Reach Potential Movement » BLOG

Teens Go for the Gold!

Rob — Sat, 19 Mar 2011 20:45:38 +0000

The Girl Scout Gold Award is the highest award in Girl Scouting. It symbolizes outstanding accomplishments in the areas of leadership, community service, career planning and personal development. Very few Girl Scouts reach this honor so we’re thrilled that one of our volunteer champions, Olivia, and a Mountain View Girl Scout troop leader, Kim, had the vision and willingness to coach Melissa and Margaret as they sought their Gold Award by partnering with RPM this winter. Once empowered by their coaches, these two teens mobilized, coordinated and led twenty of their friends to provide our early literacy Bookshelf in Every Home Project to first graders in their community at Monta Loma Elementary.

Melissa & Margaret (in green) and friends

From book drives to fundraising to dishing out high fives to eager kids picking out books, Melissa and Margaret are an example of our movement’s growing YouthLEAD (leadership, empowerment and development) strategy. In fact, on March 5^th while these MVLA teens were leading our Monta Loma Elementary Project, 40 Silver Creek High School California Scholarship Federation (CSF) teens were leading our Bookshelf in Every Home Project at John J. Montgomery Elementary in San Jose. This entire project was led by three teens, Lisa, Sally & Scott who found RPM on VolunteerMatch.org and drove to Mountain View last September to observe teen leaders like Elsie & Micayla lead one of our Kindergarten Bookshelf Projects. Stay tuned for more adult volunteer champions empowering local teens, empowering under-resourced kids as together we’re all reaching our highest potential.

Teaming Up for Youth & Horses Mentoring Program

Rob — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 18:50:10 +0000

Have you ever ridden a horse? Do you remember the mix of excitement, fear and awe? Starting January 29th, Reach Potential is teaming up with Sunnyvale Public Safety and Dreampower Horsemanship to launch our Mentoring program with at-risk Sunnyvale teens getting their first experience on a horse with their mentor by their side.

Why horses? Not only will they provide a common bond for each youth and mentor as they learn how to ride, train and manage their horse for nine weeks, but a horse will mirror the confidence and leadership of the youth… and there’s nothing like learning leadership development with a partner who outweighs you by 1400 pounds!

Teens and horses ask the same question– do you believe in me? (though they’ll rarely say it with words) Horses want to know if their caretaker or rider believes in them. Are you confident? Can you lead me? Can I trust you? The lessons for an at-risk youth are powerful.

Having a dedicated Mentor is powerful too. A teenage boy will do drugs, fight and steal for belonging and acceptance. A teenage boy will also work long hours, study hard and serve others when he has belonging and acceptance from someone who cares and believes in him!

This is why we’re excited to introduce at-risk teens to a horse for 9 weeks and a caring adult Mentor for a year (or more)! Can you help us scale our mentoring program to impact more youth? We hope you can offer your support (click here to give)– even if it’s only $10 a month for 2011.

Thank you for considering this opportunity to help us place a dream in every heart and a diploma in every hand!

Literacy Programs Launch with Bookshelf Projects

Rob — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 18:26:57 +0000

“Seeing the faces of the participants and reading the feedback forms is a welcome testimony to how happy and pleased the families were who came to the event. Having such a sweet wooden bookcase that the children could individualize was priceless. They had ownership in the decorating of the bookshelf and in filling it with books they selected.” Kindergarten Teacher

We did it! Together WE launched 4 Kindergarten literacy and parent education programs with 180 volunteers who gave a combined 620 hours to empower 225 low-income Mountain View and East Palo Alto Kindergarteners on the path to

Parent Education Workshop

reading proficiency! Together WE inspired and equipped 280 parents through workshops on how to support their child’s early reading habits and skills. Together WE invested 225 mini-bookshelves and school supply kits and 1800 books to place a dream in every child’s heart in our long-term goal of putting a diploma in their hands. Thank you “team” for investing your time, talents and treasure to empower our local under-resourced kids & youth to reach their highest potential!

More quotes:

“The Bookshelf Literacy program has filled a much needed cog in the wheel rolling towards equity in education. There is constant talk of narrowing the achievement gap …this program is an integral part of reaching the goal of even playing fields. Thank you!” Kindergarten Teacher

“THANK YOU for being you, RPM, and for your wonderful drive to make this program a gigantic success!!” Kindergarten Teacher

Two Thousand Stories Behind

Rob — Sat, 18 Sep 2010 00:35:17 +0000

Why a Bookshelf in Every Home? One look at the connections between Literacy, Drop Out & Incarceration Rates can motivate a city to make sure every child grows up with books and can read by third grade. Yet a friend powerfully framed another loss a child unknowingly experiences when they grow up in a home without books. She emailed me the following, “I’m so excited about ALL you’re doing!! I LOVE the idea of a bookshelf in every home (with books, of course). No matter what they can do in schools to “close the gap”, how can a child who has barely seen books and never been read to at age 5 compare to a child who has been read to nearly every day since leaving the womb? He/she is about 2000 stories behind already when they arrive at kindergarten!

