By Eric Steckel
April 2, 2025
Will you give Children Rising a hand in spreading the good news about kids learning reading and math?
Children Rising is looking for 6-8 volunteers to help us mail our Giving Gatherings Invitation.
We are assembling a small group to stuff and finalize the mailing. The time commitment is just 2 hours.
SIGN UP TODAY. Email sophia@children-rising.org
By Eric Steckel
January 22, 2024
Tutoring instills confidence, hope, and a love for learning in the young minds you tutor.
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 in young learners.
Richard’s journey with Path2Math began through a connection with his wife, Janet, who was already a tutor with Succeeding by Reading. As a recent retiree in 2018, he sought a meaningful way to contribute. Through tutoring, he dedicates a day each week to focus on something “…that wasn’t just about me having fun.”
“I’m just thrilled to see Montana be happy and be successful and leave here saying, ‘I did really well today.’ I enjoy that.”
Drawn to the program’s focus on math, Richard soon found himself making a significant impact on students like Montana, who he’s been tutoring since the beginning of the school year. Montana’s growth exemplifies the program’s commitment to fostering a genuine love for learning. “She wants to succeed so much. She likes being successful,” Richard shares.
Will you complete HER Circle of Care?
Through one-on-one reading and math tutoring, and family support, you will nurture an eager child in a circle of care so they may succeed in school.
Richard pointed out Montana’s innovative approach to problem-solving, emphasizing strategies over rote memorization. “She looks for strategies to solve problems, not memorizing processes and answers. So that’s always encouraging when the child just gets it.”
This reflects the Path2Math philosophy of nurturing critical thinking skills and a deeper understanding of mathematical concepts.
One of the most rewarding aspects for Richard is witnessing moments of success in his students. “I’m just thrilled to see Montana be happy and be successful and leave here saying, ‘I did really well today.’ I enjoy that.”
“I see it as a partnership (with the teachers), that we help the students connect in the classroom so that they can thrive.”
Richard’s dedication extends beyond individual victories, as he views his role as a support for the teachers to help students like Montana thrive both in and out of the classroom. “Particularly with the younger children, if you get them to the point where they can understand, then that excitement, that energy increases in class and they thrive.”
Your generosity supports tutors like Richard Sheehy, who are the beating heart of Children Rising’s one-on-one tutoring programs.
Richard also commends Children Rising for its efficient and well-organized approach to volunteer engagement. “They think very carefully about, ‘How do we best use our tutors? How do we make that experience worthwhile?’ Both for the student and for the tutor,” he observed.
Richard Sheehy’s commitment to Path2Math embodies the spirit of Children Rising’s mission. Through his inspiring journey, Richard not only imparts academic knowledge but also instills confidence, hope, and a love for learning in the young minds he mentors.
By Jim Wambach
December 21, 2023
Joyous learning spaces provide a sanctuary where children can feel comfortable, enjoy learning, and thrive.
Every month, the Succeeding by Reading team of program managers and reading clinic coordinators gathers to review the program’s effectiveness and ideas for improvement. Instead of launching directly into the “business” of teaching our amazing kids to read, the gathering always starts with a reflection. That reflection veers into a consideration of how the kids, tutors, and each team member are feeling and responding to the challenges of learning and teaching.
Last month’s meeting started with a reflection on Psalm 18:19:
“He brought me out into a spacious place;
he rescued me because he delighted in me.”
In the tapestry of education, Psalm 18:19 echoes the importance of a spacious and comfortable environment for children to learn and thrive. As we reflected on “spacious places” it illuminated the profound impact of dedicated spaces on a child’s educational journey.
“In the midst of sometimes hectic classroom environments … children receive one-on-one attention, support, and care, fostering an environment where they can respond to learning with delight and progress.”
Children Rising recognizes the significance of creating safe, ordered spaces for learning. Our tutoring programs foster an environment where children are nurtured in a circle of care.
In the Bay Area, finding a fixed, consistent space is often a challenge for children, especially those in our programs. Although it may be something we take for granted, shockingly, Oakland Unified School District reported 1,780 unhoused students in 2023. This emphasizes the critical link between stable housing and conducive learning environments. OUSD uses guidelines in the McKinney-Vento Act to classify unhoused students. It defines homelessness as lacking a “fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime housing.”
It underscores the struggles faced by children living in crowded or transient conditions. Imagine trying to learn at home, when home is not fixed, and could be a hotel one week or a shelter the next?
Our commitment to providing a sanctuary for learning is evident in our tutoring programs. In the midst of sometimes hectic classroom environments, our clinics become havens of order, predictability, and patterns. Here, children receive one-on-one attention, support, and care, fostering an environment where they can respond to learning with delight and progress.
Children Rising strives to embrace children in a circle of care. This includes creating nurturing sanctuaries for children to learn and thrive.
By Eric Steckel
October 10, 2023
We are grateful for Vilma and all of the dedicated tutors. Because of your unique skills and talents, children like Jennifer receive the support they need to become lifelong learners.
