Think Together, Author at Think Together

Think Together Provides Compton Students with No-Cost Laptops, Marks 600 Devices Donated Since Pandemic Shutdown

Innovative collaboration with technology leader Broadcom Inc. provides K-12 students in Los Angeles County and beyond with the tools, technology and support needed to succeed in school, whether virtual or hybrid.

Compton, Calif. (March 19, 2021) – Think Together, California’s largest nonprofit provider of afterschool, expanded learning, and school improvement programs, in collaboration with global technology leader Broadcom Inc., distributed laptop computers at no cost to 25 students at Roosevelt Elementary School in Compton to support continued learning whether students receive instruction in-person or online.

Since March 2020, when California schools were mandated to continue instruction using distance learning, the organizations have remained dedicated to helping bridge the digital divide for under-resourced students across California. The laptop distribution at Roosevelt Elementary School marks 600 digital devices donated to Think Together staff and students in Los Angeles County and beyond since schools closed their doors to in-person learning due to the pandemic one year ago.

“During the COVID-19 pandemic, Think Together pivoted to provide virtual expanded learning programs to 150,000 youth including students experiencing homelessness, in foster care and children of essential workers across California, and this would not have been possible without Broadcom’s donation of nearly 600 laptops,” said Randy Barth, CEO and founder at Think Together. “Our collaboration with Broadcom allows us to provide students in Compton and throughout the state with the tools and support needed to succeed.”

This year, Think Together honored Broadcom with its “Champion of Change” award which recognizes an outstanding partner dedicated to changing the odds for kids. Broadcom has been recognized for helping Think Together and its school district partners across California meet this moment through transformational support of student programs in the areas of technology and innovation. Since the start of its partnership in 2018, Think Together and Broadcom have distributed nearly 2,000 laptop devices to students across the state.

“Broadcom’s in-kind contribution of computers has always been important, but now it is essential,” said Paula Golden, president of Broadcom Foundation. “The pandemic requires that every child have access to computer technology remotely if they are to stay current with the education priorities of their family and their schools. Broadcom Foundation and Broadcom in collaboration with Think Together make it possible for young people to stay engaged in STEM education and other important classroom teachings.”

Compton Unified School District (CUSD), which includes Roosevelt Elementary School, was the first Think Together school district partner to work with the organization to operate in-person learning hubs. These in-person hubs were designed to support students with limited access to technology at home and provide a safe and stable learning environment and much-needed academic support.

The laptops will aid Think Together students at Roosevelt Elementary School and will provide students with technology to support their academic achievements as they engage in the organization’s interactive STEM programs including coding and robotics.

“Having access to learning technology has been critical now more than ever, with the onset of the pandemic. Whether learning in person or virtually, our students deserve to have access to quality learning, quality after-school care and quality devices,” said CUSD Superintendent Dr. Darin Brawley. “We appreciate Think Together and Broadcom’s partnership and support in ensuring these students have devices of their own.”

“It is undeniable the value of partnerships in ensuring that students are able to fully participate in learning in all of its forms. This pandemic has been hard. We know that the best place for students to learn is in the classroom, fully supported educationally and emotionally. However, having partners like Think Together and Broadcom is one way we can ensure our students have what they need and know that we care about their wellbeing,” said CUSD Board President Micah Ali.

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.

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Do you think you could make a problem-solving invention using items at home?

Over the last 10 weeks, we challenged our Think Together students to do just that. Students have engaged in a blend of invention skill-building activities, discussion, and invention work which culminated with students showcasing their invention ideas and prototype solutions for a problem important to them. This programming has been possible for our students through a partnership with Lemelson-MIT’s Invention Adventures.

Our students received two 1-hour virtual sessions per week starting in November 2020. In these sessions, students have been able to follow their natural curiosity and develop creative, inventive mindsets and skills that prepare them for future careers in a rapidly changing world. At the end of February, students virtually presented their inventions to judges from Boeing, Southern California Edison, PayPal, Western Digital and Cisco.

