Blog

Perspectives – These Children Only Have Two Years!

By Jim Wambach
September 3, 2024

You can help them learn reading and math before it’s too late.

“Let us reach out to the children. Let us do whatever we can to support their fight to rise above their pain and suffering.” — Nelson Mandela

Without your help, Nayasia will struggle with third-grade reading and math. Your gifts will give her a fairer chance to succeed in school … and in life.

A new school year is upon us. Thousands of eager, wonderful children living in Oakland’s lowest-income neighborhoods will begin their second and third grade of school. Sadly, 70% will be more than two years behind in their reading and math skills. They all have the potential but, unfortunately, not much time to catch up and thrive!

Over the next two years, without help from caring members of the community, most of these children will NOT have a fair chance of learning basic reading and math. They will be unable to gain critical fourth and fifth-grade knowledge and skills. And they will be at a severe risk of failing in middle school and dropping out altogether.

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!

In just two years, many of these precious children will be “lost.’ They will join countless others who suffer from the brutal cycle of poverty that has destroyed so many lives and erased so much potential, generation after generation.

“Over the next two years, without help from caring members of the community, most of these children will NOT have a fair chance of learning basic reading and math.”

When a child is born into a family burdened with poverty, they often enter the first phase of a long and challenging cycle that can run for generations. When a family lives in poverty, they have very limited resources and fewer opportunities to further themselves. The entire family is fastened tightly in the poverty trap.

Education is often overshadowed in households where day-to-day survival is the main focus. Struggling parents, often less educated themselves, are far less able to prioritize school attendance and provide adequate in-home learning support for their children.

The next two years are critical for the children.

Will you put a smile on the faces of a couple of eager young readers? Your gift today will help them learn reading and math.

Second and third grade determines so much in the lives of these children who have so much promise. Will you help them develop the skills and confidence to engage in school and learn at grade level? Or will they continue to be disheartened, frustrated, and convinced that they aren’t smart enough or capable of learning what they should learn?

You have the opportunity to have your say in how this plays out for many, many children. Our programs are designed specifically to lift up these children and… empower their families to break free of the cycle of poverty.

When you help a child learn to read or understand numbers early enough in school, you will change their life… but these young boys and girls need you and other caring members of the community now!

“When young people’s education is at stake, compromise is crime.”— Milan Kundera (Author, The Unbearable Lightness of Being)

Tutor a child! Yes, I can help a child learn reading and math!

 I want to tutor a child in reading or math!

I want to fund Children Rising tutoring programs!

Personalized Math Tutoring Fuels Dreams to Be a Pilot!

By Eric Steckel
May 16, 2024

How Your Support Turned Adrian’s Math Challenges Into Visions of Flying

Your support of personalized math tutoring helped Adrian understand the importance of learning math, which has fueled his desire to become a pilot.

Children often dream of taking flight and soaring through the clouds. For Adrian, it’s more like an obsession.

When the third-grader joined Path2Math this year, he was nearly two years behind in math. Like many children, he was reluctant to participate in the “Math Club.” Math tutoring challenged him to work on a subject he knew he struggled with. It was hard work, and despite our best efforts, it’s not always fun to work on subjects that are so challenging.

One day, his tutor, Mr. Jim, took a break from math and asked him, “What do you want to be when you grow up?”

“I want to be a pilot,” Adrian answered.

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!

Just like that, a connection was made. “You know, pilots need to perform a lot of math to fly a plane,” Mr. Jim said. As a pilot, he would know.

“A simple question revealed a shared connection that ignited Adrian’s interest in learning math.”

Since that day, Adrian has found a reason to want to learn math and has advanced nearly two grade levels. Mr. Jim shares some of his knowledge of piloting with the youngster, which encourages him to work harder at the difficult equations.

The power of personalized math tutoring is the relationship between student and tutor. A simple question revealed a shared connection that ignited Adrian’s interest in learning math. Tutoring is not always a straight line. With patience, care, and interest from the tutor, children will soar in school. And Adrian might just soar through the clouds!

A young child is looking for you to make a connection so they can soar in school … and in life!

Tutor a child! Yes, I can embrace a child in a
circle of care!

 I want to tutor a child in reading or math!

I want to fund Children Rising tutoring programs!

Aurora’s Trick to Learning Multiplication

By Eric Steckel
May 14, 2024

Harnessing Out-of-the-box Thinking Encourages Her to Learn Math

Personalized tutoring provides children with opportunities to think outside of the box and learn in their own unique way.

There are days when the children make us smile in wonder.

Aurora, an eager second-grader in Path2Math, loves the IXL learning program. She often works on math at home, so it’s no surprise that she is making significant progress.

“I’m looking at the clock because each number is like counting by fives!”

A few weeks ago, Michelle Hutcherson, Path2Math program manager, began working with Aurora on multiplication. The young girl had recently learned to tell time. As they worked together on multiples of five and ten, Aurora seemed to look up in the air before answering each problem. Michelle finally asked her why she kept looking at the wall.

“I’m not looking at the wall,” she said in her sweet little voice. “I’m looking at the clock because each number is like counting by fives!”

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!

Michelle was amazed. “That made my day! I was blown away at her method of learning, which was perfectly spot-on!”

One-on-one, high-impact tutoring can reveal each child’s unique learning style. By encouraging and harnessing a little out-of-the-box thinking, children are supported in their learning, and that encouragement fills them with hope and confidence.

When we witness children making those connections by themselves, it makes us smile in wonder and pride.

Your support ensures children are nurtured in a circle of care where their unique learning styles can flourish!

Tutor a child! Yes, I can embrace a child in a
circle of care!

 I want to tutor a child in reading or math!

I want to fund Children Rising tutoring programs!

Tutor News – Spring 2024

By Eric Steckel
April 26, 2024

The School Year is Nearly Over!

Thank you for generously volunteering your time with our programs. As we go into the final six weeks of tutoring, we are grateful for your willingness to give your time, energy, and talents. Let’s finish strong for the children. Thank you!

2024 Summer Literacy Elves Needed!

Succeeding by Reading is looking for a few good Literacy Elves! Help our team prepare for the coming school year. Join us for any of the following dates in June and August 2024.

June and August (not July)
Days: Tuesday and Thursday
Time: 10 a.m. to 1p.m.

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!

Summer Tutors Needed!

We are recruiting and training new math tutors for Summer 2024. If you know someone who would make a great addition to the Path2Math tutoring team, please share this opportunity with them. With the right word to the right person, you can ensure more children receive critical one-on-one tutoring this Summer.

Time Commitment

Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday 10 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.

Each tutoring session is one hour long. Choose as many as you like. Please contact Michelle Hutcherson if you are interested: michelle@children-rising.org.

NewTutor Training

May 1st, May 29th and June 3rd. REGISTER

Back to School Fall 2024-25

Tutor Training

New tutor training for the 2024-25 school year Tuesdays in August on the 13th, 20th, and 27th.

Refresher training for returning tutors Wednesdays in August on the 14th, 21st, and 28th.

Student Assessments will be administered September 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th at various schools.

Tutoring with students will begin September 9th. Stay tuned: We will have more details to follow.

Time Commitment
2 hours, once a week, Mon – Fri during school hours.
REGISTER

Homework Tutors Needed!

Many parents and caregivers struggle to have enough time after work to provide critical homework support at home for their children. You can assist these families by providing one-on-one homework tutoring for the students in our reading and math programs. Homework tutoring is provided during the structured after-school programming that virtually all of the children in our reading and math programs attend. Tutoring opportunities are in-person, after school, at two of our clinic sites, Sankofa United and Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary Schools.

Time Commitment: 2 hours, once a week, Mon, & Thu, 3-5 p.m.; Wed, 2-4 p.m.

Training Dates:
TBD

Other Volunteer Opportunities

If tutoring weekly is not right for you, many opportunities exist to serve your community schools. We have many service projects that support the work we do for the children.

Oakland Public Education Fund

Asian Pacific American Literature Read-In – April 29 – May 3, 2024. Join us for a fantastic literacy celebration during the Asian Pacific American Literature Read-In Week in Oakland elementary schools! We’re looking for enthusiastic volunteers to sign up for a 1.5-hour shift, where you’ll get to read aloud with classes, celebrate API History Month, and explore stories written by incredible Asian authors. No prior experience is needed, and the Oakland Public Education Fund will provide all the books. It’s a wonderful opportunity to make a positive impact, and you can choose the school and time slot that works best for you. Simply sign up below, and we’ll notify you of the specific school logistics before the event. Learn More and Register: oaklandedfund.org/one-time-volunteers. 

Project Peace East Bay

Project Peace Day East Bay will host and upcoming Day of Service on Saturday, June 22nd, 2024, from 9 a.m. to Noon at multiple East Bay locations. Choose from a variety of volunteer service opportunities, including those in Oakland schools and our friends at Harbor House. Learn More and Register

Tutor a child! Yes, I can embrace a child in a
circle of care!

 I want to tutor a child in reading or math!

I want to fund Children Rising tutoring programs!

Volunteer Tutoring: Why Relationships Matter So Much

By Eric Steckel
April 1, 2024

One-on-one tutoring helps complete a child’s circle of care

“It’s all about relationships.”

Relationships take time to grow and develop. Your support of Children Rising ensures that tutors can work one-on-one with children struggling in reading and math.

If you have spent a year as a tutor, you are no doubt nodding your head in agreement. The relationship between a child and their tutor is precious. Once trust is built, that’s when the magic happens, and learning is amplified. That’s why Children Rising’s one-on-one volunteer tutoring programs are so special.

Your time pouring love and attention into an eager child is a critical component. You give them the one-on-one support they need to succeed in school … and in life.

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!

Sometimes, forging those critical relationships takes time and determination. Some children are defensive and have their guard up. Others struggle with reading or math and know it. They may feel embarrassed and act out to conceal what they don’t know. However, relationships form over time, with care and patience, and that is when child learning takes off.

“In January, Samuel returned, and things changed. It was like a switch flipped in him. He was suddenly glad to see me.”

This year I personally experienced a slowly-formed relationship with Samuel, a second-grader in Path2Math. When tutoring commenced in October, Samuel let us know he did not want to participate in math club and did not want to work with me. I was concerned that I wouldn’t make that breakthrough with Samuel.

Samuel has worked hard, especially since a strong relationship formed between him and his tutor. Now, he proudly shows off his work, delighted by his progress.

I didn’t know that Samuel was also struggling outside of Path2Math. English was his second language, and learning in the classroom was difficult. When he became increasingly disruptive in class, he took a monthlong break from math club at his teacher’s request.

