Dr. Hansen is a professor at the University of Kansas in the School of Education where he teaches and maintains an active research program as a graduate faculty member. He completed his doctorate (2001) and post-doctorate experience (2001 to 2007) at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He is a developmental scientist with an applied research focus. His expertise is on adolescent development and learning in a variety of out-of-school settings, including the full range of organized youth activities (e.g., extracurricular, community-based programs). Dr. Hansen is particularly invested in understanding how adolescents from impoverished communities learn “real-world” skills and competencies needed for adult life and engaged citizenship, such as strategic planning, engagement with challenge, initiative, teamwork, and leadership. He argues that adolescence is the second critical period of human development when an adolescent is neuro-developmentally primed to learn adult-like, real-world skills and competencies. Prior to returning to pursue graduate degrees, Dr. Hansen helped start a non-profit organization in Chicago whose aim was to provide the means for local faith-based organizations to hire full-time staff to assist in addressing issues of poverty and education an a community.
Dr. Hansen specializes in adolescent development in the non-formal settings, including out-of-school activities and employment, and processes of real-world decision making and initiative.

Ever wish you could wave a magic wand? Welcome to Yogapalooza! Relax with a starfish, go from Silly to Calm, learn dinosaur yoga and much more! Featuring a beloved curriculum full of music and engaging activities, this is the most fun you can have learning yoga and mindfulness guaranteed. Even if you can’t touch your toes or don’t have a yoga mat you’ll discover that yoga is for every body. When teachers learn to intentionally integrate more yoga and mindfulness into their classroom they report incredible results. Teachers will see big changes as children learn to improve focus, boost self-esteem, reduce stress and behavior issues. Learn simple practices like candle and baby dinosaur breath that give power to the child to control their own emotions. Featuring expert coaching by beloved kids yogi and recording artist Bari Koral, you’ll leave confident and ready to share these amazing tools with your children. Backed by science, Bari’s popular presentations also include a self care portion to help you take a big step forward in your own health and happiness. Learn how to relax in wild times and take it easy on yourself! 

Bio:

Bari Koral is a popular children’s recording artist and a globally recognized kids’ yoga educator. She has written many of the most popular songs for kids yoga and movement and is considered a kids yoga pioneer. With her large YouTube channel, and hits like Going on a Dragon Hunt, The Yoga Alphabet, Fly like a Butterfly and more, Bari’s songs and activities are used by tens of thousands of children and teachers every single day. Yoga and mindfulness has helped calm her own anxiety and has significantly enhanced her life. Bari passionately seeks to share these tools for health and happiness with others. She has trained thousands of teachers and is at the forefront of introducing and reinforcing the benefits of yoga and mindfulness with young children and teachers. 

I’m Leena from Olathe, Kansas, and I am a member of the 2023 Flight Crew.

I am part of First Tech Challenge team 6547, the Cobalt Colts, where we build robots and participate in numerous outreach projects to connect with our STEM communities. I’m also a mentor for my local Girls Who Code chapter, have volunteered at the University of Kansas Health System, and love to learn programming languages. I’ve enjoyed exploring different STEM fields through programming, data science, and medicine.

Fostering a STEM mindset in young girls is vital in lessening the gender gap, which is why I want to participate in STEM mentoring activities in college and beyond. In the future, I hope to go to college and have an impactful career in STEM.

The Walking Classroom is a national award-winning education program that provides students and educators with an innovative way to get exercise without sacrificing instructional time. The program’s “Walk, Listen, and Learn” methodology capitalizes on the favorable link between exercise and cognitive function. Students take brisk 20-minute walks while listening to custom-written, kid-friendly podcasts that begin with a brief health literacy message and transition to topics on science, social studies, and English language arts. Topics are appropriate for students in grades 3–8 and are often incorporated across grade levels. Students return to the classroom/facility in better moods, more focused, and more likely to engage in post-walk discussions.  A 2018 research study conducted by UNC Chapel Hill confirms that after implementing The Walking Classroom, students learn the information better, retain the information longer, and students report feeling happy, smart, healthy, educated, and energized. The Walking Classroom has “walked” its way into the Out of School Time settings as well as in school settings! 

Bio:

Terry Atteberry serves as Business Development Manager with the Alliance for a Healthier Generation. Terry’s work involves supporting whole child health by equipping school health champions with the tools and resources needed to promote healthy environments so that young people can achieve lifelong good health. Terry works closely across the nation with school districts, Out of School Time programs, state education agencies, state and local health departments, and various private organizations that champion and support the efforts of whole child health.

Prior to her current role, Terry served as a District Wellness Coordinator for her local school district, collaborated in the creation and implementation of After-School Intramurals, coached Middle School track and field, and cheerleading.

Terry is enthusiastic about creating a healthier lifestyle and doing her part to ensure every mind, every body, and every young person should be healthy and ready to succeed. “Making it a priority to do my part to create a space for the next generation to be active, safe, and fun is one of my top goals! We should all be so fortunate!”

In this session, both formal and informal educators will get direct practice with hands-on, cost effective, versatile STEM activities. We will discuss how to pair these projects with books and characters students know and love, so teachers can integrate literacy with STEM, and tailor the level to their classroom’s needs. Merging tasks like reading with STEM expedites the learning of both – which directly tackles learning loss while keeping students involved and having fun.  

