About Future Ready, Starts Today
This year’s conference theme, “Future Ready, Starts Today” spoke to the need to prepare young people for a future we might not yet imagine while recognizing the importance of the here and now. The pandemic challenged the status quo and demanded that we adapt. Now as we are in the process of redefining our new normal, what is worth carrying forward into the future, and what are we ready to leave in the past? What skillsets and mindsets can we adopt today to help us and the young people we serve to prepare for the future? How can we be future-oriented while remaining rooted in the power of the present day?
The need for the out-of-school time community to coalesce and be guided by leaders in the field is crucial to serving the young people of Virginia. That is why VPOST was more than ready to bring the latest research, strategies, and insights to OST educators in service of fostering a system of high-quality youth programming across our Commonwealth.
On March 27th, 2023, over 150 Afterschool professionals convened for a day of inspiration, innovation, and HOPE. With an abundance of speakers, panelists, and exhibitors, attendees left the mountains of Blacksburg with new ideas and knowledge to bring back to their communities and organizations.
15 workshop sessions broken into 4 breakout sections provided attendees the opportunity to choose breakouts that spoke to their regions/communities’ needs. Presentations and exhibits covered topics such as: STEM, Social-Emotional Learning, Positive Youth Development, Staffing Resources, Youth Voice, and more.
Conference Booklet
For detailed descriptions regarding speakers, workshops, panelists, and more, check out our conference booklet!
Sponsors and Exhibitors
We want to express our gratitude to the dedicated sponsors and exhibitors that we hosted. We could not have put on such an informative event without the help of your creations. We would also like to say a very special thank-you to Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth for their bronze-level sponsorship.
Special Recognition
