By Jim Wambach
December 22, 2020 | Read More
2021, building bridges to a better future! As we approach the festive holiday season and tie a ribbon on a most extraordinary year, let’s look forward to 2021 with renewed hope and enthusiasm! Despite the challenges you have faced, you have continued to rally around our little community enablement engine. Your support ensures that every […]
By Chelsea Boniak
December 21, 2020 | Read More
Nurturing and Empowering Generations of Children Thank you for embracing our vision for Oakland. You are empowering thousands of children and youth to build bridges to a better future. Imagine… A city where every child feels loved and safe and has reliable adults who model positive values. A city where every child can develop as […]
By Jim Wambach
December 21, 2020 | Read More
Online tutoring helps children in need of a little extra support In October, we welcomed back our first group of second-graders from Martin Luther King Jr. and Piedmont Avenue Elementary Schools for one-on-one math tutoring! At a time when many students are falling further behind, this is a significant step forward. You have seen how […]
By Jim Wambach
November 26, 2020 | Read More
Happy Thanksgiving from Children Rising Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family! Being a proud grandfather of 5, I know first hand that the best seat at the dinner table on Thanksgiving Day is at the “kid’s table”. Telling wild stories, making silly faces, and hiding vegetables under the table can be much more fun […]
By Jim Wambach
October 29, 2020 | Read More
Empowering children and youth to build bridges to a better future Over the years, you have empowered thousands of eager children and youth in our Oakland community who continue to struggle in school. You have seen how the technology gap, the achievement gap, and the resource gap hinders so many eager young learners. Through your […]
By Eric Steckel
October 19, 2020 | Read More
Using technology to enhance our one-on-one tutoring What’s in a word? Don’t get me started! Last week, our team discussed the language we use to describe and relate our all-new online tutoring programs, Succeeding by Reading Anywhere and Path2Math Anywhere. As we did so, we struggled with the terms “online tutoring,” “remote learning,” and “distance […]
By Jim Wambach
October 13, 2020 | Read More
“The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members.” — Coretta Scott King When the schools in Oakland abruptly closed in March, children were confused and isolated. Many parents, out of a job, had serious concerns about supporting their families. Our educators, with a tremendous love for the […]
By Sophia Wambach
October 12, 2020 | Read More
When schools closed on March 13th, our Succeeding by Reading Library Services Program immediately pivoted to help the kids as much as possible. The libraries might have been closed, but Ms. Kim and her team provided new books to each student of Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary School as parents dropped by to pick up […]
By Eric Steckel
October 9, 2020 | Read More
COVID-19 has disrupted so many aspects of life for children and youth. But try as it might, it couldn’t put a stop to our CareerBridge summer internship program. This year, 20 eager high school students participated in a “distance learning” version of our one-of-a-kind internship. Instead of spending 6 weeks at Caltrans, BART, or our […]
By Eric Steckel
October 8, 2020 | Read More
Student designs spread love, inspiration, encouragement, and a smile CareerBridge is proud to announce Heart2Heart Greeting Cards. Heart2Heart cards are all handmade, original designs by CareerBridge Academy 2020 Entrepreneurial Summer Internship students. There are two delightful, inspirational collections from which to choose: “It’s A New Day” “Happy Days” CareerBridge offers professional development workshops, paid internships […]
By Eric Steckel
October 2, 2020 | Read More
Online math tutoring program to continue Nakoa’s progress Nakoa* is a typical 8-year-old boy living through COVID-19. Outgoing, personable, and a hard worker in school, he wants to learn and succeed. But, like an entire generation of school children, he’s been stuck at home, unable to see his friends, and sorely missing the structure and […]
By Jim Wambach
August 10, 2020 | Read More
