Our Blog
AVID: Be Better, Every Time
Tuesday, February 5, 2019
Many of my students come to me with some version of the same statement: “I don’t know how to solve this.” What they’re really saying, though, is that they don’t know where to start. That’s what holds back most average students—they just don’t know where to begin.
The Last Pencil: Having Supplies for our Students
Tuesday, January 29, 2019
I opened the bottom drawer of my desk, where I kept some of my extra school supplies, like pencils, pens and notebooks. In August, this desk was full to the brim, but, by the time December hit, it was nearly bare.
A Path to Success: Finding Potential From A Big Brother
Thursday, November 29, 2018
Grandma use to be my rock. She kept me grounded and made me feel safe and loved. Yet gradually, her health began declining. As I got older, I started skipping class to stay home and take care of her. I was ready to just give up and quit school and then I met Trevor...
Regaining Perspective: The Value of Volunteering
Thursday, November 15, 2018
Growing up, I frequently helped out at my hometown’s community pantry. Every experience there allowed me to build new perspectives. Years later however, I had let this part of me slip away. I knew it was time to recommit as a volunteer, but how could I get involved?
Let's Read Together: Overcoming Language Barriers
Monday, November 5, 2018
His teacher continues talking, making attentive eye contact, which always makes me a little nervous. I hear the words she says and I nod my head, though, I comprehend very few of them. What I can understand and what I do hear is our son’s name.
Turning the Page: The Power of Reading and Mentorship
Wednesday, October 24, 2018
They say that knowledge is power. At least that’s how I felt when I first really got into reading. The world was at my fingertips as I ripped through each page, hungry for more, soaking up every word. My mind couldn’t keep up with my eyes as they flew across the text.
Emotional Anxiety: Seeing Through The Eyes of a Child
Monday, October 15, 2018
Today, my classroom was bustling with cheerful students, yet, glancing around the room, I paused when my eyes landed on Tommy--hiding in the far corner of the class, his face sad and distant...
Call On Me: Speaking Up and Sharing Your Story
Wednesday, October 10, 2018
“But what makes a story great?” asks the docent. She looks at me, my head full of stupid ideas of a girl and her dog walking in the woods at night. My hands are clammy, my face is red, my heart is racing.
A Better Way: Living Healthy through Reading
Tuesday, October 2, 2018
Angela died of heart disease at the age of forty. Far too young to leave us just yet. Like me, she had diabetes ever since she was a child. We always talked about getting healthy, but, our busy lives placed barrier after barrier in our way to actually start exercising and eating right.
Waiting by the Window: Building a Child's Love for Reading
Thursday, September 27, 2018
It was getting chilly. Fall was upon us. Pretty soon it would be too cold for Jacob to play out in the backyard every day. Next year he would be in kindergarten, but for now it was up to me to keep his mind occupied during the afternoon hours.
A Mother’s Dream: Removing the Burden of Costly Childcare
Tuesday, September 18, 2018
Alex and I’s journey together had been a tough one to say the least. When I found out I was pregnant, my parents kicked me out of the house. I was just a freshman in college at UT and had no idea how I was going to support myself and a newborn baby.
Standing Up: Keeping a Promise and Being a Leader
Wednesday, August 22, 2018
I’m a Girl Scout, or, as we say when we meet: a G.I.R.L. — Go-getter, Innovator, Risk-taker, Leader. I’ve said this phrase over and over again, but never realized the impact of these words until the day I met Marah...
A Child’s Dignity: The Difference a Foster Care Kit Can Make
Monday, August 13, 2018
As a child, using trash bags to transport my things made me sad. Even though I knew I would be taking the bag with me, it felt like my things were just garbage and that they didn’t matter. It made me feel like I didn’t matter.
A Place to Belong: The Impact of Affordable, High-Quality Childcare
Thursday, July 26, 2018
Our budget was already tight, now the outrageous cost of childcare had threatened to make my return to work impossible. Then, my friend told me about the STARS - an educational based after-school enrichment program. It seemed like a perfect financial fit for us, but would it also fit our girls’ needs...
When Dreams Collide: Exploring Career Possibilities
Tuesday, July 24, 2018
I browsed each career station from a distance, like a window-shopper at the mall. Then, something across the room caught my eye and took my breath away. Memories of one of the most difficult moments of my life began to flood my mind...
Rough Waters: Navigating Life’s Challenges to Keep Families Connected
Tuesday, July 17, 2018
There are certain details I recall about my dad from when I was younger. But, my most vivid memory is more of a dream. I’m standing on a dock in Port Clinton, staring out at the rough waters on a stormy day, waiting for him to show up to take me out on the lake again...
An Early Arrival: Pacing Hospital Rooms to Playing at the Park
Tuesday, July 10, 2018
This was all so new to Angela and me. We had two boys before Ethan; both born at full-term. We were truly operating in uncharted territory. “There could be some developmental effects as well,” the doctor said. “Things like physical development and communication. But these are things we won’t know until Ethan grows and becomes a little older.”
Reflections of Fatherhood: Facing the Past with the Support of our Community
Tuesday, July 3, 2018
I looked at my son in the rearview mirror. Relaxed and peaceful in the comfort of sleep, perhaps the only place he truly felt safe anymore. What had he been through that week? No... further back than that… what had he gone through even before his mother had disappeared with him was unthinkable.
Coming Out of Your Shell: Finding Confidence from Camp
Wednesday, June 27, 2018
Ready to extinguish the campfire, Rian noticed a boy sitting on a nearby log. He was drawing shapes in the dirt with the stick he’d used for roasting marshmallows. Looking at the boy, he felt like he was looking at his own reflection when he’d first joined Cub Scouts...
No Small Thing: A Back-to-school Story
Thursday, June 21, 2018
Grace was determined to set her children up for academic success, but could not get over the high cost of school supplies. With three school-age children and a little one on the way, she joins the thousands of parents in the community facing the same challenge.
There’s Still Hope: Not Giving Up on our Communities
Wednesday, June 20, 2018
No matter what North Toledo was going through, the Club felt like a beacon of hope. It may sound silly, but, just the Club itself was such a well-kept facility. It was something every neighbor appreciated and loved.
Lost and Found: Financial Challenges in Accessing Quality Educational Childcare
Wednesday, June 13, 2018
When Claire’s mom relapsed - having her in the home of a loving family member was the best case scenario. But, this is certainly easier said than done. Claire’s closest relative, her aunt, soon discovered she was in a difficult financial situation. She didn’t qualify for government subsidies and she also couldn’t afford Claire’s childcare fees on her own.
Hubs: A Four-Letter Word, Changing Student Lives
Monday, June 11, 2018
All Kay wanted for her son, Tyrell, was to have time to be a kid. Sometimes that is easier said than done, however, the Schools as Community Hubs strategy can add an important layer of support…
It Can Be Done: The Positive Power of Community Partnerships
Friday, June 8, 2018
I always thought about what I liked to do when I grew up. But I never really thought about where I’d like to work? There was something really cool about walking through a workplace and seeing how their job was so interconnected to the world around us.