In January, Samuel returned, and things changed. It was like a switch flipped in him. He was suddenly glad to see me, and even gave me a big hug when he came in from recess. He worked hard, both in math club and at home. Over the past two months, he has accelerated his learning in ways I could never have imagined. When he started, he was at a kindergarten level in math. Despite the interruption in tutoring, he has advanced an entire grade level in his math scores.

Samuel still has a ways to go to get to grade level in math. But now that we are working as partners, he is eager to learn and succeed. It was all about the relationship!

A young child is looking for you to make a connection so they can soar in school … and in life!

Tutor a child! Yes, I can embrace a child in a
circle of care!

 I want to tutor a child in reading or math!

I want to fund Children Rising tutoring programs!

Creating a Circle of Care Through Tutoring

By Eric Steckel
February 20, 2024

Alejandro’s Remarkable Path to Math and Jeanne’s Dream Fulfilled

Your gifts have been a blessing to Alejandro and Jeanne. “He can see his own progress, and each time he comes, he gets a little bit better and a little more confident. So it’s both my excitement and his enthusiasm.”

Children Rising volunteer tutoring programs nurture children in a circle of care, enabling them to thrive in subjects that seemed out of their reach. A beautiful aspect of the relationship is that they also provide caring adults an opportunity to learn a new vocation—and, in some cases, to follow their dreams.

Alejandro Thrives in Math … and Develops Confidence in Learning

Alejandro is a second-grader who speaks Spanish at home, and English is his second language. When Jeanne Cooney, his Path2Math tutor, met Alejandro, he was at a kindergarten level in his math skills.

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!

“He was a quiet little guy who was reluctant to engage in the program,” Jeanne recalls. “He could identify numbers maybe up to 15 but struggled past 15. We had a hard time getting past 15, but we just kept working and working,”

Frequently, ESL children have difficulty translating numbers and words from their native tongue into English. It takes time and patience to help them make the connection. After working twice a week for the past four months, a light seemed to go on in his head, and he rapidly began to count past 15 all the way to 100.

“It’s making a difference. He’s just a super eager kid and curious. He’s seen a little bit of progress, and I think he wants more,” Jeanne said. Indeed, Alejandro is now working on fractions and mastering skills far beyond counting to 15. Currently, his online assessment scores show that he is now at an early second-grade level.

“Building trust and making them feel comfortable, even if they don’t get the answer right, is critical. I tell him, ‘It’s okay. We’re going to work through it.’”

Jeanne Finds A New Vocation … and a Dream Realized

Jeanne was a stay-at-home mom who long harbored aspirations to teach. When her husband John retired, Path2Math provided an opportunity to go into a school and teach children math together.

“It’s just been a wonderful experience for my husband and me. We get as much out of it as the kids do, that’s for sure. And you grow to kind of love them and just love the challenge of seeing them get better.”

“I like tutoring with my husband. It’s something that we can do together, and we like to chat about it afterward. We like to think of things to do that are creative and bounce things off one another.”

“My husband and I wanted to do something together as a retired couple. And I always wanted to explore teaching and working in a school. I feel like in a lot of ways it’s kind of fulfilling that dream of mine, to actually get to work with kids, and teach them, and help facilitate their learning,” Jeanne revealed.

Thanks to your support, Jeanne has discovered a new vocation, and Alejandro has developed confidence in learning.

Tutor a child!

Yes, I can embrace a child in a circle of care!

 I want to learn more about online reading, math, or homework 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 – Winter 2023-2024

By Sophia Wambach
January 16, 2024

The School Year is Half-way Over!

Thank you for generously volunteering your time with our programs.  We are grateful for your willingness to give your time, energy, and talents. Your support of Children Rising allows us to continue to fulfill our mission and to serve the children in our schools each year. Thank you!

Succeeding by Reading

Succeeding by Reading tutoring clinics resumed in January and continue through the end of the school year. We will keep you posted on any news and developments.

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!

Path2Math: Tutors Needed!

With the right word to the right person, you can ensure more children receive critical one-on-one tutoring this year.

We are still recruiting and training new math tutors for Spring 2024. If you know someone who would make a great addition to the Path2Math tutoring team, please share this opportunity with them. With the right word to the right person, you can ensure more children receive critical one-on-one tutoring this year.

Time Commitment: 2 hours, once a week, Mon – Fri during school hours.

Training Dates: New Tutor Training

• Wednesday, 3/6/24, 1:30 – 4:00 p.m. – Zoom Meeting ID: 890 259 8649. REGISTER

FamilyBridge: Program Update

Do you know someone who can  provide one-on-one homework tutoring for students in our reading and math programs? We’re looking for homework tutors!

FamilyBridge homework tutoring—now known as Bridge Scholars Homework Club—officially launched at Sankofa United Elementary School on November 1st. We are excited to help eager children with the homework assignments they struggle with at home. Sessions are held Monday 3-5 p.m., Wed 2-4 p.m., and Thurs 3-5 p.m. There are plans to launch homework tutoring at Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School in late January.

Homework Tutors Needed!

Many parents and caregivers struggle to have enough time after work to provide critical homework support at home for their children. You can assist these families by providing one-on-one homework tutoring for the students in our reading and math programs. Homework tutoring is provided during the structured after-school programming that virtually all of the children in our reading and math programs attend. Tutoring opportunities are in-person, after school, at two of our clinic sites, Sankofa United and Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary Schools.

Time Commitment: 2 hours, once a week, Mon, & Thu, 3-5 p.m.; Wed, 2-4 p.m.

Training Dates: New Tutor Training

• Thursday, 1/25/24, 3-4:30 p.m. – Zoom Meeting (Link). REGISTER

Other Volunteer Opportunities

You have many opportunities to support your community schools. Check out some of these options, or

If tutoring weekly is not right for you, many opportunities exist to serve your community schools. We have many service projects that support the work we do for the children.

Oakland Public Education Fund

Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) and Oakland Public Education Fund need YOU! They are recruiting groups of up to 10 to help assemble Lit Kits (books, word charts, markers, flashcards) that will be distributed to OUSD schools in need. Learn More and Register

Project Peace East Bay

Project Peace Day East Bay will host and upcoming Day of Service on Saturday, March 16th, 2024, from 9 a.m. to Noon at multiple East Bay locations. Choose from a variety of volunteer service opportunities, including those in Oakland schools. Learn More and Register

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!

Perspectives — Creating Joyous Learning Spaces for Children

By Jim Wambach
December 21, 2023

Nurturing Learning Sanctuaries

Joyous learning spaces provide a sanctuary where children can feel comfortable, enjoy learning, and thrive.

Every month, the Succeeding by Reading team of program managers and reading clinic coordinators gathers to review the program’s effectiveness and ideas for improvement. Instead of launching directly into the “business” of teaching our amazing kids to read, the gathering always starts with a reflection. That reflection veers into a consideration of how the kids, tutors, and each team member are feeling and responding to the challenges of learning and teaching.

Last month’s meeting started with a reflection on Psalm 18:19:

“He brought me out into a spacious place;
he rescued me because he delighted in me.”

In the tapestry of education, Psalm 18:19 echoes the importance of a spacious and comfortable environment for children to learn and thrive. As we reflected on “spacious places” it illuminated the profound impact of dedicated spaces on a child’s educational journey.

“In the midst of sometimes hectic classroom environments … children receive one-on-one attention, support, and care, fostering an environment where they can respond to learning with delight and progress.”

Space, a precious commodity

Children Rising recognizes the significance of creating safe, ordered spaces for learning. Our tutoring programs foster an environment where children are nurtured in a circle of care.

In the Bay Area, finding a fixed, consistent space is often a challenge for children, especially those in our programs. Although it may be something we take for granted, shockingly, Oakland Unified School District reported 1,780 unhoused students in 2023. This emphasizes the critical link between stable housing and conducive learning environments. OUSD uses guidelines in the McKinney-Vento Act to classify unhoused students. It defines homelessness as lacking a “fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime housing.”

It underscores the struggles faced by children living in crowded or transient conditions. Imagine trying to learn at home, when home is not fixed, and could be a hotel one week or a shelter the next?

Our commitment to providing a sanctuary for learning is evident in our tutoring programs. In the midst of sometimes hectic classroom environments, our clinics become havens of order, predictability, and patterns. Here, children receive one-on-one attention, support, and care, fostering an environment where they can respond to learning with delight and progress.

Children Rising strives to embrace children in a circle of care. This includes creating nurturing sanctuaries for children to learn and thrive.

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!

Tutors Needed: You Can Empower a Child to Become a Lifelong Learner

By Eric Steckel
May 30, 2023

One-on-one tutoring provides children a fairer chance to succeed in school!

Tutors needed: Programs like Succeeding by Reading and Path2Math provide opportunities for community members to step in, be part of this leading-edge solution, and support student recovery.

“Tutors needed!” is the refrain we keep hearing from our partner schools.

As the year comes to an end, Children Rising is already preparing one-on-one tutoring and family support programs for the 2023-24 year. So many elementary school children made dramatic advancements in reading and math last year, and we are so proud of their determination and effort. Next year, we want to support many more eager young learners!

The message is simple: Tutors needed!

We invite the entire Bay Area community to participate in our Succeeding by Reading and Path2Math one-on-one tutoring programs.

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!

A call for tutors this year!

Nationwide, students continue to suffer from unprecedented levels of unfinished learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic. On average, children are two to four months behind in reading and math. Closer to home, over 70% of the second-graders in Oakland Unified School District schools we serve are two or more grade levels behind in reading or math.

“Every young child deserves a fair chance to succeed in school…and in life. Through one-on-one reading and math tutoring and family support, we empower children to become lifelong learners.”

We need more trained tutors to provide more instances of tutoring in the coming years to overcome the lost learning time our children experienced. These are two hallmarks of high-dosage tutoring, one of the leading solutions to overcoming significant unfinished learning.

Reading and math tutors are needed this year, now more than ever before. Please consider stepping forward. You can empower an eager child to succeed in school … and in life!

There’s good news and bad news.

The bad? The need is greater than ever. Last year, Children Rising had to turn away eager students from our programs because we did not have a tutor when they needed one most.

The good? It’s a solvable problem, and YOU can be part of that solution.

To meet the needs of the Oakland elementary schools we serve:

• Path2Math needs at least 80 more tutors.
• Succeeding by Reading needs another 80 tutors.

Children Rising’s volunteer tutoring programs Succeeding by Reading and Path2Math provide opportunities for community members to step in, be part of these evidenced-based programs, and support student recovery.