The 2020-21 school year is upon us, and it promises to be unlike any other we’ve experienced. Every day I hear from parents of school-aged children anxiously preparing their kids to begin the school year with distance learning. They are struggling to understand how school is going to function, assess their technology and connectedness, coordinate […]
By Jim Wambach
July 21, 2020 | Read More
Perspectives Article by Jim Wambach, Executive Director “Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.” — Barack Obama At the end of March, someone asked how they could cancel their 90-day trial of […]
By Eric Steckel
July 14, 2020 | Read More
For many students, a trip up to the blackboard is a fate worse than death. For shy and reserved Jocelyn*, speaking English as a second language compounded matters. Even when she felt she knew the answer, she did not know how to articulate her thoughts or explain how she came to an answer. “She was […]
By Eric Steckel
July 7, 2020 | Read More
When working with struggling students, timing is crucial. In Juliana’s* case, we experienced both good and bad timing, seasoned by a team of caring adults who would not quit on a young girl determined to learn to read. Three years ago, when Juliana was in first grade, her teacher referred her to Gwen Stephens, Succeeding […]
By Eric Steckel
June 26, 2020 | Read More
As we continue to navigate the uncertainties of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have been hearing from so many of you, our Children Rising family. We all feel the urgent need to support students who may have fallen even further behind over the past three months due to the closure of schools in mid-March. Now more […]
By Jim Wambach
June 19, 2020 | Read More
“The people of Texas are informed that in accordance with a Proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free. This involves an absolute equality of rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and hired laborer.” – Delivered […]
By Jim Wambach
June 9, 2020 | Read More
A Statement from Children Rising on Racial Justice The murder of George Floyd on May 25th at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer was heinous and intolerable. It has exposed a centuries-old wound, once again shining a spotlight on racial injustice in our nation. Children Rising stands in strong support of racial justice. We […]
By Jim Wambach
May 30, 2020 | Read More
Your unwavering support will nurture and equip vulnerable children to rise above! On behalf of Children Rising, I want to thank you for supporting Hope for Children Now 2020. You stepped up in a big way, and we are both humble and grateful for your response. I remember the first gala planning we held just […]
By Sophia Wambach
May 14, 2020 | Read More
Dear Children Rising community, I’m so thankful to all of you. Because of you and your efforts, we not only reached our fundraising goal of $10,000, we exceeded it by over $1000! As our first virtual 5k event ever, we weren’t sure how it would turn out, but we knew our community would show up […]
By Jim Wambach
May 5, 2020 | Read More
Unleashing the power of people to transform their communities Dear Friends, The COVID-19 pandemic has spared no one. It’s far-reaching impact has created unprecedented challenges and hardships. But despite the uncertainty and anxiety we all may feel, one thing has been truly inspiring: How the entire East Bay community has come together to provide for […]
By Sophia Wambach
May 1, 2020 | Read More
Nominate your favorite teacher to be highlighted by GO Public Schools It’s the first of May! It’s a bright, lovely day in the East Bay. And we’re kicking off National Teacher Appreciation Month by celebrating School Principals’ Day. In this period of social distancing and school closures, we want to applaud the hard work of […]
By Jim Wambach
April 21, 2020 | Read More
Last month, I shared the poem that has captured the hearts of all of us at Children Rising. “The Rose That Grew In Concrete” marvels at the beauty that can spring forth in the midst of difficult, urban conditions. Every one of the children we are privileged to work with is like a precious rose […]
By Jim Wambach
March 31, 2020 | Read More
Dear Friends, We send warm greetings to you. We pray that everyone is sheltering in place and staying healthy during this unprecedented and challenging time. Throughout this health crisis, Children Rising is steadfastly focused on nurturing and equipping the vulnerable children in our community – students whose academic growth is being so disrupted this year. […]