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 Elementary School. Jennifer came to the United States from Guatemala three years ago. “She loved the fact that I spoke Spanish and she opened up a lot. Jennifer told me about herself and her family, and she picked things up really quickly,” Vilma said.
Will you complete HER Circle of Care?
Through one-on-one reading and math tutoring, and family support, you will nurture an eager child in a circle of care so they may succeed in school.
Like many tutors, Vilma shared an “Aha moment.” Jennifer started in the Pre-K Orange Zone. When she successfully moved on to the Yellow Zone, she already knew nearly all of the vocabulary words in the new zone. “I thought to myself, ‘How does she know all the words? Did we underestimate her or what? How is that possible?’ She made it through the Yellow and Green Zones and into the Purple Zone. I was so impressed with her.”
“I kinda help and guide them, answer questions when they’re stuck, but they did the work. They did it themselves. They are super. I really enjoyed it. I just wanted to hug them!” – Vilma Morales
Vilma is modest about her role in Jennifer’s progress. “I didn’t feel like I did anything. I kinda help and guide them, answer questions when they’re stuck, but they did the work. They did it themselves. They are super. I really enjoyed it. I just wanted to hug them!”
That joy is certainly felt by the children she tutored. “The one-on-one relationship made them feel comfortable working with me, and opening up with me. I would ask, ‘How are you today?’ and they would always say, “Good,” or “I’m glad to be here,” always in a good mood.”
When I asked Vilma if she had anything to share with potential tutors, she replied, “Be patient with them. Have an understanding of their needs. Just be there for them, and help them in anything they need help in.”
We are grateful for Vilma and all of the dedicated tutors. Because of your unique skills and talents, children like Jennifer receive the support they need to become lifelong learners.
By Eric Steckel
August 4, 2023
Children are back to school on Monday after the summer break. Many students suffer from summer learning loss—up to a month of critical learning loss in reading and math.
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 summer. While it may not be popular with kids and parents, especially when it comes to planning for summer vacations, there are some very good reasons OUSD made the change, which include a schedule that allows students to complete fall work before the winter break, and more time for dual-enrollment students to enroll in classes. Sometimes the popular choice isn’t the best choice!
Will you complete HER Circle of Care?
Through one-on-one reading and math tutoring, and family support, you will nurture an eager child in a circle of care so they may succeed in school.
While that may not placate families who just want to enjoy a few more days of summer together, we are excited to get back to tutoring the children. It’s been a busy summer. Teams have been preparing materials; program directors have been working on program enhancements; and children and tutors have been working on reading and math skills so they will return to school ready to learn!
You helped our programs prepare for the upcoming school year so that children can come back to school with wind beneath their wings.
All of this preparation has us eager to roll our sleeves up with you once again.
For so many children in Oakland, tutoring is about more than getting good grades—though that’s certainly admirable.
For many children and families, tutoring is about a healthy future, a prosperous community, and public safety. It’s about the opportunity to learn at grade level and grow in their ability to realize their God-given potential.
“For many children and families, tutoring is about a healthy future, a prosperous community, and public safety. It’s about the opportunity to learn at grade level and grow in their ability to realize their God-given potential.”
It’s about the ability of the broader community to proactively improve the future of Oakland, one precious child at a time.
One-on-one time, two hours a week, will empower determined second-grade children to rise to their potential. We provide training, support, guidance, and all of the tools required for you to succeed each week. You will be paired with a child that accommodates your schedule. Our step-by-step program makes it simple for you to inspire them along their journey to reading. It’s almost certain you will be inspired along the way as you work alongside other volunteers and these amazing children. Time Commitment: 2 hours once a week, M-F during school hours.
For so many children in Oakland, tutoring is about more than getting good grades—tutoring is about a healthy future, a prosperous community, and public safety.
Just two hours of one-on-one time per week during school can empower two aspiring second-grade students to learn basic math concepts, develop critical reasoning skills, and grow in confidence as the world of numbers starts to make sense. There are both in-person and online opportunities. We provide training, support, guidance, and all of the tools required for you to succeed each week. We pair you with each child and offer the most convenient school and time slot to accommodate your schedule. You may find that the time spent with eager students and fellow volunteers is the highlight of your week! Time Commitment: 2 hours once a week, M-F during school hours.
Many parents and caregivers struggle to have enough time after work to provide their children with critical homework support at home. You can assist these families by providing one-on-one homework tutoring for the students in our reading and math programs. Homework tutoring is provided during the structured after-school programming that virtually all of the children in our reading and math programs attend. Tutoring opportunities are in-person, after school, at two of our clinic sites. Time Commitment: 2 hours once a week, M-Th between the hours of 3:00 – 5:00 p.m.
You are invited to join us in going back to school! Come alongside our precious neighborhood children by volunteering or making a financial contribution. Together, we will create a brighter, safer, more prosperous future for the children of Oakland, ensuring they have a fair opportunity to succeed in school … and in life.
Let’s act today and send our kids back to school with wind beneath their wings!
