Sarah R. Cheney | VISTA Lead | March 7, 2019 The week of March 11th – 15th marks the annual celebration of AmeriCorps week – a time to celebrate all things AmeriCorps. Over the last three years, Opportunity Santa Fe has received backbone support from 16 AmeriCorps VISTAs and 21 Summer Associates. Joining in the celebration, a few of our
By Marcos Maez | Santa Fe Community College Director of Recruitment and Dual Credit | February 21, 2019 As Director of Recruitment and Dual Credit, I hear directly from high school students about their perceived barriers of going to college. Sometimes, it is as simple as not having any role models to guide them through the steps. In the fall of
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 Louise Majorey, AmeriCorps VISTA and Jessica Guilliford, La Farge Librarian | October 31, 2018 How did you decide what your career would be? By chance? By luck? Maybe a school counselor or teacher had some information they shared about careers that could provide satisfaction and a good living? Or like many of us was it just a hunch and a
by Jennifer Barreto, AmeriCorps VISTA | October 17, 2018 Santa Fe is rich in art, culture, and diversity. What better way to admire these wonderful attributes than to roll them into a communal gathering in honor of its inhabitants and the changing of seasons? After months of planning, EarthCare proudly presented the first annual Poz’Orale Cookoff on September 30. Roughly 250
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