Children Rising Receives Cisco Foundation Regional Impact Grant to Expand Volunteer Management
By Eric Steckel
April 18, 2025 | Read More
Expanding Volunteer Support Through Innovation and Community Partnership Children Rising is honored to announce that we have been awarded a Regional Solution Grant (RSG) from Cisco Foundation for the 2025-26 fiscal year. This grant will provide vital support for the development of a new Volunteer Management System, allowing us to better recruit, onboard, and support […]
Why Math AND Reading Are Critical for Future Success
By Jim Wambach
March 17, 2025 | Read More
Building Early Confidence and a Love for Numbers is Essential. A recent study from the Urban Institute underscores the significant impact of early math skills on an individual’s long-term earnings. Reading is a critical academic skill to acquire. However, as reported in an article by The 74, “Math achievement in adolescence is more strongly associated […]
Jacob’s Journey: From Hesitant Reader to Confident Learner
By Eric Steckel
March 13, 2025 | Read More
Your Generosity Helped Jacob Realize His Potential, Build Confidence, and Achieve New Milestones In Reading. Jacob’s transformation in Children Rising’s Succeeding by Reading program is a heartwarming reading intervention success story—a testament to perseverance, encouragement, and the impact of one-on-one support. Initially hesitant and unsure about participating, Jacob faced challenges in recognizing the value of […]
Math Tutoring For Kids Unlocks Potential, One Child at a Time
By Eric Steckel
March 10, 2025 | Read More
Thanks to Your Support and His Tutor Lisa, Xander Turned Fidgeting Into Confidence Think back to second grade. Do you remember a classmate who was always moving, always talking, always fidgeting? I do—because I was that kid. My teacher once told my parents, “Whenever there’s a disruption in class, Eric may not have started it, […]
Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC Donates $7,300 to Enhance Path2Math Tutoring Program
By Chelsea Boniak
December 1, 2024 | Read More
Community Gift Program Grant Empowers Children Struggling With Elementary Math Children Rising is pleased to be once again the recipient of a generous grant from the Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC (LLNS) Community Gift Program. The $7,300 award marks the 14th consecutive year LLNS has supported Children Rising STEM programs. Support this year goes toward […]
Caltrans Hygiene Heroes: A Celebration Supporting Oakland Students
By Eric Steckel
November 26, 2024 | Read More
Caltrans and Children Rising Unite to Provide Essential Hygiene Supplies, Supporting Health and Learning for Oakland Students. This fall, the back-to-school drive—Hygiene Heroes—embodied the spirit of community and equity in Oakland. Children Rising and Caltrans District 4 partnered to provide essential hygiene supplies to Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary School, ensuring students could return to […]
Children Rising Celebrates Safeway Foundation’s Support for Families in West Oakland
By Eric Steckel
October 11, 2024 | Read More
Safeway Gift Cards Incentivize Families’ At-home Learning Children Rising is thrilled to announce a $2,500 grant from the Safeway Foundation to support families in Oakland. This funding will benefit 150 families whose children attend Title 1 elementary schools in our community. In awarding the grant, the Safeway Foundation wrote, “We are thrilled to have the […]
Celebrating Jonathan Becker: Five Years of Strategic Leadership and Heartfelt Dedication
By Eric Steckel
October 8, 2024 | Read More
Unwavering commitment and visionary leadership helped Children Rising grow stronger, ensuring brighter futures for the children. A strong board of directors—and strong leadership of the board—is critical to any nonprofit. In July we bade farewell to Children Rising Board Chair Jonathan Becker. Today, we take a moment to celebrate his inspirational service starting in 2019. […]
Perspectives – These Children Only Have Two Years!
