schools. She tried psychology. But nothing quite fit.

Then came an opportunity to serve as a summer camp director through the Air Force’s management training program. It was a small program in Tennessee. But it gave her something different. It gave her clarity.

“That summer… I was like, ‘Oh, this is it.’… Once I started doing something very similar to what [Miss Vicky] did, I was like, ‘Yeah, this is it. This is the thing,’” she said.

It wasn’t a straight path, but stepping into a role that resembled Miss Vicki’s helped her recognize what she had been looking for all along. She wanted to be that steady adult for someone else. She wanted to be an anchor.

3. Afterschool Taught Femi to Lead With Community Wisdom and Youth Voice

Femi’s first formal OST role was on a military base. The experience reshaped how she thought about community, belonging, and program design.

“When you’re on military bases, it’s like this tiny city. Everyone knows everything and everybody,” she said.

That closeness shaped everything, including relationships with families and decisions about programming. She learned that youth programs don’t exist in isolation. They live inside communities, shaped by the people who use them.

Part of her work involved helping create a new community center outside the base. She had to talk with families about what they wanted and what wasn’t working. She had to listen to the good and the bad. That process grounded her. She realized that respecting community feedback is the key to building a sustainable program.

This belief in community wisdom now runs through her research and evaluation work. It also shapes the way she thinks about teenagers.

“If you have a random conversation and you mention teenagers, there’s a really negative connotation to the word. I hate that,” she said. “I think it’s… completely false.”

Because of that negative lens, Femi said adults miss out on adventure, fun, brilliance, growing and developing new leaders, creative minds, and artists. For her, designing meaningful opportunities for teens starts with adult humility.

“It’s about adult perception that we need to be in control of everything,” she noted. When teens ask challenging questions, adults sometimes view that as defiance. But Femi sees something else. She recognizes those questions as a chance for adults to think critically and help the teens they’re mentoring think critically. And that’s a life skill that’s invaluable.

Looking Ahead to NAA’s 40th Anniversary

As NAA approaches its 40th anniversary, Femi is reflective. She sees progress in the field but also notes the unfinished work.

“I have been struck lately about how we’re struggling with the same issues we were struggling with 20 years ago. How do we professionalize the field so people can have living wages?” she questioned.

The challenges aren’t new, but Femi believes the field is in a stronger place to act on them. Her focus remains steady: honor community wisdom, elevate youth voice, and build job quality so professionals can stay and thrive.

Most importantly, she wants to ensure that every young person has access to the kind of caring adult who shaped her own life. She knows what it feels like to walk into an afterschool space searching for a person who sees you. She knows the power of finding that anchor. And she’s a living testament to what happens when that anchor sparks a lifelong commitment to kids, communities and the adults who serve them.

I’ve always loved music. My life has been filled with music’s beats, melodies, and messages. One month ago, I was in the top ten Todd Snider listeners on Spotify. Last month, the music world lost one of its brightest stars when he passed away. If you’ve listened to his records or, even better, heard him share one of his rambling, funny stories, you know he left us with more than just songs. Snider was more than a songwriter. He was a wanderer, a poet, a mischief-maker, and a reluctant philosopher with a guitar, a grin, and a gift for saying what others wouldn’t.

That might be why he was one of my favorite artists, and why his wisdom stuck with people. Todd never tried to act like a guru. He just tried to be himself.

When we look back at his life, his stories, and his honest, human songs, we can find five lessons that live on in Todd Snider’s legacy.

1. Be yourself, even when you’re uncomfortable.

Todd never tried to hide his flaws. He didn’t try to make himself look better or safer, and he never tried to fit anyone else’s idea of “marketable.” He sang the way he talked and lived the way he sang. In a business focused on image, he chose honesty over perfection.

Authenticity wins every time.

People don’t connect with masks; they connect with the real person underneath. At work and in life, being yourself fosters trust, warmth, and meaningful relationships.

He showed us that being genuine is better than trying to impress others.

2. Tell the truth, especially when it’s uncomfortable.

Snider’s songs were like confessions hidden in jokes and jokes hidden in confessions. He sang about addiction, joy, heartbreak, hypocrisy, and hope, sometimes all in one verse, with a clear honesty that made it feel like he was sitting at your kitchen table with a cup of coffee.

