Spring has sprung, and with it comes the excitement of new beginnings and fresh opportunities. We are thrilled to share with you the success of our annual Career Fair, which took place in person at Cambridge Rindge and Latin and Somerville High School. We are grateful for the enthusiastic participation of our community partners, local businesses and sponsors, who provided invaluable career insights and guidance to our students.
Our Enroot seniors are preparing for college admissions or entering the workforce, and we are proud of all their hard work and accomplishments. We know that this transition can be challenging, but we know that our students have the skills, knowledge, and determination to succeed.
As we approach the end of the school year, we are excited to announce the return of our beloved end-of-year camping trip. This event has always been a highlight of our program, and we cannot wait to reunite and celebrate. We look forward to creating new memories, sharing stories, and reflecting on the achievements of the past year.
As always, we want to thank you, our dedicated staff, board, volunteers, and community partners who make Enroot’s work with students possible. We are grateful for your continued support and generosity, which helps us empower immigrant students to achieve their full potential.
Sincerely,
Rose Francois
Executive Director
Life Science Cares Impact Reception
at the Museum of Science
Photo Captions
Left: Sarah MacDonald, National President of Life Science Cares,
Judi Alperin KIng, Founder & Executive Director of the Wily Network,
and Rose Francois, Executive Director of Enroot at the event
Right: Rose Francois speaking about Enroot during the reception
On Tuesday evening, May 9th, Enroot was honored to attend the Life Science Cares Impact Reception and Awards celebrating the progress made to alleviate the effects of poverty in Boston. Enroot’s own Rose Francois and Vania Loredo enjoyed the gathering and mingling with other guests at the beautiful Museum of Science.
Life Science Cares is one of Enroot’s staunchest supporters, and their partnership is invaluable for our work with immigrant youth. We want to send a huge shout-out and thank them for their continued commitment. Special thanks to the Life Science Cares team, Sarah MacDonald, Kelly Brawn, and Bailey Katsumata-Smith for remaining steadfast in their pursuit to advocate for and promote organizations like Enroot.
Enroot has been selected as a beneficiary of the 2023 Kendall Square Challenge!
The 4th annual Kendall Square Challenge is coming up soon! Over 50 teams from organizations across Kendall Square gather to compete in a series of physical and mental challenges, all in support of local nonprofits. We are so thrilled to announce that Enroot has been selected as a beneficiary of the 2023 Kendall Square Challenge! Eight local nonprofits are selected and will benefit from the KSA Challenge on June 14th. After the Challenge KSA participants, members, and other partners celebrate together with a Kendall Square Block Party.
We are so honored and grateful for the support of the KSA team, membership, and the
organizations taking part in the Challenge.
If you are interested in participating in the Challenge, please click here!
Career Fair 2023
Photo Captions: Left: Career Fair underway at Somerville High School on April 6th
Right: Representatives from our partners at LabCentral Ignite, at Cambridge Rindge and Latin School
Career Fair in full swing at Cambridge Rindge and Latin School on April 4th
Career Fair 2023 was a resounding success! We hosted our first in-person Career Fair this year at both our partner high school sites with in-person workshops for Cambridge Rindge and Latin School on April 4th, and Somerville High School on April 6th. Over the first week of April, all Enroot students, including College Success students, had the opportunity to meet and listen to professionals from the sectors of biotechnology, finance and banking, healthcare, local government, and so many more from Greater Boston. Representatives from MIT, William Blair, Google, Alnylam, Biogen, LabCentral Ignite, staffers from the cities of Cambridge and Somerville, and many more were on hand to connect and network with students. They offered students insights into their respective fields, hands-on and interactive programming, expert STEM panel discussions, and 1:1 resume and interview coaching support. This was an informative event that added value to students’ toolboxes as they explore and start thinking about their future careers.
A heartfelt thank you to Career Fair sponsors: Cambridge Trust Charitable Foundation, William Blair, MIT, Eastern Bank Foundation, and Google for making this possible! Thank you to Cambridge Rindge and Latin School and Somerville High School for hosting and being so accommodating for the event.
Enroot expresses a huge debt of gratitude to Life Science Cares, our very generous partner who always supports our work, including this year’s Career Fair. And a very special shout-out to Enroot students, staff, mentors, and other partners who ensured the entire week went smoothly and was so much fun!
