Jump Start 2026

Helping afterschool professionals explore engagement strategies that help youth feel seen, heard, valued, and connected beyond the school day. Discover how intentional everyday moments strengthen relationships, increase participation, and foster confidence, leadership, and future readiness. Engage in collaborative activities, reflection, and real-world scenarios, and walk away with an Engagement Strategy Plan and practical tools they can immediately implement to create meaningful experiences that lead to lasting impact.

"This advanced leadership session connects strategic organizational communication with daily program management, focusing on how supervisors can empower front-line staff to build immediate trust with families. Led by a veteran communications director and a seasoned principal, this interactive workshop teaches leaders how to train their direct-care staff in clear, empathetic communication techniques that de-escalate parent concerns.

Attendees will leave equipped with a practical, three-step ""Bridge to Focus"" communication framework. This tool is designed to turn stressful daily interactions into positive, trusted connection points—proving that the little moments of deliberate, reframed communication yield big outcomes in staff retention and strategies for meaningful family engagement."

Discipline, De-Escalation, and Positive Behavior Support.This workshop is for afterschool professionals who work with students, including those who display challenging behaviors. Participants will learn how to set clear expectations, use positive reinforcement and token programs, and guide youth through the SODAA process: Situation, Options, Disadvantages, Advantages, and Act. Afterschool professionals will walk away with practical tools to reduce power struggles, encourage positive choices, improve accountability, and help youth successfully return to program activities.

Helping students who are involved in “bullying behavior” develop
their prosocial skills contributes to a positive classroom environment.
In this training, you will learn best practices for intervening and
resolving bullying scenarios.

In this highly interactive session, you'll experience hands-on yarn activities that require little more than inexpensive supplies and a spirit of curiosity. Explore fiber arts, collaborative challenges, and creative invitations that foster problem-solving, persistence, fine motor skills, social connection, and youth leadership. You'll discover practical, low-cost ideas that can be adapted for a wide range of ages and abilities.
Together, we'll explore the WEAVE framework for designing meaningful afterschool experiences: Welcome, Explore, Achieve, Value, and Empower. You'll leave with fresh inspiration, practical resources, and a new appreciation for how one simple material can unlock endless possibilities for creativity, belonging, and learning.

Afterschool professionals can have a lasting impact on teens' relationship with reading—without becoming reading teachers. This interactive session explores how to distinguish between skill-based and motivation-based reading struggles, create welcoming reading environments, and foster literacy through relationships, choice, and authentic engagement. Participants will leave with practical, research-informed strategies for building a positive reading culture, supporting struggling readers within their role, and helping young people see themselves as lifelong readers.