Nexplore had the pleasure of being an exhibitor at the 2019
Nexplore had the pleasure of being an exhibitor at the 2019 Florida Afterschool Conference held in Orlando, Florida September 24-27 at the Rosen Centre Hotel.
The event brought together over 600 teachers, school and district administrators, 21st CCLC sub-recipients, and those working in or with community-based organizations after school providers. The theme of the conference was Eyes on Afterschool. The conference connected afterschool professionals who share a commitment to high-quality afterschool, before school, holiday, and summer programming to support the academic and personal growth of students.
At the Nexplore table, the attendees were mesmerized by our robocoding, art rods, games and science programs. Throughout the event we were kept on our toes with a steady stream of visitors touching, playing and inquiring about how they can bring Nexplore to their programs. It was a rewarding and exciting experience for Nexplore and we made loads of new friends throughout Florida. Can’t wait for the next conference!
Learn more about the 21st Century grant program and the Florida After School Alliance at:
https://floridaafterschool.org/
.
.
Child student Enrichment Activities, Academic Success and the Social-emotional Benefits
There are proven connections between enrichment activities, academic success and social-emotional benefits. Enrichment activities promote critical thinking and problem- solving skills, improve student’s ability to concentrate, and make learning more meaningful, valuable, and rewarding.
Enrichment activities are fun, which helps students to become more engaged in their learning and retain more information.
These activities also give children opportunities to build friendships they might not otherwise have had the chance to make. When children are put into an environment with other children at a variety of levels and ages, the activities become more motivating, fun, and unique. These programs encourage children to work cooperatively with others. Through these enrichment programs children also develop increased self-confidence Increased self-esteem, creativity, leadership and decision-making skills.
Enrichment activities act as a key for healthy development and learning. Science shows that, from birth through young adulthood, our brains are continuously developing. Children and youth need continued support throughout this development from different learning environments.
At Nexplore we foster a love of learning in our students through enrichment activities that are hands-on experiences designed to inspire and empower their natural curiosity. We are committed to offering a diverse range of learning opportunities where students can explore their passions and strengthen the core life skills needed to thrive in the 21st century.
Over the summer we added new enrichment programs.
They include:
Arts Rods which is a 3D art program, Survival Science teaching, students to learn exactly what to do in an emergency through the team-based study of real-world survival skills.
Finance which takes a hands-on and fun approach to understanding money in the real world empowering PreK-8th grade students to take positive financial action in their lives, thus, improving emotional wellbeing and overall health and Boom Whackers.
What is a boom whacker? Well, it’s a stick which, when whacked, plays a musical note. It’s as simple as that. Boom whackers enhance learning by integrating music and movement. Boom whackers are lightweight, hollow, color-coded, plastic tubes, tuned to a musical pitch by their length and when you whack them and they create a unique sound.
For the next few weeks Nexplore will be attending numerous conferences across the states promoting our programs. We will be in Wisconsin on September 24th presenting to the providers of the 21st Century Learning Centers recipients, in Orlando on September 25 -27th at the Florida After School Alliance conference and in Houston Texas on October 11th at the Harris County Department of Education.
Study: RAND Researchers Explore “The Value of Out-of-School Time Programs”
At Nexplore we believe firmly in the importance of data-driven studies in guiding the design and implementation of our after-school programs. The RAND Corporation recently released a study (available here) entitled “The Value of Out-of-School Time Programs” that examines the data available on how these programs (“OST Programs” in the article) find their greatest effectiveness. The article is well worth the full read, but here are some key takeaways:
* OST programs in general provide measurable benefits, especially to low-income families. The exact benefits depend on the program(s) offered, but ‘multipurpose’ OST programs consistently provide safety and supervision that would otherwise be lacking for children without a stay-at-home parent, and ‘academic’ OST programs provide a significant positive effect on students’ academic achievement
* While these benefits are clear, there is a lack of complete research data. Specifically, the researchers posit that there is a credible link between more specialized activities in OST programs (e.g. violin lessons rather than open play in a gymnasium) and enhanced opportunities for the attending students later in life. Better cataloging of data would allow researcher to put theories like this to more rigorous tests. This would allow schools and policymakers to choose programs more wisely, and would allow programs to increase their effectiveness.
* To the best of their ability OST programs should ensure that individual students maximize attendance in their courses. This not only demonstrably provides the greatest benefit to those students, but also provides clearer data for the aforementioned possible research.
Palm Springs – Nexplore Attending April 30 BOOST Conference
We are excited to announce our attendance at the BOOST Conference in Palm Springs, CA starting tomorrow, April 30!
Join us at this wonderful event put on by BOOST (“Best Out Of School Time”) Collaborative, an organization committed to enhancing the education of youth outside of school by providing professional development, leadership training, and by providing networking and partnership opportunities for providers like Nexplore.
From their website:
Join the largest, most recognized and comprehensive global convening for after school, expanded learning, and out-of-school time professionals. Set in a retreat-like atmosphere, this annual, extraordinary event will rejuvenate your passion, boost your direction for quality programming and provide tools and resources that will inspire you to create change.
You’ll find us exhibiting our program in Booth 419. Make sure and stop by if you’re attending, we’d love to see you!
Nexplore Educational Awareness Grows
Several psychologists have theorized over the years that the educational experience inside of a classroom is directly affected by all other factors in a child’s life. As a matter of fact, Sergio Pellis, a researcher at the University of Lethbridge in Alberta, Canada states that “The experience of play changes the connections of the neurons at the front end of your brain.”1 In other words, during the joyful bliss of playful actions, children are building neuronic connections that will affect them for the rest of their life and that are directly linked to how well they absorb other information.
Nexplore, a one stop shop for on-site enrichment services and in-house field trips, understands how the nation has evolved its understanding of education, creating a need for programs that enhance a child’s overall learning experience. Parents have a developed grasp of learning and are wanting the right tools to promote a passion for lifelong discovery in their little ones. The current parental generation is seeking to meet the needs of their children in new ways. Nexplore is here to meet those needs. The company is offering a business franchise opportunity that fulfills the needs of children to learn through a holistic approach, moulding the child as a person, not just a pupil.
Nexplore to Present “The Art of Playing” at NAA Annual Convention
Nexplore is excited to announce that we will be presenting at the National AfterSchool Association’s Annual Convention from March 15-18
Nexplore to Exhibit at Prizmah Conference in Atlanta
Nexplore is proud to announce that we will be exhibiting at the Prizmah Conference from March 10-12.
Nexplore Awarded Enrichment Contract with Alief Independent School District
We are pleased to announce that Nexplore has been awarded an enrichment contract with Alief Independent School District in Houston, Texas. We appreciate this great opportunity and look forward to bringing our programs to their schools.
Alief’s Mission: The Alief Independent School District, in collaboration with parents and community, will provide an exemplary education for all students in a safe environment.
Learn more about Alief Independent School District
Zumba Halloween Parties!
We had a great time in Zumba with Halloween Masquerades! We hope you’re Halloween was also filled with fun, costumes, and lots of treats!
Nexplore Joins with Austin PARD to Spread the Joy of Learning
We are excited to announce that Nexplore has been approved as a vendor for the Austin Parks and Recreation Department! We look forward to bringing our programs to their locations and seeing how this collaboration grows!