Another Successful AZ OST Conference—We Keep On Growing

October 26, 2015Genevieve BurnsNews

Thanks to all of our supporters, this past Saturday the 2015 Arizona Statewide Out-of-School Time Conference, School’s Out, Make It Count – Engaging Youth in Life and Learning was the largest Out-of-School Time Conference that Arizona has seen.

That’s what we said last year… but we keep making history and getting bigger and striving for a high quality, fun professional development opportunity for all out-of-school time staff in Arizona.

Our expansion to four workshop sessions, more highlighted tracks, an increased amount of time with exhibitors, and a streamlined lunch program kept the day moving and engaged the almost eight-hundred attendees to fully expand the repertoire of skills, leadership, knowledge, and activities that the staff bring to Arizona programs.

The #makeitcountAZ hashtag on Instagram and Twitter was successful and we’re already combing through your feedback to work on making every year better and better… We also use take every evaluation contact and enter them into our raffle for the Conference Evaluation iPad, generously supported by COX Communications. Stay tuned to find out if you win!

Our lunch program honored our 2015 Awards of Excellence Winners:

Outstanding Out-of-School Time Professional Danette Davis
21st CCLC Program Coordinator, Pima County JTED

Outstanding Out-of-School Time Program W.F. Killip Elementary School
Flagstaff USD

Jane Romatzke Leader Linda Kubiak
Director of Community Programs, Vail USD

And congratulations to our Finalists as well:

Outstanding Out-of-School Time Professional Finalist Kathy McNair
Isaac School District No. 5 21stCCLC Program
Outstanding Out-of-School Time Professional Finalist Dr. Frances Mills-Yerger
Workshops for Youth and Families

Outstanding Out-of-School Time Program Finalist Owl and Panther: A Project of The Hopi Foundation
Tucson
Outstanding Out-of-School Time Program Finalist Junior Leadership Academy
Pinetop

Jane Romatzke Leader Finalist Dr. Camille Casteel
Superintendent of Chandler Unified School District
Jane Romatzke Leader Finalist Council Member Regina Romero
City of Tucson

We will see you all at next year’s conference! Thank you to our sponsors, exhibitors, presenters, and generous benefactors for bringing such high quality to the Conference. And, of course, thank you, attendees, for your dedicated engagement in the workshops. Let’s all continue to make history and be one of the top states for Out-of-School Time programs and development!