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!