By Jim Wambach
March 20, 2020 | Read More
Caring for the children in our community Dear Friends, As we all navigate the challenges and stress of this uncertain time, our hearts go out to the vulnerable members of our community most affected by the global health crisis. We pray for those who have fallen ill. We humbly thank the brave front-line caregivers who […]
By Jim Wambach
March 11, 2020 | Read More
Perspectives Article by Jim Wambach, Executive Director “We live in a world in which we need to share responsibility. It’s easy to say ‘It’s not my child, not my community, not my world, not my problem.’ Then there are those who see the need and respond. I consider those people my heroes.” — Fred Rogers […]
By Eric Steckel
March 11, 2020 | Read More
Learning can’t happen on an empty stomach. Sadly, poverty in our community causes many children to go hungry, especially on the weekends when nutritious school lunches are not available. Our amazing and faithful group of 30 Health4Kids volunteers gathers together twice a month at the Alameda County Community Food Bank, where they sort and pack […]
By Children Rising
March 10, 2020 | Read More
by Randy Roth, Founder and former Executive Director of Children Rising This past weekend, Children Rising, and the entire Oakland community, lost a true champion for children. Before Faith Network of the East Bay was even founded in July 2001, Norman Brooks had heard about our vision of church congregations and communities of faith “adopting […]
By Eric Steckel
March 9, 2020 | Read More
“Children are like snowflakes. Each is different and fragile, but beautiful in their own way.” Children Rising reading and math clinic coordinators know from experience that no two children are the same. Each precious child comes into our lives not only with their own unique personality, but also with the weight of their experience on […]
By Eric Steckel
February 27, 2020 | Read More
In early January, Children Rising opened a Path2Math clinic at Grass Valley Elementary School. This marked a milestone as we celebrated our 30th tutoring clinic. What makes it special is that it bears the hallmarks of Children Rising initiatives since our very beginning as Faith Network of the East Bay. Late last fall, Casey Beckner, […]
By Eric Steckel
February 20, 2020 | Read More
Perspectives Article by Eric Steckel, Communications Manager “I had crossed the line. I was free; but there was no one to welcome me to the land of freedom. I was a stranger in a strange land.” – Harriet Tubman Last week, Children Rising participated in the Project Peace Speaker Series event “The Border Is Here”. […]
By Jim Wambach
January 24, 2020 | Read More
Perspectives Article by Jim Wambach, Executive Director Are we able to close the achievement gap – one precious child at a time? Recent standardized testing results indicate that not only are we in the midst of an education crisis, the problem is most acutely felt in our schools serving our most vulnerable students. The educational […]
By Eric Steckel
January 3, 2020 | Read More
Partnership with Boost@BerkeleyHass helps students gain on-the-job experience Corey Reeves came to CareerBridge with big plans for his life. He was an excellent student at San Leandro High School, passionate about volleyball, and he dreamed of being a doctor. “I’m really passionate about learning. I realize that no matter where I go in life, I […]
By Jim Wambach
December 31, 2019 | Read More
We’ve made significant stides during the first year of our four-year inititave We are so grateful for your support over the past 12 months, which have been filled with growth and change. During the first year of our four-year initiative, we have made substantial strides toward serving and empowering more vulnerable children in our neighborhoods. […]
By Jim Wambach
December 25, 2019 | Read More
Dear Friends, As we gather ‘round with family and friends this holiday season, we reflect on the gifts we have received. And for many of us, we also take a moment to reflect on those not blessed with the opportunity we so often take for granted. Like the many vulnerable children in our community that […]
By Chelsea Boniak
December 21, 2019 | Read More
