Where Are They Now? MALORIE

Welcome to our first installment of "Where Are They Now"! We have met a lot of spectacular people in the last twelve years and want to share with you where they've gone since leaving the center. We'll spotlight former staff, favorite volunteers, and hopefully some of our students!

This week we catch up with Malorie who was the Education Coordinator from March of 2003-May of 2004! Here is what she is up to!

From Malorie:

I am currently living in Dallas, Texas with my husband Victor and son Landen who just turned 1 year old on December 1. I am teaching middle school math for Dallas Independent School District. This is my first year with the district and I love it. My school is in a highly populated hispanic neighborhood, so while I am teaching math to my students they are teaching me Spanish!!! Outside of family I am training to run in the Dallas Big D Marathon in April of 2008.

CWA Christmas Party

Last Saturday the CWA Local 3808, our property owners, held a Christmas Party at the center for the neighborhood! Many families attended to get their picture taken with Santa, to eat some yummy food, or to make a Christmas craft.

Scroll Down for Our THANKSgiving Video!

Because of a mention in today's East Nashville section of the Tennessean, I wanted to make sure you know that our Thanksgiving video is posted below, dated November 21st! Enjoy!

Classroom Spotlight: Vanderbilt Room

This week we are spotlighting our Vanderbilt Room, one of our elementary classrooms. We asked these five students what they want to be when they grow up and here are their answers.

Muslima, grade 4, said she wants to be a teacher.
Makka, grade 4, wants to be a nurse.
Amina, grade 2, said she wants to be an English teacher.
Abdullahi, grade 2, wants to be a fireman.
Guled, grade 2, said he wants to be an FBI agent.

Amazon.com Wish List

'Tis the season when people begin asking us what we need here at the center! To those of you that choose to give, we have made it very easy for you! We have updated our Amazon.com wish list with most of the items we need. Items purchased online will be shipped directly to the center. Just click the button below and it will take you straight to our list!



Additionally, we have listed some other items we are in need of on the left side of our blog.

We appreciate all you have done for us this year!

Our Thankgiving Dinner

We decided to post early this week so everyone could see pictures of our Thanksgiving dinner last Tuesday. A very generous person donated money so that we could provide our children with a traditional Thanksgiving dinner. Each child was treated to turkey, potatoes, gravy, corn, cranberry sauce, and biscuits! They were also able to take a bag of food home so that their families could also enjoy a traditional American meal. It was nice to sit down as a "family" and break bread together!

After dinner, the children viewed their THANKSgiving video. They were very excited to see what they were thankful for on the big screen!

Our THANKSgiving Video!

Here is our much-anticipated THANKSgiving video! Our students, staff, and volunteers were asked to write down what they were thankful for in less than four words, although some cheated a little. We photographed those words and created this video.

As we reflect on what we are thankful for, we are reminded that we cannot serve this community without all of the support and love you show! Thank you so much!

We wish you and yours a safe and restful Thanksgiving! Enjoy the video!

Find us on Facebook!

If you are a member of Facebook, you can now communicate and keep up with us at the center that way too! We have created a "group", so you can find us by searching for the "CWA-Cayce Learning Center".

We will post events, pictures, and discussions for you to participate in on our group page!

Volunteer Spotlight: Sumaiya

Name: Sumaiya Hossain

Volunteer Since: Since 2005 with Vanderbuddies, but also volunteered my junior and senior years of high school.

What you do as a volunteer: Help students with homework

How I found out about the center: From my older brother and sister, who volunteered at CWA with Vanderbuddies

My favorite part about being a volunteer is… getting to spend time with the students. They're so much fun and I have a great time getting to know them while helping them with their homework.

My least favorite part about being a volunteer is… Being a volunteer is great, but I hate having to cancel or miss a week of volunteering at CWA if I have tests or something else come up.

My favorite memory is… hmm I have too many! But I guess one of my favorites is when I was in the computer lab with some of the middle school students and we spent the entire time on disney.com listening to High School Musical songs!

I would encourage someone else to take the leap and volunteer because… volunteering not only helps the student and the volunteer learn, but it's also really fun. Volunteering at CWA is especially fun because the students are awesome. They're really funny and smart and they make volunteering every week something I really look forward to!

