Are you looking to enhance your afterschool or summer program? Do you want to attract more kids to your program and keep youth engaged? Are you in need of hands-on techniques to implement in your program immediately? If so, register for GAI coming to downtown Decatur, Georgia March 10-12, 2009!

The Georgia Afterschool Institute (GAI) is:

• a hands-on, in-depth, experiential-based learning experience;
• focused on youth development, leadership training, project-based learning and the incorporation afterschool time with the academic school day to create a seamless learning environment for youth; and
• grounded in national research, developed and led by a blend of national and local afterschool experts.

The Institute is designed for supervisors, directors, trainers, and front-line workers as well as others shaping afterschool teaching to take programs to the next level of afterschool/youth development programming.

As many of you know, President-Elect Obama has included afterschool in his Economic Revitalization plan. Currently Congress is working on The American Recovery and Reinvestment Bill of 2009 which provides new, additional funds for programs that directly or indirectly support afterschool. The current proposal includes $2 billion for the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG). Across the country about 1/3 of this money will be used to support children in afterschool programs.

The Latin American Association (LAA) in Atlanta provides programming to ensure Latino children and youth in DeKalb, Fulton, and Gwinnett counties have a safe and nurturing environment afterschool and in the summer. By building and sustaining strong community/school partnerships, LAA provides academic and personal enrichment activities to over 260 students, ages five to thirteen, two days a week during the school year and 4 days a week during the summer. These activities are provided at two school sites where afterschool providers and teachers focus on math and science, as well as arts and sports. LAA has partnered with Big Brothers Big Sisters to enhance their programming by incorporating a mentoring component. Afterschool participants have the opportunity to develop one-on- one relationships with strong role models and participate in activities that enhance skills and build confidence. LAA's programs are unique because they empower Latino children/youth by focusing on their specific needs.