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The Barrios Trust Donates $10,0000 to Empower Struggling Readers Through One-on-one Literacy Intervention

By Chelsea Boniak
July 28, 2023

Generous Grant Improves the Reading Skills of Second and Third-grade Students So They Thrive in School … and In Life

Children Rising is pleased to be once again the recipient of a generous grant from The Barrios Trust. The $10,000 grant marks the 6th year of support from the Barrios Trust to support Children Rising’s one-on-one reading tutoring program, Succeeding by Reading.

We are grateful for the ongoing support of the Barrios Trust and the profound impact they are making in the lives of eager children in the East Bay.

Empowering Children to Learn to Read So They May Read To Learn

The $10,000 grant from the Barrios Trust is helping improve the reading skills of struggling second- and third-grade students. Students who cannot read to learn by the third grade are at much greater risk of never reaching their potential in school and eventually dropping out. Support from The Barrios Trust enables a caring adult to provide personalized, one-on-one literacy tutoring, as well as the development of a trusted relationship. Having learned to read, many students can now read to learn. Reading proficiently with understanding is the goal—resulting in kids becoming lifelong learners and productive citizens.

Will you complete HER Circle of Care?

Through one-on-one reading and math tutoring, and family support, you will nurture an eager child in a circle of care so they may succeed in school.

Yes, I want to uplift a child in school today!

“Without a concerted effort to provide additional support, many Oakland children will grow more discouraged as they miss out on learning foundational reading and math skills. These are crucial skills needed to become confident, active learners as they move into fourth grade, fifth grade, and middle school,” says Jim Wambach, executive director of Children Rising.

Grant Supports Interventional Literacy Tutoring

Founded in Oakland in 1999, The Barrios Trust provides financial assistance to non-profit organizations and individuals supporting high-quality educational and developmental experiences for economically disadvantaged young people in the Oakland Metropolitan area. Funds from the grant will support volunteer recruitment, screening, and training; and provide learning supplies and program materials during the 2023-2024 academic year.

Children Rising’s evidence-based Succeeding by Reading interventional tutoring program delivers high-dosage tutoring through volunteer tutors to children in Oakland’s most underserved communities at no cost to their families. Children Rising recruits, trains, and supports over 140 volunteer tutors, including 80 new tutors this past school year. One caring adult can make a difference in a child’s life by providing one-on-one math tutoring for a young girl or boy.

“Without a concerted effort to provide additional support, many Oakland children will grow more discouraged as they miss out on learning foundational reading and math skills.”

“To accelerate learning and overcome the devastating learning loss caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, it is critical to increase the tutoring dosage levels within our tutoring programs. To execute this strategy, we must recruit and train 80% more tutors and hire additional staff for our literacy clinics,” Wambach said.

As always, Children Rising stands ready to enable eager-to-learn students to rise above the challenges in their neighborhoods with such a high concentration of poverty, violence, and educational inequity. Continued support from The Barrios Trust is critical now, and we continue to be grateful for their ongoing support.

It’s not too late for YOU to be a tutor. Volunteer today, and you will give a child the one-on-one care they need to rise to their God-given potential.

Yes, I can empower a child to become a lifelong learner.

 I want to learn more about online reading or math clinics to see if in-school tutoring is right for me!

I want to help fund Children Rising tutoring and mentoring programs to empower more children this year!

Tutor News – Summer 2023

By Sophia Wambach
July 25, 2023

Programs are eagerly preparing for next school year!

It has been a busy summer, and we are eagerly preparing for the next school year. It will start before you know it! We have some exciting volunteer and tutor news to share with all of our volunteers. Most of all, we look forward to working with all of you for another year, nurturing and enabling many more children to rise to their God-given potential.

Will you complete HER Circle of Care?

Through one-on-one reading and math tutoring, and family support, you will nurture an eager child in a circle of care so they may succeed in school.

Yes, I want to uplift a child in school today!

2023-2024 Tutoring Assignments

2023-2024 tutoring assignments will be made in September after school begins and student assessments are made. We will provide you with your assignments as soon as we have completed the rosters at all of our clinics. Stay tuned.

Tutor Training Dates

Path2Math will have New Tutor Training starting in August. Stay tuned for a time that fits your schedule.

Path2Math will also have Returning Tutor Refreshers. For those who have already confirmed your return for the upcoming school year, please confirm which training refresher date you’re available to attend. If none of the dates work for you, please email Michelle Hutcherson at michelle@children-rising.org to arrange a one-on-one refresher. The following is a tentative schedule for upcoming dates.

NOTE: Times may change.