Book Club

This semester, several of our elementary students are participating in a "Book Club". Each week, students read a chapter of a book that they picked out as a group and report back on their reading.

Here are some of their observations about the book...
My favorite part was "when Jack and Annie squinted at the pyramid wall." -- Shamsi, 3rd grade
What I didn't like about this chapter was "when Annie gives Jack a little push." -- Rahama, 3rd grade
In the next chapter I think "they will find the mummies." -- Shamsa, 3rd grade

The children involved in Book Club have become very independent and enjoy facilitating on their own. They remain focused and very engaged each Tuesday afternoon.

Shamsi, Shamsa, and Rahama enjoy sipping water from teacups while discussing their books.

Volunteer Spotlight: Nancy

Name: NANCY TAN

Volunteer Since: FALL 2006

What you do as a volunteer: I TRY TO HELP WITH HOMEWORK, AND I EVEN HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN A FEW SOMALI WORDS ON OCCASION...

How I found out about the center: VANDERBUDDIES at VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY

My favorite part about being a volunteer is...KNOWING THAT I'M PLAYING A SMALL ROLE IN THE STUDENTS' SUCCESS...AND ALL THE COOL PEOPLE I'VE MET OF COURSE!

My least favorite part about being a volunteer is... STRUGGLING TO ENCOURAGE INDEPENDENT THINKING AND HIGHER LEVELS OF LEARNING WHEN SOME STILL HAVE NOT MASTERED THE FUNDAMENTALS YET.

My favorite memory is... HAVING A CLASS OF SECOND GRADERS TEACH ME SOMALI SONGS AND DANCES AND THEN REALIZING I CAN'T DO EITHER.

I would encourage someone else to take the leap and volunteer because... THE KIDS ARE ALL WONDERFUL, AND THEY WORK REALLY HARD. KNOWING THAT WE CAN HELP THEIR ABILITY TO FUNCTION AND SUCCEED IN AMERICAN SOCIETY IS ESPECIALLY REWARDING.

Class Profile: Predators Room

This week we are highlighting our "Predators Room" in our afterschool program. This room is made up of seven students in kindergarten and first grade.

We asked them what they enjoy most about school and these are their answers:

Aisha said, "math."

Hussein said, "reading a book."

Fatuma said, "going to centers."

Muna said, "playing outside."

Mohamed said, "writing.

Amina said, "reading my books."

Ayuub was home sick this week, but we know there are many things he likes about school!

This week, our Predators Room painted pumpkins in celebration of fall! The pictures came out so well, we wanted to share some with you!

A History Lesson

This week we’d like to give you some history about the center. Many of you, our friends, are new to the center and we would love for you to know a little more about where we came from.

In 1996, representatives of the CWA Plaza Apartments, the Metropolitan Development and Housing Agency (MDHA), the Nashville office of the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the Martha O’Bryan Center formed what is now known as the CWA-Cayce Learning Center. The Learning Center is part of a national collaboration called Neighborhood Networks. Neighborhood Networks is an initiative of the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) that was originally established to provide technology in areas where technology was historically limited (i.e. HUD-assisted, and insured properties). To date there are more than 1,200 centers across the country, however, no two centers are alike. Neighborhood Network centers are about getting out into the community, speaking with residents, and providing programs that meet their stated needs. Never do we assume to know what our community needs. Our residents are the experts in this neighborhood.

In 2005, Neighborhood Networks unveiled a program to classify it's centers. While no two Neighborhood Networks centers are alike, more than 10 years of successfully delivering technology access and other resources to America’s communities have revealed a number of factors that lead to center sustainability and success. The standards used for Designated, Certified and Model status are based on review and analysis of those factors. By following the classification guidelines, centers will be more likely to experience success in both aiding residents and increasing market value of their property. Shortly after the classification process began, our learning center became the first in the nation to earn Model Status, the highest level of achievement.

You can read about our success in NetworkNews on pages 4 & 5.

Volunteer Spotlight: Heather

Name: Heather Williams

Volunteer Since: September 2006

What you do as a volunteer: I started out with after-school Homework Club, helping the kids with their homework, and doing educational/enrichment activities with them when homework was finished. On Fridays during last school year, we had Karate Class and I worked with the kids, teaching them some fundamental skills such as kicks and punches; as well as some simple self-defense techniques. This school year, I am doing the Reading Tutor Program, helping the kids to improve their skills and hopefully learn to enjoy reading!

