By Jim Wambach
December 9, 2021 | Read More
“A good teacher is like a candle—it consumes itself to light the way for others.” — Mustafa Kemal Atatürk As we count down the closing days of 2021, I feel a profound sense of hope, confidence, and momentum in our community schools. That comes in no small part from your eagerness to support children, youth, […]
By Jim Wambach
November 25, 2021 | Read More
Blessings from our family to yours! This week, we celebrate a uniquely American holiday. It is a favorite of mine for many reasons. We share the joy and comfort of family, gathering together to express gratitude for all of the gifts we have received. It is also a reminder of the welcoming our forefathers received […]
By Children Rising
November 1, 2021 | Read More
Special Contribution by Randy Roth, founder and former Executive Director at Children Rising “Seek the shalom (peace and prosperity) of the city to which I have carried you.” — Jeremiah 29:7 When I reflect on 20 years of nurturing and empowering children in our community to rise to their God-given potential, I can’t help but […]
By Eric Steckel
October 20, 2021 | Read More
Internship with Bessie Coleman Aviation Allstars Opens a World of Aviation Careers Margena Wade-Green, CareerBridge Program Director, has a keen eye and unbridled enthusiasm for untapped opportunities. It materialized this past summer as a unique aviation internship in which nine of our CareerBridge Academy students participated. For the past five years, CareerBridge has partnered with […]
By Children Rising
October 18, 2021 | Read More
Former principal remembers the early days of Faith Network Special Contribution by Roberta Teller, former principal at Burbank Elementary School 2021 marks the 20th anniversary of Children Rising! As we celebrate this very special milestone, we caught up with Roberta Teller, former principal at Luther Burbank Elementary School, and the very first school to partner […]
By Eric Steckel
October 15, 2021 | Read More
One-on-One Attention Helps Child Focus, Develop Self-confidence Mikayla*, one of the first children to enroll in Children Rising’s Path2Math online tutoring program, is like so many second-grade girls. She has a collection of stuffed animals — and unicorns — loves playing with her cousins and friends, and adores Elsa from the movie Frozen. Like so […]
By Chelsea Boniak
October 5, 2021 | Read More
Local corporation supports initiatives to eliminate inequities and address needs of racial and ethnic minority groups Children Rising is pleased to be the recipient of a generous $30,000 grant from the Safeway Foundation that will provide much-needed assistance to children and youth in our community impacted by social and racial inequity. The grant is made […]
By Jim Wambach
October 1, 2021 | Read More
80% of Second-graders in Children Rising Schools are Two or More Grade Levels Behind It has been a turbulent 18 months, so full of challenges and opportunities. The global pandemic had a galvanizing effect in many ways. We saw the Oakland Undivided Campaign virtually eliminate the digital divide in Oakland Unified School District. Children Rising […]
By Jim Wambach
September 24, 2021 | Read More
“We already know that when students learn to read, they can read to learn anything and that this is a gateway skill that can carry them to any point in their life, career, and in their journey.” — Tony Thurmond, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Low childhood literacy rates have been a challenge for educators […]
By Chelsea Boniak
September 14, 2021 | Read More
Nourishing Neighbors Program helps children and families struggling with food insecurity Children Rising is pleased to be the recipient of a generous grant from Safeway Foundation’s Nourishing Neighbors that will help provide much-needed assistance to the children in our community impacted by food insecurity. Many hunger relief organizations continue to be overloaded by increased hunger […]
By Jim Wambach
August 24, 2021 | Read More
“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11) When Oakland Unified School District opened its doors two weeks ago, it felt like a day to rejoice. For some students — many of whom have […]
By Chelsea Boniak
July 15, 2021 | Read More
Local corporation supports children in Oakland’s under-resourced neighborhood schools This past month, The Clorox Company Foundation awarded Children Rising a $10,000 grant to support our proven one-on-one interventional literacy and math tutoring programs. We are so honored and thankful to have once again received this funding. Support from amazing local corporations and foundations enables children […]