David H. Chan, Senior Patent Counsel for Western Digital said “I am a patent attorney who works with many adult inventors, so I was very impressed with these young inventors and their inventions. I’m happy to support this program that encourages innovation at a young age.”

Think Together had 42 students participate across 13 school sites in Santa Fe Springs, Los Angeles and the Inland Empire. The students took this challenge to heart and showed amazing ingenuity and creativity with their inventions. Our judges had a hard time choosing who moved on to the next round of the Invention Convention, with 14 students ultimately getting chosen to move on to the state-level competition.

“As an engineer, it is always refreshing to listen to inventors describe the challenges they see and hear their innovative solutions. From the young inventor working with their pet bird to prototype an automatic feeder, to another young inventor making life easier for her grandfather– the Think Together Invention Convention provides an enriching venue for students to be innovative problem solvers. It was great to hear all about these potential products. I look forward to seeing what these inventors will come up with next!” Says Jomya Lei, Boeing Radio Frequency Engineer.

The state-level competition is on April 17, and our young inventors are brimming with excitement! Over the next few weeks, they will be practicing their presentations, learning about how to make great videos, and crossing their fingers that they will win an award.

Think Together would like to thank our judges for their participation in our Invention Convention. Our students truly appreciated the real-time feedback and encouragement they received, and your helpful rubric comments to help them hone their inventions for the next round. Your partnership is why we can change the odds for kids.

**“The most damaging phrase in the English language is: ‘It’s always been done that way.’” – Admiral Grace Hooper**

Did you know that only 30% of women pursue a degree in a STEM field? At Think Together, we believe that every student has big dreams and is capable of accomplishing anything they set their mind to. In our programs, all students receive academic support but even more importantly are exposed to expanded learning opportunities such as coding and robotics. Join us this month as we celebrate women in STEM and be inspired to work hard to achieve your goals.

Katherine and her colleagues, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson did the calculations that guided NASA’s 1962 Friendship 7 Mission, the first to send an American, to orbit Earth. The astronaut, John Herschel Glenn Jr., famously trusted Katherine and her team to confirm the ground-breaking calculations that contributed to the safe and successful mission.

Katherine, Dorothy and Mary’s story about being Black female mathematicians at NASA during the space race was chronicled in the non-fiction book and subsequent movie Hidden Figures.

On February 20, 2021, the missions’ 59th anniversary, the S.S. Katherine Johnson launched from a NASA facility in Virginia to commemorate her achievements in math, science and space.

Read about the S.S. Katherine Johnson supply mission
Katherine Johnson’s biography
Read Hidden Figures
Watch Hidden Figures (PG)

Joan Clarke was the only woman to work in the nerve center of the quest to crack German Enigma ciphers during World War II alongside Alan Turing. The amount of secrecy around what happened at Bletchley Park leaves the full extent of Clarke’s achievements unknown. She studied mathematics at Cambridge but was denied a full degree because Cambridge did not award degrees to women at that time.

Joan Clarke’s Biography
Watch the Imitation Game (PG-13)

Lise Meitner has been called the “Mother of Nuclear Power,” although few are aware of her contributions to the field. This science maven earned a doctorate degree in 1906 after studying physics at the University of Vienna.

She later teamed up with chemist Otto Hahn. The most notable of the duo’s joint discoveries includes nuclear fission, for which Hahn was awarded a Nobel Prize in 1944. Meitner was not recognized for her role in this finding, leading many to cite that year’s prestigious honor “The Nobel Mistake.”

Lise Meitner’s Biography

Grace Hopper is best known as the “Queen of Code.” Military leader, mathematician and computer programmer, she graduated from Vassar College in 1928 and earned a master’s and doctorate in mathematics from Yale in 1930 and 1934, respectively.

Hopper used her programming skills while serving her country in the Navy during World War II. There, she helped build Mark I, one of the world’s earliest computers. After the war, she continued her work at Harvard on Mark II and Mark III. She was the oldest serving officer in the U.S. armed forces when she retired from the Navy in 1986.

