Think Together Brings Visual and Performing Arts Accelerator to Orange Unified School District in Collaboration with Orange County School of the Arts
Santa Ana, Calif. (April 14, 2023)Think Together, California’s leading nonprofit provider of afterschool, expanded learning and school improvement programs, is proud to announce it has launched the Think Together Arts Accelerator to widen the opportunity for students to engage in visual and performing arts curriculum and exploration.
The Arts Accelerator launched in collaboration with Orange County School of the Arts (OCSA) for students enrolled at Fairhaven Elementary School in Orange Unified School District. The new program is being piloted at Fairhaven, with programs underway to serve 180 students across California Elementary School, Sycamore Elementary School and Esplanade Elementary School within Orange Unified as well.
“We are thrilled to work with Orange County School of the Arts to bring the best of both of our programs – arts and afterschool – to students who aren’t always exposed to this kind of learning,” said Randy Barth, founder and CEO of Think Together. “This collaboration allows us to expand our collective reach and provide students with the opportunity to explore and develop their artistic talents while receiving a quality education.”
The Arts Accelerator will offer afterschool programs in theatre, dance, visual arts, and music, where students will gain experience and exploration of various art forms, techniques, and performance opportunities. Students will learn foundational skills, vocabulary, and the importance of all roles involved in a visual and performing arts presentation.
By leveraging the expertise of OCSA’s decades of involvement in arts educational spaces alongside Think Together’s years of partnering with school districts to develop quality afterschool programs, the two organizations have come together to create a unique and dynamic arts educational experience for elementary school students. The new collaboration aims to bridge the need for specialized educators and the increased demand for arts and enrichment for students.
“This meaningful partnership with Think Together is a mission-aligned program for OCSA. We believe deeply in the power and value of a quality arts education for all students,” said Teren Shaffer, president and CEO of Orange County School of the Arts. “It is a privilege to collaborate with the visionary leaders at Think Together and within Orange Unified School District to increase access to the arts for deserving young students.”
Tucked into the school’s multipurpose room, the students are waiting in their colorful skirts, silently practicing their steps before their performance. For most of these students, this is the first time that they have had the opportunity to not only learn how to dance, but also perform in front of an audience. They filter out the door single file and catch their first glimpse of the crowd filled with family and friends. The moments before the music plays, the students hold an excited breath before the energetic melody fills the silence and their precise, coordinated steps they’ve been practicing for months take over.
Students have reached the culminating event after learning about ballet folklórico for the last 10 weeks. Lilia Muniz, OCSA Instructor for the past seven years, has been teaching students on the fundamentals of the dance style alongside the cultural significance of ballet folklórico.
“I have seen them grow so much over this short 10-week period. They’ve learned so quickly and, even though students don’t like to admit it, I think they’ve liked the structure,” Lilia shared.
Fifth-grader Gianna has participated in the folklórico program since day one and has enjoyed the experience. For Gianna, this is her first time performing outside of a couple cheerleading performances. This performance will be different, since she is going to perform for her dad who danced ballet folklórico when he was younger. When asked how dancing folklórico makes her feel she shared, “I like dancing because I can express a lot of emotions in tiny moves.”
Another fifth grader in the program, Kira, has been getting out of her comfort zone. She shared how she’s nervous to perform, but also excited to show how much she has learned. “I like it because I’m learning a bunch of new stuff, including new things about Mexico. I like learning the different types of footwork and the culture behind it. I’ve seen performances, but it’s a different experience learning to do the dances now myself.”
Both Kira and Gianna shared that even though Miss Lilia is strict, she’s strict in the best way because she has encouraged them to always try their best. Other students echoed the sentiment, and as much as they are excited for their performance, they don’t look forward to the end of their weekly lessons.
OCSA is well-known for the rigorous curriculum for students and pushing them to achieve their full potential. Lilia shared how teaching students in the community over a short period of time can be challenging, but it is so rewarding to see students grow their confidence. “I hope they feel proud about what they’ve learned, ballet folklórico is a beautiful dance culture and an art form that I am excited to see people embrace and appreciate.”
Think Together has documented the entire 10-week program, and Lilia hopes that you take away from the video below the joy it has been for her and the students to learn together.
