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- New ACT Now Team Member!
- Exploring Careers in STEM Event
- Chicago Summer Leadership Academy
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Check out ACT Now's Blogs!
ACT Now's team writes monthly blogs on various topics regarding OST! Our newest blog discusses youth voice and ACT Now's Youth Afterschool Ambassadors!
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ACT Now's New Team Member!
We’d like to welcome Micheline Holmes (she/her) who is joining ACT Now as our Professional Development Specialist for Community Schools! She is a former Senior Resource Coordinator for Sustainable Community Schools who has a passion for building and empowering youth, families, and communities. Welcome, Micheline! If you are interested in connecting with Micheline, please email holmesm@actnowillinois.org.
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RESCHEDULED: Upcoming 21st CCLC Town Hall
ACT Now has rescheduled the upcoming 21st Century Community Learning Centers Town Hall to April 25, 2024, from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. The meeting will cover updates to grantees regarding programming, funding, upcoming deadlines, and advocacy strategies. Additionally, there will be a short professional development session on the topic of Strategies to Find Funding!
For any questions, please reach out to Nikki Gillani at GillaniN@actnowillinois.org.
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State Updates
Week 4 Advocacy Actions: Contact your Elected Officials!
ACT Now will be highlighting different advocacy actions our members can participate in for the next few weeks! This week, to further amplify our budget priorities, we are asking advocates to contact their state legislators and encourage them to support equitable funding for afterschool! ACT Now has developed templates that advocates can use when doing outreach!
- ACT Now's Advocacy Toolkit features a general template that advocates can use (located on page 9).
- We have also developed a template that is specific to those advocating for $50 million for Community Learning Centers.
To find out who represents you, click here!
We are also asking advocates to provide public comment at the upcoming ISBE Board Meeting on April 17, 2024. Those wishing to provide public comment can do so in person as well as virtually.
For any questions, please contact Emma Giamberdino (formerly Spencer) at SpencerE@actnowillinois.org.
CALL TO ACTION: SUPPORT OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR HB4601
Illinois Partners and Illinois Collaboration on Youth are working together to pass increased appropriations for bill HB4601/SB3082, the Human Services Professional Loan Repayment Program Act. This bill has been called for a subject matter hearing in the Higher Education - Appropriations Committee on April 18, 2024, at 8:00 a.m. The Human Services Professional Loan Repayment Program will address the human service workforce crisis by reducing the financial burden caused by educational loans on the people who deliver life-saving services to children, adults, and families across Illinois. Illinois Partners and the Illinois Collaboration on Youth are requesting that the General Assembly appropriate $15M for costs necessary to implement the repayment program.
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Make sure to fill out the personal information, click the "select subject matter" drop down menu, click HB4601 in the drop down, and click the boxes that say "Proponent" and "Record of Appearance Only."
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To register for all upcoming ACT Now trainings and events please sign up for ACT Now Center for Afterschool Learning (ANCAL). ANCAL (hosted through Collabornation) is an online learning and training platform that is FREE for all Illinois afterschool and OST professionals.
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ACT Now Events
April 25, 2024, from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
21st CCLC TA: Capacity Building and Team
April 24, 2024, from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m.
Illinois Community Schools: A Community in Practice
April 30, 2024, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Scale Up Your SEL: Develop It
May 7, 2024, from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
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Youth Development
A Guide for Education for Homeless Children and Youth Programs
The National Center for Homeless Education has created a guide that discusses program sustainability and offers strategies for developing activities that will maintain the impact of a local education agency's (LEA's) homeless services when ARP Homeless funds are no longer available.
SciGirls Family Guide for Engaging Girls in STEM
This guide shares strategies and tips to support families in their encouragement of girls to pursue STEM.
Safety, Health, and Nutrition
Turnip the Beet: High-Quality Meals in the Summer Meal Programs 2024
Turnip the Beet Award recognizes outstanding summer meal program sponsors across the nation who work hard to offer high-quality meals to children during the summer months. Nominations are due September 27, 2024.
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Youth Development
Educator Day at Automate 2024 Event Detail
Educator Day at Automate will take place on May 8, 2024, from 9:45 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. During this event, participants will have the chance to network with educators, industry leaders, and representatives from national workforce organizations.
America Scores is Hiring for an Executive Director!
America Scores is hiring for an Executive Director. For more information, click here. To apply for the Executive Director position, please email admin@chicagoscores.org and include “Executive Director Application”. The goal start date for the position is July 1, 2024.
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Exploring Careers in STEM!
CareerSpark is a hands-on, interactive work and career readiness experience designed to spark students’ interest in exciting careers in the STEAM field. This event will take place on April 25, 2024, from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. and 11:40 a.m. to 1:40 p.m. at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield.
2024 Dream with Us Design Challenge
Students are invited to help NASA envision new ways to use uncrewed aerial vehicles to help reduce natural disaster risks. Selected teams will have an opportunity to chat with NASA experts and selected designs may also be shared on NASA social media platforms. The deadline to submit entries is April 30, 2024.
Students Demand Action Chicago Summer Leadership Academy
Join Students Demand Action for the Chicago Summer Leadership Academy, a free leadership development program from July 22 to 26, 2024 for youth ages 14 to 17. Participants will learn first-hand about the gun violence prevention movement and how to grow and develop their organizing skills to become leaders within this movement and their communities. The application is due May 10, 2024.
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For archived funding opportunities, click here.
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