Dear Summer Learning Community,
It’s now April and thousands of NSLA partners are busy planning and preparing to welcome, support, and serve millions of students in their summer programs. To help prepare, we hope you’ll take advantage of our resources below and sign up for our annual Summer Planning Bootcamp, April 17 from 12:00–2:30 PM ET.
Once again, NSLA staff will be hitting the road across the US to learn from and spotlight some of the most innovative and impactful summer programs with our “50 Programs in 50 Days” Summer Tour scheduled for June 1-August 15. If you’d like to be involved, please email Leslie for more information.
Summer for All,
The NSLA Team
Join Us For Summer Planning Bootcamp on April 17 at 12:00 – 2:30 PM
Register Here
Register today for our Summer Planning Bootcamp presented by STEMNext Opportunity Fund on April 17 from 12:00–2:30 PM ET! Join leading education and youth development experts as they share tools, ideas, and best practices to elevate your summer program planning.
We’re also invite you to contribute your best summer planning tools and templates for our 2026 Summer Planning Toolkit. This is a great opportunity to showcase your work and support peers nationwide. Selected submissions will be featured and shared with all attendees. Please email your resources and links by April 3.
Sponsorship opportunities are also available.
Thank you to our sponsors:
NSLA’s Get Ready for Summer Resources
Looking to strengthen your summer programs? Destination Summer Learning: A Guide to Program Innovation and Student Success is your go-to resource for building high-quality, engaging learning experiences. Purchase the guide to access proven strategies and practical tools—or bring NSLA to you for customized, hands-on training that equips your staff to put these ideas into action. Request more information about training opportunities.
Join a Professional Learning Community! Our Professional Learning Communities bring together youth development professionals from across the country. Each PLC meets regularly and hosts quarterly training sessions focused on key issues impacting youth today.
To learn more about each PLC, click on a subject below:
Independent, Parochial & Charter Schools
School Districts Leaders
Public & Affordable Housing
Special Populations, Camps, & Outdoor Programs
Libraries & Literacy
Arts Education
Youth Workforce Development & Internships
Research, Evidence & Practice
STEM & Medicine
University Partnerships: Summer On-Campus Impact
Early Learning Education Presented by Waterford
Partner Spotlight: Waterford.org
- News You Can Use
• The Wallace Foundation: How Can Arts Programs Help Young People Thrive? Arts researcher Kylie Peppler explains the benefits of youth arts programs and ways to tailor efforts to make the best of them.
• CommonWealth Beacon: Invest in the 80 percent: Why Massachusetts must fund summer and after-school learning Massachusetts has a generational opportunity to change thousands of lives by filling a conspicuous gap in our education system: robust summer and after-school learning and enrichment opportunities.
• Strive Together: COMMISSION ON PURPOSEFUL PATHWAYS REPORT A Launchpad for Life: A Vision for Purposeful Pathways for All Students
• Children’s Funding Project: Social Media, Mental Health, and the Role of After-School and Summer Programs
• Coalition for Sport Equity: Power in Numbers
ADVANCING SPORT EQUITY THROUGH COALITION BUILDING
Research surfacing the invisible work behind sport equity coalitions.
• Out-of-School Time NYC Reads Toolkit:
With ready-to-use tools, planning templates, and real-world spotlights from NYC programs, the toolkit supports OST-school collaboration and joyful, coherent literacy experiences for every child. Download it here.
Where In The World is NSLA?
NSLA was awarded the Partners in Possibility Award from Horizons National in Virginia Beach, Aaron’s remarks at The STEM Alliance Summer Matters Gala in Mamaroneck, New York, the NSLA Board meeting in Florida, and Brodrick at the California AfterSchool Network inLong Beach,Californi
