The last Dream Reachers gathering of the 2021 school year was an intimate family circle. TeacherMentors Sarah Dougherty and Shannon Petrina asked each student to do an overall check-in about how life is going for them and also tell the group one role model they have and why. Most of the young ladies spoke about their parents as the people they look up to, and each for different reasons.

“After that we got into a conversation about the increase in gun violence in our city,” said Sarah. “The girls spoke about how it affected them, either directly or indirectly. Most of the young ladies have been aware and have been careful not to put themselves into any situations they should not be in. Some ladies shared they are scared to leave the house and even hang around their friends and others shared they are too busy working and focusing on school to get caught in any trouble.”

Dream Reachers is one of Elevate Oregon’s two monthly gender-specific after-school groups. In alignment with our mission, the group takes advantage of Portland-area events and opportunities focused on career preparedness for girls. They also enjoy fun outings together, i.e., the Oregon Zoo Lights or a trip to the bowling alley. But our “family circle” times are special… the meetings deepen Elevate’s impact by directly supporting our students’ socio-emotional health and strengthening their peer groups’ bond.

“We let them know that they themselves can be role models for friends or other family members, even someone they may not know is watching them,” says Sarah. “I shared how proud we are that they are staying safe and that they can also help remind their friends to make smart decisions this summer as well.”

“We also extended reminders that both Shannon and I are here and available to hang out with this summer,” Sarah added.

The post Dream Reachers Family Circle first appeared on Elevate Oregon.

Our inaugural awardee and award namesake Marcy Bradley served as Elevate’s Executive Director from 2015-2018, and now serves as the Program Officer for Black Student Success at The Oregon Community Foundation.

This amazing leader in our community has been advocating for children in the Portland and Oregon for more than 25 years. This annual award will inspire and award Excellence, Community Service and Outstanding Accomplishments in young Black women and girls, and in all of us!

The post Announcing… The Marcy Bradley Impact Award first appeared on Elevate Oregon.

Soon, Laticia says, “Talking to parents became a lot easier. Parents have gotten used to me calling and checking on them. I always reassure them that I have their back as well as their kids’. One set of parents relayed to me that they appreciate the amount of communication and follow-ups, and how easy it is to access me when they have questions.”

In a very short time, Laticia — a former Elevate Oregon student herself — has established herself as an ally, facilitator, and connector to services for the Parkrose youth and families we serve. She advocates directly for youth in Student Assistance Teams, communicating results and connecting parents with teachers and counselors.

But her work goes further. Laticia is helping struggling families apply for financial assistance through the Trail Blazer resource page. She alerted her families to a Parkrose Community Discussion forum about COVID-19 Vaccines, and emailed about available resources during the power outages that occurred during the ice storm.

We couldn’t be happier with her work, or more proud of this Elevate Oregon grad! Elevate and Laticia are a trusted resource inside and outside the schools, supporting Elevate families so that kids can better focus on their homework, their grades, and their future plans.

The post Supporting Families—A Success Story first appeared on Elevate Oregon.