By Jim Wambach
September 3, 2024 | Read More
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 A new school year is upon us. Thousands of eager, wonderful children living in Oakland’s lowest-income […]
A Dedicated Tutor Put a Book in Jaime’s Hands … and a Smile on His Face
By Eric Steckel
August 22, 2024 | Read More
You Helped Jaime Blossom Into a Confident Reader When was the last time you really struggled to learn something? How did it make you feel? Frustrated? Reluctant? Ready to throw in the towel? We’ve all been there! So was Jaime*. Last year, this little guy was a second grader who struggled with reading, barely at […]
Sustaining Momentum: Your Support Keeps Da’myla Reading All Summer
By Eric Steckel
August 19, 2024 | Read More
Thanks to You, Ms. Joan and Da’myla Continue Their Learning Journey Beyond the Classroom You know that a child’s learning journey doesn’t end when the school year does. But many children in Oakland don’t have the resources to continue learning over the summer months. Ms. Joan Cardellino is keenly aware that we don’t have the […]
Young Change-Maker: Amit Boiman Takes a Stand Against Educational Inequity
By Eric Steckel
August 15, 2024 | Read More
How a Seventh-Grader’s Passion for Social Justice is Helping Oakland Kids Learn Reading and Math When you were in seventh grade, what concerned you? I seem to recall being worried I wouldn’t have enough money for pizza and a popsicle at the community pool. Amit Boiman may be different from typical teens. For Amit, who […]
Celebrating the Transition of CareerBridge to Catalyst Youth Network
By Eric Steckel
July 2, 2024 | Read More
Empowering Oakland’s Youth: Program legacy continues where youth are the focus. In the heart of Oakland, a guiding light has illuminated the path for young minds toward brighter futures for over a decade. Now, as we celebrate another summer of internships and career exploration, CareerBridge embarks on an exciting new chapter. We proudly announce that […]
Volunteer Tutor Profile: Susan Kelso’s Journey of Enriching Young Readers
By Eric Steckel
June 20, 2024 | Read More
A Story of Dedication, Joy, and Impact in Children Rising’s Succeeding by Reading Program Susan Kelso is an enthusiastic and dedicated volunteer tutor in Succeeding by Reading with a wealth of experience and love for the kids. She retired in 2008 after a long career as a kindergarten and first-grade teacher. Reflecting on her journey, […]
Thank YOU for another uplifting year!
By Sophia Wambach
June 20, 2024 | Read More
Volunteers are the heart of Children Rising! You have played such a critical role in another amazing year of one-on-one tutoring. Our hearts are filled with gratitude for each of you. We have had the privilege of witnessing countless children blossom, making remarkable strides in their reading and math skills. Your unwavering dedication and compassionate […]
Cisco Foundation Donates $75,000 to Accelerate Literacy and Numeracy Gains In Oakland
By Chelsea Boniak
June 13, 2024 | Read More
Community Impact Grant Contributes to Circle of Care Services for Children in Oakland Schools 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 fourth year that Cisco has supported Children Rising’s one-on-one tutoring and family support […]
Personalized Math Tutoring Fuels Dreams to Be a Pilot!
By Eric Steckel
May 16, 2024 | Read More
How Your Support Turned Adrian’s Math Challenges Into Visions of Flying 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 […]
Aurora’s Trick to Learning Multiplication
By Eric Steckel
May 14, 2024 | Read More
Harnessing Out-of-the-box Thinking Encourages Her to Learn Math 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 […]
Brighter Paths: Personalized Tutoring Illuminates Wilma’s Reading Journey
By Eric Steckel
May 2, 2024 | Read More
Your Support Sparked Creative Solutions to Conquer Reading Challenges Wilma is a bright third-grader making incredible strides in her reading journey. Thanks to the nurturing guidance of Succeeding by Reading tutors Merrie Dillow and Barbara Thompson, Wilma is not just overcoming hurdles but blossoming into a confident reader. When Wilma started personalized tutoring with Merrie […]
Tutor News – Spring 2024
By Eric Steckel
April 26, 2024 | Read More
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 […]
Perspectives — Unleashing Potential Through Nonprofit Collaboration
By Jim Wambach
April 25, 2024 | Read More
A call for partnerships to uplift children in Oakland schools “Synergy is the highest activity of life; it creates new untapped alternatives; it values and exploits the mental, emotional, and psychological differences between people.” — Stephen Covey In Oakland’s schools, nonprofit collaboration isn’t just a good thing to consider—it’s essential in order for organizations focused […]
Volunteer Tutor Profile: Barbara and Rich Thompson
By Eric Steckel
April 3, 2024 | Read More
Finding Joy and Purpose Together For retired couple Barbara and Rich Thompson, volunteering with Succeeding by Reading has been a source of joy, companionship, and purpose. Their journey began nearly 15 years ago when they attended a talk by Children Rising founder Randy Roth at Piedmont Community Church. They had recently retired and moved back […]
