Tag: Best Starts for Kids

Chinese Information and Service Center helps kids adapt to a new country, culture, and language

A new student at Chinese Information and Service Center (CISC) had only arrived in the United States in August. When he enrolled in their Bilingual Orientation School, he did not know the English alphabet, and was struggling to adjust to a new culture and a new language. Weeks later, he proudly read the entire alphabet! The reading specialist who had been working with him was also proud– not only of his blossoming English proficiency, but of his perseverance and zeal for learning. When he started, the specialist had talked with him in Toishanese and determined that he would be best served by visual and kinesthetic … [ ]

Best Starts OST organization tell their stories far and wide

“What’s a constituent?” the boy asks quizzically, after sounding out the word with a staff member sitting at the table with him. “A constituent,” Amir Noir Soulkin enunciates, “is someone who can vote for a legislator because of where they live. You could say you live in Seattle.” The boy nods and returns to the worksheet in front of him, which lays out how to effectively tell a story to elected officials. The kids and staff from East African Community Services, all wearing custom t-shirts that say, “Advocacy Day 2020!” in bold blue letters, are dutifully crafting their talking points in preparation for … [ ]

Partners in Bellevue help youth experiencing homelessness maintain connection and support

That three siblings attend the same Boys & Girls Club of Bellevue afterschool program isn’t itself remarkable. This is a common occurrence for families, after all. In this case, however, it’s a testament to the well-oiled services provided by the members of the Bellevue Collaborative—the children are experiencing homelessness, and are attending different schools. Despite the uncertainty that they face in so many arenas in their lives, they have a space where they can connect as family, play as kids, and be supported academically and socially by caring adults. The Bellevue Collaborative is right to identify this as a triumph … [ ]

Northgate Elementary students tell their neighbors, “we all live here”

This summer, hundreds of kites cumulatively flew at Gasworks Park. Northgate Elementary School students were responsible for dozens in the sky one sunny Friday afternoon. They built and then decorated their creations with images that reflected their cultures and their communities. Family crests, the Mexican flag, and drawings of culturally specific foods danced above Kite Hill as the downtown Seattle skyline glittered in the distance.  Rebecca Brito, Recreation Leader at Northgate with Seattle Parks and Recreation, said she was excited to be at that location because she, “wanted kids to feel ownership of public space— especially when that seems to … [ ]

Life Enrichment Group cultivates scholars and leaders in Rainier Beach

“I have something I want to say,” a middle school boy in the back row said unexpectedly. He stood in front of family and friends, who had gathered for Parent’s Night in the Rainier Beach Community Center to celebrate the accomplishments of their kids in The Scholars Project. “Before this program, I used to have a bad attitude. But I got here and I was inspired. I connected so much with these guys. I really changed as a person.” It seemed like something out of a marketing campaign, but it was straight from the heart– and his parents nodded in … [ ]

Summer Leadership Academy promotes education, entrepreneurship, and empathy

When I arrive at the basement of the Holly Park Community Church where Empowering Youth and Families Outreach (EYFO) runs their Summer Leadership Academy summer camp, I happen upon a rare moment of quiet–all of the campers are across the street enjoying the newly renovated Othello Park. Director and Founder Charlett Shoecraft is still bustling around in preparation for their next activity, tidying the supplies on the sea of tables. When we sit down and start talking about the summer program’s highlights, she pulls out her phone and scrolls through dozens of photos to help her keep track of what all they’ve done. It … [ ]