We at TNOYS along with TEA are finalizing details of the 2021 TEHCY Program Summit, and we’re excited to share a sneak peek of some of the amazing workshops and speakers we have lined up! Held on August 3rd & 5th, the TEHCY Program Summit empowers Texas’ education professionals to understand the needs of students experiencing homelessness and help them thrive. See below for just a few of the sessions we have planned.
Featured Speaker
Dr. C. Nicole Mason is the president and chief executive officer of the Institute for Women’s Policy Research (IWPR), a leading voice on pay equity, economic policies, and research impacting women. Dr. Mason is the youngest person currently leading one of the major inside-the-Beltway think tanks in Washington, D.C., and one of the few women of color to do so.
Dr. Mason is the author of Born Bright: A Young Girl’s Journey from Nothing to Something in America (St. Martin’s Press), and has written hundreds of articles on community development, women, poverty, and economic security. Her writing and commentary have been featured in the New York Times, MSNBC, CNN, NBC, CBS, Real Clear Politics, Nation, Washington Post, Marie Claire, the Progressive, ESSENCE, Bustle, BIG THINK, Miami Herald, Democracy Now, and numerous NPR affiliates, among others.
Featured Workshops
The TEHCY Program Summit will offer over 40 interactive workshops, presented by youth services professionals, educators and school district staff, and TEA staff, as well as youth with lived experience. Join us for specialized training on the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, and the opportunity to build skills, network, earn CEUs, and have fun alongside youth-serving professionals from across Texas!
Resources for Implementing the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act and Other Laws
Presented by Jasmine Wightman, Senior Attorney, Texas Association of School Boards
In this workshop, participants will understand the basics of McKinney-Vento, including identification, eligibility, enrollment, and transportation. Participants will also learn to identify which TASB Legal and Local Policies explain the various laws and policies that relate to students who are homeless and identify TASB resources that assist with compliance. The session will end with a short section about allowable uses of McKinney-Vento and American Rescue Plan Act (ARP) funds.
Providing Post-Secondary Transition Assistance in Rural Schools
Presented by Tina Haywood, McKinney-Vento/Foster Care Liaison, Region 14 ESC; Sherity Meek, District McKinney-Vento Liaison and high school counselor, Anson High School; Jennifer Wilson, Regional Advising Coordinator, and Amanda Elston, Youth Success Advisor, Workforce Solutions of West Central Texas
This session will look at the benefits and challenges as well as unique approaches to providing post-secondary transition assistance to high school students in rural communities. In this workshop, participants will discuss strategies rural schools use to provide transition assistance; explore best practices from collaboration efforts between Youth Success Advisors, High School Counselors, and the ESC to support students from high school to post-secondary opportunities; and learn how to maximize your local workforce development boards to support students and families in the post-secondary transition process.
Creative Solutions Learned in the Midst of a Pandemic
Presented by Kathy Wigtil, District Homeless and Foster Care Liaison, Kat Strasburger, Homeless Population Specialist, and Cecilia Padgett, Parent/Community Specialist, Waco ISD
This workshop will provide ideas to inspire creative thinking and promote problem solving for the challenges brought on this past year for homeless students and families. Speakers will present collaborative solutions used to meet the increased and broad needs of students and families experiencing homelessness this year, especially those who were impacted by both the pandemic and the winter storm. Participants will learn creative ways to meet the increased and diverse needs of students and families experiencing homelessness; engage in problem solving discussions surrounding the needs of students and families experiencing homelessness; and understand how to continue providing creative supports to students and families experiencing homelessness.
Resilience in Action: Building Authentic Youth-Adult Partnerships
Presented by Josue Rodriguez, Engagement Manager, and Alex Polk, Communications Specialist, TNOYS
This interactive workshop will provide strategies on how to engage authentically with youth and create a mutually respectful, safe environment to build youth-adult partnerships. Hear directly from youth and young adults as they share their lived experiences and learn how to provide support to meet the unique needs of a young person. Attendees will have the opportunity to interact with their peers to apply what they’ve learned.
Learn more and register for the TEHCY Program Summit at https://tnoys.org/tehcy-2021/. Don’t forget: registration is free!