The Many Eras of Black History

Black history is American history and because of that it’s important we recognize the strength and achievements of African Americans in our country.

For this Black History Month, Think Together highlights the many impactful accomplishments that continue to shape Black History and lead towards a more just future. It’s vital to always continue learning beyond this month and expand our knowledge to keep changing the odds for all.

Learn below about some of the most monumental moments and individuals that broke racial barriers.

First Black Major League Baseball Player

Jackie Robinson makes history, when he signs with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947 and is the first African American player to join a Major League Baseball team. African American players were restricted by “color barriers” which limited them to the Negro league, teams only for non-white players. His addition to the Dodgers was met with many racist remarks, but besides that Robinson went on to be the first Black player to win the National League Most Valuable Player Award in 1949, followed by many more achievements. Robinson later retired in 1955, not making the move to Los Angeles when the Dodgers moved in 1958.

Ralph Bunche: First African American to Win Nobel Peace Prize

After negotiating the 1949 Armistice Agreements in the middle east, in 1950, Ralph Bunche became the first African American and person of color to receive the Nobel Peace Prize. Bunche was a believer in the power of negotiation and diplomacy over battle, his most personally satisfying work was to oversee the dispatch of thousands of non-fighting neutral troops in the 1956 Suez conflict. He also helped establish the United Nations. 

Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka

The 1954 Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka led the way into the civil rights movement when Oliver Brown filed a class-action lawsuit against the Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas, in 1951. It was brought on when Brown’s daughter, Linda Brown, was denied admittance to Topeka’s elementary schools, which were heavily segregated at the time.

The case desegregated U.S. schools, although much resistance was met by the South. A test of this landmark case was when nine Black students attended a formerly all-white high school in Little Rock, Arkansas, in September 1957. They were met with angry mobs of some 1,000 white protestors. To address the discourse, President Eisenhower sent a large guard of troops to escort the students two days later. The students became known as the “Little Rock Nine.”

Black Scientist Amplifies the Sound of the Future

In 1962, African American scientist James West along with fellow scientist Gerhard M. Sessler finished developing the electret microphone, a low-cost, compact microphone that didn’t require a battery. Just five years later, the microphone was in mass production and today is used in just about any device you could think of. West’s and Sessler’s creation can be found in televisions, baby monitors, computers, cellphones, hearing aids, and so many more. West later joined John Hopkins University as a research professor in the engineering department.

Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall

Distinguished civil rights lawyer Thurgood Marshall is nominated by President Lyndon B. Johnson to be the first African American justice to serve on the Supreme Court of the United States in 1967. Marshall had already made his mark in American law, having won 29 of the 32 cases he argued before the Supreme Court. His most notable work being the landmark case Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka (1954), which ruled school segregation unconstitutional. He served as the chief of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, at the time of the case.

“Unbought and Unbossed” Shirley Chisolm

In 1972, Shirley Chisolm became the first African American to campaign for a presidential nomination and the first woman to seek the Democratic nomination, her campaign slogan was “Unbought and Unbossed”. It wasn’t the first time though that Shirley made history as she was no stranger to breaking down racial barriers and glass ceilings. In 1968, she was the first Black U.S. Congresswoman in history as a Representative of her New York district. Despite not winning the presidential election, Shirley served seven terms in the House of Representatives before retiring in 1983.

Honoring The Past Through Stamps

The United States Postal Service honored abolitionist and Civil War veteran, Harriet Tubman with her own postage stamp in 1978, making her the first African American woman to receive that honor. Harriet Tubman was a vital “conductor” of the Underground Railroad in the mid-19th century by leading intelligence operations. She was enslaved, escaped, and freed before she “conducted”, it’s believed she personally led 70 slaves to freedom, including her own family.

Hip Hop Against the World

Dubbed as the “Golden Age of Hip Hop,” the influential music genre began to influence mainstream culture around 1986 and carrying on into the ‘90s. This era became a form of Black expression and voice for overcoming racial barriers. Some big artists that grew their platform during this time was Tupac, N.W.A., Biggie Smalls, Wu-Tan Clan, and so many more. It was time for artists to experiment with new sounds, styles, and fashion while also leveraging the era to take about political issues.