Participants will receive at least one sample of a STEM activity and coordinated lesson while supplies last. The focus of this specific session of Stories & STEM is geared to Kindergarten – 8th grade, but can be adapted for other grade levels. 

Bio:

Callie Sharkey has always been driven by a love of science and a passion for books. After paying her way through undergrad at Florida Atlantic University as an aircraft mechanic, she lived her dream of working in sea turtle conservation for nearly 10 years. Sharkey has worked in environmental education in some form for more than 20 years. While spending time as the manager of a nature center, she earned a master’s degree and an advanced certificate in GIS, also from Florida Atlantic University. She has a professional certificate in Leadership for Women in Business, which includes everything from project management to negotiations and finding work-life balance. Sharkey found the perfect home at the Literacy Coalition, where she runs the Stories & STEM program – merging the fields of literacy and STEM. She is also a writer and photographer for local publications and an avid coffee drinker.

Learn about OUR robotics community that prepares young people for the future through a suite of inclusive, team-based robotics programs for ages 4-18. This program can be facilitated in school or in structured afterschool programs. Boosted by a global support system of volunteers, educators, and sponsors that include over 200 of the Fortune 500 companies, teams operate under a signature set for FIRST Core Values to conduct research, fundraise, design, build, and showcase their achievements during annual challenges.

Bio:

FIRST^® (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) is a robotics community that prepares young people for the future through a suite of inclusive, team-based robotics programs for ages 4-18 (PreK-12) that can be facilitated in school or in structured afterschool programs. Boosted by a global support system of volunteers, educators, and sponsors that include over 200 of the Fortune 500 companies, teams operate under a signature set of FIRST Core Values to conduct research, fundraise, design, build, and showcase their achievements during annual challenges.

An international not-for-profit organization (501(c)(3)) founded by accomplished inventor Dean Kamen in 1989, FIRST has a proven impact on STEM learning, interest, and skill-building well beyond high school. Alumni of FIRST programs gain access to exclusive scholarships, internships, and other opportunities that create connections and open pathways to a wide variety of careers.

Leena Dudi

I am part of First Tech Challenge team 6547, the Cobalt Colts, where we build robots and participate in numerous outreach projects to connect with our STEM communities. I’m also a mentor for my local Girls Who Code chapter, have volunteered at the University of Kansas Health System, and love to learn programming languages. I’ve enjoyed exploring different STEM fields through programming, data science, and medicine. 

Fostering a STEM mindset in young girls is vital in lessening the gender gap, which is why I want to participate in STEM mentoring activities in college and beyond. In the future, I hope to go to college and have an impactful career in STEM. 

This session will present an overview of grants and tips on which types of grants may be best suited for out-of-school programs and supporting organizations.  The session will also present and explore a basic structure for witting a strong grant application.

Bio: 

Dr. Obermeyer holds a PhD in anthropology and has over 20 years of experience writing and managing grants for tribal governments and nonprofits.

When was the last time you spent time thinking about what it is that you really love to do? In this session, we’ll explore your sparks – what is it that excites and motivates you, and how you can do more of your spark at work and beyond. Then we’ll talk about youth sparks, and how you can help identify and champion those sparks. Sparks are a key to thriving. Knowing and engaging in sparks can increase focus and lead to more success in school, work, and life. Spend this session igniting the flame for yourself and the youth you work with! 

Bio:

Rebecca has over 20 years of social service experience, including direct services, project management, evaluation, and leadership. She has facilitated and evaluated interagency collaboration at both the state and local levels focused on public health, well-being, and community building. Her dissertation, Predictors of Interagency Coordination in Early Childhood, examined data from 10 local interagency teams across 4 states and found that relationships are key to effective collaboration. Dr. Gillam has designed and conducted both qualitative and quantitative evaluations supporting ongoing quality improvements in service delivery, including work with SenseMaker®, an innovative mixed methods approach to hearing unique perspectives across communities to inform decision making and promote collaborative change. 

Have you ever wanted to view the solar system from a conference … or your program site? Well now is your chance! Staff from Fort Hays State University campus at the Science and Mathematics Education Institute will share their Digital Planetarium experience!! Explore the digital solar system and learn how to take advantage of your very own astronomical adventure!! 

Bio:

G.G. Launchbaugh is the Science Outreach Coordinator in the Science and Mathematics Education Institute Makerspace and Makervan.  He is a native of NW Kansas and lives in Hays with his husband, Dr. Arvin Cruz. G.G. received a BFA in Industrial Design with a specialization in Product Design from the College for Creative Studies, Detroit, Michigan in 2005.

Join us for an engaging and interactive session that focuses on promoting physical activity, strengthening family engagement, and nurturing the overall health and well-being of all children. Resources, strategies, and practical tips will be shared to support whole child health, including physical, emotional, and social well-being. You’ll leave this session with actionable takeaways to implement in your own setting. 

Bio:

Sean Brock, MEd, serves as the Associate Director for Whole Child Health. In this role, he leads Healthier Generations work in physical education and physical activity at both school and out-of-school time sites. Sean helps schools, districts and youth serving organizations to identify strengths and challenges, provides expertise on creating and implementing action plans to close the gaps in creating healthier environments. Prior to joining the Alliance for a Healthier Generation, Sean served in K-12 education as a physical education teacher, school administrator, district administrator and state coordinator overseeing programming for health and physical education.