Honesty builds connection.

Truth eases tension, opens doors, and brings people together. Whether you’re leading a team, handling conflict, or trying to understand someone you care about, gentle, honest words go further than silence ever could.

Todd showed us that telling the truth is less painful than keeping silent.

3. Take the work seriously, but don’t take yourself too seriously.

Todd Snider's shows mixed music, comedy, and a bit of philosophy. He cared a lot about songwriting, but he never acted like a tortured genius. He knew that humor makes tough times easier and that laughing at yourself can help you get through.

Levity is a leadership skill.

Life can be hard. Work can be stressful. Lightening the mood, telling a joke, letting go of your own mistakes, or remembering you’re not the center of everything brings people together and makes tough times easier.

Do the work with heart.

Laugh through the ride.

He always did both.

4. Success isn’t the point. Connection is.

Todd never chased after fame. He didn’t want to play in big arenas; he wanted small rooms where he could see faces and hear laughter. For him, it wasn’t about being famous but about making a difference, the kind you find in stories, friendships, and strangers who felt understood by his songs.

Prioritize impact over attention.

You don’t need a huge audience to make a difference. The careers and lives that feel meaningful are built on connection, on touching lives, sharing something helpful, or giving someone a moment of real understanding.

Todd focused on people, not the spotlight. There’s something wise about that.

5. Keep wandering. Keep learning. Keep going.

A recurring theme in Todd’s work is movement, whether it involves physical movement, emotional shifts, or intellectual ideas. He was always searching, never claiming to have all the answers, but he never stopped looking. He wasn’t afraid to change, and curiosity kept him going.

Curiosity creates resilience.

Careers change. People grow. Life can surprise you. If you keep asking questions, start again, or take the long route, even when it’s messy, you’ll keep learning.

The right path doesn’t have to be a straight one.

A Final Word

Todd Snider’s life wasn’t tidy or perfectly planned. But it was honest, kind, funny, and deeply human. He reminded us that we don’t need to be perfect to matter; we just need heart, humor, curiosity, and truth.

Work hard.

Laugh often.

Tell the truth.

Be real.

Keep going.

That’s Todd Snider’s gospel.

And it still sings.

Contributed by Heidi Ham, NAA Chief Operating Officer, Music Lover & Todd Snider Fan

As the National AfterSchool Association approaches its 40th anniversary, board member Damon Johnson is thinking back to where it all began. Long before he held national leadership roles, managed regions for BellXcel, or traveled to nearly 40 states championing afterschool, the spark came in a school cafeteria.

He was a young teacher then, still new to the rhythms of the school day. But every afternoon, something remarkable happened.

“The kids would just run down,” Damon recalled. “The cafeteria was the meeting place for after school and the kids could not wait to get there and to be a part of the after school program.”

Even after a full day of classes, their excitement did not fade, which was a testament to the OST professionals running the program.

That energy hooked him. He soon joined as manager of the program, discovered it was data driven and evidence based, and almost without realizing it, found his career path.

“I just fell in love,” he said. “You have a little bit more autonomy in out-of-school time than you do in a regular school day. There’s things you can do and things you can explore with young people that you can’t do during the [school] day.”

What he didn’t know then was how deeply this work would shape him or how deeply he would come to believe in its power to shape families and communities.

The Moment That Changed a Family’s Trajectory

Years later, it was suppertime at the afterschool program Damon oversaw. Parents were arriving for pickup. One father rushed in, frustrated, overwhelmed, and hurrying his two daughters out the door.

“I was inquisitive,” Johnson says. He walked up and asked a simple question: Is everything okay? That was all it took. “He just began to share his whole story about he’s a single father and he’s raising these girls by himself. He’s just overwhelmed.”

Johnson saw stress written all over him.

“I could tell he was just frustrated,” said Damon. “I saw it all over him. He just needed to let it out.”

So, Johnson made a suggestion that he come tomorrow and have dinner with his girls.

“You’re already here,” he told him. “You can make sure that they get cleaned up in time for you to go do what you need to do.”

The next day, the father returned. And then the next. Soon he was staying to help clean up, taking out trash, straightening chairs. Eventually, he was hired.