Let’s Celebrate Global Volunteer Month
By Eric Steckel
April 1, 2024 | Read More
A heartfelt “Thank you” to our amazing tutors! April is Global Volunteer Month. We are incredibly grateful to all of our amazing volunteers. Your stories demonstrate the power we each have to positively impact the community and truly be a force of good here in Oakland and the East Bay. We express thanks and encouragement […]
Volunteer Tutoring: Why Relationships Matter So Much
By Eric Steckel
April 1, 2024 | Read More
One-on-one tutoring helps complete a child’s circle of care “It’s all about relationships.” 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 […]
4 Tax Benefits of Giving During the Year
By Guest Blogger
March 29, 2024 | Read More
How to be intentional and proactive with the way you give to charity Guest Blog By Jose F. Campos AIF®, EA, CIMA®, CFP®, Managing Partner (CA Insurance Lic#0K64850) As a wealth advisor, I work with families to align their portfolios with their values. But that’s not the only way to help change the world — […]
Thank you to Piedmont Community Church for your Remarkable Christmas Offering
By Eric Steckel
March 12, 2024 | Read More
A Tribute to an Enduring Partnership Since 2004 As the holiday season drew near in 2023, Children Rising received a welcome, unexpected call from our beloved mission partner, Piedmont Community Church. Pastor Don Ashburn let us know that we would be the recipients of Piedmont Community Church’s Christmas Offering. Their generous gift, which included the […]
National Reading Month: Unleashing the Power of Reading
By Eric Steckel
March 1, 2024 | Read More
How One-on-One Tutoring Boosts Literacy, Academic Success, and Confidence! National Reading Month is here—which is kicked off with Read Across America Week—and we’re diving headfirst into a celebration of all things literary! Let’s take a moment to consider how programs like Children Rising’s Succeeding by Reading are uplifting kids in Oakland’s community schools! Succeeding by […]
Creating a Circle of Care Through Tutoring
By Eric Steckel
February 20, 2024 | Read More
Alejandro’s Remarkable Path to Math and Jeanne’s Dream Fulfilled 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 […]
Perspectives — Saving Our Kids is an Upstream Approach
By Jim Wambach
February 13, 2024 | Read More
Let’s Address Crime Before it Develops “Law is downstream from culture. By the time you make a law about something, you’re reacting, not acting. I’d rather shape the culture.” – Rick Warren Recently, Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao has sought to address Oakland’s high crime by resurrecting the successful Ceasefire program, credited with saving 140 lives […]
Empowering Lawrence: Homework Tutor Enables Child to Complete His Work
By Eric Steckel
February 8, 2024 | Read More
A Heartwarming Journey from Struggle to Success in Homework and Math Homework tutor Howard Fischer is young at heart. That’s good because Lawrence, one of the children Howard works with, would much rather be out playing with the other kids. “I like to play, so I can imagine that a second-grade kid like Lawrence only […]
Volunteer Tutor Profile: Richard Sheehy’s Impact with Path2Math
By Eric Steckel
January 22, 2024 | Read More
Fostering Confidence and Hope in Learning Volunteer tutors like Richard Sheehy are the beating heart of Children Rising’s one-on-one tutoring programs. Through his dedicated efforts, and hours of hard work on the part of the children he has tutored, Richard has witnessed their remarkable academic growth. Perhaps more importantly, he has instilled confidence and hope […]
Tutor News – Winter 2023-2024
By Sophia Wambach
January 16, 2024 | Read More
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 […]
The Significance of Church Mission Partnerships
By Eric Steckel
January 4, 2024 | Read More
Aligned Values Foster Sense of Community and Social Change For more than 20 years, Children Rising has aligned and partnered with church congregations to address the social justice issue of educational equity in our community. Church mission partnerships are a prime example of how organizations with aligned values can come together to create a significant […]
Perspectives — Creating Joyous Learning Spaces for Children
By Jim Wambach
December 21, 2023 | Read More
Nurturing Learning Sanctuaries 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 […]
Ross Stores Foundation $30,000 Gift Empowers Academic Resilience
By Chelsea Boniak
December 19, 2023 | Read More
Grant Fuels One-on-One Interventional Tutoring In response to the educational challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, Children Rising is thrilled to announce the reception of the “COVID-19 Academic Recovery” grant from the Ross Stores Foundation. Children Rising one-on-one tutoring programs align seamlessly with Ross Stores Foundation’s commitment “to building strong community relationships and making a […]
Thank You For Completing Her Circle of Care
By Jim Wambach
December 7, 2023 | Read More
