Category: News

Best Starts for Kids Expanded Learning RFP is now open!

By School's Out Washington

School’s Out Washington (SOWA), in partnership with Best Start for Kids (BSK), is seeking proposals for the 2022-2025 King County Best Starts for Kids Expanded Learning Initiative.  The RFP and application are available here. Proposals are due on Wednesday, April 27, 2022 by 11:59 PM. Investments in the BSK Expanded Learning Initiative will strengthen and increase expanded learning opportunities for King County young people (ages 5-13) who are BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) and/or living in poverty. Expanded learning provides young people with high-quality programming through a range of activities including academic enrichment, cultural and social development activities, … [ ]

A statement from SOWA about harm we caused

By School's Out Washington

Dear Community,  We are writing to acknowledge that we recently caused harm to Key to Change, an organization that we featured in our Community Spotlight story series. For the purposes of transparency and accountability, we want to share what occurred, our learnings, and some of the steps we are taking to ensure this does not happen again.   On February 14, as part of a Community Spotlight series on Black-led youth arts programs for Black History month, we featured Key to Change, a Black-led nonprofit that inspires underserved youth through world-class music instruction and leadership development.  Our communications team mistakenly … [ ]

Training of Trainers—Career Connected Learning & Designing Culturally Responsible Programming

By School's Out Washington

School’s Out Washington (SOWA) in collaboration with community and Million Girls Moonshot developed two live trainings to support pathways and access for girls of color in STEAM through tangible resources and trainings for youth development professionals.  Career Connected Learning: STEAM prominently exist in every community and culture – this training is designed to help widen our lens, resources, and project management skills to support developing Career Connected Learning opportunities for under resourced youth. The purpose of this training is to gain thoughtful strategies and techniques for embedding a decolonized approach to career connected learning projects, programming, and events. Designing Culturally … [ ]

Youth Development Advocacy Week 2022

By School's Out Washington

The youth development field is primed for major funding and supportive policies to increase access to programs and supports for providers. In order to secure these wins for kids, we need providers, youth, and other stakeholders to help increase awareness and build energy in the legislators to make big things happen this session and in the years to come. Youth Development Advocacy Week is a great opportunity to raise your voice with others across the state and show why funding and supports are critical to supporting children and youth during and after the pandemic.  REGISTER! Youth Development Advocacy Week is … [ ]

Best Starts for Kids Virtual Open House

By School's Out Washington

Interested in being part of the next iteration of Best Starts for Kids? Check out their upcoming virtual open house on Wednesday, January 12, 2022 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Stay up-do-date by subscribing the Best Starts blog. Learn more about School’s Out Washington work on the 2018 – 2021 Out-of-School Time grant. Best Starts for Kids will host a virtual open house for existing and prospective community partners to learn more about the opportunities for funding in the first quarter of 2022. Way back in 2017, Best Start for Kids headed out on the road to spread the word about … [ ]

Best starts and best practices—how 2020 highlighted the importance of out-of-school time

In February 2020, the Best Starts for Kids Out-of-School Time Initiative (BSK OST) was heading into its final year of implementation. Then COVID hit, and communities across King County (and the world) were left scrambling to support each other through unimaginable challenges. Youth development workers navigated alarming funding cuts, rapidly changing safety protocols, school closures and the creation of virtual learning strategies, and the profound trauma their youth, families, and staff teams experience. A spotlight is now on the unique and vital role our field plays within the landscape of our communities—it’s never been more apparent how much our work … [ ]