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GAIC News
Fall 2009
GA Afterschool Institute: Summer Academy
GAI: Summer Academy July 2009

This summer the Georgia Afterschool Investment Council rolled out the first Georgia Afterschool Institute (GAI): Summer Academy. The Summer Academy was designed to complement the Georgia Afterschool Institute and is a shorter version of the comprehensive, in-depth training designed and led by state and national experts. The first Summer Academy took place at Callaway Gardens in Pine Mountain, GA and brought together over 75 afterschool leaders for a powerful and dynamic afterschool professional development experience aimed at improving program quality and building the capacity of afterschool program leaders.

The Summer Academy served as an excellent opportunity to build provider understanding and practice in high-quality youth development style education and gain exposure to important content areas such as science, technology, engineering, and math; media literacy and technology; gender issues in afterschool; and utilizing youth as leaders. In the initial evaluation of the GAI Summer Academy, GAIC found that:

  • 90% of participants planned to implement professional development experiences they learned at the Summer Academy with their staff;
  • 94% of participants felt they could use the information they learned at the Summer Academy within a month;
  • 75% of participants rated the Institute as "Better Than" other professional development trainings;
  • 100% of participants would recommend GAI to other afterschool providers.

The Georgia Afterschool Institute: Summer Academy was generously funded by the Georgia Department of Human Resources and the Governor's Office For Children and Families.

Plans for 2010 Georgia Afterschool Institutes are underway and GAIC looks forward to working with more afterschool staff to build quality programs and professionalize the field over the next year.

Latin American Association
10th Annual Latino Youth Leadership Conference

The Latin American Association (LAA) helps Latino families reach their academic, social and economic development. LAA accomplishes this through direct programs and integrated community partnerships that focus on youth academic achievement, education and prevention, and services to families with urgent needs.

This year, the association is announcing its 10th Annual Latino Youth Leadership Conference which will take place on Saturday, November 14, 2009 from 8:30 -3:30pm at The Westminster Schools. Students will interact with peers from across the state and work on topics ranging from college preparation to gang prevention. This event has become the catalyst for Latino youth in Georgia to pursue their educational goals and improve their chances of success. This event is completely FREE for students, parents, and teachers.

The Annual Latino Youth Leadership Conference has grown over 600% in nine years. Today the conference hosts more than 1,300 students, 200 parents, 100 teachers, 280 volunteers, and 40 exhibitors. Sponsors and exhibitors at the Latino Youth Leadership Conference are not only provided with an effective way to market their businesses and services to this growing market, but also an opportunity to make a difference in the lives, hopes, and dreams of Latino youth. If you want to learn more about this conference, please contact Eliezer Velez at evelez@thelaa.org.

Pro Bono Partnership of Atlanta
Pro Bono Logo

Pro Bono Partnership of Atlanta provides free legal assistance to community-based nonprofits that serve low income or disadvantaged individuals. The Partnership matches eligible nonprofits with volunteer attorneys who can assist nonprofits with their business law matters. Pro Bono Partnership of Atlanta also offers free monthly workshops and webinars on legal topics of interest to nonprofits.

In order to be eligible to receive free legal assistance, an organization must be:

  • A 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization;
  • Be located in or serve the greater Atlanta area;
  • Serve low-income or disadvantaged individuals; and
  • Be unable to afford legal services.
For more information about how your organization can qualify for free legal assistance, visit www.pbpatl.org or call Pro Bono Partnership of Atlanta at 404-407-5088.

GAIC Celebrates Stimulus Success!
Yerkes closing ceremony

In July, GAIC joined the Yerkes National Primate Research Center, the Division of Education Studies at Emory University, and the Gwinnett Mathematics, Science, and Technology High School in a celebration of the Challenge & Champions Summer Research Experience - an eight-week high-quality learning opportunity made possible by NIH stimulus funds. Participating students and teachers shared their experience and presented their research findings to a broad audience including State Board of Education Member Brad Bryant and Representatives Melvin Everson and Bobby Reese.

