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Dear BOOSTers,
We are winding down from our biggest BOOST Conference ever and already preparing for the 2015 BOOST Conference. Registration will go live on Thursday, May 15 for attendees and exhibitors. Register early and save.
If you are currently preparing for summer trainings, we would love to bring our team to you and build leadership and quality programs with you. Let us know, we already have plans to be traveling throughout the US!
Thank you for all that you do to support the children, youth, families, and communities that you serve.
Together we make a difference.
Tia Quinn, CEO
BOOST Collaborative
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Newsletter Sponsor: GOPHER
Gopher has established itself as an industry-leading physical education, athletics, fitness, recreation, and health products distributor. We are passionate about helping professionals like you achieve better results when you teach, coach, or train. This passion helps guide our vision and mission, and it's why we are committed to being the easiest company in the industry with which to work. We are dedicated to providing you with the products to improve fitness, develop skills, create fun, and reach a high standard of learning and living. Helping you make the world a more active, healthy, and vibrant place is why we exist.
Our NEW All Stars curriculum makes implementing a successful and active before or after school program simple and easy! Activities are engaging for all ages and can be performed in a variety of environments. This comprehensive program:
- Promotes physical activity, inclusion, and teamwork
- Offers a flexible, organized, non-competitive approach
- Covers over 130 activities in sports, fitness, and dance
If you are looking for a simple and effective curriculum plan for your instructors to easily implement, please call Gopher today at 800-533-0446! |
Program Highlight: Take Action Leadership Campaign
Beyond the Bell holds an annual talent show and competition, Spotlight on Success (SOS), on the Paramount Studios Lot. Students from middle and high school dance, sing, play instruments, and give spoken word performances to compete for more than $40,000 in scholarships. |
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BOOST Buzz
Our next BOOSTChat will be on May 21, 2014 at 6 PM Pacific Standard Time.
This month's BOOSTChat topic is Inspire Innovation: Implementing Technology in Afterschool Programs.
Our Panelists:
Nikhil Abraham
Codecademy
New York, NY
@nikhilgabraham
Nik currently manages business development, partnerships, and growth at Codecademy, the easiest way to learn to code online. Prior to Codecademy, he worked at Boston Consulting Group providing strategic advice to Fortune 500 companies, and founded an edtech startup funded by YCombinator. He earned a JD/MBA from the University of Chicago, where he received numerous fellowships to study the intersection of law and technology.
Steven W. Anderson
#edchat
Winston-Salem, NC
@web20classroom
Steven W. Anderson is an educator, speaker, blogger and Dad from Winston-Salem, NC. As a former Director of Instructional Technology and Instructional Technologist and Classroom Teacher, Steven is a recognized expert in the infusion of technology in teaching and social media for learning.
More information on BOOSTChats here.
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Staff Highlight:
Cat Henning
Education Coordinator
Wild Willow Farm & Education Center
San Diego, CA
Cathryn (Cat) Henning is Wild Willow Farm & Education Center’s education coordinator. Originally from Chicago, she moved to San Diego to get her engineering degree at UCSD; while there, she learned how to surf. Being in the water so much got her wondering how much our rivers and beaches were affected by polluted runoff. That curiosity led to a job as an engineer for the Regional Water Quality Control Board, and as a volunteer with San Diego Coastkeeper.
The realization that agriculture has a significant impact on water quality, and the fact that San Diego County is home to the largest number of small farms in the US, prompted her to explore how she could alter her choices to reduce her impact on the environment, which included eating lots of fresh, local produce. As she started to feel more energized, she realized that her purpose is to share healthy eating with others.
After a nourishing three months at a biodynamic farm in Costa Rica, Cathryn found her way back to San Diego. Hearing that Wild Willow Farm had goats, she immediately enrolled in the first session of Wild Willow’s Farming 101, Basics of Small-scale Sustainable Farming course. As education coordinator, she administers both Wild Willow Farm’s School for Sustainable Farming, as well as the farm’s Field Trip program, which brings kids of all ages to learn where their food comes from, and how to grow it. She is a skilled educator
From being a farm student to her current position, Cat shares her love of goats and connects people to the information they need to make their own educated decisions. Eating good food and growing good food not only protects the environment, but also nourishes our bodies and minds, enabling us to think clearly and act with intention.
 
Wild Willow Farm is an educational program of San Diego Roots Sustainable Food Project, a 501(c)3 educational non-profit. Our mission is to educate, cultivate and empower sustainable food communities in San Diego County. www.sandiegoroots.org.
Submitted By: Mel Lions, director
San Diego Roots Sustainable Food Project
San Diego, CA
Do you have a staff member or colleague that goes above and beyond every day? Let us know about them! Email us at communications@boostcollaborative.org |
Planet BOOST
Going somewhere exotic or unusual? Take a picture in your BOOST Gear and email it to planetboost@boostcollaborative.org or tag #PlanetBOOST on Instagram and you could see yourself here!
Jeff Woods
Business Services, HSHMC
San Diego, CA
Kamau Stanford
Program Coordinator, It Takes Philly
Abington, PA
Rich and Yvonne Dutra-St. John
Founders of Challenge Day
Concord, CA
Purchase your BOOST gear today.
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Funding Opportunities
Sports-For-All-Clinic
Passion for sports? VolunTEENnation.org can provide you with funding and support to host your own sports clinic for youth on the autism spectrum.
Special Education Research Programs Grant
Eligible programs seek to expand knowledge base and understanding of infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities. Application due August 7, 2014.
