Pass the tea, please!

I had the pleasure of working with Rachelle on our Purposeful Play. Together we agreed on creating an activity that not only allowed the classroom to interact with one another but also getting the body moving and occupied.
We implemented music as a way to keep our YDEV actively engaged and motivated in the activity. I believe the sound of music can bring excitement and joy, especially in a classroom setting.
Based on our feedback (+/-/delta), Rachelle and I did a fair job. Our presentation was well thought and organized.
I think the only change that I would make is possibly having more time for Purposeful Play. The class seemed to enjoy and would have been nice for everyone to have a turn.

Playbox Game: Pass the tea, please!

Instructions:
1. Students will gather in a circle.
2. As music plays, students will pass the squishy "tea" around.
3. Once the music is paused, the student holding the "tea" will have to pick a colored bear item out of the container.

The following color represents:
Yellow: share a time when you gave to others
Blue: Share a time when others gave to you
Green: One word that describes "giving to others"
Red: An example of giving to others

SPECIAL GUEST: Karisa Tashjian

On Wednesday, March 28th, NPST 404 had the sincere pleasure of meeting Karisa Tashjian as the special guest classroom speaker. Tashjian occupies as the Education Director at the Providence Public Library located in the heart of downtown Providence (corner of Washington and Empire Streets). Prior to her visit, I made a few visits to this particular library. However, I was not fully aware of the educational services provided for all ages. Karisa introduced the class few of the courses that the library offers (for FREE): Coding for Adults and Learning Lounge.

What fascinated me is how devoted and truthful she spoke about the works being made at the library. Tashjian shared passionately about her job role and how the library makes a positive impact in those who take advantage of the free services. She mentioned adults who completed coding classes were very likely to increase their chances of landing a well-paid job.

One important aspect that stood out to me is when Karisa highlighted the fact about the number of attendees isn't everything. The Education Director stated it is not always about the number but more about the impact that is being made. When I heard these words, it reminded of my current position for the Walking School Bus at William D'Abate. I sometimes worry about getting more student sign-up as oppose to reflecting on the difference we are making with our current students.

Karisa Tashjian allowed the classroom to get a sense of the library community. The Providence Public Library's purpose is: to help one another. This similar concept is adopted in the Youth Development Program. We, as a community, come together to empower and help one on another particularly in reaching our academic goals in order to continue empowering others.

Special Event for PV Library

The following story is totally made up (I was a paid tutor and summer volunteer/intern for Dorcas in the past, and had a similar experience- how I miss it!! ☹️):

Dorcas International Institute of RI and the Providence Public Library have recently collaborated this past year in an effort to empower refugee youth by providing academic tutoring services during after-school hours. The program is called 'Be the Change' where participants are paired with a tutor and together explore the benefits of reading and creative writing. Both organizations hope to expand their services and possibly accept more participants.
Dorcas and PV library has thrown public mini-fundraisers but were not successful enough to meet the goal. This time, staff and I plan to host a private house gathering with donors (and potential donors) who give regularly. The party will be located at one of the board member's very fancy abode. Together the organizations mutually decided the amount of money be raised at the event would be $3,500. We ensured to raise this particular amount by all expenses.

Here is our listing of all the expenses that will be required to be held the event: 
Staff: All unpaid volunteers (Dorcas and PV Lib Staff)
Invitations: E-invitation (FREE) 25 guests to be expected
Space rental: FREE (courtesy of Providence Public Library board member)
Catering:$350 (appetizers followed by an entree and non-alcoholic beverages prepared by AS220 Kitchen)
Transportation: None
Unforeseen costs: $250 (in case we run out of food)
Send thank-you notes to everyone who is involved in the event: $50 (cards created by MOO)
Total expense: ~$650

"Direct Mail"

Downcity Design, International Rescue Committee, and United We Dream, and Youth in Action are generously asking for donations.  Each of these non-profit organizations has implemented their experiences, accomplishments, and real-life stories in order to capture reader's attention. These particular letters establish a sense of what needs to be done within the organization and how can it be completed.