It’s not too late for YOU to be a tutor. Volunteer today, and you will give a child the one-on-one care they need to rise to their God-given potential.
By Sophia Wambach
July 25, 2023
We are eagerly preparing for the next school year, and it will start before you know it! If you are interested in becoming a volunteer tutor this year, there’s no better time to get started.
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 all of you for another year, nurturing and enabling many more children to rise to their God-given potential.
Will you complete HER Circle of Care?
Through one-on-one reading and math tutoring, and family support, you will nurture an eager child in a circle of care so they may succeed in school.
Succeeding by Reading and Path2Math will schedule New and Returning Tutor Training Sessions for August and September. Stay tuned for dates.
2023-2024 tutoring assignments will be made in September after school begins and student assessments are made. We will provide you with your assignments as soon as we have completed the rosters at all of our clinics. Stay tuned.
Path2Math will have New Tutor Training starting in August. Stay tuned for a time that fits your schedule.
Path2Math will also have Returning Tutor Refreshers. For those who have already confirmed your return for the upcoming school year, please confirm which training refresher date you’re available to attend. If none of the dates work for you, please email Michelle Hutcherson at michelle@children-rising.org to arrange a one-on-one refresher. The following is a tentative schedule for upcoming dates.
NOTE: Times may change.
Succeeding by Reading will have New Tutor Training and Returning Tutor Refreshers starting in August. Stay tuned for a time that fits your schedule.
Thanks to your support, we distributed Family Literacy POWER Packs to 35 students from seven schools. Children received additional learning support throughout the critical summer months.
During the final weeks of the 2022-2023 school year, Succeeding by Reading staff distributed Family Literacy POWER Packs to 35 students from seven schools. Each student had taken part in a Succeeding by Reading clinic during the year, and this box of hands-on literacy practice tools gave families a great way to support their child’s learning during the summer.
Families were invited to participate in a Family Literacy Exploration Workshop on ZOOM, held twice weekly in June. The workshops featured songs, puzzles, POWER Pack practice activities, storytime, and more! Over the next few weeks, we will conduct a follow-up phone survey with our families to find out how they are using the POWER Packs and what additional resources they would benefit from.
Summer math tutors like Jetanii ensured that children avoided the “summer slide” and will return to school in the fall ready to learn.
Summer learning loss—also known as the summer slide—is a phenomenon that has impacted students and driven teachers crazy for decades. This summer Path2Math offered in-person and online tutoring to 80 students throughout June. Many of the tutors, like Jetanii Yancy, participated in Path2Math as part of their CareerBridge summer internship program. Through our summer tutoring program, many children kept up with their math skills and will return to school in the fall better prepared.
Dedicated Literacy Elves gathered to sort, organize, clean, check, and repair literacy materials used during this past school year. The kids and tutors will be ready to learn in the fall.
Every Tuesday and Thursday morning in June, teams of dedicated Literacy Elves (AKA Succeeding by Reading volunteer literacy tutors) gathered to sort, organize, clean, check, and repair literacy materials used during this past school year.
Some may tout the benefits of ‘self-help,’ but this summer, we have seen the power of “Elf-Help”! We are grateful for the attention, dedication, and love expressed by our summer volunteers as they help us prepare Succeeding by Reading clinics for the upcoming school year.
If you are interested in becoming a Literacy Elf, we have dates in August.
By Eric Steckel
July 24, 2023
The one-on-one relationship you form with your child is fundamental. “It’s just a happy feeling. It’s very rare that kids get this one-on-one relationship with anybody at that age.”
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 to learn to read.
“If you care about the child, and they care about you, that comes through. I think that is a huge part of success in tutoring …”
“I love kids; I love tutoring. I find that one of the best ways to build self-esteem is when kids feel that they’re able to learn and feel good about themselves; more than almost any therapy in the world, it helps them realize that they can learn. It’s a highlight of my week,” Ann said.
Will you complete HER Circle of Care?
Through one-on-one reading and math tutoring, and family support, you will nurture an eager child in a circle of care so they may succeed in school.
During the disrupted COVID year of 2020, Ann tutored a young girl named Juliana. “Juliana was enthusiastic. She really wanted to learn to read better,” Ann recounted. “She was very hard on herself, so I just tried to reinforce everything positive that I could. I would tell her, ‘It’s okay, you don’t have to be perfect, it’s about progress, not perfection.”
Because of you, children like Juliana have overcome challenges in school and risen to their God-given potential. That’s a beautiful thing indeed!
Juliana made great progress despite the year being cut short. “There was a book she loved, a graphic book. When a child is motivated because she’s interested in the material, it’s much better than anything else. So we were reading the book together, and she was doing well. I think she was more forgiving of herself if she made a mistake, she got back on the horse more quickly, and her frustration level decreased.
