Let All the Dreams of Children Come True

Author: Dr. Amy Ellis Director, UCF Center for Community Schools, Orlando, Florida, USA

Walk with Dr. Amy Ellis the harbor of Reykjavik and delve into deep questions around extended education discussed at the first GELYDA's Conference held in Iceland and learning of innovative and somewhat simple ways to build societies that allow their youth to thrive.

#OST #ExtendedEducation #Iceland #GELYDAConference #Youth

Bio: Amy Ellis serves as Director of the UCF Center for Community Schools in Florida, where she leads statewide and contributes to national efforts to strengthen the connection between schools and communities. With a focus on systems alignment, whole-child development, and education leadership, she works alongside educators, families, and partners to ensure all students have access to the supports they need to thrive—both in and beyond the classroom.

Contact: amy.ellis@ucf.edu

As Director of a U.S.-based center focused on community schools and whole-child systems, I arrived in Iceland for the first in-person GELYDA conference curious—hoping to learn how extended education is evolving globally. I left invigorated, connected to colleagues across continents, and more convinced than ever that the real story of extended education is relational at its core.

“Hello,” I was greeted by our conference coordinator. “Are you here for GELYDA?”“I am,” I nodded. After signing in, we boarded a small transfer to begin with a site visit—a chance to ground ourselves in our host city, Reykjavík.

Squeezed shoulder-to-shoulder, participants made small talk, introducing ourselves and our corners of the world. It wasn’t long before we realized how global our gathering was—not just North America, but Europe, Asia, South America, and beyond.

Our first stop: the Reykjavík Youth Development Center. We gathered for coffee and Icelandic donuts, chatting around tables before a local leader stood to welcome us. As she shared the center’s origin story, what struck me most was the simplicity and clarity of Iceland’s response to youth concerns.

In the 1990s, teenagers were gathering in Reykjavík late at night—disconnected from family, school, and positive adult relationships. Rather than turning to control or punishment, the country turned toward connection.

They began by asking the right questions:

• Where are our children on Saturday nights?

• Who knows them?

• How are we building them up?

From these questions, a powerful youth development ecosystem emerged.

Today, Iceland’s approach includes a national curfew—under-16s must be home by 10 p.m. in winter and midnight in summer—and a publicly funded “Leisure Card” worth approximately €500 per year for every child, regardless of income. This card removes financial barriers to extended-day participation, offering access to music, sports, arts, and social programming. It’s equity made tangible—and normalized.

And it’s working. Since these strategies were implemented, teen drug and alcohol use has declined significantly. But what impressed me even more than the statistics was the structure behind the system:

• University students mentor younger peers.

• Youth councils advise local governments.

• “Solution Teams” of educators and community agencies coordinate support for struggling students.

• And the Prosperity Act of 2021 legally mandates collaboration across schools, municipalities, and families to ensure children’s well-being.

Yes, you read that correctly. Iceland passed legislation—Act No. 86/221—that requires schools and community agencies to cooperate by law on behalf of children, while still honoring parental consent. It’s a structural commitment to connection, and a level of systems alignment many of us in the U.S. are still striving toward.

As our host explained their evolution, I found myself reflecting: our challenges across the globe are remarkably similar—and so are the most effective responses. At the core of every successful strategy is positive connection between agencies and meaningful engagement with young people.

This first-ever GELYDA conference was intentionally intimate—with registrants representing nearly every continent (all but Antarctica and Africa). Despite our varied backgrounds, a shared thread united us: a passion for learning from global best practices, examining current research, and leveraging policy to support youth development through extended education.

Dr. Gil Noam, Chair of GELYDA, captured the spirit of the gathering well: “We’re not duplicating—we’re completing.” Despite its vital importance, extended education still lacks a global anchor. It remains undervalued, underfunded, and often misunderstood. But the people at the conference? They’re working to change that.

Our preconference sessions reminded me that effective learning doesn’t happen by accident—it must be intentionally designed and thoughtfully supported. We explored frameworks and models spanning continents, challenged ourselves to think beyond borders, and considered how these lessons could strengthen our own systems at home.

A key takeaway: many professionals working in expanded learning don’t yet have access to the pedagogical support needed for this kind of intentionality. If we want youth development staff, afterschool providers, and community partners to serve as true collaborators in children’s growth, we must invest in training, reflection, and system-wide coherence.

The formal conference sessions were equally rich. In particular, the keynotes offered thoughtful provocation and practical insight.

Andreas Schleicher, the Director for Education and Skills at the OECD and architect of PISA, challenged us to reflect not just on what we teach, but why—and how we measure what truly matters. He shared a foundational insight: “Students learn best from the teachers they love.” It was a powerful reminder that relationships aren’t soft skills—they are foundational.

Schleicher also called us to reimagine assessment, noting, “We’ve ended separating learning from assessment—we’ve moved from apprenticeship to testing.” In an era where AI and Google can supply factual answers, he emphasized that how students think matters more than what they know—the process is as important as the product.

Importantly, he revealed that PISA is evolving. It now includes measures of student well-being, such as psychological health, agency, engagement, and life satisfaction, alongside academic performance. This shift enables a more whole-child perspective, revealing that strong academic scores don’t always correlate with high well-being—and vice versa—reminding us to balance our priorities.

He further highlighted a recurring PISA insight: top-performing countries often choose to teach less content, but delve deeper into it. These systems empower teachers with professional autonomy, fostering engagement, depth, and clarity—offering a clear contrast to content-heavy, test-driven approaches.

These sessions reaffirmed a truth I’ve seen again and again: youth thrive in ecosystems where they are known, supported, and empowered. Extended education isn’t a luxury—it’s a lifeline. And whether you're in Florida or Finland, Reykjavík or rural America, the essential questions remain:

• What role should afterschool learning play in a young person’s development?

• How do we define well-being across cultures and systems?

• And what needs to shift for all children to thrive—not just survive?

There’s no single answer. But there is tremendous power in asking these questions together.

GELYDA’s inaugural in-person gathering created space not just for presentations—but for connection. Real conversations. Honest reflection. Cross-continental curiosity. We weren’t there to compete—we were there to complete a shared vision for what youth development can become.

And none of it would have been possible without the generous and thoughtful hosting by the University of Iceland. Their hospitality—perfectly timed sessions, a warm and welcoming space, well-planned logistics, and genuinely kind human connection—created the container we needed to start strong and stay present. For that, we’re deeply grateful.

Of course, the beauty of Iceland added a touch of magic. Between sessions, I wandered the harbor, soaked in the midnight sun, and tasted my way through uniquely Icelandic gelato, pastries and fermented shark. It was the kind of setting that reminded me learning happens everywhere—sometimes in breakout rooms, sometimes in spontaneous street conversations.

As I return to my work in Florida, I bring home more than slides or strategies. I bring home a shared sense of purpose. A renewed belief that extended education is not just a support—it’s a stage for transformation. And a quiet, powerful reminder that behind every program, every policy, and every practice is a child with a dream.

In Iceland, there’s an old proverb: “Á misjöfnu þrífast börnin best”—children thrive best when life offers variety and nourishment. That truth underpins a national ethos that dares to imagine: let all the dreams of children come true.

Let’s make that more than a phrase in a single country.

Let’s make it our shared promise.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of GELYDA.