By Jim Wambach
July 13, 2021 | Read More
“The Internet is not a luxury, it is a necessity.” – President Barack Obama Over the last six months, Children Rising has launched online versions of our proven reading and math tutoring clinics. This greatly enhances our ability to support elementary school children who have fallen even further behind in their reading and math abilities […]
By Eric Steckel
July 9, 2021 | Read More
Summer tutoring sessions should get him back to grade level Over the course of the school year, we have been monitoring and sharing the progress of Nakoa*, one of our eager Path2Math students. Nakoa first enrolled in Path2Math as a second-grader in the 2019-2020 school year. He had been making significant progress in his math […]
By Eric Steckel
July 6, 2021 | Read More
Eager student overcoming COVID-related learning loss with online tutor Carlos has a smile and infectious personality that lights up a Zoom meeting room. He is an eager second-grader who enjoys learning. However, Carlos has struggled with distance learning since schools closed last March. To help overcome his learning loss, teachers enrolled him in Succeeding by […]
By Jim Wambach
July 3, 2021 | Read More
We wish everyone a very happy Independence Day. As we celebrate this Fourth of July weekend, we are reminded of the freedoms we enjoy as Americans, and honor the sacrifices made by our founding fathers. We are truly blessed to live in a free and democratic country. “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that […]
By Jim Wambach
July 1, 2021 | Read More
Access to Technology ensures that all children in Oakland have a fair and equitable chance to succeed in school On June 30th, Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) and its Oakland Undivided partners announced the celebration and expansion of their vision for closing the digital divide and achieving lasting educational equity. Children Rising could not be […]
By Children Rising
June 17, 2021 | Read More
Perspectives by Margena Wade-Green, Program Director Path2Math and CareerBridge Throughout my life, my family celebrated Independence Day on June 19th — Juneteenth as it came to be known. For so many of my forefathers, it was June 19, 1865 when they were granted their freedom. It was the day that Union soldiers read the Emancipation […]
By Eric Steckel
June 1, 2021 | Read More
Since taking office in 2015, Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf has focused her efforts on improving education in our community schools. It has been central to her vision for the future of Oakland. Children Rising was honored to welcome Mayor Schaaf, who once again shared her thoughts during our Hope for Children Now LIVE gala. […]
By Children Rising
May 31, 2021 | Read More
Today we once again honor all those who gave their lives in active service to our country. Thank you. You are not forgotten. We also want to reflect on all of those we have lost throughout this most difficult year. So many front-line workers — doctors, nurses, teachers, grocery store clerks, and more — heroically […]
By Eric Steckel
May 27, 2021 | Read More
Rita Moreno is a national treasure. She has won Oscar, Grammy, Emmy, and Tony awards as an actress, singer, and performer. Although she has been in the limelight for nearly 70 years, her story is a uniquely American one. And Children Rising was honored to have Rita as our special guest at Hope for Children […]
By Jim Wambach
May 20, 2021 | Read More
Building Bridges of Hope in Oakland This past weekend, we hosted the 2021 Hope for Children Now LIVE gala. Whether you were able to join us live, were a sponsor of our gala, or contributed in other ways, we are overjoyed and grateful to you. Thanks to you, we exceeded our financial goals and are […]
By Jim Wambach
May 5, 2021 | Read More
“Seek the shalom of the city where I have sent you, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its shalom you will find your shalom.” — Jeremiah 29:7 This year marks a milestone for Children Rising. It was 20 years ago that the members of First Covenant Church, inspired by Jeremiah 29:7, […]
By Eric Steckel
April 5, 2021 | Read More
Children love a good story, something that lets their imagination soar! Despite constraints imposed by distance learning, our Succeeding by Reading Library Services Program has continued to open the doors of reading to the kids in our community. Here are a few ways they have shared the joy of reading. Grab-and-Go Book Giveaway – We […]
By Eric Steckel
April 1, 2021 | Read More