Post Secondary and College Success Program
Photo Captions:
Left: Enroot students touring the Northeastern University campus.
Right: Enroot students spent an afternoon seeing the Wentworth Institute of Technology campus.
Spring means it’s college acceptance season! Enroot students have secured over $123,000 in scholarship awards, and there is more on the way. Enroot’s team has been working with students to ensure that their scholarships are meeting their needs. We are so proud of the hard work that students have done to meet their milestones. Shout out to our students for their incredible efforts and persistence. One Somerville High School student has received over $64,000 in scholarships to attend Emmanuel College! We can’t wait to report what’s next for these students, so stay tuned!
Cambridge and Somerville Program Events
Photo Captions: Cambridge Rindge and Latin School
Left: Enroot hosted an Opportunity Panel for students to become acquainted with new career pathways
Right: Cambridge Program Team and students had a blast on a bowling field trip
Photo Captions: Somerville High School
Left: Enroot's Somerville Program team celebrating students for their Quarter 3 achievements
Right: Enroot Somerville High School students gathered after a fun ice skating field trip
Enroot Staff Updates
Photo Caption: Left: Ellie Villa-Wilson, Interim Director of College Success
Right: Mahlet Aklu, Director of Operations
Speaking of new beginnings, the Enroot team is flourishing! We’re thrilled to announce Ellie Villa-Wilson as our new Interim Director of College Success. Ellie is no stranger to Enroot, serving as the College Success Associate since 2021. Ellie is stepping into her new role, relishing the hard work and enjoying her time spent with students at the most crucial points during the academic year. Ellie strongly advocates for “creating a sense of belonging for immigrant students and their families'', and aims to empower everyone with whom she works. Ellie holds a Master’s of Education in Higher Education from Northeastern University and a Bachelor of Science in Social Work from the University of New Hampshire.
Enroot is delighted to have Mahlet Aklu join our team as our new Director of Operations. Mahlet previously served on Enroot’s Board and has over ten years of experience in Executive Education. She worked at the Harvard Kennedy School, most recently as the Senior Director of Executive Education for the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative - a collaboration among Harvard Kennedy School, Harvard Business School, and Bloomberg Philanthropies. Prior to her time at Harvard, Mahlet has worked in Social Services in Virginia investigating cases of child abuse and neglect and providing comprehensive services to children and their families. Mahlet holds a B.A. and M.A. in Social Work.
Mahlet was born and raised in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and came to the United States as a junior in high school. She moved to the Boston area 14 years ago and currently lives in Arlington with her husband and two young daughters.
Please join us in welcoming Ellie and Mahlet in their new roles!
Volunteer and Community Engagement
Photo Caption:
Top: Enroot and friends after their spin class
Bottom: The HandleBar Harvard Square
On March 21st, The HandleBar Harvard Square was so generous to offer a spin class on their schedule to raise money to promote Enroot’s programming. Our very own Molly McCafferty organized 20 of our mentors and other Enroot friends for a fun spin class, raising approximately $540. These funds will support end of year celebrations, including Enroot’s camping trip. Special thanks to all attendees and The HandleBar Harvard Square for an enjoyable, if challenging, ride!
What's Upcoming?
Enroot's End of Year Camping Trip
As we wrap up the current school year, we celebrate with the return of a beloved highlight for students, the Enroot camping trip. This year, students and staff will camp at the Appalachian Mountain Club Cardigan Lodge in Alexandria, New Hampshire. The camping trip will take place at the end of June, and Enroot students and staff will go hiking, sleep overnight in cabins, and spend time building community.
If you'd like to give to Enroot and support immigrant youth
Enroot is a nonprofit dedicated to empowering immigrant youth to achieve academic, career, and personal success through inspiring out-of-school experiences.
This month we dove into the richness of the connections that have been built in recent months with students and volunteers while sustaining ourselves with renewed commitment.
At Enroot, we are honoring Black History Month with programming for students and staff exploring Black joy, the multifaceted shades of Black history, how it's woven into American history, and the impact that immigrants have had on this tapestry.
