During the annual national Lights On Afterschool celebration, CAN, in partnership with the California Department of Education (CDE) Expanded Learning Division (EXLD) and the System of Support for Expanded Learning (SSEL), hosts the annual California Expanded Learning Leadership Awards. These awards recognize and celebrate individuals’ contributions and leadership within California’s Expanded Learning* ecosystem. 

*In this context, Expanded Learning refers to publicly funded programs (through state or federal funding) administered by the EXLD. This includes any programs supported by funding through ASES, 21st CCLC, and ELO-P. 

Emerging Leadership Award

This award recognizes leadership and dedication to serving the California Expanded Learning field while creating a meaningful impact for the children, families, schools, and communities you serve. 

Champion Award (2025 – Present)

This award honors a dedicated champion who has advocated for policy changes that create a more just and equitable landscape for all children and youth impacted by the California Expanded Learning Ecosystem. 

Awardee must:

• Demonstrate shared leadership by honoring and elevating the diverse lived experiences, intrinsic gifts, and wisdom of those closest to the challenges, leveraging these strengths to co-create impact and nurture collective advocacy within the CA Expanded Learning Ecosystem community.
• Support for just and affirming spaces and opportunities that enrich and elevate children, youth, and the adults who work with them.
• Be asset-anchored and driven, with an aspirational mindset reflected in their words and actions.

Innovative Leadership Award (2022-Present)

Established in 2022, this award recognizes and celebrates individuals who have provided innovative leadership within the Expanded Learning ecosystem. This includes innovation broadly within Expanded Learning and may also highlight innovation in a particularly relevant area over the prior year in response to the current landscape of Expanded Learning. This award recognizes one individual from the 11 CCSESA (California County Superintendents Educational Services Association) regions.

Inspirational Leadership Award (2018-2021)

This award recognizes an individual whose leadership has inspired continuous quality and innovation in the California Expanded Learning field. Awardee must:

• Work for a school district, private school, community-based organization, charter school, or city/county.
• Have at some point worked directly with students or a program (e.g., Program Director, Site Coordinator, Site Supervisor, Activity Leader).
• This person should be considered mid-career.

Torlakson Trailblazer Award (2018)

A one-time award for State Superintendent Tom Torlakson to recognize his contributions to advancing the Expanded Learning field in California.

Visionary Leadership Award (2014-2021)

This award recognizes a visionary, dedicated, and influential individual who has made a significant contribution to the California Expanded Learning field. Awardee must:

• Work for a school district, private school, community-based organization, charter school, or city/county.
• Have extensive experience working in Expanded Learning settings.
• Have made a significant contribution to the field of Expanded Learning over their career span.
• Be “sun-setting” in their career (i.e., we will not have many opportunities to honor them in the future).