Opportunities to innovate in support of student learning Succeeding by Reading Anywhere – Children Rising’s one-on-one, online literacy tutoring program – officially launched the first week of January, and expanded in February to serve seven schools. We are delighted to once again work with children so eager to learn to read. The launch comes after […]
By Jim Wambach
March 26, 2021 | Read More
“The great use of life is to spend it for something that will outlast it.” —William James This year marks a milestone. Children Rising celebrates 20 years of coming alongside children at a critical time in their young lives to nurture hope, the courage to dream, and the opportunity to thrive. Randy Roth, our founder, […]
By Eric Steckel
March 25, 2021 | Read More
When shelter in place was ordered and schools closed in March of 2020, distance learning swept into schools across the country. It has been a challenge to completely transform to online instruction, while simultaneously teaching the children. Over time, the teachers who dedicate themselves to our kids have gotten better at distance learning, but there […]
By Children Rising
March 12, 2021 | Read More
This past November, Succeeding by Reading lost a dear member of our team. Marilyn Williams was a gifted volunteer tutor in our literacy program for over 10 years. She was part of a tight-knit tutor team serving at Markham Elementary School in East Oakland, and she delighted in working with our higher-need students. All Marilyn’s […]
By Jim Wambach
February 22, 2021 | Read More
“I think what motivates people is not great hate, but great love for other people.” — Dr Huey P. Newton Each February we celebrate Black History Month. As we pause to reflect upon the rich, vibrant, and foundational role of Black people in our nation’s history, this year I feel a sense of urgency, coupled […]
By Chelsea Boniak
February 5, 2021 | Read More
Time or money? How often do we have plenty of both? I remember my days as a recent college graduate. It was the middle of an economic recession, and I struggled to find a job. I had plenty of time on my hands, and what I really wanted to do was travel. Unfortunately, I had […]
By Chelsea Boniak
February 3, 2021 | Read More
“You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion and… your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.” — 2 Corinthians 9:11 Rays of light often come at unexpected times, creating rainbows of hope and promise. We see it each time a child learns a new reading or […]
By Jim Wambach
January 26, 2021 | Read More
Unintended consequences can be a great thing. As Children Rising develops our one-on-one online tutoring resources to address the challenges of distance learning, we are discovering many outcomes that will better support the children and families, and foster holistic relationships. Online tutoring tools are fun and engaging for the children, and they allow us to […]
By Jim Wambach
December 31, 2020 | Read More
Small acts. Big difference. Tonight we say farewell to 2020. It has been a monumental struggle for everyone in our community, to be sure, but it has been especially so for the marginalized in our society. Despite the challenges we have faced together, we move forward into the new year with renewed hope and enthusiasm. […]
By Jim Wambach
December 29, 2020 | Read More
“I guarantee that the seed you plant in love, no matter how small, will grow into a mighty tree of refuge. We all want a future for ourselves and we must now care enough to create, nurture and secure a future for our children.” — Afeni Shakur When the schools suddenly closed in March, 450 […]
By Eric Steckel
December 23, 2020 | Read More
For many youths, high school is a time to try new things, explore the unknown, and look forward to a limitless future. Amber, a junior at Newark Memorial High School, seizes opportunities with the enthusiasm and vigor of youth. In addition to completing a summer internship through CareerBridge, she has participated in Boost@BerkeleyHaas since her […]
By Jim Wambach
December 22, 2020 | Read More
2021, building bridges to a better future! As we approach the festive holiday season and tie a ribbon on a most extraordinary year, let’s look forward to 2021 with renewed hope and enthusiasm! Despite the challenges you have faced, you have continued to rally around our little community enablement engine. Your support ensures that every […]
By Chelsea Boniak
December 21, 2020 | Read More
Nurturing and Empowering Generations of Children Thank you for embracing our vision for Oakland. You are empowering thousands of children and youth to build bridges to a better future. Imagine… A city where every child feels loved and safe and has reliable adults who model positive values. A city where every child can develop as […]
