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Partners in Afterschool
During our Innovation Summit at Stoller Vineyards in August, Micheal Funk, the Director of Afterschool Programs from the California Department of Education, shared inspiring words with over 100 industry, administrator and community partners interested in creating meaningful experiences for youth.
Micheal oversees over 4,500 programs and the distribution of over $550 million in public funds that goes directly to expanded learning opportunities in the state of California (more than the rest of the country put together). Micheal gave a poignant keynote addressing the immense need that exists for youth to have transformative experiences that inspire innovation, collaboration and the mastery of skills.
In 2014, Oregon had 221,708 children who would have been in an afterschool program if there was one available, while only 91,595 took part in afterschool programs*. Help make this the year that we turn the tide, connect with school districts, industry and community partners to expand out-of-school time opportunities for Oregon youth!
*Afterschool Alliance, Oregon After 3pm
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Get Ready for Lights On Afterschool
 October 22nd is national Lights On Afterschool Day, the only nationwide event celebrating afterschool programs and their important role in the lives of children, families and communities. The effort has become a hallmark of the afterschool movement and generates media coverage across the country each year.The Afterschool Alliance organizes Lights On Afterschool to draw attention to the many ways afterschool programs support students. Help show your support for quality afterschool programs, check out resources and register your event online at the
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Are you looking for new STEM ideas for your program? Maybe you are in need of program management resources... whatever your need, join us in Salem on November 7th for an exciting day full of resources, tips and tricks that will help you build transformative experiences for youth!
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Participants will learn gender-equitable teaching strategies, as well as approaches, strategies, and tools to promote STEM identity for students. Content and strategies can be useful for in school and out-of-school educators. Register Now for $35 and receive DVD's off all three seasons! |
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October Trainings in Wilsonville
The InventionX five-stage invention process teaches students how to think, not what to think. The process and exercises can be applied to any area of STEM content. Register Now Full day for only $35
Using games, treasure hunts, and other informal activities, learn how to engage middle school students in cryptography and mathematics. Register Now for $89
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The Mythos Project Continues
The Mythos Challenge is a youth-led Oregon connected learning initiative. Their goal is to promote youth creativity, collaboration, and community by bringing together world traditions with new technologies. The Mythos Youth Council formed early this year as students were brought together at the Portland Art Museum with industry experts to shape the direction of the Mythos Challenge. If you are interested in joining the Youth Council, applications will open September 14th. CLICK HERE to find applications for new members.
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Wrapping Up Our Summer Fun
OregonASK had a busy summer, supporting innovative and exciting summer learning programs across the state. We are thrilled with all the hard work, learning, and fun experiences that came out of the Zero Robotics program and our SL3 project: Summer Learning, Summer Library, Summer Lunch.
OregonASK partnered with MIT, Aurora Flight Sciences, and the Innovation Learning Center to bring the Zero Robotics Middle School Competition to Oregon this summer. The five-week programming course introduced middle school students to coding, outer space, and how the two intersect. The program culminated in a live national broadcast from the International Space Station on August 14th.  Our five Oregon teams convened at the Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum, where they participated in a live web uplink with teams from 10 other states. The uplink featured astronauts from aboard the International Space Station controlling satellites with the computer code written by students during the program. It was an exciting morning that showcased the dedication and hard work of all involved, we are so proud and extremely impressed with every team and can't wait to do it all over again next summer!
This summer, our SL3 program kept libraries open around Oregon, giving students in low-income areas access to library book checkout, free books via Bazillion Books for Kids, USDA Summer Meals and in most cases educational and engaging activities. For the fourth straight year, SL3 saw a successful three months of reading and summer learning with more than 3,600 visits, from over 1,000 students and more than 200 parents. Over 5,000 books were checked out or given away and, for the first time this year, we partnered with OMSI to offer high quality science activities at 5 of the sites for free.
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