Be part of history at the 21st Annual California Afterschool & Summer Challenge in Sacramento on March 3-4, 2025!

Join us at the Challenge, where we educate and empower professionals, youth, and families to engage in grassroots advocacy for the out-of-school time field. This year is especially crucial as we work to secure long-term funding for the Expanded Learning Opportunities Program (ELOP) and celebrate the impact these programs have on the success of young people in school, work, and life. By bringing personal stories from youth, parents, and practitioners directly to our representatives, the Challenge amplifies voices and inspires local advocacy, fostering civic engagement across the state.

Deadline to register: February 10, 2025

Registration:

To secure your spot and actively contribute to the movement, register now! Due to limited space, we will be prioritizing individuals and groups who register early to have visits with legislators and staff in their region. Deadline to register: February 10, 2025

Registration Fees:

The California Afterschool & Summer Challenge is facing rising costs and new challenges as it continues to grow. Now, more than ever, we depend on your financial support to keep this vital event going. While CalSAC has traditionally been the primary funder, supported by community sponsorships, sustaining the Challenge moving forward requires significant investment from both participants and partners.

To ensure the event remains accessible to all, we are introducing Sliding Scale Pricing in 2025. This approach allows those with greater financial resources to contribute at a higher level, helping to offset costs for others who may have fewer resources. When registering, please select the pricing tier that best reflects your organization’s capacity and needs.

Hotel Accommodation:

Book your room at the AC Hotel Sacramento through our custom booking link. You can also book your room by calling (888) 236-2427 and identifying “CalSAC” for a special room block rate during the Challenge. Deadline to reserve: February 10, 2025.

Challenge Locations:

• Day 1 - Opening Plenary and Advocacy Tracks: Library Galleria (828 I St, Sacramento, CA 95814)

• Day 2 - March and Rally: César Chávez Plaza (910 I St, Sacramento, CA 95814) to California State Capitol Park (1300 L St, Sacramento, CA 95814)

• Day 2 - Legislative Visits: Capitol Annex Swing Space (1021 O St, Sacramento, CA 95814)

Challenge Program:

 Guidelines for Adults Bringing Youth

To ensure proper supervision, CalSAC requires a 1:6 adult-to-youth ratio. Each adult can register and supervise up to six youth participants. For example, if your organization plans to bring 24 youth, you will need at least four adults to register separately. This ensures a safe and enriching experience for everyone involved. See below for all the requirements to bring Youth:

• Maintain a 1:6 Ratio: Adults must commit to maintaining the required 1:6 adult-to-youth ratio throughout the Challenge.

• Supervision Responsibility: Adults bringing youth are responsible for ensuring adequate supervision at all times, including during programmatic sessions and Youth Day events.

• Legislative Visit Requirements: Youth in grades 7th-12th are welcome to attend legislative visits! If you are bringing youth in grades 7th–12th that will be attending legislative visits, you are required to serve as a Team Leader for your group. No policy experience is needed—CalSAC will train and prepare you for success as a Team Leader. This includes:

• Attending a virtual Team Leader Training on Tuesday, February 18th, from 11:00 am–1:00 pm.

• Participating in the in-person prep meeting in Sacramento on Monday, March 3rd, from 10:00 am–12:30 pm.

• While it is recommended that youth attend both days of the Challenge to prepare for their visit, we recognize that may not always be possible. To ensure success in legislative visits, you will receive a Legislative Visit Kit from CalSAC, which you are required to review with your youth before the Challenge.

• Youth Registration Coordination: CalSAC will contact you closer to the Challenge to gather youth registration details.

Ready to sign up? Register for the Challenge and select “YES” for the question, “Will you bringing any youth to the Challenge?”

Need more information? Watch the webinar, “Bringing Youth to the Challenge: Best Practices" and/or contact Kim Cabais, kcabais@calsac.org or 510-444-4622 x 108

If you have youth that would like to be involved in more advocacy opportunities, learn more about our Teens Advocating for Civic Action (TACA) program.

The California Afterschool & Summer Challenge is at risk of not continuing due to rising costs and growth-related challenges. Now, more than ever, we need your financial support to keep this vital event going. Historically, CalSAC has been the primary funder of the Challenge, supplemented by community sponsorships. However, we now need significant investment from our partners to sustain the event and build on 20 years of impactful advocacy. The total cost to host this event is $105,000.

Your investment in the Challenge is especially critical for 2025 and 2026, as the focus shifts to strengthening the Expanded Learning Opportunities Program (ELOP) and securing long-term funding for these programs. The Challenge is a cornerstone of the field's advocacy strategy, personalizing the importance of out-of-school time (OST) programs through powerful, firsthand stories shared by youth, parents, and practitioners with their representatives. This experience not only empowers participants but also inspires them to take action in their local communities, driving greater civic engagement across the state.

Will you join us in supporting youth and OST professionals as they advocate at the State Capitol this spring by becoming a Community Sponsor? Learn more about the importance of the Challenge here.

For more information, contact Jennifer Merrill at jmerrill@calsac.org or (510) 444-4622 x105.

About the CA Afterschool & Summer Challenge

The annual statewide California Afterschool & Summer Challenge educates and empowers professionals, youth, and families to engage in grassroots advocacy. In addition to helping advance the out-of-school time field (like before school, afterschool and Expanded Learning programs), this advocacy experience helps show young people and emerging leaders how to speak out and use their voices to create change. In collaboration with policy organizations across the state, CalSAC convenes a collective voice for out-of-school time programs, to raise awareness about the impact these programs have on the success of children and youth in school, work and life.

The Challenge Experience

• Gain tools and receive training, designed for emerging, experienced and youth advocates, led by policy experts, community leaders and youth

• March with hundreds of advocates through the streets of Sacramento

• Rally on the Capitol steps, hearing from legislative champions, field leaders, family members and youth 

• Share your stories and expertise with legislators to make the case for out-of-school time

• Connect with advocates from your community to build a local base and coordinate future efforts

The importance and role of the Challenge

Protecting the Expanded Learning Opportunities Program: Investment in the Challenge is especially critical in 2025 and 2026, as the field is focused on elevating the impact and success of the Expanded Learning Opportunities Program (ELOP) and ensuring that this funding is protected for years to come. The Challenge is an essential component of the broader advocacy strategy of the field, as it helps to personalize OST through the first-hand stories told by young people, parents, and practitioners directly to their representatives. In addition, this experience activates participants and inspires them to continue advocacy work in their local communities, contributing to greater civic engagement across the state.

If you have youth that would like to be involved in advocacy opportunities, learn more about our Teens Advocating for Civic Action (TACA) program.