Beyond the Bell: Building Community Through Clubs & Family Nights

Outline

Content and Engagement
Our poster will showcase an overview of each program we run—Girls Who Code, Media Club, Robotics Club, Computer Programming Club, Summer STEAM Camp, and family events such as Family Engineering Night and Programming and Pastries. The poster will feature concise descriptions, photos, slideshows, and short videos of student projects and events. Presenters from different grade levels will speak one-on-one with visitors, describing specific activities they facilitated and explaining how some clubs serve as “incubator projects” for classroom ideas. Attendees will be invited to share their own after-school experiences, successes, and challenges, fostering a two-way exchange of ideas.

Time
Because this is a poster session, interaction will be continuous during the scheduled block. Visitors can engage with the poster at their own pace while presenters rotate to ensure ongoing conversation and support.

Process
Audience engagement will occur throughout the session through:

Individual conversations: Presenters will discuss activities, answer questions, and exchange strategies.

Interactive media: Attendees can view looping videos and slideshows of clubs and events on provided devices.

Peer sharing: A guestbook or digital padlet will invite participants to contribute their own after-school program successes and struggles, encouraging peer-to-peer interaction and idea exchange.

This format keeps dialogue active and personal while allowing participants to gather concrete resources and inspiration for their own programs.

Outcomes

After this session, participants will be able to identify practical strategies for launching and sustaining afterschool clubs and family STEAM events at their own school or organization; adapt recruitment, scheduling, and funding ideas for their own communities; and identify various “incubator projects” that they might want to pilot in an after school program before bringing them into classroom instruction.

Supporting research

How Remake Learning Days Build Family Engagement, Create Demand for More STEAM Learning Opportunities, and Contribute to a More Equitable STEAM Learning Ecology: https://share.google/HRyNjkjU7OtQaopyi

Afterschool STEM: 20 Reasons Why We Love It: https://stemnext.org/afterschool-stem-20-reasons-why/

The Importance Of After-School And Summer STEM Programs For The Future Workforce: https://www.forbes.com/councils/forbesnonprofitcouncil/2024/01/22/the-importance-of-after-school-and-summer-stem-programs-for-the-future-workforce/

Benefits of STEM After School Programs:
https://kidsparkeducation.org/blog/quick-guide-benefits-of-stem-after-school-programs