GAIC Staff Updates

GAIC would like to thank our summer intern, Dana Higgins, for her work with GAIC and specifically, for her help with the Georgia Afterschool Institute: Summer Academy. Among her many contributions, Dana put her research and evaluation skills to work by crafting and analyzing our Summer Academy evaluation. Dana was an invaluable team member and we wish her the best of luck in her second year at UGA!

GAIC welcomes Katie Strack as our fall intern. Katie is a recent graduate of Georgia College and State University and is working towards a certificate in Non- Profit Management through American Humanics. Katie will be assisting with a number of projects this fall including helping GAIC to develop deeper connections to afterschool programs in Georgia. We're excited to have Katie join our team!

Korynn Schooley, GAIC's Policy and Advocacy Manager, was recently selected for the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education's 2009-2010 Georgia Education Policy Fellowship Program (EPFP). The goal of EPFP is to help rising leaders advance education policy to improve outcomes for children.

Georgia Afterschool would like to welcome our newest board member, Alexander Mejia, President and Executive Director of CIFAL Atlanta. In addition to his work at CIFAL Atlanta, Alex has an extensive professional background in banking, diplomacy, public office, and academia. He serves as the Vice President for Government Relations for Hemisphere, Inc., a nonprofit organization created to strengthen ties with Latin America, in Atlanta, Georgia. He has also held various professorships in strategic planning, international marketing, and international studies in Ecuador and the United States. We're excited to have Alex join our board!

Featured Afterschool/Summer Learning Program
LaAmistad
LaAmistad

LaAmistad serves Hispanic youth ages Pre-Kindergarten through 9th grade in the Buckhead area of Atlanta. The program has existed for past nine years and is an Atlanta Public Schools A+ Achievement award recipient, which highlights their accomplishments and excellence. LaAmistad continues to grow as it collaborates with Ward T. Jackson elementary school and Peachtree Presbyterian Church. Through these partnerships, youth have access to unique resources and education to empower their families and communities. They have the opportunity to participate in sports, engage in leadership roles, and attend summer camp. As the youth are engaged in various activities, their parents may participate in ESL, parenting and life skills courses. In addition, parents volunteer their time in the afterschool and summer programs. For more information on LaAmistad, please visit www.peachtreepres.org/the gym or contact Catrina Dacosta at cdacosta@peachtreepres.org.

Implementing High-Quality Youth Programs
Three New Child Trends Briefs

How Program Administrators Can Support Out-Of-School Time Staff: Research on out-of-school time programs has found that effective program managers--referred to as facilitative administrators--promote high-quality implementation in multiple ways: by providing organizational leadership; selecting program staff; ensuring that staff receive training and supervision; and identifying and addressing implementation problems.

Building Systems-Level Partnerships: Partnerships among out-of-school time programs, schools, and the community have been recognized as a feature of high-performing programs. In addition, systems-level partnerships can play critical roles when programs decide to implement new evidence based practices or activities.

Data- Driven Decision Making in Out-Of-School Time Programs: The use of high-quality data facilitates program management, reduces reliance on anecdotal information, and ensures that data are available for decision-making purposes. Both research and program experience have shown that decision- support data systems are effective tools for gathering high-quality data.

GAIC Staff

Jill J. Riemer, Executive Director
email: jriemer@afterschoolga.org
phone: 404-527-7250

Rachel E. Wellborn, Director, Professional Development
email: rwellborn@afterschoolga.org
phone: 404-527-8831

Korynn M. Schooley, Policy and Advocacy Manager
kschooley@afterschoolga.org
phone: 404-527-7280

Shaquanda M. Jacobs, Coordinator
sjacobs@afterschoolga.org
phone: 404-527-7232


GAIC Newsletter Editor's e-mail: sjacobs@afterschoolga.org