Grace Hopper’s Biography

Sources:

Additional Reading:

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/unheralded-women-scientists-finally-getting-their-due-180973082/

Black History Month is an annual celebration of achievements by African Americans and a time for recognizing their central role in U.S. history. Also known as African American History Month, the event grew out of “Negro History Week,” the brainchild of noted historian Carter G. Woodson and other prominent African Americans. Since 1976, every U.S. president has officially designated the month of February as Black History Month.

Our history textbooks do not always tell the whole truth or the full story, especially when it comes to Black voices and issues. For Black History Month, we’re shining a light on the myths and realities of Black history.

Myth #1

History class taught us everything we needed to know about slavery.

Fact:

Due to efforts by a group of Southern socialites known as the United Daughters of the Confederacy, Lost Cause ideology influenced history textbooks as well as books for children and adults. The accomplishments of Black Americans involved in the abolition movement, such as Frances Ellen Watkins Harper, Maria W. Stewart, Henry Highland Garnet, and William Still, were downplayed. Click the links below to learn more about these important and influential Black Americans.

Myth #2

Segregation of schools ended in 1954.

Fact:

The United States Supreme Court ruled that segregated schools were illegal in 1954 with the case Brown v. Board of Education. After this ruling was made, it became up to state and local governments to desegregate their schools. In the southern states, this was met with resistance. It wasn’t until September 1957 that nine teenagers in Little Rock, Arkansas became the first to enter Little Rock’s Central High School. On September 2, 1957 the night prior to what was to be the teens’ first day in Central High classrooms, Arkansas governor Orval Faubus ordered the state’s National Guard to block their entrance. Faubus said it was for the safety of the nine students. Their story was heard nationwide, and the students were able to attend classes after President Eisenhower federalized the National Guard. It took 23 days for the “Little Rock Nine” to attend their classes.

Due to redlining and district boundaries, a modern form of racial segregation still occurs today. Read more about this issue by reading this New York Times article.

Myth #3

Rosa Parks was an everyday woman who worked hard at her job and was tired at the end of the day. She sat down on the bus and stayed sitting because she was too tired to get up.

Fact:

Rosa Parks wasn’t just a tired lady. She was an anti-segregation activist. She’d attended civil-rights training and was respected in the activist community. Rosa Parks was also not the first to protest by not standing up to give her seat to a white person. On March 2, 1955, nine months before Rosa Park’s action, 15-year-old Claudette Colvin was arrested for refusing to give her seat up on a crowded, segregated bus in the same city and bus system.

Lessons and Takeaways:

Myth 1:

Historical thinking is a set of critical literacy skills for evaluating and analyzing primary source documents to construct a meaningful account of the past.

Five aspects to consider historical thinking:

Multiple Accounts & Perspectives
Analysis of Primary Sources
Sourcing
Context
Claim-evidence Connection

Myth 2:

Learn about Brown v. Board of Education and its importance.

Social and Emotional Learning: discuss what it must have been like to be not only new in school, but to face bullying and threats throughout their time in school like the Little Rock Nine.

Myth 3:

Who writes history? Understanding that there is often bias in our history books is critical. Applying our historical thinking skills allows us to search for the whole story.

Additional Readings/Sources:

https://www.vox.com/identities/2019/8/22/20812883/1619-slavery-project-anniversary

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/how-i-learned-about-cult-lost-cause-180968426/

https://www.teachinghistory.org/historical-thinking-intro

https://www.aclu.org/issues/racial-justice/five-truths-about-black-history

http://www.pbs.org/black-culture/explore/10-black-history-little-known-facts/

https://www.vox.com/identities/2019/8/22/20812883/1619-slavery-project-anniversary

https://diverseeducation.com/article/7469/

https://nmaahc.si.edu/blog-post/little-rock-nine

Education has long been a talking point for politicians without much action for change. Recently with California’s legislators discussing AB104, issues like learning loss, educational and digital inequities are shifting from being the elephant in the room to being in the spotlight.

We know that COVID is having a drastic impact on student learning and that students are falling behind, not completing schoolwork, and are lacking the essential structures needed to succeed in school.

