2008 Award Recipient: See the video!

The 2008 AfterSchool Professional Network Quest for Excellence Award was given to Christine Holtz from Luke Air Force Base on March 14 at the National AfterSchool Association national convention in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.

Christine has accomplished great things in her 13 years of work in afterschool programs. At the Luke After School Program, she mentors new staff, working side by side with them developing projects, helping them understand why we do what we do, rather than just telling them to do it.  She has excellent rapport with her fellow staff members and provides a source of stability in the program.

Christine takes pride in her work and continually strives to improve.  She worked hard to become a United States citizen, and shared her experiences with the children and staff.  She is now furthering her education by returning to school to obtain her college degree.  She encourages other staff members to do the same, and offers any type of support and assistance to help them obtain their goals. She assists in organizing events for staff to bond and build camaraderie outside of the normal duty hours.

A native of Luxembourg, Christine brings multiculturalism to the programs forefront. Her noticeable accent prompts many questions from the children. She is always open and brings in pieces of interest from her hometown to share. Recognizing the need for all cultures to be explored, Ms Christine heads up the monthly cultural board that highlights different cultures. There are arts and crafts projects, cooking projects, games and puzzles to peak the children’s interests.  She also sets up several guest speakers/performers such as Tuskegee Airmen, Asian Pacific dancers, Spanish Heritage Piñata Party, Native American dream catchers, and African American week with reenactments of the underground railroad on a yearly basis.

Christine’s philosophy for the program goes much deeper than providing programs for school age children.  She has a strong commitment to teach and guide children, to provide a wide range of experiences to show them their potential as leaders and give them the opportunity to excel. By the time they leave our program, their sense of usefulness, pride in what they do, respect for others and self-confidence in their self is her goal.

Ms. Christine is always finding innovative ways to keep the program current, fresh and a always a learning experience. Her activities are not only fun but often serve a deeper purpose. For example, she headed up a project to build a dollhouse in woodworking. The children had to make the blue prints all the way down to the landscaping, and determine the kind and amount of materials needed. This required the children to come together to problem solve, debate, and compromise on different aspects of the plan. Then the construction phase started. Again, children learned quickly that they needed to measure and calculate in order for their home to be accurate. Through this one project alone, children learned logical sequence, valuable communication skills, math, and teamwork. Another project she headed up was a Job Center. Here children apply for program jobs such as tour guides (assist in orientation of incoming families), zoo keeper (maintains our pets) and community leader (makes calls to set up community projects), and office assistant to name a few. After the children apply, the oldest children interview and fill the positions. This is a great ongoing activity demonstrating real life skills they will soon encounter as young adults joining the workforce. Another innovative idea developed due to the extreme summer heat in Arizona and the limitation of the children to enjoy the great outdoors.  This was no challenge to Christine. She brought the outside in with an overnight campground in the drama area. The children’s imaginations soared when tents went up, sleeping bags went down, and a paper fireplace was created. Their imagination led to surrounding the camp with rocks and caves and a fishing hole. These are just a few examples of the innovative and quality lessons Christine does with the children weekly. 

Christine is a tremendous mentor for new caregivers! Ms. Christine cheerfully assists the trainer in mentoring the new incoming staff. She immediately puts them at ease by answering all questions as they shadow her throughout the day. After spending time with Christine, staff is excited to start and feel secure knowing she is there and approachable whenever they need assistance. The seasoned staff has a noticeable respect for her and you often see them seeking her expertise or input on ideas they have. She is a great resource on all aspects of her job.

