October 21, 2015
Governor Shumlin Declares Lund Day in Vermont
Governor Shumlin with Chelsea Mitchell and Megan Clogdo after signing the Proclamation and making Lund Day official
“Happy Anniversary,” said Governor Peter Shumlin in a speech at the Hoehl Family Building in South Burlington. “I am the biggest cheerleader for Lund because for 125 years you have been fighting for the most vulnerable folks who actually have extraordinary potential to make a difference for Vermont and for their families and to be the great moms they want to be.” The anniversary that Governor Shumlin was referring to was Lund’s 125 years of helping vulnerable families in the state. In celebration of this long and important history, Governor Shumlin declared October 19, 2015 to be Lund Day in Vermont. This was an exciting and unprecedented tribute to the organization. As Executive Director, Barbara Rachelson said, “This is the first time in 125 years that a Governor has proclaimed a day for us. Making Lund Day throughout the state and drawing attention to the issues that are near and dear to us is very important and we are so grateful. Even though much has changed over the last 125 years, we are still true to the heart of the mission.”
In addition to Governor Shumlin and Barbara Rachelson, Board President Sara Byers, Lund program participants Chelsea Mitchell and Megan Clogdo, Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger, and Secretary of State Jim Condos all offered testimony to the positive impact of Lund’s services in the community, the state and their own lives. “I believed I was above addiction. It wasn’t something I thought I would have to deal with. Fast forward two years and there I was in need of somewhere or someone to help. Newly sober and pregnant, I mustered as much courage as I could and reached out to begin my long journey with Lund. It is a decision I never regretted. I needed to learn how to live again,” said Megan, who gave birth to her twin sons while living at Lund’s residential treatment program for substance abuse and mental health issues. “I cannot think of another place where I could have successfully done that.”
Governor Shumlin touched on the prevalence of opiate addiction in Vermont, the need for high quality early childhood education and every child’s right to grow up in a loving family during his remarks and implored the gathered crowd to continue to work together with Lund on these critical issues. “Let’s use this 125th anniversary to say as a state that we will support Lund and everything they do with all the resources that we have. And we’re going to continue to have the honest conversation about the problems that lead too many to need the services that are provided here. Let’s hope that 125 years from now, Lund continues to thrive.”
After signing the proclamation and being presented with cookies baked that morning by students at Lund’s New Horizons Education Program, Governor Shumlin took a tour of Lund’s Hoehl Family Building. His first stop was the Early Childhood Education Program where he observed the youngest children in the baby room and then took a moment to talk with teachers during their lunch break. Governor Shumlin is unendingly personable and cheerful and makes the people around him feel comfortable, never stumped for something to talk to people about. “They’re best when you leave them. They go red and wrinkly and then they’re perfect,” he said to one teacher about the pomegranate she was eating. “Oh goodness,” said another, relieved when she saw the pomegranate. “I thought he was talking about babies!”
The last stop was New Horizons where Govenor Shumlin strode in and asked, “Now who made those delicious cookies I just ate?” and talked to the students and teachers and inviting them to pose with him for pictures. “Keep up the good work,” he told them all. “I’m proud of you.” He echoed this sentiment through all the departments at Lund and to the agency as a whole and was later heard saying to a reporter outside the building, “Lund has touched over 50,000 lives. But you know that 50,000 is not just a number, it’s 50,000 stories of moms who want to do better for their kids. It’s an incredible history.”
Thank you to Governor Shumlin and everyone who attended the celebration. Happy Lund Day to all our friends, partners and supporters!
To catch up on media coverage from this event, check out these links:
- From FOX44 ABC22: http://www.mychamplainvalley.com/news/lund-family-center-celebrates-125th-anniversary
August 10, 2015
“You have to bring snacks at Kindergarten.”
It’s a cloudy morning in the LECP playground, early August. The preschoolers are outside digging in the sandbox, chasing each other around the play structure and pretending to be wolves. “Let’s be bad wolves,” says one boy to a friend, growling and baring his teeth. “No,” she replies, “I am good wolf.” “OK,” he agrees and they bound off together. In two weeks, six of these preschoolers will move on to Kindergarten. The teachers have worked with them throughout their time in preschool to build the social/emotional and cognitive skills that they will need to be successful in Kindergarten and have put special emphasis over the past months on helping the children to be excited about this next important step.
