Center for Afterschool, Summer and Enrichment for Kids (CASE for Kids) project manager Jasmine Castleberry has been nominated as a finalist for the National AfterSchool Association’s (NAA) board of directors.

NAA fosters professional development, provides education, and encourages advocacy for individuals in the out-of-school-time (OST) community. As a leader in CASE for Kids, Castleberry has been instrumental in establishing Harris County Department of Education as a standard-bearer in the OST field.

“I’m ecstatic about this opportunity with NAA,” said Castleberry. “I want to serve on the NAA board of directors because my main priority is investing in the people who serve our youth.”

In 2020, Castleberry was selected to join NAA’s Professional Learning Community for Emerging Leaders of Color. The cohort addressed systematic inequities and worked to create a roadmap for people of color to advance their careers in the afterschool field. Castleberry has also penned two magazine articles for “AfterSchool Today,” the NAA’s official bi-annual publication.

If elected an NAA board member, Castleberry hopes to facilitate conversations among afterschool professionals that spark change and enhance the lives of students and their families.

“I have been so impressed with Castleberry’s commitment to our students,” said CASE for Kids Senior Director Lisa Caruthers, Ph.D. “Service on the NAA board would allow her to go beyond Harris County boundaries and impact OST professionals across the country.”

NAA will announce the 2023-2024 board of directors on June 27, 2023.

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