Making After-School Cool Podcast

The Power of Poetry

This episode of the Making After School Cool Podcast focuses on the Power of Poetry and the Spoken Word. Since, 1996, the month of April has been designated as National Poetry Month. This distinction reminds the public that poets have an integral role to play in our culture and that poetry matters. My guest today is a poet in the Houston area, Ms. Jo-Ann Blanchard. Ms. Blanchard has been writing since the age of 10 and is an advocate of domestic violence prevention and intervention.  During this podcast you will learn more about the following:

1. How Ms. Blanchard started to get recognized as a poet
2. How to develop poems
3. Overcoming the fear of sharing writings with others?
4. Overcoming Writers’ Block
5. How can the written word help youth struggling with mental health issues.

Resources

Mike Wilson – mwilson@hcde-texas.org

Ms. Jo Anne Blanchard – jahsayblancard@gmail.com

Harris County Department of Education – www.hcde-texas.org

CASE for Kids - www.hcde-texas.org/afterschoolzone

 

After School Cool Youth College & Career Expo

The Afterschool is Cool Youth Expo focused on career opportunities in the field of technology, including digital innovation, energy entrepreneurship and life sciences, and incorporated the gamification of learning. The Expo is part of LevelUp Houston, Harris County’s newest student badging platform, developed by CASE for Kids and MyVoluntier and funded by the Houston Endowment through the Education Foundation of Harris County. 

City Of Houston's Youth Ambassadors

Today’s topic features teenagers who are a member  of the City Of Houston Youth Ambassadors advisory group.  This group, under the direction of Ms. Laura Cuellar, are advisors to the city of Houston Mayor’s Office. The City of Houston Championing Change Youth Ambassadors include youth ages 13-18 who work to advance children’s rights and ensure youth voice is considered in the City of Houston's programs and decision-making.  They provide the youth’s perspective regarding issues faced by their age group.

During the episode you will hear the follow:

• Current issues faced by their age group
• What motivated them to get involved with advising the mayor’s office on youth issues
• What advice would you give other students on why they should be involved with local government
• There plans after high school

Resources

Mike Wilson – mwilson@hcde-texas.org

 Another Step for Youth child rights podcast 

The Importance of Youth Practing Self-Care

My guest today on the Making After School Cool podcast is Dr. Crystal Belle. Dr. Belle is a published writer, activist, educator and professional development trainer.  She is an authority in, Diversity. Equity and Inclusion and education consultant, self-care coach and author. As the founder of Self Love Life 101, her goal is to help people live their best lives through online video coaching, educational consulting and fitness/wellness. 

Resource

Dr. Crystal Belle

Home | Dr Crystal Belle

Mike Wilson

mwilson@hcde-texas.org

EEpisode 132: Inspiring students attending Low Economic Schools

This episode of the Making After School Cool Podcast highlights the work of Dr. William Parrett research regarding strategies schools with alarge number in impoverished students yet still produce high academic achievement.  According to theories among many psychologists and child development specialists a child’s behavior can stems from many things including a combination of genes and their environment. This episode presents step those working with students from low economic environment can to to empower these youth

During this podcast you will lean the following:

• The mission of Parrett Associates
• The differences between successful schools who teach students from diverse economic and cultural backgrounds from those who struggle with this populations.
• How the out of school time environment can play a role in supporting students’ academic success.
• Suggestions regarding how to  create an environment that is responsive to youth living in poverty

Resources

Parrett Associates

www.schoolsdisruptingpoverty.com

Mike Wilson

mwilson@hcde-texas.org

 

Ep 131: The Teenage Life

Todays topic features a podcast series developed, and produced by  students attending Chavez Highschool.  These students learned the fundamentals of podcasting and host their own show entitled the Teen Aged Life.  This segment of their episode centers on a debate regarding the availability of cell use for high school students during school hours.