By Jim Wambach
December 21, 2020 | Read More
Online tutoring helps children in need of a little extra support In October, we welcomed back our first group of second-graders from Martin Luther King Jr. and Piedmont Avenue Elementary Schools for one-on-one math tutoring! At a time when many students are falling further behind, this is a significant step forward. You have seen how […]
By Jim Wambach
November 26, 2020 | Read More
Happy Thanksgiving from Children Rising Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family! Being a proud grandfather of 5, I know first hand that the best seat at the dinner table on Thanksgiving Day is at the “kid’s table”. Telling wild stories, making silly faces, and hiding vegetables under the table can be much more fun […]
By Jim Wambach
October 29, 2020 | Read More
Empowering children and youth to build bridges to a better future Over the years, you have empowered thousands of eager children and youth in our Oakland community who continue to struggle in school. You have seen how the technology gap, the achievement gap, and the resource gap hinders so many eager young learners. Through your […]
By Eric Steckel
October 19, 2020 | Read More
Using technology to enhance our one-on-one tutoring What’s in a word? Don’t get me started! Last week, our team discussed the language we use to describe and relate our all-new online tutoring programs, Succeeding by Reading Anywhere and Path2Math Anywhere. As we did so, we struggled with the terms “online tutoring,” “remote learning,” and “distance […]
By Jim Wambach
October 13, 2020 | Read More
“The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members.” — Coretta Scott King When the schools in Oakland abruptly closed in March, children were confused and isolated. Many parents, out of a job, had serious concerns about supporting their families. Our educators, with a tremendous love for the […]
By Sophia Wambach
October 12, 2020 | Read More
When schools closed on March 13th, our Succeeding by Reading Library Services Program immediately pivoted to help the kids as much as possible. The libraries might have been closed, but Ms. Kim and her team provided new books to each student of Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary School as parents dropped by to pick up […]
By Eric Steckel
October 9, 2020 | Read More
COVID-19 has disrupted so many aspects of life for children and youth. But try as it might, it couldn’t put a stop to our CareerBridge summer internship program. This year, 20 eager high school students participated in a “distance learning” version of our one-of-a-kind internship. Instead of spending 6 weeks at Caltrans, BART, or our […]
By Eric Steckel
October 8, 2020 | Read More
Student designs spread love, inspiration, encouragement, and a smile CareerBridge is proud to announce Heart2Heart Greeting Cards. Heart2Heart cards are all handmade, original designs by CareerBridge Academy 2020 Entrepreneurial Summer Internship students. There are two delightful, inspirational collections from which to choose: “It’s A New Day” “Happy Days” CareerBridge offers professional development workshops, paid internships […]
By Eric Steckel
October 2, 2020 | Read More
Online math tutoring program to continue Nakoa’s progress Nakoa* is a typical 8-year-old boy living through COVID-19. Outgoing, personable, and a hard worker in school, he wants to learn and succeed. But, like an entire generation of school children, he’s been stuck at home, unable to see his friends, and sorely missing the structure and […]
By Jim Wambach
August 10, 2020 | Read More
The 2020-21 school year is upon us, and it promises to be unlike any other we’ve experienced. Every day I hear from parents of school-aged children anxiously preparing their kids to begin the school year with distance learning. They are struggling to understand how school is going to function, assess their technology and connectedness, coordinate […]
By Jim Wambach
July 21, 2020 | Read More
Perspectives Article by Jim Wambach, Executive Director “Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.” — Barack Obama At the end of March, someone asked how they could cancel their 90-day trial of […]
By Eric Steckel
July 14, 2020 | Read More
For many students, a trip up to the blackboard is a fate worse than death. For shy and reserved Jocelyn*, speaking English as a second language compounded matters. Even when she felt she knew the answer, she did not know how to articulate her thoughts or explain how she came to an answer. “She was […]
By Eric Steckel
July 7, 2020 | Read More