To Ann, the one-on-one relationship is fundamental. “If you care about the child, and they care about you, that comes through. I think that is a huge part of success in tutoring, therapy, social work, anything really,” she said. “It’s just a happy feeling. It’s very rare that kids get this one-on-one relationship with anybody at that age. The caring and the warmth that grows between people—I’ve had it with little boys, little girls, it doesn’t matter. It’s the weekly contact. Knowing someone cares about you and is going to be there for you, come rain or shine, is special.”
When I asked her if she had anything to share with potential tutors, she replied, “This program is fantastic. It’s so well organized. Rebecca and Pia do such a great job. It’s a real gift to be able to work with the program. What can I say? It’s beautiful. It’s a beautiful thing.”
We are grateful for Ann and all of the dedicated Succeeding by Reading tutors. Because of you, children like Juliana have overcome challenges in school and risen to their God-given potential. That’s a beautiful thing indeed!
By Eric Steckel
May 30, 2023
Tutors needed: Programs like Succeeding by Reading and Path2Math provide opportunities for community members to step in, be part of this leading-edge solution, and support student recovery.
“Tutors needed!” is the refrain we keep hearing from our partner schools.
As the year comes to an end, Children Rising is already preparing one-on-one tutoring and family support programs for the 2023-24 year. So many elementary school children made dramatic advancements in reading and math last year, and we are so proud of their determination and effort. Next year, we want to support many more eager young learners!
The message is simple: Tutors needed!
We invite the entire Bay Area community to participate in our Succeeding by Reading and Path2Math one-on-one tutoring programs.
Will you complete HER Circle of Care?
Through one-on-one reading and math tutoring, and family support, you will nurture an eager child in a circle of care so they may succeed in school.
A call for tutors this year!
Nationwide, students continue to suffer from unprecedented levels of unfinished learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic. On average, children are two to four months behind in reading and math. Closer to home, over 70% of the second-graders in Oakland Unified School District schools we serve are two or more grade levels behind in reading or math.
“Every young child deserves a fair chance to succeed in school…and in life. Through one-on-one reading and math tutoring and family support, we empower children to become lifelong learners.”
We need more trained tutors to provide more instances of tutoring in the coming years to overcome the lost learning time our children experienced. These are two hallmarks of high-dosage tutoring, one of the leading solutions to overcoming significant unfinished learning.
Reading and math tutors are needed this year, now more than ever before. Please consider stepping forward. You can empower an eager child to succeed in school … and in life!
There’s good news and bad news.
The bad? The need is greater than ever. Last year, Children Rising had to turn away eager students from our programs because we did not have a tutor when they needed one most.
The good? It’s a solvable problem, and YOU can be part of that solution.
To meet the needs of the Oakland elementary schools we serve:
Children Rising’s volunteer tutoring programs Succeeding by Reading and Path2Math provide opportunities for community members to step in, be part of these evidenced-based programs, and support student recovery.
Better yet, Children Rising provides the training, materials, and on-site support for tutors to be successful from day one.
Each of you can help
It’s an extraordinary time, and your help in spreading the word and generating community interest to get involved can make a huge difference this year for many children. Here’s how you can help:
Smiling faces. Tutors needed.
Become a tutor. Now is the time to step forward to nurture and empower a struggling child in school! Learn more today.
The programs are ready. Our comprehensive tutor training and on-site support ensure that tutors are ready to empower an eager child to become a lifelong learner.
By Jim Wambach
May 16, 2023
Thanks to your gifts, the children in our programs receive the caring love and extra support they need to become lifelong learners and rise to their God-given potential.
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.” — Winston Churchill
Volunteerism empowers individuals to find their purpose and often provides a new vocation in an outpouring of individual gifts that serves the greater good.
Caring members of our community are the beating heart of Children Rising.
Randy Roth’s vision was to create opportunities for people to step in and use their gifts to support eager children in Oakland’s lowest-income neighborhoods. The love and tireless dedication of our volunteers, those who help behind the scenes and those who show up week after week for the children, inspire and fuel our work.
Will you complete HER Circle of Care?
Through one-on-one reading and math tutoring, and family support, you will nurture an eager child in a circle of care so they may succeed in school.
As we celebrate National Volunteer Week in April, we are incredibly grateful to all of our amazing volunteers. Your stories show us the power we each have to positively impact the community and truly be a force of good here in Oakland and the East Bay.
“As we celebrate National Volunteer Week in April, we are incredibly grateful to all of our amazing volunteers.”
Unfortunately, we are facing an education crisis of huge proportions—one that sees only 30% of elementary school children of color achieving grade-level reading and math skills. These kids, their parents, and their teachers need all of us in the community now more than ever before.
The community has responded to this crisis!
More caring adults in the community have volunteered for reading and math tutoring this year than ever before, and we have exceeded our pre-COVID number of tutors. This is wonderful news! However, there are hundreds of children still waiting for a tutor.
You responded to this crisis—more caring adults in the community have volunteered for reading and math tutoring this year than ever before.
Thank you to all of our volunteers for providing the youngest members of our community 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 and rise to their God-given potential.
As a member of the Children Rising community, please encourage your friends, neighbors, and colleagues to consider volunteering their time to support many more children in the coming years. You will be giving them AND the children a special gift.
