Together We…Guide Students

Jhon Carro has been a part of the Think Together team for the last seven years and currently works as the site coordinator at Olive Middle School in San Gabriel Valley Region. Jhon has a big and enthusiastic heart when it comes to giving his students a space to not only succeed but to thrive. We are thrilled to give you an opportunity to get to know Jhon more.

Could you share with us your “why” for working at Think Together?
My “why” is that I believe that we have the power to guide our students on the right path not only academically but also as they grow into young adults.

How do you feel like you are changing the odds for kids?
It’s the little things that make me feel I change the odds for kids. From walking the campus and having students wave to me, telling me, “See you after school Mr. Jhon,” or a student telling me, “I brought my grades up, Mr. Jhon.” Also, I feel like I’m making a difference when I receive parent phone calls thanking me for helping their student bring up their grades.

Is there a student who has stuck with you all of this time? Why?
Yes, he’s now a senior in high school. When I met Leo, I remember it was very difficult for him to stay focused on his academics and playing sports at the same time. I was able to convince Leo to join Think Together and we helped him with his academics so that he can continue to play soccer for his club.

What is one of the pieces of advice you would give to a program leader who is just starting at your site?
Every student is different, and they learn differently. Be patient and turn your heart on when you are here at Think Together.

What really helped you be successful as a site coordinator?
To be present and be in the moment. As a site coordinator, we wear different hats which can get overwhelming at times. Realizing that I can only control how I react has helped me be in the moment and embrace whatever comes my way, whether it be admin or program related.

Outside of work, what do you do for fun?
Outside of Think Together, I am a Professional DJ. I also enjoy singing, eating and visiting new places with my wife and son.

What is one of the goals you want to accomplish in 2022? 
At work, to continue to change the odds for our students. Personally, to purchase a home.

Thank you, Jhon for being a strong role model and guide for students. You are changing the odds!

Think Together honored the City of Moreno Valley and the Moreno Valley Unified School District with our annual Champion of Change award for their extraordinary efforts in changing the odds for kids.

The award is part of Think Together’s Raise A Hand 2022 event, where Think Together launched its celebration of 25 years of impacting students through partnerships like the one with Moreno Valley.

Since partnering with the City of Moreno Valley and the Moreno Valley Unified Schools District, Think Together has served thousands of students with academic enrichment, physical activity, and social-emotional learning.

Ten years ago, the City of Moreno Valley came to Think Together to be the city’s expanded learning provider serving students enrolled in the two school districts: Moreno Valley Unified School District and Val Verde Unified School District.

The unique partnership would allow the City of Moreno Valley to be the recipient of the After School Education and Safety (ASES) grant awarded by the California Department of Education and augment the grant funds to ensure every student within its borders had access to expanded learning programs.

“When we began our work together more than ten years ago, I knew as an educator this partnership had real potential to make a difference in the lives of students,” said Dr. Yxstian Gutierrez, Mayor of Moreno Valley. “There’s no greater investment than the one you can make in the future of our students and this one has been no exception. It is an invaluable asset for our community.” 

Over the last decade, this unique partnership has grown in both size and scope, altering the trajectory of thousands of students’ lives and trailblazing new programs that support student learning. In the 2021-2022 school year alone, this has equated to an estimated 6,000 students and has evolved to serve youth and their families with expanded learning programs, helping to provide a safe place for kids to be during typical working hours for caregivers.

Moreno Valley Unified knew students fell behind academically, socially, and emotionally over the course of the pandemic. When the state announced it would be making additional investments into expanded learning, the district was one of the first Think Together partners to tap into Expanded Learning Opportunities Program (ELO-P) funds to offer full-day summer, winter, and spring break programs.

“Think Together is so impressed with the leadership and collaboration the City of Moreno Valley and Moreno Valley Unified foster to serve students in their community,” said Think Together Founder and CEO Randy Barth. “When new investment opportunities or program innovations become available, they’re the first to lead the way, trailblazing new programs that support student learning and inspiring others to do the same.” 

This spring break was a massive success, with students having a space to have fun with their friends and enjoy enrichment lessons to keep the learning going.

Thank you to the City of Moreno Valley and the Moreno Valley Unified School District for your exemplary work in expanded learning and educational equity.