Better yet, Children Rising provides the training, materials, and on-site support for tutors to be successful from day one.

Each of you can help

It’s an extraordinary time, and your help in spreading the word and generating community interest to get involved can make a huge difference this year for many children. Here’s how you can help:

• 

  Smiling faces. Tutors needed.

  Become a tutor. Now is the time to step forward to nurture and empower a struggling child in school! Learn more today.

• Spread the word. If you know of anyone who may be interested in tutoring an amazing young learner, please share this with them.
• Learn more about Children Rising tutoring opportunities. If you are on the fence, this may be your tipping point!

The programs are ready. Our comprehensive tutor training and on-site support ensure that tutors are ready to empower an eager child to become a lifelong learner.

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!

Alayna Is Excelling In Math Thanks To You

By Eric Steckel
May 3, 2023

In-school Tutoring + At-home Support = Success In School … and Life

Your gifts provided Alayna with critical at-home learning and one-on-one in-school tutoring, enabling her to get back to grade level in math.

Alayna struggled with third-grade math. Her father, David Guillory, was surprised to learn this year that his eager, energetic, precocious daughter was below grade level.

Fortunately for Alayna, critical at-home learning and one-on-one in-school tutoring provided a continuum of support that closed the loop in her education.

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!

One-on-one support at home and in school is critical

Alayna was referred to Path2Math by her teacher and paired with Audrey Amos, a retired elementary school principal who volunteers as a tutor. Miss Audrey found that Alayna did well once they established a one-on-one connection, and she picked up things quickly.

“Having a tutor that can sit down and spend that 45 minutes to an hour one-on-one with a student is immeasurable. It can just change a child’s life,” Audrey explained.

Alayna’s father was engaged and working with her at home. Knowing that he was involved and wanted her to do well in her education made a difference.

David was eager to participate in FamilyBridge at the beginning of the year. Tai Dillard, FamilyBridge program director, is in regular contact, keeping him informed of Alayna’s progress and how he can best support her learning in-home. The open line of communication is beneficial.

“Having a tutor that can sit down and spend that 45 minutes to an hour one-on-one with a student is immeasurable.”

Audrey highlighted the critical importance of the at-home connection through FamilyBridge. “Alayna’s father is engaged and working with her at home. Just knowing he was involved and wanted her to do well in her education made a difference.”

One-on-one in-school tutoring and at-home support from parents came at a critical time in Alayna’s learning and accelerated her academic progress. “Kids are so behind academically because of COVID…especially kids of color. This is the time when we need to step in to give them some extra help to catch up.”

Your gifts ensured families like David and Alayna received the critical support they needed.

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!

* Children Rising respects the privacy of our students. While all the stories we share are genuine and true, we change names as needed to protect student privacy.

Devonte Is Excelling In Math and Counting His Pennies

By Eric Steckel
January 31, 2023

Your Support Empowers Him to Succeed with Path2Math and FamilyBridge

FamilyBridge helps connect parents and caregivers with their child’s tutor. Mr. Carl was able to help Devonte learn to count money—and excel in math—when the boy’s mother shared her concern with him.

As a mother, Lashanna was worried when she saw her son Devonte* struggling with math and reading during the COVID pandemic. Desperate for a solution, she enrolled Devonte in Path2Math. Through your support, Devonte has made incredible progress by working with his one-on-one tutor, Mr. Carl, over the past few months.

“He’s got a really positive attitude, he focuses well, and he’s open to learning and trying new things,” Mr. Carl shared, expressing his admiration for Devonte’s determination and growth.

Thanks to your gift, Lashanna has seen firsthand the transformative power of a caring tutor.

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!

Her family’s journey doesn’t stop there. Recognizing the importance of a supportive community, she also enrolled in FamilyBridge, a program designed to provide parents with the skills, confidence, and tools needed to accelerate their child’s learning.

“I had other children struggle in school…I wish I had known about FamilyBridge a long time ago.”—Lashanna, Devonte’s mother,

“It’s motivation,” Lashanna said. “If you feel like, ‘He’s not getting it,’ and you start doubting yourself, that’s where FamilyBridge comes in.”

Your support of Path2Math means Devonte receives one-on-one tutoring and care from Mr. Carl.

Through FamilyBridge, Lashanna connected with Path2Math clinic coordinators and Mr. Carl. A few weeks ago, when Devonte struggled to count change at a store, Mr. Carl was able to bring in actual money for him to handle and work with during their next session. “Devonte caught on to that very quickly,” Carl said, illustrating the success of the program.

For Lashanna, the impact of Path2Math and FamilyBridge has been immeasurable. “I had other children struggle in school, and I said, ‘I wish I had known about FamilyBridge a long time ago,’” she shared.

Thanks to your gifts, FamilyBridge will provide vital support and resources to Lashanna, empowering her to help Devonte excel in math.

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

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

Meet Jeyla, Who You Helped Thrive In Math

By Eric Steckel
October 21, 2022

Your Support Meant She, Mr. Gabe, & Her Family Worked on Math Together

Your gifts meant Jeyla, Mr. Gabe, and her family could work on math together this Summer. Accelerated child learning flourishes when family, school, and tutors are on the same page.

It all started with determination. “When I am bored, I like to do math or pretend I am in school,” Jeyla said.

The ability to learn processes, and the determination to master them, served her well during the COVID pandemic. However, when Jeyla’s family heard she was struggling with math after returning to the classroom, they enrolled her in the Path2Math summer learning program.

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!

“Jeyla enjoys working on her own. A little bit of one-on-one help goes a long way in answering her ‘process questions,’ ” her Aunt Moesha explained. “Once she’s into the math routine and doing it all the time, she’s ‘lights out,’ so it was terrific for her to do Path2Math during the summer.”

“A little bit of one-on-one help goes a long way…Once she’s into the math routine and doing it all the time, she’s ‘lights out.’” – Moesha, Jeyla’s Aunt

Family engagement was beneficial. “We’ve been able to go into orientations, ask questions, and get tips and help. We’ve watched her one-on-one tutoring and helped her out after the session. It’s been good.” They encourage Jeyla to use the IXL learning platform outside her tutoring sessions. “Although the sessions are over for the summer, she’s been able to go in there and practice math regularly. It’s helpful to have the tools she needs.”

Your support meant Jeyla, Mr. Gabe, and her family worked on math together. Accelerated learning happens when the family, school, and tuto are on the same page.

They believe that one-on-one tutoring makes a big difference. “It’s innate for kids to listen to certain people over others. It just seems like somebody who can be on the outside and look at her as a student and not as family, and can grasp and home in on this one section of her learning is more beneficial to her overall learning.” Moesha explained.

Jeyla benefits from this holistic approach, where family, school, and tutors are on the same page.

Your gifts will ensure Jeyla receives the support she needs.

If you are interested in tutoring an eager child, learn more about opportunities with Children Rising.

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

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

* Children Rising respects the privacy of our students. While all the stories we share are genuine and true, we change names as needed to protect student privacy.

President Biden Calls On You: “We Need Tutors”

By Jim Wambach
July 19, 2022

Children Rising Math and Reading Tutors Support Initiative To Place 250,000 Tutors

Volunteer tutoring programs like Succeeding by Reading and Path2Math provide opportunities for community members to step in, be part of this leading-edge solution, and support student recovery.

The Biden-Harris Administration recently announced a series of initiatives to help students make up for lost learning time and succeed in school and in life. The White House calls on schools to use the $122 billion in American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds to provide high-quality tutoring, summer learning and enrichment, and afterschool programs.

“Building on President Biden’s call to action in the State of the Union, the Biden-Harris Administration is also joining with leading organizations to launch the National Partnership for Student Success (NPSS) to provide students with an additional 250,000 tutors and mentors over the next three years,” the announcement states.

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!

Students throughout the country are suffering from unprecedented levels of unfinished learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Nationwide, children are two to four months behind in reading and math. Closer to home, 75-80% of the second-graders in Oakland Unified School District schools we serve are two or more grade levels behind in reading or math.

“We know what works: fully staffed schools, and personalized support for students through high-quality tutoring, summer learning and enrichment, and afterschool programs that help students not only make academic gains, but also stay connected to school and one another. The steps announced today will further help ensure America’s children have what they need to thrive.” – The White House

A nationwide call for tutors this year

This is not a standard request for volunteers. As a nation, the call has gone out: We need more high-quality tutors to provide more instances of tutoring this year. These are two hallmarks of high-dosage tutoring, one of the leading solutions to overcoming significant unfinished learning.

Reading and math tutors are needed this year, now more than ever before. Please consider stepping forward to nurture a struggling child in school.

Here in Oakland:

• Path2Math needs at least 80 more tutors.
• Succeeding by Reading needs another 80 tutors.

Volunteer tutoring programs like Succeeding by Reading and Path2Math provide opportunities for community members to step in, be part of this leading-edge solution, and support student recovery.

Each of you can help

It’s an extraordinary time, and your help in spreading the word and generating community interest to get involved can make a huge difference this year for many children. Here’s how you can help:

• Become a tutor. If you have ever considered stepping forward to nurture and empower a struggling child in school, now is the time! Apply today!
• Spread the word. If you know of anyone who may be interested in tutoring an amazing young learner, please share this with them.
• Learn more about Children Rising tutoring opportunities. If you are on the fence, this may be your tipping point!

The programs are ready. Our comprehensive tutor training and on-site support ensure that tutors can succeed from day one.

Please let me know if you have any questions or need additional information. I am grateful for any assistance you can provide as we work to spread the word throughout the community.

For the Children,

If you are interested in volunteering, learn more about opportunities with Children Rising.

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

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

Cisco Foundation Donates $75,000 to Enhance Path2Math Tutoring Program

By Eric Steckel
July 7, 2022

Community Impact Grant Empowers Children Struggling With Elementary Math

Children Rising is pleased to be the recipient of a generous grant from Cisco Foundation’s San Francisco Bay Area Community Impact Grant Program. The $75,000 award marks the third consecutive year Cisco has supported Children Rising’s Path2Math program, addressing low childhood numeracy in under-resourced, Title 1 elementary schools in Oakland.

Cisco’s support of Path2Math helps eager young children overcome unfinished learning, and decades of educational inequity.

Addressing Educational Inequity in the East Bay

Educational inequity is a social injustice impacting children living in low-income neighborhoods throughout the East Bay. Many elementary school children, primarily Black and Latino, have not benefited from individual attention in their early years that many other children commonly receive, either in school or at home. These children struggled to perform at grade level before the pandemic, with a disproportionate number dropping out of school.