By Jim Wambach
March 31, 2023
As we celebrate Global Volunteer Month, we are so incredibly thankful for all of the volunteers who dedicate their time, talent, voice, and support to causes they are passionate about.
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 an opportunity to shine a light on the people and causes that inspire us to serve. Volunteerism empowers individuals to find their purpose, a new vocation, an outpouring of individual gifts that serves a greater good.
Because of YOU, we have exceeded our pre-COVID number of tutors! That number continues to rise as we seek to come alongside many more children in the coming years.
We are so incredibly thankful for all of the Succeeding by Reading, Path2Math, and FamilyBridge volunteers who dedicate their time, talent, voice, and support to causes they are passionate about. Their stories show us the power we each have to make a positive impact in the community and truly be a force of good here in Oakland and the East Bay. During National Volunteer Week, we are grateful for the opportunity to recognize and thank them for their selfless contributions.
As we celebrate National Volunteer Week April 16-23, we are reminded that volunteerism empowers individuals to find their purpose, a new vocation, an outpouring of individual gifts that serves a greater good.
Caring members of the community, working with eager young children, are the beating heart of our programs. We simply cannot do it without the love and dedication of our reading and math tutors, who show up week after week for the children. Thanks to each and every one of our amazing tutors who have worked tirelessly for the children in our community schools once again this year.
It truly takes a village to come alongside the smart, eager-to-learn children we serve. Because of YOU, we have exceeded our pre-COVID number of tutors!
It truly takes a village to come alongside the smart, eager-to-learn children we serve. Our tutors cannot do it without YOU.
YOUR financial gifts ensure the volunteer tutors receive the training, materials, and support they need to be successful. With your dedicated support, the special learning and critical growth that comes from one-on-one tutoring are possible.
Also thanks to YOU, we have recruited more tutors to provide one-on-one literacy and math tutoring this school year. Every week, we screen, train, and equip many more tutors to step in, enabling children to make up for lost learning time.
Because of YOU, we have exceeded our pre-COVID number of tutors! That number continues to rise as we seek to come alongside many more children in the coming years. We are optimistic about the future.
Of course, many of you provide gifts of time, dedicated service, and financial support. We want to give special thanks for your dedication. Together, through your gifts, children are becoming lifelong learners.
I want to learn more about online reading or math clinics to see if tutoring is right for me!
By Jim Wambach
January 26, 2023
“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!
Your gifts enable tutors and children to work together, side by side, so that they may rise to their God-given potential.
This year, it became clear the COVID pandemic has devastatingly stalled and eroded children’s academic skills. The children most impacted—elementary school children of color—are the very children Children Rising serves!
Many did not finish their first year of kindergarten due to COVID. Those children are now third-graders who are as much as three grade levels behind in their reading and math skills. Others were in second grade when COVID hit. They are now fifth-graders who are also as much as three grade levels behind in their reading and math. What makes it worse is they will be transitioning to middle school next year as some of the most poorly prepared students ever to do so.
Will you complete HER Circle of Care?
Through one-on-one reading and math tutoring, and family support, you will nurture an eager child in a circle of care so they may succeed in school.
They are all smart, eager-to-learn kids who have become greatly discouraged and lost confidence in their abilities. However, they all thrive on focused attention and a little TLC.
You’ll smile and do a fist bump when you see your eager student learn reading and math skills. Become a tutor today!
One caring adult can make a difference in a child’s life by providing one-on-one math or reading tutoring for a young girl or boy—and caring enough to show up every week. It’s like pouring water on a wilted flower—the flower quickly rises up to face the sun of hope.
So far this year, 83 additional community members have become Children Rising math and reading tutors. They joined with 80 other community members who were already Children Rising tutors. Together they are selflessly pouring their attention onto 300 children who will now have a more fair chance of reclaiming hope and rising to their God-given potential.
Thank you to all Children Rising volunteers. You are special and make an essential difference in our children’s lives here in Oakland!
I want to learn more about online reading or math clinics to see if tutoring is right for me!
By Jim Wambach
December 26, 2022
In 2022, your support meant that over 250 eager young children received crucial, timely academic support from caring members of the Children Rising community.
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 taking a child by the hand this year!
Because of you, each child receives so much care and support. “How much?” you may ask.
Quite a lot! Let’s break down the numbers in our Succeeding by Reading and Path2Math one-on-one tutoring programs.
When you multiply these hours by 250 children, that comes to an extraordinary 16,250 total hours of nurturing care for children in the programs you support! Just looking at these numbers, the Children Rising community enablement model could be described as a “well-oiled machine.”
Love is what fuels the progress the children make each year. And that’s why we are so good at uplifting children in your community.
However, machines don’t share love, compassion, joy, and pride!
And that’s why we are so good at uplifting children in your community. Love is what fuels the progress the children make each year.
But our work is far from over!
The children in your community schools need you more than ever before. Many more children are desperate for a caring, one-on-one tutor, so they, too, may rise to their God-given potential.