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March 20-23 was an exciting few days for Think Together! Leaders from the organization attended the National AfterSchool Association’s convention in Las Vegas where they connected with other afterschool professionals from across the country. At the convention, Think Together Family and Community Engagement Coordinator Hernan Sanchez was honored as one of 20 National AfterSchool Association’s (NAA) 2022 Next Generation of Afterschool Leaders. 

Hernan Sanchez joined Think Together in January 2021, quickly gaining recognition among his peers before celebrating his one-year anniversary with the organization. In his role, he helps connect families and communities to resources that help support their children in school, such as library memberships, program enrollment, financial literacy, and more. Hernan earned accolades from leadership throughout the industry for his ability to connect with others on a personal level, despite the unprecedented challenges educators and afterschool professionals have faced during the pandemic.

“When you think of the next generation of afterschool leaders, you think of someone who not only looks at the impact on kids and their community but also sees that expanded learning is a complete support system for our families,” said Think Together Executive General Manager Johanna Lizarraga. “This comes down to innovation and thinking outside the box. Hernan doesn’t see afterschool as just supporting the student. He sees it as fortifying their support system in and out of the classroom.”

The Family and Community Engagement Team at Think Together is a new department cultivated during the initial wave of the COVID-19 pandemic when Think Together saw that families needed additional support connecting to resources such as the internet, technology, school supplies, and meal services.

Their work has since evolved to give families the tools to support the student’s school day as well as pave a path to college and career readiness and assist with literacy and related educational development services. Think Together has a Family and Community Engagement Team coordinator supporting each of the organization’s nine regions. 

“We are so proud of Hernan for his passion and commitment to Think Together’s mission,” said Founder and CEO of Think Together Randy Barth. “In his short time with the organization, he is making an impact that makes us excited to see what he will accomplish next with us.”

Think Together is thrilled to have Hernan join the ranks of previous honorees of the Next Generation of Afterschool Leaders. In 2021, Helen Welderufael, then Regional Operations Analyst for Think Together’s San Bernardino Region, received the award and has since assumed the role of Talent Acquisition Operations Manager. In 2018, Alberto Bajaras, then Quality Assurance Coach for Think Together’s San Bernardino Region was awarded and has since climbed the ranks to Director of Program and Operations for the region. Stacy Galdamez, Executive General Manager for Think Together, was named in 2017 and was also a Quality Assurance Coach at the time of her recognition. 

In selecting its 2022 Next Generation of Afterschool Leaders honorees, the National AfterSchool Association sought to highlight emerging young leaders under the age of 30 who are active in the broader afterschool community, demonstrate contributions that have started to influence beyond individual programs to entire organizations and communities, are actively engaged in efforts to elevate the afterschool field, have a proven passion for the development of themselves and others, and demonstrate persistence in their work to grow within their roles. 

“This group of leaders represents the creativity, dedication, and commitment of the best of our next generation of the afterschool profession. We are honored to recognize them because we know the important role strong leadership plays in promoting positive outcomes for children and youth,” said Gina Warner, President and CEO of the National AfterSchool Association.

An estimated 10.2 million young people participate in afterschool programs each year and the industry employs an estimated 850,000 professionals and leaders. The National AfterSchool Association is a professional membership association that fosters positive youth outcomes by supporting, developing, and advocating for afterschool professionals and leaders.

Honorees were profiled in the Spring 2022 issue of NAA’s AfterSchool Today magazine. A digital edition of the magazine may be viewed here.

Think Together, in partnership with the Inland Empire Regional Chamber of Commerce, recently hosted the 2022 Inland Empire Education and Workforce Summit at the Historic Ioamosa on March 9, bringing together nearly 200 leaders in the public, education and nonprofit sectors.

The event aimed to create cross-collaboration and constructive solutions to ensure students impacted by COVID-19 are equipped with the necessary academic, technical, and soft skills needed to succeed in today’s economy. Think Together has understood how vital it is to provide high schoolers with resources and opportunities to explore their options.

Bank of America, a longtime supporter of Think Together’s workforce readiness programs, was the lead sponsor and one of the presenting speakers at the event.  BofA provides funding for Think Together’s Workforce Readiness and Education Program (WREP) which helps students develop crucial workforce skills before placing them in internship opportunities.