Despite initial challenges, Luis learned to read Luis* and his tutor Jean are an unlikely pair. Last school year, Luis was a high-energy second grader. Although very smart, he could hardly sit still and had trouble focusing long enough to learn. Jean moves through life at a slower, more relaxed pace and started the school […]
By Eric Steckel
December 11, 2019 | Read More
Perspectives article by Eric Steckel, Communications Manager “The old and honorable idea of ‘vocation’ is simply that we each are called, by God, or by our gifts, or by our preference, to a kind of good work for which we are particularly fitted.” — Wendell Berry We frequently say that tutoring a vulnerable child who […]
By Jim Wambach
November 28, 2019 | Read More
Dear Friends, As we gather together with our families and friends at Thanksgiving, I am once again struck by what a unique and wonderful holiday this truly is. Gratitude abounds throughout the year. But on this special day, we break bread with our loved ones and share that spirit with one another. Your generosity does […]
By Jim Wambach
November 27, 2019 | Read More
Perspectives article by Jim Wambach, Executive Director Ring ring the bells Wake the town Everyone is sleeping Shout at the crowd Wake them up This anger’s deeper than sleep – James (band) A few months into my time at Children Rising, as I began to personally get to know the individual children and youth in […]
By Jim Wambach
November 21, 2019 | Read More
As we embarked on the “I Want To Soar” Project, we set a high bar. Our goal? To provide the opportunity for 200 more second-grade children struggling with grade-level math and reading to SOAR! We have reached the midway point, and are grateful for your response. So far community donations, matched by several major donors, […]
By Jim Wambach
October 24, 2019 | Read More
Right now, there is an education crisis affecting our city’s most vulnerable children. Each year, approximately 1,800 children in the Oakland Unified School District will complete second grade substantially behind in basic reading and math skills. These children will not have the skills required to learn and grow in the third grade. Worse, they will […]
By Eric Steckel
October 22, 2019 | Read More
One of our greatest hopes is that we can inspire and enable CareerBridge students to give back to the community. Hadiya, a CareerBridge alum and a recipient of our Eddie College Scholarship, is one who is fulfilling that hope! Hadiya joined our program as a junior in high school. She carried herself with poise and […]
By Eric Steckel
October 21, 2019 | Read More
I met Rhema and her father, Pastor David Hatfield-Dyels, at the June Hope For Children Now Gala. They were guests of Children Rising board member James Branch. Rhema loves to read — two books a week. “Reading to me is like watching a movie in 3D,” she explains. Inspired to share her love of reading […]
By Chelsea Boniak
October 16, 2019 | Read More
When we first met Alicia*, she was a second-grader at La Escuelita Elementary School who had trouble reading at a kindergarten grade level. Alicia built a close relationship with her Succeeding By Reading tutor Janet and told Janet that her mom had gone away. In order to maintain her Spanish skills to communicate with her […]
By Eric Steckel
October 8, 2019 | Read More
Once you meet Aadae*, you can’t help but agree with her teacher and math tutor’s descriptions of her. Joyful. Full of life. Fun-loving. Very energetic. A people-pleaser. A precocious little girl who can “uplift you.” At the start of her second-grade year, Aadae needed help and fast. She didn’t have the foundational math skills necessary […]
By Jim Wambach
September 30, 2019 | Read More
Perspectives article by Jim Wambach, Executive Director “Children are likely to live up to what you believe of them.” — Lady Bird Johnson, Former First Lady of the United States Another school year begins and many of you are asking yourself that question. You want to help. But you are unsure if you have the […]
By Eric Steckel
September 28, 2019 | Read More
For most students, the end of summer marks the beginning of a new school year. For CareerBridge students, it also marks the end of a summer internship. To celebrate, we host a special event where the students present their final project to family, friends, internship supervisors, and Children Rising staff. This year’s group of interns […]
By Eric Steckel
August 9, 2019 | Read More
