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. […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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.” […]
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 […]
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. […]
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 […]
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 […]
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, […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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. […]
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.” […]
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 […]
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 […]
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, […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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. […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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, […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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, […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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, […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
By Eric Steckel
February 1, 2022 | Read More
Gracie Wilson is a long, long way from home. A 2021 graduate of Cal State East Bay, she took her first post-college job as a resident life manager at the University of Texas at Dallas, assisting peer advisors on campus. She can trace this job back to her days as an eager young CareerBridge intern. […]
By Eric Steckel
January 27, 2022 | Read More
Few children have overcome the challenges Abraham Wordsworth faced. Born in Liberia in 1996 amid a violent civil war, Abraham was just six months old when his Aunt Theresa fled with him and his two older cousins to nearby Ivory Coast. After spending his early childhood in a refugee camp, Abraham’s family finally relocated to […]
By Eric Steckel
January 20, 2022 | Read More
Enthusiasm and Compassion Fuels Summer Learning 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 […]
By Jim Wambach
January 15, 2022 | Read More
“Everybody can be great … because anybody can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.” — Martin Luther King Jr. Today we celebrate the life, the […]
By Chelsea Boniak
January 12, 2022 | Read More
Local Foundation Supports Children in Oakland’s Under-resourced Neighborhood Schools The Callison foundation has recently awarded Children Rising a generous $25,000 grant. The funding will help support Succeeding by Reading, our proven one-on-one interventional literacy tutoring program. We are so honored and thankful to have once again received this funding. Support from amazing local corporations and […]
By Eric Steckel
December 14, 2021 | Read More
Over the years, Children Rising has been blessed with a passionate, dedicated, diverse board of directors. The combined skill sets and unique perspectives each and every board member brings to the organization have guided us and made us stronger. A board of directors is an ever-evolving group. Each year, we say farewell as board members’ […]
By Jim Wambach
December 9, 2021 | Read More
“A good teacher is like a candle—it consumes itself to light the way for others.” — Mustafa Kemal Atatürk As we count down the closing days of 2021, I feel a profound sense of hope, confidence, and momentum in our community schools. That comes in no small part from your eagerness to support children, youth, […]
By Jim Wambach
November 25, 2021 | Read More
Blessings from our family to yours! This week, we celebrate a uniquely American holiday. It is a favorite of mine for many reasons. We share the joy and comfort of family, gathering together to express gratitude for all of the gifts we have received. It is also a reminder of the welcoming our forefathers received […]
By Children Rising
November 1, 2021 | Read More
Special Contribution by Randy Roth, founder and former Executive Director at Children Rising “Seek the shalom (peace and prosperity) of the city to which I have carried you.” — Jeremiah 29:7 When I reflect on 20 years of nurturing and empowering children in our community to rise to their God-given potential, I can’t help but […]
By Eric Steckel
October 20, 2021 | Read More
Internship with Bessie Coleman Aviation Allstars Opens a World of Aviation Careers Margena Wade-Green, CareerBridge Program Director, has a keen eye and unbridled enthusiasm for untapped opportunities. It materialized this past summer as a unique aviation internship in which nine of our CareerBridge Academy students participated. For the past five years, CareerBridge has partnered with […]
By Children Rising
October 18, 2021 | Read More
Former principal remembers the early days of Faith Network Special Contribution by Roberta Teller, former principal at Burbank Elementary School 2021 marks the 20th anniversary of Children Rising! As we celebrate this very special milestone, we caught up with Roberta Teller, former principal at Luther Burbank Elementary School, and the very first school to partner […]
By Eric Steckel
October 15, 2021 | Read More
One-on-One Attention Helps Child Focus, Develop Self-confidence Mikayla*, one of the first children to enroll in Children Rising’s Path2Math online tutoring program, is like so many second-grade girls. She has a collection of stuffed animals — and unicorns — loves playing with her cousins and friends, and adores Elsa from the movie Frozen. Like so […]
By Chelsea Boniak
October 5, 2021 | Read More
Local corporation supports initiatives to eliminate inequities and address needs of racial and ethnic minority groups Children Rising is pleased to be the recipient of a generous $30,000 grant from the Safeway Foundation that will provide much-needed assistance to children and youth in our community impacted by social and racial inequity. The grant is made […]
By Jim Wambach
October 1, 2021 | Read More
80% of Second-graders in Children Rising Schools are Two or More Grade Levels Behind It has been a turbulent 18 months, so full of challenges and opportunities. The global pandemic had a galvanizing effect in many ways. We saw the Oakland Undivided Campaign virtually eliminate the digital divide in Oakland Unified School District. Children Rising […]
By Jim Wambach
September 24, 2021 | Read More
“We already know that when students learn to read, they can read to learn anything and that this is a gateway skill that can carry them to any point in their life, career, and in their journey.” — Tony Thurmond, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Low childhood literacy rates have been a challenge for educators […]
By Chelsea Boniak
September 14, 2021 | Read More
Nourishing Neighbors Program helps children and families struggling with food insecurity Children Rising is pleased to be the recipient of a generous grant from Safeway Foundation’s Nourishing Neighbors that will help provide much-needed assistance to the children in our community impacted by food insecurity. Many hunger relief organizations continue to be overloaded by increased hunger […]
By Jim Wambach
August 24, 2021 | Read More