Downcity Design begins by being grateful for the community and recognizing the hard work and accomplishments. I did admire the several pictures that demonstrate the organization's projects and successes. For instance, Downcity Design has successfully built 11 new public structures for the public. This show the reader where their $$$ might be going towards, which is, of course, a great cause. The accomplishment also reassures the reader that the organization is doing what they are supposed to be doing- sticking to their mission/vision statement!
International Rescue Committee (I am actually signed up for this organization's e-mailing listing) right away addresses the reader with, "Dear..." I'm not a huge fan of this introduction because it immediately loses my attention and focus. According to The Anatomy of an Effective Fundraising Letter, introductions need to be both powerful and personable. As a lister to this organization, I sometimes just quickly glance at their letters due to lack of strong introduction and not enough of pictures. I strongly believe images bring a true meaning to letters especially when attempting to get readers to donate.
United We Dream Action begins by sharing current events that impact their organizations. They give an example of recent positive outcomes.
Youth in Action certainly captured my attention by their beautiful and colorful image. However, I do believe darker font color and bigger size could have been a great way to keep reader's interested in learning about the organization.

If you had $50.00 to donate to one of these organizations, which one would you choose and WHY?
I would generously donate to the Downcity Design. Their letter captivated what the organization is all about by including pictures that demonstrate what population they are working with and gives a preview of what kind of services are provided.

HSLI

Hasbro Summer Learning Initiative (HSLI) is a program that offers out-of-school programs during summer vacation to youth. HSLI believes in providing academic activities and skillfull games in order for little humans to continue to stimulate their brains during the summer time. It is a significant way to keep their skills over school break and have fun exploring outside the classroom.

"The program aims to adress the academic slide during the summer months with activties that are a cross between school and camp." The program strives to bridge the achievement gap. According to Impact of Summer Learning, students lose 2 months in math and reading in the summer. 

Philanthropic Foundations

Before beginning to research on local philanthropic foundations, I wanted to lay out a short definition or meaning of the term. What makes an organization a philanthropic foundation? What are the benefits? According to the Britannica website, "a nongovernmental, nonprofit organization, with assets provided by donors and managed by its own officials and with income expended for socially useful purposes" (source: https://www.britannica.com/topic/philanthropic-foundation). Pretty much, a gathering of individuals in support of positive changes within communities by donating $$$. Philanthropic supports various causes, particularly in nonprofit organizations. 

My first search was on the Rhode Island Foundation. The Foundation was organized at the Rhode Island Hospital Trust Co. In 2017, the Foundation awarded $43 million in grants to more than 1,700 nonprofit organizations (amazing!). "The RI Foundation is a proactive community and philanthropic leader dedicated to meeting the needs the people of ocean state". Their money comes from generous and wonderful donors such as educators, RI residents, and professionals.The Foundation funds the RI arts scene, public education, health and human services. RI Foundation focuses on building community by investing $150,000 to expand the capacity of the Rhode Island Immigration Consortium, allowing 3 organizations- Dorcas International Institute of Rhode Island, Progreso Latino, and the Roman Catholic Diocese. This opportunity enables more people and processes more immigration cases (yay!).  

Questions: How is it determined on the donation amount given to grantees?
What is the process or experience like when choosing a potential grantee?
Questions: Why isn't there an official website?
Are financial and investment information accessible for public view?



My third research was on Hasbro's Children's Fund. Grants made by the Hasbro Children's Fund focus on standing for children, passionately working together to create a universe where every child experiences hope, kindness, and joy (source: https://corporate.hasbro.com/en-us/community-relations/childrens-fund).  The Foundation has partnered with organizations such as [BE] FEARLESS, KIND, Toys For Tots, and Operation Smile. AS220, Dorcas International Institute of RI, and Adoption RI has been generously given fund under this foundation. Hasbro's provides local community grants which support programs that deliver stability for children in crisis, educational programs, and quality out of school time programming.