Creating a Collaborative Experience
Think Together, in partnership with Orange County School of the Arts (OCSA), has launched our Arts Accelerator program which delivers engaging arts programming to students in grades K-6. The 2022-2023 course offerings include Theatre Arts Exploration, Dance Exploration, Visual Arts Exploration, and Musical Arts Exploration.
Currently, the program is being piloted at four school sites in Orange Unified School District (OUSD), with 180 students participating. OUSD leveraged Expanded Learning Opportunities Program (ELOP) grants to bring the Arts Accelerator program with aims to bring hands-on, engaging learning experiences to address the academic, social, emotional, and physical needs and interests of students.
By leveraging the expertise of OCSA’s decades of involvement in arts educational spaces alongside Think Together’s years of partnering with school districts to develop quality afterschool programs, the two organizations have come together to create a unique and dynamic arts educational experience for elementary school students. The new collaboration aims to bridge the need for specialized educators and the increased demand for arts and enrichment for students.
“We are thrilled to work with Orange County School of the Arts to bring the best of both of our programs – arts and afterschool – to students who traditionally aren’t exposed to this kind of learning,” said Randy Barth, founder and CEO of Think Together. “This collaboration allows us to expand our collective reach and provide students with the opportunity to explore and develop their artistic talents while receiving a quality education.”
Bringing Art to Students
Parents and principals have been so excited, particularly about the performances. It’s an opportunity to bring the community together in celebration of the arts. Both parents, principals and stakeholders are also so excited to see how the students have been progressing with skill development and appreciate the caliber of talent provided by OCSA.
“This meaningful partnership with Think Together is a mission-aligned program for OCSA. We believe deeply in the power and value of a quality arts education for all students,” said Teren Shaffer, president and CEO of Orange County School of the Arts. “It is a privilege to collaborate with the visionary leaders at Think Together and within Orange Unified School District to increase access to the arts for deserving young students.”
Students are walking away with not only accelerated arts skillset but learning about the history and cultures that align with the programs they’re participating in. Programs like these create equity and access to high quality instruction that students may not otherwise have access to for free. Learn more below about what Think Together students will be learning!
Theatre Arts Exploration
Students in the Theatre Arts Exploration course will gain experience and insight into the world of theatre arts through the exploration of acting, character development, blocking, original storytelling, artistic choice, finding their voice, improvisation, scene work, ensemble building, and teamwork. They will learn foundational skills, theatre vocabulary, and the importance of all the roles involved in a theatrical presentation.
Dance Exploration
Students in the Dance Exploration course can expect to be introduced to a wide spectrum of dance styles, where they will develop and refine dance techniques. Each class consists of warm ups, skill introduction, and developing technique that increases the student’s skills, practice, appreciation, and knowledge of dance. Choreography is taught through the lens of various dance styles and the students work on their own group choreography and performance skills as well.
Visual Arts Exploration
In the Visual Arts Exploration course, students will learn about a variety of visual art making mediums and experiment with their own style. Focus is placed on foundational visual arts skills and the importance of artistic choices through the creative process.
Musical Arts Exploration
Students in the Musical Arts Exploration course will embark on a musical journey which acquaints them with the foundational skills necessary to understand, appreciate, and participate in making music with their voices, musical instruments or a combination of both. Each class incorporates engaging activities to help students along their journey of learning music, which may include introduction and refinement of musical technique, musicianship, and expansion of foundational music skills and understanding.
Looking to the Future
In addition to building up this robust program with OCSA, Think Together is partnering with other organizations to bring the arts to students across the state. We partner with Building Beats, Global Cultural Foundation, Versa-Style, Segerstrom Center for the Arts “Arts Teach,” Arts Learning Conservatory, Silicon Valley Creates, Music Center and Afterschool Music Academy to bring a variety of creative curriculum to over 60 schools benefitting around 2,400 students annually.
Our hope at Think Together is to work with our curriculum, corporate, and foundation partners to bring more elevated experiences to students and provide them with well-rounded opportunities to explore the arts, STEM and sports.
Brandin Garcia, a Think Together team member of 12 years, provides a top-tier program as a site coordinator at the STEAM Academy at Osburn Burke Middle School in Think Together’s Santa Fe Springs region. Throughout his tenure at Burke Middle School, Brandin has emphasized student agency for his sixth through eighth grade students. At Brandin’s program, there are a variety of student-led clubs such as gardening, journalism, and the Bob Ross Club. Brandin is known throughout the Santa Fe Springs region for his mentorship of new middle school site coordinators. Brandin is a team player and impacts students and peers by leading by example. We are thrilled to give you the opportunity to get to know Brandin!
