March  2019 Newsletter
Agriculture and Food Industries Inspiring Student Dreams 

Afterschool professionals have always been champions of inspiring student dreams. Part of keeping students inspired is keeping them healthy. Here is what one our partners, Crista Hawkins, from the Oregon Dairy and Nutrition Council (ODNC) had to say about inspiring student dreams through the power of nutrition:

"Everyone eats-yet how many of us really think about the various careers related to nutrition?  One group of students from North Marion School District participated on a youth panel at a recent Oregon School Nutrition Association Conference.  The students, ranging from elementary school to high school, shared their experiences with school meals including their favorite meals, least favorite foods and suggestions for new menu items.  As with any group, one person's favorite, was another's least favorite! School Nutrition directors from around Oregon asked questions, took notes and expressed appreciation for all the candid feedback.  They plan to ask students in their schools for menu ideas.
After the panel discussion, the students attended the food show with vendors from Oregon and throughout the country. They tasted new foods that could be offered on school menus and shared their opinions with the nutrition directors. The students also talked with the vendors about new food innovations as well as all the nutrition and food safety regulations.  One high school student was so inspired by the variety and importance of the work that she now plans to have a career in school nutrition.  She wants to make a difference and nourish students in the future!"

For more ideas on how agriculture influences student health and helps inspire them into different career pathways, check out this Who's who: Careers In Foods resource from the ODNC.
Spread the Word about Afterschool 

In Oregon, Legislative session is in full swing which means it is a great time to spread the word about Afterschool!  This spring, we want to support you sharing your story and voice with legislators and decision makers from your community. This  March 26th (3-26)  is one such perfect opportunity. Across the nation, programs, parents and students will reach out to say 
3 to 6  pm (3 26) is a critical time . If you are interested in helping spread the message, check out some of our  Afterschool Resources to help amplify the voice of afterschool, such as;  

Also, if you are interested in keeping an eye on the daily and weekly happenings of Oregon State Legislature, check out Children First for Oregon legislative updates. You can find the most recent updates or specific topics they are keeping partners updated on. Not sure where to start?  Click here for tips on easy outreach strategies to reach your policy makers!
Upcoming Training with OregonASK 

Here are a few of the upcoming trainings OregonASK is hosting, to see our full list of trainings and curriculum click here and contact Katie Lakey for information on how to set up trainings.

Mind the Gap - April 12-13th
T he joint Spring Conference between
Oregon  Association for Education of Young  Children  (ORAEYC) and OregonASK is nearly here.  Make sure to r egister for your  sessions now!
  Click here  for more information and registration.   For questions contact Susan Zundel.  

Leap into Science: Wind & Air starts April 6th
Science and literacy activitie for preschool to school age youth and their families. We will be starting with Year 2 of our national partnership with a focus on  Wind & Air, April 6th at Gilbert House Children's Museum in Salem. Register Now or  contact Rachel Kessler with questions.


Employee Wellness & Curriculum Reviews - Coming this Spring
OregonASK's health & wellness trainer will be providing training on; Employee Wellness ( taking care of oneself, physically and mentally), and H&W Curriculum Review (an introduction to various evidenced-based health and wellness curriculums and how to make the most of them). These trainings will offer programs an opportunity to dive deeper in health & wellness or get an introduction to incorporating healthy practices/resources in your program. Contact  Kassy Rousselle  if interested in participating.


Join A Cohort!

Leadership in Afterschool Cohort: Next session March 8th
This series is geared toward Management level staff who can apply trainings to work with students as well as colleagues. The series allows individuals to drop in on one or take them all. Register Now for next in the series Staff Are People on March 8th from 10am-12pm, Contact Susan Zundel with questions.


Zero Robotics Summer Cohort
Another opportunity that OregonASK continues to support annually is Zero Robotics, a great introduction into robotics and programming that includes live interaction with astronauts on the International Space Station! 

This innovative and inspiring middle school summer program introduces students to computer programming, robotics, and space engineering. It provides hands-on experience programming SPHERES (Synchronized, Position, Hold, Engage, Reorient, Experimental, Satellites). For more information about this exciting opportunity, contact  Bernard Rhaming.

State & National Crypto Club 
CryptoClub program uses games, treasure hunts, and other informal activities t o e ngage students in cryptography and mathematics, applying topics from middle school math standards. Attend a 5 hour training for only $25 and take home the educator manual, student workbook, ongoing support from our local trainer, as well as connection to national network of educators. For more information contact Rachel Kessler or click here

Service To Careers Health Occupations: Starting in March!
OregonASK is expanding the Service to Careers Pilot to include specific focus on health occupations. If your interested in joining the two hour online training for free register here or contact Kassy Rousselle.
Access and Equity Survey & Focus Groups

We've received tons of great information from the programs we've been visiting. As we continue to collect surveys and hold focus groups across Oregon, we are working on summarizing survey and focus group data to include in our interim report  coming out in Spring 2019!  In March and April we are looking forward to hearing  more  during future trips to Central Oregon and the Oregon Coast.

