NAA27 is Built To Last and Ready To Rise

From March 14–17, 2027, over a thousand afterschool and youth development professionals will gather in Denver for NAA27. They’ll come from across the country and across the field — from direct-service professionals to system leaders — ready to connect with colleagues, strengthen their practice, and discover ideas they can take back to their programs and communities. We want NAA members like you to help shape that experience.

This year’s theme, Built to Last. Ready to Rise., asks us to think about what sustains our work and what will move it forward. As NAA celebrates 40 years, we know that the strength of our field has always come from the people within it: professionals willing to share what they’ve learned, challenge one another’s thinking, tell their stories, and build something stronger together.

What have you learned that could help a colleague? What approach is working in your program or community? What question should our field be wrestling with? What story could inspire someone else to lead differently? Your answer could become an NAA27 session.

We’re seeking both experienced and emerging presenters who can create diverse, engaging learning experiences and provide actionable content that elevates the field and builds participants’ capacity. Strong presenters don’t simply share information. Instead, they center and engage participants and equip them with knowledge, tools, resources, and strategies they can use.

And there’s more than one way to share your expertise. Lead an interactive, 60-minute Workshop; deliver focused ideas and key takeaways in a 30-minute Spark; take participants deeper through a two-hour Leadership Intensive; or bring our theme to life on the general session stage with a personal, seven-minute Story Showcase.

All proposed content should align with the NAA27 theme and NAA’s Core Knowledge, Skills, and Competencies (CKSCs) for OST Professionals. We’ve also developed resources, including submission guidance, FAQs with a sample successful proposal, and the NAA27 Session Rubric, to help you put forward your strongest idea. Beginning this year, each presenter may submit up to three session proposals as lead presenter.

The proposal portal opens today, and submissions are due October 19, 2026.

Learn More & Submit a Proposal

You have knowledge worth sharing and experiences others in this field can learn from. Bring them to Denver. Help us build an NAA27 learning experience that reflects the strength of our community and prepares all of us to rise.