What is your Think Together “why?”
I have a couple of “whys” for working here. My first “why” is to provide a safe space for kids and teens to be free and express themselves; a place where they can feel heard and seen. My second “why” is for the families who rely on free programs like Think Together. My mother was a single parent of three and worked overtime multiple times a week to provide for me and my siblings when we were younger. Having a safe place for us after school helped our family be financially stable and gave my mother peace of mind.
Is there a student story that has stuck with you from your time at Think Together?
Multiple student stories stick out to me, but one story is about Marcus, who was an eighth-grade student at Richard Graves Middle School. At the end of the school year, I received an e-mail from the principal that read, “When these kids were seventh-graders last year at the end of the year we had 123 who would not have made it. This year was only 27, that’s almost a 100-kid difference, and Think Together was part of it. Thanks for the help, especially with Marcus.” Marcus was an eighth-grade student with all Fs and many of the teachers had lost hope in him. When Marcus joined the program, I was able to work with him and help bring all his grades up. He graduated that year with his highest grade being an A and his lowest grade being a C-. At his promotion, with tears in his eyes, Marcus shared with me how grateful he was that I did not let him give up.
What is one thing you have learned from your students at Burke Middle School?
One thing I have learned from my students here at Burke is that a student is not defined by a moment. These students are growing and maturing every day and as educators, we cannot allow ourselves to give up on any student due to their not-so-good moments. We must see the best in them and encourage them to see themselves as we see them: as a person with the power to thrive regardless of their circumstances or what others may say about them.
What is the best piece of advice you have received that you like to share with others?
The best piece of advice that I’ve received is to stay true to myself regardless of the noise around me. A dead fish can go with the flow, but it takes a living fish to swim against the current.
What do you hope that the 8th grade students will take with them as they get ready to enter high school?
My team and I encourage our students to be true to themselves and not just follow the crowds. If there’s something they are interested in, they should pursue it regardless of who’s going with them. It’s easy for students to think that their friends are their whole world in middle school. But their world will expand, and I don’t want them to look back in regret over the opportunities they turned down just because their friends weren’t interested too. I hope they go into high school confident to do the things that make them happy and make the most of the next four years.
What are the professional goals you are hoping to accomplish this year?
I truly enjoy being a site coordinator, but if the opportunity presents itself, I wouldn’t be opposed to seeking a quality assurance coach position at Think Together. I’m also open to the doors that may open for me to pursue a career as a probation officer or social worker.
Outside of work, what do you do for fun?
I love spending my free time pouring into the next generation as a high school youth leader at my church. I also enjoy traveling, hiking, and running. I recently ran my second half marathon this past February.
Thank you, Brandin, for changing the odds for kids!
Think Together thanks our corporate and foundation partners for continuing to enhance the experiences of Think Together students. Here are just a few of the recent collaborative events that have taken place over the last few weeks!
LA Clippers score point with career panels
In an ongoing partnership with the LA Clippers, Think Together high school students were invited by the Clippers to attend a “Women in Sports” panel featuring female employees of the LA Clippers for Woman’s History Month. At the event, students heard about the different roles and educational backgrounds of the employees, with an opportunity to ask questions during a Q&A. To end the night on a high note, the students also attended the LA Clippers game as they took on the Toronto Raptors at the Crypto Center.
Think Together student Destiny from our San Gabriel Valley Region enjoyed the panel and shared her takeaways. “Honestly, all of them [the panelists] were my favorite, because they all said something about women, in general, being the best, and their careers just inspired us a lot.”
Previously, Think Together students also attended a panel hosted by the LA Clippers and the Coalition of Black Male Physicians for Black History Month. Students were able to learn more about the field of medicine and hear from physicians and the importance of Black representation in the medical field.
Pacific Life helping promote literacy
Think Together is always excited to help students approach important subjects, like literacy, in new and engaging ways. Thanks to volunteers who attended Pacific Life’s Underwriter Symposium in late February, 400 literacy kits were assembled and have been distributed to Think Together students in Compton and beyond.
With the kits, students learned and practiced their literacy skills, and each box was packaged with a personalized note from the volunteers who assembled them. These messages of encouragement ranged, from “I am so proud of you,” to “never give up on your dreams,” and “reading is power.”