We are continuing to enhance the voices of immigrant youth and their experiences. These past few weeks, we have seen the power of our Enroot voice carry from our collaboration with Loop Lab, in partnership with Audible, to our talk with Jessica Lander at Porter Square Bookstore.
Nothing brings us more joy than looking at what is coming up. In April, we will host our first in-person Career Fair since the beginning of the pandemic. It will be held at the Cambridge and Somerville sites, bringing presenters and hiring managers from local businesses and organizations in the fields of STEM, health care, local government, nonprofits, and much more. Additionally, we are planning for our Enroot Camping Trip taking place in June, a popular event that allows Enroot students to explore nature and wrap up the school year sharing ghost stories and eating s'mores with friends.
With joy and gratitude, I am thrilled to say that so much is happening at Enroot!
Sincerely,
Rose Francois
Executive Director
Enroot Team Highlights
Photo Captions: Top Left: Rose Francois, Lima James, and Vania Loredo share a giggle at the Holiday Party Top Right: Enroot Team celebrates the holidays Bottom Left: Tucker Donelan was gifted some custom artwork from
Enroot students at Somerville High School Bottom Right: Lesley Bunnell and Ellie Villa-Wilson goof off for the camera at the Holiday Party
The Enroot team closed out the last semester with a flurry of activities for students, including Cambridge Rindge and Latin School and Somerville High School teams hosting holiday parties for their respective programs. The Enroot team enjoyed the holiday break and took some much-needed time to recuperate. Enroot’s commitment to work-life balance isn’t just a credo, it is a practice taken seriously. After an extremely busy few months, everyone found the best ways for them to recharge for the start of an action-packed 2023!
Collaboration with The Loop Lab and Audible
Photo Credit: Loop Lab’s crew shooting video at the Enroot office
Special, special thank you to The Loop Lab and Audiblefor featuring Enroot in a video by Loop Lab Apprentice Xavier Montes, spotlighting the work of mentoring programs in Cambridge, including Enroot. This was a special collaboration that brought together mentors and students at Cambridge Rindge and Latin School.
College Success and Post-Secondary
Program Update
Photo Caption: Enroot’s College Success and Post Secondary Program Holiday Party
The College Success and Post Secondary Program gathered for some pizza and fun holiday activities after a wildly successful semester. Post-secondary Associate, Regina Carey, has helped Enroot seniors secure over $223,000 in scholarships! We look forward to sharing more exciting news as acceptances and awards continue to roll in for these applicants!
Cambridge and Somerville Program Updates
Photo Captions:
Left: Enroot Cambridge students in a very serious game of Jenga
Right: Cambridge Mentoring Night
Photo Captions:
Left: Enroot’s Somerville High School Program
Right: Somerville Mentoring Night Bowling
Photo Captions:
Left: Enroot students at a recent ice skating field trip
Right: Enroot students gather for a campus tour of Bunker Hill Community College
"Because of Enroot"
If you follow Enroot’s social media, you may recognize these posters. Enroot’s End of Year campaign featuredfour (4) remarkableEnroot alumni, all of whom are still involved with us in different ways! We asked them to finish the prompt of “Because of Enroot” and were elated to underscore their responses.
Teresais Enroot’s Somerville Program Director, Teni is thriving as a Computer Engineering major at UMass-Boston, creatingPrincess Boba, the world’s cutest robocat, among many other great projects.Reynais now a substitute teacher at her alma mater, Somerville High School.Triis Enroot’s Board Chair, a program alumnus, and one of the greatest cheerleaders for Enroot! There is no better spokesperson to attest to Enroot’s successful programming than those who have participated in the program! We are so grateful and thank them for sharing just a bit of their lives with all of us.