We are Children Rising! Last night, Faith Network of the East Bay embarked on an exciting new chapter. After long months of thoughtful consideration, and many more months of planning, we are excited to announce that as of today, we are Children Rising! Many have asked: Why are We changing our name? Simply put, it’s […]
By Jim Wambach
August 8, 2019 | Read More
What’s in a name? As we raise the curtain on an exciting next chapter in our story, it’s crucial that our name truly captures the soul of our organization. Simply put – it’s all about empowering more children to rise above the substantial challenges they face, created by generations of poverty, violence, and educational inequity. […]
By Chelsea Boniak
July 15, 2019 | Read More
Most of our school partnerships are established through word of mouth, and Manzanita Seed is no exception. A community member made a call to Children Rising, advocating for a particular student who was seriously struggling in school. Rebecca Buckley, Succeeding by Reading program director, arranged a meeting with the school and explained that we don’t […]
By Jim Wambach
July 11, 2019 | Read More
Perspectives article by Jim Wambach, Executive Director “Safety and security don’t just happen, they are the result of collective consensus and public investment. We owe our children, the most vulnerable citizens in our society, a life free of violence and fear.” — Nelson Mandela, Former President of South Africa Toxic stress in children Earlier this […]
By Jim Wambach
June 25, 2019 | Read More
Strong one-on-one relationship helps a vulnerable child to trust again. This past fall, I experienced firsthand the impact of childhood trauma on a precious, vulnerable young girl. I began working with “Nyesha” (not her real name) as a math tutor in October. The hope is that a tutor’s first meeting with their student lays the […]
By Eric Steckel
June 23, 2019 | Read More
For the past five years, it has been my pleasure to serve on the Eddie College Scholarship Award panel. The CareerBridge program was my entry point to Children Rising. The program – and the scholarship in particular – are near and dear to my heart. In my time, we’ve had some very special award recipients. […]
By Eric Steckel
June 18, 2019 | Read More
As I read Jordan White’s essay for the Eddie College Scholarship application, I was stunned by the traumatic experience she recounted. How could such overt racism be tolerated in an East Bay high school, where we pride ourselves on values of inclusion and community? When this smart, athletic and brave young lady sat down before […]
By Eric Steckel
June 11, 2019 | Read More
June 1st was pretty special! We want to take a moment to thank all of you who contributed to our celebration of Children Rising. We could not have done it without your immense volunteer support and participation. As we spent the last week or so catching our breath and reflecting on another wonderful Hope for […]
By Children Rising
May 16, 2019 | Read More
Have you ever sought a volunteer opportunity with Children Rising , but cannot commit to being a reading or math tutor? Then we’ve got the perfect opportunity for you. Succeeding by Reading is seeking a few good Literacy Elves for summer volunteer service. Literacy Elves provide crucial support to our reading clinics by cleaning, checking, […]
By Eric Steckel
April 18, 2019 | Read More
Grade Level Math Skills Are Crucial For Struggling Students When Brooklyn saw Mr. Paul waiting in the hall outside her second-grade classroom, she broke out in a grin. Despite being eager for that morning’s field trip, she was delighted that her Path2Math tutor was here for his weekly visit. It was a big change from […]
By Jim Wambach
April 10, 2019 | Read More
Perspectives article by Jim Wambach, Executive Director Our Community Must Nurture and Equip Vulnerable Children to Rise Above “Let us remember: one child, one teacher, one pen and one book can change the world“ Malala Yousafzai Now, more than ever, the full support of our community is required to help nurture and equip vulnerable children […]
By Chelsea Boniak
March 19, 2019 | Read More
How you helped vulnerable students catch up A few weeks ago, our normally quiet office was buzzing with activity as impromptu tutor training sessions began—supplies were gathered, coffee brewed, and tutors arrived. During this time, the teachers in Oakland schools were on strike. This brought our clinics to a temporary halt while we waited with […]
By Chelsea Boniak
March 12, 2019 | Read More