“When I say his whole demeanor changed, his whole everything changed,” Johnson remembers. “Whenever I would go to the site, he was smiling, he would speak, the girls were happy. And it just took one moment to hear a person out.”

The impact changed the trajectory of not only his life but his children’s lives, and that experience reframed Johnson’s fundamental understanding of afterschool.

“Our Responsibility Was to the Community”

Before that encounter, Johnson believed deeply in serving young people. But listening to that father expanded his sense of purpose.

“I realized that we were serving the children, but I felt a greater responsibility to serve the entire family as well,” he said. “That child that we’re serving is going back into that environment at home as well. And so we would offer resources to families and opportunities for parents to learn financial literacy and all types of things. Our responsibility wasn’t just to that child when we had them for those three hours. Our responsibility was to the community.”

This whole-family lens continues to shape his growth as a leader and his role at BellXcel and on NAA’s board.

It also informs his definition of “impact.” For many, that word centers on outputs and data points. But Johnson sees something bigger.

“It’s not just data to me,” he said. It’s about relationships, exposure, and opportunity, especially the kind that can redirect a young person’s future. “There’s a deeper personal thing that takes place in out-of-school time.”

He speaks from experience. He was introduced to music in an afterschool program and later became a music teacher.

A Field in Transition

Damon does not sugarcoat the strain communities are feeling. Many afterschool programs have shut down due to funding gaps, all while millions of children aren’t able to benefit from afterschool programs in the first place. With the dismantling of the U.S. Department of Education and the educational climate at large, Damon claims the outlook in some places feels rough.

“Educators are struggling for resources,” he said. “NAA is a beacon of light and resources and opportunities for those who feel despondent by the system. It offers something that is missing in the space, a thought partner and like-minded folks.”

At the NAA Convention, Damon claims you feel it instantly.

“You just see people from all over the country and they’re all excited about being there. They have a camaraderie that is unique because they share something that’s ubiquitous,” said Damon. “They have a common goal.”

As the board prepares for NAA’s new Strategic Plan, two priorities stand out to him: advocacy and field leadership. He sees them both as pathways to codifying the OST field and helping government and decision makers see the intrinsic value in it. Advocacy helps shift public perception so afterschool is seen not as an add-on, but as a critical part of a child’s educational journey, and field leadership builds the next generation of leaders in the sector.

Why He Still Believes

“What gives me hope is when I see young teachers and young educators and young professionals excited about coming into the field,” he said. “When I see the next generation as excited as I was when I came into the field, then I know there’s hope.”

Still, he wishes the broader public understood a key truth: afterschool professionals are not babysitters.

“They’re professionals,” he said. “They’re creative. Professionals in this field have to do a lot with a little and they figure it out. They are an extension of what’s happening during the [school] day. The kids’ experience is not a daycare experience.”

Looking Ten Years Ahead

“I hope we will reach the millions of kids that are still not experiencing out of school time,” he says. “I hope that we will be seen as an equal contributor to that child’s educational journey. And I hope that we’ll be able to show all the data, all the impact that we’ve been talking about, that it’ll be evident and folks will see it for what it’s worth.”

For Johnson, that future is possible because of the OST leaders who show up every day with empathy, creativity, curiosity, and commitment.

Sometimes all it takes is one moment. One question. One person willing to listen. And in afterschool, moments like that happen every day.

Contributed by Amy Marquis of Fractional Studio, which helps non-profits and purpose-led organizations amplify their voice and mission across platforms, leveraging tools like AI, trauma-informed practices, and data-driven insights.

The first time National AfterSchool Association Board Member Michael Huang understood what real support looks like, he wasn’t at a policy table or inside a district office. He was 10 years old, sitting in the back of his mother’s tutoring center in West Covina, Calif. The center opened after school and on weekends. Because it was the family’s small business, he spent most afternoons there, sometimes doing homework, sometimes helping out, mostly observing.

His mother, Shirley Lin, had been a Head Start teacher before opening the center. Her purpose was simple: offer three hours of academic help after school. What Michael watched every day went beyond homework.

