Out of School Time Conference 2025
October 29-30, 2025, In-person | November 7, 2025, Virtual
In-person | Hilton Appleton Paper Valley in Appleton, WI
Educators, See Marshfield Offerings, See Stevens Point Offerings, See Wausau Offerings
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Out of School Time Conference 2025 Innovative Approaches: Enhancing OST Program Quality​
October 29-30, 2025 | ​Hilton Appleton Paper Valley in Appleton, WI 

November 7, 2025 | Virtual​

Description​


Join us for an opportunity for out-of-school time professionals to gain information, education, and resources that will support their programs, staff, and participants.

Offered in partnership with Wisconsin Out of School Time Alliance, Department of Children and Families, Department of Public Instruction, Department of Administration, Continuing Education: University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, YMCA of Wisconsin State Alliance, Boys and Girls Club of Wisconsin State Alliance, Wisconsin Childcare Administrators Association, Northwest Connection, Milwaukee Public Schools, and Whitehall School District.

In-Person: October 29-30, 2025

The in-person Out-of-School Time Conference is intended to reach program coordinators, directors, and administrators. Individuals will walk away with ideas and inspiration to design and lead programs that offer a quality experience for their frontline staff and program participants. The in-person conference will take place at the Hilton Appleton Paper Valley in Appleton, WI.

Virtual: November 7, 2025

The Virtual Out-of-School Time Conference is intended to reach frontline staff who work day-to-day to offer quality experiences for youth and their families. The staff who attend the virtual sessions will walk away with ideas and inspiration to help them be successful in their onsite, day-to-day program interactions with youth and coworkers. The virtual conference will take place via Zoom in partnership with UW-Stevens Point department of Continuing Education and Outreach.​

Registration​ Information

​​​Full C​​onference Attendee (inclusive of Virtual day and social/networking event) | $129.00 - Registration closes October 14, 2025.

Virtual Conference Only Attendee - November 7, 2025, | $50.00 - Registration closes November 6, 2025.

Exhibitor - In-person | $150.00

  • Extra Exhibitor | $75.00​
  • Booth Electricity | $50.00​


Online regist​ration is credit card only. We accept Discover, MasterCard, and VISA.

If you need to pay by check, contact uwspce-conf@uwsp.edu​​​

​Scholarships​

​​Criter​​ia

  1. Only individuals, not organizations, are eligible for scholarships.
  2. Applicants must submit a letter of support from their employer.
  3. Applicants must agree to attend the full in-person portion of the conference; in addition, they may also attend the virtual portion.​

Scholarship deadline is September 28, 2025​.

​​Any questions, please contact Wisconsin Out of School Time Alliance ​(WOSTA) at wosta@marshfieldclinic.org ​​​

​Conference Information​


Exhibitor Opportunities

The 2025 Out of School Time Conference will feature an Exhibit Hall available at the in-person conference on Thursday, October 30, 2025. We encourage all vendors to get creative. Helpful information, self-care ideas, promotional offers, etc., are welcome!

Exhibitor Fee ($150) includes the following:

  • One complimentary registration, including conference content and meals
  • One 4'x8' skirted table designed for table-top exhibits
  • Access to more than 200 out-of-school time professionals, including administrators, front-line workers, and community professionals.

*Please register by Monday​, October 14, 2025.

Contact uwspce-conf@uwsp.edu for more information. 

The Out of School Time Conference and UWSP Continuing Education are not responsible for damages or loss by a vendor during the conference.

Lodging

​​

Hilton Appleton Paper Valley 

​333 W College Ave.​​
Appleton, WI 54911 ​

A block of rooms is available at the Hilton Appleton Paper Valley. Reservations can be made by calling 920-733-8000 and using Block Code: 915 or use the booking link

‭(Hidden)‬ 2025 Call for Proposals - NOW OPEN

Submit a proposal ​

The University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point (UWSP) and the conference planning committee are accepting proposals for 60-minute workshops for the 2025 Out of School Time Conference. You can submit for either the in-person conference (geared towards program coordinators, directors, and administrators) or virtual conference (for frontline staff).

Proposal Deadline is July 21st, 2025. Please submit one form per proposal.​

Workshop Proposal Submission button.png

Minimum Computer Standards

Participants are responsible for ensuring they have the minimum computer standards for participating in the virtual conference via Zoom.  Zoom works best with Chrome or Firefox. WI DPI, Marshfield Clinic, and/or UWSP are not responsible for participant technological issues, including, but not limited to, inadequate bandwidth and/or registrant equipment malfunction. 

Cancellation Policy

The registration fee is completely refundable through Wednesday, October 15, 2025. Refunds requested between October 16-23, 2025, will be charged a $50/registrant administrative fee. No refunds will be granted on or after Friday, October 24, 2025. Substitutions may be made at any time, but no-shows will be responsible for the full registration fee. Please contact UWSP Continuing Education (uwspce-conf@uwsp.edu) if you have not received confirmation of your registration.​

​​Conference Schedule

Click on the grey drop-down menu ​below for more schedule details. 