Many of the children Lund serves have experienced significant trauma, and the primary focus begins with strengthening children’s social and emotional development. The teaching practices allow children to develop social/emotional competence and self-help skills, as well as offering children the opportunity to explore and experiment safely with different tools and materials. As children develop, teachers begin to focus more on other skill building activities and curricula that address concepts and domains for learning as addressed in the Vermont Early Learning Standards.
Sharing the playground with children from the toddler room, it is easy to see the difference between the younger kids and these confident, articulate five-year olds. “Take a picture of me,” one girl shouts as she executes a complex jump from the play structure. I look at the teacher nervously, “Is that allowed?” “Oh it’s safe, they do it all the time,” the teacher replies. These children, and their aerial maneuvers, seem ready for a bigger adventure. But what do they have to say about it themselves?
Tell me about Kindergarten:
“I’m going to climb a tall tree because they will ask me to.” – B
“In Kindergarten, I will read books and play. It’s going to be fun. The teacher will probably spend the night. Does the teacher spend the night?” – J
“It’s a good thing I have a lunchbox. You have to bring snacks at Kindergarten. I’m going to bring apples, oranges and goldfish on the first day.” – A
“Drawing. I want to do drawing in Kindergarten. I wish all my friends were going to Kindergarten with me.” – M
“I know all about Kindergarten because my brother was there. You get to play on a playground and read with letters.” – J
“This is Jess, my teacher.”
August 4, 2015
Introduction to College Studies at Lund
For many people around the country, August means ‘back to school’. While Lund’s education programs are year round and do not break for summer, we cannot help but join in with the excitement of this time of year. Our preschoolers transition to Kindergarten, backpacks full of school supplies are donated for foster children, and across the agency there is a sense of new beginning that comes with the autumnal tinge of this time of year. One of the most exciting ‘back to school’ things happening at Lund is the first meeting of the Introduction to College Studies class (ICS) that the Community College of Vermont teaches on site at Lund’s Hoehl Family Building in South Burlington. The class is open to students at New Horizons, Lund’s high school completion program for pregnant and parenting young women, and women living at our residential treatment facility.
The class runs for 13 weeks and offers pre college coursework that helps students to develop the foundational academic skills that they need to be successful in college and beyond. The goal is to help students develop strategies for college and career success focusing on study skills, the financial aid process, goal-setting, and career exploration and planning. Data from CCV shows that students who complete this class are 18% more likely to enroll in college. Last year, 600 students were served by this class statewide at CCV’s 12 campuses as well as other locations, such as Lund.
Clients from Lund had previously enrolled in this class at CCV locations in downtown Burlington or Winooski but had not often been successful due to the difficulties of securing transportation and finding childcare. Many of them also found it hard to coordinate the class schedule with the demands of their schedule at Lund. It was also hard to complete the work required without additional support. The solution was simple – bring the class to the students. “Many of our clients are not ready to attend class in a college environment,” says Tammy Santamore, Learning Together Coordinator, “It can bring up a lot of anxiety for clients or cause them to feel too pressured. The partnership with CCV has been invaluable in supporting our students in engaging in college level work, in a supportive and familiar environment, by allowing their focus on higher education to compliment their treatment and parenting responsibilities.”
Last fall 15 students from Lund completed the ICS class. Two of them went on to enroll in another class at CCV in the spring semester and two more took a class over the summer using the tuition voucher that all students who complete the ICS class receive. The voucher provides the next step in their college journey and can be used up to a year after completion of the class. Continuing at college is not the path that all of our moms will take but the skills learned in this class are relevant and applicable to high school completion, vocational training or employment. “The ICS course is a great first step not only for high school students but also adult learners who want to explore post secondary education, those who want to build their resume or explore vocational training and future career choices and build upon their academic skills,” says Tammy.