The literacy kits consist of game supplies including flashcards, playing cards and fly swatters that are used to race their opponents in finding and tapping on the site word announced by their program leader.
Mid-game, Dagoberto shared “It’s really fun, you get to hit the words. Then, those who have the most, win.”
Think Together in the Fast Lane
In late February, students from Colton Joint Unified School District got to attend the Speediatrics Fun Day Festival, hosted by the NASCAR Foundation at Fontana’s Auto Club Speedway. Think Together students participated in a full week of healthy living lessons during their afterschool program, and the official Auto Club Speedway pace car visited the school sites as part of it.
Students got an in-depth lesson on the different features of the pace car, and how it varies from their parent’s cars, in addition to the role a pace car plays during a race. Then at the speedway, students participated in pit-crew-inspired games and had the opportunity to meet NASCAR racer, Parker Kligerman.
Celleste, a Think Together program leader, shared how this experience impacted her students.
“The NASCAR field trip was an impactful experience that both the students and staff enjoyed being a part of. Not only was the field trip great but so were the lesson plans that we were able to teach to our students. The PowerPoints were interactive, interesting, and fun which made it easy for the students to learn.
These lesson plans got the students extremely excited to go to the speedway. The day of the field trip went fantastic as the students participated with tons of excitement and enthusiasm at each activity. Overall, the field trip was a great experience for everyone involved and I would love to be a part of something like this again!”
Think Together would like to thank our partners that go above and beyond to give students educational and meaningful experiences. If you are interested in partnering with Think Together, please email [email protected].
Think Together has had a busy few weeks securing and building upon partnerships with mission-aligned individuals, corporations, and foundations. Read about some of the recent partnerships that have made headlines!
Last week, Think Together and the Inland Empire Regional Chamber of Commerce made front-page news inthe Inland Empire Business Journal. The sold-out Inland Empire Education and Workforce Summit took place at Loft 84 in Downtown Riverside this past Wednesday, March 15.
The event opened with Mayor of Riverside Patricia Lock Dawson emphasizing the need for access to meaningful career pathways. The program then transitioned to Think Together alum Diego Martinez who shared his first-hand experience leading and launching Hack Clubs.
Former State Senator Connie Leyva, who now leads KVCR and FNZ as executive director, served as keynote and discussed ways to improve education and workforce development in the Inland Empire, with a focus on increasing access to quality education.
The summit was capped by Bank of America’s Inland Empire Market Executive Cathy Paredes leading a panel of esteemed business and education leaders including:
Ted Alejandre, County Superintendent, San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools
Randy Barth, Founder and CEO of Think Together
Dr. Angelo Farooq, Chairman at California Workforce Development Board
Dr. Edwin Gomez, Riverside County Superintendent of Schools at Riverside County Office of Education
Charles Henkels, Executive Director of LAUNCH Apprenticeship Network
Earlier this month, Coachella Valley volunteers from The Desert Horizons Community attended a book refresh event where they collected and cleaned over 400 books gathered from Orange County, Los Angeles, and Palm Springs. The books were paired along with personal notes to students written on bookmarks in each book. We’re pleased to read about this community partnership in Palm Springs Life.
To round out the headlines, Loop Neighborhood Market, in partnership with Au Energy and Shell USA received press for their Giving Pump campaign, which culminated with a $50,000 general fund donation to Think Together’s afterschool and expanded learning programs. Loop Neighborhood Market CEO Varish Goyal visited students at Grant Elementary School in San Jose along with Think Together board member Sangeeth Peruri and Think Together Executive Director of Philanthropy Katie Roth to see the donation in action among nearly 300 students from pre-K to fifth grade.
To learn more about Think Together and keep up on the latest news, follow Think Together’s Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitterfor exciting stories.
In partnership with Think Together and the Inland Empire Regional Chamber of Commerce, the third annual summit bolstered nearly 200 attendees and participants on March 15, 2023 at Loft 84 in Downtown Riverside
Riverside, Calif. (Mar. 16, 2022) Think Together, California’s leading nonprofit provider of afterschool, expanded learning and school improvement programs, in partnership with the Inland Empire Regional Chamber of Commerce, hosted the 2023 Inland Empire Education and Workforce Summit at Loft 84 in Downtown Riverside on Mar. 15, bringing together nearly 200 leaders in the private, public and nonprofit sectors.