​Wednesday, October 29, 2025

6:30 p.m. | Social/Networking and Opening Panel Discussion

6:30 p.m. Networking Social with Opening Remarks from national representatives of the Out-of-School Time Alliance.​ 


​Thursday, October 30, 2025,​ In-Person Conference

8:30 - 10 a.m. | Welcome & Opening Keynote

8:30 - 9 a.m. | Welcome & Opening Remarks​

9 - 9:50 a.m. |​ Keynote 

10 - 11 a.m. | Sessions 1-4

​1: DPI | To be Determined​​​

2: Take Chances, Make Mistakes, and Get Messy: Navigating Uncertainty, Discomfort, and Adaptability in Youth-Led Programming​

​Presenters: Taylor Seale, MPH, Arts in Health Engagement & Youth Outreach Specialist, University of Wisconsin-Madison Extension, Jackie Scott, Out-of-School-Time Organizer, Wisconsin Youth Company & Wisconsin Partnership for Children and Youth (Milwaukee, WI), and Sam Kacala, Education Manager, Arts @ Large (Milwaukee, WI)

​3: Gen Z @ Work: Cracking the Code to Connection and Engagement​​

Presenter: Ariana Petersen, Education Specialist at the Girl Scouts of Wisconsin Badgerland

​​4: Driving Change for Education: Using Data Storytelling to Advocate for the Future​​​

 Presenter: Kaitlin Henze, Education and Outreach Specialist​

11:15 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. | Sessions 5-8

5: Risk, Create, Thrive: The Power of Living Boldly

​Presenter: Nick Harnish, Senior Director of Education Badgerland Girl Scouts​

6: Mastering Your Budget: Using Your Financial Superpowers

Presenter: Dan Eckhardt, Financial Coordinator WECA/YoungStar Connect Business Coach

7: Youth Mental Health First Aid

Presenters: Jill Niemczyk, Community Health Educator,​ and Jennifer Smith, M.Ed., Program Coordinator, Wisconsin Out of School Time Alliance School-Age Content Specialist,YoungStar Connect​​

8: Opening Your Doors: Powerful Advocacy Through Site Visits​

Presenters: Daniel Gage, White-Riley-Peterson Policy Fellow, MS Educational Leadership, and Jackie Scott, Out-of-School-Time Organizer​​

1 - 2 p.m. | Sessions 9 - 12

9: Move by Move: Strategy, Grit, and Growth from the Chessboard to Life

Presenters: Nick Harnish, Senior Director of Education Badgerland Girl Scouts           

10: Creating Safe Spaces Beyond the School Day: Bullying Prevention in Out-of-School Time Programs

Presenter: Libby Strunz, School Mental Health Consultant, Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction​ ​

11: ​​ Staff Meeting Makeovers: Cultivating a Culture of Learning

Presenter: Amanda Ehlert, Early Childhood Specialist & Trainer, 4-C Community Coordinated Child Care, Madison, WI​

12: Sustainable Afterschool: Funding Resources to Support Your Program

Presenter: Alexis Steines Rao, Vice President of Innovation and Outreach, Afterschool Alliance, Washington, DC​

2:15 - 3:15 p.m. | Sessions 13-16

13: Growing Leaders Outdoors: Integrating Outdoor Education and Leadership Progression in Youth Programs

Presenters: Brennan Kurkowski, BA in Elementary Education, and Logan Hennessy, licensed Early Childhood Educator with a Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood–Middle Childhood Education (ECMC) from University of Wisconsin La Crosse

​14: From Seeds to Solutions: Cultivating Food Security in OST Programs

Presenter: Jill Niemczyk, Community Health Educator

15: Utilizing Team Building & Leadership Activities to Create Meaningful Student Connections in After-School Programming​

Presenter: Brian Kenney, Consultant & Facilitator - Team Extreme LLC

16: Telling Your Story Through Social Media

Presenters: Jackie Scott, Out-of-School Time Organizer, Wisconsin, and Jennifer Smith, M.Ed., Program Coordinator, Wisconsin Out of School Time Alliance School-Age Content Specialist, YoungStar Connect​​​

​Friday, November 7, 2025,​ - Virt​ual Conference​​​

10 - 10:15 a.m. | Welcome and Kick off

Welcome and Kick off​



10:15 - 11:15 a.m. | "A" Sessions

A1: From Coding to Career: Robotics, AI, and Much More with NextWaveSTEM

Presenters: Hope Thompson, MAEd, Sr. Manager of Curriculum and Instruction, and Udit Agarwal, CEO and founder, NextWave STEM

A2: Steady in the Storm: Cultivating Calm and Confidence in the Classroom

Presenter: Nick Harnish, Senior Director of Education Badgerland Girl Scouts

A3: CLC | TBD


11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. | “B” Sessions

B1: Unlocking Potential: Inspiring Learners Through the Power of Data​

Presenter: Kaitlin Henze, Education and Outreach Specialist​

B2: Empowered Educators: Building Self-Reliance to Inspire the Next Generation​

Presenter: Nick Harnish, Senior Director of Education Badgerland Girl Scouts

B3: Keeping Children Safe: Supervision Tailored to Every Child

Presenter: Mary Niec

12:45 - 1:45 p.m. | "C" Sessions

C1: ​A New Way to Whoop It Up in Your Program: Games and Activities to Spark Connection and Creativity​

Presenters: Mia Forslund, MA, Education Engagement Specialist, PBS Wisconsin Education, Madison, WI, and Amanda Farrar, MAM, Outreach Program Manager, Professional Learning and Community Education (PLACE), University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI​

​C2: Managing Family Expectations​

​Presenter: Amanda Ehlert, Early Childhood Specialist & Trainer, 4-C Madison, WI

C3: ​From Seeds to Solutions: Cultivating Food Security in OST Programs 

Presenter: Jill Niemczyk, Community Health Educator

​ ​​ ​

‭(Hidden)‬ 2:45 p.m. | Closing

​Sponsored by:


                       ​DPIWisconsin Department of Administration


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​Reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities will be made if requested at least four weeks in advance. Please contact UWSP Conferences at uwspce-conf@uwsp.edu.

​Contact Information


Email UWSP Conferences at uwspce-conf@uwsp.edu if you need assistance with registration and/or have questions about the conference content.