“We partner with Lund and other non-profits across the state to increase access to the class for our most vulnerable students. The young moms at Lund certainly fall into this category and we’re happy to help them start the path towards college and career success,” says Katie Mobley, Director of Outreach and Development at CCV. “As the faculty member who had the privilege of teaching the ICS course offered at Lund, I can speak to the high quality of support that students received in order to make attending ICS a possibility while juggling many other priorities, including motherhood.”
“We are excited to have CCV back with us this fall, and hope that the collaboration between Lund and CCV continues to improve post secondary enrollment and retention for our families both current and future generations,” says Tammy.
July 24, 2015
Making ‘Small Talk’ at Lund – Guest post from Let’s Grow Kids
(This blog post appeared as an e-mail sent by Let’s Grow Kids to their supporters, partners and fans. We’re happy spread the word on our blog too)
Last Sunday, at an event called “Circus-palooza” in Shelburne, a single dad took a deep breath and admitted on camera, “Sometimes it feels like you might as well just sit at home and not work at all. Because the expenses of child care are overwhelming. I can’t keep up.”
This hard-working dad was participating in an interview for Small Talk, a new initiative of Let’s Grow Kids and several key partners to collect the personal stories of Vermonters who have interacted with Vermont’s early childhood system.
The Circus-palooza interviews were a test run for Small Talk’s official launch event this past Tuesday at the Lund Early Childhood Education Program in South Burlington. The Small Talk team interviewed seven more Vermonters at the Lund site—including parents, providers and State Representative Barbara Rachelson, who is the Executive Director of Lund (below speaking with LGK Campaign Director Robyn Freedner-Maguire).
“We were so honored and thrilled to host Small Talk at Lund, and we’re grateful for all the work that Let’s Grow Kids is doing to spread awareness about the importance of Early Childhood Education in Vermont,” Barbara said. “The families that we work with at Lund are faced with many challenges when trying to find affordable, high quality childcare for their children so that they can work, pursue treatment or continue their education. Helping to make Vermonters aware of these issues and giving a forum for people to share these stories is so critical, and Small Talk is a great way to do that. As a child advocate, working parent, employer, director of a nonprofit organization devoted to the wellbeing of children and families in Vermont and, finally, as a legislator, I am proud to support the work of Small Talk.”
Community Education Director Molly Loomis and Small Talk Coordinator Lisa Boege Loomis conducting interviews.
This summer, the Small Talk team—LGK community education director, Molly Loomis and Small Talk coordinator, Lisa Boege Loomis (left)—will be on the road, meeting Vermonters across the state and recording their stories on camera. The Small Talk van, a mobile video-editing recording studio, will visit fairs, markets and other community events for scheduled interviews. Small Talk will also visit communities on request. Click here to see a list of currently scheduled Small Talk events or to request a visit to your region.
What will Let’s Grow Kids do with the stories? “Policymakers, community leaders, and others need to hear these stories to understand why the early years are so important and how we can do a better job of giving every child a strong start and equal chance in life,” says Molly. Some of the videos will be posted on the Let’s Grow Kids website and YouTube channel, and will be available for sharing via social media and email.
In one of the Small Talk interviews at Lund a mother said, “We need so many more Lunds. I was incredibly fortunate to find it—I feel like I’ve won the childcare lottery! But if I’ve won, how many other moms have lost?” This mom was speaking to the fact that quality child care is unaffordable and inaccessible for too many families who rely on it in Vermont.
“If I want my son to go to college one day or if we want to do fun stuff like take trips, or go to the beach, or go to the zoo, I can’t afford to keep working in the job that I love,” said an early educator at Lund. Child care professionals in Vermont and across the nation often don’t earn a livable wage because the costs of offering quality care are high, and providers know they can’t fully pass those costs onto the shoulders of already financially strapped parents.
“We really believe in the need for affordable, high quality child care that is accessible to all families,” says Charlotte Blend, communications coordinator at Lund. “The work of Let’s Grow Kids is making important and needed steps in getting this message out to the public and to the agencies that can affect real change. The voices that come out of these Small Talk videos represent the reality that so many parents and teachers face and we were very happy to have this avenue to help share those voices.”
Voices from Lund on real early childhood experiences and challenges.