Summer Internship in Oakland: Important for Career Development Who doesn’t like a little holiday treat at Christmas? This holiday season, CareerBridge partnered with Ralph J. Bunche Academy High School in West Oakland to organize a tasty enterprise combining the efforts of CareerBridge Entrepreneurship Training Program students and the Ralph Bunche Culinary Arts Program. Bunches of […]
By Eric Steckel
March 5, 2019 | Read More
by Linda Joseph, Volunteer Succeeding by Reading tutor This spring, we are excited to share the words of Linda Joseph, a volunteer reading tutor working with our Succeeding by Reading program. This year I am proud to work with a student named Jadon who has blossomed in his reading. But it took time, trust and […]
By Jim Wambach
February 21, 2019 | Read More
Perspectives article by Jim Wambach, Executive Director An Education Crisis We are in the midst of a public education crisis throughout our country. The crisis is particularly acute within the urban, lower income neighborhoods of our largest cities. Now, more than ever, the full support of our community is required to help nurture and equip […]
By Jim Wambach
January 25, 2019 | Read More
Perspectives article by Jim Wambach, Executive Director “When a flower doesn’t bloom, you fix the environment in which it grows, not the flower” – Alexander Den Heijer “Every child has a different learning style and pace. Each child is unique, not only capable of learning but also capable of succeeding” – Robert John Meehan Dear […]
By Children Rising
December 24, 2018 | Read More
As we celebrate advent and the birth of Christ, I want to thank you for the gifts you have shared throughout the year. Your contribution of time, talent and treasure has helped thousands of struggling children. While it is always better to give than to receive, my sincere hope is that you have received something […]
By Jim Wambach
December 22, 2018 | Read More
Perspectives article by Jim Wambach, Executive Director Part 1: Volunteer Tutor: It’s NOT JUST About Getting Better Grades! Empowerment: “The process of becoming stronger and more confident, especially in controlling one’s life and claiming one’s rights” – Oxford Dictionary Dear Friends, Earlier this week, I was speaking to a woman who is passionate about helping […]
By Children Rising
December 21, 2018 | Read More
As 2018 comes to a close, I reflect upon what an amazing year it has been here at Children Rising . Through your steadfast partnership, generosity and prayers, we have been able to go deeper and broader as we come alongside children and youth at the crossroad of promise and risk. Here are just a […]
By Eric Steckel
December 18, 2018 | Read More
“Summer internships give you a view of the world, and life, and I wouldn’t have had a chance to do this without CareerBridge.” Alicia has big dreams for her future, as well as a lot of drive and initiative. However, opportunities to gain valuable summer internship opportunities seemed totally out of reach… until she heard […]
By Children Rising
December 15, 2018 | Read More
by Amy Hood, Health4Kids volunteer This winter, we are excited to share the words of Amy Hood, a volunteer working with our Health4Kids program. “This is my second school year volunteering with Health4Kids. A few years ago, Children Rising started working in partnership with Project Peace, an organization where I serve on the board and […]
By Eric Steckel
December 7, 2018 | Read More
“When they feel safe, and that you’re on their side, they’ll take a risk in learning.” – Leslie Carey, Path2Math Tutor Dominic is an enthusiastic, confident second-grader at Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School in Oakland. However, like so many of his classmates, Dominic is substantially below grade level in math and reading. “This has […]
By Chelsea Boniak
November 23, 2018 | Read More
“Generosity lies less in giving much than in giving at the right moment.” — Jean de La Bruyère, French writer Dear Friends, #GivingTuesday is just around the corner… and we need your help! Entering its seventh year, #GivingTuesday is a global day of giving fueled by the power of social media and collaboration. Celebrated on the […]
By Jim Wambach
November 22, 2018 | Read More
Perspectives article by Jim Wambach, Executive Director “In ordinary life, we hardly realize that we receive a great deal more than we give, and that it is only with gratitude that life becomes rich.” ~ Dietrich Bonhoeffer Dear Friends, This past Sunday, I had the pleasure of worshipping with our friends at First Presbyterian Church […]