How I found out about the center: I saw an ad in the classifieds of the Rage newspaper.

My favorite part about being a volunteer is… being a part of these kids' lives on a regular basis. I have learned so much about their culture just from being around them once a week. They're such amazing children, very bright and full of personality! They really make me laugh -- mostly at myself but that's OK.

My least favorite part about being a volunteer is… not having as much time to spend with the kids as I would like.

My favorite memory is… Gosh, that's a hard one! The first thing that comes to mind is our "Dance-Off" at the end of school this summer. We adults might have had more fun than the kids!

I would encourage someone else to take the leap and volunteer because… there's no way to describe the "warm fuzzies" you get when a room full of little faces light up when you walk in the door -- or when you help a 4th grader FINALLY figure out that tricky long-division problem. Taking the time to get to know the kids and understanding what the Learning Center is about has been one of the most rewarding experiences for me.

A Year In Review

In July, we compiled a list of our accomplishments for our fiscal year (July 2006-June 2007) and we wanted to share those with you, our supporters.

• 10 Homework Club students increased their reading ability by at least one grade level. Of those, 3 students increased by two grade levels and 2 increased three grade levels.
• All students enrolled in HW Club completed at least 4 hands-on science projects
• 31 students enrolled in our summer program entitled, “Explore The World”
• Students created a “Recycling Station” in the center after studying about the environment and what they can do to help the Earth
• The center added a third adult English class this year, sponsored by Metro Refugee English Program. Those three classes can serve a total of 45 students at a given time.
• 53 adult English students have participated in English classes this year
• Two of the English classes visited the library and signed up for library cards
• We were able to extend our Lottery for Education Afterschool Programs (LEAP) grant to continue funding our afterschool program and two staff positions
• We were awarded $5000 from the Community Foundation to support staff salaries and allow us to keep our entire staff on through the summer
• An article in the Tennessean about our 10^th anniversary garnered us approximately $2000 in cash donations and approximately $100 worth of items on our Amazon.com wishlist
• 110 volunteers served a total of 902 hours in the 2006 calendar year
• 7 volunteers committed to work one-on-one with a child in reading
• 186 individuals participated in our Night Out Against Crime block party on August 1, 2006
• 50 children and youth enrolled in HW Club received free brand-name shoes through the “Cold Feet, Warm Shoes” program, sponsored by Genesco and David Thornton of the Tennessee Titans
• All computers at the Learning Center were upgraded in memory and operating systems (to Windows XP)

HCA Volunteer Work Day

On Wednesday, September 19th, twenty volunteers from HCA Healthcare came to the center to help us get some work done!

Our hard working crew at the end of a long day!

They worked super hard to install a water fountain, ripping out drywall and running pipes! The kids were so excited to see it when they came in that afternoon!

We also had our community room painted, in addition to two of our elementary classrooms!

Thanks HCA volunteers for a job well done!!

Staff Profile: Kenithia

My name is… Kenithia

My job at the center is… Teacher’s Assistant

Hometown…I was born and raised in Nashville, Tennessee

College Attended/Attending & Major…I am currently attending Tennessee State University where I am majoring in Biology with a teaching certification for grades 7-12.

Favorite Song…My favorite song is “No Weapon”, I don't remember who it is by, but it is an old gospel song.

If I were irresponsible and could max out a credit card at any store, it would be…Target. What, corny? I know but they have really nice things there to wear (for mommies and daughters) and you can get all of your household supplies.

My favorite thing about working at the center is…I am surrounded by beautiful kids from a totally different country. That keeps me on my toes everyday, but they come with the same wit and tricks as our beautiful American kids. Don’t be surprised when one of them charms you out of whatever they need from you. Oh! Let’s not forget my major is in education so I get experience working here.

My least favorite thing about working at the center is… that my job begins in the middle of the day. Nobody likes coming into work in the middle of the day. Good thing my “most favorite” outweighs my “least favorite”.