“We are still learning the exact impact that the pandemic will have on this current generation of students and their futures,” said Randy Barth, founder and CEO of Think Together. “What we do know is we need to focus on supporting students academically, as well as supporting them emotionally and giving them the tools they will need in college, career and beyond in an ever-evolving job market.”

Bansree Parikh, Bank of America president for the Inland Empire shared a powerful testimonial with the audience about her journey from student to workforce leader. 

“Mastery of a trade or job skill can have as significant an impact on lifetime earnings as a college degree, with millions of underskilled workers having the potential to increase their income by as much as 70% if they receive skill or education accreditation,” said Parikh. “This is why Bank of America – not only as a major employer ourselves but as a community leader – heavily invests into workforce education programs and summits like this one that help create pathways to careers in the region.”

Other speakers at the event were California State Treasurer Fiona Ma, who spoke on the current affairs of workforce readiness in California and what the state is doing to support college and career readiness from early learning to high school, and Dr. Angelo Farooq, Chairman of the California Workforce Development Board, followed providing his unique perspective on how solutions can be found when business and government work collaboratively.

Bank of America’s Inland Empire Market Executive Cathy Paredes led a panel to showcase regional perspectives on how the pandemic has changed the workforce landscape and what educators are doing to prepare students for today’s job market. Panelists included Dr. Angelo Farooq, Chairman at California Workforce Development Board, Ted Alejandre, San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Ruth Perez, Deputy Superintendent of Schools at Riverside County Office of Education and Randy Barth, Founder and CEO of Think Together.

Think Together recorded the entire summit, and we encourage you to take the time to watch the full video. Within these conversations are keen insights on how afterschool and expanded learning can better help support high school students as they transition into adulthood. 

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“From STEM careers created to address climate change, to education jobs leading the next generation of trailblazers, the state applauds the work of public and private leaders across the state collaborating to create 21st-century jobs for our young people,” said Treasurer Ma. 

The 2022 Inland Empire Education and Workforce Summit was proudly sponsored by Bank of America with San Bernardino County, Small Business Majority, Clearworld and the Otis Academy as supporters of the event. 

Learn more about Think Together and how you can change the odds for student in the Inland Empire at: 

www.thinktogether.org/get-involved. You can also contact Lawrence Gustafson, Sr. Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations at Think Together at [email protected].

Awardees were recognized during the NAA22 Convention in Las Vegas, March 20-23, 2022.

Santa Ana, Calif. (March 28, 2022) – Think Together, California’s leading nonprofit provider of afterschool, expanded learning and school improvement programs, is proud to announce the National AfterSchool Association (NAA), has named Think Together Family and Community Engagement Coordinator Hernan Sanchez as one of the National Afterschool Association’s (NAA) 2022 Next Generation of Afterschool Leaders. Hernan was recognized and celebrated alongside 19 other NextGen Leaders during the NAA22 convention in Las Vegas, March 20-23. 

Hernan Sanchez joined Think Together in January 2021, quickly gaining recognition among his peers before celebrating his one-year anniversary with the organization. In his role he helps connect families and communities to resources that help support their children in school, such as library memberships, program enrollment, financial literacy and more. Hernan earned accolades from leadership throughout the industry for his ability to connect with others on a personal level, despite the unprecedented challenges educators and afterschool professionals have faced during the pandemic.

“When you think of the next generation of afterschool leaders, you think of someone who not only looks at the impact on kids and their community, but also sees that expanded learning is a complete support system for our families,” said Think Together Executive General Manager Johanna Lizarraga. “This comes down to innovation and thinking outside the box. Hernan doesn’t see afterschool as just supporting the student. He sees it as fortifying their support system in and out of the classroom.”

The Family and Community Engagement Team at Think Together is a new department cultivated during the initial wave of the COVID-19 pandemic when Think Together saw that families needed additional support connecting to resources such as the internet, technology, school supplies, and meal services.

Their work has since evolved to give families the tools to support the student’s school day as well as pave a path to college and career readiness, assist with literacy and related educational development services. Think Together has a Family and Community Engagement Team coordinator supporting each of the organization’s nine regions. 

