By Perli Cunanan, Amy Miller, Rayna Dineen | The Reading Group Victor, a second grade student, could not read at all and felt badly about himself. He had become convinced that he was just stupid. Embarrassed, he didn’t want his classmates to know that he couldn’t read. He was beginning to give up on school. Victor’s teacher realized he needed …
By Dana Greenblatt | Out of School Engagement for In Class Success, Santa Fe Community Educators Network As the afternoon sun hangs over late season sunflowers and ripe tomatoes at the Santa Fe Botanical Garden, local elementary school students are deeply engaged in harvesting the summer’s abundant crop. Under the guidance of Cooking with Kids! and Santa Fe Botanical Garden …
Guest Blog: Jamai Blivin | CEO of Innovate+Educate | February 20, 2019 A recent survey of over 130 Santa Fe employers revealed the strongest need in the workplace is for “soft” skills. Sometimes called “professional skills” or “21st century skills,” soft skills include communication, critical thinking, customer service, adaptability, and leadership—competencies needed in 90 percent of jobs across the globe. Yet …
Guest Blog: Todd Lopez | Director, Inspire Santa Fe | January 24, 2019 Most young people have never had a mentor and, as a society, too often we leave the opportunity for mentoring relationships to chance. City of Santa Fe Mayor Alan Webber has embarked on a bold goal. Within four years, the City has pledged to provide an adult mentor …
by Sarah Raine Cheney | AmeriCorps VISTA, Team Leader | December 13, 2018 We are familiar with the phrase “It takes a village to raise a child.” While it may be cliche, it holds a lot of truth. One of Santa Fe’s strengths as a community is our “village ability”. At Opportunity Santa Fe we see people and organizations coming together …
by Dana Greenblatt, AmeriCoprs VISTA | November 11, 2018 What’s more exciting for students than taking a break from the classroom? Getting out of their desks and putting their hands straight into the dirt! This became a reality for students who attend Sweeney Elementary’ s after-school program on a sunny September afternoon. When I arrived at the Santa Fe Botanical Gardens, …
by Penny Holcomb, AmeriCorps VISTA | October 31, 2018 On Saturday, October 20, MathAmigos hosted a day-long workshop for 27 teachers from the five Airport Road corridor schools: Sweeney Elementary, El Camino Real Academy, Cesar Chavez Elementary, Ramirez Thomas Elementary, and Nina Otero Community School. The collaborative working group’s goal was to empower teachers to inspire their students to love math. …
by Dana Greenblatt, AmeriCorps VISTA | October 4, 2018 Amidst the flurry of fall leaves and the bustle of tourists enjoying our downtown plaza, 64 third graders from Sweeney Elementary eagerly filed off their buses and into the beautiful halls of the Inn of the Anasazi. The children whispered in excitement as they walked through the halls and into the cozy …
Molly Timmins, Opportunity Santa Fe Program Coordinator | September 17, 2018 Growing up I always volunteered– through Key Club, Circle K International, Kiwanis and with numerous nonprofits across New York, Maryland, and New Mexico. By being a part of a service club, it made finding volunteer opportunities that matched my interests and skills, easy and accessible. However, for others, finding the …
by Ellie Hoffman, AmeriCorps VISTA | August 31, 2018 Hello September! For me, September brings to mind cool mornings and the start of pumpkin season. It also means that school is back in full swing. The routines that we begin early in the school year can determine what kind of year we’ll have. School attendance is an indicator of many measures …