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!

Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic increased the learning discrepancies of these children even further compared to their peers living in more affluent neighborhoods. At the beginning of the current school year, OUSD I-Ready testing scores indicated that 72% of second-graders and 74% of third-graders attending Title 1 schools began the year at least two grade levels behind in their numeracy abilities.

In the coming years we, as a community, must act quickly to provide additional support for these children. Otherwise, they will continue to lag far behind in foundational reading and math skills, and we will experience a tremendous rise in the failure rate for thousands of children in our local neighborhoods.

Grant Supports High-dosage Tutoring and Family Empowerment

The Cisco Foundation’s Bay Area Community Impact Grant program’s mission is to close the education achievement gap for low-income kindergarten through fifth-grade students in the Bay Area.

“Students falling behind in grades K-5 potentially face limits on their access to higher education and career opportunities, especially in STEM subjects and fields. The achievement gap begins at an early age and, unfortunately, follows many of these students throughout their educational and career journey.”

Through the grant, Children Rising will enhance Path2Math programming to provide higher dosage levels of tutoring to each child in the program while enabling parents and guardians to provide more confident and enhanced academic support at home.

Your gifts strengthen the team supporting these amazing children so that many more will become active, confident learners and thrive in school.

We believe the result of this enhanced learning approach will allow young elementary school students to prepare for more advanced learning in fifth grade, middle school, and beyond, giving them a much more equitable chance of success throughout their school years.

By strengthening the team supporting these amazing children of Oakland—parents, teachers, and tutors—many more children will become active, confident learners and thrive in school instead of dropping out.

Thanks to the Cisco Foundation. We are grateful to once again be part of the San Francisco Bay Area Community Impact Grant Program, and to work together to empower children and families in our community.

YES, I CAN empower a child to build bridges to a better future!

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

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

Maliha Gains Confidence, Excels in Math

By Eric Steckel
June 30, 2022

You Made Math “Easy” For an Eager Child

Maliha* was low on confidence in reading and math. And confidence makes such a difference in a child’s ability to learn difficult math concepts. It is also something that can be difficult to recover once it is lost.

Maliha lacked confidence and struggled with math. Thanks to dedicated work with Mr. Jim, “math is easy.”

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!

Like 60% of elementary school children in California, Maliha was significantly behind grade level in math. It is a problem that has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Second- and third-grade students came back to full-time, in-person classrooms all over the curve in terms of what they had learned. It is difficult to create a lesson plan that engages and instructs children at different levels. Factor in the added strain of learning through the peaks and valleys of an ongoing global pandemic, and it’s easy to see how students and teachers have struggled this year.

“Children Rising has been able to provide the one-on-one support in math and reading our students and teachers desperately needed.“– Roma Groves-Waters, Principal, Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary

Roma Groves-Waters, Principal at Maliha’s school, agrees. “Our teachers are challenged this year more than ever before. Children Rising has been able to provide the one-on-one support in math and reading our students and teachers desperately needed.“

Confidence Is Important to Child Learning

When Maliha joined Path2Math in October, she was eager to learn and made an instant connection with Mr. Jim, her tutor. The first thing they worked on was building up the young girl’s confidence.

Your support of one-on-one tutoring helps children like Maliha find a safe space to learn. Student connections are key to a child’s progress.

“Making student connections to learning is key to student progress,” said Mrs. Groves-Waters.

Confident and happy, Maliha had found her safe space. She worked hard each week and was encouraged to express herself. Before long, what had been so difficult became “easy.”

“Math is easy because you’ve been working so hard,” Mr. Jim explained to the young girl. “You’ve been focused and putting your studies first.”

Maliha will continue with online tutoring during the Summer. With focus and hard work, she will reach grade level in math.

It costs just $500 to empower an eager child with comprehension and confidence in math for an entire school year. Thank you!

YES, I CAN empower a child to build bridges to a better future!

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

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

* Children Rising respects the privacy of our students. While all the stories we share are genuine and true, we change names and use stock photography when needed to protect student privacy.

Perspectives — The Right to Read

By Jim Wambach
June 29, 2022

“Ensure that every Oakland child is an ‘on-time’ reader provided with full LITERACY: a fundamental civil right, a powerful protection from the school to prison pipeline, and the cornerstone for a life of choice and fulfillment.” – Kareem Weaver, Co-Founder, FULCRUM

EVERY child should be able to read with confidence and read to learn—this is a fundamental human right and a foundational element for social justice.

The time for the broader community to support the schools, the kids, and their families is now. Never before have we had so many children in Oakland reading so far below grade level. We can point to COVID as the reason, but we know thousands of Oakland’s first-, second-, and third-grade children could not read before COVID. Many more children are struggling now.

Your gifts will help double the weekly tutoring sessions each child receives and grow the number of families that can confidently provide in-home literacy support.

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!

Your Gifts Support High-dosage Tutoring

High-dosage tutoring is widely recognized as an effective intervention and a smart investment by schools and the community to support equitable learning recovery. Tutoring must be evidence-based and supplement quality instruction, especially for children who have experienced significant learning loss as a result of the pandemic. Unfortunately, the children most in need of this intervention are unlikely to have access to high-quality and high-dosage tutoring.

“Family empowerment—making it possible for families to have the confidence and the right tools to support their children academically—is crucial.”

Succeeding by Reading, Children Rising’s early literacy program, is focused on second- and third-graders attending schools in our lowest-income neighborhoods who haven’t yet learned to read. The program curriculum and tools embrace the five critical components of early literacy—phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension. It is also rigorously structured to equip volunteer tutors with the confidence and knowledge to systematically grow foundational literacy skills in every child tutored.

Family empowerment—making it possible for families to have the confidence and the right tools to support their children academically—is crucial. The same tools and training used to equip our volunteer reading tutors are now being made available to the families of the children in our reading program.

Our Community Needs to Act

Our goal this year is to double the weekly tutoring sessions each child receives and grow the number of families that can confidently provide in-home literacy support. Combined, both provide the high-dosage tutoring support so critically necessary to help our kids catch up as quickly as possible.

This is an urgent community need. It requires substantially larger numbers of volunteers from the community. If you have an interest in transforming a child’s life while strengthening your community, consider providing the gift of literacy. Watching a child’s confidence grow as they become readers is as special as it gets—and we can make it easy for you to make it happen!

YES, I CAN empower a child to build bridges to a better future!

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

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

6 Ways Volunteers Support Effective High-Dosage Tutoring

By Eric Steckel
June 23, 2022

Children Rising Programs Contribute to Recovery From Unfinished Learning

Tutoring, and in particular, high-dosage tutoring, has emerged as one of the leading solutions to overcoming unprecedented levels of unfinished learning brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. Volunteer tutoring programs like Succeeding by Reading and Path2Math provide opportunities for community members to step in, be part of this leading-edge solution, and support student recovery.

Trained, supported volunteer tutors contribute to high-dosage learning strategies and support children in their recovery from unfinished learning.

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted learning for all students. According to an April 2021 report by McKinsey, “on average, students are five months behind in mathematics and four months behind in reading by the end of the (2020-2021) school year.” Unfinished learning is even greater for children and youth in under-resourced schools, especially Black, Latino, and English learners.

The Department of Education is urging schools to provide up to 90-minutes of tutoring per week. High-dosage tutoring is generally defined as one-on-one or small group tutoring at least three times per week, totaling about 100 hours of tutoring during the school year. Unfortunately, students most in need of high-dosage tutoring are least likely to have access to a tutor.

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!

Evidence-based High-dosage Tutoring Is Key to Success

Not all tutoring strategies stack up equally. A recent study by the Education Trust highlights effective strategies for implementing high-dosage tutoring. While they stress that state involvement in implementing programming leads to better outcomes, Children Rising programs are uniquely designed to contribute to high-dosage learning strategies and support children in their recovery from unfinished learning.

A recent study by the Education Trust highlights effective strategies for implementing high-dosage tutoring. Succeeding by Reading and Path2Math incorporate many of the components of effective high-dosage tutoring. (Graphic courtesy The Education Trust)

Six Features of Evidence-based High-dosage Tutoring Programs

The following six features are components Succeeding by Reading and Path2Math share with effective, evidence-based tutoring programs.

1. 1:1 Student:Tutor Ratio – High-dosage tutoring works best with a ratio of one tutor for one or two children. Children Rising has long advocated one-on-one tutoring, where caring adults develop trusting relationships with students. The result leads to accelerated learning. Indeed, 70% of our students who receive 20 or more sessions of one-on-one reading tutoring advance two or more grade levels by the end of the year.
2. Skill-building curriculum – Succeeding by Reading and Path2Math are skill-based programs where tutors focus on incrementally building literacy and numeracy skills such as phonics and vocabulary for reading and grade-leveled algebra and geometry skills for numeracy. This approach is evidence-based and has been found to be most effective.
3. Training and Supervision – Effective programs provide pre-service training, ongoing training, and on-site supervision for tutors. Children Rising provides structured training and support so tutors can be effective from day one. It also leads to a high retention rate of 75%, leading to a more experienced pool of tutors.
4. In-School – In-school, teacher-coordinated pull-out sessions have proven most effective with students and have been a hallmark of Children Rising programs.
5. All year – Children Rising tutors stay with a child throughout the academic school year, providing consistent, caring instruction.
6. Younger students – Succeeding by Reading and Path2Math focus on second- and third-grade students, an age most educators feel is crucial to future academic learning.

Community Opportunities to Overcome Unfinished Learning.

As we continue to work with Oakland Unified School District and our school partners, we see an opportunity for the community to contribute to providing high-dosage tutoring and supporting child learning. To be successful, it will require many more caring community members to come alongside these eager children.

Our goal this year is to double the weekly tutoring sessions each child receives and grow the number of families that can confidently provide their children with in-home literacy support. Combined, both provide the high-dosage tutoring support so critically necessary to help our kids quickly become engaged, confident students—so crucial for their future growth and success in school.

If you are interested in volunteering, learn more about opportunities with Children Rising.

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

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

Perspectives — The Power of Family

By Jim Wambach
April 20, 2022

“If there is one thing educators can agree on, it’s this: children do better in school when their parents get involved in their learning.”— William Bennett

By coming alongside an eager student, you are empowering them to overcome COVID-related learning loss and rise to their God-given potential.

Imagine you’re a third-grade teacher trying to teach a third-grade curriculum while 67% of your class are two or more grade levels behind in their reading skills. On top of that, 74% of the class are two or more grade levels behind their foundational math skills. Where do you begin? How do you avoid leaving eager children behind?

