June 2, 2022

Y4Y now offers 22 online professional development (PD) courses and 11 microlearning Click & Go’s. Chances are, not even your masterful program director has had the opportunity to engage with all of them! But that doesn’t mean you have to leave any juicy knowledge on the table. You can divide and conquer! Follow these simple steps for breaking up Y4Y PD among your overachieving staff and getting together poolside or picnic style to share your wisdom with the class!

Step 1: Reconnaissance

Head to the Y4Y Learn page and the Click & Go page and check out all the choices. How many colleagues will participate? How many hours is each person willing and able to put into independent learning? How much time is in your program budget for PD hours for staff? Keep in mind that Click & Go’s are the shortest Y4Y learning opportunities, and some Y4Y courses are short “companions” to longer courses. Below is a cheat sheet on time investment. Those learning opportunities that are most relevant to frontline staff are in bold. So, who’ll choose which course or Click & Go?

Click & Go’s: About 1 Hour Each

Building a Positive Organizational Culture and Climate

Building Financial Literacy

Creating an Intentionally Designed Program

Developing a Needs Assessment

Developing and Implementing a Safety Plan

Digital Literacy

Health and Wellness: Partnering With the School Day

Implementing Your Program With Fidelity

Recruiting and Retaining High School Students

Structuring Successful Homework Help and Tutoring Sessions

Trauma-Informed Care

Companion Courses: 4-5 Hours Each

Citizen Science

Creating a Positive Learning Environment

Human Resources

Stages of Child and Adolescent Development

Strategic Partnerships

Companion Courses: 6-8 Hours Each

Civic Learning and Engagement

Fiscal Management

Including Students With Disabilities

Student Voice and Choice

Full Courses: 7-10 Hours Each

Career Pathways for Students

Continuous Education Through 21^st CCLC Activities

Family Engagement

Financial Literacy

Introduction to 21^st CCLC

Literacy

Managing Your 21^st CCLC Program

Project-Based Learning

Social and Emotional Learning

STEAM

Summer Learning

Supporting English Learners

The Virtual Edge

Step 2: Plotting and Planning

Figure out a timeline and a “culminating PD event” that you can all get excited about. Give everyone plenty of time to finish their course or Click & Go, but not so much time that the comings and goings of their favorite reality TV diva push the learning out of precious brain space. The pool or picnic are just two ideas for ways to share what you learn. You also have virtual options, walking meetings, or backyard barbeques as possibilities.

Step 3: The Dreaded Homework

It’s human nature to dread the homework, but Y4Y has already figured that out and made courses interactive, colorful, and fun, so the dread is dead! To make everyone’s learning useful for others, have each person answer the following questions as they go. That way, they’ll be ready for the group share-out when it’s party time.

1. Summarize the Y4Y course or Click & Go in three sentences.
2. List three “who knew?!” moments — things that were brand-new to you!
3. List three “you better already know this!” moments — knowledge so foundational that a 21^st CCLC professional is in trouble without it!
4. Name three ways you plan to apply the knowledge you’ve gained.
5. Take a peek at the tools and trainings with your chosen course or Click & Go, and call out the ones you’d like to use in your program. Be sure to tell everyone why.
6. Give everyone an honest critique of the course or Click & Go — what you loved, what you didn’t, and what anyone who’s thinking of taking it themselves needs to know.

Be sure each person reads the questions in advance and has this homework in front of them as they go through the course or Click & Go so they can be thinking about their answers in real time.

Step 4: Print That Certificate, Baby!

Each course has two or three sections, and you can get a Y4Y certificate of completion for each section you finish, so don’t miss the opportunity to show the boss your hard work. Your state might even count it toward continuing education units! (Check with your program director or state coordinator.) Reminder: There are no Y4Y certificates for Click & Go’s. Wait! Should this be Step 1?

Step 4: It’s Nice to Share

At your scheduled event, take turns reporting on your learning. Be ready to answer questions, even silly ones like, “Would you date the avatar that hosted your course?” Have handouts of your responses, or make a plan to post on a shared webpage like SharePoint. And back to those overachievers: Decide which course you’ll take next! The world of Y4Y is your oyster, and you, friend, are a 21^st CCLC Magellan – have fun exploring!