Will you make a special year-end gift to be a caring hand for a child?
Will you complete HER Circle of Care?
Through one-on-one reading and math tutoring, and family support, you will nurture an eager child in a circle of care so they may succeed in school.
With your continued support, we will enable so many eager children to develop the skills and confidence they need to succeed in school and in life.
Thank you for being a part of the amazing Children Rising family.
I want to learn more about online reading or math clinics to see if tutoring is right for me!
By Eric Steckel
November 10, 2022
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 Services.
The addition of these talented, passionate, and compassionate professionals improves our ability to provide essential learning enrichment services to children and youth and expands our capacity to serve families in our programs. In addition, it provides opportunities for many more caring members of the community to come alongside children and youth and enable them to rise to their God-given potential.
We’d like to take this opportunity to introduce Pia, Sophia, and Tai.
“As an educator, my goal is for children to be confident, competent, and ready as they face the next stage in school and life.”
As the Program Manager for Succeeding by Reading, Pia is a tutoring Clinic Coordinator at school sites and provides vital program management support.
Before joining Children Rising, Pia had fourteen years of experience in early childhood education and worked in various Catholic Schools and Head Start programs as a Preschool teacher and Preschool Director. She majored in Human Development at California State University East Bay, completed her master’s degree in Human Development specializing in Administration and Human Services in Pacific Oaks, and earned her Child Development director permit.
One of her favorite parts of being a preschool teacher is starting with circle time to captivate the children into learning their letters using zoo phonics and reading their favorite books. During the summer breaks, she tutored students between the ages of four and six to prepare them for the next school year. Pia is passionate about closing the educational gap and improving children’s self-confidence as they learn more.
Pia grew up in Manila and moved to the East Bay in 2001 with her mom and six siblings. In her spare time, she volunteers at senior centers or San Jose Airport with her dog Charlie and plans a road trip once a month with her converted camper van.
Will you complete HER Circle of Care?
Through one-on-one reading and math tutoring, and family support, you will nurture an eager child in a circle of care so they may succeed in school.
Sophia provides opportunities for many more caring members of the community to come alongside children and youth.
As Manager of Volunteer Resources, Sophia is responsible for recruiting and welcoming the caring volunteers that come to serve children in our Oakland schools. She collaborates closely with Children Rising program directors to ensure they have appropriate levels of volunteer staffing to support literacy and numeracy learning for the kids. Before joining the Children Rising staff, Sophia volunteered since January 2020 as a Development Associate, a Volunteer Management Associate, and a CareerBridge Mentor.
She earned a Bachelor of Science in Administrative Management and has over 30 years of experience in administration and operations management, human resources and staff management, and budget planning.
In her free time, Sophia teaches Haiku poetry. She applies her artistic passion to creating beautiful cards for fundraising events and nonprofit organizations like Meals on Wheels. Her handmade cards provide joy and inspiration to homebound seniors, especially during these trying times.
“In partnering with families, the FamilyBridge program celebrates the uniqueness of each family, of which the child is an extension.”
Tai Dillard, Program Director of FamilyBridge, brings to our community over 12 years of experience advocating for families and children. As a developmental specialist in Frisco, TX, she assessed children from birth to three years old for developmental delays and helped families navigate early intervention services.
Like all of the Children Rising family, she is gratified to experience children light up academically. For several years, Tai served as a math tutor in underserved areas of Cobb County, Ga. She delights in the activation of potential as children gain confidence in literacy and numeracy and aspire to academic goals that once seemed elusive.
Tai, a native of Columbus, OH, earned a B.A. in Foreign Languages and Economics from Auburn University and an MBA from the University of Phoenix. In her spare time, Tai enjoys traveling, reading, writing, and visiting museums.
We know that when families are an integral part of their child’s education, they can confidently nurture and advocate for their child’s academic success.
Family engagement enables parents and caregivers to discover their agency, develop the skills and confidence to support learning at home, and advocate for their child within the school system.
Children Rising developed FamilyBridge to empower parents and caregivers in our public schools most affected by poverty, violence and educational inequity. Through family engagement, our goal is to partner with families so they may further develop the skills, confidence, and tools needed to accelerate their child’s learning, and advocate for their vision of their child’s academic growth.
Launched at the beginning of the 2022-2023 school year, FamilyBridge will provide families access to advanced in-home learning tools and support specifically designed for elementary school students. With additional resources, children will achieve accelerated, predictable growth in literacy and numeracy skills. Parents and caregivers will develop increased confidence and the ability to provide academic support to their children at home. The confidence boost for young learners will result in lasting, improved outcomes for post-elementary education learning.
Thanks to your support, Children Rising has improved and expanded the caring services we provide to children, youth, and families in our community schools.
I want to learn more about CareerBridge to see if mentoring is right for me!
By Eric Steckel
April 22, 2022
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 individuals to come alongside eager young students, empowering them to rise to their God-given potential.