When working with struggling students, timing is crucial. In Juliana’s* case, we experienced both good and bad timing, seasoned by a team of caring adults who would not quit on a young girl determined to learn to read. Three years ago, when Juliana was in first grade, her teacher referred her to Gwen Stephens, Succeeding […]
By Eric Steckel
June 26, 2020 | Read More
As we continue to navigate the uncertainties of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have been hearing from so many of you, our Children Rising family. We all feel the urgent need to support students who may have fallen even further behind over the past three months due to the closure of schools in mid-March. Now more […]
By Jim Wambach
June 19, 2020 | Read More
“The people of Texas are informed that in accordance with a Proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free. This involves an absolute equality of rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and hired laborer.” – Delivered […]
By Jim Wambach
June 9, 2020 | Read More
A Statement from Children Rising on Racial Justice The murder of George Floyd on May 25th at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer was heinous and intolerable. It has exposed a centuries-old wound, once again shining a spotlight on racial injustice in our nation. Children Rising stands in strong support of racial justice. We […]
By Jim Wambach
May 30, 2020 | Read More
Your unwavering support will nurture and equip vulnerable children to rise above! On behalf of Children Rising, I want to thank you for supporting Hope for Children Now 2020. You stepped up in a big way, and we are both humble and grateful for your response. I remember the first gala planning we held just […]
By Sophia Wambach
May 14, 2020 | Read More
Dear Children Rising community, I’m so thankful to all of you. Because of you and your efforts, we not only reached our fundraising goal of $10,000, we exceeded it by over $1000! As our first virtual 5k event ever, we weren’t sure how it would turn out, but we knew our community would show up […]
By Jim Wambach
May 5, 2020 | Read More
Unleashing the power of people to transform their communities Dear Friends, The COVID-19 pandemic has spared no one. It’s far-reaching impact has created unprecedented challenges and hardships. But despite the uncertainty and anxiety we all may feel, one thing has been truly inspiring: How the entire East Bay community has come together to provide for […]
By Sophia Wambach
May 1, 2020 | Read More
Nominate your favorite teacher to be highlighted by GO Public Schools It’s the first of May! It’s a bright, lovely day in the East Bay. And we’re kicking off National Teacher Appreciation Month by celebrating School Principals’ Day. In this period of social distancing and school closures, we want to applaud the hard work of […]
By Jim Wambach
April 21, 2020 | Read More
Last month, I shared the poem that has captured the hearts of all of us at Children Rising. “The Rose That Grew In Concrete” marvels at the beauty that can spring forth in the midst of difficult, urban conditions. Every one of the children we are privileged to work with is like a precious rose […]
By Jim Wambach
March 31, 2020 | Read More
Dear Friends, We send warm greetings to you. We pray that everyone is sheltering in place and staying healthy during this unprecedented and challenging time. Throughout this health crisis, Children Rising is steadfastly focused on nurturing and equipping the vulnerable children in our community – students whose academic growth is being so disrupted this year. […]
By Jim Wambach
March 20, 2020 | Read More
Caring for the children in our community Dear Friends, As we all navigate the challenges and stress of this uncertain time, our hearts go out to the vulnerable members of our community most affected by the global health crisis. We pray for those who have fallen ill. We humbly thank the brave front-line caregivers who […]
By Jim Wambach
March 11, 2020 | Read More
Perspectives Article by Jim Wambach, Executive Director “We live in a world in which we need to share responsibility. It’s easy to say ‘It’s not my child, not my community, not my world, not my problem.’ Then there are those who see the need and respond. I consider those people my heroes.” — Fred Rogers […]
By Eric Steckel
March 11, 2020 | Read More
Learning can’t happen on an empty stomach. Sadly, poverty in our community causes many children to go hungry, especially on the weekends when nutritious school lunches are not available. Our amazing and faithful group of 30 Health4Kids volunteers gathers together twice a month at the Alameda County Community Food Bank, where they sort and pack […]