Refresher Tutor Training Schedule (for returning tutors only)

• Thursday 8.24.2023. 1 – 2 p.m. Part II Only; Online
• Tuesday 8.29.23. 9 – 10 a.m. Part II Only; Online
• Thursday 9.7.23. 1 – 2 p.m. Part II Only; Online
• Wednesday 10.11.23. 9 – 10 a.m. Part II Only; Online

Succeeding by Reading will have New Tutor Training and Returning Tutor Refreshers starting in August. Stay tuned for a time that fits your schedule.

POWER Packs for Summer Reading Practice

During the final weeks of the 2022-2023 school year, Succeeding by Reading staff distributed Family Literacy POWER Packs to 35 students from seven schools. Each student had taken part in a Succeeding by Reading clinic during the year, and this box of hands-on literacy practice tools gave families a great way to support their child’s learning during the summer.

Families were invited to participate in a Family Literacy Exploration Workshop on ZOOM, held twice weekly in June. The workshops featured songs, puzzles, POWER Pack practice activities, storytime, and more! Over the next few weeks, we will conduct a follow-up phone survey with our families to find out how they are using the POWER Packs and what additional resources they would benefit from.

Path2Math Tutors Help Students Overcome the “Summer Slide”

Summer learning loss—also known as the summer slide—is a phenomenon that has impacted students and driven teachers crazy for decades. This summer Path2Math offered in-person and online tutoring to 80 students throughout June. Many of the tutors, like Jetanii Yancy, participated in Path2Math as part of their CareerBridge summer internship program. Through our summer tutoring program, many children kept up with their math skills and will return to school in the fall better prepared.

Literacy Elves Take Over Children Rising Office

Every Tuesday and Thursday morning in June, teams of dedicated Literacy Elves (AKA Succeeding by Reading volunteer literacy tutors) gathered to sort, organize, clean, check, and repair literacy materials used during this past school year.

Some may tout the benefits of ‘self-help,’ but this summer, we have seen the power of “Elf-Help”! We are grateful for the attention, dedication, and love expressed by our summer volunteers as they help us prepare Succeeding by Reading clinics for the upcoming school year.

If you are interested in becoming a Literacy Elf, we have dates in August.

Literacy Elf dates in August:

• Tuesday 8.15.23, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Thursday 8.17.23, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m
• Tuesday 8.22.23, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m
• Thursday 8.24.23, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m

Yes, I can empower a child to become a lifelong learner.

 I want to learn more about online reading or math clinics to see if in-school tutoring is right for me!

I want to help fund Children Rising tutoring and mentoring programs to empower more children this year!

Volunteer Tutor Profile: Meet Succeeding by Reading Tutor Ann Rosenberg

By Eric Steckel
July 24, 2023

Longtime tutor finds the magic in one-on-one relationships, and children thrive!

Succeeding by Reading tutor Ann Rosenberg discovered Children Rising in a roundabout way through her friend Jan Zovickian. After working as a school social worker in Oakland schools for 30 years, she has spent the last six years tutoring eager children and enabling them to learn to read.

“If you care about the child, and they care about you, that comes through. I think that is a huge part of success in tutoring …”

“I love kids; I love tutoring. I find that one of the best ways to build self-esteem is when kids feel that they’re able to learn and feel good about themselves; more than almost any therapy in the world, it helps them realize that they can learn. It’s a highlight of my week,” Ann said.

Will you complete HER Circle of Care?

Through one-on-one reading and math tutoring, and family support, you will nurture an eager child in a circle of care so they may succeed in school.

Yes, I want to uplift a child in school today!

Supporting a child through difficult periods

During the disrupted COVID year of 2020, Ann tutored a young girl named Juliana. “Juliana was enthusiastic. She really wanted to learn to read better,” Ann recounted. “She was very hard on herself, so I just tried to reinforce everything positive that I could. I would tell her, ‘It’s okay, you don’t have to be perfect, it’s about progress, not perfection.”

Juliana made great progress despite the year being cut short. “There was a book she loved, a graphic book. When a child is motivated because she’s interested in the material, it’s much better than anything else. So we were reading the book together, and she was doing well. I think she was more forgiving of herself if she made a mistake, she got back on the horse more quickly, and her frustration level decreased.

The importance of a one-on-one connection

To Ann, the one-on-one relationship is fundamental. “If you care about the child, and they care about you, that comes through. I think that is a huge part of success in tutoring, therapy, social work, anything really,” she said. “It’s just a happy feeling. It’s very rare that kids get this one-on-one relationship with anybody at that age. The caring and the warmth that grows between people—I’ve had it with little boys, little girls, it doesn’t matter. It’s the weekly contact. Knowing someone cares about you and is going to be there for you, come rain or shine, is special.”

“This program is fantastic. It’s so well organized … It’s a real gift to be able to work with the program. What can I say? It’s beautiful. It’s a beautiful thing.”