If you are interested in having your program represented in this work, sharing the voic e of your youth, and telling about the impact you've made, please make sure to take one of our survey's;  the  Program Management  or  Site Staff Survey.  You can also find out more about our  Afterschool Access & Equity  tools  or contact Juan Soto about sharing a youth survey  with your 4th-12th grade students.


THANK YOU to all who have participated! We hope this data will help grow resources so more programs can reach the youth and families who need quality expanded learning opportunities. 
NAA 2019 National Conference!

The National Afterschool Association's 2019 Conference is right around the corner, happening in the city that never sleeps! That's right, NAA 2019 National Conference will be taking place in 
New York City from March 15th-18th!  Afterschool Program  Professionals from across the country will be attending to gain new insights on STEM, Trauma-Informed Care, and much more! 
 
Oregon will be well represented this year as Ayanna Zamora from the Woodburn Afterschool club (WASC) has been awarded the Next Gen Leadership Award! Click here to read what she had to say about being awarded this honor! 

OregonASK's Master Trainer, Rachel Kessler will even be providing a couple of workshops at the conference. You won't want to miss her workshop on promoting youth voice through art! For more information on the conference, click here.
Summer Robotics...One Small Step For Man
July 20, 2019 will mark the 50 th  Anniversary of the landing of  Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin on the  Moon in Apollo 11. 

In celebration of this monumental accomplishment, NASA's Northwest Earth and Space Sciences Pipeline (NESSP), is supporting the Apollo Next Giant Leap Student Challenge (ANGLeS Challenge). This challenge incorporates  team engineering design, flying a drone and programming a Lego robot. Teams from Oregon will compete in a  statewide challenge on July 20,  2019, at LaCreole Middle School in Dallas, OR.   The team that wins the Oregon Challenge will earn a Grand Prize of a trip to Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas! For more information,  click here .

Coaches interested in leading a team are eligible for travel assistance, free equipment and a stipend for participation. No experience is necessary.  There will be Coach Trainings in  Bend Klamath Falls  and  Wilsonville .  Click here to r egister by March 31st, 2019.
Keep Yourself Busy This Spring Break

In case you were looking for something to do to keep yourself busy this spring break, we've got plenty of ideas and resources to share. Whether you are planning ahead for summer, or brushing up on exemplary practices, make sure to check these out. 

Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) Model: Getting Started   Webinar on  March 21, 2019, from 10:00 AM - 11:00 PM .   This one-hour webinar, hosted by   in collaboration with Multnomah Education Service District (ESD), explores the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) model.  Schools, out-of-school time programs and partners will learn how the WSCC model can be used as a framework for integrating health and learning, enhancing coordination within the school district, and increasing collaboration with community partners. This training is made possible by the CDC's 1801 Healthy Schools Grant.  Click Here to register.  

21st Annual Fair Housing Poster Contest!

The Fair Housing Council of Oregon is hosting it's annual Fair Housing Poster Contest with a theme of  "Everyone is Welcome in My Neighborhood" . The contest is open for all youth, 1st-8th grade, that wish to participate. This friendly competition is a great way to educate our youth on their civil rights through artistic expression. The top entries will receive cash awards and the winner will have their design posted statewide!  Submission deadline is March 15th, 2019.  For more information regarding the contest  click here!
Get a Jump on Summer!

It may be snowing now but sunny summer days are coming up quick! To get ideas about activities and  how to plan a summer program, The Nation Summer Learning Association (NSLA) has a plethora of resources available to implement summer plans. They've even decided to extend the annual summer learning day into a whole week to inspire as much summer learning as possible! Save the date for
National Summer Learning Week, July 8th-13th.  Click here  to find out more on Summer Learning for 2019.
OregonASK Openings

OregonASK is still looking for two  dedicated and driven professionals who want to work for a cause that will have real impact in Oregon communities. The openings are both full time, one year positions: 

Health, Wellness & Safety VISTA - Work to increase access to high quality after school and summer programs through the OregonASK Health, Safety, and Nutrition Initiative. Work with established partners to connect out-of-school time programs to potential partners and resources. 

My Brother's Keeper VISTA  OregonASK will develop strong links to communities of color, community partners (community colleges/universities and workforce boards) and after school and summer learning programs to increase access to high-quality educational, enrichment and mentoring opportunities for youth of color. 

To see more or apply for these position  click here .
2019 Save the Dates!
 
March 15th-18th- NAA Conference
 
April 12th-13th -  "Mind the Gap" 
Hosted by ORAEYC & OregonASK

April 22nd-26th -   Afterschool Profession Appreciation Week
 
May 10th - OregonASK Partner Meeting
 
June 11th-12th- Afterschool for All Challenge
 
July 11th-  National Summer Learning Day

October 11th-  OregonASK Partner Meeting

October 24th- Lights On Afterschool 
 
November 2nd - Oregon Afterschool Conference "Quest for Quality"
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