He remembered the center closing at 6:30 p.m., then waiting for his mom to wrap up. “You would think a tutoring center runs 3:30 to 6:30, we should be out the door by 6:45. That wasn’t always the case,” he said. Parents would linger. His mother would talk with them, sometimes for a long time. As a kid, he didn’t get it. “It always seemed unnecessary to me,” he said.

Only later did he understand what those conversations meant.

The community around the center was largely immigrant, many Chinese-speaking families included. Michael watched his mother explain testing schedules, talk through school timelines and translate unfamiliar systems. She made public education feel accessible.

“My mother was being the bridge for them to the public school system, an informal bridge to an immigrant community that wouldn’t have otherwise connected with the public school system,” he said.

That bridge left a mark on Michael.

Where Support Becomes Belonging

When asked for a specific memory, Michael thought of two students who started coming in middle school. Their parents were always in his mother’s office asking questions, trying to understand what their kids needed. Over time, those students became fixtures. They volunteered, helped younger children and prepared for their PSAT and SAT exams. Then came the college acceptance letters. And the gratitude.

“I remember their parents coming to the tutoring center and thanking my mom for all of her help and support,” Michael said. “That really strikes me as a beautiful encapsulation of work that pays off over time.”

That pattern, relationships forming slowly and becoming anchors, shaped how he ultimately understood out-of-school time.

“Watching her, I realized how systems aren’t always set up to foster strong relationships. Strong relationships are the connector to engagement and understanding and all of the outcomes we want to see in a positive learning environment,” he said.

A Career Shaped by Community Insight

Before joining Communities In Schools, Michael worked across several people-centered fields. He provided strategic consulting for federal agencies at Corner Alliance. He managed leadership development programs at the Council for Excellence in Government and Partnership for Public Service. He helped launch Big City Emergency Managers, a national network of emergency managers. He also reviewed grants for the U.S. Department of Education and the DC Children and Youth Investment Trust Corp.

Michael joined Communities in Schools (CIS) in 2010 to manage accreditation. The role took him across the country. “It afforded me the opportunity to travel to half of our network, interviewing students, parents, teachers, educators and executive directors,” he said.

He arrived expecting to focus on organizational health, risk management and fidelity to an evidence-based model. What stayed with him, though, were the people and the stories they shared. He realized the work sits on two sides: systems and relationships.

What prepared him for his current role was recognizing that “half of it is the technical side, and the other half is the community and the relationships that work is organizing.”

Today, as vice president of district and community engagement at the CIS National Office, he supports communities, districts and site coordinators nationwide. The work requires him to balance system-level vision with on-the-ground realities. Growing up translating school papers for his own parents shaped that instinct.

“Navigating systems wasn’t always easy. I often translated and took things back to my parents,” he said.

That experience fueled his belief that afterschool programs matter not only as academic supports, but as places where young people find connection.

“They had to exist for me to stumble into. They made the community more engaging to me as an immigrant trying to figure things out in the world,” he said.

What Meaningful Engagement Looks Like

When asked, Michael was able to identify what meaningful engagement means in his CIS role using a single word.

“In my world, relationships,” he said.

For him, engagement was not a transaction. It was a person taking time to ask questions, build trust and figure out what a young person or family truly needed. “There is something beautiful in that role as an essential part of school,” he said.

He described public schools as “one of the last physical locations that serve as a town hall gathering.”

That belief in shared spaces and shared responsibility helped draw him to NAA’s mission. It also made serving on the National AfterSchool Association’s Board feel like a natural extension of his work.

A Workforce That Makes Everything Else Possible

As NAA approaches its 40th anniversary, Michael sees a shift in how society views afterschool professionals. Their work has always been essential. Now the language around the workforce is starting to reflect that truth.

“I love the direction NAA is heading when it comes to recognition and amplification of this workforce as an essential sector of our economy, something that enables other parts of our society and economy to work,” he said.

Looking Ahead

Michael hopes the next decade will bring a broader national understanding of what learning really is and who makes it possible. School walls cannot contain all of it.

Afterschool programs help define a young person’s world. They build belonging. They expand opportunities. They stabilize families. They work because dedicated people who are skilled and committed show up every day to make them work.

People like Michael. People like his mother. And people who make up the NAA community.