It was a “hit me like a ton of bricks” moment. I could not imagine my childhood without climbing into my red, white & blue bed and drifting into the worlds of wild things, giant insects on a giant peach, bears that live in trees and green eggs. Even before cartoons brought some of my favorite stories to life, I had imagined life with my own big red dog or a curious monkey. Sesame Street and Superfriends could entertain, but my pile of books by my bed unlocked my imagination into the world of childhood bedtime dreams.

Helping place dreams in the heart of every child and diplomas in the hands of our Silicon Valley youth are not two separate missions for RPM. The joy that comes from learning to read is as important and necessary as the knowledge that comes from books. Joy inspires kids to dream. Dreams inspire youth to graduate!

What story unleashed your imagination to dream? Go to our facebook page and let us know!

Here’s the link for more information about our fall Bookshelf in Every Home projects.

Bookshelf in Every Home Projects

Rob — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 22:52:43 +0000

Join us for one of our upcoming “Bookshelf in Every Home” Literacy projects. We need your help at the following projects:

Sunday, Sept. 26
1:30-4:30 pm
THEUERKAUF Elementary
1625 San Luis Avenue, Mountain View

Castro Elementary Bookshelf in Every Home Project

Saturday, Oct, 2*
9:30am-12:30 pm
MONTA LOMA Elementary
460 Thompson Avenue, Mountain View

*This Oct. 2 Project is totally TEEN LED! Calling all youth!
[We also have room for “grown-ups” who can help
staff the various activities under the direction of our
awesome teens in the community!]

WHAT YOU’LL BE DOING:
There’s a range of roles at each Bookshelf Event…reading to kids, playing games, sorting books for kids to select, helping families with bookshelf decoration, etc. [We’ll need your flexibility about what role you play, but feel free to let us know any special talents or experience you have that may be useful. For example, we NEED SPANISH speakers…if you are bilingual, please let us know, and spread the word to any bilingual friends].

HOW TO PROCEED:
Please arrive at the start time above and report to the Volunteer Registration Table [Look for a green banner]. You’ll sign a waiver upon your arrival and receive info about which invaluable role you’ll play. [Oh, and if you have any gently used books to contribute for Pre-K or Kinder age kids, bring them along!]
Please RSVP by email to
christy@rpmovement.org

Include:
- name of each volunteer
- indicate Adult or Youth (If youth, include grade—elementary students and above only please—
Kinder to 5th grade volunteers must have adult supervision).

See you there!

Sunnyvale Leaders Launch Mentoring Initiative

Rob — Sat, 05 Jun 2010 15:11:32 +0000

There’s something stirring in Sunnyvale “in a very cool way,” as Captain Doug Moretto of Sunnyvale Public Safety will often remark at Challenge Team meetings. Community leaders are coming together to steer youth away from drugs and juvenile delinquency through the Sunnyvale Youth Mentoring Initiative.

Public Safety officers, business leaders and Reach Potential Movement’s Mentoring Coordinator, Angie Garcia-Stonehocker met with two focus groups of Sunnyvale youth this week to hear their thoughts on everything from what they would desire out of their mentoring program to the challenges they face navigating school, pressure from gangs, home life and the most common complaint of being “bored.” Though many students were unfamiliar with the concept of having a mentor, the idea of having an older person that they can build a friendship with over lunches and various activities energized both the students and adults.

In January 2010, Barack Obama proclaimed the month to be National Mentoring Month. “As tutors, coaches, teachers, volunteers, and friends, mentors commit their time and energy to kids who may otherwise lack a positive, mature influence in their lives. Their impact fulfills critical local needs that often elude public services. Our government can build better schools with more qualified teachers, but a strong role model can motivate students to do their homework. Mentors are building a brighter future for our Nation by helping our children grow into productive, engaged, and responsible adults.”

