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Meadowbrook Collaborative
Reinvesting in Families & Children Apr – Jun 2009 4072 Meadowbrook Lane • St. Louis Park, MN 55426 • www.meadowbrookcollaborative.org
THE VALUE OF OUR INVESTMENT While our financial forecast matches that of the world economy in general… I will tell you that our investment in Meadowbrook’s families and children is at an all time high! We successfully finished another school year. Twenty‐eight students in
grades K – 8 participated in our Homework Help program, as did 10 adult volunteers.
Thanks to our volunteers, we were able to in the spring start a tutoring program that has continued into the summer months for our English language learners.
We cultivated a multi‐cultural garden plot, and soon began to see the vegetables and friendships grow in unison, and the emergence of new leadership. We sampled each other’s foods and stories and laughed and cried.
We have celebrated birthdays and good grades and helpful behavior. We have even been known to sing and dance and laugh at silliness.
Three of our youth enjoyed summer camp at Camps Warren and Menogyn, thanks to the generosity of the YMCA & its supporters.
We began programming for pre‐kindergartners who are developing good listening skills and cooperation and learning their letters and other important things.
We cooked healthy food and learned new healthy life skills with caring adults. Dr. Homans taught us about the heart, and asked his colleagues to teach us about our lungs and more. We learned new exercises, and how to take care of ourselves so we can grow up strong!
And we had a party to celebrate another year gone by… and our friends and families came together to watch our story in a movie entitled Meadowbrook Collaborative: The First 15 Years.
Please read on and learn more about what’s happening in the Meadowbrook community of St. Louis Park. As always, I welcome your questions and ideas, and invite you to visit.
Have an enjoyable summer!
Linda Trummer
Reinvesting in Families & Children Apr – Jun 2009 ARtWORKS taught students self‐expression through cartooning
Summer Early Childhood program jumpstarts pre‐kindergartners! This summer of 2009, we re‐established a summer learning readiness program, one that would as before run in conjunction with our summer playground program, offering the kids some “classroom” time and outside activities with the older kids. It is working beautifully, and the kids are growing by leaps and bounds. Early childhood education is important to all children, but especially critical to those who do not have access to other opportunities. We want our kids to be ready for school success. Funding for early childhood initiatives is extremely important to all kids. We are currently working with Community Action Partnership of Suburban Hennepin (“CAPSH”) to access funds that will be used not only for this summer’s jumpstart program, but also to:
train parents on how to provide child‐care; provide parents with the skills to operate in‐home child care; provide children with a safe, quality child‐care program; target 3 – 5 year old children and provide them the skills needed to be ready for school and to
achieve school success.
Many special thanks to the City of St. Louis Park for its arts & culture grant that allowed us to teach kids the joy of self‐expression through cartooning. While twelve students started the class in January, nine dedicated young artists stayed with us and finished in June. The students each received professional sketchpads and drawing pencils, along with personalized tote bags. Every week the students helped design their own homework, and weekly shared their selected “best work” with the whole class. The children, grades 3 – 6, learned self‐confidence and the importance of practice, completing their homework, being on time, and pride in learning a new skill while completing the 6 month program. The success of the program is largely credited to our instructor, local artist Jon Reiss, assisted by Susan Hodder. Jon made art “fun,” and Susan kept us all on track!
Reinvesting in Families & Children Apr – Jun 2009
Crime Free Multi‐Housing Lt. Lori Dreier of the St. Louis Park Police Department provided the following statistics. If you have any questions or comments, please contact Lt. Dreier at 952/924‐2131.
Summer Playground Program We are having a great summer of recreational fun for kids. [Parks & Recreation staff] Gina, back for her second year at Meadowbrook, and Stephen are doing an awesome job. In addition, one of our former Benilde‐St. Margaret’s High School volunteers, now a college student, has returned for the summer. Jon Garamella led the charge of our Applebee’s pancake breakfast two years ago. He is an amazing young man and a favorite among the kids. A Westwood Nature Center naturalist also visits once a week, teaching the kids fun and important facts about nature and the environment. Most recently, we learned about spiders. Here are some great pictures:
Reinvesting in Families & Children Apr – Jun 2009
G.U.S. – Growing Up Strong concludes by putting kids on wheels The GUS program was funded by a grant from the Medica Foundation. It was designed to encourage lifelong healthy living. Beginning in January, a dozen kids, grades 1‐6, met two hours each week for six months. They exercised, learned about the food pyramid, cooked and ate healthy recipes, and created their own recipe books. They also went on field trips to The Bakken Museum and Park Nicollet’s Heart & Vascular Center. At the end of the session, those participants who completed the program received rollerblades and safety gear.
Congratulations to Marco • Arrianna • Arrie • Lioul • Emely • Camarie • Wambleeska • Trinity • Makayla
Special thanks to teachers Kelsey Okey and Brian Weitz; Rebekah Forrest for donating back to the Meadowbrook Collaborative 100% of her professional services; Dr. David Homans and his colleagues at Park Nicollet Health Services; Hoigaard’s for a discounted price for rollerblades and safety gear; The Bakken Museum for free admittance; and, to Medica Foundation for awarding us the grant that made this program possible. Part of my joy comes from watching the faces of the children when they see someone special return for a visit. One of the things they can always count on is that we’re going to be there and people like Gina and Jon, Kelsey and Dave, and many others – are going to be there from time to time. The mere presence of my car setting in its usual parking spot is a sign to many that all is well. Imagine that! In a world that feels so uncertain to us all, especially for children who tend to be unsettled because of family circumstances, seeing the friendly face of a caring adult is important. It keeps kids grounded, makes them feel safe. On a Final Note Teacher Kara Bancroft has resigned her position with Homework Help. Kara was our first teacher, and the person I credit for setting the stage for a great program. Kara, you are an inspiration and a friend.
“To learn and never be filled, is wisdom; to teach and never be weary, is love.”
For us to continue this good work, your support is needed and appreciated. You can easily make your tax‐deductible gift on‐line at https://pnfoundation.parknicollet.com/SSLPage.aspx?pid=265&srcid=265. Just designate your funds to the Meadowbrook Community. Park Nicollet Foundation is our fiscal partner will send you a receipt for your gift. Thank you for helping us reinvest in families and children.