Best Starts for Kids’ deep dive into training series
READ MOREWe are proud to present our 2023-2026 strategic plan, which has been deeply informed by School’s Out Washington’s community and...
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Investing in Rural Youth: The Impact of School-Community Partnerships
Corey Belser knows firsthand how activities outside of the classroom can open doors of possibility for young people. His career...
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Spotlight: Hilltop Children’s Center’s Commitment to Continuous Growth and Improvement
School’s Out Washington (SOWA) supports youth programs on their program quality improvement journey. One program that has shown commitment to...
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Advocating at the Capitol: Recap of 2026 Advocacy Day
We know that high-quality youth development programs transform lives and build stronger communities—but Washington still hasn’t caught up with the...
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Spotlight: International Rescue Committee
Resettling one’s family in an unfamiliar country is not an easy feat. Having survived violence and persecution in their countries...
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We were proud to witness our theme of “Moments to Movements” in action as both a foundation for the conference and an invitation to imagine more expansive movements rooted in the moments that change us bit by bit every day—and how we can utilize these invaluable moments with youth to foster long-lasting positive change.
Luis Ortega Luis (he/they) is a multidisciplinary storyteller, educator, facilitator, narrative strategist, and the founder and director at Storytellers for Change. Over the last 16 years, Luis has worked with youth, educators, and cross-sector leaders to harness the power of narrative to co-imagine, craft, and share stories to build an equitable world. His research and consulting work focuses on asset-based storytelling, racial equity, narrative change, healing, culturally responsive education, leadership, and organizational development. His work, writing, and projects have been featured at the Harvard DACA Seminar, HBO’s “Where Do You Exist?” podcast, the Kauffman Foundation’s Disruptor Speaker Series, the Seattle … [ ]
Lana’s dynamic approach is enriched by her diverse background and extensive experience spanning both for-profit and nonprofit sectors.
The 2024 legislative session was fast and furious. Let’s take a moment to highlight and celebrate the work that went into a great session. Our School’s Out Washington (SOWA) policy and advocacy team started preparing for the session in 2023. The Youth Development Strategy Table (YDST) is led by two committees. The Leadership Committee approves the legislative agenda and oversees the strategic activities of the coalition. The Legislative Committee sets the legislative priorities and strategies. During the summer of 2023, the two committees decided to put forward a $5 million youth development grant proviso. After meeting with key policymakers and … [ ]
This legislative session, we are asking the legislature for a budget proviso to allocate funding in the 2024 budget, administered through the Washington State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI), for a grant program that supports the creation, expansion and quality improvement of community-based youth development programs that contribute to young people’s health, wealth, and well-being.
We are proud to present our 2023-2026 strategic plan, which has been deeply informed by School’s Out Washington’s community and supported by the thoughtful guidance of Be The Change Consulting. This strategic plan represents a broadening of School’s Out Washington’s focus and a deepening of our ambition. Our role as an intermediary expanded considerably in 2020. Through collective action and advocacy, grant making, and new levels of responsive training and coaching, we supported providers in sustaining and adapting to meet the heightened needs of youth and communities. We saw glimmers of what is possible when systems align, and programs are … [ ]