Your gifts and encouragement are more important than ever. Your generosity during Children Rising’s 2023 Fall Appeal is truly inspiring and humbling. The past several years have presented unique challenges for the children, families, educators, and Children Rising. Your gifts have come at a critical time to nurture struggling children in a circle of care. […]
Farewell to Board Member Daniel Livsey
By Eric Steckel
November 14, 2023 | Read More
A Legacy of Financial Leadership and Compassion For the Children It is with mixed emotions that we bid farewell to Daniel Livsey, a valued, long-time member of our board of directors. After six years of service, Daniel’s second term comes to an end. Daniel’s journey with Children Rising began long before he joined the board. […]
Lowell Berry Foundation Donates $40,0000 to Enhance Wrap-around Educational Progams
By Chelsea Boniak
November 9, 2023 | Read More
Generous Grant Empowers Children and Families Through Additional In-School and At-home Services Children Rising is pleased to once again be the recipient of a generous grant from The Lowell Berry Foundation. The $40,000 grant marks the 18th year The Lowell Berry Foundation has supported Children Rising’s one-on-one reading, math, and homework tutoring programs. We are […]
Volunteer Tutor Profile: Meet Succeeding by Reading Tutor Vilma Morales
By Eric Steckel
October 10, 2023 | Read More
First-year tutor’s love of children helps a young Guatemalan girl learn to read Succeeding by Reading tutor Vilma Morales loves working with kids. She has been doing it for years. After her volunteer role with a preschool program vanished due to COVID, she discovered Children Rising. Vilma began working with Jennifer last year at Markham […]
Tutor News – Fall 2023
By Sophia Wambach
October 3, 2023 | Read More
You are back in the school with the kids! After a busy summer planning for the 2023-2024 school year, Succeeding by Reading and Path2Math clinics resumed the week of September 17th, and you got to meet your new students. We look forward to working with all of you for another year, nurturing and enabling many […]
Unlocking Bright Futures: Celebrating National Tutor Appreciation Week
By Sophia Wambach
October 3, 2023 | Read More
Discover the Transformative Impact of Tutoring on Oakland’s Children National Tutor Appreciation Week is October 2-7, 2023. It was started over ten years ago by the National Tutoring Association to celebrate the incredible tutors across the country who work tirelessly to help millions of students from every walk of life and grade level. We believe […]
Perspectives — Nurturing Children Within a Circle of Care
By Jim Wambach
September 21, 2023 | Read More
Families, schools, and communities working together for the children Imagine… A city where every child feels loved and safe and has reliable adults who model positive values. A city where every child can develop as a whole person, body, mind, and spirit. A city whose future shines brighter, one precious child at a time. For […]
Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month 2023
By Eric Steckel
September 13, 2023 | Read More
Bridging Educational Gaps in Oakland Each year, from September 15th to October 15th, Americans come together to celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month. This month-long observance is dedicated to honoring the rich histories, diverse cultures, and invaluable contributions of American citizens with roots in Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. As we celebrate […]
The Witkin Foundation Donates $10,0000 to Bolster Critical One-on-one Literacy Intervention
By Chelsea Boniak
September 8, 2023 | Read More
Generous Grant Enhances Students’ Ability to Learn to Read so They Have a Much Fairer Chance of Success in School and … in Life Children Rising is pleased to be once again the recipient of a generous grant from the Bernard E. & Alba Witkin Foundation. The $10,000 grant marks the second year of support […]
UNESCO International Literacy Day: Empowering Futures and the Crucial Role of Third-Grade Reading Proficiency
By Eric Steckel
August 30, 2023 | Read More
A Global Social Justice Initiative Every year, on September 8th, the world celebrates UNESCO International Literacy Day, a day dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of literacy as a fundamental human right and a stepping stone towards personal and societal development. This day reminds us of the transformative power of reading and emphasizes the […]
Perspectives — Navigating the Post-COVID Education Landscape
By Jim Wambach
August 22, 2023 | Read More
A Call for Support in Oakland’s Elementary Schools “It is not more bigness that should be our goal. We must attempt, rather, to bring people back to the warmth of community, to the worth of individual effort and responsibility, and of individuals working together as a community, to better their lives and their children’s future.” […]
Children Rising Receives $2,500 Grant from Oakland A’s Community Fund
By Chelsea Boniak
August 18, 2023 | Read More
