DATE:

August 3 & 4, 2026

TIME:

Doors open at 7 a.m. on August 3 and 7:30 a.m. on August 4.

Conference starts on both days at 8:30 a.m.

LOCATION:

Kingdom Builders' Center
6011 West Orem Dr.
Houston, TX 77085

About This Year's Conference

CASE for Kids is excited to welcome you to the Third Annual Houston Out-of-School Time (HOST) Conference! This year’s theme—Powered by P.L.A.Y.—celebrates the creativity, connection, joy, and innovation that PLAY brings to out-of-school time programs and youth development spaces.

What to Expect at Powered by P.L.A.Y.

2025 Houston OST Conference

Contact Us

Center for Afterschool, Summer and Enrichment (CASE) for Kids
Harris County Department of Education
6005 Westview
Houston, TX 77055

Phone: 713-694-6300
Email: afterschoolzone@hcde-texas.org

Get ready for an energizing experience featuring:

Exhibitors with resources,
giveaways and shopping opportunities

Interactive workshops and
learning experiences

Whether you’re a longtime partner or new to the HOST community, this conference is your space to learn, connect, recharge, and reimagine what’s possible through the Power of P.L.A.Y.!

Day 1 (Aug. 3)

Schedule for August 3, 2026

7 a.m.

Registration Opens

7-8:30 a.m.

Continental Breakfast

8:30-9:30 a.m.

Opening / Welcome
Keynote Address

9:45-11 a.m.

Workshop #1

11:15 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Workshop #2

12:30-1:30 p.m.

Boxed Lunch
Vendor Fair

1:45-3 p.m.

Workshop #3

3:15-4:30 p.m.

Workshop #4

4:30-6:30 p.m.

Game Night & Networking Event
Hearty Snacks

6:30-8:30 p.m.

Plates and Partnerships
Networking Dinners

Day 2 (Aug. 4)

Powered by P.L.A.Y. Workshops

Date & Time

Keyword Search

Tuesday: 9:15—10:30 a.m.

A Leader for the Youth

Monique Smith

Leadership Development

Monday: 9:45—11 a.m.

A Playbook for Parent and Family Engagement in OST Programs

Jessica Faith Carter

Arts Integration
Family Engagement
Play-Based Learning
Leadership Development

Monday: 3:15—4:30 p.m.

A Playbook for the Village: Partnerships That Support OST Families

Jessica Faith Carter

Arts Integration
Family Engagement
Play-Based Learning
STEM & Technology

Tuesday: 10:45 a.m.—noon

Be the Mirror—Tending to yourself so others can see themselves in you

MyKayla Searles-Houston

Play-Based Learning
Staff Wellness
Social-Emotional Learning

Monday: 3:15—4:30 p.m.
Monday: 11:15 a.m.—12:30 p.m.

Before the Final Whistle: The 4 Quarters of the Youth Development Game

Shawn DeVaughn

Arts Integration
STEM & Technology
Leadership Development

Monday: 11:15 a.m.—12:30 p.m.

Beyond Compliance: Building a Culture of Quality and Continuous Improvement

Marisa Zappone

Arts Integration
Theater & Improv
Program Quality

Monday: 9:45—11 a.m.

Beyond Fun: Can Play Deliver Real Investment Returns? A Panel Discussion with Community Investors

Trina Silva (Facilitator)

Panel Discussion

Monday: 3:15—4:30 p.m.

Beyond Homework Help: How High Impact Tutoring can build confidence, connection, and future readiness

Elizabeth Valdez

Academic Enrichment
Family Engagement

Monday: 9:45—11 a.m.

Big Dreams, Tiny Team: How to Pull Off the Impossible Anyway

Cecilia Pham

Arts Integration
Community & Advocacy

Monday: 3:15—4:30 p.m.
Tuesday: 10:45 a.m.—noon

Bringing the Power of Us to Serve Youth: Leveraging New Data on the Out-of-School Time Workforce

Femi Vance

Program Quality

Monday: 1:45—3 p.m.

Bubble Tea Masterclass: Blend. Build. Become.

Darian Lewis

Arts Integration
Music & Performing Arts
Leadership Development
Social-Emotional Learning

Tuesday: 10:45 a.m.—noon

Building Bigger, Better Brains Through Movement

Jeremy Foster

Arts Integration
STEM & Technology
Theater & Improv

Monday: 9:45—11 a.m.

Building Community Power Through Policy Collaboration

Shirley (Jordan) Fernandez (Pacelli)

Community & Advocacy

Monday: 9:45—11 a.m.
Tuesday: 9:15—10:30 a.m.

Building Public Will: Advocacy & Storytelling for OST

Angelica Portillo

Community & Advocacy
STEM & Technology
Leadership Development

Monday: 1:45—3 p.m.