Think Together CEO Randy Barth wrote a guest blog post in EdCal talking about this very issue. Educators have done an incredible job pivoting and adapting to meet the moment, but without additional support from the state and federal governments, the avalanche of learning loss coupled with the physical and emotional trauma the last year that students and teachers alike have faced will be overwhelming.

Think Together over the last year has worked closely with school district partners to help mitigate learning loss as much as possible. Beyond that, Think Together has helped with conducting family wellness checks, connecting families to community resources, assist with meal distribution and more.

Now with AB104 on the docket to supercharge summer learning, Think Together and other afterschool providers are prepared to utilize our infrastructures and partnerships with schools to set up quality summer school programs to bridge the learning gaps exacerbated by the digital divide many students have experienced.

Last week, Think Together General Manager Stacy Galdamez spoke in a panel for PACE alongside Femi Vance from American Institutes for Research, Noreen Iwai-Ito, Senior Director of Support Services for Baldwin Park Unified School District and Jennifer Pack, President and CEO of Partnership for Children and Youth.

In this panel, Stacy and Noreen talked about the partnership in Baldwin Park with Think Together’s in-person learning hubs. With the current success at the elementary and middle school levels, Think Together will soon be opening up in-person learning hubs for high school in the next few weeks. If you have an hour to watch the recording of the panel, we highly recommend it.

We’ve also had success with our in-person learning hub in Temecula, with our hub being highlighted in Patch.

“The positive impact of this new program for both students and parents was obvious and immediate. Think Together has been a valued resource after school for our students, parents, and teachers for the past decade. During these challenging times, this new approach provides students with support and additional learning time in the classroom, parents receive top-notch childcare that is focused on supporting their child’s learning, and teachers have ‘partners’ in the classroom to support their daily lessons provided through virtual learning,” says Temecula Valley Unified School District Superintendent Dr. Jodi McClay.

Even with the vaccine on the horizon, we know that getting students back on track is going to be a long journey this summer and throughout the 2021-22 school year. But we are confident that with strong partnerships, cutting-edge thinking, and state-funding, together we can make an impact.

“LOVE AND KINDNESS ARE NEVER WASTED. THEY ALWAYS MAKE A DIFFERENCE.”

Helen James

Random Acts of Kindness Day is a day to celebrate kindness and to make the world a better place by spreading a little light around and to make kindness a part of our everyday lives. Lift someone up with your words, compliment them on their appearance… even the simplest acts can help to brighten someone’s day.

We’ve collected some activities for you to do today, tomorrow, or every day to spread a little bit of joy.

Activity 1: Thank your mail carriers!

Your mail carriers, post office and delivery drivers have faced a year of unprecedented increase in mail and packages. Did you know every day millions of packages are delivered? Thank them for their hard work by setting out water and granola bars or small snacks that they can take with them.

Print out the PDF sign below to place out with your treats!

Activity 2: Random Acts of Kindness

Be sweet and kind to all, every single day. However, on this day be extraordinary. Have fun with it and be creative and safe, it may be something simple or something you can create for someone. When you do your acts of kindness, do them for the pure enjoyment of being kind to someone.

Do all your chores without being reminded and help your siblings, parents and/or grandparents with their chores.
Organize your closet and/or dresser.
Write a letter to your friend or family member. Become a pen pal.
Pick up trash (with gloves, and a mask) at the beach.
Write a thank you letter to your teacher(s).

Activity 3: Send a care package to a solider overseas

Our armed services protect us every day, whether near or far. Sending a care package is a small gesture to show your thanks and put a smile on someone’s face when they are so far away from home.

Mail packages to:

Support Our Troops*
13791 N. Nebraska Ave.
Tampa, FL 33613

Alexis Ramirez is our site coordinator at McKibben Elementary in South Whittier. She started working for Think Together because she wanted to make an impact in the lives of students and help mold future leaders. We are excited to share Alexis’s story with you.

You’ve experienced both distance learning and in-person learning, how have you seen the pandemic affect our kids?
The pandemic has affected our kids, especially with the social and emotional aspects of the school day. You do your best with distance learning but seeing them in person again was just amazing. I noticed that the kids miss that social interaction aspect and the mentorship they get from our staff. Being in person we can give the students more 1:1 conversation time and support them with their needs that maybe their parents weren’t able to help them with at home like connecting to their online classes and whatnot.