This is the dilemma the teachers in our schools face this year.

Now, imagine you are one of those third-graders, three grade levels behind, and you are NOT catching up very quickly. You enter fourth grade, then fifth, with low self-confidence and become increasingly frustrated. When it is time to move into middle school, you are unprepared to learn at a higher level in a new environment with new friends.

This is the dilemma children in our schools have faced for many years, but now more than ever.

In 2006, we recognized an urgent need for children to have nourishing food over the weekend, and Health4Kids became part of the solution. As a community, we must now have that same high sense of urgency to help the children catch up from the unprecedented learning loss caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“As a teacher, you can see the difference in kids who have parents who were involved. That difference, by the time these kids get to the third grade, is drastic.”— Jenna Bush

Your support of Children Rising programs enables parents to become more skilled and confident in helping their children learn at home.

Without a concerted effort to provide the kids additional support in elementary school, we fear an increase in the number of eager children who will eventually disengage academically. In the coming years, we are at high risk of a tremendous rise in the failure rate of the children in our local neighborhoods.

Part of the solution is home empowerment. As a community, we must provide the necessary educational tools, training, and support for parents. Doing so will empower them to be more skilled and confident in helping their children learn at home.

By strengthening the team supporting these amazing children—parents, teachers, and tutors—many more will become active, confident learners and thrive in school instead of dropping out.

YES, I CAN empower a child to build bridges to a better future!

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

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

Nyjah and His Online Math Tutor Work Late To Improve Numeracy Skills

By Eric Steckel
March 30, 2022

Flexibility Helps Busy Family Find Time for Online Math Tutoring

Online math tutoring offers families flexibility in scheduling times that fit their life. Your support of online tutoring will help Nyjah get back to grade level.

Nyjah’s* house is full! His mother, Tabetha, is constantly on the go, taking Nyjah and his six brothers and stepbrothers to and from school and after-school care while working full time. It’s the life of a working mother.

Nyjah is an active second-grader who loves football and basketball. Math is one of his favorite subjects. As with many children, Nyjah’s ability to learn foundational math skills has been severely impacted by COVID-19 constraints. He has fallen behind grade-level standards and struggled to catch up.

Nyjah’s teachers enrolled him in Path2Math for one-on-one online math tutoring this past fall. He was scheduled to meet with his tutor Robert Glickstein at 6:00 pm on Wednesdays. However, it was difficult for Tabetha to make that appointment each week.

“I am inside working all day, and Nyjah doesn’t get out of after-school care until 6:00 pm. With all the kids, I can’t get Nyjah on the Zoom tutoring session until 6:30 pm,” she explained.

Margena Wade-Green, Path2Math Program Director, wanted to find a way for Nyjah to remain in the program and catch up to grade level. She asked Mr. Robert if he would be willing to start his tutoring lesson at 6:30 pm instead.

“I really wanted to be flexible for Nyjah’s family,” Robert shared. “And they have responded. His mom is always there to get him set up, and he’s raring to go.”

“He looks forward to tutoring. To get home from school at the end of the day and want to join a tutoring session, and to be enthused, is amazing.”—Tabetha, Nyjah’s mother.

Nyjah and Mr. Robert have “…established a relationship. There’s comfort. Nyjah feels OK saying, ‘I don’t know that.’”

The modified schedule is working well for both of them. “We’ve gotten through several areas where he’s aced every section and moved up a level,” Robert said. “In particular, he has made great progress in geometry and understanding fractions.”

The one-on-one relationship between Nyjah and Robert is rewarding to both of them. “It is one piece of a larger puzzle to get these kids back to grade level. It’s individual, and that makes a big difference.”

Nyjah’s mother agrees. “He looks forward to tutoring. To get home from school at the end of the day and want to join a tutoring session, and to be enthused, is amazing. He and Mr. Robert established a relationship. There’s comfort. Nyjah feels OK saying, ‘I don’t know that.’”

She also sees progress. “Nyjah’s more focused, getting his work done correctly. He is reading more. In math, he’s applying what he’s learned in tutoring. That’s where the progress is,” she reports.

Nyjah receives the nurturing, caring support he needs to succeed in school despite a full house and hectic schedules.

An hour a week can make all the difference for a child struggling in math. Your support of online math tutoring will help Nyjah get back to grade level.

YES, I CAN empower a child to build bridges to a better future!

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

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

* Names changed to protect the identity of the students

CareerBridge Interns Support Path2Math Program

By Eric Steckel
January 20, 2022

Enthusiasm and Compassion Fuels Summer Learning

You are empowering youth like Leticia to respond to the needs of the community by providing them opportunities to come alongside children struggling in math and reading.

When Randy Roth founded Children Rising in 2001, his vision was “to prepare today’s youth for a life of serving others and contributing positively to their communities.” This year, we watched that vision spring to life in a profound and touching way.

Last spring, as COVID continued to disrupt classrooms, Path2Math launched online tutoring with a limited number of tutors. It was a daunting challenge, but the need was great. Testing revealed an exceedingly high number of second-grade students experienced significant COVID-related learning loss. Many were at a kindergarten level in math. More than ever before, children needed continued tutoring throughout the summer to have any hope of catching up to grade level. At the same time, our CareerBridge students were eager to begin summer internships despite a scarcity of opportunities.

As the director of both programs, Margena Wade-Green saw a chance to harness youthful enthusiasm and provide online tutoring to eager children. She created a unique internship for CareerBridge students to support the fledgling Path2Math online program. The interns tutored second-graders in math, helped troubleshoot technical issues with the online platform, and hosted a Math Club game room where students watched fun math videos and singalongs, socialized, and worked on their assignments before and after tutoring sessions.

“Realizing that I can make a difference was really nice…If this helps even a few students then that’s good.”

Leticia, a senior who has been with CareerBridge since her freshman year, was grateful for the Path2Math internship. “It expanded my worldview…it gave me a sense of working and the many different opportunities out there.”

Children in our local schools are overcoming COVID-related learning loss thanks to the compassion and support of the community. Your gifts ensure they reach their God-given potential.

She took her responsibilities very seriously. “It was upsetting to hear that so many kids were falling behind in math during COVID because it is a difficult subject and there was a shortage of support programs.”

It opened her eyes to opportunities to give back. “It was my first time tutoring…and you could see they were really having fun singing and dancing and smiling. Realizing that I can make a difference was really nice. I experienced working and directly helping someone learn math. If this helps even a few students then that’s good.”

Sabine, a junior who has also been with CareerBridge since her freshman year, found the experience to be extremely meaningful. “As someone who enjoys working with kids and is passionate about education issues in the school system, I felt like I really made an impact when engaging with the children,” she said. “I always looked forward to the students I would get to see once a week and work on math with because those were very special connections to me.”

There is no higher calling than to serve others. By creating genuine connections with the children they tutored, CareerBridge interns fulfilled Randy’s vision. We look forward to seeing how they continue to find opportunities to uplift their community, one precious child at a time.

You can become a tutor today. Give an eager child the boost they need to reach their God-given potential.

YES, I CAN empower a child to build bridges to a better future!

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

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

Perspectives — We Tip Our Hat to You AND Our Educators

By Jim Wambach
December 9, 2021

“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, and families in our community through your time, talent, and gifts. It has made all the difference as we adjust to the challenges of one-on-one tutoring in the era of COVID.

Thank you. We could not have possibly served the children this year without you.

Math and reading tutors provide individual care and instruction to children eager to learn and provide much-needed support to teachers.

We are also grateful for everyone in the extended Children Rising family. Over the years, Children Rising has developed strong partnerships with our local educators. The challenges they have faced day after day and year after year have been daunting. COVID compounded those challenges. Our teachers quickly pivoted and learned to teach remotely for an entire year, but their frustrations had to be great. Not only were they working much longer hours, they knew they were less effective instructing the children.

A year later, teachers no longer have to teach remotely. However, they now face steep learning curves where 80% of the children in their classrooms are two or more years behind grade level. Imagine trying to prepare 30 second-graders to be ready for the third grade when many of them don’t even know the letters of the alphabet or can’t count to 100! We are simply in awe of the dedication and passion our educators have for the children and youth in our community. They continue to exert extraordinary efforts to ensure the kids receive the care and instruction they so richly deserve.

Children are happy to be back in school. Your support empowers them to recover as quickly as possible from COVID-related learning loss.

We are honored to work side by side with them and support their efforts with our interventional tutoring programs, Succeeding by Reading and Path2Math. This year, we are partnering with as many schools as possible as quickly as possible. We are grateful for the teachers’ extraordinary tenacity, enthusiasm, and dedication to providing for the needs of the children in their classrooms.

Our goal is to support those teachers by providing individual care, attention, and instruction to the children they refer to us—empowering those children to recover as quickly as possible from COVID-related learning loss.

The past year and a half has been a challenge for all of us, especially our educators. They are on the front lines, every day, caring for our kids, instructing them, and dedicating the best of themselves to the future generation. It is a noble calling.

I want to take a moment to express my heartfelt gratitude to every member of the Children Rising family. The children need all of us now, more than ever.

For the children,

YES, I CAN empower a child to build bridges to a better future!

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

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

Mikayla Overcomes Learning Challenges in Math

By Eric Steckel
October 15, 2021

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 many children in Oakland, she also struggles with foundational math skills and lags behind grade level.

Tutoring two hours a week – either online or in-person – is all it takes to empower two struggling students to overcome learning challenges, and recover academically and emotionally from the pandemic.

“She has had challenges,” Mey Mey, Mikayla’s mother, explained. “She likes to learn and she likes hands-on learning. But she might be dyslexic. It’s made reading, writing, everything a little bit more difficult for her.”

Kathleen Baker, a Path2Math tutor, worked with Mikayla in the spring and summer. “Mikayla’s just a sweetheart. Definitely on the shyer side, but she really enjoys math,” she said. “It takes a little while to get them to feel comfortable and talk about themselves, so I always show them my dogs right away. It’s a great ice breaker, and it just warms them up immediately.”

Once they got to know one another, Mikayla and Kathleen jumped into math together. “The Path2Math IXL program is fantastic,” Kathleen explained. “The way it diagnoses where a child is and then gives you the recommendations is just fantastic. If the child misses a few problems in a row, it takes them back to where they had success, but it keeps moving them forward in their skill level. And that’s what we did with Mikayla, and she just kept achieving new skills.”