By Children Rising
March 10, 2020 | Read More
by Randy Roth, Founder and former Executive Director of Children Rising This past weekend, Children Rising, and the entire Oakland community, lost a true champion for children. Before Faith Network of the East Bay was even founded in July 2001, Norman Brooks had heard about our vision of church congregations and communities of faith “adopting […]
By Eric Steckel
March 9, 2020 | Read More
“Children are like snowflakes. Each is different and fragile, but beautiful in their own way.” Children Rising reading and math clinic coordinators know from experience that no two children are the same. Each precious child comes into our lives not only with their own unique personality, but also with the weight of their experience on […]
By Eric Steckel
February 27, 2020 | Read More
In early January, Children Rising opened a Path2Math clinic at Grass Valley Elementary School. This marked a milestone as we celebrated our 30th tutoring clinic. What makes it special is that it bears the hallmarks of Children Rising initiatives since our very beginning as Faith Network of the East Bay. Late last fall, Casey Beckner, […]
By Eric Steckel
February 20, 2020 | Read More
Perspectives Article by Eric Steckel, Communications Manager “I had crossed the line. I was free; but there was no one to welcome me to the land of freedom. I was a stranger in a strange land.” – Harriet Tubman Last week, Children Rising participated in the Project Peace Speaker Series event “The Border Is Here”. […]
By Jim Wambach
January 24, 2020 | Read More
Perspectives Article by Jim Wambach, Executive Director Are we able to close the achievement gap – one precious child at a time? Recent standardized testing results indicate that not only are we in the midst of an education crisis, the problem is most acutely felt in our schools serving our most vulnerable students. The educational […]
By Eric Steckel
January 3, 2020 | Read More
Partnership with Boost@BerkeleyHass helps students gain on-the-job experience Corey Reeves came to CareerBridge with big plans for his life. He was an excellent student at San Leandro High School, passionate about volleyball, and he dreamed of being a doctor. “I’m really passionate about learning. I realize that no matter where I go in life, I […]
By Jim Wambach
December 31, 2019 | Read More
We’ve made significant stides during the first year of our four-year inititave We are so grateful for your support over the past 12 months, which have been filled with growth and change. During the first year of our four-year initiative, we have made substantial strides toward serving and empowering more vulnerable children in our neighborhoods. […]
By Jim Wambach
December 25, 2019 | Read More
Dear Friends, As we gather ‘round with family and friends this holiday season, we reflect on the gifts we have received. And for many of us, we also take a moment to reflect on those not blessed with the opportunity we so often take for granted. Like the many vulnerable children in our community that […]
By Chelsea Boniak
December 21, 2019 | Read More
Despite initial challenges, Luis learned to read Luis* and his tutor Jean are an unlikely pair. Last school year, Luis was a high-energy second grader. Although very smart, he could hardly sit still and had trouble focusing long enough to learn. Jean moves through life at a slower, more relaxed pace and started the school […]
By Eric Steckel
December 11, 2019 | Read More
Perspectives article by Eric Steckel, Communications Manager “The old and honorable idea of ‘vocation’ is simply that we each are called, by God, or by our gifts, or by our preference, to a kind of good work for which we are particularly fitted.” — Wendell Berry We frequently say that tutoring a vulnerable child who […]
By Jim Wambach
November 28, 2019 | Read More
Dear Friends, As we gather together with our families and friends at Thanksgiving, I am once again struck by what a unique and wonderful holiday this truly is. Gratitude abounds throughout the year. But on this special day, we break bread with our loved ones and share that spirit with one another. Your generosity does […]
By Jim Wambach
November 27, 2019 | Read More
Perspectives article by Jim Wambach, Executive Director Ring ring the bells Wake the town Everyone is sleeping Shout at the crowd Wake them up This anger’s deeper than sleep – James (band) A few months into my time at Children Rising, as I began to personally get to know the individual children and youth in […]
By Jim Wambach
November 21, 2019 | Read More
