Category: Community Spotlights

How Life Enrichment Group lives up to its name

By School's Out Washington

Life Enrichment Group has been part of the Best Starts for Kids Out-of-School Time initiative since 2018. The Rainier Beach-based organization provides academic services to Black youth and youth of color, offering middle and high schoolers academic support, enrichment activities, and college and career exploration.  Every year, Life Enrichment Group (LEG) hosts a tour of historically Black colleges and universities for high school students. The pandemic meant shifting to a virtual format— and while it wasn’t the same, this strategy meant that more youth, including middle schoolers, could participate.   Saniyah, 13, narrowed down her choices and plans to go to Howard University. “My mom and I looked at the campus online, and I know what dorm I’m gonna stay in,” says Saniyah.  She … [ ]

Beyond voices, into action.

By Adriana Zazula

The Bridge Conference is a place where those in many levels of youth development can gather to share ideas and reimagine what opportunities and programs  are offered to young people. An incredibly important gift to the Conference is being able to learn from the youth directly. The Community Center for Education Results’(CCER) workshop, “Shaping Stories to Shift Systems: The Youth Storytellers Project” offers just that.  The workshop is described as an opportunity to, “center community and lead with anti-racist action, we need to reimagine who ‘experts’ are, resource young people of color to own their stories, and follow their visions … [ ]

Investing in professional development, one podcast at a time.

By Adriana Zazula

Housed within the University of Washington, Cultivate Learning has “established itself as a bridge between research and practice, and has emerged as an institution that delivers guidance and expertise in multiple aspects of early learning and expanded learning opportunities.” “At the end of the day Cultivate Learning believes that every child deserves a safe place to learn and grow. We think that investing in the learning of those who work with youth and their families creates those types of spaces,” said Sophie Biddle, Project Specialist at Cultivate Learning. Partnership is also very important at Cultivate Learning and they’re thrilled to … [ ]

The long journey to liberation

By Adriana Zazula

The Bridge Conference has a history  of bringing together those in the youth development field to reconnect, revitalize, and reinspire themselves for the work ahead. JVH Empower Consulting Firm intends to be part of that revitalization at this year’s conference.   Their workshop, “Hold Change: The Power of Collective Healing in Movement Leadership,” is an “enlightenment session, participants will learn about the effects of unrecognized collective trauma and examine how we may have individually participated in the collective trauma of our culture. We will also explore the depths of our radical imaginations to uncover how Expanded Learning Program spaces become a … [ ]

20 on 2020—Ryan Quigtar

By School's Out Washington

In a year like no other, we saw how youth workers and organizations came together and reimagined what it meant to support children, youth, and families. Below is one of 20 people and organizations that inspired us in 2020. Read the full report. Building capacity for the future As a young leader of color, sometimes the best thing you can be given is an unforged path. No preconceived expectations, just the opportunity to create something you know is needed and make a path for others like you to follow.   For Ryan Quigtar, executive director of the Renton Innovation Zone Partnership … [ ]

20 on 2020—Nuestras Raíces

By School's Out Washington

In a year like no other, we saw how youth workers and organizations came together and reimagined what it meant to support children, youth, and families. Below is one of 20 people and organizations that inspired us in 2020. Read the full report. Exploring the Complexity of Latinx Identities and Experiences The Nuestras Raíces session at SOWA’s 2020 virtual Bridge Conference invited attendees to hear a collection of unfiltered, raw, and authentic multilingual stories and voices around the complexities of carrying the Latinx identity in the U.S.   With vulnerability and honesty, youth workers and expanded learning professionals told their stories … [ ]