Contributed by Amy Marquis of Fractional Studio, which helps non-profits and purpose-led organizations amplify their voice and mission across platforms, leveraging tools like AI, trauma-informed practices, and data-driven insights.

Last week, Jaime La Fuente Garcia, President and CEO of Andy Roddick Foundation, sat down with special guest host of The Six Pack podcast, Kevin Bacon. As part of SixDegrees.org’s spotlight on nonprofit changemakers, Jaime was invited to talk about the mission of the Andy Roddick Foundation, the challenges she faces as a nonprofit leader, and the stories of transformational change she’s experienced as a career out-of-school time professional.

Jaime shared how OST programs like those managed by the Andy Roddick Foundation help to close a nearly two-year learning gap between young people from higher income families and lower income families. Referencing both data and her personal experience working in OST, she explained how extended learning during the school year and engagement during the summer close the achievement gap between young people. “That’s where we’re very proud,” she says. “We close the learning gap. With our kids that we serve, we completely close it.”

The conversation also highlighted the connection between OST enrichment and long-term career success and achievement. Sharing the story of a former participant who was very shy when she first started attending the program, Jaime described the opportunities that opened up for her — friends, connections within the community, opportunities to speak with lawmakers in Washington, D.C. about the power of afterschool — and that she is now an ambassador for her high school and now looking forward to college. “She's already gotten accepted because the world is out there for her.” Jaime shared. “And the sky is the limit. [That's] what we want for every single child.”

The Six Pack is SixDegrees.org's short-form, podcast-style conversation series designed to shine a light on grassroots change leaders through amplification of their nonprofit work. Hosted by SixDegrees.org team members and special guests, The Six Pack highlights the passionate individuals cultivating impact in their communities. Learn more and watch or listen to other episodes here.

Tomorrow, programs and organizations across the country will join the Afterschool Alliance in celebrating Lights on Afterschool. This nationwide event highlights the essential role that afterschool programs play in the lives of children, families, and communities. Both experience and evidence shows us that afterschool programs provide young people with critical opportunities to discover new skills and passions, supporting their growth beyond the school day.

Through surveys of over 30,000 parents and guardians of school-age children across the country, the Alliance’s recent release of America After 3PM 2025 underscores what many of us already know: afterschool programs are in high demand but out of reach for many families. Nearly 30 million parents of young people want to enroll their children in afterschool programs, but more than 3 in 4 are missing out due to factors like affordability, accessibility, and availability. That’s 22.6 million children whose parents would enroll them if a program were available.

As the leading professional association for those who work with and for out-of-school time, the National AfterSchool Association knows that job quality is at the heart of this workforce's ability to deliver high-quality programs. While the need for afterschool programs continues to grow, access is often limited by staff shortages, leaving many young people on waiting lists. The recruitment and retention challenges that programs face stem from long-standing issues of poor job quality, including low wages, part-time hours, and limited benefits.

NAA’s Thriving OST Workforce Initiative is addressing these issues head-on. Our landmark Job Quality Standards emphasize that pay is just one part of the equation. Factors like professional development opportunities, supportive working conditions, and career advancement also play crucial roles in creating a thriving workforce. When OST professionals experience stable, high-quality jobs, they can bring their best selves to their work and foster safe, supportive environments for the young people they serve.

This year, as we celebrate the power of afterschool programs during Lights On Afterschool, let’s also shine a light on the professionals who make these programs possible. By investing in job quality, we ensure not only the future of afterschool programs but also the lasting impact on children and communities nationwide.

Lights On Afterschool, the national showcase for afterschool programs, is around the corner! Learn more or see how you can join the Afterschool Alliance’s nationwide celebration on October 23!

The ongoing federal government shutdown has now led to layoffs at the U.S. Department of Education, including nearly all staff responsible for the 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) initiative, the primary federal funding stream for afterschool and summer learning programs. These reductions threaten to disrupt critical oversight, technical assistance, and guidance that help states and local providers deliver high-quality programming to more than 1.4 million students nationwide.

Our strategic partner, the Afterschool Alliance, is closely monitoring these developments and providing timely updates through their newswire, The Afterschool Snack. Their latest article details the impact of the October 10 layoffs and underscores the potential long-term consequences for afterschool programs and the communities they serve. Importantly, the Alliance offers concrete ways for advocates to take action by reaching out to Congress and the Administration to call for an end to the shutdown and the reinstatement of Department of Education staff.