Jessica Lander, Author of Making Americans, Chats with Enroot's Rose Francois at
Porter Square Books
Photo Caption: Jessica Lander and Rose Francois at Porter Square Books
What a great way to engage community members this new year! January 29th, on a very temperate Sunday afternoon, author and educator Jessica Lander sat for a lively and inspiring conversation with Enroot’s Executive Director, Rose Francois.Porter Square Books’ “Be the Change” series hosts authors and civic leaders giving them a platform to discuss their work and to provide resources to community members who are looking to make change at all levels of government and society in general. Jessica’s new book,“Making Americans: Stories of Historic Struggles, New Ideas, and Inspiration in Immigrant Education”, recounts and reports on the significance of showcasing the educational journeys of immigrants to the U.S., from past to present. She explains why these stories are not widely known and why and how education can promote belonging and inclusion for newly-arrived people convening here from all over the world. Rose’s own experiences as a Haitian immigrant infused the conversation with great heart, with her reflecting upon her moving to the United States and adapting to the U.S. educational system.
A wholehearted thank you toPorter Square Books, who donated 20% of all sales during the event to Enroot in support of our work with immigrant students. You can learn more about Jessica and her important work on her website, and purchase her book online.
Enroot Team Member Spotlight
Enroot’s Molly McCafferty, Director of Volunteer and Community Engagement
When Vania Loredo was promoted to Director of Program in the fall, Enroot began a search for a newDirector of Volunteer and Community Engagement. Enter Molly McCafferty, the latest member of the team who has taken over the role. We sat with Molly for a quick Q & A about her arrival and how she envisions her role as part of the ecosystem that is Enroot.
Q: What brought you to Enroot?
MM: As a person who loves being around and learning with folks with different backgrounds, experiences, and cultures - I wanted to find mission driven work that would allow me to be in community with people from all walks of life. Spaces where young people are celebrated, empowered, and uplifted are my favorite spaces to be and so being at Enroot has been such a delight.
Q: You’ve only been with us since December and already, you’ve made incredible progress in your program. How do you imagine your role within Enroot?
MM: As the Director of Volunteer & Community Engagement it is so fun to be part of Enroot's programming. While I'm mainly focused on recruitment, matching students with mentors, and volunteer engagement, I still get to experience the program. Attending mentoring nights has been such a great way to understand how Enroot operates and to meet our current volunteers and students.
Take a Spin with Enroot at
The HandleBar at Harvard Square
Photo Caption: Enroot Fundraiser at The HandleBar
Come join in the fun! The HandleBar Harvard Square is graciously hosting a fundraiser for Enroot's End of the Year camping trip for our students! We look forward to seeing you there.
Photo Caption: Save the Date for our Career Fair 2023
Enroot’s Career Fair is an opportunity for students to connect with members of the community and learn more about career pathways. This will see a return to an in-person Career Fair since the pandemic. We are looking towards curating an experience that adds value to students’ toolboxes as they explore ways to enhance their network, present their resumes, and start thinking about the future.
As I sit down to write this letter, I am overcome with sadness and indignation as we all grapple with the news of Sayed Arif Faisal’s killing. Sadly, we have been here before; reflecting on the death of a Person of Color, whose life ended too soon at the hands of the police.
While fall signifies endings, the end of the year, the end of summer; it also signifies new beginnings.
At Enroot, we are celebrating a return to full in-person programming after two long years. Through various engagement opportunities (Volunteer Committee, Run with Rose, Coffee Hour) we have found each other again as a community, committed to a unified mission. Perhaps, you may feel a weariness, or time has been unkind to some of us, and yet we are still standing in community. We recommit to strengthening relationships, partnerships and once again creating joy around the word belonging.
Keep an eye out for some insightful updates in upcoming communications. We will be highlighting our students’ new beginnings through their sheer persistence and shared commitment to creating community. I invite you to reach out to other members of the Enroot community, reconnect, and affirm our collective belief that together we are stronger.
I will continue to reach out to you all, our amazing community, whether to grab a cup of coffee, to share an update or to hear your story. It is with gratitude that I thank you for your being a part of our community.
Sincerely,
Rose Francois
Executive Director
#GIVINGTUESDAY IS NOVEMBER 29, 2022
It’s hard to believe we’re already close to the end of the year! This time of year is the most critical for fundraising for organizations like Enroot.
JOIN US for #GivingTuesday! After the #BlackFriday deals and #SmallBusinessSaturday has all of us shopping local, #GivingTuesday is a welcome change of pace for us to support organizations and causes we value most. #GivingTuesday is a global day for giving and an occasion to join the global generosity movement.