Volunteer tutors foster relationships that spark learning so essential to a child’s growth and development in school and in life.
“They embrace and share our mission and vision, creating a spark in our community—a beacon of light and hope.”
It would be difficult to overstate the importance of volunteers to our work. Here are three ways they are uplifting our community.
Will you complete HER Circle of Care?
Through one-on-one reading and math tutoring, and family support, you will nurture an eager child in a circle of care so they may succeed in school.
Children Rising volunteers are trained and supported so that they are prepared to step in and be part of the team that nurtures and empowers these amazing kids.
Of course, the benefit of volunteering is a two-way street. Almost every volunteer we speak to shares a similar sentiment—their lives are enriched by the relationships they develop. By going outside of their comfort zone, they develop a new vocation that, as Wendell Berry wrote, is a calling “by God, or by our gifts, or by our preference, to a kind of good work for which we are particularly fitted.” When they find that fit, it’s heartwarming for all.
Fittingly, National Volunteer Week concludes on Earth Day 2022. Millions of Americans will join hands outside with neighborhood clean-ups of streets, sidewalks, schools, parks, and along creeks and other waterways. There is power in community volunteerism. What truly powers Children Rising is a spirit of community volunteerism that is a beacon of hope not just once a year, but throughout the entire year.
I want to learn more about online reading or math clinics to see if tutoring is right for me!
By Jim Wambach
October 1, 2021
It has been a turbulent 18 months, so full of challenges and opportunities. The global pandemic had a galvanizing effect in many ways. We saw the Oakland Undivided Campaign virtually eliminate the digital divide in Oakland Unified School District. Children Rising and other community partners now offer programs online. This summer, for the first time ever, we provided summer tutoring sessions for reading and math – with volunteers from all over the Bay Area jumping online with the kids!
There is now a profound need — and opportunity — to do more for more of these kids and make truly meaningful progress in closing the devastating achievement gap that has widened in the midst of the pandemic. Fall testing results are in, and 75-80% of the second-graders in the schools we serve at OUSD are two or more grade levels behind in reading and/or math. Below are math scores from 22 second-graders from one classroom, representative of the schools we serve.
Tutors Needed! These are 22 amazing little people that are going to need all of the support they can get this year.
Our amazing educators are working extremely hard but they really have their hands full this year. These results are not a surprise. We’ve all been talking about pandemic-related learning loss, but stats don’t tell the whole story. Although it makes for very grim reading, it’s important to remember these are 22 amazing little people that are going to need all of the support they can get this year.
A shortage of tutors this year
This is not a normal request for volunteers. The need is greater than ever to serve the schools we are currently working with. Unfortunately, because of COVID, our numbers are down. Path2Math needs at least 40 more tutors. Succeeding by Reading needs another 40-50 tutors.
Each of you can help
Become a tutor. If you have ever considered stepping forward to nurture and empower a struggling child in school, now is the time!
It’s an extraordinary time, and your help in spreading the word and generating community interest to get involved can make a huge difference this year for many children. Here’s how you can help.
The programs are ready – Path2Math makes it possible for every volunteer to tutor online. Succeeding by Reading is looking for tutors who can tutor the kids in the schools.
Please let me know if you have any questions or need additional information. I am grateful for any assistance you can provide as we work to spread the word throughout the community.
For the Children,
Jim
I want to learn more about online reading or math clinics to see if tutoring is right for me!
By Jim Wambach
August 24, 2021
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 not been back since the early days of the pandemic — the first day of school was eagerly anticipated. It was a long-overdue chance to see friends and return to a semblance of normalcy. For many others, there was a strong feeling of anxiety and concern. It’s safe to say that most of the children, youth, and families felt a conflicting set of emotions.
We pray for God’s peace and assurance as we enter an uncertain school year. In Jeremiah 29 — a passage of scripture that has been so inspirational to Children Rising — the prophet states, “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) What a blessed reminder to all of us!
For so many children, the first day of school was a long-overdue chance to see friends and return to a semblance of normalcy. (Photo courtesy OUSD)
Children Rising looks forward to the new school year with similar feelings of hope, promise, and uncertainty. A recent study by the Rand Corp. revealed that remote schooling was associated with fewer instructional opportunities, increased student absenteeism, and potentially poorer student outcomes. And a report by the Kaiser Foundation revealed that 40% of parents of school-age children said their child had fallen behind academically in the pandemic. In short, our children and youth are further behind than ever before.
“In the midst of crisis lies great opportunity.”
Despite the challenges our schools face, there are silver linings. Although the pandemic was a forced interruption to our normal services, Children Rising used this opportunity to rethink and retool our programs. We plan to be back in the schools this year with our traditional in-school as well as our newly-developed online math and reading tutoring clinics for second and third-graders. We believe providing both in-school and online tutoring for two grade levels will have a deeper, more lasting impact on the children.