To find out how Small Talk interviews work or see a list of potential questions you might be asked, visit letgrowkids.og/small-talk. Small Talk’s next stop is at Lamoille County Field Days in Johnson this weekend. Sign up for that event here.
Let’s Grow Kids is grateful for the support of its excellent partners: Building Bright Futures, Vermont Community Access Media, and The Vermont Folklife Center.
June 25, 2015
‘Looking Toward Tomorrow’ – Kit Stone Award Winner 2015
Smiles and surprises all around as the winner of this year’s Kit Stone Award was announced. The recipient was completely surprised and had even been lovingly misled by a staff member in order to keep this wonderful achievement a secret. “Deb told me all week it was someone else,” said Chelsea Mitchell, 2015 honoree after she had recovered from hearing her name read out. “Oh my God, I was thinking, no way, no way, are you guys serious? I can’t believe this is happening. I was convinced it was someone else and I was getting ready to clap for her. I heard my name and was like ‘WHAT???’ Everyone had been telling me what a big deal it was and how its hard to get it. It’s amazing. I think there’s a lot of people that do what I do so I was totally surprised and psyched.”
The Kit Stone Award is named after a former long time board member and supporter of Lund. It is presented each year to a woman who meets the following criteria:
- The young woman will recognize the value in using what you’ve been given to blossom in life.
- The young woman will take the opportunities presented to her and make them work for herself, her family, her peers and her community.
- The young woman will demonstrate a commitment to her education and/or vocational training.
- The young woman will demonstrate compassion, kindness and goodwill for others.
Chelsea was nominated by a record 5 different staff members – Greeta Soderholm, Dinah Larsen, Deb Mayville, Jenny Labelle, and Amanda Johnson.
Chelsea currently lives at Lund’s transitional housing facility, Independence Place, with her almost 3 year old daughter. She works in the front office with Deb, Jenny and Amanda at Lund’s Glen Road building as part of the Workforce Development program. “I answer phones, greet people, do a lot of paperwork, copying, faxing, scanning, mail, spreadsheets. I help the girls out with stuff and take donations in. Wherever they need me to be, I’m there. I love it. I love helping people. I greet people and they tell me I always have a smile on my face.”
Before moving to Independence Place, Chelsea lived at Lund’s Residential treatment program for substance abuse and mental health disorders. “I just banged the program right out. They were surprised I had such a short stay but it was good for me. My daughter came to live with me a month after I got there and I was so happy.”
Chelsea with members of the New Horizons staff and Honoring Ceremony speaker, Ryan Esbjerg.
In her nomination she was praised for her hard work, determination and constant commitment to doing the best thing for her daughter. “She talks about her future, going back to school, taking the steps she needs to make, knowing things take time,” said Deb in her nomination. “What I see now in Chelsea is a woman who is determined to make the most out of her life for her daughter and herself. She’s strong, determined and presents a can do attitude. Even when she has a day when life is not easy she maintains a positive attitude, looking toward tomorrow and not concentrating on the negatives.”
“Chelsea came to Lund with a huge uphill battle and had not been parenting her daughter for a great deal of time,” said Greeta who was Chelsea’s clinician and helped her take the important steps she needed to take before being able to come to Lund. “Her addiction had taken a full grip on her and she had lost everything because of it. She worked so hard to do what she needed to do to get into treatment, and there were a great number of barriers. Chelsea took advantage of all Lund offered and demonstrated wonderful parenting capacities once the barriers were removed. She is getting back out in the workforce while also balancing all the busy aspects of being a single parent. She is out in the world, independent, and the future looks so much more bright for her as a result of all her hard work and dedication.”
Chelsea plans to pursue Personal Care Assistant Training through the VNA this summer and hopefully then move into a job in that field. “I’ll go to peoples’ homes, cook them dinner, do whatever they need me to do. I think I’ll be good at that. If I like it I’ll go from there and proceed to be a nurse. Right now I want to make sure I like it. It’s hard work but I’m a hard worker so I’m pretty excited,” she said. Though so doing would mean that she would have to leave her work placement at Lund. “I’m debating on that at the moment. I don’t want to go,” she admits. “But when I leave Independence Place, I can come and sub as a residential counselor there or at Glen. I would love to work here someday. This is my ideal job. I can start as a sub and go from there. I am 100% going to do that, no doubt in my mind. I wish I could do it now.”