February 10, 2022

Maintaining a healthy 21^st CCLC program starts and ends with dedicated staff. But where would you be without funding and the right choices around that funding? Y4Y’s course on fiscal management offers new perspectives on managing your program funds, and what you can do to ensure your program’s resilience matches your students’ resilience. Though every state is different, with its own set of funding structures and rules, the Y4Y course offers help navigating the universal federal guidance. By increasing your knowledge, you’ll be in a better position to ask the right questions of your state 21^st CCLC program leaders. Here are just a few starter tips to ensure your fiscal brilliance.

Know what your program said it would do when your grant proposal was written. All financial accounting comes back to your stated goals and assets at the outset. Keep your RFP (request for proposal, or more accurately, your grant application) at the ready. Example of why this is important: Your 21^st CCLC program can’t supplant stated assets. So, if you noted that you receive supply donations every year from a local office supply store, your program cannot, then, use grant dollars to pay for supplies that were stated as an existing donation in that application.

Know the lingo. If you’re new to program management, access the glossary on the course home page before, during, and after engaging with the fiscal management course to set yourself up for success. Example of why this is important: Many of the legal requirements placed on 21^st CCLC grantees center on financial reporting. Although your frontline staff may not be preparing reports, if your whole program doesn’t “speak the language,” important information about spending could be miscommunicated.

Leave it to the pros but don’t leave it to the pros. Be sure to work with the accounting department of your host organization to assign budget codes and track expenditures but keep your own accounting for both monthly spending reports and a drawdown report. Example of why this is important: Cross-checking is critical for accuracy, especially if there are multiple funding streams for your program. You can also stay ahead of unspent monies by tracking spending together.

Spell out your fiscal management policies and procedures in an accessible guidebook. Y4Y offers a sample of what this guidebook might contain. The one for your program will need to reflect the structures of your host district, your program, and your state. Example of why a guidebook is important: One of the key takeaways of the Y4Y Fiscal Management course is that there are complex restrictions around 21^st CCLC grant funds. The pandemic has shed a light on how often we must step into new roles with little or no advance notice. A guidebook that your whole staff can refer to means that no matter what your staffing issues might be, budgeting rules can be followed seamlessly.

Keep an eye on the future. Your RFP asks you to talk about the future of your program, so you should always be thinking about the future of your program. Y4Y offers a tool for creating your sustainability plan to get this process — and it is a living process — going. Example of why this is important: Your initiatives in equitable STEM access, career exploration, social and emotional learning, and more lose power today if you can’t keep them going tomorrow.

You may feel that navigating your 21^st CCLC budget demands your own personal resilience. And you may be right about that! But Y4Y’s new course on fiscal management further breaks down difficult concepts into simple explanations. It’s designed to ensure that every 21^st CCLC leader can feel confident about their fiscal brilliance and their program’s resilience.

December 6, 2021

Do you ever feel like you dove into your 21^st CCLC program midstream? You could be a new frontline staff member joining midyear, a site coordinator hired with lots of “this is how we do it” rules, or a program director who’s handed a funded grant and asked to make it happen. It can feel like a game of catch-up, but the other side of that coin is: Coming in midway means some groundwork has already been laid for you! Whatever your program role, Y4Y’s updated Introduction to the Nita M. Lowey 21^st Century Community Learning Centers Grant Program course (Intro to 21^st CCLCs) can help you from beginning to middle to the end, if that’s where you happen to be coming in! The new course breaks 21^st CCLC programs down into three phases: planning, implementing and sustaining.

Beginning: Planning

Planning includes everything from deciding to apply for a grant to gathering stakeholders to reviewing legislation, performing a needs assessment, considering how to leverage your partnerships and assets, understanding your state’s application (or request for application — RFA) and applying or reapplying for a grant. Your role in this phase depends on your role in the organization.

A few things to know about planning if you’re a frontline staff member who just came in:

• You should have an idea of the who, what, where, why, when and how of 21^st CCLC programs. The introduction section of the new course is a great primer on the spirit of 21^st CCLCs.
• Ask your supervisors or peers what aspect of 21^st CCLCs your program emphasizes (or plans to emphasize, if it’s a new grant). Examples include general academic enrichment, career exploration, STEM/STEAM projects, community engagement, or social and emotional learning (SEL). Remember: (1) there’s not a single “right” answer — your program is designed around the needs of your community; (2) your program might emphasize more than one area of need; and (3) your program’s priorities have probably shifted over time. Try to understand these shifts and when and how they might happen again. Embrace a flexible mindset about shifting priorities. These priorities can inform your interactions with your students.
• As you become comfortable in your role, recognize that you’ll be a key player in data collection and setting priorities! If you’re providing academic support but discover half of your students aren’t able to focus on academics because of difficult situations or traumatic experiences in their personal lives, your frontline feedback will be critical in moving the needle toward more emphasis on SEL.
• Check out these Y4Y tools:
  • Afterschool Timeline
  • Y4Y Example Activity Schedule
  • Classroom Management Resources
  • Five Key Strategies for Establishing Effective Learning Environments for Homework and Tutoring