This year’s summit convened a diverse set of stakeholders to discuss ways to improve education and workforce development in the Inland Empire, with a focus on increasing access to quality education, preparing students for the job market and creating equitable career pathways.
“We have a responsibility to provide our youth with the resources needed to succeed in today’s economic landscape, said Randy Barth, founder and CEO of Think Together. “The turnout and engagement from fellow educators, business executives, and community leaders is a sure sign that together, we can give students the tools, and businesses the talent, needed for success.”
The event opened with Mayor of Riverside Patricia Lock Dawson emphasizing the need for access to meaningful career pathways, college readiness, and job opportunities that allow youth to achieve their full potential regardless of zip code or circumstance. The summit then transitioned to Think Together alum Diego Martinez who shared his first-hand experience in Think Together’s Hack Club and his post-graduation work with Think Together to help expand Hack Clubs to additional program sites.
“Afterschool programs like the ones I was able to participate in inspired me to dream big,” said Martinez. “Today, I’m proud to share those same dreams with other students as a Hack Club leader and be a positive change to my school and community.”
Bank of America’s Inland Empire Market Executive Cathy Paredes led the panel to showcase regional perspectives on how today’s current economic environment impacts workforce development and what educators are doing to prepare students for today’s job market. Panelists included:
Ted Alejandre, County Superintendent, San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools
Randy Barth, Founder and CEO of Think Together
Dr. Angelo Farooq, Chairman at California Workforce Development Board
Dr. Edwin Gomez, Riverside County Superintendent of Schools at Riverside County Office of Education
Charles Henkels, Executive Director of LAUNCH Apprenticeship Network
“The Inland Empire is poised to experience tremendous economic growth, and businesses have a unique opportunity to bridge the gap between classroom education and workforce needs,” said Paredes. “This is why Bank of America makes it our top priority to invest into workforce education programs and summits like this one that help create pathways to careers in the region.”
The 2023 Inland Empire Education and Workforce Summit was proudly sponsored by Bank of America with Think Together and the Inland Empire Regional Chamber of Commerce partnering to produce the annual summit.
“The Inland Empire Education and Workforce Summit has become a vital platform for building connections and driving change in our community,” said Edward Ornelas, Jr., President and CEO of the Inland Empire Regional Chamber of Commerce. “The energy, enthusiasm, and commitment of everyone involved was truly inspiring.”
The summit closed with a networking reception to provide a forum for collaboration among peers, exchange of ideas, and exploration of potential partnerships to support education and workforce development in the region.
For more information about the Inland Empire Regional Chamber of Commerce and its programs, please visit www.iechamber.org.
Think Together partners with schools and communities to pursue educational equity and excellence for all kids. As a nonprofit organization, Think Together innovates, implements and scales academic solutions that change the odds for hundreds of thousands of California students. Think Together’s program areas include early learning, afterschool, school support services and leadership development for teachers and school administrators. For more information, call (888) 485-THINK or visit www.thinktogether.org.
About the Inland Empire Regional Chamber of Commerce (IERCC)
The Inland Empire Regional Chamber of Commerce (IERCC) supports commerce and economic prosperity throughout Riverside & San Bernardino Counties. The IERCC provides a platform for business executives to engage, network, and conduct business with like-minded individuals from all over the Inland Empire region. Learn more about the IERCC visit www.iechamber.org.
During the Book Refresh Event held in the Desert Horizons Community in early March, approximately 400 donated books were collected and cleaned by volunteers. Thanks to Barry Meister, Lee Clancy, Mary Barth, and Sandra Drummond, the Book Refresh Event was a success, with the books donated to nearby Cathedral City Elementary. Think Together staff and students were ecstatic to receive the books and read the heartfelt hand-written messages left by the volunteers.
“I was sold on the idea of supporting Think Together last year when Randy Barth explained how Think Together afterschool programs benefit young children,” shared Barry Meister. “In addition to donating money, I, now for the first time, had the opportunity to volunteer hands-on to collect and give out books to children of all ages to read. Volunteering and knowing how kids enjoy reading was a very valuable and worthwhile personal experience for me.”
The 400 books were gathered from various locations, including Orange County, Los Angeles, and Palm Springs. Volunteers were provided with instructions on how to clean and repair the books to be in the best condition possible for students. Think Together’s recently retired Mary Barth shared some powerful stories of her work with Think Together students to give them a sense of their impact.