We encourage all NAA members and friends of afterschool to visit The Afterschool Snack regularly for the most current updates and advocacy tools. By staying informed and raising our collective voice, we can help ensure that vital programs like 21st CCLC continue to strengthen student success, family stability, and community well-being.

This year’s NAA Convention will also feature a special collaboration with the Afterschool Alliance, bringing new opportunities to elevate policy, advocacy, and systems-building efforts. Whether your work touches programs directly or focuses on research, philanthropy, or public policy, NAA26 is the place to connect with changemakers and gain insights into the trends shaping the field. Together, we’ll make space for critical conversations and amplify our collective voice for the future of afterschool.

On October 23, communities across the country will shine a light on the power and impact of afterschool programs during the 26th annual Lights On Afterschool, organized by the Afterschool Alliance. The nationwide event unites more than 8,000 communities and one million Americans in celebration and advocacy for the programs that keep young people safe, supported, and inspired beyond the school day.

As the only national event of its kind, Lights On Afterschool highlights both the essential role of afterschool and summer programs and the urgent need for continued investment to sustain them. Programs, families, and partners are encouraged to host local celebrations, from open houses and student showcases to community forums, that spotlight the positive difference afterschool makes in the lives of young people.

The NAA is proud to join the Afterschool Alliance year-round in celebrating the professionals and programs that make this work possible every day. By lifting up the stories and successes of afterschool programs, we can help demonstrate their vital contributions to youth, families, and communities nationwide.

Organizations that register their events with the Afterschool Alliance receive free posters, planning tips, and national visibility through coordinated outreach efforts. A comprehensive Lights On Afterschool Planning Kit includes tools, sample materials, and success stories to help programs of all sizes design meaningful events.

For details on how to participate, register an event, or explore celebrations happening nationwide, visit afterschoolalliance.org.

Lights On Afterschool is a project of the Afterschool Alliance, a nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuring that all children have access to quality afterschool and summer learning opportunities.

The latest issue of the Journal of Youth Development is here! The JYD offers innovative practices and strategies that can enhance your work with young people. This issue highlights research and practice innovations addressing equity, inclusion, mental health, and the future of youth development in diverse contexts.

Here’s a snapshot of what you’ll find inside:

• Supporting STEM inclusion in out-of-school time: Research-to-practice strategies to help educators design accessible STEM experiences for youth with diverse physical and sensory abilities.
• Long-term impact of 4-H: A comparative study showing how 4-H alumni fare in adulthood on economic stability, health, and community involvement.
• Christian camps as catalysts: Insights into how faith-based camps partner with families and communities to extend youth development beyond camp.
• Culturally responsive STEM with drones: A hands-on model for engaging underserved youth in STEM by blending geospatial technology, participatory mapping, and community science.
• Hybrid youth programming best practices: Lessons from the CLOVER by 4-H pilot, identifying models and strategies for effective hybrid learning environments.
• Closing the youth activity gap: Evidence from a school-community partnership that expanded access to intramural sports for students from marginalized backgrounds.
• Building social capital: How youth-serving organizations can help young people mobilize networks and relationships to support postsecondary success and career opportunities.
• Adolescent resilience during COVID-19: Profiles of technology use and physical activity that reveal unique risks and protective factors for youth mental health.
• Mindfulness, social media, and teen mental health: National evidence showing that mindful media use is linked to lower depression among adolescents.
• Critical thinking through FFA and 4-H: A mixed-methods study on how participation in competitions and leadership activities fosters college and career readiness skills.

Read the issue.

Head to the website to access articles and follow JYD on social media platforms such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Twitter (@JournalYouthDev) to stay updated on the latest news and developments.Along with the National Association of Extension 4-H Youth Development Professionals (NAE4-HYDP), the National AfterSchool Association sponsors the journal.

Out-of-School Time programs are more than places for learning; they’re platforms for transformation. In this issue of AfterSchool Today, the official publication of the National AfterSchool Association, we’re shining a spotlight on advocacy in action. From young people leading local campaigns to OST professionals shaping policy, we’re looking for stories and strategies that showcase how our field is using its voice to make change.