A few things to know about planning if you’re a site coordinator who just came in:

• Whether a new grant or an existing one, get to know the elements of programming for the grant(s) you’re managing. What are the regulations around areas like staffing, expenditures and recruitment? Whether a pre-existing or new position, you might ask your program director to connect you with other programs in your area or state to speak with peers in the field about their own hard-learned do’s and don’ts. Remember to continue to crosswalk these discoveries with your program’s grant proposal and regulations.
• Begin to think about the relationships that will be key for you to establish and maintain as a site coordinator. What will your role be in interacting with school or district administrators? With families? Within the organization?
• Consider your role in training staff, and bearing that role in mind, acquaint yourself with the initiatives and priorities your stakeholders are calling for as they prepare the grant, or that have been documented in an existing grant.
• Review the full Intro to 21^st CCLCs course, especially the section on coaching my staff, to gain a better understanding of where to find the resources you need.
• Check out these Y4Y tools:
  • Program Planning Checklist
  • ABC Afterschool Program Overview
  • Strategic Partnership Planning Checklist

A few things to know about planning if you’re a program director who just came in:

• For a new grant, begin by bringing together serious stakeholders (folks who are ready to work!) from every aspect of programming — partners and parents from around the community and local education agency (LEA). Train together with the full Intro to 21^st CCLCs course before moving forward with the grant planning strategies described there.
• For grants that are funded but not yet implemented, forge an open line of communication with the team who contributed to its writing.
• Your 21^st CCLC state coordinator is your new best friend. Look to them with any questions you have along the way.
• Check out these Y4Y tools:
  • 21st CCLC New Director's Toolkit
  • Y4Y Tool Starter Set
  • Program Planning Checklist

Middle: Implementation

Phase 2 is implementation. Anyone joining a 21^st CCLC program midstream is likely in this phase of the grant, which lasts for most of its lifespan. A new team member will have a “getting to know you” period, which hopefully leads to a “helping the program improve” period. Consider what’s been done for you versus what lies ahead, depending on your role.

A few things to know about implementing if you’re a frontline staff member who just came in:

• Review your program’s policies and procedures, including those around safety. It’s best to direct any questions to your site coordinator or program director to be sure you’re honoring the grant.
• “Off book” advice from peers can also be helpful. Just be sure to understand official practices set forth because it’s always possible that other frontline staff don’t fully understand the guidelines or have fallen into bad habits. An example of this could be poor handling of student privacy or ways of addressing behavior management.
• Be sure to understand all aspects of activity delivery. If you don’t fully understand why an activity was designed a certain way, don’t be afraid to ask. You’re a much more effective facilitator when you’re invested in the process.
• Offer real-time feedback to peers and supervisors to ensure the most effective program delivery.
• Remember that relationships are the foundation of your work with students. Regularly foster appropriately warm and engaging personal interactions with each young person in your group.
• Check out these Y4Y tools:
  • Building Student/Educator Relationships Questionnaire
  • Afterschool Go-Bag Suggestions – Frontline Staff
  • Fidelity of Implementation Checklist

A few things to know about implementing if you’re a site coordinator who just came in:

• You’re an important bridge between the program director, who has a high-level view of activities and budget, and the frontline staff who put activities in motion. Be sure your communication style and advocacy for appropriate allocation of time, space and resources makes sense up and down the organization.
• Understanding how to intentionally design activities is an absolute must. Revisit the grant as often as needed to carry out this key role.
• If you’re coming into a previously existing position, ask your program director and frontline staff what they liked about how your predecessor coordinated the work. What changes would they like to see?
• Communication outside of the organization is just as important. Gauge where the program is with recruitment, family engagement efforts and data collection, and try to be consistent with your predecessor if you’re coming in midstream. After your stakeholders have gotten to know you is the time to make improvements to that system, unless they make you immediately aware of problems that existed before you entered the program. In that case, assure them of your commitment to the grant and the students it serves.
• Staff training should be a priority. You may discover that staff training in your program is little more than being handed a policies and procedures guide. Explore the Y4Y courses and Click & Go’s, and determine which ones your staff can benefit from right away. Consider asking staff members to take different courses and share their takeaways during staff meetings.
• Engage in Y4Y’s Managing Your 21^st CCLC Program course.
• Check out these Y4Y tools:
  • Project/Program Planner
  • Partnerships Observation and Supervision Checklist
  • Managing Your 21^st CCLC Program (full tools list)

A few things to know about implementing if you’re a program director who just came in:

• Observation is going to be a top priority. Spend your nonprogram hours catching up on everything about planning that has been documented, and spend your program hours visiting sites.
• Be sure that, in addition to the day-to-day aspects of your program’s implementation, you understand the components that went into its planning. This knowledge will help you remain true to the program goals and understand its “roots” so that you can revisit all aspects of planning as needed.
• You might consider an informal survey of your stakeholders via email to assure them that you want to honor their voices as the program takes a little different shape under your leadership. Assure them that changes will be made only to benefit students or to ensure that the program follows the letter of the grant.
• Continue or establish a culture of positivity and improvement. This includes encouraging sites to budget time and resources for staff to feel safe about giving honest feedback and for training.
• Ensure that systems are in place for recruiting students and staff, choosing and designing appropriate activities, and collecting and managing data for the duration of the program. Be sure to look ahead to your reporting requirements so that there are no surprises at reporting time.
• Engage in the Managing Your 21^st CCLC Program course, and meet with site coordinators to understand existing delegation and to discuss any changes in responsibilities.
• Check out these Y4Y tools:
  • Observation Checklist
  • Training Starters
  • Positive Learning Environment Implementation Checklist

End: Sustaining

Continuing and sustaining is the last phase of the 21^st CCLC grant process, though there are elements of this phase throughout the life of the grant. The hallmarks of this phase include culminating events, final data collection and reporting, fiscal reconciliation and reporting, planning for continuous improvement of the program, and sustaining your initiatives beyond the period of grant funding. And yes, it’s possible to be a new frontline staff member, site coordinator or program director coming in at this phase. While you’ll have a flurry of catch-up to do no matter what your role, you can make the most of your circumstances by focusing on your assets — any and all groundwork that has been laid for you. Your investment in wrapping up loose ends will pay off in the role you’ll get to have planning for the next year or grant cycle.

A few things to know about sustaining if you’re a frontline staff member who just came in:

• Sharpen your skills of observation! The qualitative data you can provide about the growth of specific students and the success of activities will be important.
• Don’t forget that culminating events are a wonderful opportunity to fully engage families. As your resources allow, budget the time, space and funds for something truly special.
• Recognize your role in family and community partnerships. As your site coordinator or program director seeks to strengthen and leverage these partnerships, be sure that your interactions with families and community members are respectful and enthusiastic. You can inspire their support!
• The same goes for student interactions. Program recruitment depends heavily on student word of mouth, especially in high school programs. You might be coming in at the end, but leave students with a great feeling about the future of your 21^st CCLC program!
• Check out these Y4Y tools:
  • Tips and Tricks: Planning a Successful Culminating Event
  • Family Engagement Follow-Up and Supervision Checklist
  • Conducting Online Surveys With High School Students

A few things to know about sustaining if you’re a site coordinator who just came in:

• Your program director will depend on you for end-of-cycle data collection. Quickly familiarizing yourself with related staff, budget and data needs will be key.
• Reassure partners about the future of the program, even if leadership is undergoing shifts. Be future-oriented in your conversations, and don’t be shy with specific asks for upcoming cycles. Grant funding is limited, but creative solutions can lead to sustaining programs indefinitely.
• Continuous improvement is essential at this stage. Give staff and students a safe opportunity to provide feedback, and collaborate with your program director on how to honor that feedback.
• Check out these Y4Y tools:
  • Data Collection and Analysis
  • Creating an Environment That Amplifies Student Voice and Choice Training to Go.
  • Continuous Improvement Planner

A few things to know about sustaining if you’re a program director who just came in:

• Accurate reporting will be your most important task if you’re joining a program at this phase. Relationships with SEAs, LEAs and site coordinators will be essential. Their investment in your program by this stage is significant, so don’t be shy about enlisting their help!
• It’s never fun to jump in the moment decisions need to be made, but if you have to, be sure that in your continuous improvement of the program you’re bringing all stakeholders to the table. Some of your program’s initiatives, such as STEAM or including students with disabilities, may have dedicated program teams. If not, now might be the time to assemble those teams in order to have the voices you need to feel confident in your decisions about future years/cycles.
• Ideas about sustaining your program (or at least some of the enrichment activities your program has offered) beyond your 21^st CCLC grant may be one of the reasons you were hired at this phase. Don’t waste any time putting those ideas in motion, connecting with old partners and new, and thinking creatively about leveraging those partnerships.
• Throughout this “end” phase of your grant year, keep in mind that all the information you’re collecting truly serves these multiple purposes. Bearing that in mind can help you from feeling overwhelmed.
• Check out these Y4Y tools:
  • Creating Your Sustainability Plan
  • Getting Members on Your Program Team and Program Team Roster
  • Continuous Improvement Process Diagram
  • Planning for Developing Program Champions

Whatever your role in your 21^st CCLC program, don’t let the game of catch-up get you down. There will always be folks who want to help, both up and down the organization and among your community partners. Taking a few beats to focus on what’s already been done for you will help you get your bearings, and it might even lift your spirits about the future of the program and your place in it! And, of course, Y4Y will be there right by your side with tools and resources. Before you know it, you’ll be the seasoned afterschool professional lending someone else a hand. Won’t that be the flip side of the coin!

November 22, 2021

Whether you’re a community member looking to learn more about 21^st CCLCs, a potential out-of-school time grantee wanting to write a high-quality grant proposal, a new grantee hoping to design the best possible program, or a seasoned 21^st CCLC program director looking for ways to improve communication with stakeholders, you’ll be better positioned for success with a firm understanding of the basics. Y4Y is proud to announce a fresh update of the Introduction to Nita M. Lowey 21st CCLC Grant Program course, complete with new, helpful features. To get past the surface for a deep dive into program development, we can all benefit from starting at square one.

As before, the Introduction section of the course takes about 2 hours to complete and provides a Basic Level certificate of completion. It provides an overview of 21^st CCLC programs — including their benefits, history and community impact in Chapter 1 and legislation and grant preparation in Chapter 2. The Implementation Strategies section moves you beyond square one with an Advanced Level certificate of completion. It takes 5 to 7 hours. Through 11 key strategies, this section goes deeper into grant preparation, planning and designing a high-quality 21^st CCLC program, and incorporating all the relevant legislation in these processes.

The Coaching My Staff section takes about an hour to complete. You’ll get a Leadership Level certificate of completion and a solid training plan for your staff. Important updates to this section mean that program leaders can connect with the most up-to-date Y4Y content to meet their team’s specific training needs. Be sure to check out this new training needs assessment.

A brand-new feature with this course is a recorded Training to Go that covers 21^st CCLC basics for frontline staff. While Y4Y has always offered downloadable and customizable PowerPoint presentations for in-person or virtual interactive trainings, this new alternative format helps you focus on facilitating meaningful interactions rather than presenting content.

Nationwide, decisions and resource allocation are centered on learning acceleration to make up lost classroom time and teaching caused by the pandemic. Your 21^st CCLC program is recognized to be a central player in this effort. By revisiting the very basis and basics of this federal funding stream at square one with Y4Y, you’ll gain a new appreciation for the work ahead.

July 8, 2021

Some educators suggest we should resist the idea that “learning loss” is the only thing that happened to students during the pandemic. Why? They want everyone, including students, to recognize what they’ve gained over the past 18 months. For example, some gained technology skills; developed a greater appreciation for family, friends and the great outdoors; and discovered resilience they didn’t know they had. Yes, there were losses, but there were gains as well. What does this mean in your 21^st CCLC program?

Focus on the Positives

If policymakers were to build from scratch a new program to support learning recovery today, it might look a lot like a 21^st CCLC program. Summer and afterschool learning. Tutoring. Family engagement. Student voice and choice. Attention to social and emotional learning and positive learning environments. Increased support for underserved students in the communities hit hardest by the pandemic. These are priorities that have been emerging in all recovery plans, so existing 21^st CCLC programs are ahead of the game! With that in mind, let’s set aside those negatives that are getting plenty of airtime and focus on the positives.