Dinah’s tribute perhaps describes most succinctly the key to Chelsea’s success, “She took the opportunity given to her to take a deep breath and try to create a life that could be different and better for herself and her family. She woke up every day with a smile on her face and a strong focus in her head to forge ahead when she easily could have given up. She is kind, thoughtful, and a good friend to other people as well as a loving and nurturing mother to her daughter.”
Congratulations Chelsea on being the 2015 Kit Stone Award Winner.
June 16, 2015
‘Any obstacle is worth overcoming’ – Honoring Ceremony 2015
Today is your day,” said Executive Director of Lund, Barbara Rachelson to the students of the New Horizons Education Program. “I know the path you took to get here today was not always easy or fun, and yet, you endured. Parenting, pregnancy and being a student, each in their own right presents challenges. There are lots of ways for you to find to not show up – if your baby is sick, if you didn’t get sleep, if you are having a hard day but you persevered. I hope that you are glad that you did and you feel proud. I certainly feel proud for you.”
Six graduates were celebrated for obtaining their high school diplomas at this year’s Honoring Ceremony. Many more students were recognized for academic achievement, college studies, participation in Lund’s Teen Pregnancy Prevention Outreach Program, and attendance at Lund’s Workforce Development Program. It was a joyful and very proud occasion. New Horizons is Lund’s licensed education program for pregnant and parenting young women but it is so much more than just a school. It is a place where students find acceptance, support and a community of peers and teachers committed to helping them be successful students and parents. On a normal school day you are likely to find a teacher holding a baby while explaining how ions are made, students discussing how often their babies use pacifiers over lunchtime or a teacher helping a student follow up with a potential apartment rental during study hall. Academic achievement and family support are weaved together through every aspect of the program.
Graduates from the Class of 2015 arrive at the Honoring Ceremony
The Honoring Ceremony is a time when students, family members, staff from NHEP and other Lund programs, community partners, members of the the Lund board, guests and friends come together to celebrate the students’ achievement and progress during the school year. Babies and toddlers are integral members of the audience and crying (from children and proud adults alike!) is accepted and celebrated. In addition to Barbara, this year’s ceremony saw speeches from Kim Coe, Director of Residential and Community Treatment Programs at Lund, Ryan Esbjerg from Flex Your Face and Lund Board President Sara Byers. But the most powerful words came from the students themselves, many of whom stood up to read from speeches they had written. Excerpts are given below:
“I would like to thank all who have pushed me to accomplish so much. My daughter is my hope and motivation to get far in life. Every student here has achieved so much, from doing their best to come to school every day with or without their kids to being able to ask questions when they get frustrated. ” – Brittany, 18, senior.
Mom and daughter addressing the crowd with their words of thanks and congratulation.
“I like the opportunity Lund gives us for school because it is a better place for us. We are all teen and young adult moms and regular high school did not work for us. High school was difficult because we all have kids. Some of us are single moms and we don’t have people to watch our kids when we need to learn. NHEP works for us. When we need to learn, we can bring our kids with us.” – Fatumo, graduate.
“Three years ago I was supposed to graduate, but I put it aside. I got pregnant and high school was no longer a priority. With the help of Lund and my teachers I returned to school to finish my education. They continued to push me to achieve greatness. I have learned that any obstacle is worth overcoming.” – Natalie, graduate.
“Every day I come to school and I’m surrounded with amazing and strong women who have struggled and been hurt but they are here choosing to change their life for themselves and for their children. When you’re here you aren’t judged, you’re accepted and welcomed. This program has changed my life and I couldn’t be more grateful. Because of this program, I can watch my daughter grow into an amazing and smart girl while working hard to build our future. Coming here was one of the best choices I have made for my daughter and myself. I can finish school and still follow my dreams so when my daughter is older she can finish hers. ” – Grace. Student at NHEP since January.
The ceremony was followed by cake, photos and hugs and congratulations at every turn. “It’s pretty much the best day of the year,” said Courtney Farrell, Assistant Director of Residential and Community Treatment Services, who couldn’t stop smiling all day. Her feelings were shared by all, especially those students who left the ceremony with high school diplomas in their hands.