Building Sustainable STEM Partnerships in Underestimated Communities

Sha'Rell Webb

Arts Integration
Community & Advocacy
STEM & Technology
Leadership Development

Tuesday: 9:15—10:30 a.m.

Building the Perfect Board

Ronnie Hagerty

Leadership Development

Tuesday: 10:45 a.m.—noon

Creative Pathways to Youth Wellbeing Through the Arts

Aisha Siddiqui

Arts Integration
STEM & Technology
Social-Emotional Learning

Monday: 11:15 a.m.—12:30 p.m.

DRAMA LIVE!—The Power of Play: Unlocking Expression, Confidence & Connection Through Theater

Justin Cook

Arts Integration
Play-Based Learning
Theater & Improv
Social-Emotional Learning

Tuesday: 9:15—10:30 a.m.

Draw Together, Tell Together: Teamwork-Driven Art & Storytelling

Chandel Bonner-Hancock

Arts Integration

Tuesday: 9:15—10:30 a.m.

Driving Students' Excellence: Lessons from the Course

Archie Craft

Arts Integration
STEM & Technology
Leadership Development
Social-Emotional Learning

Conference Tracks

Prepare

Equipping the Workforce

This track centers the people who power out-of-school time programs—educators, caregivers, and practitioners. Sessions should focus on building the skills, knowledge, and competencies needed to deliver high-quality programming and respond to the evolving needs of youth and communities.

We're looking for proposals that demonstrate:

Effective strategies for training, coaching, and developing OST professionals
Approaches that support educator confidence, adaptability, and effectiveness
Models that center the experiences and needs of frontline staff and caregivers
Evidence of impact on workforce readiness, performance, or program quality

THANK YOU, SPONSORS!

Thanks to Our Event Underwriter Who Helped Make This Event Possible

Sponsor Message from Houston Catering Concepts

Leadership

Systems, Partnerships & Capacity Building

This track explores leadership at all levels, from program management to cross-sector systems change. Sessions should highlight how leaders build partnerships, influence systems, and create the infrastructure needed to sustain and grow out-of-school time opportunities.

We're looking for proposals that demonstrate:

Examples of cross-sector collaboration (education, government, nonprofits, private sector)
Strategies for advancing systems change or improving policies and regulations
Approaches to building organizational or community-wide capacity
Leadership practices that strengthen sustainability and long-term impact
Lessons learned from scaling programs or leading complex initiatives

Advocacy

Policy, Public Will & Storytelling

This track focuses on elevating the value of out-of-school time through advocacy, storytelling, and community voice. Sessions should explore how to influence policy, shape public perception, and build collective support for afterschool programs.

We're looking for proposals that demonstrate:

Strategies for engaging policymakers, stakeholders, and community leaders
Effective messaging and storytelling techniques that elevate OST impact
Examples of successful advocacy campaigns or policy wins
Tools or frameworks for empowering youth, families, and communities as advocates

Youth Development

Innovation, Creativity & Lifelong Learning

This track highlights innovative and engaging approaches to youth development that foster creativity, critical thinking, and lifelong learning. Sessions should explore how out-of-school time programs support whole-child development, including social-emotional growth, brain development, and executive functioning.

We're looking for proposals that demonstrate:

Hands-on or experiential learning strategies (e.g., maker spaces, tinkering, design thinking)
Trauma-informed practices that support youth well-being and resilience
Connections between OST activities and brain development or executive function
Innovative program models that inspire creativity and problem-solving
Evidence of impact on youth outcomes, engagement, or long-term learning

PLAY, Creativity & Innovation

Play fuels imagination, creativity, and innovation—skills essential for the future. This strand invites proposals that showcase how playful experiences inspire problem-solving, design thinking, and creative expression across disciplines. Sessions may highlight hands-on arts integration, STEAM learning, maker spaces, or storytelling as powerful forms of play.

We're looking for proposals that demonstrate:

Encourages participants to experience movement and hands-on demonstrations (i.e dance, cooking, photography, painting/creating)
Play and creativity in STEAM learning, maker spaces, tinkering, and design thinking
Play as a foundation for innovation and lifelong learning
Support of outdoor and nature-based play environments
Building empathy, cooperation, and conflict resolution through play
How play supports brain development

About CASE for Kids

The Center for Afterschool, Summer and Enrichment (CASE) for Kids, a division of Harris County Department of Education (HCDE), offers resources, training and funding to support students in grades pre-K through 12 who participate in afterschool programs held at schools, childcare facilities and community centers. By enhancing program quality and expanding access to afterschool, summer and enrichment activities, CASE for Kids ensures that every student has the opportunity to thrive—because what happens between school and home matters. Learn more at case.hcde-texas.org.