Honoring the “Queen of Soul”

Rhythm and blues artist, Aretha Franklin, the “Queen of Soul”, was the first female artist to ever be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987. Franklin was an icon within the music and Black community, for her ability to sing passionate and soulful songs. In 1968, she was the first to win the Grammy for best rhythm & blues solo vocal performance, for her iconic song “Respect”. In 2015, she moved then President Barack Obama to tears when she sang her rendition of “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman”.

The Beauty of Ebony

African American businessman and publisher, John H. Johnson was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1996. He is the founder of the magazine “Ebony” which is the first Black oriented magazine in the U.S. and is the longest running magazine publication to solely feature the Black community. “Ebony” was created in 1945 and sold 25,000 copies its first issue, but in 2005 it had reached ten million readers. The magazine published achievements and the daily lives of the Black community, both the good and bad.

Breaking Barriers in Tennis

During the 1999, U.S. Open, Serena Williams won the U.S. Open Women’s Singles Tennis Championship, the first African American woman to win since Althea Gibson in 1958. Williams has since become one of the most known tennis players around the globe, along with her sister Venus, who’s also a tennis player. She’s revolutionized tennis and has made many great accomplishments like winning 23 Grand Slam singles titles, which is more than any other woman or man during the open era.

Y2K Historic Political & Military Appointments

In the early 2000’s, Black Americans witnessed a surge in political and military influence with historic appointments like Colin Powell to Secretary of State, the first African American to hold that position. He was immediately followed by Condoleezza Rice in 2005, who is the first African American woman to hold that same position.

Around the same time, Edith Peterson Mitchell, MD, became the first African American woman in the Missouri National Guard to be promoted to Brigadier General and the first woman physician to achieve that rank in Air Force history. She was awarded many accolades for her military service, including the Legion of Merit. In 2008, Barack Obama broke barriers when he was elected as the first African American president. By 2020, America celebrated the election of Kamala Harris as the first Black, South Asian, and woman vice president in the United States.

Winning Gold at the Olympics

In the 2012 Summer Olympics Games, gymnast Gabby Douglas competed alongside the U.S. Olympic women’s gymnastics team. She also competed in the individual all-around event, where she won the gold medal, becoming the first African American to win that title. The U.S. Olympic women’s gymnastics team also took home the gold. It was the first gold medal to be won by an American women’s gymnastics team since 1996.

Tony Thurmond launches the Black Student Achievement Taskforce

In 2019, Tony Thurmond was sworn in as the twenty-eighth California State Superintendent of Public Instruction. Superintendent Thurmond launched the Black Student Achievement Taskforce to call out the effects that systemic and institutional racism have had on Black students in California. He sponsored legislation to increase funding to lowest performing students, banned suspensions and expulsions in preschools, and secured $90 million for suspensions and chronic absenteeism programming.

Princeton University’s first Black Valedictorian

Nicholas Johnson was announced in 2020, as Princeton University’s first Black valedictorian in the school’s 275-year history. He studied operations research and financial engineering during his time at Princeton. Since his graduation, Nicholas has been working on getting his Ph.D. in operations research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

“Being the first Black valedictorian in Princeton’s history feels incredibly empowering, in particular given the university’s historical beginnings and its ties to the institution of slavery. Princeton’s first nine presidents were themselves slave owners, as were many of the institution’s professors during those early years,” shared Nicholas. “The fact that today we have a Black valedictorian goes to show how much work has been done, but also how much work still needs to be done.”

Harvard University’s First Black Male Student Body President

The outstanding accomplishments for the Black community continued in 2020, when Noah Harris, a junior from Hattiesburg, Mississippi became the first Black man elected to serve as Harvard’s student body president in the school’s 384-year history. When asked about the Black leaders he feels paved the way for him, Harris points to Fentrice Driskell, who was the first Black woman to serve as Harvard’s student body president and currently serves in the Florida House of Representatives. He also credits W.E.B. Du Bois, part founder of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), as a someone he looks up to.

“Du Bois was the first Black individual to earn a Ph.D. from Harvard. Of course, he is one of the most amazing leaders in Black political thought in history. And so to have him literally paved the way for people like me is pretty special,” says Harris.