“When I saw her figuring things out in her head, I was like, ‘Whoa, that is just amazing!’. And I let her know how amazing I think she is.” — Kathleen Baker, Path2Math Tutor

Despite her challenges, Mikayla has made significant progress. She started off working on first-grade level exercises and achieved a certificate of completion. She then moved on to second-grade level and has mastered many of the skills to reach grade-level proficiency.

Each time she reached a certificate, we printed it out so she could put it on her wall. “Mikayla can point to that certificate and say, ‘That’s me. That’s what I achieved.’ It is about praising the accomplishment and building their self-esteem and confidence.” Kathleen said.

Your support of Children Rising helped Mikayla recover from COVID-19 learning loss and catch up to her classmates in math.

Tutors frequently have “aha” moments where all the hard work starts to connect and click. “One of the things that really blew my mind towards the end of our time was Mikayla started adding and subtracting in her head, not on paper, and not counting on her fingers. I could see her eyes moving when she was trying to figure something out, and then she would come up with the answer.”

MeyMey credits the one-on-one attention. “It helps her focus. When she’s in a group, she might think, ‘I don’t have to do this part.’ but one-on-one, she remains focused and engaged.”

As Mikayla moves into third grade this year, the work she has done in Path2Math will position her to catch up to grade level and succeed in school.

You can become a tutor today. You can give a struggling student the boost they need to reach their God-given potential!

YES, I CAN empower a child to build bridges to a better future!

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

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

* Names changed to protect the identity of the students

Reading and Math Tutors Needed in Oakland Elementary Schools

By Jim Wambach
October 1, 2021

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 and other community partners now offer programs online. This summer, for the first time ever, we provided summer tutoring sessions for reading and math – with volunteers from all over the Bay Area jumping online with the kids!

There is now a profound need — and opportunity — to do more for more of these kids and make truly meaningful progress in closing the devastating achievement gap that has widened in the midst of the pandemic. Fall testing results are in, and 75-80% of the second-graders in the schools we serve at OUSD are two or more grade levels behind in reading and/or math. Below are math scores from 22 second-graders from one classroom, representative of the schools we serve.

Tutors Needed! These are 22 amazing little people that are going to need all of the support they can get this year.

Our amazing educators are working extremely hard but they really have their hands full this year. These results are not a surprise. We’ve all been talking about pandemic-related learning loss, but stats don’t tell the whole story. Although it makes for very grim reading, it’s important to remember these are 22 amazing little people that are going to need all of the support they can get this year.

A shortage of tutors this year

This is not a normal request for volunteers. The need is greater than ever to serve the schools we are currently working with. Unfortunately, because of COVID, our numbers are down. Path2Math needs at least 40 more tutors. Succeeding by Reading needs another 40-50 tutors.

Each of you can help

Become a tutor. If you have ever considered stepping forward to nurture and empower a struggling child in school, now is the time!

It’s an extraordinary time, and your help in spreading the word and generating community interest to get involved can make a huge difference this year for many children. Here’s how you can help.

• Become a tutor. If you have ever considered stepping forward to nurture and empower a struggling child in school, now is the time.
• Spread the word. If you know of anyone who may be interested in tutoring an amazing young learner, please share this with them.
• Learn more about Children Rising tutoring opportunities. If you are on the fence, this may be the tipping point for you!

The programs are ready – Path2Math makes it possible for every volunteer to tutor online. Succeeding by Reading is looking for tutors who can tutor the kids in the schools.

Please let me know if you have any questions or need additional information. I am grateful for any assistance you can provide as we work to spread the word throughout the community.

For the Children,

Jim

YES, I CAN empower a child to build bridges to a better future!

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

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

Perspectives – Bridging Digital Divide Provides Online Tutoring Opportunity for All

By Jim Wambach
July 13, 2021

“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 due to the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

None of this would have been possible without the amazing progress the community has made in bridging the digital divide.

“With a levelling of the playing field in access to technology, we see a profound opportunity for community partners to take the Oakland community a step closer to the day when every child can have access to a tutor, regardless of their family’s financial resources.”

The Oakland Undivided Campaign, a partnership between the Mayor’s office of education, Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) the Oakland Public Education Fund, and Tech Exchange, made dramatic strides toward ensuring that every student in Oakland has access to a computer and the internet. It was a herculean effort with wide-ranging benefits for children, youth, and families who struggled to keep up with technology requirements of 21st century education. And it was long overdue!

Your support helped close the digital divide and ensures that children struggling in reading and math are no longer excluded by lack of technology or financial resources.

With a leveling of the playing field in access to technology, we see a profound opportunity for community partners to take the Oakland community a step closer to the day when every child can have access to a tutor, regardless of their family’s financial resources. Children Rising’s online tutoring provides opportunities for many more caring adults throughout the Bay Area to tutor a struggling child, all from the comfort of their home or office. And with additional tutors, we can come alongside many more students struggling in reading or math.

The online functionality is an enhancement of the proven Succeeding by Reading and Path2Math tutoring programs. Students in need of additional instruction will now be able to receive tutoring outside of school hours and throughout the summer. In addition, the ability to support parents in coaching their child, as well as provide access to educational tools, is a significant program enrichment.

Trained, caring tutors are key to empowering children to rise to their God-given potential. We can’t wait to get back to in-person tutoring, but now our amazing tutors are available online as well. We recognized this unique opportunity so that when students do return to the classroom, we will be better prepared to support and empower many more children, their families, and our school partners.

YES, I CAN empower a child to build bridges to a better future!

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

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

Nakoa Continues His Progress in Math

By Eric Steckel
July 9, 2021

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 has made significant progress this year. Through summer tutoring sessions, he should be able to reach grade level in math going into fourth grade.

Nakoa first enrolled in Path2Math as a second-grader in the 2019-2020 school year. He had been making significant progress in his math skills, and was on course to get back to grade level. When schools closed last March due to COVID-19, Nakoa, like so many students, began to struggle. Despite the best efforts by our dedicated teachers and principals, distance learning was not an adequate substitute for in-school instruction. Ms. Cheryl, his grandmother, was alarmed when Nakoa began to fall further behind once again.

Fortunately for Nakoa, he has a loving caregiver who advocated for his education. Ms. Cheryl reached out to Children Rising.

“I didn’t want him to fall behind,” she explained. “I’m a grandma, I’m not a teacher, so I was really worried that I wouldn’t be able to give him what he needed to sustain his level of learning.”

“The online tutoring has allowed us to adapt to the student’s need on a more individual level.” — Reto Peter, Path2Math Tutor

In October, Nakoa was re-enrolled as a third-grader in Path2Math Anywhere, our newly-developed online tutoring program. Since then, he has been working with Mr. Reto, one of our experienced math tutors, once a week for 45 minutes. Despite some absences and hiccups along the way, Nakoa’s progress has been steady and consistent.

Ms. Cheryl is happy that Nakoa is receiving summer tutoring and hopes that her grandson will get back to grade level in math going into the fourth grade.

“The online tutoring has allowed us to adapt to the student’s need on a more individual level,” Mr. Reto told us. “However, with everything that’s going on in their house, and their home and their environment, it can be challenging sometimes. But, because their regular teachers just can’t give them the individual attention they need, we as tutors can do that, even if it’s just an hour a week.”

In that time, Nakoa has mastered 40 skills in all, including 22 skills in Level E (third grade) and three skills in Level F (fourth grade). That puts his overall math level at 340, which is squarely between third- and fourth-grade level. Our goal is to get Nakoa’s math level to 400, which is where he needs to be going into fourth-grade math.

The good news is that because of the expansion of our online tutoring program, Nakoa will continue to work with Mr. Reto through summer tutoring sessions. Although Nakoa’s attendance and effort is key to reaching his goals, Mr. Reto is confident.

“He’s ready to work when we get online. He loves when we do speed flash cards, and he’s been showing some interest in geometry, so it’s been fun, it’s been great.”

We are so pleased with Nakoa’s hard work and look forward to reporting on Nakoa’s progress going into fourth grade.

* Names changed to protect the identity of the students

YES, I CAN empower a child to build bridges to a better future!

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

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

Perspectives – Oakland Undivided Forever Maintains Path Toward Closing Digital Divide, Achieving Educational Equity

By Jim Wambach
July 1, 2021

Access to Technology ensures that all children in Oakland have a fair and equitable chance to succeed in school

Your support of Children Rising and Oakland Undivided is closing the digital divide and laying the groundwork for lasting educational equity.

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 more delighted with this fantastic news.

The Oakland Undivided Campaign, a partnership between the Mayor’s office of education, Oakland Unified School District (OUSD), the Oakland Public Education Fund, and Tech Exchange, made dramatic strides toward closing the digital divide over the past year. With the announcement of Oakland Undivided FOREVER, this groundbreaking program will be extended long into the future.

This is an important development for our community schools!

Access to technology not only closes the digital divide. It ensures that all children in Oakland have a fair and equitable chance to succeed in school and reach their God-given potential in life.

“Lack of technology and internet access is an equity issue across the country, and Oakland shows us that a solution is not only within reach, but that it can happen very quickly.” — Cindy Marten, U.S. Deputy Secretary of Education

It also lays the groundwork for nonprofits to provide expanded enrichment programs for students in need of additional academic support. Just last month, Children Rising announced the launch of free online math and reading tutoring to boost the COVID recovery for elementary school children. Online tutoring is only made possible through student access to technology and the closing of the digital divide that has hampered so many students from low-income backgrounds.

We applaud the efforts of our community leaders in making this public-private partnership a reality.

“In order to achieve equity in education, we must guarantee that all students have the tools they need to succeed,” said OUSD Superintendent Kyla Johnson-Trammell. “Let’s face it, in the 21st century if you don’t have a computer and internet connectivity, you are at a serious disadvantage because you cannot do your work remotely, and worse, you can’t access the world of information that exists on the web. We must ensure that all Oakland students have the same ability to access their education as their peers here and across the country.”

Oakland Undivided raised more than $12.5 million and distributed more than 29,000 computers and 10,000 internet hot spots to students in need to keep at home, along with accessible culturally competent tech support for all. In less than a year.

This is a momentous announcement and one that the entire Oakland community should be proud of. Indeed, our national leaders have taken notice as well.

“What Oakland is doing for their students and families in closing the digital divide is remarkable,” said U.S. Deputy Secretary of Education, Cindy Marten. “Lack of technology and internet access is an equity issue across the country, and Oakland shows us that a solution is not only within reach, but that it can happen very quickly. #OaklandUndivided is a thoughtful, strategic model that addresses both immediate needs and sustainable solutions to close the digital divide for good.”