As we embarked on the “I Want To Soar” Project, we set a high bar. Our goal? To provide the opportunity for 200 more second-grade children struggling with grade-level math and reading to SOAR! We have reached the midway point, and are grateful for your response. So far community donations, matched by several major donors, […]
By Jim Wambach
October 24, 2019 | Read More
Right now, there is an education crisis affecting our city’s most vulnerable children. Each year, approximately 1,800 children in the Oakland Unified School District will complete second grade substantially behind in basic reading and math skills. These children will not have the skills required to learn and grow in the third grade. Worse, they will […]
By Eric Steckel
October 22, 2019 | Read More
One of our greatest hopes is that we can inspire and enable CareerBridge students to give back to the community. Hadiya, a CareerBridge alum and a recipient of our Eddie College Scholarship, is one who is fulfilling that hope! Hadiya joined our program as a junior in high school. She carried herself with poise and […]
By Eric Steckel
October 21, 2019 | Read More
I met Rhema and her father, Pastor David Hatfield-Dyels, at the June Hope For Children Now Gala. They were guests of Children Rising board member James Branch. Rhema loves to read — two books a week. “Reading to me is like watching a movie in 3D,” she explains. Inspired to share her love of reading […]
By Chelsea Boniak
October 16, 2019 | Read More
When we first met Alicia*, she was a second-grader at La Escuelita Elementary School who had trouble reading at a kindergarten grade level. Alicia built a close relationship with her Succeeding By Reading tutor Janet and told Janet that her mom had gone away. In order to maintain her Spanish skills to communicate with her […]
By Eric Steckel
October 8, 2019 | Read More
Once you meet Aadae*, you can’t help but agree with her teacher and math tutor’s descriptions of her. Joyful. Full of life. Fun-loving. Very energetic. A people-pleaser. A precocious little girl who can “uplift you.” At the start of her second-grade year, Aadae needed help and fast. She didn’t have the foundational math skills necessary […]
By Jim Wambach
September 30, 2019 | Read More
Perspectives article by Jim Wambach, Executive Director “Children are likely to live up to what you believe of them.” — Lady Bird Johnson, Former First Lady of the United States Another school year begins and many of you are asking yourself that question. You want to help. But you are unsure if you have the […]
By Eric Steckel
September 28, 2019 | Read More
For most students, the end of summer marks the beginning of a new school year. For CareerBridge students, it also marks the end of a summer internship. To celebrate, we host a special event where the students present their final project to family, friends, internship supervisors, and Children Rising staff. This year’s group of interns […]
By Eric Steckel
August 9, 2019 | Read More
We are Children Rising! Last night, Faith Network of the East Bay embarked on an exciting new chapter. After long months of thoughtful consideration, and many more months of planning, we are excited to announce that as of today, we are Children Rising! Many have asked: Why are We changing our name? Simply put, it’s […]
By Jim Wambach
August 8, 2019 | Read More
What’s in a name? As we raise the curtain on an exciting next chapter in our story, it’s crucial that our name truly captures the soul of our organization. Simply put – it’s all about empowering more children to rise above the substantial challenges they face, created by generations of poverty, violence, and educational inequity. […]
By Chelsea Boniak
July 15, 2019 | Read More
Most of our school partnerships are established through word of mouth, and Manzanita Seed is no exception. A community member made a call to Children Rising, advocating for a particular student who was seriously struggling in school. Rebecca Buckley, Succeeding by Reading program director, arranged a meeting with the school and explained that we don’t […]
By Jim Wambach
July 11, 2019 | Read More
Perspectives article by Jim Wambach, Executive Director “Safety and security don’t just happen, they are the result of collective consensus and public investment. We owe our children, the most vulnerable citizens in our society, a life free of violence and fear.” — Nelson Mandela, Former President of South Africa Toxic stress in children Earlier this […]
By Jim Wambach
June 25, 2019 | Read More
Strong one-on-one relationship helps a vulnerable child to trust again. This past fall, I experienced firsthand the impact of childhood trauma on a precious, vulnerable young girl. I began working with “Nyesha” (not her real name) as a math tutor in October. The hope is that a tutor’s first meeting with their student lays the […]