By Children Rising
November 21, 2018 | Read More
Satisfy your sweet tooth… or share with someone special. During this holiday season, Children Rising’s CareerBridge Program is proud to continue our partnership with Ralph J. Bunche Academy High School in West Oakland. We are working together with students from Bunche’s Culinary Arts Program to offer our “Bunches of Sweetness” – Holiday Peppermint Bark, a […]
By Chelsea Boniak
November 16, 2018 | Read More
Our 2018 Matching Fund Campaign Is At the Midway Point As we embarked on our 4th Matching Fund Campaign, we set a high bar. Our goal? To say “Yes!” to hundreds of more 2nd grade children struggling with grade-level math and reading. Here we are at the midway point, and we are grateful, and humbled, […]
By Jim Wambach
October 30, 2018 | Read More
Perspectives article by Jim Wambach, Executive Director There is an education crisis affecting our city’s most vulnerable children. Let’s all say “YES!” … so more children can escape the vicious cycle of poverty and violence. Dear Community, Is the plight of urban public schools one of the civil rights issues of our generation? I strongly believe […]
By Eric Steckel
October 17, 2018 | Read More
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 no money! So much for those travel plans! Eventually, I was […]
By Eric Steckel
September 21, 2018 | Read More
by Nathan Talavera, CareerBridge Student I am a recent graduate of the Ralph J. Bunche Academy in Oakland. This fall, I am enrolling in City College of Berkeley. But it’s not always been an easy path. I am the eldest of 5 kids in my family, and I’m responsible for being a role model. Ever […]
By Eric Steckel
September 20, 2018 | Read More
Volunteer Math Tutor Program a Partnership With Oakland Unified School District As we settle into a new school year, Children Rising staff are feverishly putting the final touches to our program preparations and are eager to begin working with wonderful new students. This year, there is added excitement in the air as we launch our […]
By Chelsea Boniak
September 19, 2018 | Read More
A Reading Tutor – and a book about octopuses – helped ignite a passion for reading! Soraida began the school year as a shy child who lacked confidence, struggling to learn and read in English. Soraida’s teachers helped partner her with a Succeeding by Reading tutor. However, after limited success with both English and Spanish […]
By Chelsea Boniak
September 13, 2018 | Read More
One-to-one math tutor helps a struggling student catch up to his fellow students Like many of the students in our Path2Math and Succeeding by Reading intervention programs, Emiliano lacked confidence as he entered his 5th grade math class. “They think they can’t do the work. In their mind they’re not as smart as the other […]
By Jim Wambach
September 11, 2018 | Read More
Perspectives article by Jim Wambach, Executive Director “When educating the minds of our youth, we must not forget to educate their hearts.” ~Dalai Lama Dear Children Rising Community, As you can see from the personal stories we have shared throughout the year, our programs are not just about helping children develop key reading, math and […]
By Sophia Wambach
August 13, 2018 | Read More
Today was the first day of school for Oakland students! The next few weeks will be full of reunions with old friends, exciting new relationships, and journeys into worlds of ideas and knowledge. Unfortunately, for the thousands of children who struggle with reading or basic math, the first day of school is also the start […]
By Eric Steckel
August 12, 2018 | Read More
Are you ready to take the #ChampionsForChildren Challenge? As Oakland children and youth get ready to go back to school, we are excited to announce the #ChampionsForChildren Challenge. #ChampionsForChildren is much more than just a fundraising campaign. It is a peer-to-peer campaign that relies on you, our champions, to spread the word to your network. […]
By Sophia Wambach
August 2, 2018 | Read More
Before the school year starts up again, we’d like to thank each and every one of our volunteers for the time, energy, and affection they put into volunteering. Please join us in recognizing our 2017-2018 volunteers and community partners: To download the PDF file, click Volunteer Appreciation 2018.