2007 Award Recipient

Johanna Clark was awarded the second annual Quest for Excellence Award at the National AfterSchool Association conference in Phoenix Arizona on March 22. Ms. Clark has been working with children at Pope Air Force Base for over 15 years. She is a School-Age Program Assistant and works every day with the 80 children who attend the program.  Her accomplishments include:

• Working with older children to create Youth United Club. The club is governed by the children who have learned how to elect officers, prepare and give speeches, campaign, and vote. The club organizes community service projects; children have collected toiletry items, shoes, coats and nonperishable food for the homeless gifts for battered women and children; collected food and clothes for the Airman’s Attic; and visited seniors to read stories, do arts and crafts, share a meal and bring fresh vegetables from their garden.
• Participating in a reading mentor program. Children read each month to preschoolers enrolled at the Child Development Center. The children make puppets, hats, crafts and other propos that relate to the story they share with the preshoolers.
• Hosting an annual fashion and talent show. Ms. Clark coaches over 80 children, teaching them dance steps, routines, modeling, stage timing, voice and music. She coordinated with merchants to demonstrate the latest fashions. Children learned about modeling fitting, respecting others’ property and decision making.
• A full theatrical production of the play Cinderella. Over a two month period children worked with Ms. Clark to stage the production. They learned how to cast characters, audition, read scripts, get into character, stage prop and stage position. Children created their own costumes from old clothing and items they found around the building. They went to the thrift shop to find clothing that they could alter to fit. The play was performed in May 2006 for parents, friends, school staff and community leaders
• Training workshops on music for staff who work with school age and youth programs, puppetry and creating books for children.

Ms. Clark’s free time is spent creating and writing children’s books that deal with diversity. She enjoys literature and hopes to one day have one of her manuscripts published.

Receiving the award was a great achievement for Johanna. She said, “It was a wonderful experience. I felt like it was an honor standing before all of those people receiving the Quest for Excellence award. Not often people in my career field are recognized for things they do for youth.  I think it is wonderful that this award exist and I will do all that I can to make the next nominee comfortable.” She also mentioned that she enjoyed the opportunity to have lunch with the keynote speaker LeVar Burton!

The Foundation is proud to recognize Johanna Clark with the 2007 Quest for Excellence Award!

2006 Award Recipient

The first Quest for Excellence Award was awarded to Robin Korson from Brewster, New York at the 18th Annual National AfterSchool Association Conference in Louisville, February 23-25, 2006.

For the past 13 years Robin has provided both before and afterschool care for the Green Chimneys School after school program, serving hundreds of children from area public schools. Her accomplishments are extensive and include examples of professional development, excellence in programming, successful parent engagement, and establishing lifetime relationships with children and families who have participated in the program. Under Robin’s leadership the program has just been awarded its National Afterschool Association accreditation status.

When asked about her work, Robin said, “I get so much satisfaction out of knowing I am providing a quality school-age program for my community. I know that the parents can go to work without worrying about where their children are and what they are doing before and after school. I also know that the kids know they can rely on me to listen to them when they have an idea or a problem. ” She believes that reliability is key to a good program. “The kids need to know you will be there for them all the time--this is important. Another thing I do is survey the children and parents to see what they want, like activities, field trips and homework help. I receive a lot of good ideas and incorporate most of those ideas into the program. I do this every year because the wants and needs are always different.”

Comments from her nomination include: “Robin listens to the children’s ideas for the program, and has worked with the children and staff to incorporate these ideas as a continuing part of the program. When children wanted to swim, she took a course to become a lifeguard. When they wanted to go on some after school excursions, Robin took a course to obtain a license to drive the bus.

Robin has developed an excellent rapport with the parents of children in her care. She involves them in the program, on a daily basis, by greeting them upon their arrival and/or departure. Robin provides parents with resource information when they seek her assistance. She has developed a variety of family nights, so the families, staff and children can enjoy what our program has to offer.

Award Nominations

Nomination forms for the AfterSchool Professional Network Quest for Excellence award are available here.

Award Calendar

August 1: Submit nominations

November 1: Nomination deadline

December 15: Final decision and notification of recipient

School-Age NOTES Foundation is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization incorporated

in the state of Kansas to support to support quality after-school programs through a

national awards program, training and the promotion of excellence.