Citizens Charitable Foundation's primary focus is to support programs that fight hunger, teach money management, strengthen and communities. Citizens has actually funded my all-time favorite youth program: College Visions. College Visions sets youth on the right path and continues to support them throughout their college career in order to ensure their success (proud member here!). Citizens Bank selected College Visions as one of two Rhode Island Champions in Action for the year. The foundation donated the organization with a $35,000 grant. 

The Carson Family Charitable Trust prioritizes education reform, hospitals, arts and culture, community development, and New York philanthropic organizations. The foundation had $16.7 million in assets at the end of 2015 with an average grant size of around $100,000. The foundation does have a website, however, and provides no clear guidelines for grant seekers (it was actually difficult to find legitimate information on the Trust- at least for me it was). According to the minimal details that I was able to retrieve, they focus on funding areas such as education, health, arts & culture, and community development.

Providence After School Alliance

Choose one position that you might be interested in pursuing (now or later in your career). What is exciting about this position to you?

As I'll soon hold a BA in Youth Development from Rhode Island College (YAYYY) with full experience in working at youth school programs, I would be interested in pursuing the AfterZone Site Coordinator Position. I am familiar in overseeing daily operations (e.g., my job at the Walking School Bus as Program Coordinator). These kind of responsibilities definitely keeps me busy, and I learn so much along the way, which is exciting. Also, I would enjoy this particular position because it is a balance of interacting with youth and managing the program. During my jobs, internship, and volunteer work, I have realized that this specific balance is a necessity in my future career (in order to feel completely satisfied and content about my career choice).

What seems challenging?

The challenging part may be overseeing the ENTIRE school body. I have only experience in overseeing 30+ students and 4 volunteers. It would probably be a struggle in the beginning, but I am willing to learn and grow!

Looking at the bio (and googling the staff member) what prior training, education, or experiences prepared them for this role?

The current AfterZone Site Coordinator has a few years of experience in youth and education settings.

ONE QUESTION for Brittany about PASA.

What challenges have you faced in your current position at PASA?

NEW URBAN ARTS

"We are grounded in the belief that in order to fulfill the promise of our democracy, all young people, no matter their place in society, should have the opportunity to become more creative and independent thinkers"

New Urban Arts is committed to serving low-income youth particularly urban high school students. The nonprofit organization located in the heart of Providence encourages students to develop creative practices which allow them to become more imaginative, and active, community members. New Urban Arts web section on "impact" explicitly illustrates the type of student body population it serves. "94% of our students are from five ZIP Codes; 02904, 09205, 02907, 02908, and 02909 where collectively the poverty rate for families with kids is 34%, almost twice the national average."
According to the Community Lifestyle and Demographic Information (Esri), the median income in the zip code of 02909 is $33,525 which is very low compared to the other zip code areas. These residents consist of new arrivals, new families, embarking new careers, and learning a new language. As a 02909 long-term resident and a youth worker whom works at the neighborhood elementary school, I can certainly say these statistics are true. Many of these families are Latinx immigrants desperately fighting to a better life for their loved ones. It is painful to do comparisons from other cities such as East Providence. The demographics shows how 02909 is right under the poverty line.

Theory of Change

21st Century Community Learning Centers' focus is to federally fund out-of-school programs. This is their way to support programs and help shape communities. 21st CCLC's mission is to provide students with academic support, enrichment and school engagement. It is designed to impact youth's academic success.

Below I have attempted to fill out the Theory of Change worksheet. However, I was unsure on what to put in "What steps are are needed to bring about change?" column. Perhaps add a brief description of the fund application process? (as well as the Key Assumption boxes). I think I will have a better understanding once the worksheet is completely finished.

#BLACKLIVESMATTER

BLACK LIVES MATTER 

"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter" -Martin Luther King Jr.


