We hold ourselves accountable for making a difference in our region and in the afterschool programs we serve: to build capacity in the programs and within the youth themselves. Among the many accomplishments our small team garnered in 2010, here are selected highlights:

• Site-based Support, Training and Coaching. In 2010, CVAF provided technical assistance to more than 100 school sites. We conducted more than 30 training sessions to develop more than 1000 leaders in the afterschool field, with average satisfaction scores consistently in the very good to excellent categories.
  
  
• Learning Community. Continued to contribute to a successful High School Learning Community for afterschool coordinators to provide resources, tools, ideas, and leadership to advance high school afterschool programs. The ASSETS (After School Safety and Enrichment for Teens) participants represented 37 high schools across five counties.  
  
  
• Quality Self-Assessment Tool. Served on the planning committee to develop a high school focused QSA tool called the QSAR, which launched in November 2010 at the Step Up Conference. Conducted trainings for more than 150 school sites throughout the region on the implementation of the QSA to assess stakeholder perceptions of their afterschool program, to create program vision and goals, to determine the types of professional development and trainings onsite staff requires, and to reflect on program design and program success.
  
  
• Focus Groups. Conducted focus groups with Fresno County high schools to gain perspectives on student self-esteem and acculturation. Also conducted focus groups with youth in summer learning programs to gain qualitative outcomes feedback about their summer learning experiences.
  
  
• Summer Learning. Supported the work of Fresno County Office of Education and Central Unified School District as one of five summer enrichment demonstration programs in the state. The program combined outdoor physical activities, literacy, innovative courses, educational field trips, health/fitness/nutrition, and academic enrichment. CVAF coordinated with more than a dozen community partners to support the program. Parents and students rated the program highly on program evaluations.
  
  
• Lights On Afterschool. Developed three events to illuminate afterschool during the Lights on Afterschool campaign in October. Conducted a "Building Youth, Building Community" STEM Luncheon for Business & Community Leaders featuring Dr. Rabi Mehta of NASA's Ames Research Center. The event drew 150 business, education and community leaders, sparking a new STEM Collaborative in the region. Produced the Canstruction Competition and Exhibit involving 11 adult and student teams, mentored by 11 architects and engineers, who created 10'x10' sculptures out of canned food. The event drew more than 120 participants, 50 supporters, 800 visitors--and generated more than 25,000 pounds of food for Community Food Bank. The Lights On Afterschool Festival in downtown Fresno wrapped up the month's festivities with exhibits, K-8 talent show and a high school dance competition that included more than 1000 youth and adults from four counties.
  
  
• Public Awareness. Secured significant media attention to heighten public awareness about out-of-school time learning including spots on ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX and Comcast television, articles in The Fresno Bee and The Business Journal, plus numerous radio talk show appearances and public service announcements.
  
  
• Business Partnerships. Gained more than 70 new business partners to fund and support afterschool initiatives.
  
  
• Areas of Practice. Began an areas of practice project to research, build curriculum, uncover best practices, and provide tools to the field in such areas as STEM, the arts, health/fitness/nutrition, summer learning, youth leadership development and career pathways. In the STEM area alone, CVAF helped to establish a Central Valley Afterschool STEM Collaborative, research national best practices and studies on STEM learning, and began to develop business partnerships to fund new afterschool STEM initiatives to be launched in the fall of 2011.
  
  
• Community Support. Provided volunteer and advisory support to a variety of local organizations including Fresno County’s Preschool Master Plan, Center for Multicultural Cooperation, Central California Children’s Institute, and United Black Men.
  
  
• Statewide Leadership. Participated on a variety of boards and committees in California to advance afterschool initiatives including the California Afterschool Network, ASAP Connect, CalWIN, California Afterschool Advocacy Alliance, and the California Department of Education workgroups.
  
  
• State and National Presentations. Conducted presentations for Cal SAC, "Spotlight on Afterschool" Conference and the Step Up Conference.
  
  
• College Student Program. Developed a “Building Future Community Leaders” internship and service learning program for college students. Provided 15 paid and unpaid project-based opportunities for students to develop skills in areas of public relations, marketing, fund development, accounting, office administration, graphic arts and event coordination. Interns remain in touch with CVAF after completion, and we have been proud to track the outstanding career path of our former students.