Grant will provide up to 25 children with a one-on-one tutor this year Children Rising is grateful to the Oakland A’s Community Fund for the $2,500 grant to support our Neighborhood Boost Project in Oakland’s community schools. This grant will provide 20 more second-grade children living in our lowest-income neighborhoods with their own reading tutor […]
Homework Tutoring: Tailored After-School Support
By Eric Steckel
August 17, 2023 | Read More
Your gifts provide a learning bridge between school and home Children Rising launched a Homework Tutoring program to support children and families in our tutoring programs. Designed as a pilot program in partnership with Bay Area Community Resources (BACR), it promises to become a crucial part of FamilyBridge after-school support in the schools we serve. […]
Marcello Excelled in Math Thanks to His Bilingual Tutor
By Guest Blogger
August 15, 2023 | Read More
Guest Blog Post by Patrick Reardon, Path2Math Tutor Your Gifts Enabled a Child to Gain Confidence in the Classroom Last fall, I returned home to the Bay Area for a year’s sabbatical and was eager to work with children in the community. As a bilingual speaker, I asked for students with Spanish as their primary […]
August Is National Make-a-Will Month
By Chelsea Boniak
August 11, 2023 | Read More
Keep Your Love for the Children Alive! You have empowered many struggling children to become lifelong learners by volunteering your time and making enduring gifts. Your passion and care for the children in your community has seen so many of them rise to their God-given potential. Because you care deeply about the kids, I wanted […]
Impact of Summer Learning Loss Curbed by Tutors
By Eric Steckel
August 11, 2023 | Read More
Your support enables children to overcome the Summer Slide Summer learning loss—the summer slide—has impacted students and driven teachers crazy for decades. Many children return to school having lost an entire month of learning in critical subjects like reading and math. Not all families are affected by summer learning loss equally. For more affluent families, […]
Reading for Life: The Impact of Child Literacy on Health Outcomes
By Eric Steckel
August 10, 2023 | Read More
Literacy plays a crucial role in shaping physical and mental health Childhood literacy is not just about learning to read; it is a critical aspect of a child’s overall development that extends far beyond the realm of elementary education. Children proficient in reading by the end of third grade are more likely to achieve higher […]
Let’s Go Back to School with Oakland Kids!
By Eric Steckel
August 4, 2023 | Read More
Come alongside our precious neighborhood children this school year It’s that time again to send the kiddos back to school. If it seems like back to school has come earlier and earlier here in Oakland, you would be correct. Ashley McBride of the Oaklandside wrote about Oakland Unified School District’s earlier-than-normal start to school each […]
The Barrios Trust Donates $10,0000 to Empower Struggling Readers Through One-on-one Literacy Intervention
By Chelsea Boniak
July 28, 2023 | Read More
Generous Grant Improves the Reading Skills of Second and Third-grade Students So They Thrive in School … and In Life Children Rising is pleased to be once again the recipient of a generous grant from The Barrios Trust. The $10,000 grant marks the 6th year of support from the Barrios Trust to support Children Rising’s […]
Tutor News – Summer 2023
By Sophia Wambach
July 25, 2023 | Read More
Programs are eagerly preparing for next school year! It has been a busy summer, and we are eagerly preparing for the next school year. It will start before you know it! We have some exciting volunteer and tutor news to share with all of our volunteers. Most of all, we look forward to working with […]
Volunteer Tutor Profile: Meet Succeeding by Reading Tutor Ann Rosenberg
By Eric Steckel
July 24, 2023 | Read More
Longtime tutor finds the magic in one-on-one relationships, and children thrive! Succeeding by Reading tutor Ann Rosenberg discovered Children Rising in a roundabout way through her friend Jan Zovickian. After working as a school social worker in Oakland schools for 30 years, she has spent the last six years tutoring eager children and enabling them […]
7 Benefits of Volunteering
By Sophia Wambach
July 21, 2023 | Read More
Volunteers uplift the community and themselves! You find time in your busy schedule to tutor children in the community for a reason. Volunteering at a school offers vital support to needy children–just ask the parents of the children we serve! More generally, volunteers uplift the community and support worthwhile causes like educational equity, making a […]
The National Council of Negro Women Provides Books to Young Readers
By Eric Steckel
June 15, 2023 | Read More
Children experience the joy of reading and growing a library Children delight in learning to read. It opens their minds and imaginations to new worlds. They see themselves reflected in the stories they read. As their confidence grows, they take pride in owning books they can call their own. A child’s growing library is a […]
Tutors Needed: You Can Empower a Child to Become a Lifelong Learner
By Eric Steckel
May 30, 2023 | Read More