“We are so proud of Hernan for his passion and commitment to Think Together’s mission,” said Founder and CEO of Think Together Randy Barth. “In his short time with the organization, he is making an impact that makes us excited to see what he will accomplish next with us.”

Think Together is thrilled to have Hernan join the ranks of previous honorees of the Next Generation of Afterschool Leaders. In 2021, Helen Welderufael, then regional operations analyst for Think Together’s San Bernardino Region, received the award and has since been assumed the role of talent acquisition operations manager. In 2018, Alberto Bajaras, then quality assurance coach for Think Together’s San Bernardino Region was awarded and has since climbed the ranks to Director of Program and Operations for the region. Stacy Galdamez, executive general manager for Think Together was named in 2017 and was also a quality assurance coach at the time of her recognition. 

In selecting its 2022 Next Generation of Afterschool Leaders honorees, the National AfterSchool Association sought to highlight emerging young leaders under the age of 30 who are active in the broader afterschool community, demonstrate contributions that have started to influence beyond individual programs to entire organizations and communities, are actively engaged in efforts to elevate the afterschool field, have a proven passion for the development of themselves and others, and demonstrate persistence in their work to grow within their roles. 

“This group of leaders represents the creativity, dedication, and commitment of the best of our next generation of the afterschool profession. We are honored to recognize them because we know the important role strong leadership plays in promoting positive outcomes for children and youth,” said Gina Warner, President and CEO, National AfterSchool Association.

An estimated 10.2 million young people participate in afterschool programs each year and the industry employs an estimated 850,000 professionals and leaders. The National AfterSchool Association is the professional membership association that fosters positive youth outcomes by supporting, developing, and advocating for afterschool professionals and leaders.

Honorees were profiled in the Spring 2022 issue of NAA’s AfterSchool Today magazine. A digital edition of the magazine may be viewed here.

About Think Together

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.

Media Inquiries
Elena Bosch
(714) 824-8136
[email protected]

In partnership with Think Together and the Inland Empire Regional Chamber of Commerce, the event gathered 200 education and business leaders to address the need to prepare students for college and career.

Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. (Mar. 14, 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 2022 Inland Empire Education and Workforce Summit at the Historic Ioamosa on March 9, bringing together nearly 200 leaders in the public, education and nonprofit sectors.

The event aimed to create cross-collaboration and constructive solutions to ensure students impacted by COVID-19 are equipped with the necessary academic, technical, and soft skills needed to succeed in today’s economy.

The summit opened with Bansree Parikh, Bank of America president for the Inland Empire who shared a powerful testimonial with the audience about her own personal journey from student to workforce leader.

“Mastery of a trade or job skill can have as significant an impact on lifetime earnings as a college degree, with millions of underskilled workers having the potential to increase their income by as much as 70% if they receive skill or education accreditation,” said Parikh. “This is why Bank of America – not only as a major employer ourselves but as a community leader – heavily invests into workforce education programs and summits like this one that help create pathways to careers in the region.”

The event’s first keynote speaker was California State Treasurer Fiona Ma, who spoke on the current affairs of workforce readiness in California and what the state is doing to support college and career readiness from early learning to high school.

“From STEM careers created to address climate change, to education jobs leading the next generation of trailblazers, the state applauds the work of public and private leaders across the state collaborating to create 21st century jobs for our young people,” said Treasurer Ma.

Keynote speaker Dr. Angelo Farooq, Chairman of the California Workforce Development Board, followed providing his unique perspective on how solutions can be found when business and government work collaboratively. “Students today need the social emotional intelligence and intrinsic support from our business leaders to guide them on the road to success. The pandemic has contracted opportunities for young people to get the hands-on experience they need to enter the workforce and it’s up to us to give those back to them.”

Bank of America’s Inland Empire Market Executive Cathy Paredes led the panel to showcase regional perspectives on how the pandemic has changed the workforce landscape and what educators are doing to prepare students for today’s job market. Panelists included:

  • Dr. Angelo Farooq, Chairman at California Workforce Development Board
  • Ted Alejandre, San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools
  • Dr. Ruth Perez, Deputy Superintendent of Schools at Riverside County Office of Education
  • Randy Barth, Founder and CEO of Think Together

“We are still learning the exact impact that the pandemic will have on this current generation of students and their futures,” said Randy Barth, founder and CEO of Think Together. “What we do know is we need to focus on supporting students academically, as well as supporting them emotionally and giving them the tools they will need in college, career and beyond in an ever-evolving job market.”