By Eric Steckel
June 23, 2019 | Read More
For the past five years, it has been my pleasure to serve on the Eddie College Scholarship Award panel. The CareerBridge program was my entry point to Children Rising. The program – and the scholarship in particular – are near and dear to my heart. In my time, we’ve had some very special award recipients. […]
By Eric Steckel
June 18, 2019 | Read More
As I read Jordan White’s essay for the Eddie College Scholarship application, I was stunned by the traumatic experience she recounted. How could such overt racism be tolerated in an East Bay high school, where we pride ourselves on values of inclusion and community? When this smart, athletic and brave young lady sat down before […]
By Eric Steckel
June 11, 2019 | Read More
June 1st was pretty special! We want to take a moment to thank all of you who contributed to our celebration of Children Rising. We could not have done it without your immense volunteer support and participation. As we spent the last week or so catching our breath and reflecting on another wonderful Hope for […]
By Children Rising
May 16, 2019 | Read More
Have you ever sought a volunteer opportunity with Children Rising , but cannot commit to being a reading or math tutor? Then we’ve got the perfect opportunity for you. Succeeding by Reading is seeking a few good Literacy Elves for summer volunteer service. Literacy Elves provide crucial support to our reading clinics by cleaning, checking, […]
By Eric Steckel
April 18, 2019 | Read More
Grade Level Math Skills Are Crucial For Struggling Students When Brooklyn saw Mr. Paul waiting in the hall outside her second-grade classroom, she broke out in a grin. Despite being eager for that morning’s field trip, she was delighted that her Path2Math tutor was here for his weekly visit. It was a big change from […]
By Jim Wambach
April 10, 2019 | Read More
Perspectives article by Jim Wambach, Executive Director Our Community Must Nurture and Equip Vulnerable Children to Rise Above “Let us remember: one child, one teacher, one pen and one book can change the world“ Malala Yousafzai Now, more than ever, the full support of our community is required to help nurture and equip vulnerable children […]
By Chelsea Boniak
March 19, 2019 | Read More
How you helped vulnerable students catch up A few weeks ago, our normally quiet office was buzzing with activity as impromptu tutor training sessions began—supplies were gathered, coffee brewed, and tutors arrived. During this time, the teachers in Oakland schools were on strike. This brought our clinics to a temporary halt while we waited with […]
By Chelsea Boniak
March 12, 2019 | Read More
Summer Internship in Oakland: Important for Career Development Who doesn’t like a little holiday treat at Christmas? This holiday season, CareerBridge partnered with Ralph J. Bunche Academy High School in West Oakland to organize a tasty enterprise combining the efforts of CareerBridge Entrepreneurship Training Program students and the Ralph Bunche Culinary Arts Program. Bunches of […]
By Eric Steckel
March 5, 2019 | Read More
by Linda Joseph, Volunteer Succeeding by Reading tutor This spring, we are excited to share the words of Linda Joseph, a volunteer reading tutor working with our Succeeding by Reading program. This year I am proud to work with a student named Jadon who has blossomed in his reading. But it took time, trust and […]
By Jim Wambach
February 21, 2019 | Read More
Perspectives article by Jim Wambach, Executive Director An Education Crisis We are in the midst of a public education crisis throughout our country. The crisis is particularly acute within the urban, lower income neighborhoods of our largest cities. Now, more than ever, the full support of our community is required to help nurture and equip […]
By Jim Wambach
January 25, 2019 | Read More
Perspectives article by Jim Wambach, Executive Director “When a flower doesn’t bloom, you fix the environment in which it grows, not the flower” – Alexander Den Heijer “Every child has a different learning style and pace. Each child is unique, not only capable of learning but also capable of succeeding” – Robert John Meehan Dear […]
By Children Rising
December 24, 2018 | Read More
As we celebrate advent and the birth of Christ, I want to thank you for the gifts you have shared throughout the year. Your contribution of time, talent and treasure has helped thousands of struggling children. While it is always better to give than to receive, my sincere hope is that you have received something […]