June 5, 2015
Cold, rainy, windy, awesome! – The 7th Annual Lund Ride for Children
Look at the raindrops flying from the speeding wheels of these dedicated 55 mile cyclists! PHOTO: Julie Richards Photography
It takes a very dedicated cyclist to come out in the rain and unseasonable cold conditions that we saw last Sunday during the 7th Annual Ride for Children presented by NorthCountry Federal Credit Union. This year’s ride was filled with them! Serious cyclists who love the route, bike enthusiasts who were ready for a challenge and many dedicated friends of Lund whose enthusiasm for our work couldn’t be quashed by a few raindrops. Then a few more. Intrepid bikers took on 55 mile, 30 mile and 16 mile routes through South Burlington, Shelburne, Charlotte and Ferrisburgh and well waterproofed families took on the 4 mile route along the South Burlington Recreation Path. All rides ended at Lund’s Hoehl Family Building on Joy Drive in South Burlington where there was warm food, uplifting live music from teacher Collin Cope’s band Rumblecat and fun activities for children. It really was a wet day but the big smiles and positive energy of the riders and volunteers made it great.
Here are some testimonies from riders:
“As Vermonters, we are used to inclement weather and my feeling of connection to Lund’s mission meant that I would ride regardless, but during the ride I continued to think how much more pleasant the ride would have been if it was sunny. Having a couple days distance from the ride, I realized that having to struggle through the ride gave me a different kind of connection and a metaphor for thinking about what Lund’s clients might be experiencing with their journeys. When utilizing Lund’s services there may not be a lot of sunny days and it takes a tremendous amount of perseverance to move forward when it is pouring rain and you are headed into the wind but there is a tremendous feeling of triumph that comes with completing the journey.” – Stephanie
“My name is Ella Byers and I am 10 years old. I have done the Lund Bike Ride for the past 6 years. This year, it was raining, but my friends still came to support the Lund. I have fun with my family and friends, but that’s not the only reason I do the ride. I do it because I think everybody deserves a happy family, who loves and supports them. Every time I go to the event, I am proud of myself and everyone else who is participating.” – Ella
Ella and friends having fun despite the rain. PHOTO: Julie Richards Photography
“We had a blast riding for Lund on Sunday! It was cold, it was rainy, it was windy, it was AWESOME! We smiled the whole way and can’t wait for the ride next year!” – Julia
“Will Curtis (7) made sure his dad was up and on time for the ride. Shaking off a few raindrops and a little chill was easy enough once they got going, especially when there are police cars to see, downhill stretches (and a bridge!) to speed down and even what appeared to 7-year old eyes a rainforest or Ewok village terrain (depending on your preference) on the way to Szymaski Park. Every rider had a smile on their face and these two “pedal-powered” their way right back to the start for ice cream and a burrito wrap to cap things off. All in all, a great way to spend the morning all in support of Vermont families and a terrific agency.” – Will and Chris
Will and his Dad getting ready to take off from the Family Ride rest stop
All the money raised from this ride, over $83,000 so far, will go to support Lund’s education, treatment, adoption and family support services that help over 1,500 families in Vermont each year.
Here at Lund we have spent the week sorting out and putting away equipment from the ride, pulling raffle winners, returning items we borrowed from community members, writing thank yous and sharing wonderful photos and video from the event. As we go through all of these wrapping up activities we are all filled with huge amounts of admiration and gratitude for the riders who participated and worked hard to reach their fundraising goals, the volunteers who braved the conditions to be ready for all the jobs that needed to be done and our generous sponsors who support helped to make the event possible. Thank you to everyone for all that you did to make this year’s Ride for Children so successful and fun. (We hope your bike shoes have dried out and the feeling is back in your fingers!)
Don’t forget to check out Lund’s Facebook page to see wonderful pictures of the event from the marvelous Julie of Julie Richards Photography.
