In this fun, hands-on session, Adam Cruz, NJSACC’s Chief Operating Officer will demystify how AI can help streamline daily afterschool and OST program tasks, protocols, and step-by-step guides. Attendees will explore how AI works and learn how to use it as a virtual assistant to expedite communications, documentation, and planning. Whether you’re explaining processes for newly hired staff, managing vendor outreach or following up with parents, you’ll leave with practical AI tools to simplify your workflow, save time, and focus more on youth engagement!

Trainer: 

Adam Cruz, Chief Operating Officer NJSACC

Site coordinators have the unique opportunity to be bridges between program directors, direct service staff,  youth, and families. Their many points of access position them to be frontline experts at their sites. In this interactive session, participants will build their capacity to leverage their expertise and create mission-aligned action plans to increase their program’s impact on the lives of the youth, families, community, and stakeholders they serve.

Trainers:  

Dr. Manijeh Hart, Educational Psychologist, Professor & Program Coordinator, CUNY SPS 

Tamir Z. Brown, CUNY School of Professional Studies, Youth Studies Professor, Executive Director, Manifesto Community Projects US INC.

What kind of leader do you want to be? In this interactive session, participants will explore key leadership qualities and reflect on their own approach to leadership. Through collaborative activities and guided reflection, attendees will identify the traits that define effective leaders and begin shaping their personal leadership style. This session serves as an introduction to the follow-up training, The Leadership Mirror.

Trainer: 

Patricia Pugliese, Technical Assistance Specialist NJSACC 

How to Grow a Seasoned Program equips 21CCLC site coordinators with practical strategies to move their programs from stable to high-impact. Participants will explore key elements of program maturity, including effective supervision, data-driven decision-making, and intentional youth engagement. The session highlights how to align daily practices with 21CCLC goals while strengthening program quality and sustainability. Attendees will leave with actionable steps to elevate their programs and lead with greater purpose and impact.

Trainer: 

Dr. Allen Potts, 21CCLC Program Director Roselle Park

As 21CCLC Site Coordinators, you are more than program leaders, you are architects of possibility for New Jersey's young people. ILLUMINATE: Lead Bright, Rise Strong, Vision Forward is a high-energy session designed to reignite your leadership spark and equip you with the tools to lead with intention in today's ever-shifting youth services landscape. This workshop invites you to step back from the daily grind and step into your full power as a purpose-driven leader. You will move through all three pillars of transformational leadership: purpose, resilience, and vision,  through energizing activities, honest peer dialogue, and focused personal reflection. You will uncover what drives you to show up for students and communities, identify strategies to navigate challenge and change without losing your footing, and cast a bold, equity-centered vision for your program's future.

Trainer: 

Lakimja Mattocks, Chief Talent & Equity Officer, LEAP, and Program Visionary & Strategist

This interactive session reframes data from a compliance task into a practical tool for improving program quality and day-to-day site leadership. Participants will engage in real-world scenarios, group problem-solving, and role-play activities designed to help them interpret data, identify challenges, and take actionable steps to strengthen their sites. Coordinators will learn how to move beyond surface-level reporting and use data to drive informed decision-making. The session emphasizes simple, consistent practices that can be implemented immediately, including weekly data huddles, data reflection tools, and staff engagement strategies. Participants will leave with a stronger understanding of the direct connection between their site coordination practices and how that work aligns with and informs their local evaluator. 

Trainer: 

Justin Artenant, Grants and Project Management, Middlesex College and Founder of Artenant Consultant Group LLC