We're Live

Welcome to School’s Out Washington’s blog, SOWA Live, a place to blog about what’s impacting and happening in Washington State’s afterschool, youth development, and summer programs.   We are excited to be joining the world of blogging and hope you will follow us and share your insights, questions, and thoughts along the way.  We invite you to learn more about what we do here at SOWA by exploring our recently revamped website.

One thing that is keeping us extra busy at SOWA right now is planning for the upcoming Bridge from School to Afterschool and Back Conference on October 18 & 19 in Vancouver, WA.  This is our annual conference bringing together folks in the afterschool and youth development field, educators, policymakers, researchers and other key leaders and practitioners concerned about how young people are spending their time outside the formal school hours. 

This year’s line-up includes some nationally recognized presenters and speakers.  We’re thrilled to be trying something new this year by kicking off the conference on Monday morning with a keynote from the Philly Youth Poetry Movement, an organization that provides positive leadership, mentoring, and creative outlets to encourage both at-risk and empowered youth ages 13-19 to use their words, image and vision to promote social change, cultural diversity, and to build self-esteem.   We are especially excited to have the voice of youth starting off this conference centered around how to best serve young people in attaining school and life success.

The entire Bridge conference workshop listings are currently available on our website.  We encourage you to take a few minutes and check out workshop session information and presenters.    Today is an extra special day for us because to really get things rolling with Bridge, we’re launching our first ever Bridge contest. 

Between today and August 31, 2010, anyone who posts a comment related to the Bridge Conference on the School’s Out Washington Facebook page will be entered in a drawing for a $100 scholarship to this year’s Bridge Conference.  If you’ve never been to the Bridge Conference, then tell us why you’d like to attend.  If you have attended, you can talk about great things from years past or about the upcoming conference.  To learn more about the contest, visit School’s Out Washington’s Facebook page. 

Have a great day and remember to follow us on SOWA Live.