Thanks to the generosity of the entire community, children and youth have returned to in-school instruction with the resources and support they need to overcome pandemic-related learning loss. (Photo courtesy of OUSD)
Throughout the pandemic, we have been blessed by the exceeding generosity of the Children Rising community. We wish to thank our many caring volunteer tutors, as well as so many others who stepped forward and inquired about tutoring. Because of them, and the financial support of individual donors and foundations, we have the opportunity to serve the many children who missed so much academically during the pandemic.
As the saying goes, “In the midst of crisis lies great opportunity.” In the coming weeks, we will be busy training many new volunteers, sharpening the skills of our returning tutors, and preparing to provide educational enrichment to children who have suffered from learning loss. If you are interested in learning more about our volunteer reading and math tutoring programs or ready to resume tutoring, there has never been a better time.
I want to learn more about online reading or math clinics to see if tutoring is right for me!
By Jim Wambach
August 10, 2020
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 work schedules, and ensure that their children are able to thrive and be safe and healthy in a COVID-19 world.
Your support of Children Rising has allowed us to develop distance learning tools, so that eager children like Juliana can get back to grade level.
These are uncertain times. But what we do know is:
Children Rising has been working tirelessly to adapt and enhance our proven one-on-one Path2Math and Succeeding by Reading tutoring programs to incorporate online learning functionality. This important program enhancement is designed to support the children and their families outside of the school setting, and do so in alignment with our school partner’s distance learning and health safety guidelines. Our online delivery functionality leverages our years of tutoring experience and best practices, while serving as a compatible extension the district’s approach to distance learning.
We are pivoting so that we may continue to be a trusted community partner, nurturing and empowering promising children to rise to their potential in math and reading. We know the kids need the support of the community this year more than ever, and we stand ready to help.
Your companies and organizations, along with distance learning and online tools, helped CareerBridge interns participate in summer internships.
We believe the benefits of the new program delivery will outlive the pandemic and serve as an important complement to our in-person tutoring whenever that can be resumed. We will be capable of collecting richer quantitative data, which will guide our tutors and help us better track a student’s progress — and better report progress back to the teachers. And, with the potential for improved parental engagement, we will be able to extend a child’s learning opportunities beyond school hours. As always, our tutoring will maintain a focus on developing the special student-tutor relationship that has proven so crucial to the child’s development.
Our trained volunteer tutors — 178 of them tutoring before shelter in place — miss the children and are eager to help during this very important year. We look forward to providing you more information about our remote tutoring functionality in the coming weeks, and will continue to inform you as our programs and volunteer opportunities develop.
All the best as we begin the new school year!
I am interested in online tutoring this fall!By Eric Steckel
June 26, 2020
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 than ever, you mean so very much to them.
Your generous gifts helped us adapt to online tutoring. You are providing so many promising children and youth an opportunity to rise to their God-given potential despite COVID-19 disruptions.
The good news is that so many of you are eager to come alongside a promising child eager to learn!
Looking ahead to the 2020-2021 school year, distance learning (online tutoring) will likely play an important role in the education process. We are working closely with the schools this summer to adapt our interventional math and reading tutoring programs for online delivery.
Tutors will gather in a dedicated space equipped with Children Rising computers and learning materials. A Children Rising clinic coordinator will be present to support and coach each tutor. The room will be set up to provide appropriate physical distance between stations, and is sanitized following each tutoring session. This space will NOT be at a school site. Instead, we will occupy congregation and other community organization spaces in Oakland and the East Bay that are currently not being utilized.
Students at a school site will gather in a space equipped with computers set up to allow appropriate physical distancing. Another Children Rising clinic coordinator will be present at the school site to facilitate electronic connections and learning between tutors and students.
This is a big change from the school-site-based, in-person approach we have previously relied on. However, we are focused on maintaining many of the elements of our tutoring programs that resulted in so much benefit for the children year after year.
In particular, the caring, loving relationship that develops between the children and their tutor is an extremely important aspect of our programs. So as in the past, tutors will be paired with children for the entirety of the school year.
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 than ever, you mean so very much to them.
Every change provides its set of challenges, but also provides its set of opportunities. As we launch online tutoring this fall, we are excited about the potential to increase parental engagement and support for a child’s learning throughout the year.
In addition, while in-person tutoring is a preferred way to develop a one-on-one relationship with a child, some of you may not be able to accommodate that model. Online tutoring presents another delivery option, opening up the potential for many more tutors to nurture and equip a child determined to improve their reading or math skills.
Your support means that aspiring children, ambitious to learn and reach their God-given potential, can thrive this year in school.
We will be providing more information and details in the coming weeks, and hope you are interested and able to provide your love and tutoring skills to the children once again this year. We also recognize that some of you may be experiencing shifts in circumstances in response to the pandemic, which may affect your availability for tutoring.
For those of you interested in online tutoring this fall, we’d like to hear from you. Please take a few minutes to complete the online survey by June 30, 2020 This will help us better plan for the fast-approaching academic year. We welcome and value your comments and input regarding your possible volunteer involvement in the new school year.
Thank you for your ongoing partnership and support of aspiring young students in the community!
I am interested in online tutoring this fall!