Blog Archives

Mamma Mia, Here We Go Again on a Beyond School Bells Environmental Outing

Beyond School Bell’s Conservation Management Internship began in 2017 and has since been an opportunity for students to learn more about conservation by hearing from professionals in the field and by engaging in hands-on service learning from identifying plants, trees, and invasive species in places like Gjerlof Prairie and Glacier Creek Preserve to seeing how undergraduate students do research at UNL’s Cedar Point Research Station.

Tagged with: , , , , , ,
Posted in Teen/Early Adulthood, Uncategorized

Engineering Pathway Project: Inspiring Youth STEM Leaders in Nebraska

The Engineering Pathway Program in Nebraska ignites student interest in STEM fields through hands-on projects and mentorship. Launched by Beyond School Bells and the Peter Kiewit Foundation, it fosters interconnected learning from elementary to high school, highlighting girls, rural youth, and underserved communities, while nurturing future engineers and leaders like mentee Britney Alarcon-Panzi.

Tagged with: , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Middle Childhood, Teen/Early Adulthood, Uncategorized

Building Community in the Heart of Cherry County: Expanded Learning Opportunities in Valentine, Nebraska

Driven by a mission to create positive change for Nebraska’s children, Beyond School Bells focuses on providing K-12 students with high-quality expanded learning opportunities (ELOs) that promote hands-on, engaged learning. The Nebraska Department of Education (NDE) and Beyond School Bells

Tagged with: , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Middle Childhood, Teen/Early Adulthood, Uncategorized

Finding Voice in the Stars: Caitlynn’s Journey of STEM Empowerment

This is a story of empowerment. Learn how STEM and afterschool programming impacted the life of a Lincoln teen.

Tagged with: , , , , , , ,
Posted in Middle Childhood, Teen/Early Adulthood, Uncategorized

A State of Innovation

It feels like something from David Cronenburg’s The Fly. A young man stands in the middle of a room; his eyes bulge from his head, black and shiny. But this isn’t human turned insect and those aren’t eyes, although what’s

Tagged with: , , , , ,
Posted in Cradle to career, News and Events, Teen/Early Adulthood

GetConnected 2022 Welcomes Learning Leaders and a Passion for Spreading Expanded Learning Throughout the State

Beyond School Bells (BSB), Nebraska Children and Families Foundation’s afterschool network, and partners continue to create quality expanded learning programs (ELOs) throughout the state. Luckily, we aren’t alone in our work. On September 19, hundreds of afterschool learning leaders gathered

Tagged with: , ,
Posted in Uncategorized

Expanded Learning: Hana McMcMahon-Cole’s Beyond School Bells Partnership Takes Experiential Education across the World

Once upon a time, several years ago, in Lincoln, two young girls began attending a Summer learning program at the Asian Community Center. Thanks to this experience and the support of their parents and mentors, they discovered a talent for speaking Mandarin Chinese. Now, imagine yourself fast-forwarding into 2022, except halfway across the globe. One of those girls, now a young woman, is responsible for obtaining a $25,000 grant from MICRON USA to build a team promoting cross-global expanded learning in Taiwan. This example of Hana McMahon-Cole isn’t a fairy tale. This story is a true-to-life example of how far afterschool and summer learning can propel young people and how Nebraska can connect them halfway across the globe.

Once upon a time, several years ago, in Lincoln, two young girls began attending a Summer learning program at the Asian Community Center. Thanks to this experience and the support of their parents and mentors, they discovered a talent for speaking Mandarin Chinese. Now, imagine yourself fast-forwarding into 2022, except halfway across the globe. One of those girls, now a young woman, is responsible for obtaining a $25,000 grant from MICRON USA to build a team promoting cross-global expanded learning in Taiwan. This example of Hana McMahon-Cole isn’t a fairy tale. This story is a true-to-life example of how far afterschool and summer learning can propel young people and how Nebraska can connect them halfway across the globe.

Tagged with: , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Middle Childhood, News and Events

To Taiwan and Beyond: Beyond School Bells’ Think Make Create™ Trailer Takes Nebraska Expanded Learning Opportunities across the Globe

Learning can veer into countless directions and exciting terrains.

Afterschool provides that space, not only throughout Nebraska but the world. As you probably know, we all learn differently, but we know one thing for certain: when we are engaging ourselves and our children, our capacity for success is limitless.

In a rapidly changing, fast-paced world, our great state needs to retain and grow young, driven, and innovative professionals. There’s simply no better place than afterschool – wherever you may be – to partake in quality learning that can spark future careers.

Find out how Nebraska Children’s afterschool initiative, Beyond School Bells’ Jeff Cole and his daughter created a formidable team that’s taking afterschool halfway across the world, all the way to Taiwan and back!

Tagged with: , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Middle Childhood, News and Events

Planting the Seeds: Beyond School Bells, the Malone Center, and the Career Academy Grow STEM Afterschool Activities for Girls and Underrepresented Groups 

Beyond School Bells (BSB) wants to empower girls, especially those of color and other underrepresented groups, with the power of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM). Tyrina Webster, Director of Operations at the Malone Center, wants to equip young women with knowledge, dreams, and career choices. So does Joshua Jones, the Director of The Career Academy. Together, we make a formidable team. Thanks to BSB’s partners at STEMNext, we joined the charge in this nationwide initiative to include more girls in this cutting-edge field. When we hear how partners like the Malone Center and The Career Academy have partnered with us to join this movement, we’re thrilled to the moon and back.  

Beyond School Bells (BSB) wants to empower girls, especially those of color and other underrepresented groups, with the power of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM). Tyrina Webster, Director of Operations at the Malone Center, wants to equip young women with knowledge, dreams, and career choices. So does Joshua Jones, the Director of The Career Academy. Together, we make a formidable team. Thanks to BSB’s partners at STEMNext, we joined the charge in this nationwide initiative to include more girls in this cutting-edge field. When we hear how partners like the Malone Center and The Career Academy have partnered with us to join this movement, we’re thrilled to the moon and back.  

Tagged with: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Middle Childhood, News and Events

Beyond the Books: Beyond School Bells and Young Entrepreneurs of the Future Omaha Help K-12 Students Work Toward their Dreams 

Thanks to afterschool programming, we can expand beyond traditional school hours and well into the afternoons and evenings. While parents can work, they can also rest assured that their children and teens are safe, engaged, and learning life skills! Beyond School Bells (BSB), Nebraska’s statewide network of afterschool professionals, works tirelessly with their equally energetic partners, including Bre and Travis of Young Entrepreneurs of the Future Omaha (YEF), to support their efforts to create quality expanded learning opportunities (ELOs) across the state.    

In 2018, when married couple Breann and Travis Hines began the Omaha, Nebraska-based nonprofit, Young Entrepreneurs of the Future Omaha (YEF), they set out on a mission. Their goals were to inspire the vision of youth entrepreneurship and develop self-reliance

Tagged with: , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Middle Childhood, News and Events
Archives

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.