Energized for their peak season, Center for Afterschool, Summer and Enrichment for Kids (CASE for Kids) leaders shared and expanded their skill set at two recent conferences this month.

At the Out-of-School-Time Initiative Conference (Osti-Con) in Corpus Christi, Texas, CASE for Kids Manager of Federal Programs and Compliance Jasmine Castleberry, project coordinator Monique Smith, and program coordinator Azelia O’Neal took the stage to lead out-of-school time (OST) professionals in a discussion about community support.

In the presentation entitled “To Infinity and Beyond! Maximizing Community Partnerships,” Castleberry, Smith, and O’Neal illustrated the value of community partners and their ability to enhance program activities and close resource gaps.

In March, the team—who has advocated for OST community partnerships on state and national publications and conference stages this year—was recognized among the top 20 presenters at the National AfterSchool Association’s (NAA) national conference for the engaging, quality content of the seminar and their contributions to the development of afterschool professionals.

CASE for Kids Site Coordinator Christopher Obiyo also hosted a seminar at Osti-Con to discuss how family and community engagement positively impacts afterschool participation and enrollment.

The conference also presented CASE for Kids attendees with the opportunity to participate in several team-building activities, including a lip-sync contest in which the division took home first place!

The divisions’ management team also traveled to West Palm Beach, Florida, last week for the “Let’s Make Waves” three-day conference hosted by Every Hour Counts, a coalition of citywide organizations that increases access to quality learning opportunities for underserved students. CASE for Kids supervisors reflected on its 2022-2023 programs and explored how to better engage, inspire, and support students.

To learn more about CASE for Kids, visit www.hcde-texas.org/afterschoolzone.