Oklahoma Partnership for Expanded Learning

10/14/2026

How can you help young people connect the STEM activities they enjoy today with the careers they could pursue tomorrow? 🔬

Join Connecting STEM Activities to Careers, an interactive webinar designed to help afterschool and summer educators bring career exploration into everyday STEM learning.

Discover practical strategies to connect hands-on activities with real-world careers, highlight important workplace skills, and help youth see how what they're learning today can open doors to future opportunities.

You'll walk away with ready-to-use tools, activity ideas, and strategies you can bring directly into your program.

Plus, participants will have a chance to win STEM kits or a $100 gift card for their programs!

📅 October 20, 2026
⏰ 2:00–3:00 PM

Don't miss this opportunity to make STEM learning more meaningful and career-connected for the young people you serve!

10/12/2026

💡 Make health and wellness part of your Lights On Afterschool celebration!

Looking for ways to make your Lights On Afterschool event fun, engaging, and meaningful? The Afterschool Alliance is sharing 5 ways to bring health and wellness into your celebration!

From encouraging healthy habits to creating opportunities for movement and connection, these ideas can help you highlight the important role afterschool programs play in supporting young people's well-being.

Explore the ideas and get inspired for your own celebration!

🔗 https://afterschoolalliance.org/afterschoolsnack/5-ways-to-bring-health-and-wellness-to-your-Lights-On_09-17-2026.cfm

10/08/2026

Light up afterschool in your community!

Planning a Lights On Afterschool celebration? Register your event to make it official and receive an event starter kit, including 10 free posters to help spread the word. Plus, registered events are eligible for fun prizes each week!

Show your community why afterschool matters and celebrate the programs, staff, and young people who make it shine.

🔗 Register your Lights On Afterschool event today!
https://afterschoolalliance.org/loa.cfm

10/07/2026

SUPER READERS- Don't Miss This! OETA Tulsa Office!

10/06/2026

🤖 Turn Big Ideas Into Real Solutions (And Win $5,000 for Your Afterschool Program!) 💡

Got creative high schoolers in your program who want to change the world? Now they can use the power of AI to make it happen!

The STEM Next AI Innovation Challenge, in partnership with the Panasonic Group Foundation, is looking for young innovators ready to tackle real-world problems—from environmental sustainability and food security to community wellness and accessibility.

How your students can win:

1️⃣ Identify the Issue: Pick a local or global challenge they care about
2️⃣ Build with AI: Use artificial intelligence to research and shape their solution
3️⃣ Secure Funding: Submit the project for a chance to win a 💲5,000 award for your program!
No tech wizards required—just passionate kids with big ideas and a mentor to help guide them.

⏰ Don't delay! Deadline is November 19!

🔗Learn more and enter your group here: stemnext.org/ai-innovation-challenge?fbclid=IwY2xjawT8iKdwZG9mBWV4dG4DYWVtAjEwAGJyaWQRMWhrZ2dSWHlhRVZYR1ZLYURzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEe-X4xE7ETWe-Ru6mw9nqIIYmWLx96RoS79tmqWLzvo21dDVtPQSzilvDQvQM_aem_Cw1jpOc4Njpn2yYWVCqjQA

09/30/2026

Starting this week OST partners will come together for the Oklahoma OST Works | Health, Learning & Opportunity Convenings! 💙

📍 Tulsa | October 1
📍 Oklahoma City | October 6

We are grateful to the incredible partners, presenters, educators, afterschool professionals, and youth-serving organizations who will connect, collaborate, share resources, and strengthen opportunities for Oklahoma youth.

When we work together, we strengthen the entire out-of-school-time community and create more opportunities for students and families across our state.

Register now:https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSclZDmN4zlvZSzhxDXFRn3g6GJjxWtP0fUNZ_zG-awIhBpK9g/viewform

Thank you to our sponsors for supporting Oklahoma youth and the important work happening beyond the school day!

09/29/2026

OPEL loved celebrating Youth At Heart's 50th Anniversary! 🎉💙

For 50 years, Youth at Heart has made an incredible impact by supporting young people and families through meaningful afterschool programs, enrichment opportunities, and caring relationships.

We’re grateful for their continued commitment to helping Oklahoma youth learn, grow, and thrive — both in and out of the classroom.

Congratulations to Youth at Heart on 50 amazing years of service and impact! 🎊

09/23/2026

⌛ There's just 4️⃣ weeks away from the 2026 Afterschool Alliance Lights On Afterschool celebration!

Not sure where to even begin your planning process or need a spark of inspiration? Click below for top tips to help you plan a Lights On Afterschool celebration that fits your program’s bandwidth and budget. This week’s timeline includes:

🎉 Checking your planning timeline
🎉 Ordering promotional items
🎉 Browsing the event ideas database, searchable by theme, planning time and difficulty.

For more info: afterschoolalliance.org/afterschoolsnack/Top-tools-for-planning-your-Lights-On-Afterschool_08-20-2026.cfm

09/21/2026

🖥️Artificial Intelligence is quickly becoming part of everyday life and it will play a role in nearly every career pathway young people pursue in the future. For many families, that raises a simple question: How do we start the conversation? 🗣️

STEM Next is excited to introduce two new resources designed to help parents feel confident supporting their children as they explore AI. These include:

1️⃣ A downloadable 5-point PDF of ways families can learn what AI is good at, where it’s still evolving and how it can be used in everyday ways.
2️⃣ A downloadable 5-point PDF that guides parents on ways to connect with children around AI and careers

These guides break down key concepts, offer simple ways to start conversations and connect AI to real-world skills and career pathways. Find them here: stemnext.org/how-to-connect-with-children-about-ai?fbclid=IwY2xjawT8iNFwZG9mBWV4dG4DYWVtAjEwAGJyaWQRMWhrZ2dSWHlhRVZYR1ZLYURzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEerY3M6k3jaMJW1DiYYZMeRiLzJ0U4LZwxCWWopTYmurbJ9897gy0D6CvtefI_aem_riZSed0sdlu19o9Qe2mpew%22

09/20/2026