Each spring, the Best of Out-of-School Time (BOOST) Conference, the largest and most recognized global convening for after school, expanded learning and in- and out-of-school time professionals, brings together thousands of educators, nonprofit leaders and youth advocates. This year, San Diego Foundation (SDF) joined the conversation in full force showcasing how cross-sector partnerships are reshaping what learning looks like in San Diego County.
Through two powerful presentations—one from our Education team and another from our Environment team—SDF highlighted the shared vision, values and collaboration that fuel our work to expand opportunities for young people across our region.
Level Up SD: A Model for Community-Driven Summer Learning
In one BOOST session, SDF’s Education team, San Diego Unified School District, and the BIPOC Support Foundation presented “It Takes a Village: The Story of Level Up SD and Successful Partnerships for Summer Learning in San Diego County.”
Together, the panel shared how Level Up SD, launched in 2021 in response to pandemic learning loss, has evolved into a leading model for equitable, expanded learning. Over the past four summers, the program has delivered more than 69,000 no-cost enrichment opportunities for students, with a focus on English learners, foster youth, students with disabilities and youth from lower-income households.
The presentation emphasized lessons learned through collaboration: from navigating differing organizational cultures to building trust through consistent engagement. It also invited attendees to reflect on their own cross-sector efforts using a guided tool, the Reflective Planning Guide.
Thrive Community of Practice: Building the Next Generation of Environmental Leaders
In a second session, panelists from SDF’s Environment team, Chula Vista Elementary School District, Olivewood Gardens and Learning Center, Indigenous Regeneration, and the EcoLogik Institute introduced the Thrive Community of Practice (TCoP) , a collective impact initiative funded by the Alumbra Innovations Foundation and designed to advance place-based environmental education, equity and career pathways.
The Alumbra Innovations Foundations grant invests in efforts that center equity, deepen community partnerships and foster long-term systems change. The unifying thread was clear: we’re working together to build more coherent, inclusive ecosystems of learning.
Through the TCoP, 11 community-based organizations and three school districts have come together to co-design place-based learning experiences rooted in environmental literacy and outdoor learning. The initiative focuses on youth furthest from opportunity, connecting them to nature, civic engagement and future careers in the blue and green economies.
In the session “An Ecosystem Approach to Environmental Learning”, the team shared how the TCoP applied equitable design thinking to specific problems of practice identified in their work, with each project team identifying key systems challenges and piloting solutions. Projects include:
- A Cultural Bridge Toolkit to support respectful engagement and partnership with Tribal and Indigenous communities, led by Indigenous Regeneration, Un Mar De Colores and the Queer Sol Collective.
- A coastal education summer camp that builds students’ environmental awareness, sense of connection to place, and advocacy skills, a partnership between Chula Vista Elementary School District and YMCA Camp Surf.
- A STEAM partner guide, partner fair and programs to improve coordination between schools and environmental nonprofits, designed by Ocean Connectors, Olivewood Gardens and Learning Center, Living Coast Discovery Center and Sweetwater Union High School District.
- An outdoor learning pilot, including an outdoor learning playbook and new outdoor learning spaces for rural Title I schools in Mountain Empire Unified School District (MEUSD), a collaboration between Blue Dot Education, the EcoLogik Institute, San Diego Children and Nature and MEUSD.
SDF has awarded more than $560,000 in implementation grants to support these efforts. Together, they illustrate how community voice, equity-centered design, and cross-sector partnership can catalyze system-wide change.
Looking Ahead: One Vision, Many Pathways
While each BOOST presentation spotlighted distinct programs, the shared purpose was undeniable: creating a more equitable, connected, and inspiring learning landscape for San Diego’s youth.
The Alumbra Grant has been instrumental in bringing SDF’s Education and Environment teams into closer alignment, fostering a place-based strategy that treats students as whole people, not just test scores. Whether through outdoor learning or summer enrichment, SDF’s approach affirms that opportunity grows when communities build it, together.
When funders, educators, nonprofits and community members align around these values, they do more than create programs. They create possibilities.