We invite submissions that reflect the many ways OST supports youth and adults in becoming agents of change at the personal, programmatic, community, and policy levels.

We’re looking for voices that are bold, informed, and rooted in the realities and possibilities of OST. Whether you're leading a campaign, mentoring a youth advocate, or building the conditions for others to speak up—this is your moment to share.

Please email Heidi@naaweb.org with your article idea and we will share contributor guidelines with you.

Suggested topics include, but are not limited to:

• Youth voice: Stories written by or with young people leading or participating in advocacy efforts
• Staff-led change: How OST professionals are organizing, advocating, or storytelling to make systems change.
• Building advocacy into program culture and practice
• Engaging families, school partners, or local officials in advocacy work
• Tips and tools for using data, storytelling, or social media for OST advocacy
• Mentorship as a path to empowerment and voice
• Perspectives on how advocacy supports equity, mental health, or belonging in OST
• OSTs role in the broader childcare or education policy landscape

Launched in 2000, Lights On Afterschool is the only nationwide event celebrating afterschool programs and their important role in the lives of children, families and communities. The effort has become a hallmark of the afterschool movement and generates media coverage across the country each year.

The Afterschool Alliance organizes Lights On Afterschool to draw attention to the many ways afterschool programs support students by offering them opportunities to learn new things — such as science, community service, robotics, Tae Kwon Do and poetry — and discover new skills. The events send a powerful message that millions more kids need quality afterschool programs.

Do you need help planning and promoting your program’s Lights On Afterschool celebration? Now is the perfect time to get started. Register here for the Alliance’s webinar next Thursday, September 4, to learn how to get the most out of your event. In the meantime, check out the Afterschool Alliance’s event planning guide and their partner communications tools today!

One of the most powerful things about being part of a professional association is the collective wisdom of our network. At NAA, we rely on the expertise of our staff, funders, and national partners, but we learn from the real-world experience of our members. Your voice, your perspective, and your day-to-day work help shape the future of the field.

That’s why we want to hear from you.

If you're working on something that feels new, effective, or energizing — whether it’s a program innovation, a professional development approach, a community partnership, or a lesson learned — consider sharing your story. You can submit a written piece or simply let us know you're open to a short interview. We’ll help shape your story and lift it up through NAA’s publications and platforms.

Now more than ever, stories from the field matter. As federal funding shifts and legislative decisions threaten the support systems our youth depend on, we need to advocate for the power and impact of out-of-school time. Your stories help make that case, by showing exactly what’s possible when programs are trusted, supported, and well-resourced.

If you have a story to tell, we hope you’ll share it. Please note that submissions promoting a product or service for sale should be submitted as advertising.

Let’s keep learning from one another and lifting up the work that moves our field forward.

I stepped into sabbatical hoping for recovery, reconnection, and reflection. What I found was all of that — and more.

The shift from "doing" to "being" wasn’t easy at first. I needed tools to help me unlearn urgency and revisit boundary setting.  This was something I worked on explicitly with my coach, Marissa Badgely, a couple of years ago at a Revlovelution Retreat (this August, check out Changemaker (Re)Boot Camp, a similar but more in-depth experience), so I pulled out this blog about boundaries to remind me of boundary setting basics and to think about  applying what I learned  in a different way. I had to resist the pull to make the time productive in a way that looked good on paper. But once I got quiet, I started hearing myself again. I started noticing what had been missing: space, stillness, and a deeper sense of presence.

Here’s what I noticed:

• I did meet my goals, but not because I pushed.
• I stopped measuring success by output.
• I felt like myself again.

And I want to be honest: that didn’t happen on day one. It took some time. But slowly, I got there.

Feeling the Shift

My Sabbatical Blueprint helped ground me. I kept coming back to the question: How do I want to feel? Not what do I need to do today? That shift made all the difference.

By the end of week one I wasn’t checking my phone so much, and I stopped trying to make every moment productive. I gave myself permission to move slowly and with intention.