Think Together bookmarks were given to volunteers, who wrote encouraging and inspirational notes to students and placed them inside the books according to reading level. The students were so excited to receive all the books, which ranged from picture books to novels. At the distribution, students were going through all the books and picked out ones to show their friends.
The wonderful volunteers who participated are excited for the next large volunteer engagement, which is scheduled to take place in the fall. Some are even signing up to become regular volunteers at our school sites!
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Meet Site Coordinator Juany Hernandez from the Kayne Siart campus of Camino Nuevo Charter Academy in Think Together’s Los Angeles Metro region. Juany has developed a quality program that almost 300 students attend daily! She has done this by partnering with the community to leverage resources and developing a strong team of afterschool professionals. Most recently, Juany and her team organized a toy drive sponsored by Target to provide sporting equipment for students.
On top of engaging students’ minds at Kayne, Juany’s impact is seen throughout the region in her staff, many of whom have gone on to become site coordinators themselves. We invite you to get to know Juany more!
What is your Think Together “why?”
I grew up in a low-income community and remember my parents enrolling me in free programs because they didn’t have the resources to pay for other programs. Working for Think Together gives me the opportunity to give back to my community and make an impact on students’ lives every day. As a site coordinator, I advocate for student needs and develop my program leaders to be a positive influence in students’ lives.
Is there a student story that connects you to your “why”?
Valerie is a student who was struggling academically and behaviorally in the program. She had low participation in class and didn’t like to engage with her peers. One day, I asked Valerie if she could help me collect name tags as everyone was going home and she agreed. Collecting nametags became her daily routine and she eventually grew into supporting the Think Store. I was thrilled to see Valerie engaged and coming out of her comfort zone.
One day, Valerie shared randomly, “Ms. Juany, when I grew up, I want to be a site coordinator like you.”. I responded, “Well, you don’t have to wait until you grow up; you can be our mini-site coordinator for Think Together.”. Now, Valerie stops by every class on Mondays to go over the four agreements and deliver program announcements. My daily goal with my team is to provide a program to students that they are excited to return to the following day, just like Valerie.
What one word would you use to describe your work at Think Together?
Passionate. My passion has given me the strength to be successful with my students, my team, and the work that I do after school. My passion has helped me persevere through the challenges that arise. My passion is what motivates me to continue to work with my community.
How do you empower and cultivate leadership skills in your staff?
I believe that as a team leader, you must empower your team by including their strengths and voices in the program. You also need to model the expectations you have for your team. If I want my team to be kind and excellent, I must model what kindness and excellence look like. All the while, it is extremely important to be consistent with your team and share the “why” with them.
Empowerment, modeling, and consistency are key to ensuring that my team walks out with positive experiences. One of the most powerful strategies I use to cultivate leadership skills is to share the responsibility of the program with my team and motivate them to step into their power. I am so proud that two of my former program leaders have become assistant site coordinators at sister sites where they can create new experiences for the students.
What is one thing your team accomplished that you’re really proud of?
At the beginning of the school year, we were short-staffed and therefore not able to serve as many students. In a couple of months, the program was fully staffed, and the process to develop each program leader to their full potential began. With time and patience, I can proudly say that my team and I are truly changing the odds for kids. My team and I have been able to deliver a quality and engaging program that students who are not in Think Together are continuously asking how they can enroll. We are above our 85% attendance goal and have more than 300 students enrolled in the program.
What are the professional goals you are hoping to accomplish this year?
One of my goals is to continue to build my leadership skills and support Think Together outside of my site by sharing my experiences and best practices with my peers. I want them to feel successful and empowered in their work so that, together, we can positively impact more students lives.
Outside of work, what do you do for fun?
I love getting facials and spending time at the beach. I also love traveling. I was recently able to travel to Italy and loved it!
Thank you, Juany, for changing the odds for kids!
The donation will support academic and enrichment opportunities to students in traditionally under-resourced communities throughout the state of California.
Santa Ana, Calif. (March 7, 2023) – Think Together, one of California’s largest nonprofits serving K-12 schools, is thrilled to announce a new philanthropic partnership with Loop Neighborhood Market, commemorated by a $50,000 donation for afterschool and expanded learning programs in traditionally under-resourced communities throughout California.