When I asked her if she had anything to share with potential tutors, she replied, “This program is fantastic. It’s so well organized. Rebecca and Pia do such a great job. It’s a real gift to be able to work with the program. What can I say? It’s beautiful. It’s a beautiful thing.”

We are grateful for Ann and all of the dedicated Succeeding by Reading tutors. Because of you, children like Juliana have overcome challenges in school and risen to their God-given potential. That’s a beautiful thing indeed!

Yes, I can empower a child to become a lifelong learner.

 I want to learn more about online reading or math clinics to see if in-school tutoring is right for me!

I want to help fund Children Rising tutoring and mentoring programs to empower more children this year!

 

7 Benefits of Volunteering

By Sophia Wambach
July 21, 2023

Volunteers uplift the community and themselves!

You find time in your busy schedule to tutor children in the community for a reason. Volunteering at a school offers vital support to needy children–just ask the parents of the children we serve! More generally, volunteers uplift the community and support worthwhile causes like educational equity, making a lasting impact.

The benefits extend to you, the volunteer.

Research shows that volunteering offers many benefits, especially for seniors and the recently retired. It is known to improve physical and mental health, provide a sense of purpose, teach valuable skills, and help nurture new and existing relationships. ¹

“Volunteering is known to improve physical and mental health, provide a sense of purpose, teach valuable skills, and help nurture new and existing relationships.” – Angela Thoreson, L.I.C.S.W.

Will you complete HER Circle of Care?

Through one-on-one reading and math tutoring, and family support, you will nurture an eager child in a circle of care so they may succeed in school.

Yes, I want to uplift a child in school today!

Knowing you can make a positive impact in a child’s life and instill confidence in their abilities is gratifying and a great benefit of volunteer tutoring.

7 Benefits of Volunteer Tutoring

There are many personal benefits of volunteering. This list is by no means exhaustive, but we’ve found seven benefits of volunteering we think you will agree with.

1. You get more than you give. While it doesn’t seem like much, you’re helping a child who may not have someone to read with them at home. You experience and feel the joy in your student’s positive responses and growth.
2. Share your knowledge. We are incredibly proud of the diverse range of volunteers who bring a wealth of experience and knowledge to the children they support. They may be tutoring in reading or math, but their wisdom extends beyond letters and numbers, and it feels good to share that with a child.
3. One-on-one attention feels good. Every child loves attention. Reading with a child over time and seeing them progress and become a better reader creates a personal connection that feeds the soul. The attention can bolster the student’s sense of self-worth and self-confidence, and that good feeling extends to you. By experiencing the success and excitement of the child you’re tutoring—even in a virtual world—you feel their energy and their joy spreads.
   

   “Volunteering promotes inclusion for all residents of the community … the door is open to any resident in the Bay Area to affect change and work toward lasting racial equity.”

4. Volunteering promotes inclusion for all residents of the community. By recruiting, training, and supporting caring
   

   Tutoring in a community of family, friends, and new friends fosters feelings of connection and well-being, one of the benefits of volunteering.

   community members to become reading and math tutors, the door is open to any resident in the Bay Area to affect change and work toward lasting racial equity. For seniors and the recently retired, this is especially beneficial as meaningful engagement in the community is known to promote healthy aging. ²

5. Tutoring provides opportunities for personal growth. By becoming a tutor, many people develop an altogether new vocation and an increase in “sense of self.” ³ Research shows that self-growth and well-being most frequently go hand in hand.
6. Observing a measurable difference in a child is gratifying. It allows you to interact with the kids, be there for the “Aha!’ moments, and see firsthand how you are helping them and their families succeed in school … and in life.
7. You can do it in a community with family or friends, which fosters feelings of connection and well-being. If you know someone who could be a fantastic tutor, invite them to join you. We will work with your schedules. We ask for two hours a week, but you can do more! Most importantly, you are giving a little time for the greater good.

Ready to get started? Tutoring resumes in the Fall. Invite a friend and feel the joy of volunteering all over again!

Yes, I can empower a child to become a lifelong learner.

 I want to learn more about online reading or math clinics to see if in-school tutoring is right for me!

I want to help fund Children Rising tutoring and mentoring programs to empower more children this year!

 

_{1. Thoreson, A. (2021) Mayo Clinic Health System, Helping people, changing lives: 3 health benefits of volunteering. https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/3-health-benefits-of-volunteering}

_{2. Greenfield, E A, & Marks, N F. (2007). Continuous participation in voluntary groups as a protective factor for the psychological well-being of adults who develop functional limitations: Evidence from the national survey of families and households. The Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences,62(1), S60–S68. doi:10.1093/geronb/62.1.s60}

_{3. Self-growth, wellbeing and volunteering – Implications for social prescribing: A qualitative study: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667321522000233?via%3Dihub}