The 2022 Inland Empire Education and Workforce Summit was proudly sponsored by Bank of America with San Bernardino County, Small Business Majority, Clearworld and the Otis Academy as supporters of the event.

Those interested can watch the Inaugural Inland Empire Education and Workforce Readiness Summit on YouTube. Those looking to get involved with Think Together can visit: www.thinktogether.org/get-involved.

About Think Together

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.  

Media Inquiries
Elena Bosch
(714) 824-8136
[email protected]

The prestigious grant enables the organization to scale its highly effective, data-driven education equity model, Teach Lead Counsel (TLC), by transforming it into an accessible digital platform

Santa Ana, Calif. (Mar. 8, 2022) Orenda Education, the school improvement division of Think Together, California’s leading nonprofit provider of afterschool, expanded learning and school improvement programs, announced it has been selected as an Education Innovation and Research (EIR) Grant recipient from the U.S Department of Education.

The prestigious grant awards Orenda with $4 million over five years to innovate their highly effective, data-driven school improvement model, Teach Lead Counsel (TLC), by developing an online platform that can transform their approach into a digital format that is equally impactful and highly scaleable.

TLC provides equity-based systemic changes to schools, so improvement is continuous and sustainable.

  • TEACH builds a powerful teaching and learning system by designing grade-level curriculum, common assessments and instructional strategies while enabling educators to reflect and reassess their methods.
  • LEAD builds the capacity of site and district leaders through a scholarly and technical approach to support the school conditions for staff and students to reach achievement targets.
  • COUNSEL builds the student support services division of the school community where staff use actionable data via an early warning and monitoring software to measure student progress. 

“We are thrilled to be awarded this EIR grant, which allows us to accelerate our work to ensure every student, regardless of circumstance, experiences the premium education that only some have historically received,” said

Dr. Robin Avelar La Salle, Orenda CEO & Founder. “School systems want to provide a true, right and just education for all kids and this new platform will help do just that.”

The TLC model currently serves schools with a high-impact, in-person, systems-driven approach to improve academic achievement for underserved students. The methodologies use data to guide teachers, administrators, and school counselors to ensure that students are mastering grade-level curriculum and are on-track to graduating high school, prepared for college and career ready.

The TLC approach uniquely targets interventions to all levels and professions within a school, district, or charter, not only to teachers, which is more common in the field. This “nested” approach is one of the keys to success towards sustainable, systemic improvement for the entire district.

“The pandemic cast a spotlight on the need to improve student outcomes, especially for our most vulnerable communities who have been hit hardest over the last two years,” said Think Together Founder and CEO Randy Barth. “Teachers, administrators and counselors have the best shot at ensuring these kids have a bright future and I am so proud that Orenda’s refined approach has been vetted through this grant to help all educators serve students in a way that gives youth an equitable education.”

With the number of districts performing below standards, especially in light of the learning loss following COVID-19’s impact to schools, the time is right for a school improvement platform that can reach schools that need less-intensive interactions or those that require geographic flexibility. Orenda will roll-out the new TLC platform to a select group of five “treatment school” cohorts each year, reaching over 5,000 students in year one of the grant and more than 16,000 students by end of year five. To support these cohorts, Orenda plans to digitize the TLC model into a multilayered learning management system, to alleviate the need for intensive staff support.

In partnership with Orenda, the San Diego, Ventura, and Monterey County Offices of Education have committed to help identify and recruit schools compatible to test the platform for this newly funded initiative. Dr. Paul Gothold, Superintendent of San Diego County Office of Education, was an early adopter of Orenda’s work as the former superintendent of Lynwood Unified School District.

Under Gothold’s leadership, Lynwood Unified worked with Orenda to improve students’ math and English test scores, increase graduation rates to 90.8%, and decrease student drop-out rates to 2.5%. Lynwood Unified was named the 2017 National AP District of the Year and Lynwood High School was ranked a 2020 Best High School by U.S. News and World Report.  