• Funding. The American Rescue Plan for Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ARP ESSER III) is disbursing funds through states and school districts. Whether you’re in a school-based or a community-based program partnering with a school district, you’re sure to be already collaborating on how your program can beef up tutoring, especially to meet shared student goals. If you missed Y4Y’s webinar on ARP ESSER III addressing how 21^st CCLC programs can make the most of funding, check it out today!
• Lessons learned. The world of education is ever-evolving. Challenging periods can provide important lessons, if we pay attention. Your program professionals have likely discovered how to be resourceful about everything from seeking out education resources to strengthening human connections — with peers and students — when faced with obstacles. Your students’ families have learned how to advocate for their children on a whole new level. And students are walking away with skill sets nobody would have imagined at such young ages.

Name and “Own” Your New Strengths

Which of these new strengths have you, your staff or students developed during the pandemic?

• Flexibility. You had that going for you before the pandemic, but now you’re the Olympic gymnasts of education when it comes to flexibility.
• Tech wizardry. Staff and students alike have gained amazing skill sets for navigating the virtual world. You’re making the most of a whole host of useful features on various platforms and eking out new kinds of experiences — like fascinating field trips around the world and in your own (literal) backyards — thanks to virtual learning.
• Organization. The added workload called on staff to heighten their organizational skills. At the same time, students — even younger ones  — developed impressive skills at time, schedule and workload management.
• Social and emotional development. The five skill domains of social and emotional learning (self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, responsible decision-making and relationships skills) got a lot of “exercise” during virtual learning. Most educators have concerns that gaps in social-emotional development are as pronounced as academic gaps. Yet being on camera every day gave many students a boost in certain aspects of self-awareness and self-management. It also reinforced an appreciation of relationships, leaving students eager to participate and be fully present for in-person learning.
• Resilience and a growth mindset. The oyster and the pearl are the ultimate symbol that an irritant can turn into something beautiful. The resilience that all staff and students have gained sets everyone up for great future achievements.

Apply What You’ve Gained

There are so many positives and new strengths to focus on! How is your 21^st CCLC program moving forward to apply what you’ve learned and make “learning loss” an obsolete term? See how many of these things you’re already doing:

• Trying new virtual platforms. You’re no longer afraid of the brave new virtual world. The more tricks you can find, the better! Check out Y4Y’s two archived webinar series on 21^st CCLCs in a virtual world (part 1 for novices or part 2 for masters). You’ll learn about dozens of platforms and how you can use them virtually or in person.
• Leaning into the power of resilience. Keep reminding students that as things get better, as things feel better, they’ll carry with them always the muscles built when they had to be resilient. Nothing hits a message home like a good story. Y4Y offers a Teaching Resilience Book List with suggestions for read-alouds at different grade levels.
• Counting on partners. You may be increasing the number of paid and volunteer tutors in your program. Your retired teachers association is a great resource. Be sure to map other community assets as well. To learn the basics of partnership development, see the Implementation Strategies section in Y4Y’s Strategic Partnerships course.
• Making time to connect. Developing relationships is the pinnacle of social and emotional development. So even as academic focus intensifies, you’ll want to make sure that human connections stay front and center in your program. Y4Y’s Building Relationships Training to Go is a great tool for brushing up if staff are looking for fresh ideas on how to connect with students. These basic ideas carry over into ever-important peer relationships as well.
• Bringing students along in planning. In February’s Education Week, there’s a great quote from Neema Avashia, an eighth-grade civics teacher in Boston Public Schools (and Boston’s 2013 Educator of the Year). She notes, “One important lesson I’ve learned from my students is that everything I plan with them goes much better than anything I plan without them.” Build on the self-awareness they’ve developed and consult Y4Y’s Student Voice and Choice course or accompanying tools like Student Survey: How Do I Learn Best? if you’re looking for tips on how to effectively incorporate student voice in your program and activity planning.

Whether we’re conscious of it or not, every human experience gives us a new opportunity to weigh our practices, our habits, and our ways of doing — and to weed out the things that don’t work. With that exercise comes the opportunity to view new experiences differently. Instead of focusing on “learning loss” in your 21^st CCLC program, scrounge around for the unexpected opportunities brought about by the pandemic, and discover how you can build on those gems to ensure a bright future for all your students.