AFCOST End of the Year Celebration

On Tuesday, June 9th, Cambridge OST providers and partners from across the city gathered for the Agenda for Children OST (AFCOST) End of the Year Celebration (click here or on image above for photo scrapbook video). This annual event served as a moment to pause and reflect on the collective efforts of the OST community, honoring the care, creativity, and dedication professionals brought to Cambridge children and youth throughout the school year.

We celebrated the commitment of our OST workforce. During the 2025-2026 school year, more than 330 Out-of-School Time (OST) professionals across 63 programs collectively engaged in over 4,000 hours of professional growth and learning. AFCOST regularly collaborates with key partners—including the Inclusion Initiative, STEAM Initiative, Reaching All Youth (RAY), and Cambridge Public Health. The commitment of OST professionals to their own growth and development prepares them for the vital role they play in supporting youth development. Here is a link to the 2025-26 AFCOST Offerings.

AFCOST recognized OST programs that were most engaged throughout this school year, highlighting the following OST programs:

• Atwin Education
• Cambridge Basketball Lab
• Cambridge Community Center
• Dragonfly Afterschool Program
• East End House
• Frisoli Youth Center
• Gately Youth Center
• Haggerty Community School
• JOYweavers
• Morse Afterschool
• Parkour Generations Boston
• Peabody Community School
• Science Club for Girls
• Tobin Community School
• Tutoring Plus
  

At the event, we made an official announcement of those who were selected to participate in the inaugural cohort of the Cambridge OST Apprenticeship. Ashley Kelley, OST Learning Institute Coordinator, introduced this cohort and shared the importance of stabilizing the OST workforce and creating sustainable career pathways for professionals in the field.

The event also featured moving reflections from Jordan Harvey (Tutoring Plus), Yesli Interiano-Paez (Morse After School), and Devin Mitchell (East End House), who shared personal stories regarding their OST journeys and the profound impact of professional learning communities on their work with youth and families.

The gathering also focused on building community. Attendees participated in hands-on activity stations designed to foster connection, including spaces to write encouragement for colleagues, record voice notes about their motivations for working in the field, and draw illustrations capturing the growth witnessed in the youth they serve.The celebration ended with an OST Community BBQ featuring grill master, Tyrique.

The event successfully honored the collective impact that Cambridge’s OST professionals have on the children and families they serve every day.

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