This summer, extra resources and extra attention are being focused on summer learning opportunities. This extra attention and funding are increasing opportunities for high-quality and coordinated summer programs that support both young people’s academic and social and emotional growth. Through the Wallace Foundation’s National Summer Learning Project, our knowledge base of how to stand up, structure, and implement effective school district and partner-led summer programs has greatly increased.

With support from The Wallace Foundation, Learning Heroes’ latest research, “Out-of-School Time Programs: Paving the Way for Children to Find Passion, Purpose & Voice” reveals exciting new insights about the role of out-of-school time (OST) settings in helping our young people thrive.

In April and May of 2021, Karen Pittman sat down with the Forum’s three program executives and, together, they told the broader story of how the Forum is changing the odds for young people and explored the future of our work to advance equity, research, policy, and practice across all the systems and settings that shape young people’s lives.

Watch Karen's recent interview with Merita Irby, co-founder and Executive Vice President of the Forum and Managing Partner of Big Picture Approach Training and Consulting. Big Picture Approach is the Forum’s most visible effort devoted to planning and partnering for impact.

In April and May of 2021, Karen sat down with the Forum’s three program executives and, together, they tell the broader story of how the Forum is changing the odds for young people and explore the future of our work to advance equity, research, policy, and practice across all the systems and settings that shape young people’s lives. Each executive leads a unit and a set of named centers and initiatives intended to drive one of the Forum’s strategic approaches.

Karen interviewed Kimberly Howard Robinson, Ph.D., Executive Vice President of the Forum and Managing Director of our Weikart Center for Youth Program Quality. The Weikart Center is the Forum’s most visible effort devoted to strengthening practices and programs.