The How Kids Learn Foundation

10/06/2026

[New Briefing Paper] Supporting Foster Care Youth in Afterschool Programs

In the United States, about 400,000 school-aged children or about 0.5% of the school-age population in the U.S. are in foster care at any given time. The number enrolled in afterschool programs is probably higher. Students in foster care often face much higher rates of school changes, absenteeism, suspension, and lower graduation rates.

This paper helps youth program staff to better understand the experiences of youth in the foster care system and recommends ways to support these youth. It examines how staff training, program design, and supervision can help us know how best to respond to challenging behavior in a way that can increase safety, self-regulation, and belonging so ALL students can learn, play, and thrive.

To view and download:http://www.temescalassociates.com/uploads/1/1/0/6/110631901/foster_youth_paper_3.pdf

09/30/2026

[Free Webinar] But What About MY ADHD?
Friday, Oct. 9, 2026, 12-1p

An exciting webinar from The Village Well and their founder, Ed Center.

Are you an educator with ADHD? We spend a lot of time supporting neurodivergent students, but how do we attend to our own needs?

This engaging, affirming workshop explores how the ADHD brain shows up at work (and sometimes leaves without clocking out). We’ll cover common strengths and challenges, and how to take care of yourself on the job. No formal diagnosis is required.

To learn more and register, click the link below.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/but-what-about-my-adhd-tickets-2002569902486?aff=oddtdtcreator&keep_tld=true

09/23/2026

[WEBINAR RECORDING AVAILABLE] Building After School Programs to Support Kids with Disabilities

When challenging behavior repeatedly overwhelms staff, disrupts programs, or leads to children feeling excluded, the solution cannot be another one-time behavior management workshop. This is a leadership issue.

This session helps program leaders design systems that support youth with disabilities, mental health challenges, trauma, and other complex needs. Program leaders will examine how policies, staff training, program design, supervision, and responses to challenging behavior can increase safety, regulation, and belonging so ALL students can learn, play, and thrive.

Using real-world scenarios and a practical organizational assessment, leaders will identify gaps in their current systems and develop concrete next steps for improvement.

To view this recording, click the link below.

When challenging behavior repeatedly overwhelms staff, disrupts pro...

04/01/2026

NEW DATE: A Virtual Site Visit to the Long Beach Youth Institute

Join us on Thur. April 16, 2026, from 10am-12pm PST for a virtual site visit to an exemplar afterschool program!

We know that visiting exemplar afterschool programs can provide a rich learning experience. But site visits can be expensive once you include travel and lodging costs as well as time away from programs. We learned during COVID that it can be efficient to use Zoom technology. Thus, this is the first in a series of virtual site visits via Zoom.

We invite you to a virtual site visit to Long Beach YMCA’s Youth Institute in southern California. This will provide an overview of their program model followed by a closer look at 3 unique practices:

-Exposing youth to a wilderness experience to provide bonding with their peers.
-Using technology for self-expression and workforce development.
-Engaging alumni to provide peer- to- peer learning.

This virtual visit will include the work and words of youth participants.

This webinar is designed to share the learnings and practices of this exemplar afterschool program. It also provides suggestions and resources for staff. We recommend this webinar to program leaders, organizational leaders and program staff.

To learn more and register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/a-virtual-site-visit-to-the-long-beach-youth-institute-tickets-1984503653850?aff=oddtdtcreator&keep_tld=true

03/17/2026

NEXT WEEK: A Virtual Site Visit to the Long Beach Youth Institute

We know that visiting exemplar afterschool programs can provide a rich learning experience. But site visits can be expensive once you include travel and lodging costs as well as time away from programs. We learned during COVID that it can be efficient to use Zoom technology. Thus, this is the first in a series of virtual site visits via Zoom.

We invite you to a virtual site visit to Long Beach YMCA’s Youth Institute in Southern California. This will provide an overview of their program model followed by a closer look at 3 unique practices:

· Exposing youth to a wilderness experience to provide bonding with their peers.
· Using technology for self-expression and workforce development.
· Engaging alumni to provide peer- to- peer learning.

This virtual visit will include the work and words of youth participants.

This webinar is designed to share the learnings and practices of this exemplar afterschool program. It also provides suggestions and resources for staff. We recommend this webinar to program leaders, organizational leaders and program staff.