One-on-one tutoring provides children a fairer chance to succeed in school! “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 […]
Fleishhacker Foundation Donates $10,0000 to Improve In-school and At-home Literacy Instruction
By Chelsea Boniak
May 18, 2023 | Read More
Generous Grant Empowers Students Through Additional Literacy Instruction and Tools In Scholl and At Home Children Rising is pleased to once again be the recipient of a generous grant from the Fleishhacker Foundation. The $10,000 grant marks the 14th year of support from the Fleishhacker Foundation to support Children Rising’s one-on-one reading tutoring program, Succeeding […]
Hope for Children Now Shined a Light on the Children
By Chelsea Boniak
May 17, 2023 | Read More
Thank you for a heartwarming celebration Thank you for making Hope for Children Now a heartwarming celebration of the children in our community schools! A gala just isn’t a celebration without the joy and love each and every one of you brings to the evening. We are grateful and hope that you enjoyed the evening. […]
Perspectives — Volunteers Empower Oakland’s Children to Succeed In School … and In Life
By Jim Wambach
May 16, 2023 | Read More
Your Gifts Support the Critical Work of Our Tutors It is said that volunteering is the ultimate exercise in democracy. Every time you volunteer, you are casting a vote about the kind of community you want to live in. “You make a living by what you get. You make a life by what you give.” […]
Joaquin Is Nearly Back to Grade-Level Reading
By Eric Steckel
May 8, 2023 | Read More
Your Support Provided Twice a Week Tutoring to an Eager Kid! Not all children learn at the same pace. Sometimes it takes an eager kid a little extra time to catch on. Joaquin* struggled with reading. He enrolled in Succeeding by Reading as a second-grader in 2021 and received a POWER Pack last Summer to […]
Alayna Is Excelling In Math Thanks To You
By Eric Steckel
May 3, 2023 | Read More
In-school Tutoring + At-home Support = Success In School … and Life 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 […]
A Caring Adult Developed a New Vocation
By Eric Steckel
May 1, 2023 | Read More
You Helped a Retired Nurse Reconnect With Her Love of Teaching For first-year Succeeding by Reading volunteer tutor Iyana Amayani, an invitation from a neighbor was all it took. She was gardening one day last Summer when Henrietta Fabio, a Children Rising board member, invited her to tutor. “I’d been retired from nursing since 2018, […]
Arab American Heritage Month – Salam
By Eric Steckel
April 7, 2023 | Read More
Children Rising Celebrates the Rich Diversity and Contributions of Arab Americans April is Arab American Heritage Month, a time to recognize and celebrate the rich cultural diversity and contributions of Arab Americans in our community. It coincides with Ramadan this year, which runs the evening of Wednesday, March 22nd, through the evening of Thursday, April […]
Perspectives — National Volunteer Week Celebrates YOUR service to children in Oakland!
By Jim Wambach
March 31, 2023 | Read More
A Great Big THANK YOU From Children Rising! Thank you for ensuring every young child gets a fair chance to succeed in school…and in life. You are an integral part of a community of supporters empowering children to become lifelong learners. April 16-23 we celebrate National Volunteer Week, part of Global Volunteer Month. It is […]
Perspectives — Celebrating Black History Month
By Children Rising
February 2, 2023 | Read More
The Power, Struggle, and Joy of Black Resistance in the Fight for Equality Special Contribution by Gwen Stephens, former Succeeding by Reading clinic coordinator and current tutor at Children Rising Each February, we celebrate Black History Month. This year’s theme is “Black Resistance.” Understanding our history—and the role Black resistance has played in our country’s […]
Nurturing Tutor Instills Hope and Confidence In a Young Girl
By Eric Steckel
February 1, 2023 | Read More
Jimena’s Recovery from COVID Trauma Aided by Compassionate Tutors You Supported Heartbreaking Shift to Remote Learning The sudden transition to remote learning was shocking to children, educators, and caregivers everywhere. It created a “perfect storm” of lost learning time with devastating, sometimes traumatic effects on many children. “The pandemic hit her (Jimena) hard. When school […]
Devonte Is Excelling In Math and Counting His Pennies
By Eric Steckel
January 31, 2023 | Read More
Your Support Empowers Him to Succeed with Path2Math and FamilyBridge 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. […]
Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC Donates $7,300 to Enhance Path2Math Tutoring Program
By Chelsea Boniak
January 30, 2023 | Read More
Community Gift Program Grant Empowers Children Struggling With Elementary Math Children Rising is pleased to be once again the recipient of a generous grant from the Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC (LLNS) Community Gift Program. The $7,300 award marks the 11th consecutive year LLNS has supported Children Rising STEM programs. Support this year goes toward […]
Perspectives — You Can Become a Fantastic Tutor Too!