Check with your employer to see if they participate in a 1:1, 2:1, or even a 3:1 match especially on Giving Tuesday! Don’t let the opportunity to DOUBLE or TRIPLE the impact of your donation to the causes you cherish most.See the tool on our website to check if your employer provides matches -HERE.Stay tuned for more information especially on our social media on Nov 29th!
If your employer doesn’t provide a match, you can donate early.
Photo Caption: Enroot Team Retreat activities; Enroot’s Vania Loredo, at the finish line of the
BMW Berlin Marathon in September.
Enroot’s team is a dedicated and fun bunch! Team members work tirelessly, while maintaining their enthusiasm, keeping their senses of humor intact, and sustaining one another! Amidst the hectic preparation and beginning of the academic year, staff gathered in Somerville for a day to have a mini Team Retreat, concluding with a session for everyone at the Muse Paint Bar Somerville. Spending time together, enjoying the beautiful weather, and building community between team members is vital to preserving motivation and mental health for all.
Managing the work-life balance at Enroot is a core value of the organization and for team members. It is reflected in our team’s activities in and out of the office. Vania Loredo, Senior Director of Program, personifies these tenets and here she is at the finish line of the BMW Berlin Marathon in September. We’re so proud of her and all of the Enroot team for honoring these beliefs by taking care of themselves and each other.
Enroot at Life Science Cares’ Boston Event
Mini Golf for Good
Pictured: Enroot’s Rose Francois, Executive Director; Lesley Bunnell, Development Manager
Enroot was privileged to be an invited organization sponsored by the Life Science Cares (LSC) Boston “Mini Golf for Good” event. Life Science Cares is an organization that provides a platform for companies and their employees to make a difference on issues of poverty. By partnering with local nonprofits with proven records of impact in their communities, Life Science Cares directs financial resources, donated goods, and thousands of volunteer hours to address both immediate and long term needs of our neighbors living in poverty.
The event was absolutely full of fun, great food, and most importantly, positive impacts for the community. With a sellout crowd of over 600 guests and the generous event sponsors, over $150,000 was raised — creating access to basic needs, education, and opportunity. A very special thank you to Bridge Bank for sponsoring Enroot on hole 9! Enroot is so grateful to Life Science Cares for their continued advocacy for and support of our organization’s work.
BACK TO SCHOOL
College Success and Post-Secondary
Program Update
Photo Caption: (L pic): College Success (CS) team and students gather for Pizza in the Park;
(R pic): CS & Post Secondary FAFSA Workshops that were held
The College Success and Post Secondary Program are off to an incredible start! The program’s first annual Pizza in the Park was a resounding success! Director of College Success and Alumni Engagement, Bralyn Beathea, hosted a pizza party for all program students and mentors, new and/or returning, to gather and chat. It was a great way to celebrate the beginning of the school year for everyone.
Post-secondary Associate, Regina Carey, hosted a FAFSA workshop in October; one at Cambridge Rindge and Latin and the other at Somerville High School. Anyone who needed a refresher or was brand new to college financial aid applications was given a detailed how-to about applying for and completing the Federal FAFSA forms, which is the first step in the process. There will be more financial aid workshops offered to students throughout the year.
College Success Update
We are thrilled that two (2) College Success program students have recently received their full U.S. citizenship! This is so exciting and opens up new opportunities for these students. We can’t wait to see what next steps they have planned for themselves. In addition, one of our sophomores in the College Success program has landed their dream internship, designing and making robotic medical devices. This is such an impressive opportunity and we look forward to seeing their progress.
Photo caption: College Success team and program students at Art Night
September 28th was Art Night for College Success students and everyone had a blast creating and connecting with one another. Ellie Villa-Wilson, Enroot’s College Success Program Associate, organized a lively evening of art projects. Now that we are back to in-person programming and events, the enthusiasm of the students is lovely to see. Our College Success program has been supporting students since 2018, and the opportunities to meet in person have been limited during the COVID-19 Pandemic. We are happy to see students in person this year and continue to provide high quality and meaningful programming.