Can you tell us a story about a student you impacted?
When I first started as the site coordinator five years ago, I had a student who had been struggling with his behavior and in school. I developed a relationship with him and learned that he likes to talk things through so you can understand his perspective. A year or so later he was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, so I worked with him and gave him a chance to use his voice and he blossomed and became one of our student leaders. He’s been doing great in our program. He’s now in 6th grade and he’s going to be going off to middle school. To see how much he’s grown with his behavior with his attitude like just being much happier at school and feeling accepted… that’s why I do what I do.

Do you have any goals professionally that you want to achieve in the next year?
I want to keep building those partnerships with my district with my principal and learn from this experience of education with distance learning or what school will look like when in person again. I think it’s a great experience for me to build on so that way if I do become a quality assurance coach for Think Together or if I am a teacher in the next few years, this experience now is just going to help me grow professionally for the future.

Tell us a little about your education, where did you go to college?
I went to Cal State Long Beach and graduated with my bachelor’s in sociology with a concentration in interaction and group relations. I’m applying to go back to school to get my teaching credentials so that is something I’m looking forward to.

How do you feel your relationship with your school’s principal is helping the kids at your school?
My partnership with my principal is really strong in communication, partnering for events, and working together to align with the school day. We let each other know what student needs are occurring and work together to support them with those needs with services like math intervention. Even before COVID we had a good relationship and would partner with the school to run events like a spelling bee that ended up becoming a district-wide initiative. Partnering with her on these events is helping our kids be more confident and strengthen their skills in different subjects.

What do you think the secret is for running a great Think Together program?
My secret for running a good Think Together program is rolling with the punches and being flexible. Things change at any moment and you have to be willing to adapt to any situation. With the pandemic and in general, we have to always be ready to adapt and meet the moment.

Alexis, thank you for all of the hard work you do for your students.

During the pandemic parents are not only focused on their careers but now are also the frontline for their child’s education. They have to work hard to find a balance between the two. Terry Bonilla is one of those parents.

Terry, a mother to a two-year-old and a nine-month-old, works in-person for Think Together’s State Preschool programs in Buena Park as the enrollment clerk. When the pandemic hit, she wanted to make sure her toddler son Nico was still able to get started with his education.

Before joining Think Together, Terry was an AmeriCorps member assigned to our Early Learning programs. She served for two years before becoming a Parent Educator. In her position she provided parents with resources on parenting styles, methods, and guides on how they can be a part of their child’s learning.

When Terry was looking for programs for her son, she already knew what the best for him would be and enrolled in Think Together’s virtual early learning program. “Where I started my love for child development, my son now gets to experience it.”

Terry has the unique experience of at one point being the teacher helping parents and their children learn together, and now experiencing it herself with her husband and son.

“He [Nico] looks forward to seeing his teachers and friends. He is recognizing his letters, colors, animals, and this week he counted 1 to 5. I was in complete shock and so proud. He loves when the teachers do music and movement. He gets to shake his sillies off. I am so thankful for all the hard work the teachers put into virtual learning. They are always smiling, happy, and motivating the children and parents. I can see that they try so hard to make the best for us,” she says.

Now working as our enrollment clerk for Buena park state preschools, Terry goes above and beyond to make sure that families are getting the support that they need. If state preschool isn’t the right stage yet, Terry helps refer them to our early learning programs and other resources within the community.

Terry, like many, has been on an emotional rollercoaster, making sure that she is supporting her family as well as Think together families.

Being the enrollment clerk means that Terry is the one to make sure that families meet eligibility requirement for our state preschool programs. She has seen first-hand through the enrollment process that many families are struggling right now.

One family she worked with recently wasn’t eligible for the program because they were a frontline healthcare worker, and between hazard pay and extra hours, they had just gone over the income threshold. Looking at the hours, the hard work and the risk this family was experiencing, Terry knew that there had to be something Think Together could do and found a solution for them to make sure their child is safe and learning while they were working long hours.