Community leaders launched the Sunnyvale Youth Mentoring Initiative on May 26th at the Sunnyvale Challenge Team which draws city, education, business, nonprofit and faith leaders at the Department of Public Safety from 7 to 8am the last Wednesday of the month. Dr. Ben Picard, Sunnyvale School District’s Superintendent encouraged everyone at the end of the Challenge Team meeting that the group of forty leaders were “really starting to gel as a team.” The Sunnyvale Youth Mentoring Initiative is being coordinated by the Challenge Team’s Mentoring Advisory Group and Reach Potential Movement. “Our team effort has been a model of collaboration,” said Rob Schulze, Reach Potential Movement’s Coordinator. “We have a motto that our team has no bench, everyone plays!”

If you would like to be a part of the Sunnyvale Youth Mentoring Initiative by helping plan group outings for youth and their mentors, gather business sponsors or be a mentor yourself, please contact Reach Potential Movement. Click here to learn more about being a mentor and to download an application.

Dream 4 College Project

Rob — Tue, 25 May 2010 19:51:30 +0000

This spring Reach Potential Movement will partner with schools to inspire first generation to college fifth & sixth grade students with an up close college experience at a local University. Last year’s pilot project between Castro Elementary and Stanford University was an amazing success (read more!). Our upcoming projects will provide:

A college field trip to engage students with the journeys of Latino undergrads and alumni from Stanford, Santa Clara or San Jose St. University who’ve overcome cultural and economic challenges to graduate from college.
A parent education workshop to enlist parents to support their child’s academic preparation through middle and high school to keep them on a path for college.
A college T-shirt and a book , Wiley’s Way/El Camino de Wiley, to inspire a college going mentality.

Latinos often face significant economic as well as cultural pressures to enter the work force and help support their family during their high school and college years. The Public Policy Institute of California states that “the programs that show promise in keeping children in schools include career technical education and early college commitment programs in which middle school students learn about college entrance requirements and funding opportunities, and commit to a rigorous set of courses in high school.”

DREAM FOR COLLEGE NEEDS STATEMENT

In June of 2009, The Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) revealed in their report, Educating California: Choices for the Future[1], that Californians are experiencing two significant shifts that will change our state’s social and economic landscape. The first shift is our state’s retiring baby boomers that will be leaving the California workforce in mass between 2010 and 2030. 35% of our state’s 55 to 59 year olds are college graduates. In contrast, only 26% of California’s 25-29 year olds have college degrees and this percentage may drop in light of our state’s second major shift— 49% of California’s public school students are Latino and yet 12 percent of Latinos age 25 and older had received a bachelor’s degree or higher in 2005.[2]

The convergence of these two demographic shifts could further reduce state revenues that fuel education for tomorrow’s worker. PPIC projects that “by 2025, 41 percent of jobs will require at least a bachelor’s degree— but only 35 percent of California adults will have college diplomas. To put it another way, if current trends persist, the state will face a shortfall of one million college graduates. Though California Latinos have made strong gains in education from generation to generation, those gains show up mainly in high school graduation rates. U.S.-born Latinos attend college and graduate at far lower rates than other U.S.-born residents.[3]”

Can California afford the economic and social costs of not preparing our children for the world ahead? Only 60% of ninth grade Latinos will graduate from high school[4] and even more sobering is that only 14% will qualify for entrance into California State Universities (CSU) and 4% will be eligible to apply a University of California School (UC). While 81% of Latinos who apply for UC schools are accepted, only 38% will enroll and attend a UC University[5]. 49% of Latino four-year college students will not graduate[6].

These statistics are in stark contrast to California’s Asian and non-Latino White communities. Latinos often face significant economic as well as cultural pressures to enter the work force and help support their family during their high school and college years. PPIC concludes that the programs that show promise in keeping children in schools include career technical education and early college commitment programs in which middle school students learn about college entrance requirements and funding opportunities, and commit to a rigorous set of courses in high school.[7]

Reach Potential Movement believes that families need to have a vision for college before their children enter middle school so that they are thoroughly prepared for college prep classes when they enter high school. Our Dream for College Project teaches students the math of attending classes, turning in their homework and excelling in school will either multiply or divide their life opportunities and employment outlook. Employees with college degrees experienced 7% unemployment in 2009 compared to an unemployment rate closer to 14% for California workers with just high school diplomas. The 25% of Californians who did not graduate from high school experienced unemployment rates closer to 22% with an average annual salary of $18,734 compared to $27,915 for high school grads and $53,039 for college grads. The wage gap between college graduates and those with high school diplomas increased from 40% in 1980 to 90% in 2008.[8]

[1] Educating California: Choices for the Future, Hans Johnson, The Public Policy Institute of California, 2009 http://www.ppic.org/main/publication.asp?i=891

[2] Latinos and College Access: Ensuring Young Latinos Can Achieve the American Dream, Senator Robert Menendez. Latino Leadership Link.