Education Research Grant
Program/Institute seeks to improve the quality of education for all students prekindergarten through postsecondary and adult education by advancing the understanding of and practices for teaching,
learning, and organizing education systems.
Application due August 7, 2014.
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Youth Activity:
JUST RUN Stuffed Animal Relays
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Activity Time: 30 minutes
Grade Level: K through 5
Group Size: Small group, large group
Environment: This is an outdoor activity but can be done in a multi purpose room indoors as well.
Objective: JUST RUN improves student's aerobic capacity and research studies indicate that schools implementing JUST RUN raise the % of students passing the aerobic capacity test in the Fitnessgram from 57% in the Healthy Fitness Zone to over 80% in the HFZ. As well students report overwhelmingly that they have fun in the program. IT teaches students that physical activity should be part of daily lives.
Materials Needed: For the stuffed animal relays we suggest 7 cones used as a starting line for 7 teams of 4 students. Also choose stuffed animals the students bring or you find at thrift stores that are used as markers. 14 of them or 2 for each team.
Preparation: Place the 7 cones about 5 yards apart parallel to each other. Then place the stuffed animals about 20 yards and 40 yards away for each team.
Directions: Each of the 7 teams runs individually, one runner at a time, doing whatever you instruct around and over the animals and returns and touches the next person on their team. This can be done continuously but we suggest changing instructions for each relay. The JUST RUN website has instructions and suggestions for a large variety of these relays. Start easy and then get more complicated. For example - if you tell the first student to run around the first stuffed animal then return watch which way they go around the first stuffed animal. Chances are they will go from right to left. On the next turn make them go from left to right and run around the animal 2 times before returning. Just this small adaptation brings fun, balance, following directions skills, agility, and some studies even prove positive impact on brain function.
Adaptations: Most relays can be implemented on playground surfaces so wheelchairs can participate either by themselves or being pushed by another student. Students with other limitations can be given a partner and still participate. The JUST RUN website has a section on inclusion of students with learning or physical disabilities.
Variations: The JUST RUN website lists dozens of variations for drills and relays and other activities. Variations are only limited by the JUST RUN leaders imagination.
Safety: The JUST RUN website provides information on safety as well. Instruction and advice physical activity in cold weather, hot weather, school emergency situations are all included. There is advice to students in their own section on safety, how to run a race, etc.
Student Leadership: Students can be leaders in determining relay teams and choosing fun activities for their relay teams to do.
Resources: There is a section of the JUST RUN website with links to over 75 great resources for teachers, leaders, and students related to physical activity, and healthy nutrition.
Summary: JUST RUN is a free website based program ( www.justrun.org) that is very comprehensive; including running, drills, relays, stretching, nutrition education, and good citizenship. Schools can implement the program at any time as their entire P.E. program, or at recess, lunch, before or after school. It has an innovative and motivational cooperative class running program where students interactively on the website run across the USA or Europe. The drills and relays are specifically designed to improve students agility, strength, aerobic capacity, balance, and following directions. JUST RUN has been implemented in virtually every state from grades K to 12. Follow the website instructions to register. Call Susan Love in Carmel, California at 831-625-6226 or email at susan@bsim.org if there are any questions.
Submitted By:
Susan Love
Big Sur International Marathon's JUST RUN youth activity program
Carmel, California
Do you have an engaging and fun youth activity? Let us know about it! Email us at communications@boostcollaborative.org
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BOOST Vendor Fair
The BOOST Vendor Fair provides out-of-school time professionals access to a wide variety of products and services to enhance their programs. Browse through the Vendor Fair to learn more about the latest products and services for out-of-school time. It is absolutely FREE to use!
Vendor Fair Highlight
Positive Adventures, LLC. is Southern California’s leader in experiential learning, providing business consulting, team development and outdoor education.
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Fact of the Month
Did You Know?
For every pound of muscle gained, the body burns 50 extra calories every day.
Source: WebMD
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Free Webinars
Out-of-School Time Webinars
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May Poll
True or False?
Mental illnesses are more common than cancer, diabetes or heart disease.
Take the Poll.
Answer from April Poll: The average youth spends more than 35 hours watching TV per week.
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BOOST Breakfast Club
Click on the logo above to read more Breakfast Club blogs.
Quiet, Please: How We Engage Introverts
Blog Written By: Linda Kekelis, Techbridge
Oakland, CA
Take Off
Blog Written By: Erika Petrelli, The Leadership Program
New York, New York
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May Contest
Tell us or show us your favorite 2014 BOOST Conference memory on our Facebook, Twitter or Instagram and receive a free signed keynote speaker book!
The winner will be selected at random but we encourage you to get as many "likes" or "favorites" as possible.
The contest will run from Friday, May 9th - Friday, May 16th. Winner will be announced Monday, May 19th. |
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Free App of the Month
This app shows beginners and intermediates how to play the most used chords for the guitar.
Looking for more educational apps? Visit our Resource Center! |
BOOST Speakers Corner
The BOOST Speakers Corner provides out-of-school time professionals access to a wide variety of speakers, consultants, coaches, and trainer that can help you enhance your programs. Browse through the Speakers Corner to learn more about services that can take your program to the next level.
Dr. Gale K. Gorke
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Training Opportunities
Looking for ideas for a staff training this summer? Click here to see our training topics. We would love an opportunity to work with your team.
If you are interested in a training or BOOST Boot Camp, please contact Tia Quinn at tia@boostcollaborative.org.
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