Join the CAT Youth Theatre for their upcoming production of BLOOD. The production was created through playbuilding, which gives young artists the opportunity to hear their "own voice echo off the walls” and make new meanings from the material of their lives. Tickets can be reserved by contacting Maureen Donohue, Youth Theatre Program Manager, at (212) 652-2828 or maureen.donohue@cuny.edu. A special performance on February 26, 2019 at 5:00 pm will be held for high school groups only. Limited tickets available for this performance at a "pay what you can" rate. Group tickets available for several dates.

Zone 126 is hosting a Youth Summit on March 9, 2019 at Variety Boys & Girls Club of Queens. Students in grades 8 - 12 are invited to take part in a day filled with workshops that include topics such as: Channeling Your Voice; Managing Your Money; Mindfulness & Stress Management; Transitioning Successfully from Middle School to High School; and much more. All students who participate will receive a goody bag upon entry to the event, round trip metro card, hot breakfast and lunch, raffle prizes for each workshop attended, and grand raffle prize at the end of each event. Download flyer to learn more.

Arts learning programs that intentionally integrate creative skill-building and expression with positive youth development principles fuel young people’s imaginations, strengthen their leadership, and build critical learning and life skills. A newly released Wallace Foundation report, Designing for Engagement: The Experiences of Tweens in the Boys & Girls Clubs Youth Arts Initiative, finds tween participants who participated in programs of this kind within general youth-serving organizations improved not only artistic skill, but also social-emotional learning, and had increased club attendance and retention. Register to participate in a free webinar, on February 20, 2019 from 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm, hosted by the National Guild for Community Arts Education to learn how to deepen arts learning practices to attract youth and create measurable benefits.

The National Summer Learning Association, National AfterSchool Association, and the Afterschool Alliance are co-hosting a free, three-part summer program planning webinar series beginning on February 27, 2019. Part one of the series will look at Getting to Work on Summer Learning, Second Edition, by the RAND Corporation, a report that explains the elements of successful programs and offers school districts and community providers planning advice on staffing, student recruitment, and creating a positive climate. This first webinar will also dive into the accompanying online Summer Learning Toolkit, mapped to RAND’s findings, which features more than 50 practical tools and planning resources to help school districts and their partners design and deliver high-quality summer programs. Register to participate.

Youth Communication is hosting a free webinar, Beyond the (Gender) Binary: Supporting Students With a Gender Responsive, Story-Based Approach, on February 27, 2019 from 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm EST. In this one-hour interactive webinar, you will learn strategies for how to use teen-written stories to create a supportive learning environment and engage youth in meaningful discussions around gender expectations and stereotypes. Webinar participants will practice an interactive activity around teen writer Selena Garcia’s story “Why Can’t We All Be Ourselves?” This webinar is ideal for middle and high school educators, counselors, mentors, afterschool staff, professional development coordinators, school principals, and other professionals who work with teens.

Registration is now open for NYS Network for Youth Success' conference for out-of-school time professionals. School's Out, Make it Count! takes place May 10 and 11, 2019 in Saratoga Springs, NY. The conference provides training, professional development, and networking opportunities for program staff and directors to increase the quality and sustainability of their programs. Conference offerings include leadership, diversity and inclusion, and Executive Director tracks, 30-minute speed sessions, a buffet lunch, and vendor area.

Seachange Collective's 2019 New York City workshop schedule includes interactive, one-day workshops focused on aligning social justice values and practice, understanding positionality and privilege, and centering the needs and voices of those most affected in anti-oppression work. They are designed for people who work in non-profits, schools, community organizing, public service, and any other spaces seeking a stronger commitment to social justice. Visit their website for the workshop schedule.

From a Nation at Risk to a Nation at Hope, is a report from the Aspen Institute National Commission on Social, Emotional, and Academic Development. The Commission was created to engage and energize communities in re-envisioning learning to encompass its social, emotional, and cognitive dimensions so that all children can succeed in school, careers, and life. Drawing on input from more than 200 scientists, youth and parent groups, educators, and policymakers, the Commission’s final report seeks to accelerate and strengthen efforts to support the whole learner in local communities through recommendations for researchers, educators, and policymakers.