 As movements such as Black Lives Matter continue to strongly fight injustice in Black communities, it is crucial for younger generations to understand the foundation and significance of it all. I had a similar experience explaining BLM at my job.


Days before departing to Washington DC for the Women's March of 2017, a preteen at the Boys and Girls Club had asked the reasoning for my participation in the movement. After sharing my thoughts, they then compared the Women's March to Black Lives Matter. The preteen said, "I watch people walk with 'Black Lives Matter' sign on the news. What does it really mean?"
My response: "Well, Black Lives Matter is an enormous organization of people that come together to fight the violence against Black communities. These individuals use their voice to speak about the truth and spreading the truth."
The preteen was interested in learning more, so together we went over important terms that are affiliated to Black Lives Matter: civil rights movement, police brutality, activism, protest, march and so forth. When introducing new information to youth, I always like to give examples (and many of it), in order for their spongy brains to retain new information. For instance, the comic strip below was demonstrated to the youth. We also went over the meaning of Kendrick Lamar's civil rights anthem 'Alright' (which fit perfectly because Kendrick is one of their favorite artists). These examples helped because not only does it break down the definition of Black Lives Matter, but it also captures their attention. There are myriad ways in explaining what Black Lives Matter is, and I think my approach was accurate and informative for a thirteen year-old youth to fully comprehend.

Questions for YDEV class:
1. What are your thoughts on taking teen youth to a Black Lives Matter march as a field trip?
2. At what age should youth be taught the meaning of Black Lives Matter?

RI Dept of Education, 21st CCLCs

I am a current intern at the RI Dept of Education, 21st Century Community Learning Centers (CCLCs). The following statements were copied and pasted from the official website of the Rhode Island Department Education (RIDE):

This is possibly the mission statement: RIDE provides funds to support the development of high quality after-school and summer programs through a competitive process that prioritizes high poverty areas. All 21st CCLCs must show a partnership between the target school(s) and a community- or faith-based organization.

RIDE currently supports after school and summer programs in over 50 elementary, middle and high schools, serving over 10,000 students each year. The funded programs operate after school programs, school vacation week programs, and summer programs.

Program Information

21st CCLC programs provide a broad array of opportunities for students and their families including such things as:

• Academic Supports: homework help, tutoring, hands-on science, math clubs, literacy activities, SAT preparation, and more;
• Arts: dance, theater, music, visual arts, ceramics, etc.
• Physical Activity: martial arts, swimming, soccer, baseball, sailing, skating, yoga, basketball, personal training, etc.
• Youth Development: leadership development, social skills, violence prevention, mediation skills, community service, etc.
• Health Promotion: nutrition education, healthy cooking, substance abuse prevention, good decision-making, physical activity, etc.
• Family Engagement: family events, family field trips, adult education, etc.
• Career Exploration and College Access: community service, internships, job shadowing, college visits, college application support, etc.
•  
• (source: http://www.ride.ri.gov/StudentsFamilies/EducationPrograms/After-School21stCenturyCLCs.aspx#12121-21st-century-cclcs)
• 
  
• 21st CCLCs is a federal grant- funding goes from U.S. of Education as a grant to state departments of education. States put out subgrants to communities. The organization provides opportunities for academic enrichment. 21st Century Community Learning Centers focuses on providing financial assistance to programs that are making a difference in the community, particularly in after-school programs, such as the Boys and Girls Club, DownCity Design, and New Urban Arts. Their mission statement implies that supporting nonprofit organizations is crucial in order to build better education and learning services for youth.
• As I was carefully browsing RIDE's official website, I was unsure if they had a mission statement (or if it is required because they are affiliated with RIDE?). If so, I think it would be extremely helpful if the organization includes a headline addressing their mission as the mission (and/or vision) statement. Also, I personally think it helps to give a mission/vision statement a "pop" by including actual pictures of participants and activities.