“Orenda provides the technical expertise for true district turn-around. The systems approach and professional development modules to build staff capacity ensures all leaders have the tools and resources to be equity leaders for all students,” said Gothold. “Through our work together, we were able to achieve incredible outcomes for students and we’re thrilled to continue working with them on this pivotal program.”

To implement this program, Orenda is looking to immediately hire a Head of Product, Orenda Software, to develop and lead a plan for taking Orenda’s existing software tools to a single solution that any school, district or charter can access. The organization will also be recruiting for data/technology leads, education software developers, data collection analyst and achievement specialist as the work continues to scale.

As the pandemic forced school closures, Orenda seized the unique opportunity to work with schools in a virtual environment, laying the foundation for digitizing the TLC model. Orenda has since increased its impact from 49,000 students reached in 2019-2020 school year to more 90,000 students reached in 2020-2021. In addition, Orenda has steadily grown across California and now partners with districts and schools in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, Kern, Sonoma, Imperial, and Santa Barbara counties.

About Orenda Education

A Think Together affiliate since 2014, Orenda Education’s primary focus is to support school and district leaders to provide the right conditions for all students to experience a world-class education, so they are prepared for college and career. This group of highly experienced educational equity warriors partner with school districts to identify research-based equity-grounded solutions for closing the Achievement Gap. Orenda’s proven approach dramatically improves student outcomes and creates paths for college and career opportunities. For more information, please go to orendaed.org.

About Think Together

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.

Media Inquiries
Elena Bosch
(714) 824-8136
[email protected]

Think Together, California’s leading nonprofit provider of afterschool, expanded learning and school improvement programs is the proud recipient of a $317,128 grant from the LA84 Foundation, a nationally recognized leader of youth sport programs focused on positive youth development. This grant will allow more students from under-resourced communities to participate in free team sports opportunities. This news has been covered by Redlands Daily Facts, Riverside County News Source, California News, El Excélsior, and Coachella Valley Independent.

Think Together’s funding from the LA84 Foundation previously covered sports for 3,240 students at 81 public schools across Los Angeles, Riverside and San Bernardino counties. This year, the funding is much more extensive, allowing 7,040 students at 88 schools across Los Angeles, Riverside and San Bernardino counties to gain access to sports programs. The expansion includes schools in Think Together’s newest region, Palm Springs.

“Think Together and the LA84 Foundation are aligned in wanting to promote equity for kids. For Think Together that’s in the classroom, and for the LA84 Foundation it’s supporting positive youth development through sport and play,” said Randy Barth, founder and CEO of Think Together. “The communities we serve are often under-resourced, and we have seen the value of making sure students are exposed to sports and activity for their physical and mental health.”

Depending on state and county health guidelines, Think Together will provide in-person sports programs with three 10-week rotations: basketball program for boys and girls in the winter; boys and girls soccer program in the spring; and flag football and volleyball programs in the fall, each with culminating tournaments.

Sports programming is a crucial element of students’ education and will help them develop socio-emotional skills and identity development. In addition to competitive sports, Think Together will provide Skillastics, an evidence-based curriculum, with in-person modules in martial arts, STEM and sports, yoga, mindfulness and more. If needed, Think Together can also provide the Skillastics curriculum in a virtual environment to engage students in physical activity while teaching them sports skills.

Research from the USC Keck School of Medicine found that children were less physically active and much more sedentary in the early phases of the pandemic. Based on the study, the highest risk group includes low-income and minority students. Regular exercise and sports programs help student social and emotional development as they learn to work as a team and practice strategy and collaborative thinking skills. In addition, regular exercise helps students focus better while in the classroom.

In support of Think Together sports programs, US Soccer Foundation, Adidas and New England Revolution Midfielder Sebastian Lletget recently gave Compton students the experience of a lifetime. Lletget kicked activities off with soccer drills, dribbling and passing the ball to students up and down the field. The former LA Galaxy player still calls LA home and felt proud to give back to the students Think Together serves.

“I know how important sports can be for building relationships and having fun. I want to share that with these kids and give them the proper gear to hopefully spark something in them to continue being active,” said Lletget. “I’m grateful to have the opportunity to do this and want to give a huge thanks to the team at Adidas and Think Together for bringing it all together. I want these kids to know that with hard work, they can be in my shoes one day or go even further than I have.“

Think Together is grateful to have the support of partners to give students access to athletic experiences to stay healthy and keep their minds sharp in the classroom.