By Eric Steckel
July 28, 2018 | Read More
This Summer has absolutely blown by! It seems like just yesterday we were celebrating the progress our young readers and math scholars made last year. Now, with the help of our ‘elves,’ we are preparing for another great school year, which begins in just a few short weeks. Throughout the summer, we have been diligently […]
By Sophia Wambach
July 10, 2018 | Read More
Saturday, September 8, 9:00 – 11:30am
By Jim Wambach
July 10, 2018 | Read More
Perspectives article by Jim Wambach, Executive Director This year’s Hope for Children Now Gala was a wonderful celebration. It was an opportunity to unite our Children Rising community, applaud the progress made by our children and youth, acknowledge the dedication of our volunteer tutors and mentors, and remind each other of the journey ahead. Two […]
By Chelsea Boniak
July 7, 2018 | Read More
Children Rising’s annual Hope for Children Now Benefit Gala took place on June 9, 2018 at the Scottish Rite Center in Oakland. CareerBridge’s scholarship winners took center stage to be recognized for their exceptional performance in school and internships. Amber Johnson, Albert Mitchell, Garyon’tae Smith, and Haifa Algabri each received a $5,000 Eddie College Scholarship. […]
By Jim Wambach
June 5, 2018 | Read More
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 […]
By Children Rising
June 5, 2018 | Read More
Article written by Pam May (Kids Count) and Jessie Palmatier (Admin) 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 […]
By Jim Wambach
April 27, 2018 | Read More
by Jim Wambach, Executive Director I have been impressed with the urgency of doing. Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Being willing is not enough; we must do. – Leonardo da Vinci Dear Community, One volunteer + one child + love. A life filled with risk and despair can be transformed to a life […]
By Chelsea Boniak
April 25, 2018 | Read More
In the October 2017 newsletter, we featured a story about a CareerBridge intern named Karyn Lee. We recently had the pleasure of speaking with Karyn’s mother, Marjorie, who shared her perspective on Karyn’s story. Before she connected with CareerBridge, Karyn was losing steam. Marjorie had watched her daughter struggle in school after Karyn’s father passed […]
By Children Rising
April 3, 2018 | Read More
by Eric Steckel, Communications Manager Imagine, for a moment, the smiling young boy in the picture. He’s about to graduate third grade with his entire life before him, full of unlimited possibilities. Perhaps one day he’ll study to be a doctor or create the Next Big Thing in tech. He holds so much promise and […]
By Children Rising
April 2, 2018 | Read More
by Kim Farnham-Flom, Director of Library Services Three years ago, Janice McClure was approaching retirement from her professional position. At that time, she read an article in the Children Rising newsletter about our contribution in opening and sustaining libraries in Oakland public schools*. Intrigued, she set about using some of her newfound time as a […]
By Children Rising
March 1, 2018 | Read More
by Jim Wambach, Executive Director It’s not what is poured into a student, but what is planted. – Linda Conway He who opens a school door, closes a prison. – Victor Hugo Dear Community, Many of you have done so much to help “at-promise” children in the East Bay. Though Children Rising prefers not […]
By Sophia Wambach
March 1, 2018 | Read More
Gleoria Bradley-Sapp is a volunteer-turned-employee who joined us late last year as our newest reading clinic coordinator. We were in need and Gleoria stepped into the fray when we were at our wit’s end! Gleoria retired from the University of California in July 2009 where she had worked in the public service, education, and research […]
By Children Rising
February 28, 2018 | Read More
by Bronwyn Harris, teacher and author I taught third grade in the Oakland Unified School District for eight years. I was passionate about my work, and dearly loved the children in my classes. Each one of them had so much promise. However, I was teaching in one of the toughest neighborhoods in Oakland, a neighborhood […]
By Sophia Wambach
January 29, 2018 | Read More
As I’m sure you’ve noticed from our previous newsletters, we’ve been adding to our staff. What’s amazing is that God has sent every one of these wonderful and talented people our way in response to our expressed needs. Here are a few more new faces! Pam P. May is our Program Coordinator with Children Rising’s […]
By Children Rising
January 27, 2018 | Read More
by Jim Wambach, Executive Director Children Rising is in the midst of an exciting season as 2018 begins. Building on the program benefits realized by the many “at-promise” children in our community during the last several school years, we are aggressively investing in our ability to both enhance these programs and to make it possible […]
By Eric Steckel
January 22, 2018 | Read More
As in life, there is no single path to a fulfilling career. Pursuing a career path that aligns your values and your passions is a very good place to start. As our CareerBridge program enters its fourth year at the Ralph J. Bunche Academy in West Oakland, we have witnessed many Oakland youth start down […]