Some of the best parts of sabbatical were simple, everyday joys:

• Gardening: Watching wildflowers bloom felt like progress without a deadline
• Sitting quietly with my husband, sharing space without needing to solve anything
• Catching up with friends: Working out together, going to see live music, participating in trivia, road-tripping, celebrating birthdays and new grandmas, barbecuing on a random Tuesday.
• Puzzles, home projects, and making our space feel more like a sanctuary

None of it was flashy. But it was all grounding. These moments reminded me that joy, connection, and creativity aren’t extras. They’re essentials.

I felt unhurried. Present. Supported. And for the first time in a while, reconnected.

These weren’t big moments. But they were powerful. They helped me remember who I am outside of being “in charge” of something.

What Surprised Me Most

The biggest surprise? Real rest didn’t make me rusty. It made me clearer. I thought I might feel lost without work to structure my days. but I didn’t. I felt like I was finally walking at my own pace.

And that nagging voice, the one that always says “You’re not doing enough”? It got quieter. Not gone. but quieter. Sabbatical gave me the time and space to pay attention again. And that alone was worth everything.

Contributed by Heidi Ham, Chief Operating Officer, National AfterSchool Association

In the early days of building what would become the nation’s largest afterschool system, access to school buildings in New York City was far from guaranteed. Custodian engineers, empowered by a 1975 agreement with the city, controlled schools after hours—setting their own rates and often keeping youth programs out entirely.

“So many people didn't have a clue of how challenging, how difficult, how impossible it was to be in the public schools after three o'clock in the old days,” says Sister Paulette LoMonaco, an early pioneer in this work.

To eliminate that barrier would be “essential to meaningful school reform,” according to a 1988 New York Times op-ed. And that was just one of the challenges these early pioneers faced in building New York City’s afterschool system.

LoMonaco and her colleague and friend, Jane Quinn, have been leading figures in youth development, philanthropy, and social service for more than five decades. Quinn’s work has ranged from direct service with children and families to research and advocacy at organizations such as the Juvenile Protective Association of Chicago, Girls Clubs of America, Carnegie Corporation of New York, The Wallace Foundation, and Children’s Aid. LoMonaco led Good Shepherd Services for 40 years, serving more than 30,000 young people and their families in comprehensive, community-based programs across New York City.

Though both women have retired, their passion for the work they dedicated decades to continues. This shared commitment led them to co-author a new report exploring the evolution of New York City’s afterschool system. Released earlier this year, From Stumbling Blocks to Building Blocks: A History of Afterschool in New York City explores the evolution of New York City’s afterschool system and features voices from 30 key players in policy, research, advocacy, and practice.

Click through to read the full article by Jenna Doleh on the Wallace Foundation website.

Six weeks ago, I stepped cautiously into my sabbatical. I felt a little scared, but with the support of my community (including planning, on-going coaching and a toolbox of resources from Marissa Badgley, founder of Reloveution), I was also prepared.

Beforehand, Marissa worked with me to create a Sabbatical Blueprint that included questions helping me identify the following:

How do I want to feel?
Relaxed. Excited. Productive (home projects in a creative way). Supported. Reconnected (to self, to partner, friends/community/world).

How do I not want to feel?
Pressured, overscheduled, not at loose ends, floundering, self-doubt, guilt, shame. Responsible and accountable for everything.

What does success look like after six weeks?

• I will feel… refreshed, reset, calm, intentional.
• I will NOT feel… overwhelmed, disorganized, doing everything all at once, pressured
• I will have… a plan for coming back, a routine,
• I will have… the ability to pay attention and integrate what I’ve learned
• I will better understand… how to maintain balance when you return to “real life,” myself, and what I am trying to accomplish, my legacy, what I should be working on to feel good about what I’ve done
• I want to feel ready to share what I did.

Back at work, after week one, I can say, “mission accomplished!”

Now, I’m working on getting myself reacclimated and determining priorities. I’ll also write about my experience and what I learned, and check with colleagues (let me know if you’d like to chat) to see how you are doing and things are going.

I’m grateful for the job quality I am fortunate to enjoy, and now that I’m back, look forward to continuing to spearhead the quest for OST job quality and more!

P.S Stay tuned for more reflections and resources about how to successfully include rest as part of the work.

Contributed by Heidi Ham, Chief Operating Officer, National AfterSchool Association. To read Heidi’s reflection before her sabbatical, click here.