If people want to help, online tutoring means that opportunities are more possible and more important than ever. Just an hour of time, once a week, allows a caring adult to tutor a struggling student in reading or math and make a lasting difference in that child’s life, all from the comfort of their home or office. Thanks to Oakland Undivided for making so much of this possible… for the children!

YES, I CAN ensure children have a fair and equitable chance in school!

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

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

Perspectives – Online Tutoring Fosters Holistic Relationships With Children and Families

By Jim Wambach
January 26, 2021

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 gather real-time data to track the progress of the child. However, the connections we have been able to make with the families of our kids is a significant, additional benefit derived from online tutoring. We are excited that the impact is significant now, and will carry over into the future even after schools open and in-person tutoring resumes. By establishing a one-on-one connection with the families, we are better able to partner with them and provide support for their children in a far more holistic way.

“Perhaps most importantly, the relationships we have forged have shown the families that they are not alone, and others in the community care enough to help their child.”

We first noticed how eager parents were for their children to receive online tutoring when we launched Path2Math Anywhere. These parents could not afford a tutor for their children. Concerned their children were falling further and further behind, they took time out of their busy, often hectic schedules, to learn about our tools. They were so incredibly eager for additional resources and welcomed the opportunity to partner with us. This has opened up important relationships we were unable to forge through our traditional in-school model.

Deeper, richer relationships with children and their families

Your support helped us deliver one-on-one online tutoring, which has allowed us to develop deeper, richer relationships with children and their families.

As the tutor-parent-student relationships blossomed, we began to ask ourselves, “What more can we do?” We noticed that while the parents were eager for academic support, many of them needed help accessing technology and getting their child online. Through our newfound relationships, we were able to listen to their needs, and provide them with guidance in accessing laptops, hot spots, headphones, and more from the Oakland Unified School District, as well as other outlets.

Once connected, many parents were concerned that their child was already far behind in their homework assignments. They asked if they could receive homework support in addition to tutoring. One boy was an astounding 17 assignments behind just two months into the school year! Unconstrained by class schedules, we began to include homework support as part of the tutoring to help students catch up and better understand their assignments. Now we are able to assist the children as they learn the foundational skills, and then guide them through their assignments when they need a little extra help.

Demarcus was 17 assignments behind just 2 months into the school year. You helped his family get the resources he needed to catch up to his classmates.

Perhaps most importantly, the relationships we have forged have shown the families that they are not alone, and others in the community care enough to help their child. So many of them are feeling the stress of balancing an already difficult set of life challenges with the additional responsibilities imposed by the daily demands of distance learning. Our tutors and clinic coordinators provide an understanding ear and a knowledgeable resource that can help guide them.

All of this underscores what we have known all along, that it’s all about relationships. Thanks to an unintended consequence of distance learning, we are now developing deeper, richer relationships with children and their families. Relationships that we believe will accelerate a child’s ability to learn and catch-up to grade-level skills in reading and math in the months and years ahead.

PS: Please consider joining the Children Rising Legacy Circle, a group of passionate supporters who have created a legacy gift. Legacy gifts may be including Children Rising in their will, or making us a beneficiary of their life insurance. For years to come, you will ensure that an elementary school child has a dedicated tutor and friend, or a high school youth has a caring mentor.

YES, I CAN empower a child to build bridges to a better future!

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

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

Path2Math Provides Nakoa Structure, Support, and Online Math Tutoring in Midst of COVID-19

By Eric Steckel
October 2, 2020

Your gifts in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic have provided Nakoa additional learning resources – and online math tutoring – so that he can retain what he has learned.

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 instruction from school.

Last year, Nakoa was behind his classmates in math, and was enrolled in Path2Math. Working with Michelle Hutcherson, he was making very good progress until COVID-19 struck. Although we could no longer meet with Nakoa for weekly tutoring, Ms. Cheryl, his grandmother, was very happy to receive math worksheets and a Safeway gift card as part of our COVID-19 Family Relief Program. “I am not a teacher, and he doesn’t respond to me like he responds to his teachers,” she explained. “I was just happy for any resources that would help Nakoa because I don’t want him to fall behind.”

Nakoa has his own workspace at the dining table with his computer, pencils, and pens. He likes his setup. It motivates him, and he’s done well so far with distance learning. “Unfortunately, there’s just not enough of it yet. He needs structure,” Ms. Cheryl explained.

“I was just happy for any resources that would help Nakoa, because I don’t want him to fall behind.” – Cheryl Edwards, Nakoa’s grandmother

Like an entire generation of school children, Nakoa’s been stuck at home, unable to see his friends, and sorely missing the structure and instruction from school.

Recalling the packets of math worksheets Nakoa received over the summer, she reached out to Children Rising last month. Steve Nation, the Path2Math program coordinator at Nakoa’s school, immediately sent the family some additional math worksheets to help. While it seems like a small gesture, Ms. Cheryl was uplifted to know there were resources to help her.

“I was just so impressed that Children Rising followed up. I’d love to get Nakoa additional resources, but I’m so thankful.”

Nakoa and his grandmother are not alone. There are so many eager students in need of a little extra guidance, support, and individual attention. The Path2Math and Succeeding by Reading teams are working tirelessly to adapt and enhance our proven one-on-one tutoring programs to incorporate online learning functionality.

Nakoa’s school will be part of our online math tutoring program this year. At the request of his principal, we plan to enroll Nakoa and others in his class, continuing where we left off when shelter-in-place orders went into effect. With his enthusiasm to learn and the guidance of his caring tutor, we look forward to Nakoa getting back to grade level in math this year.

YES, I CAN help a promising child eager to learn.

 I am interested in online tutoring. Tell me more!

 I want help fund Children Rising tutoring and mentoring programs.

*Name changed to maintain confidentiality

Shy and Reserved Child Learns Vital Math Skills

By Eric Steckel
July 14, 2020

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.

Jocelyn was quiet and reserved, and far behind her class in math. Your gift made it possible for Jocelyn to get back to grade level in math.

“She was just really behind in both math and reading,” explained her teacher, Ms. Danielle Kerr. “And she was so quiet – no behavior problems – and sometimes students like that just get overlooked in a crowded classroom.”

Jocelyn was referred to Children Rising’s Path2Math interventional tutoring program and paired with Lynn Nelson, a first-year tutor who felt anxiety herself about her role.

“She was just really behind in both math and reading, and she was so quiet…sometimes students like that just get overlooked in a crowded classroom.” — Danielle Kerr

“The first time I walked in and I met her, I thought, ‘What am I doing here? Am I capable of doing this? Will she like me?’ ” Lynn confessed. “But Jocelyn seemed very comfortable from the beginning, apart from the shyness. I think she’s used to having teachers and having people help her.”

Despite their mutual anxiety, the two bonded immediately. Lynn empathized with the shy little girl who didn’t want to go to the blackboard. Rather than making Jocelyn go to the blackboard, Lynn would have her do the problem on a dry erase board at her seat. “I’d nod and smile when she had come up with the right solution,” she explained.

Although Jocelyn was still counting on her fingers, Lynn observed something that helped make math fun. “I saw that she loved to draw. I was able to integrate math with her drawing. Instead of doing numbers, I’d have her ‘Draw me four hearts’ or that sort of thing. I think she could relate to those drawings more than just the number four, and she enjoyed drawing.”

“That was really fun to see her blossom to the point where she was very excited about raising her hand and wanting to go up to the board and be outwardly involved with her math.” — Lynn Nelson

Lynn’s unique approach worked, and Jocelyn enjoyed their sessions together. “I think she could feel that I was very happy to be there and to be helping her. I think she just enjoyed doing it after a while.”

Over time, Jocelyn began to raise her hand when she thought she had the right answer, and even dared to go to the blackboard. “She began to get a little more confident in what she knew and that she was doing it right. That was really fun to see her blossom to the point where she was very excited about raising her hand and wanting to go up to the board and be outwardly involved with her math.”

Now in third grade, Jocelyn is confident in her math skills.

In the classroom, Jocelyn became more active as well. Now she “has more confidence, talks all the time, and has friends.” Ms. Kerr said.

Jocelyn has recently completed third grade. When we caught up with her, (pre-COVID-19) Path2Math program manager Michelle Hutcherson observed Jocelyn’s math skills. “Lynn helped Jocelyn break out of her shyness and quiet, and become confident, happy to be learning math. I believe Jocelyn could even teach another child!”

Ms. Kerr and Lynn both feel that the one-on-one relationship had a big part to play in Jocelyn’s progress. “I wish I could give it to all of my students,” Ms. Kerr said. “Our class sizes are so big and they just need more individual attention. It’s unfortunate that the teacher can’t spend as much one-on-one time with her.”

“It was a thrill for me,” Lynn said. “It made me want to come back and do more with another student and see if I could have an impact on somebody’s life to help them in the next step.”

YES, I CAN help a promising child eager to learn.

 I am interested in online tutoring this fall!

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

* Name changed to maintain confidentiality

Advocacy: Speaking on behalf of or in support of vulnerable children

By Jim Wambach
March 11, 2020

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

Our dedicated community volunteers – who tutor reading and math, mentor high school youth, provide library services, feed the hungry, and support our staff – are indeed heroes. They are all responding to an urgent need to address the substantial educational disparity that exists for children growing up in our lowest-income neighborhoods and attending local schools.

Every week throughout the school year, our volunteer tutors make it possible for a struggling boy or girl to receive one-on-one attention that tells that child they matter, despite where they live or the immense challenges they must overcome. The tutoring session is dedicated to teaching reading skills or building a basic math foundation, but our heroes’ true superpowers involve listening, encouraging, and being truly present for their child. Volunteer tutors are fueled by a deep commitment to nurturing a vulnerable child and making a difference in our community. This is advocacy.

Caring tutors establish relationships with students that stimulate learning and build self-worth.

By simultaneously building learning and self-worth, our tutors empower these children with hope, the courage to dream, and an opportunity to thrive.

“I know you can’t live on hope alone; but without hope, life is not worth living. So you, and you and you: you got to give them hope; you got to give them hope.” ― Harvey Milk

The need is great. The solution is simple, but not easy. Please consider volunteering or making a financial gift. Everyone can be an advocate as we all work to give these wonderful children a more just and fair opportunity to rise to their potential.

YES, I CAN help a vulnerable child SOAR to their God-given potential.

 I want to visit a reading or math clinic to see if tutoring is right for me!

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

Children Rising Celebrates Our 30th Tutoring Clinic!

By Eric Steckel
February 27, 2020

Your support allows us to respond to heartfelt needs from our community schools so we may help struggling students soar to their potential.