May 7, 2015
Taking Time to Appreciate Teachers at Lund
Lund staff members took time this week to appreciate amazing, committed and inspiring work of the teachers in our educational programs as part of Teacher Appreciation Week. We have 3 teachers at New Horizons Education Program (NHEP) and fourteen full time and 2 part time teachers at our Early Childhood Education Program (LECP). All of these staff members work hard every day to educate, guide, and encourage their students whether they are 2 or 32!
New Horizons Education Program is an alternative high school placement program licensed by the State of Vermont for up to 35 pregnant or parenting students from age 12 onwards. Older students meet with Lund staff to assess whether our program can best meet their educational needs. Students come from as many as 15 different school districts per year. NHEP staff establishes curriculum agreements with each sending school to ensure that students receive academic credit and have the opportunity to walk with their classmates at graduation ceremonies. Licensed teachers provide instruction in the four core subject areas, as well as art, physical education, life and parenting skills. Babies aged up to six months can come to class with their moms. Students at NHEP share common experiences and form a close community where they can give each other support through the challenges of being a young mom. Last year NHEP began offering the Community College of Vermont’s Introduction to College Studies Class onsite at Lund to allow students to explore further education options after high school.
The teachers in this program work with students on all aspects of their lives. A recent lunchtime at NHEP saw one teacher helping a student to write e-mails in response to apartment listings she had seen online, another teacher helping a student with her math homework and a group of students enjoying the presence of one of their sons who was a special guest at school that day because his daycare was closed. Students will frequently state that if it wasn’t for New Horizons they would not be in school and would have no chance of graduation.
Thank you New Horizons teachers for all your hard work.
Ann Klinkenberg, Mary Farnsworth and Kathy Rossman – outstanding NHEP teachers
Lund’s Early Childhood Education Program serves 50 children from birth to aged 5 with consistent, nurturing and high quality care and education allowing their parents to engage in education, employment or treatment programs. For many of the children this program represents the only stability in lives filled with transition and uncertainty. The teachers work hard to ensure that the program is a resource for the whole family by providing connections to necessary resources both within Lund and in the community to ensure that they have what they need to be successful. Examples of these resources include assistance finding housing or food, parenting education, financial education and providing needed clothing or shoes for their children. Parenting is a partnership between the teachers and the families. The program provides the essentials of safety, food and attention and, equally as important, makes the most of this time of crucial brain formation with activities that optimize and prioritize healthy development. The play based program values curiosity, early exposure to art and music and outdoor play. Lund partners HowardCenter to provide embedded counseling and developmental services in the preschool classroom. LECP is a 5 STAR program, the highest rating in the state’s STep Ahead Recognition System.
Every day LECP teachers sing, do art projects, play outside, work through problems together, encourage children to try new things and teach the importance of being good friends, helpful community members and joyful participants in the world. They are patient, loving and creative. Every day they value and cherish every child.
Thank you LECP teachers for all that you do.
Some of our truly dedicated early childhood educators.
October 14, 2014
Fundraiser Lunch at NHEP
Yesterday six New Horizons Educational Program students went on a field trip to Boston to visit the Aquarium and the Simmons IMAX theater. They raised the money to go on this trip by planning, preparing and delivering lunch to staff members. The first lunch, at the end of July, was Somali cuisine featuring sambusas, salad and friend plaintains. The second one, held just last week, featured burritos and apple crisp. Many staff members were delighted to take part in this fundraiser and enjoy a delicious hot lunch delivered to their desk. Beats a soggy sandwich any day. Below Mary Farnsworth, NHEP teacher who oversaw this project, answers some questions below about this project:
How did this project come about?
The NHEP Fundraiser lunches came about as a result of our students participating in and afternoon Business and Economics Class. Tammy [Santamore, Learning Together Coordinator] and I had discussed how it would be beneficial to have a business class offered to students, especially since some schools require students to take a business class as a graduation requirement. In designing the class we wanted to provide students an opportunity to think about the process of creating and running a business: coming up with an idea, creating business proposal, creating a business action plan, thinking about cost and profit margins, planning for different jobs/roles, and creating their own marketing scheme. The students started with lots of ideas for what type of fundraiser they wanted create, and even initially began planning for a run or walk event before coming up with the idea selling a homemade lunch.
How did the students prepare for the lunch?
