The Center is seeking a new full-time Program Manager to be based in western NC, specifically in or around Buncombe County and the greater Asheville area, to work directly with partner school districts in this area as they join a growing movement of educators creating trauma-informed schools.

This full-time position provides an incredible opportunity to become immersed in the interplay of trauma and learning and to actively contribute to the expansion of a growing and significant program. The ideal candidate will have experience as an educator, classroom teacher, school student services personnel, or have other previous work experience in schools; a passion for this topic and for serving children and families; strong interpersonal skills; an understanding of schools and school culture; leadership skills to work independently; and experience in public speaking and leading meetings with individuals from diverse backgrounds. Candidates should have an interest in working on systems change to promote the expansion of trauma-informed, safe and supportive learning environments that can improve educational and life outcomes for all students. 

Celebrating 35 years of youth changing the world, Global Youth Service Day (April 28-30, 2023) is the longest-running annual youth participation event in the world and the only one that asks all youth ages 5-25 to find meaning and purpose by working together for the common good.

Lead Awareness, Service, Advocacy, or Philanthropy projects to achieve the Global Goals. Use this tipsheet to choose an ASAP project. Then, use the Kids in Action Guide (ages 5-12) or the Youth Changing the World Toolkit (ages 13+ and available in Spanish, Arabic, Bengali, Chinese, French, Italian, Portuguese, and Russian) to plan your project.

Developed by PEAR, the Dimensions of Success (DoS), is a research-based observation tool that measures the quality of students’ STEM learning experiences. The DoS training and certification process involves a two-day live webinar training, completion of video calibration exercises, a one-hour live calibration session, and successful completion of two practice observations in the field. Certification is provided at no cost Network and program leads affiliated with the Moonshot.

(Registration deadline is April 6th)

The Million Girls Moonshot helps to connect STEM experts with OST programs! Share your program’s volunteer opportunities for STEM experts to work with your youth today! Register here to find role models and mentors in STEM.

The Ivy Community Service Foundation of Cary (ICSFC) is a 501(c)3 organization with a mission to enhance the quality of life for communities through program development and financial support in the areas of arts, education, economics, family, and health.

ICSFC will award mini-grants to non-profit organizations that provide or expand access to the arts for underserved or low-resource communities and families. Organizations that received this grant in 2022 are not eligible to receive this grant in 2023. Eligible projects must serve individual participants or a collective group. These grants are eligible to fund special projects or programs or provide ongoing program support for initiatives that reflect the organization’s commitment to community outreach.

Grant proposals are welcome in fine arts, performing arts, visual arts, digital media, and creative writing from afterschool programs serving Wake County. Grant funds may not be used for operational and administrative expenses such as rent, utilities, marketing, staff development, etc.

Up to $1500 each will be awarded to agency(ies) submitting fundable proposals. Funding requests must be received by April 12, 2023 at 5:00 p.m. to be eligible for consideration. Grant awards will be announced by May 19, 2023.

Funding requests and accompanying documents must be emailed as a single attachment to [email protected] and should not exceed five (5) single-spaced pages, excluding the documents described in the Accompanying Documents section below. The email subject line should be the name of the applying organization only. (e.g., Subject: Arts for All, Inc.)

Learn more about the Ivy Community Service Foundation of Cary through the Request for Proposals

This summer, Girls Build Solutions™ is celebrating and demonstrating how hands-on learning and the power of women and girls can unlock the creativity and innovation our world needs most. This high-energy national event will bring together girls and leaders from all 50 states to change the narrative and elevate the potential of girls in STEM.

Girls Build Solutions is the showcase event of STEM Next’s Million Girls Moonshot, an initiative to engage 1 million more girls in STEM through afterschool and summer programs. Moonshot is re-imagining who can engineer, who can build, who can make. Learn more and join us at milliongirlsmoonshot.org

As you are working to connect to your local and state offices and districts to make the case for using their American Rescue Plan resources to partner with afterschool and summer learning programs?

You may encounter a “No" at the start of your conversation. A new resource, “Help Responding to ARP Nos,” can help you develop responses to navigate the “No” and keep the conversation going.

Wednesdays: 4/12/2023, 4/26/2023, and 5/10/2023 11:00 AM-1:00 PM

Are you looking for fun ways to help youth build number sense and problem-solving skills? Math can take on new meaning when it is integrated into daily routines in our afterschool programs. In this module, afterschool educators will explore and practice strategies for making math engaging and accessible. Asking Purposeful Questions is a prerequisite to this skill. *The expectation is that you will be live at all three sessions and an active member of this coaching cohort. Recordings are not available if you are unable to attend. Use this code to help you register: AC228PQ

Too often have the achievements and contributions of women — and even more so women of color — in STEM fields been overlooked. Celebrate some extraordinary female scientists of color who have shattered the glass ceiling, despite facing racial and gender discrimination!

Check out this curated list of books to help children of all ages, especially our young women, develop a positive identity around STEM and science.

In October 2023 and April 2024, two solar eclipses will be criss-crossing the US.

In an exciting new partnership, undergraduate students and eclipse enthusiasts will engage their local communities in advance of the eclipses to enjoy the awe and wonder of this unique alignment.

Eclipse Ambassadors will bring outreach programs to underserved audiences in local libraries, colleges, schools, and other community organizations. Training, partnerships, and resources are provided and all engagement can be done before the eclipses - there's no commitment when the shadows arrive. Undergraduates will also receive a stipend, plus opportunities to further their involvement in NASA programs.

Addressing underrepresentation and career preparation issues starts with the education system, but it is too much to ask schools to solve these problems by themselves. Some 80% of a child’s waking hours are spent outside the classroom. That leaves plenty of time for other important and overlooked approaches — such as afterschool and out-of-school programs — that can offer additional time and more sustained opportunities to provide career exploration programming and augment the STEM teaching and learning that happens during the school day.

Read the Full Article by Kyle Hartung & Melissa Moritz to learn more

Please save the date for the 2023 Color of Education Summit. This event is such an important one for both classroom and afterschool educators in our state and we hope to see many of the providers in our network there! If you are interested in speaking, presenting, moderating (at) or sponsoring this event please contact Dr. Deanna Townsend-Smith

Supported by the Mott Foundation, Mizzen is available at no cost to afterschool professionals! Download the Mizzen By Mott app to access STEM activities at your finger-touch! You’ll find it in Mizzen here.