Research-based Ideas for OST Professionals from National Afterschool Matters Fellows

August 28, 2019

This month, the second cohort of National Afterschool Matters (NASM) Fellows reaches the end of its tenure as the third cohort prepares to start. Take a look at some of the work published by our first two cohorts of out-of-school-time (OST) professionals during the course of their fellowships, covering professional development, youth development, and how to design engaging OST programs.

Over the course of their fellowships, the NASM fellows, all mid-career OST, education, or youth development professionals, took part in a collaborative process of study, conversation, and engagement around OST practice, policy, and experiences. They produced hands-on, inquiry-based research and writing under the guidance of experienced mentors.

As one 2017 fellow said, “The NASM Fellowship connected me with colleagues across the country who are asking important questions about how to deepen and improve the afterschool field. The mentors and guidance around research and writing provided a unique and empowering professional development experience.”

Another observed, “The NASM Fellowship has provided me a much larger view of the afterschool field nationally and has helped put the work we do at our organization into a larger context. Having the research tools and confidence in writing has also provided me with a more robust skill set than when I started the fellowship.“

We are proud of the work our national fellows have done over the last four years and look forward to seeing their future endeavors even as we welcome the next NASM cohort in a few weeks.

Designing Engaging Programs

• “How to Redefine Structured After-school Activities So Kids Will Be Engaged,” by Omid Amini in Youth Today
• “Designing a Memorable Summer Science Camp: Survive the Zombie Apocalypse,” by Rachel Katkar in Click2Science
• “Creating High-Performance Afterschool Programs,” by Sonia Toledo in Afterschool Matters Journal 
• “4 Powerful Tips To Keep After-School Children Engaged and Focused,” by Sonia Toledo in Fractus Learning 
• “The Story of a Goose: Creating an Afterschool Culture That Matters!” by Sonia Toledo in Youth Today
• “Designing a Dynamic Summer Program,” by Mike Waters in Click2Science

Youth Development and Needs

• “The Plague of the Broken Crayons and the Heads That Haunted Us,” by Sara Cole in Afterschool Matters Journal 
• “Real Youth Leadership,” by Rachel Katkar in Click2Science
• “Youth Perspectives on Staff Turnover,” by Tricia McGuiness in LinkedIn
• “Detroit’s Kids Deserve After-school Programs,” by Kim Newberry in The Detroit News 
• “Medical Needs in After-school Programs: What Would You Do?,” by Ashley Peters in Youth Today 
• “Teaching our Children the Truth to Self-Love,” by Sonia Toledo in Fractus Learning 

 Professional Development

• “The Massachusetts Promise Fellowship: Building a Community of Practice Founded on Social Justice Principles,” by Cecelia Auditore in Youth Today OST Hub
• “The Language of Spaces,” by Devan Blackwell in Youth Today
• “Building Leaders in Out-of-School Time,” by Trina Dorn in Click2Science
• “Taking Advantage of Leadership Opportunities in Out-of-School Time,” by Brandon Hutton in Click2Science
• “OST Professional Pipeline: Why is it Leaking?” by Carla O'Donnell-Rizzo in Completely Kids 
• “Professional Development in Out-of-School Time -- A Case Study in Maine,” by Pamela Prevost in Youth Today OST Hub
• “Drop the 'After,' 'Expanded' or 'Extended.' We're Educators,” by Julia Rugg in National Afterschool Association
• “Continuum of Professional Development Should Target Needs, Develop Talents,” by Mike Waters in Youth Today 
• “Supporting Effective Youth Work: Job-Embedded Professional Development in OST,” by Jocelyn Wiedow in Afterschool Matters Journal 
• “A Holistic Approach to OST Staff Development,” by Mike Waters in Youth Today
• “Positive Change Through a Credential Process,” by Tinnycua Williams in Afterschool Matters Journal

The NASM Fellowship Program is part of the larger Afterschool Matters initiative at NIOST, which also includes publication of Afterschool Matters, a peer-reviewed journal that is produced semi-annually and highlights the work of OST researchers, NASM Fellows, OST practitioners, and other related professionals. Funding is provided by the Robert Bowne Foundation.