Education and Awareness Campaign

2025–2026 Education and Awareness Campaign Launch

Presenter: Chris Neitzey, Director of State Policy, Afterschool Alliance

(Recorded Aug. 21, 2025) We are honored to welcome Chris Neitzey, senior director of policy at the Afterschool Alliance, as our featured presenter for this kickoff session. Chris shared timely updates on recent federal and national advocacy efforts that have advanced policies and funding priorities benefiting out-of-school time programs across the country.

Session 2: Lights on Afterschool: Amplifying Our Movement

Presenter: Laura Saccente, Assistant Director, Center for Schools and Communities

(Recorded Sept. 18, 2025) Join PSAYDN for a dynamic webinar designed to strengthen the visibility and impact of OST programs across Pennsylvania. As part of the national Lights On Afterschool celebration, this session will focus on practical strategies for preparing and leveraging OST awareness campaigns to amplify our collective voice and elevate statewide recognition.

Session 3: Building Local Champions

Presenter: Ashley Wallace, Associate Director, National Conference of State Legislatures

(Recorded Oct. 16) Ashley Wallace, associate director, National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), will share ways you can build connections with state legislators and legislative staff. She will also give an overview of some hot education topics legislatures may be tackling in 2026 legislative sessions and what that might mean for the afterschool field.

Session 4: Workforce Development and OST

Presenter: Scott Mann, Director of Education, VentureLab

(Recorded Nov. 20, 2025) Scott Mann, Director of Education at VentureLab, will share how out-of-school-time (OST) programs are uniquely equipped to prepare youth for their future careers. He will highlight how starting entrepreneurship education early within OST settings fosters creativity, problem-solving, and other key employability skills. Participants will explore how K12 OST programs can strengthen Pennsylvania’s workforce pipeline by starting early to cultivate entrepreneurial mindsets and discuss ways to partner with community and industry to expand opportunities for youth to develop workforce readiness.

Session 5: STEM in OST: Connecting to Pennsylvania’s STEM Ecosystems

Presenters:

• Alexandra Konsur-Grushinski, Director, Pennsylvania Statewide STEM Ecosystem
  
• Kathleen Lodl, Ph.D., Associate Dean of Nebraska Extension 4-H Program, University of Nebraska – Lincoln
  
• Ann O’Connor, J.D., Project Manager, Nebraska 4-H, University of Nebraska – Lincoln

(Recorded Dec. 18, 2025) This webinar highlights how out-of-school time (OST) programs support STEM learning aligned with PA STEELS standards and future skill-building. Participants explore Pennsylvania’s STEM Ecosystems, including regional partnerships, resources, and supports that strengthen STEM learning, community connections, and career-connected opportunities for youth. The session also introduces Click2Science, a professional development tool for OST professionals, featuring strategies such as purposeful questioning, fostering a STEM mindset, workshops, train-the-trainer institutes, online tools, and ongoing coaching to enhance high-quality STEM experiences.

Session 6: Civic Engagement in OST

Presenter: Leah Silverberg, Senior Manager, Collective for Youth Empowerment in STEM and Society (CYESS) initiative, Afterschool Alliance

(Recorded Jan. 15, 2026) This interactive session is designed to inspire out-of-school time practitioners to intentionally integrate civic engagement into their afterschool and summer programs. Explore why civic engagement is a critical component of positive youth development and how it benefits young people while strengthening their communities. Participate in a guided review of practical tools and resources available on the Alliance’s website, with concrete strategies that practitioners can immediately apply in their own programs. By the end of the session, you will be equipped with actionable ideas and resources to design meaningful, youth-centered civic engagement experiences that elevate youth voice and leadership.

Session 7: STEM Next Career-connected Learning (CCL) Framework for OST Providers

Presenter: Sheila James, Manager, Teen Science Cafe Network (TSCN), STEM Next Opportunity Fund

(Recorded Feb. 5, 2026) For many youth, afterschool and summer programs are where sparks of interest in science, technology, engineering, and math begin. To help programs turn that interest into career pathways, STEM Next created the Career-Connected Learning Framework for Out-of-School Time Providers. The Framework helps programs explicitly embed career connections into their activities in ways that are practical, age-appropriate, and grounded in both research and real-world relevance. In this training, attendees will practice developing career-connected STEM activities, exchange feedback with peers, and leave with three ready-to-use activities. Please bring one STEM activity to the workshop during the training.