By Jim Wambach
January 26, 2023 | Read More
Volunteer Today and You Will Uplift An Eager-to-learn Child “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.”—Dr. Seuss Thank you, Children Rising tutors! You care an awful lot! This year, it became clear the COVID pandemic has devastatingly stalled and eroded children’s academic skills. The children […]
Perspectives — What goes into tutoring a child? (Spoiler: A lot)
By Jim Wambach
December 26, 2022 | Read More
But Children Rising makes it simple and full of love In 2022, over 250 eager young children received crucial, timely academic support from caring members of the Children Rising community. Children struggling in reading and math were able to rise above the challenges they faced in school to reach their God-given potential. Thank you for […]
3 Benefits of Year-end Giving During the Holidays
By Children Rising
December 12, 2022 | Read More
How to Make Sure Your Holiday Giving Provides a Full Heart and Tax Advantages Guest Blog By Jose F. Campos AIF®, EA, CIMA®, CFP®, Managing Partner (CA Insurance Lic#0K64850) As the holiday season fills us with hope and joy for the coming year, many Americans think of ways they can use their personal wealth to […]
Perspectives — High Dosage Tutoring + In-home Learning = Accelerated Learning
By Jim Wambach
November 18, 2022 | Read More
Empowering Parents to Play an Essential Role in Their Child’s Accelerated Learning The Nation’s Report Card revealed a sobering fact about the impact of the COVID pandemic. According to the recent National Assessment of Educational Progress report, not only have nine-year-olds between 2020 and 2022 reported significant declines in reading and math. What is worse, […]
New Hires! New Program! Welcome Pia, Sophia, Tai, and FamilyBridge
By Eric Steckel
November 10, 2022 | Read More
Improving and Expanding Services to Children, Youth, and Families At the beginning of the school year, Children Rising welcomed two new members to our program team—Pia Dandan, Program Manager for Succeeding by Reading, and Tai Dillard, Program Director of our all-new program FamilyBridge. We also welcomed Sophia Hutson Wambach as our new Manager of Volunteer […]
Isaiah Jackson Is On His Way to Firefighting
By Eric Steckel
October 27, 2022 | Read More
You Helped Him Gain Confidence In His Career Decision Isaiah Jackson, a recent high school graduate, joined CareerBridge after a chance meeting with Program Director Margena Wade-Green. He spent the summer at his dream internship with the Crockett Fire Department. “I like to help people,” he explained. One of the CareerBridge mentors had a brother […]
Alphabox Inspires Delight In Young Readers
By Eric Steckel
October 25, 2022 | Read More
Family Engagement Enables David and Diego to Succeed in Reading David and Diego, twin brothers in second grade last year, are an “entertaining” pair. They are active, play soccer, and love exploring the local parks. They also enjoy more quiet pursuits like painting and history. However, despite loving books, they struggled with reading. In fall […]
Meet Jeyla, Who You Helped Thrive In Math
By Eric Steckel
October 21, 2022 | Read More
Your Support Meant She, Mr. Gabe, & Her Family Worked on Math Together 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 […]
Perspectives — Your Gifts Empower Families to Accelerate Their Child’s Learning
By Jim Wambach
October 19, 2022 | Read More
Caregivers Develop Skills, Confidence, and Tools to Advocate for Their Kids Families come in many forms. If there is one thing I can confidently say, caregivers—whether they are Mom and Dad, Grandma or Grandpa, or Aunt or Uncle—have a unique vision of what’s best for the children in their care. Who better understands the needs […]
Science of Reading: Evidence-based, Road-tested Programs Enable All Children to Learn to Read
By Eric Steckel
September 21, 2022 | Read More
Q&A With Rebecca Buckley, Director of Succeeding by Reading Over the past year, the debate over the “science of reading” has erupted nationwide. In reality, the recent discussion continues the decades-long “literacy wars.” If you have a child in elementary school who is just learning to read, you may wonder what the debate is about […]
Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month by Encouraging and Embracing Our Brothers and Sisters
By Eric Steckel
September 16, 2022 | Read More
Let Education Be the Great Includer Yesterday marked the first day of Hispanic Heritage Month in the United States. It began in 1968 to celebrate the history, culture, and contributions of those who came to the country from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America, and South America. Today we continue to celebrate those contributions, but […]
September is National Literacy Month – 3 Ways You Can Enable an Eager Young Reader
By Eric Steckel
September 1, 2022 | Read More
3 Ways You Can Enable an Eager Young Reader September is here, and we are eager to celebrate National Literacy Month and UNESCO International Literacy Day on September 8th. This year’s theme is “Transforming Literacy Learning Spaces.” The focus globally will be on rethinking the fundamental importance of literacy learning spaces to build resilience and […]
