The best afterschool programs don’t just change afternoons — they change lives. But that kind of impact doesn’t happen by accident. It’s built, intentionally and over time, by dedicated people committed to doing work that lasts.
MOSAC’s 2026 theme, Built to Last, encompasses multiple areas within the field of afterschool as we take a long term view of the work we do. 
STUDENTS:
As we work with students, it is important to keep in mind that we are helping to raise adults. With this mindset, we strive for success in the “now” by helping with homework and with behaviors but we are also planting seeds for “then”, when our students have long left our program and are living their lives as grown ups. Our goal is to give them the opportunities and skills that will help them be successful in life. We hope to help raise adults who are Built to Last.
STAFF:
We want staff to see the work they do as something they can build a career on. Many times, it seems that OST work is a stepping stone to something else, a “real job” maybe. We want to provide a field of work that is an end in itself by providing and creating pathways for training, advancement, and success for our people. Our goal is a workforce that is Built to Last.
PROGRAMS:
We want to see programs that are integral to their communities. We want to see programs that withstand funding lapses and political cuts. We want to see programs that celebrate multiple decades of service to students and families. We want to see programs that are Built to Last.
Our work is day-to-day and moment-to-moment as we work with students. Our influence is Built to Last.