Session 8: From Curiosity to Change: Youth Advocacy Through Storytelling and Student Voice

Presenter: Caley McGuigan, Education Program Coordinator, Pennon Education

[Recorded Feb. 19, 2026] This recorded webinar explores how youth advocacy can flourish when curiosity, media literacy, and authentic storytelling come together. Drawing on programs such as Chatter News and Curiosity Curators, participants will learn how student-driven curiosity can be transformed into meaningful digital production that empowers young people to identify issues that matter to them and share their stories with real audiences. The session highlights practical strategies for creating spaces where youth voices are centered—not scripted—and where students learn to question media, collaborate with peers, and engage with their communities. Viewers will leave with concrete ideas for fostering youth-led advocacy projects that build confidence, critical thinking, and civic engagement across grade levels.

Session 9: Policy in Action: Advocating for the Future of OST

Presenter: Ronald Cowell, Founder and Senior Fellow, The Education Policy and Leadership Center

[Recorded March 19, 2026] Gain practical guidance on how out-of-school time (OST) advocates can effectively engage with policymakers at the local and state levels. In this recorded webinar, Ron shares actionable strategies for building relationships with legislators, preparing for meetings, and communicating the impact of OST programs. Whether you’re new to advocacy or refining your approach, you’ll leave with clear, real-world steps to strengthen your outreach and elevate your voice.

Session 10: Action Day Preparation: Amplifying Our Movement

April 16, 2026, 11 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Preparing for and leveraging OST education and awareness day- statewide visibility efforts.

Join the Director of the Pennsylvania Statewide Afterschool/Youth Development Network (PSAYDN) for a strategic and action-oriented session designed to prepare participants for Afterschool Education and Awareness Day at the State Capitol. This session will equip out-of-school time (OST) leaders, youth advocates, and partners with the tools, messaging, and confidence needed to effectively elevate their voices and showcase the impact of afterschool and summer programs across Pennsylvania.

Participants will gain practical guidance on preparing for legislative visits, engaging youth in meaningful advocacy, and aligning their messaging with PSAYDN’s statewide Education and Awareness campaign: Investing in Youth, Strengthening Our Workforce. The session will also highlight strategies to maximize visibility before, during, and after-Action Day including storytelling, media engagement, and relationship-building with policymakers.

With the recent announcement of the proposed federal “skinny” budget for Fiscal Year 2027, it is more important than ever to amplify our collective voice. Whether you plan to join us on May 6 or are preparing to engage and educate your local government officials, we invite you to participate in this session.

Meet Our Presenter

Contrell Armor
Director
Pennsylvania Statewide Afterschool/Youth Development Network

Contrell Armor is director of the Pennsylvania Statewide Afterschool/Youth Development Network. Armor has more than 28 years of experience managing and developing school and community-based afterschool programming in the Commonwealth. Prior to joining PSAYDN, he was a youth development coordinator for the Nita M. Lowey 21st Century Community Learning Centers (CCLC) initiative at Center for Schools and Communities (CSC). Before joining CSC, Armor served as an Elect Student Work (ESW) grant manager and 21st CCLC coordinator in the Harrisburg School District. Armor brings diverse skills and background to PSAYDN, with significant experience in understanding challenges facing Pennsylvania’s afterschool infrastructure, managing programs and community activities with diverse populations, coordinating professional learning for out-of-school time (OST) providers, and working directly with students and families. He is also a 2022 graduate of the Education Policy and Leadership Center (EPLC) Fellowship.

Session 11: Action Day at Harrisburg State Capitol

May 6, 2026, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Join us to educate and advocate for the importance of out-of-school time opportunities in Pennsylvania! Parents, program providers, youth, educators, faith-based leaders, and community and business leaders from across the state will unite at The Pennsylvania Capitol to engage with legislators.

Registration is closed. You may attend the rally on the Capitol Steps at 11 a.m.