Parents across the country are facing the challenge of balancing work and family this past year. Terry’s advice is to try to slow down and take it all in.

“I’m learning this as a parent, to be patient. They are only so little for such a short time. They grow up, they go off to college. These days go by so fast and you can’t take them back.”

Wendi Quintos, McKinley Elementary School Site Coordinator in Colton Joint Unified School District (CJUSD), would do anything to make sure her students stay on top of their schoolwork. Wendi has been a Site Coordinator in our San Bernardino region for several years, and everyone who knows her knows exactly how much work she puts in to foster a community her students thrive in no matter if in-person or online.

Wendi says, “I want students to know we are here for them, that they matter, they’re heard, and someone cares for them. That they can be anything they want in life and to never limit their dreams. They are the reason I come to work, day in, day out. They motivate me to be the best version of myself so that I can be the leader they need.”

Think Together’s San Bernardino region has been solely providing programming via distance learning since March 2020. Many schools statewide experienced the challenges of connecting with students and making sure no one falls in-between the cracks. At first, this was a challenging new territory for all. However, Wendi says that “seeing kids show up each and every day pushed us to evolve, think on our toes, and see this as an opportunity to grow as educators and as leaders.”

Communities that Think Together serves have been some that have been hit hardest by the impacts of the pandemic; facing technological divides, resource limitations and financial insecurities. One of the greatest challenges has been to make sure students and families are provided for, learning, and most importantly, healthy.

McKinley Elementary School is a mid-sized school with the highest enrollment in comparison to any other schools in the district for the last five years. While statewide the news has reported attendance rates for schools to be far below average, McKinley has remained at 100% attendance. So, what’s the secret?

Wendi takes Think Together’s mission statement “partnering with schools to change the odds for kids” to the next level. She believes the secret is creating an inviting space and positive classroom culture while also building a strong rapport with school admin, teachers, parents and especially the students. Wendi participated in Orenda Education meetings and training to better understand the needs of her students and her role in helping them. With all of this, Wendi has built trust and every student knows she has their back.

“I’m really glad that Wendi is our Think Together Lead at our site, and I’m grateful for her willingness to step up and collaborate and meet our school goals,” says McKinley’s Principal Judith Servin.

One way Think Together and McKinley have partnered together during distance learning is by running a Math Intervention program for grades 2-6. Working closely with school-day faculty allows for a strong support system that families are in need of more than ever, and a safe space that students are eager and excited to come back to each and every day.

Think Together is proud to provide our school and district partners like McKinley Elementary and CJUSD with quality and adaptive programming that meets the needs of both the students and our stakeholders.

This week we celebrated MLK day, but why do we celebrate it?

As one of the United State’s most prominent civil rights activists and Nobel Peace Prize recipients, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr brought attention to civil rights issues facing the Black community through speeches like his famous “I Have a Dream” speech in Washington D.C. and peaceful protests like his crossing of the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama.

We have collected resources that you can use to have your kids learn more about Martin Luther King Jr and talk about civil rights issues, some of which are still prevalent today. Having discussions about civil rights both in history and in current events is a great way to help cultivate your child’s social and emotional development.

To start, take a moment and listen or read Martin Luther King Jr’s “I Have a Dream” speech. Talk to your kids about what stood out to them, and let them know what stood out to you.

Grade-level lessons for MLK Day

These lessons are great resources to have your kids learning about Martin Luther King Jr and Civil Rights.

Grade level: K-5

1. Sequencing Events

2. Dr. King’s Dream

Grade level: 6-8

3. The Power to Persuade

4. Martin Luther King Jr. and the Power of Nonviolence

Grade level: 9-12

5. I Have a Dream: Exploring the Nonviolence in Young Adult Texts

6. How Have Civil Rights Movements Resulted in Fundamental Political and Social Change in the United States?

Additional resources:

Martin Luther King Day
Education World presents a special Martin Luther King Day archive page that includes articles, lesson ideas, books, activities, and much more.

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/extra/tag/martin-luther-king-jr/

PBS News hour extra offers different videos and lessons.