Meet our new AmeriCorps!

Highland Street americorps ambassador or mentoring: Claire Takhar

“I am excited to get to know the students and volunteers—the people that make our program work! Each volunteer that I’ve spoken to has had fascinating perspectives and experiences. I look forward to learning more about the nonprofit world and the impactful work that is being done for the community. ”

In August, Claire Takhar joined Enroot as the Highland Street AmeriCorps Ambassador of Mentoring.

Claire's role:  Claire will build Enroot's capacity to serve students by helping to recruit and support volunteer mentors. She will work most closely with students in the Mentorship Cohort. 

Previously:  Claire spent two years as an EFL Teacher in the Republic of Georgia, Vietnam, and Korea. Claire also did a year of AmeriCorps service with City Year Detroit. 

When asked, "What's the best flavor of ice cream?" Claire responded: 

The best flavor of ice cream, undoubtedly, is Ben and Jerry's Half-Baked. Not content to merely offer ice cream, Ben and Jerry's Half-Baked does more. It combines the classic, unbeatable appeal of chocolate and vanilla ice cream with velvety fudge brownie bits -- throwing in thick gobs of cookie dough because it's just crazy enough to work. It's three desserts in one: ice cream, brownies, and cookie dough. No other ice cream flavor works harder to deliver the most out of every heavenly bite.

americorps Massachusetts Promise Fellow: Georgia Lederman

“I am excited to get to know our amazing students, and to develop my understanding of effective ELL programs. I am also excited to learn from Enroot’s exceptional staff and volunteers about their experiences with and insights into education systems, nonprofits, cross-cultural communication and positive youth development!”

Georgia Lederman joined the Enroot team in August as a Massachusetts Promise Fellow. 

Georgia's Role:  Georgia recruits, supports and trains volunteers, and assists in curriculum development and implementation. She will work most closely with students in the Leadership Cohort. 

Previously: Georgia spent the summer interning at the International Rescue Committee in New York, where she worked closely with refugee youth at the Refugee Summer Youth Academy.

When asked, "What's the best flavor of ice cream?", Georgia responded:

To be perfectly honest, I am more of a cookie, pie or pastry type of person. If I had to choose, I would say Heath Bar Crunch or anything with rainbow sprinkles. 

Expansion Update

A Note from the Executive Director: 

We're heading to Somerville!

Dear Friends:

It's another exciting day at Enroot- I'm thrilled to announce that we are expanding to Somerville High School!

You may have heard us talk in the past few months about our expansion research or which community and school we were leaning towards, and now its official- we're going to Somerville!

Thanks to dedicated investments by the City of Somerville, Somerville Public Schools Department, and private funders, significant enthusiasm from local organizations, and a growing partnership with the high school, we're excited to roll-out a pilot program at Somerville High School this fall. 

Read on for the official press release, and as always, please be in touch with any questions!

Ben Clark
Executive Director
Enroot (formerly Cambridge Community Services)

 

---

Enroot partners with Somerville to expand program to Somerville High School

Somerville, MA – A new partnership with Somerville High School starting in the fall of 2016 will offer a group of English Language Learner (ELL) students a chance to build leadership skills and gain critical life skills through participation in a program designed to “empower immigrant youth to achieve academic, career and personal success through out-of-school experiences.”

“Over the last 24 years, we have developed a program that meaningfully impacts students arriving from all over the world. Up until now, the program has only been available to Cambridge students,” commented Jonathan Steiman, Chair of Enroot’s Board of Directors. “Today marks our expansion. We are excited and honored to partner with Somerville Public Schools and the Somerville community. Together, we'll be able to meet the needs of this important student population.”

An estimated 20-30 SHS students will comprise the first cohort of Somerville High students to participate in the multi-year program, which offers students 1-to-1 mentoring and academic tutoring, internship opportunities, and weekly leadership seminars. With much of the programming offered during out-of-school-time hours, Enroot extends the learning day by as much as 50%, helping students strengthen their academic skills, gain critical leadership skills, and receive individual support and case management.
 
“Enroot has earned an impressive record of success working with students in Cambridge using a relational model of support that places the student and his/her unique needs front and center,” said Superintendent of Schools Mary Skipper. “Our students will benefit greatly from this new partnership and from Enroot’s demonstrated commitment to helping students gain the leadership skills that will help them achieve and succeed throughout their lives. We look forward to launching this partnership at Somerville High, and expanding on the great work that Enroot is already doing in Cambridge.”
 
"Our organization could not be more thrilled to partner with a visionary educator like Superintendent Skipper and the truly dedicated teachers and administrators of Somerville Public Schools,” stated Ben Clark, Executive Director of Enroot. “We feel privileged to join such an inspired and talented team of educators to extend the learning day for immigrant students at Somerville High and look forward to years of close collaboration."
 