My favorite anecdote from my time here is…I guess my favorite anecdote would be a time when one of our students was having a really bad day. Actually this child was having a bad week. Instead of sending this student home everyday I sat with her and started talking and asking if anything was wrong. Of course at first she said “no” with lots of attitude. So I kept talking, but about random things just to lighten up the situation. Finally this particular student opened up, I gave my full attention, ears, and shoulder for this child during this emotional time. Shortly after this she would linger around me, I assumed because she felt comfortable to be around me. I felt I had the chance to put a little mind and heart at ease for the time being. Nothing made me feel more happy and special than that moment with that student.

We Recycle!

In April, our youth took a look at the center and made recommendations about how the center could be more Earth-friendly. One of those suggestions was to recycle. So in July, we set up a recycle station in the center! We are currently recycling mixed paper, aluminum, plastics, paperboard, and cardboard. Each week we load up a vehicle with what we have collected and take it to the local convenience center. Not only are our students learning about saving their planet, they are learning about being a good citizen, types of materials, and reducing waste.

To find out about recycling in your neighborhood, log onto Earth 911.

How You Can Support The Center

We are often asked what the center's needs are, so we have created and frequently update a "wishlist" on Amazon.com. We originally created the list to build a library of books that were considered "required reading" for Metro Public Schools. This way a child could read ahead if they wanted to, or if they forgot their book at school, they could use one of ours at the center. Other items on our list are things that are needed for the daily operation of the center.

If you choose to use our Amazon wishlist, items purchased will be shipped directly to the center. You can click on the button below or on the link on the left side of the page to go directly to our wishlist.

Meet Jalisa

Jalisa is another one of our high school graduates this year! This weekend Jalisa left for Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro. She plans on majoring in photography and minoring in entrepreneurship. We are super proud of her and her accomplishments!

Meet Maryan

Maryan has had a big year! In May, Maryan graduated from Stratford High School with honors and also became a United States citizen.

Born in Somalia, Maryan and her family escaped civil war and fled to a refugee camp until September 18, 1999 when they were able to move to the United States for a better life.

This fall, Maryan heads to Austin Peay State University to study nursing. We are very proud of her accomplishments and are thrilled we've been able to be part of her journey!

Welcome To Our Blog!

We recently decided to join the rest of the blogging world to keep our friends, supporters, volunteers, and partners up to date on what's happening at the Learning Center. We hope you check back often to see what's going on in our little piece of the world. Leave us a comment and let us know what you'd like to see us post!

Volunteer Opportunitites-- Fall 2007

Here are the latest volunteer opportunities at the CWA-Cayce Learning Center! Please contact me if you are interested or have questions! We ask that our volunteers love children, exhibit patience, respect diversity, have a willingness to learn, and can commit to volunteering once a week.

Homework Helpers
We are looking for energetic and committed adults interested in helping children and youth (grades K-12) with homework. Volunteers are expected to commit to one day per week (Monday through Thursday) from either 3:15-4:30pm, 4:30-5:30pm, OR 3:15-5:30pm. You'll be assigned to an age group of your choice and will help them finish homework and work on any enrichment activities the teachers have provided. No experience necessary... just a love of children and an interest in giving back to the community!

Reading Group Facilitator
The CWA-Cayce Learning Center is also looking for volunteers interested in facilitating small reading groups once a week. Groups consist of no more than five students and lesson plans are provided by a reading specialist. Lessons will be provided one week in advance, but require little to no preparation. A short training/orientation is required, as is a background check and fingerprinting. We are in need of someone to assist our middle school group on Mondays and/or Wednesdays from 4:45-5:30pm.

Computer Lab Volunteer
The CWA-Cayce Learning Center is looking for committed individuals to work in our computer lab during our afterschool program. Volunteers will assist children in a brief assignment provided by the teachers and then will supervise, engage and interact with children as they enjoy free time on the computers. We ask that our volunteers commit to one day per week.

We are looking for computer lab volunteers during the following times:
Mondays from 3:30-4:15pm and/or 4:45-5:30pm (elementary grades)
Tuesdays from 3:30-4:15pm and/or 4:45-5:30pm (middle & high school students)
Wednesdays from 3:30-4:15pm and/or 4:45-5:30pm (elementary grades)
Thursdays from 3:30-4:15pm and/or 4:45-5:30pm (middle and high school students)

Those interested in volunteering should contact Becky by email at cwacayce@bellsouth.net or by phone at 615-248-4029.