News

The NAA community depends on individuals committed to out-of-school time program quality for young people, families, and their teams that make it happen. NAA23 speakers are experts in the field willing to share their knowledge and experiences with attendees to increase connectivity, comradery, and understanding among fellow afterschool professionals. We are excited to have over 150 presenters for this year’s Convention and want to spotlight a few of our stand-out speakers ahead of our March 19^th kick-off in Orlando.

Your squad, your posse, your people. Finding like-minded people isn’t just a pleasant discovery, it’s a basic human need. We are programmed to seek out others who can supply us with the love and sense of belonging we crave and, as social creatures, we crave those relationships. Without supportive people who accept you, understand your aspirations, and want you to thrive in life, you will likely encounter struggles that could further alienate you from important social groups and goals. At NAA23, you will have several opportunities to find your people among other dedicated Afterschool professionals.

The National AfterSchool Association (NAA), the voice of the afterschool profession and leading organization for the advancement of afterschool professionals and leaders, has selected 17 Out-of-School Time (OST) professionals from across the country to recognize as the NAA’s 2023 Next Generation of Afterschool Leaders.

Research and practical experience suggest that readiness is critical when making a change. In out-of-school time (OST), change can take many forms—from making improvements to existing practices to implementing new activities, to revamping a program completely—but its success hinges on having strong operations, willing staff, and engaged stakeholders ready to make change happen with integrity and quality.