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Dear Prime Time Community,
This year marks a remarkable milestone: Prime Time Palm Beach County’s 25th Anniversary. For a quarter of a century, we have championed quality out-of-school time (OST) programs, supported youth-development professionals and helped create meaningful learning experiences for thousands of children and youth across Palm Beach County.
As we celebrate this special anniversary, we reflect on the achievements that have shaped who we are today and look ahead to the innovations that will carry us into the future.
Milestones Worth Celebrating
1999: A Vision for Better OST
Prime Time Palm Beach County was founded with a bold mission:
As an intermediary organization, Prime Time’s mission is to ensure that afterschool programs are of high quality in terms of delivery, practice and standards.
2003–2008: Building the Foundation of Quality
During this period, Prime Time introduced some of its most influential quality-improvement initiatives, including
- The Quality Standards for Afterschool,
- Coaching and professional development supports and
- Early partnerships with funders and youth-serving agencies
that solidified our role as a leader in OST excellence.
2011: Launch of the Expanded Learning Opportunities System
Prime Time advanced its vision with the launch of the expanded learning opportunities (ELO) system, offering hands-on, skill-building enrichment activities delivered by local content experts. This groundbreaking model continues to enrich the lives of thousands of youth each year.
2015–2020: Investing in OST Professionals
Recognizing that high-quality programs start with highly trained staff, Prime Time launches and expands:
- The ACHIEVE OST Practitioner Incentive Program,
- Career pathways in youth development, and
- Stackable credentials and professional learning opportunities
These investments have helped thousands of youth -development professionals grow their careers and deepen their impact.
2020–2022: Adapting Through the Unexpected
When the world changed, Prime Time changed with it. We supported OST providers with:
- Virtual enrichment resources,
- Online professional development, and
- Emergency support for youth and families.
This resilience strengthened our commitment to ensuring youth always have access to safe, supportive learning spaces.
2023–2024: Renewed Focus on Belonging & Youth Voice
Prime Time continued initiatives that support:
- Building resiliency and life skills among children and youth,
- Bringing hands-on STEAM activities to youth at their programs, and
- Youth empowerment through leadership
Our aspiration is to reach every child, regardless of background, and provide access to enriching experiences that affirm who they are and what they can become.
2025: Celebrating 25 Years of Impact
This anniversary year is a celebration of:
- The children and youth we’ve served
- The OST professionals who give their all every day
- The partners, funders, and community members who make our work possible
Together, we have provided more than three million learning experiences to youth and provided more than 34,000 training opportunities to afterschool professionals who make quality programming a priority. In turn, this has strengthened a county-wide system that is recognized nationally as a model for excellence.
Looking Ahead: The Next 25 Years
As we honor our past, we also embrace the future with optimism.
Prime Time will continue to:
- Innovate in youth programming,
- Strengthen the OST workforce, and
- Ensure Palm Beach County remains a place where every child has the opportunity to thrive.
Thank You for Being Part of Our Journey
Your partnership, support, and belief in our mission have brought us to this milestone. Here’s to the next 25 years of learning, growing and shining together.
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