[3] Educating California: Choices for the Future, Hans Johnson, The Public Policy Institute of California, 2009 http://www.ppic.org/main/publication.asp?i=891

[4] California Dropout Research Project, UC Santa Barbara, 2009

[5] University of California Application, Admissions and Enrollment of California Resident Freshmen for Fall 1989 through 2008

[6] Rising to the Challenge: Hispanic College Graduation Rates as a National Priority Andrew P. Kelly, Mark Schneider, Kevin Carey, American Enterprise Institute, 2010

[7] Educating California: Choices for the Future, Hans Johnson, The Public Policy Institute of California, 2009 http://www.ppic.org/main/publication.asp?i=891

[8] Ibid

Dream for College Project

Dream for College Project

Rob — Tue, 04 May 2010 22:44:12 +0000

Dream for College Project: Inspiring first generation to college 5th graders

On May 20^th, Reach Potential Movement will partner with Castro Elementary school in Mountain View, CA to inspire 50 mostly Latino fifth grade students with an up close college experience at Stanford University. Click here if you would like to sponsor a student with a $20 donation. Our project will provide:

A college field trip to engage students with the journeys of Latino undergrads and alumni from Stanford who’ve overcome cultural and economic challenges to graduate from college.
A parent education workshop to enlist parents to support for their child’s academic preparation through middle and high school to keep them on a path for college.
A college T-shirt and a book, Wiley’s Way/El Camino de Wiley, to inspire a college going mentality.

DREAM FOR COLLEGE NEEDS STATEMENT

Can California afford the economic and social costs of not preparing our children for the world ahead? Only 60% of ninth grade Latinos will graduate from high school[4] and even more sobering is that only 14% will qualify for entrance into California State Universities (CSU) and 4% will be eligible to apply a University of California School (UC). While 81% of Latinos who apply for UC schools are accepted, only 38% will enroll and attend a UC University[5]. 49% of Latino four-year college students will not graduate[6].

[1] Educating California: Choices for the Future, Hans Johnson, The Public Policy Institute of California, 2009 http://www.ppic.org/main/publication.asp?i=891

[2] Latinos and College Access: Ensuring Young Latinos Can Achieve the American Dream, Senator Robert Menendez. Latino Leadership Link.

[3] Educating California: Choices for the Future, Hans Johnson, The Public Policy Institute of California, 2009 http://www.ppic.org/main/publication.asp?i=891

[4] California Dropout Research Project, UC Santa Barbara, 2009

[5] University of California Application, Admissions and Enrollment of California Resident Freshmen for Fall 1989 through 2008

[6] Rising to the Challenge: Hispanic College Graduation Rates as a National Priority Andrew P. Kelly, Mark Schneider, Kevin Carey, American Enterprise Institute, 2010

[7] Educating California: Choices for the Future, Hans Johnson, The Public Policy Institute of California, 2009 http://www.ppic.org/main/publication.asp?i=891

[8] Ibid

Día del Niño & Día del Libro Celebration!

Rob — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 17:02:47 +0000

On a beautiful Sunday afternoon (4/25), Castro Elementary, Open Door Church (Mountain View) and Reach Potential Movement celebrated Día del Niño (Day of the Child), a holiday celebrated around the world, especially in Latin countries and a newer holiday: Día del Libro (World Book Day).

Approximately 1000 kids, youth and adults enjoyed a ”Reading Brings You the World” Carnival, free books, Castro’s Folkloric Dancers, amazing food, music, piñatas, and the Stanford Mariachi Band! The literacy carnival promoted the joy and importance of reading within a Latino cultural celebration.

Thank you to all the Castro Elementary parents, Open Door Church members and Reach Potential volunteers for all your hard work and preparation. It appears that our collaborative effort will turn into a much anticipated annual celebration in Mountain View!

Literacy festival

Help Us Go to the Final Four!

Rob — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:17:13 +0000

Hi friends!

Reach Potential Movement has a unique opportunity! Razoo selected us to participate in their annual March Goodness Campaign where 96 nonprofits have the platform to share their cause with the world. We can win over $11,000 to help kids READ & DREAM! Please consider voting for us by giving $10 to our Bookshelf in Every Home literacy project.

1) Click on Reach Potential Movement 2) Donate $10 to our project 3) Follow Razoo’s promptings and share your donation with friends through facebook, email, etc..

On behalf of the schools, families and kids that we serve… THANK YOU!