Bay Area Quality Assurance Coach Trainer Krystal Gonzalez has been part of the Think Together team for the past six months. In that time, she has impressed us with her leadership skills as well as her care and connection to Think Together’s mission. Krystal graduated from California State University, Dominguez Hills with a Bachelor of Sciences degree in child development and a minor in Spanish. We are excited for you to get to know her more!

What’s your “why” for wanting to work at Think Together? 
I grew up attending afterschool programs from elementary to middle school and I always felt I was in a safe space around the program leaders and site coordinators. I want to continue providing that safe space to the students that attend program and be able to reach out to others so that they can have the opportunity of a quality program and be able to take something with them that they can carry on, as I have after all these years.

What is one of your proudest moments/success stories that connect to your “why?”
One of my proudest moments was graduating with my AA before graduating high school. That set me up for success as well as having a support system behind me. The “why?” behind this is that I attended a school district that was impacted by many students and sometimes I did not get the academic support that I needed. I want to change this and make sure that the students who attend afterschool programs not only have fun but learn at least one thing that can help them with their goals.

What is one thing you are hoping to accomplish in 2022?
I want to make sure my team feels happy working under my leadership, and I want to become a better leader myself to make sure we are always one step ahead of things.

What are you hoping to help Think Together accomplish in 2022?
I’m hoping to help Think Together accomplish our mission by making sure we change the odds for kids through their academic achievements and ensure a positive/fun work environment for staff.  

Krystal, thank you for being an excellent support system for staff and students!

It’s a special moment when someone discovers their passion and what they want to do for their career. For San Bernardino Program Leader Aaron Smyers, that calling happened when he was a Think Together student back in 2009. Aaron began working as a program leader three months ago after being a volunteer from 2016-to 2020.   Nothing is more humbling to us than when previous students want to come back to work with us to change the odds for kids for the next generation. These staff stories are special to us as well because we can see just how far Think Together has come over the last 25 years through the eyes of these staff members.  

We sat down with Aaron to ask him to share his Think Together journey, and we are excited to share his story with you.

Q. Aaron, could you tell us a bit about how your experience was as a Think Together student?

A. I came to Vista Grande as a brand-new student in 2009 straight from Montclair and started a new school with new people. I didn’t know anybody and Think Together was just a different way to not only meet new people but also be able to work on homework which I needed as a kid as well with an active IEP (Individualized Education Program). I struggled in various subjects and struggled just focusing on homework. I appreciated the collaboration and support of Think Together because I didn’t have to worry about being alone. There are always people there for you and our program leaders were always trying to push us to not only do better for ourselves but also find what we wanted to do as well.

Q. When was the first moment you realized you wanted to be in education?

A. I always loved helping other classes in my program. The staff encouraged us to finish our homework and extra problems so we could help the lower-grade students. I loved being able to help them.

Q. Now working as a program leader, do you find yourself mirroring what the site staff did when you were a student? 

A. Yes, one of my favorite program leaders of all is now a site coordinator and she was always so reliable and supportive. She encouraged us to talk about anything and I struggled a lot. As a 6th grader in her class, she saw that, but always gave me opportunities to do better. I see myself pushing forward to be like her and I find myself mirroring even my coworkers now. I want to do better and be better for my students.

Q. How have you seen Think Together evolve through your own experiences?

I want to say the biggest change comes in the budget. From 2009-to 2019, there were more limits to the budget and our site had to get creative with it. But now we have more supporters and partners who want to listen and be a part of our stories and it’s made Think Together that much better because we can afford to do so much more for our kids. The experience just gets better from here as we can give them [the students] better opportunities.

Q. What are your career goals? Do you see yourself staying at Think Together?

A. I love management and organization, and I would love to move up within Think Together. I would love to one day become a quality assurance coach. I would love to stay here my entire career until retirement, I love what I do here, and I love making a difference.

Site staff like Aaron are the backbone of the organization, and we are so grateful to have such passionate and devoted employees who are actively changing the odds for kids within their communities and being positive role models.

If you want to be like Aaron and make a difference in your community, visit thinktogether.org/jobs and see what opportunities are available near you.

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