Guest

I would like the thank the  students producing their own podcast “The Teenage Life, “  podcast at Chavez High school. They are  Christopher Rodriguez, Gianna Garcia, Seryna Sandoval, David Lara, Savana Chavarria, Mariana Reyes, Gloria Handres  Jandres, Jezabelle Longoria, and Moses Garcia

Resources

Katherine Shaw

luevaletgj2o.pbworks.com/f/Student%20Cell%20Phone%20Use.pdf

Mike Wilson

mwilson@hcde-texas.org

CASE for Kids

www.hcde-texas.org/page/17

 

Ep 130: Working with Students In Urban Setting Featuring Dr. Richard Milner

This episode of the Making After School Podcast features my interview with Dr. Rich Milner, Cornelius Vanderbilt Chair of Education in the Department of Teaching and Learning at Vanderbilt Peabody College of Education and Human Development. We discuss the unique challegenes of working with students living in urban setting and how to address the opportunity gaps that many if these students encounter

Guest

Dr. H. Richard Milner IV. Dr. Milner is President of the American Educational Research Association, the largest research organization in the world. He is also an elected member of the National Academy of Education. He is a researcher, scholar and leader of urban education and teacher education. Centering on equity and diversity, he has spent hundreds of hours observing teachers’ practices and interviewing educators and students in urban schools about micro-level policies that shape students’ opportunities to learn.. 

During This Podcast you will learn information regarding the following

1. A Description of urban education, what do we know regarding the subject, and what other information do we need to know
2. Recommendations concerning how educators should support students of color, students living in poverty line, and those whose first language is not English.
3. The difference between the term  “opportunity gaps.” and “achievement gap”
4. The Teachers Race Talk Survey,one of the first survey instruments focused on teachers’ reported beliefs about race and discourse.
5. The three types of urban education

Resources

Dr. Richard Milner

rich.milner@vanderbilt.edu

Mike Wilson

mwilson@hcde-texas.org

129: Positive Influence Mentors have on Youth Part 2

Today’s episode of the Making After School Cool podcast focues on the positive influence mentors can have on the lives of youth. This is part two of the series. 

During this podcast you will learn more regarding:

• Risk factors for youth who do not have access to a positive adult in their life beyond the school day educators?
• The difficulties regardomg finding mentors, for older boys of color
• How the lack of a mentor can lead some youth to incarceration.

Resources

Mike Wilson

mwilson@hcde-texas.or

Harris County Department of Educcation

www.hcde-texas.org

Case for Kids

www.hcde-texas.org/CASE

 

 

Ep 129: Positive Influence Mentors have on Youth

Today’s episode of the Making After School Cool podcast focues on the positive influence mentors can have on the lives of youth. A report by Dr. Jean E. Rhodes and Dr. David L. DuBois from the University of Massachusetts, Boston, and University of Illinois at Chicago respectively, indicate that youth having had a mentoring relationship during adolescence exhibited significantly better outcomes regarding high-school completion, college attendance, and employment. To discuss his own personal joinery in developing mentoring relationships with youth is Today, my guest on the Making After School Cool podcase is Mr.  Mr. Terrell Williams Sr. 

 

During this podcast you will learn more regarding:

• Risk factors for youth who do not have access to a positive adult in their life beyond the school day educators?
• The difficulties regardomg finding mentors, for older boys of color
• How the lack of a mentor can lead some youth to incarceration.

Resources

Mike Wilson

mwilson@hcde-texas.or

Harris County Department of Educcation

www.hcde-texas.org

Case for Kids

www.hcde-texas.org/CASE

 

 

Ep 128:: After School Program Staff thoughts on Working in the Field

Over the last two decades the emergence of after school programs have grown into its own industry. Initially, thought of a place where kids can stay after school until their parents come home from work, currently after school program are more complexed and can address students and community needs.  According to research conducted by Dr. Fashola, with John Hopkins and Howard Universities, her review of research literature on the subject indicates, by attending after-school programs participants can improve their socialization skills, programs can provide students with enriching experiences that broaden their perspectives of their life and future possibilities; and after-school programs can help to improve the academic achievement of students who may be struggling during regular school hours.

Today on the Making After School Cool podcast, I had the pleasure of interviewing CASE for Kids staff who are assigned to 21^st Century program. This episode features Imyria Bledsaw. who was a high school students participating in the program and currently works on one of the sites, Briana Fips, Kathrine Delatorre, and Deshawn Gibson who are after school program specialist. I also interviewd  Keanda Fuller who is a Program Coordinator at Havard Elementary.  During our discussion they shared their experiences participating in and working for and out of school time program.