This business class occurred every Tuesday afternoon from the end of March 2014 through August 2014. Leading up to the first lunch on July 30th our students did a lot of work creating detailed business plans. Additionally, they created and analyzed surveys to receive feedback on their idea, met with Amy Cronin [Associate Director of Development] to discuss the logistics of carrying out a fundraiser, did a recipe taste test, talked with Dinah Larsen [Food Services Specialist] about cooking for a large volume of people and estimating food/ingredient quantities, and held a practice run at NHEP. Going into the first lunch the girls had created a plan specifying each of their jobs and the times that tasks needed to be completed by. The day before the girls worked in small groups each making wrappers or preparing the filling for the Sambusa. The day of the girls worked in teams: a vegetarian sambusa team and a beef sambusa team who were responsible for assembling and cooking their type of Sambusa, a salad team who prepared the salads and made the dressing, and a student who over saw that each plate matched the order and plates were assembled correctly. Over all the work went really well thanks to our students planning and practice. We did face a slight hitch the day of when some of our premade wrappers broke and we did not have enough, but this was quickly fixed with an emergency trip to the store.
The first fundraiser meal was delicious – fresh and filling.
What were the benefits for the students?
The most important thing that our students personally got out of this experience was a huge boost in self-confidence. There were times in the planning were our ladies had significant doubts that they could pull this off, but when they did they were incredibly proud of their accomplishment. They also loved having Lund staff come in after to tell them how much they enjoyed their meal. Ladies also were really proud that they raised about $260 dollars ($310 before considering costs).
Are there plans to repeat this?
We and our students would like to do a fundraiser lunch every rotation (5 times a year), and for each offer a different theme to the meal. The students hope that the money raised will go towards more special field trips (including food during those trips if needed), higher quality or special arts and crafts activities, and possibly equipment for their children in the classroom when needed.
Thank you to the students and teachers at NHEP for providing this practical and interesting class that had such a great benefit for the rest of the staff. Roll on next rotation for another delicious. It will be getting cold and desolate outside so perhaps hearty soup, hot rolls and pumpkin pie are called for. Sign me up!
September 19, 2014
Family Dinner at LECP
What better way to celebrate the start of fall than with a delicious community dinner outside complete with musical entertainment and lots of friends to play with? This was scene on Wednesday night at Lund’s Early Childhood Education Program at the Hoehl Family Building. Kirtani Mathauer, teacher in the young toddler room, led the event inspired by community cooking classes and dinners she had helped with at other early childhood programs. She was looking for a way for families to connect and spend some time together getting to know each other. Parents drop off their children at different times and so their paths may never cross despite their children spending all day together. This event was a chance to meet and eat together.
Research shows that eating together as a family is good for the brain, health and spirit of all family members. Yum!
The sun even made an appearance after a day of clouds and it was still warm enough to eat, play and dance outside. The menu consisted of pasta, meatballs, eggplant parm, salad, garlic bread, and dessert provided by LECP and also dishes brought by families. There were even enough leftovers to enjoy for lunch the next day. After dinner LECP teacher, Collin and his friend Kyle played music. There’s nothing like toddlers dancing with their friends to a John Prine cover in the waning light of an early fall evening to make you feel pretty good about the state of the world. The play structure built last Spring by volunteers from dealer.com served as great front row seating for the show and also provided the usual jumping and climbing entertainment for the children.
“I’m proud of the turnout,” said Kirtani, “one parent told me it was the best community dinner he’d been to at an education program because it was so relaxed and gave everyone the time to eat, have fun and talk.”
Healthy eating is a key priority at LECP as many of the children come from families struggling with food insecurity or limited access to nutritious food. The children eat meals and snacks family style and learn how to behave considerately at the table while they enjoy a wide variety of dishes cooked on site in the school kitchen. Lund is planning expand the food program to run parent-child cooking workshops. This will be helped by a recent generous grant from Seventh Generation that will provide the needed equipment to set the kitchen up efficiently and safely for the children.
Kirtani plans to organize another family dinner next year and attract even more families to share a meal together. Thank you to all the teachers who worked hard to make this event come together and to all the families who attended and brought food to share.