To learn more and register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/a-virtual-site-visit-to-the-long-beach-youth-institute-tickets-1984503653850?aff=oddtdtcreator

03/10/2026

UPCOMING WEBINAR: A Virtual Site Visit to the Long Beach Youth Institute

Thursday, March 26, 2026, 10am- 12pm PST

We know that visiting exemplar afterschool programs can provide a rich learning experience. But site visits can be expensive once you include travel and lodging costs as well as time away from programs. We learned during COVID that it can be efficient to use Zoom technology. Thus, this is the first in a series of virtual site visits via Zoom.

We invite you to a virtual site visit to Long Beach YMCA’s Youth Institute in southern California. This will provide an overview of their program model followed by a closer look at 3 unique practices:
· Exposing youth to a wilderness experience to provide bonding with their peers.
· Using technology for self-expression and workforce development.
· Engaging alumni to provide peer- to- peer learning.

This virtual visit will include the work and words of youth participants.

This webinar is designed to share the learnings and practices of this exemplar afterschool program. It also provides suggestions and resources for staff. We recommend this webinar to program leaders, organizational leaders and program staff.

About The Youth Institute: For the past twenty-five years, the YMCA of Greater Long Beach Community Development YMCA branch has operated the internationally recognized Youth Institute, a year-round program that uses technology as an integral mechanism for promoting positive youth development and developing pathways to post-secondary education and career readiness of low-income, culturally diverse youth.

To learn more and register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/a-virtual-site-visit-to-the-long-beach-youth-institute-tickets-1984503653850?aff=oddtdtcreator&keep_tld=true

12/09/2025

THIS THURSDAY: Addressing the Youth Mental Health Crisis in Schools and Afterschool Programs: Notice. Talk. Act.

December 11, 2025, 10am-11:30am PST

Most indicators show that youth mental health has worsened over the past decade, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic. But what can we do in our schools and afterschool programs to build the skills of youth workers and teachers to recognize early warning signs of declining mental health, speak with youth and their families and to refer youth, as needed, to mental health resources?

Notice. Talk. Act.® at School is a training designed and delivered by the American Psychiatric Association in partnership with Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA). This training equips all adults who work in your school—afterschool staff and school personnel: school administrators, coaches, custodial staff, food service staff, mental health staff, nurses, and teachers—with the right tools to make a difference in the mental health of your youth.

Registration for this event is FREE!

To learn more and register, click the link below.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/addressing-the-youth-mental-health-crisis-in-schools-afterschool-tickets-1963623268054?aff=oddtdtcreator

12/02/2025

Today is Giving Tuesday and we are making progress toward our goal! We need your help to raise funds crucial to fueling our mission. Whether you can give $5 or $5000, your gift will get us closer to our goal to fund our work in 2026!

Research tells us that quality afterschool programs are very effective in promoting healthy youth development. Since 2014, The How Kids Learn Foundation has been focused on building quality in afterschool programs.

To donate to HKLF, click the link below.
https://funraise.org/give/The-How-Kids-Learn-Foundation/61be1af6-c9af-4854-8e86-694c93782472/

11/25/2025

There are only 7 days until Giving Tuesday!

This year, from Oct. 21 - Dec. 2, The How Kids Learn Foundation is asking for donations to allow us to continue their work through the new year. Your donation will help HKLF continue to issue relevant and important briefing papers for the afterschool field.

A few of our briefing papers released in 2025 have included, “How Afterschool Programs Can Address the Youth Mental Health Crisis”, “Bringing Therapy Dogs into Youth Afterschool Programs”, “Countering the Threat of Deportation,” and "Creating a Staff Development Plan."

To learn more about HKLF's efforts and to donate, click the link below.

https://funraise.org/give/The-How-Kids-Learn-Foundation/61be1af6-c9af-4854-8e86-694c93782472/

11/12/2025

With Giving Tuesday quickly approaching, who have you decided to give to this year?

We are asking for support for The How Kids Learn Foundation and we ask you to consider donating for this Giving Tuesday. Help us continue our work on improving the quality of youth afterschool programs through 2026.

To learn more and donate, click the link below.
https://bit.ly/48kAnUp