The donation will help Think Together continue its mission of providing students with access to high-quality educational resources and experiences outside of the traditional school day. With the support of partners like Loop Neighborhood Markets, Think Together is able to make a lasting impact on the lives of nearly 200,000 students throughout the state annually.
“We are proud to partner with Loop Neighborhood Markets to support our mission of providing students with the opportunities they need to succeed,” said Think Together Founder and CEO Randy Barth. “This generous donation will help us reach even more students and make a positive impact in their lives.”
Loop Neighborhood Markets has a long history of serving philanthropic endeavors. In addition to educational causes, organizations that benefit from their fundraising efforts include San Francisco Pride, the California Fire Foundation, Bay Area Deputy Sheriff’s Association and its Annual Christmas Shopping event, Bay Area food banks, and RotoCare Bay Area. Over the last three years, over $400,000 went back to organizations making a positive impact in Bay Area communities.
“At Loop Neighborhood Markets, we believe in giving back to the communities we serve,” said President and CEO of Loop Neighborhood Markets Varish Goyal. “We are proud to support Think Together and their efforts to provide students with the tools and resources they need to succeed.”
The contribution comes after the conclusion of Loop, Au Energy and Shell USA’s three-month initiative “The Giving Pump” that used proceeds from a colorful, specially designated pump at over 100 gas stations in the Bay Area to assist the non-profit organization. Loop and Au Energy are a joint venture between Vintners Distributors and Shell USA (Shell).
The Giving Pump initiative began Aug. 1 and concluded on Oct. 31, 2022 as part of Shell’s Force For Good initiative to drive positive change in communities. For the second year, The Giving Pump could be found across 48 states, where a portion of the purchases made by drivers who used the designated pump supported children-based charities locally and nationally. Money raised through The Giving Pump at 6,500 stations nationwide amounted to over $3 million, going to 527 local charities across the US.
About Think Together
For over 25 years Think Together has partnered with schools and communities to pursue educational equity and excellence for all kids. As a nonprofit organization, Think Together innovates, implements, and scales academic solutions that change the odds for hundreds of thousands of California students. Think Together’s program areas include early learning, afterschool, school support services and leadership development for teachers and school administrators. For more information, call (888) 485-THINK or visit www.thinktogether.org.
About Loop Neighborhood Markets
Loop Neighborhood Markets is a leading grocery retailer with a focus on sustainability and community engagement. With locations throughout California, the company is committed to providing customers with high-quality products and exceptional customer service.
Target is in their fourth year funding Think Together’s Workforce Readiness Education Programs (WREP) for 500 students across four high schools in Compton Unified School District. WREP programs help cultivate interests and support students as they prepare for college and careers after high school. This school year not only is Target helping to support students prepare for the future, but they are also helping students grow new skills.
Think Together would like to thank Target for additional funding this year to install gardens at Think Together high school programs in Compton. Think Together students at Centennial High School have enjoyed the gardening club since the beginning of the 2022-23 school year. Students in the program grow, harvest and care for the garden.
So far this school year, students have harvested cilantro, oregano, cherry tomatoes, and broccoli and are hopeful to use the harvests in their culinary club. Until then, students have brought home their fresh produce for their families to test – a tasty treat for all.
The students unanimously shared that cilantro is their preferred harvest as it can be used in multiple ways from a garnish to a salsa. And, that it always tastes best fresh.
Research from Harvard shows that while most children receive only 3.4 hours of nutrition education a year, maintaining a school garden necessitates that nutrition lessons become a consistent, built-in part of a student’s educational experience. Research has shown that it takes between 35 and 50 hours of nutrition education a year to change kids’ preferences over the long term.
A 2017 evaluation of FoodCorps conducted by the Tisch Center for Food, Education, and Policy at Teachers College, Columbia University found that in schools that provide frequent, high-quality opportunities for hands-on nutrition learning, students eat up to three times more fruits and vegetables at school lunch — regardless of whether or not that food was grown in the garden.
Our students have enjoyed the garden this school year because they can see their progress from start to finish. They have also enjoyed reaping the benefits of the garden (flowers, vegetables, etc.) Not only do the Think Together students utilize the garden but during the school day a life science class observes the progress of the garden as well.
The club has big plans for its garden, including adding hydroponic systems and hosting a farmer’s market where they can pass out bags of free vegetables to members of the community.