Cambridge Program Update
Photo Caption: (L) Cambridge Mentoring Night - Enroot Cambridge students building the tallest balloon tower; (R) Cambridge Mentoring Night introductions
Enroot’s programming at Cambridge Rindge and Latin High School is in full-swing. We have welcomed Jessica Sidhu-Vasquez as the new Cambridge Program Director, who has hit the ground running. Jess has quickly become a part of the Enroot team as she has fully immersed herself in fall programming for students. Kalena Wang, a new Massachusetts Promise Fellow, assists Jess in the program’s day to day operations. Jess brings extensive knowledge of the work as a former teacher and understands the ins and outs of curriculum building. We are very lucky to have Jess and Kalena as part of our team!
Jess and Kalena are meeting students and collaborating with the school's administration to organize all Enroot programming for Cambridge students. On November 9th, they held Lunch & Learn for students to mix and mingle. Lunch and Learn’s return to in-person meet-ups is significant; the last time we held an in-person Lunch & Learn session was February 2020. We are so pleased that the sessions were well attended and received by students.
Somerville Program Update
Photo Caption: Somerville High School Enroot students attending
a career coaching workshop earlier this month.
Photo Caption: Announcement of internships available for Somerville Enroot students.
We are having a ball in Somerville! Students have fully immersed in their weekly mentoring nights, and we are feeling all the energy. First, Enroot’s team of Somerville Program Director Teresa Martinez, along with Somerville Program Associates Laura Montoya and Tucker Donelan just hosted a career coaching workshop for students last week. They enlisted Rigobert (Rig) Noel, who is the founder of Next Level Career Coach, a program designed to help young people with self-promotion for career success. Rig brings over 20 years of experience in career and life skills coaching to his interactive sessions with young people, which prepares folks to best advocate for themselves now and in the future for their journey following graduation.
In addition to career coaching, everyone has had fun playing some very serious games of Jenga and Bingo! We are working closely with mentors this year to make sure that students have all the resources available to them. Our Explore cohort students will start mentoring this month while Leadership and Emerge cohorts will dive into a curriculum that kick-starts their post-secondary plans in the upcoming weeks.
Enroot Team Updates
Photo Caption: Team pics of Jessioca Sidhu-Vasquez (top);
Kalena Wang (bottom L) Tucker Donelan (bottom R)
In addition to welcoming new and returning students, Enroot has new members on the team! Paola Pelletier-Ozuna, our dear Cambridge Program Director, has transitioned from Enroot for new opportunities, and we are thrilled to announce Jessica Sidhu-Vasquez has joined our team as new our Cambridge Program Director just in time for the new academic year. Jess hails from the West Coast and for the past 8 years, worked as an educator in California and Texas. As the daughter of Mexican and Indian immigrants, she knows firsthand the importance of advocating for and supporting immigrant students and their families. We are so excited to have her directing the Cambridge program!
Kalena Wang is a Massachusetts Promise Fellow and has joined Enroot to serve students at Cambridge Rindge & Latin School. She is a 2020 graduate of Harvard University and has a BA in Environmental Engineering and Education. She brings her knowledge and experience with mentorship programming and education, lending a unique and insightful point of view to direct service and enhancing Enroot’s program.
Finally, a huge shout-out to Tucker Donelan, Enroot’s new Somerville Program Associate. Tucker was born in Japan and split his time between his birth country and the U.S., eventually settling in the States beginning in high school. His passion for education and program coordination is contagious and in his short time here, he’s already a big hit with the students, and his fun spirit and positive vibes are invaluable to the entire Enroot team.
JOIN OUR TEAM! We are seeking a Director of Operations. Enroot’s mission is to empower immigrant youth to achieve academic, career, and personal success through inspiring out of school experiences. Whether you're seeking a new position or want to pivot to work with dynamic high school and post-secondary young folks, this is your chance! Click the button or scan the QR code for the job description and more information that will be posted on our website shortly!
Be a Mentor!
We are currently looking for more mentors! As our programs are expanding, we are seeing the need for more mentors in the community, especially in Somerville. If you know someone who is interested in volunteering 1.5hrs/week to support an immigrant student, encourage them to apply!
Summertime in New England is filled with sunsoaked moments that coalesce into memories, and outdoor excursions that allow for spending extra time with friends and family. At Enroot, we have enjoyed recharging our batteries after the delightful student end of the year celebrations in May, savoring every student accomplishment.
