New Settlement Apartment's program for Girls & Young Women offers a free, 6-week summer program for ages 10-15 (July 5-August 11). Programming includes dramatic writing and performance, swimming instruction, bike riding (instruction and bikes provided), arts, gardening, sports, leadership activities, carpentry, and fun trips. Morning and afternoon sessions may be taken separately or combined for a full day. Program partners include City Parks Foundation's Learning Garden, Fit 4 Life, and Bike NY. Download an application (English or Spanish). Submit applications to New Settlement's main office at 1512 Townsend Avenue, Bronx, NY 10452, or email Joy Leonard j.leonard@newsettlement.org. For more information, contact Joy at (718) 716-8000 x 119. Space is limited.

City Parks Foundation's Learning Gardens Summer Groups Program is a science-based experiential program that offers youth the opportunities to understand the importance of urban gardens through hands-on lessons in garden maintenance, games, and fun science-based activities. Students practice horticultural techniques and learn concepts related to food justice and healthy eating. Groups of up to 25 students (entering grades 4 - 8) are invited to register for this 6-week program (July 10 - August 17, 2017). There are learning garden locations in Bronx, Brooklyn, and Queens. Download a flyer for more information.

The Excelsior Scholarship is a first-in-the-nation plan that enables New York State residents to attend a CUNY or SUNY college tuition-free. The program will be phased in over three years, beginning Fall 2017. It would first apply to families who earn $100,000 or less, then to those who earn $110,000 or less in 2018, and eventually reaching $125,000 or less in 2019. The application becomes available on June 7, 2017, and will be due mid-July. Visit the Higher Education Services Corporation website for eligibility, what is required to maintain the scholarship, and additional information.

Arbor Brothers has released a request for proposals from eligible nonprofits for one their 2017 grants. Arbor Brothers is seeking nonprofit organizations in the fields of education, youth, or workforce development located in and serving primarily populations in New York, New Jersey, or Connecticut with annual local budgets under $2.5 million. First-year grantees will receive $60,000 in unrestricted cash as well as 200-300 hours of Arbor Brothers capacity-building consulting. Grants are renewable for up to three years, with the overall package of support totaling more than $250,000 and 500+ hours of consulting support. Arbor Brothers is a philanthropic organization that finds, funds, and supports promising early-stage nonprofits in the NY tri-state area. First-round applications are due by June 19, 2017 at 5:00 pm EST. Apply online.

The New York State Office of Children and Family Services, in consultation with the New York State Education Department, has released a request for proposal from eligible school districts either on their own, or in collaboration with a not-for-profit organization(s), for the development or expansion of quality after-school programs for the Empire State After-School Program (ESAP). The ESAP seeks proposals that will offer a broad range of educational, recreational, cultural, and age-appropriate activities in a safe environment. The proposal must integrate what happens in the school day with less formal learning experiences, and must encourage the active participation of children, youth, and families in the design and delivery of program activities. The submission deadline is July 14, 2017 at 3:00 pm EST. Download the grant procurement document for full details on program objectives, proposal requirements, and important deadlines.

A recent issue of The Furture of Children, funded in part by The Wallace Foundation, reviews the state of the evidence for social emotional learning (SEL) and explores a set of policy questions that educators and afterschool leaders are facing. The authors find that teachers and out of school time staff need professional development to help children acquire SEL skills. They also urge a greater focus on outcomes at the teacher and classroom level; a focus on skills appropriate to each grade and age; and that measurement should narrow in focus but be broader in context and depth. Access the journal via The Future of Children website.