“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11) When Oakland Unified School District opened its doors two weeks ago, it felt like a day to rejoice. For some students — many of whom have […]
By Chelsea Boniak
July 15, 2021 | Read More
Local corporation supports children in Oakland’s under-resourced neighborhood schools This past month, The Clorox Company Foundation awarded Children Rising a $10,000 grant to support our proven one-on-one interventional literacy and math tutoring programs. We are so honored and thankful to have once again received this funding. Support from amazing local corporations and foundations enables children […]
By Jim Wambach
July 13, 2021 | Read More
“The Internet is not a luxury, it is a necessity.” – President Barack Obama Over the last six months, Children Rising has launched online versions of our proven reading and math tutoring clinics. This greatly enhances our ability to support elementary school children who have fallen even further behind in their reading and math abilities […]
By Eric Steckel
July 9, 2021 | Read More
Summer tutoring sessions should get him back to grade level Over the course of the school year, we have been monitoring and sharing the progress of Nakoa*, one of our eager Path2Math students. Nakoa first enrolled in Path2Math as a second-grader in the 2019-2020 school year. He had been making significant progress in his math […]
By Eric Steckel
July 6, 2021 | Read More
Eager student overcoming COVID-related learning loss with online tutor Carlos has a smile and infectious personality that lights up a Zoom meeting room. He is an eager second-grader who enjoys learning. However, Carlos has struggled with distance learning since schools closed last March. To help overcome his learning loss, teachers enrolled him in Succeeding by […]
By Jim Wambach
July 3, 2021 | Read More
We wish everyone a very happy Independence Day. As we celebrate this Fourth of July weekend, we are reminded of the freedoms we enjoy as Americans, and honor the sacrifices made by our founding fathers. We are truly blessed to live in a free and democratic country. “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that […]
By Jim Wambach
July 1, 2021 | Read More
Access to Technology ensures that all children in Oakland have a fair and equitable chance to succeed in school On June 30th, Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) and its Oakland Undivided partners announced the celebration and expansion of their vision for closing the digital divide and achieving lasting educational equity. Children Rising could not be […]
By Children Rising
June 17, 2021 | Read More
Perspectives by Margena Wade-Green, Program Director Path2Math and CareerBridge Throughout my life, my family celebrated Independence Day on June 19th — Juneteenth as it came to be known. For so many of my forefathers, it was June 19, 1865 when they were granted their freedom. It was the day that Union soldiers read the Emancipation […]
By Eric Steckel
June 1, 2021 | Read More
Since taking office in 2015, Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf has focused her efforts on improving education in our community schools. It has been central to her vision for the future of Oakland. Children Rising was honored to welcome Mayor Schaaf, who once again shared her thoughts during our Hope for Children Now LIVE gala. […]
By Children Rising
May 31, 2021 | Read More
Today we once again honor all those who gave their lives in active service to our country. Thank you. You are not forgotten. We also want to reflect on all of those we have lost throughout this most difficult year. So many front-line workers — doctors, nurses, teachers, grocery store clerks, and more — heroically […]
By Eric Steckel
May 27, 2021 | Read More
Rita Moreno is a national treasure. She has won Oscar, Grammy, Emmy, and Tony awards as an actress, singer, and performer. Although she has been in the limelight for nearly 70 years, her story is a uniquely American one. And Children Rising was honored to have Rita as our special guest at Hope for Children […]
By Jim Wambach
May 20, 2021 | Read More
Building Bridges of Hope in Oakland This past weekend, we hosted the 2021 Hope for Children Now LIVE gala. Whether you were able to join us live, were a sponsor of our gala, or contributed in other ways, we are overjoyed and grateful to you. Thanks to you, we exceeded our financial goals and are […]
By Jim Wambach
May 5, 2021 | Read More
“Seek the shalom of the city where I have sent you, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its shalom you will find your shalom.” — Jeremiah 29:7 This year marks a milestone for Children Rising. It was 20 years ago that the members of First Covenant Church, inspired by Jeremiah 29:7, […]
By Eric Steckel
April 5, 2021 | Read More
Children love a good story, something that lets their imagination soar! Despite constraints imposed by distance learning, our Succeeding by Reading Library Services Program has continued to open the doors of reading to the kids in our community. Here are a few ways they have shared the joy of reading. Grab-and-Go Book Giveaway – We […]
By Eric Steckel
April 1, 2021 | Read More
Opportunities to innovate in support of student learning Succeeding by Reading Anywhere – Children Rising’s one-on-one, online literacy tutoring program – officially launched the first week of January, and expanded in February to serve seven schools. We are delighted to once again work with children so eager to learn to read. The launch comes after […]
By Jim Wambach
March 26, 2021 | Read More
“The great use of life is to spend it for something that will outlast it.” —William James This year marks a milestone. Children Rising celebrates 20 years of coming alongside children at a critical time in their young lives to nurture hope, the courage to dream, and the opportunity to thrive. Randy Roth, our founder, […]
By Eric Steckel
March 25, 2021 | Read More
When shelter in place was ordered and schools closed in March of 2020, distance learning swept into schools across the country. It has been a challenge to completely transform to online instruction, while simultaneously teaching the children. Over time, the teachers who dedicate themselves to our kids have gotten better at distance learning, but there […]
By Children Rising
March 12, 2021 | Read More
This past November, Succeeding by Reading lost a dear member of our team. Marilyn Williams was a gifted volunteer tutor in our literacy program for over 10 years. She was part of a tight-knit tutor team serving at Markham Elementary School in East Oakland, and she delighted in working with our higher-need students. All Marilyn’s […]
By Jim Wambach
February 22, 2021 | Read More
“I think what motivates people is not great hate, but great love for other people.” — Dr Huey P. Newton Each February we celebrate Black History Month. As we pause to reflect upon the rich, vibrant, and foundational role of Black people in our nation’s history, this year I feel a sense of urgency, coupled […]
By Chelsea Boniak
February 5, 2021 | Read More
Time or money? How often do we have plenty of both? I remember my days as a recent college graduate. It was the middle of an economic recession, and I struggled to find a job. I had plenty of time on my hands, and what I really wanted to do was travel. Unfortunately, I had […]