As 2024 kicks off, MASN looks ahead to providing another record-breaking year by supporting the needs of the afterschool programs in Missouri.
As a team, we are adapting to meet the ever-growing needs of afterschool professionals. In 2023, we added three new team members including two we recruited from the afterschool field (Cassie Hackett and Richard Irwin).
With a bigger team, we’ve been able to do bigger events! The beginning of 2023 started with the largest registration for the Beyond the Bell Toolkit Training and the year ended with record-breaking attendance at the 30th Missouri School Age Conference (MOSAC). The 30th Missouri School Age Conference featured records for conference attendance, exhibitors, and sponsors! Between celebrating afterschool professionals at the Celebration of Afterschool, to recognizing the newest YDC certificate professionals, attendees learned from presenters visiting around Missouri and twenty-one additional states. The depth of resources, education and networking possibilities was a true pride point for MASN.
Between these two milestones, MASN and our partners built out three new resources. The STEM Mobile Lab launched in the Spring, bringing hand-on STEM activities to students while providing professional development, modeling, and mentoring in STEM to the program staff. A new 7-hour, online Site Director Orientation Training (SDOT) opened for 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) and School Age Community (SAC) directors, ensuring a foundation of common language, knowledge, and understanding across the state. Thanks to increased Child Care Development Funds from the Office of Childhood, MASN now provides a “menu of services” available to all afterschool programs, regardless of grant status, that will help programs to reach their quality goals.
Ashlee Liska, Associate Director of Quality, emphasizes MASN’s commitment to ensuring afterschool professionals have access to the best training for programs and staff. “By accomplishing our goals, programs throughout the state could then take another step toward increasing program quality and supporting the workforce needs of Missouri,” said Ashlee.
Afterschool professionals also found year-long professional development support through MASN’s Peer Learning Communities (PLCs). PLCs included STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math), CAPSA (Career Awareness and Post-Secondary Access), Entrepreneurship, and Afterschool Ambassadors. These topical, virtual meetings provided resources and networking opportunities for program administrators and afterschool staff members.
MASN also holds statewide events that afterschool programs can support their youth in participating or attending. This year, MASN’s annual statewide Youth Entrepreneurship Pitch Challenge hit a record number of participants, with ten contestants advancing to the Young Entrepreneur Institute’s National Pitch Challenge. Four of those ten were national finalists with two of those becoming national champions! In addition to these accomplishments, the inaugural Mott Foundation Christopher Stallworth Award, recognizing a high school student pitch competitor who exemplifies the core attributes of the entrepreneurial mindsets’ persistence and grit, was given to a Missouri afterschool student!
Aaron Banks, Career Awareness and Post-Secondary Access and Entrepreneurship Coordinator, recognizes the intrinsic value for Missouri’s students to also take afterschool to a larger level. “The increase in statewide youth afterschool participation is what I am most proud of.” Aaron goes on to state, “MASN is highlighting many programs to reach students in afterschool to prepare them for a better future,” said Aaron.
One more “first” for our team, the University of Missouri’s Extension Engagement Week was sponsored by MASN! A week-long endeavor exploring the best practices to provide to Missouri youth as they embark on the journey to become leaders. Orion Jean, TIME’s 2021 Kid of the Year, headlined the week with “What My Generation Needs from You?”
Phrases such as “record-number, largest-ever, first time and nationally recognized” are not unique to 2023. MASN has big plans, larger goals, stronger activism opportunities, and growing partnerships. We head into 2024 building systems across the state that improve, support, and sustain high quality afterschool programs. Join us in making 2024 the best year yet!