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, the principal at Grass Valley Elementary School, called Children Rising. She asked if we could provide tutoring in math and reading to the many students she observed to be two grade levels behind. Although we don’t normally begin clinics in the middle of the year, we understood the gravity of the situation. Like the very first school we worked in – Burbank Elementary School – there was a heartfelt need. We agreed to roll up our sleeves and partner with Grass Valley for the children.

Margena Wade-Green, Path2Math program director, and Michelle Hutcherson, Path2Math program manager, went to Grass Valley and conducted assessments. They found the majority of the students were indeed one to two grade levels behind where they should be. Although we did not have tutors available to serve Grass Valley, Margena and Michelle were undeterred. They revised the curriculum, found Barbara, an eager new tutor, and began working with 15 of the lowest-performing students.

Volunteer math tutors like Barbara make it possible for vulnerable children to catch up to their peers in school.

“It’s not hard work, and it’s a labor of love. It is so gratifying to see the children leave our clinic happy and with a better attitude toward learning, and that makes all the difference in their development. We make sure they leave on a high note, even if it’s the only one they have all day.” – Margena Wade Green

The biggest hurdle to overcome was to encourage and incentivize learning. “The children simply did not have the structure or foundation to learn, nor the consistency in their instruction,” Margena said. “Many of the kids have a tendency to give up. We are providing a foundation to learn and, just as importantly, the encouragement to not give up.”

Things are going very well so far. The children are excited to learn and empowered by the opportunity. “It’s not hard work, and it’s a labor of love. It is so gratifying to see the children leave our clinic happy and with a better attitude toward learning, and that makes all the difference in their development. We make sure they leave on a high note, even if it’s the only one they have all day.”

You are helping us to expand our services in Grass Valley Elementary School and help many more children in math and reading.

We look forward to expanding our partnership with Grass Valley Elementary School. Since the start of our Path2Math clinic, we have been working to launch a Succeeding by Reading clinic and are eager to begin next year with a full head of steam.

Like the many other schools we serve, there is so much need at Grass Valley. If you are interested in being a math or reading tutor, this is your opportunity to come alongside a vulnerable child and empower them to rise to their God-given potential. Become a tutor now!

YES, I CAN help a vulnerable child SOAR to their God-given potential.

 I want to visit a math or reading clinic to see if it is right for me!

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

“The Border Is Here” – What Can We Do About It?

By Eric Steckel
February 20, 2020

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

For many of the children we tutor, English is their second language, and they are struggling to overcome the language barrier in school.

Last week, Children Rising participated in the Project Peace Speaker Series event “The Border Is Here”. The panel discussion included a wide array of speakers discussing the issues surrounding immigration from unique perspectives of housing, education, policy, the legal system, and the specific East Bay context.

As Rev. Deborah Lee, the Executive Director of the Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity, stated from the outset, there were going to be elements of the conversation that would make us squirm in our seats. That certainly reflects the complex nature of the immigration debate in our country. However, whatever your personal beliefs, it was refreshing to be in a room with people of good will, exploring and pondering the difficult questions we as a nation, a state, and a region are confronting.

“42% of the students we tutor in reading and math are Latino. 30% are English learners, speaking their native language at home and struggling with English at school.”

The issue of immigration, and “the stranger in our midst,” touches Children Rising on a daily basis. As I interviewed Succeeding by Reading clinic coordinator Gwen Stephens for a recent newsletter article, I was reminded that for many of the children we tutor, English is their second language. 42% of the students we tutor in reading and math are Latino. 30% are English learners, speaking their native language at home and struggling with English at school. Indeed, for our tutors, the border is here. Children Rising is doing something about it by teaching these children fundamental reading and math skills so they can rise above the additional challenges of learning in a second language.

Find something sustainable and close to your heart that you can do to make a difference in the life of a struggling child.

As the evening concluded, a question came in from the audience: What do you recommend we do about it? For people of good will, that is the question that leads to action, and several of the responses were empowering.

1. Go to another event and become involved in finding a solution. It’s easy, but don’t stop here.
2. Find something sustainable and close to your heart that you can do to make a difference. Then commit to it.

The good news? The opportunity is at hand to empower these and many other vulnerable children who are surrounded by poverty and attending severely under resourced schools. One-on-one tutors meeting with students each week, are nurturing hope, the courage to dream, and the opportunity to thrive – and making a generational impact in our community, one precious child at a time.

YES, I CAN help a vulnerable child rise above the challenges of learning in a second language.

 I want to visit a math or reading clinic to see if it is right for me!

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

A ‘Fun-loving’ Child Focuses on Math and Gets Back to Grade-level

By Eric Steckel
October 8, 2019

Your support of one-to-one tutoring gave Aadae the belief that she was smart and could master math skills.

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 to understand the curriculum. Her teacher Ms. Kelly Haider was concerned that she would fall even further behind. Fortunately, Ms. Haider knew just who to turn to.

Cheryl Gipson had been a Path2Math tutor for several years. She and Ms. Haider had developed a working relationship that helped them reach struggling students. “Cheryl was somebody that I knew I could give Aadae to, who I knew Aadae would not run over, who I knew would be able to help,” Ms. Haider explained.

Aadae was bright and eager to learn. Cheryl just needed to harness that youthful energy and enthusiasm. “There were some days when I had to kind of settle her down,” explained Cheryl, “But she was a very good student. She was very easy to teach because she always took the time to listen and really get what you’re talking about and how you were going about it.”

Sometimes Aadae would surprise her math tutor with more advanced math, like multiplication. “As it turns out,” Cheryl said, “one of her brothers or sisters would take the time to help her.” Cheryl was pleased to hear about the support at home and encouraged Aadae to keep asking her siblings for help.

“All they’re looking for is love, and love can really change a child’s perspective in a whole different way.”

With such a team by her side, Aadae worked hard and began helping other kids! “After learning a lot of the skills from Cheryl, she was raising her hand on her own,” Ms. Haider said. “When she got a concept and she knew another student was struggling with it, she would try to help them with it. She felt confident.”

Ms. Haider has absolutely no doubt about the importance of “that amazing group that helps with math.” She observed, “A lot of it was just Aadae having somebody else in her corner rooting for her. That’s what Cheryl really was able to be, she was able to be that friend and mentor.”

“Sometimes you don’t know how much it really can impact little kids, because little kids are just innocent, and all they’re looking for is love,” explained Cheryl, “And love can really change a child’s perspective in a whole different way.”

*Name changed to maintain confidentiality

Our vision is that every struggling child is reached by a caring community at a critical time in their life to nurture hope, the courage to dream, and the opportunity to thrive.

Tutor Training in October:

SbR Tutor Training

Wednesday, October 23, 3:00 – 5:30 pm
2633 Telegraph Ave, #412, Oakland 94612

YES, I CAN help a struggling child reach their God-given potential.

 I want to attend an upcoming tutor orientation session to see if tutoring is right for me!

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

Our Children at the Crossroads: Path2Math

By Jim Wambach
June 5, 2018

Perspectives article by Jim Wambach, Executive Director

Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.

– Nelson Mandela, South African political leader

Dear Children Rising Community,

Thank you for all the help, love, understanding, and academic support that you have provided during this academic year! Because of your extraordinary efforts, almost 1,000 children have more hope for a promising future and a better opportunity to realize their God-given potential.

Math Tutor Jeni Williams and her students

From listening to schools and the community, it has become more evident to us that there is a widespread AND extremely urgent need to help children develop math “literacy” in the second grade and math “fluency” in the fifth grade. In 2017, 2,500 second-graders and 2,900 fifth-graders in the Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) tested below California standards. Right now, hundreds of second-grade children are 2 or more grade levels behind in their math skills!

Unless these children are able to gain a strong foundation of math skills and math awareness, they will struggle mightily in grades 3 and beyond. They will fall further and further behind as they are asked to incorporate new math skills and critical reasoning abilities. Many will rapidly lose self-confidence and self-esteem and become increasingly at risk of choosing the wrong path – and eventually dropping out of school.

There currently are no other providers of free, in-school math tutoring available to OUSD students. This school year, in response to that need, we decided to deepen and expand our existing math tutoring opportunities into a pilot math-tutoring program at two schools this year. This new program, Path2Math, will be more comprehensive and replicate the best practices of our Succeeding by Reading Program. Path2Math will eventually be available to all 19 schools currently served by our Succeeding by Reading program.

End-of-year celebration at the Laurel Math clinic

As in our Succeeding by Reading program, Path2Math tutors will be specifically trained and coached, and provided the tools necessary to successfully help a child learn to understand AND love math. Please consider becoming a Path2Math volunteer math tutor – it will be great fun and you will make a profound difference in a child’s life if you do!

For the children,

Jim

YES, I CAN help transform a child’s life. Let’s talk!

 I want to be a tutor or mentor this school year. Tell me more!

 I want help fund Children Rising tutoring and mentoring programs.

Growing into the Promise

By Children Rising
June 5, 2018

Article written by Pam May (Kids Count) and Jessie Palmatier (Admin)

A few of our faithful math tutors. Join the team!

This year has been a time of building up here at Children Rising. Along with adding several new staff members, we are excited to introduce the newest addition to the Children Rising family of programs: Kids Count! This learner-centered math tutoring program seeks to reduce barriers to success and provide a welcoming environment that supports teacher instruction while enriching student learning.

Our tutors take a personalized approach for each student, addressing the “mismatch” between a student’s grade level and the actual skills he or she has developed. Tutors find unique and creative opportunities to engage each student individually, making learning math a comprehensive and meaningful experience.

Math Tutor Steve Nation and his student Divine

Steve Nation, pastor of Oakland Worship Center and one of a handful of math tutors this school year, enjoys his time helping kids with math—and the other victories that come with it. In a recent interview, Steve explained that when he first sees kids come into tutoring, they’re not sure of themselves.

“You can see it in their posture sometimes. Slumping over when they’re doing their math problems, they’re not confident. And by the time you work with them a few weeks, their postures change, they’re sitting up straight now. They’re engaged and they’re excited about doing math now, as opposed to it being a drudge and a dread to them. You see that transformation happen right before your eyes.”

One of the most important things we can do for kids is to simply believe in them. Steve remembers, when raising his own kids, he had no doubt they would be good at math because it always came naturally to him. He brings the same confidence to his tutoring—he just believes the students will be successful. “That’s part of being ‘at promise,’” Steve says. “As Randy used to say, ‘We hold the crown up above their heads and let them grow into the promise that they have already within them.’ ”