Library Services Program Closes With a Lasting Legacy
By Eric Steckel
August 12, 2022 | Read More
Caring volunteers opened the magic of reading to thousands of children There is something truly magical about a child picking the perfect book off of the library shelf. The anticipation builds, and their curious minds wonder where the storyteller will take them. And when it’s time to check the book out, they know they have […]
President Biden Calls On You: “We Need Tutors”
By Jim Wambach
July 19, 2022 | Read More
Children Rising Math and Reading Tutors Support Initiative To Place 250,000 Tutors 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 […]
Cisco Foundation Donates $75,000 to Enhance Path2Math Tutoring Program
By Eric Steckel
July 7, 2022 | Read More
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 […]
Your Gift Helped Haifa Graduate College
By Eric Steckel
July 5, 2022 | Read More
Servant Leadership Inspires Her Pursuit of Medical Degree 2018 Eddie Scholarship winner Haifa Algabri is destined for a career in health sciences. She graduated from Mills College in May with a double major in biopsychology and public health and has ambitions to become a physician. A devout Muslim who immigrated from Yemen, she is the […]
Maliha Gains Confidence, Excels in Math
By Eric Steckel
June 30, 2022 | Read More
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. Like 60% of elementary school children in California, […]
Perspectives — The Right to Read
By Jim Wambach
June 29, 2022 | Read More
“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 […]
Taniya Finds Her Safe Space
By Children Rising
June 29, 2022 | Read More
Your Support Helps Her Learn to Read Jeannette Brantley came to Children Rising in 2019 as a volunteer tutor, looking to offer something back to her Oakland community. That year of tutoring was the first round of her “initiation into the Children Rising community.” Jeannette joined the Succeeding by Reading staff as Associate Program Coordinator […]
6 Ways Volunteers Support Effective High-Dosage Tutoring
By Eric Steckel
June 23, 2022 | Read More
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 […]
2022 Hope for Children Now – Bridges of Hope for All!
By Eric Steckel
May 19, 2022 | Read More
We like to say that Hope for Children Now is more than just a fundraiser. After being unable to meet in person for the past three years, this year’s gala felt more like a celebration than ever before. It was wonderful to gather with friends, hear from the families and tutors of children we serve, […]
3 Ways Volunteer Tutors are the Beating Heart of Children Rising
By Eric Steckel
April 22, 2022 | Read More
“Volunteers do not necessarily have the time; they have the heart.” – Elizabeth Andrew This week we celebrate National Volunteer Week. As an organization, volunteer tutors and mentors are the beating heart of all that we do for children and youth in our community. For over 20 years we have provided opportunities for loving, caring […]
Perspectives — The Power of Family
By Jim Wambach
April 20, 2022 | Read More
“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 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 […]
Jamari Gets a POWER Boost In Reading
By Eric Steckel
April 7, 2022 | Read More
At-home Literacy Tools Support Family Learning Sometimes, kids just need a boost of POWER—Practice Opportunities With Emerging Readers—to get them back to grade level in reading. A compact box, packed full of early-reader books and literacy materials for eager young learners, POWER Packs are a new tool that Children Rising developed this year. They are […]
Bidding Farewell to Health4Kids
By Eric Steckel
March 31, 2022 | Read More
Program Provided 15 Years of Nourishing Meals to Families at Home Children need nourishing food to grow and learn. Unfortunately, many kids in our community go home to empty cupboards on the weekends. In 2006, Children Rising listened to the needs of our school partners and launched Health4Kids. A unique partnership with the Alameda County […]
Nyjah and His Online Math Tutor Work Late To Improve Numeracy Skills
By Eric Steckel
March 30, 2022 | Read More
Flexibility Helps Busy Family Find Time for Online Math Tutoring 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 […]
The Younger Family Fund Donates $25,000 to Address Early Literacy and Numeracy in Oakland
By Chelsea Boniak
February 16, 2022 | Read More
Local Fund Supports Child Learning in Oakland’s Under-resourced Neighborhood Schools Children Rising is pleased to be the recipient of a generous grant from the Younger Family Fund to support and expand our proven one-on-one tutoring programs. This is the second $25,000 gift of a three-year commitment to Children Rising. We are so honored and thankful […]
Perspectives — As the Children Rising Community Grows, Our Children and Youth Pay it Forward
By Jim Wambach
February 3, 2022 | Read More
“If you send out goodness from yourself, or if you share that which is happy or good within you, it will all come back to you multiplied ten thousand times.” – John O’Donohue I’ve often spoken about how wonderful the Children Rising community is—and it is indeed remarkable—but I’ve never really defined it. The Children […]