The program will formally kick off in September of 2016. Enroot and a team of SHS and Somerville Public Schools staff members have been setting up program elements this summer, including establishing a diverse base of internship partnerships and recruiting adult volunteers. Student recruitment for the program will take place in September.  Eligible students go through a formal application process that includes a written essay, in-person interview, and two references.
 
“We are thrilled to be partnering with Enroot starting in the fall, and to be able to offer students who have had to face more challenges than most, with the individualized support that can help them achieve success throughout their lifetimes,” added Somerville High School Headmaster, John Oteri. “Every student has the right to dream big and the potential to fulfill their dreams given the opportunity and the tools. Enroot provides that opportunity. We’re thankful and excited that they have decided to expand to Somerville, and very much look forward to working with them.”

Enroot and the Somerville Public Schools would like to thank the visionary Cummings Foundation for their multi-year support of Enroot’s expansion to Somerville High School through the $100K for 100 grant program. Enroot is one of 100 local nonprofits to receive grants of $100,000 each through Cummings Foundation’s $100K for 100 program.

Learn more about Cummings Foundation at www.CummingsFoundation.org.

A Brand New Day

Thoughts from Executive Director Ben Clark

Dear friends, partners, volunteers, community members, and supporters:

Today is an exciting day. I'm thrilled to announce that Cambridge Community Services (CCS) and City Links are re-branding, and will now be known as Enroot. 

Our new name and brand is more reflective of our current work and aspirations moving forward. The word enroot [v. to establish, to attach or place securely, to fix by the root] speaks to both the unique student population we serve and the impact we strive for each day as we support their growth during their first few years in this country.

So what will change? Our name, website, and email addresses will change. So will our logo and colors. You'll see a new newsletter starting in September. But the mission and program you’ve known and loved for many years as City Links, the amazing students we serve, and our deep commitment to their success will all remain the same. We also still need mentors and tutors to empower our students, so spread the word!

I’d like to once more express my deepest appreciation and gratitude to all of you for supporting our work and students over the years. I am so excited to move into this next chapter with you by our side. 

Ben Clark
Executive Director
Enroot (formerly Cambridge Community Services)

See our press release for more information and details on the process and new brand.

---

Press Release: For Immediate Release
August 10, 2016

A Brand New Day: CCS unveils a new brand strategy to further community impact

Cambridge, MA- Cambridge Community Services (CCS) is excited to announce that it has changed its name to “Enroot.” After 78 years of strengthening the Cambridge community, the time has come to change our name to better reflect our vision for an inclusive and thriving community and mission of empowering immigrant youth to achieve success.
 
CCS was established in 1938 as the Cambridge Community Federation, a philanthropic federation with a mandate to raise charitable funds, to assess needs in the community, and to distribute funds accordingly amongst federation members. In 1951, the organization rebranded as Cambridge Community Services (CCS), a community development agency which assessed community needs and designed direct service programs in response.
 
Since pivoting to direct service, CCS has played a central role in providing and coordinating youth employment, education and career development services across Cambridge. Its programs have impacted many thousands of Cambridge residents. In 1992, CCS founded the City Links program, an out-of-school-time program offering mentoring, tutoring, leadership development, and workforce readiness opportunities to low-income immigrant students at Cambridge Rindge and Latin School (CRLS).
 
Recognizing the success of City Links, CCS’ Board of Directors engaged in a long-term strategic planning process and emerged with an inspiring new vision for the future: expansion and sustainable growth of a program whose alumni graduate college at twice the rate of their peers, with substantially increased self- confidence, advocacy, and leadership skills.
 
This fall we will continue ambitiously growing the program at CRLS, serving more students than ever before. We will also pilot an expansion site at nearby Somerville High School in Somerville, MA. After spending a year refining our vision, mission and values, we are ready to update our name to better reflect our impact and the future of our work. 
 
Executive Director Ben Clark notes, “Throughout the long process of identifying the organization’s new name, it remained essential that the name speak both to the unique student population we serve and the impact we strive for each day. The word enroot [v. to establish, to attach or place securely, to fix by the root] speaks to both.”
 
Echoing that sentiment, Board Chair Jonathan Steiman says, “Setting firm roots in their new land is perhaps the single most important pursuit for recently arrived immigrant students, since a strong foundation will be essential in realizing the dreams that brought them here.”
 
We are thrilled to have been part of the journey for hundreds of CRLS alumni, and are excited to enter this next chapter serving even more CRLS students as Enroot. Our deepest appreciation and gratitude to those who have supported us in the past; we are so excited to move into this next chapter with you by our side. 
 
Enroot is an organization with a mission to empower immigrant youth to achieve academic, career, and personal success through inspiring out-of-school experiences. Enroot students are given a lens through which to envision their future in new roles they otherwise might not have imagined. Our team of adult mentors, tutors, instructors, and case managers empower students through a comprehensive after-school and summer program that enables each student not only to succeed, but to achieve their own American Dream.
 
Contact:
Ben Clark, Executive Director
bclark@enrooteducation.org
617-876-5214
www.enrooteducation.org