School: After Hours

How do you balance the responsibilities of family, the highs and lows of being an OST professional, a personal life, and staying highly active in the community? This week for our second Afterschool Experiences episode, we talk to someone who has done just that! In the guest seat this week is Kai Banks, the Youth Innovation director at Storefront Richmond. She has managed a juggling act like few others. Join us as we discuss Kai's life as a mother, and a professional, while continuously improving her community.

In today's episode, we'll be talking about some things that students and parents can do to prepare for the transition from high school to college. We'll also touch base on some alternative options seniors could look into, if they did not want to pursue a four-year degree. 

Volunteering is a great way to give back to the community and rally behind a cause. In our very first "Afterschool Experiences" episode, we talk about volunteering from a personal perspective. Join us as volunteer and former volunteer manager Christopher Lee talks with us about his experience in both roles.

To evaluate or not to evaluate, that's the question? In this episode, I talk with program developer and entrepreneur, Kam Green, about using evaluations to improve program quality and reach program goals. Join us as we discuss using evaluations as a resource inventory, importance of student feedback, structuring lesson/activity plans , and so much more.

Is there anything you wish you knew before starting a certain job or career? Well in this episode Katherine Spinney and I go over the need to knows for youth development professionals as they journey through this field. Join us as we talk about coaching staff, finding valuable workers, and much more.

When you think about your life can you identify a person that had a major impact on you? In this episode, I have Alphonso Mayo and Rachel Lewis from Mentoring Mentors talking with us about the impact of mentorship. We also discussed mentoring beyond the years of an afterschool program, the importance of matching core values with community partnerships, modeling positive behaviors students can mimic, and much more.Bullet points of key topicsImpact of mentoringModeling the behavior you want to seeAccountability for students and parentsAligning partnerships with organization's core valuesCompetition and limited resources List of resource(s)Positive outcomes about mentoring youth Link:https://www.joindream.org/news.html/article/2019/07/31/the-importance-of-youth-mentoringCall to actionVis...

Do you remember your senior year of high school? Well, for the graduating class of 2021 things are very different. In this episode, we sit down with three seniors (Dejia, Talik, and Samantha) from the Partnership for the Future program and discuss how they managed the unexpected events of their senior year. That's not all. We have the new CEO of Partnership for the Future, Dionne Henderson, sharing her experience as a former PFF student and how she wants PFF to grow. Bullet points of key topicsGraduation Limitations Coping with missing senior activities Managing college admission and scholarship processAdvice for future seniorsCEO’s experience being a PFF studentMentor and staff provide a sense of normalcy for studentsHow the pandemic opened other options for connection Growing areas ...

In this episode, we talk to La’Nae and Brianne from R.E.A.L Girlz about difficult situations in school from a student's perspective. Join the conversation as we talk about bullying, the influence of social media, friends vs. frenemies, and so much more. Please be patient with the audio. There is an echo throughout the show but it does not take away from this much-needed conversation. Enjoy!Bullet points of key topicsBullying in schoolLack of support from educators in bullying situationsPosting relationship problems on social mediaIdentifying friends and frenemies Advice to educators on bullyingList of resource(s)Facts about social media and teen suicide Link: https://www.healio.com/news/psychiatry/20201005/social-media-use-may-play-important-role-in-youth-suicide-expert-saysLink: http...

Why is early childhood education so important? In this episode, we sit down with Diahann Whittington (Executive Director) and Winnie Canup (Development Director) from the St. James' Children's Center to discuss this topic. They share with us the impact early childhood education has on their students and how it's preparing them for lifelong learning. Bullet points of key topicsSt. James Children's Center HistoryBenefits of early childhood educationIncorporating Social Emotional Learning into their curriculum Limited access to ece programs Effects the pandemic had on student learning How St.James' Children's Center is moving forwardList of resource(s)Benefits of Early Childhood Education Link:https://azearlychildhood.org/resources/articles/the-13-key-benefits-of...

Too often, there are no support systems available to help young adults find a career path when they graduate from high school. In this episode, I talk with Mr. Sam Brown about the pilot program Z-Life that was created to address this issue in the Richmond area. Join us as we talk about Z-Life and how it is helping young adults move forward. Bullet points of key topicsKnowing options after graduationsCertification vs. 4-year degreeStudent loan debt impacts employment options What Z-Life offers to help young adults succeedList of resource(s)Certifications can increase your earning potential article Link: https://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/paying-for-college/articles/certificate-programs-high-paying-jobs-minus-the-debtCall to actionVisit our website and subscribe to our newsletter...

Healthy Relationships...How important are they in a young person’s life? To answer that question, we have Relationship & Youth Coach Mrs. Tammie Mobley on the show. She is the founder of R.E.A.L Girlz and shares with us how navigating a life-changing relationship of her own led her to start this journey. Join us as we discuss teen dating, friendship, self-love, and more.Bullet points of key topicsWhat does teen dating look like with today’s youthParent and child conversations around datingCommunication is keyImportance of safe spacesList of resource(s)Facts about teen dating violence Link:https://www.chop.edu/news/health-tip/facts-about-teen-dating-violence-and-how-you-can-help-prevent-itTammie Mobley Website:  www.flawless-imperfections.com Article on teen dating violence: www.though...

In this episode, we talk about community impact and family engagement with Ms. Chimere Miles from the Peter Paul Development Center. Peter Paul has been a powerful force in the East End Richmond community for many years. Their family engagement model shows a true commitment to the community and the families they serve. We'll dive into how the structure of their Family Promise Network was created and the impact it continues to have on students and families. Bullet points of key topicsBrief history of Peter PaulPartnership with researchers helped identify community assets and determinantsHow research influenced Family Engagement modelAction teams fostered parent leadership opportunities List of resource(s)Afterschool Alliances break down of financial support for OST programs from Americ...