Georgia’s First Black Senator and Black Media Powerhouse

In Jan 2021, Reverend Raphael Warnock defeated incumbent Senator Kelly Loeffler in a contentious and highly publicized runoff election. His victory created a path for Democrats to gain control of the Senate and made Warnock the state of Georgia’s first Black senator as well as the first Black Democrat Senator from the South since the Reconstruction Era.

The same year, Rashida Jones was appointed as president at MSNBC, making her the first Black executive to lead a major television news network. Her promotion was regarded as the first major executive appointment made by NBCUniversal News Group Chairman Cesar Conde.

“Her promotion is bigger than our industry, it’s the kind of story Black and Brown children everywhere need to see, so they can know what’s possible,” said Taylor Locke.

First Black Astronaut to Live and Work on the ISS

Astronaut Victor Glover arrived at the International Space Station in November of 2022, and he settled in for a six-month stay, becoming the first Black astronaut to live and work on the International Space Station (ISS) for an extended period of time. NASA has sent over 300 astronauts into space, but out all of those only 14 have been Black Americans. Glover holds three master’s degrees, all ranging in different science engineering fields.

Black Women Paving the Way Today

Major milestones continue to be made by the Black community in recent years. In 2023, Jennifer Leigh McClellan made history for being the first Black woman to represent Virginia in Congress. She was sworn in as the U.S. representative for Virginia’s 4th congressional district. The former Virginia state senator is the great-great-grandchild of enslaved African Americans.

“I stand on the shoulders of my parents, grandparents, and great grandparents, recognizing that in a lot of ways I am fighting the same fights that they did,” McClellan said. “And I stand here to ensure that my children and yours don’t have to fight those same fights.”

The same year in the music industry, renowned African American music artist, Beyoncé, made history when she broke the record for most Grammy’s won at the 2023 award show. She took home four Grammys that night, all for her Renaissance album, which put her at 32 overall Grammy wins.

Learning about different milestones in diverse histories is important for not just the growing minds of students, but also anyone willing to learn. At Think Together, we strive to provide an open space where anyone is welcome and can expand their knowledge beyond the barriers. Continue learning with Think Together beyond this month and help create a brighter future for all!

Explore the links below to learn more and read previous Think Together Black History Month blogs.

Partners for more than 15 years, Think Together and the LA84 Foundation have served over 60,000 students with competitive middle school sports ranging from flag football to volleyball, soccer, and basketball. 

Think Together is excited to announce that the LA84 Foundation has awarded Think Together $250,000  for our middle school sports programs allowing more than 7,000 students at 88 schools to engage in sports.  

Through renewed grants from the LA84 Foundation, Think Together has expanded sports programs to all middle school program sites in Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Riverside, and Palm Springs. 

Leaders within the organization have seen the impact our LA84 Foundation partnership has made on students like Angel. Athletic and Events Project Specialist Christopher Fernandez, who oversees the sports program at Monsenor Oscar Romero Charter School, shared that he sees the benefits first-hand.  

“In my role, from my experience, LA84 programs benefit students in LA Metro in many ways, both directly and indirectly. By providing access to sports, improving academic performance, and fostering community building and leadership development, these programs can significantly impact the lives of students in the region,” Christopher mentions. 

Think Together is grateful for the longstanding and generous partnership with the LA84 Foundation to bring high-level competitive team sports to the students we serve. 

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Meet Angel

Eighth-grader Angel, who has been with Think Together for two years and is a flag football and basketball team member, sat with us to share the goals and valuable lessons he has learned as a collaborator in competitive sports as part of the LA84 Foundation’s grant.  

What has been your highlight being in sports with LA 84? It would be just getting to know the people I surround myself with.  

So, Your Teammates? Yes, I am just getting to know my teammates and building connections and friendships, among other things. 

What lessons have you learned from playing team sports? Are there any valuable lessons you want to share with us? Patience is the key to success, and hard work pays off.  

Have you had any challenges you had to overcome being in sports? My anger. Like frustration. 

How do you feel like sports has helped you, you know, off the court, off the field? Has it benefited you in school or in your life? It gave me a goal to reach for, to maintain my grades, and to work hard to achieve my goals. It also helped me build my patience with others. 

Through the LA84 program, Angel has felt his confidence grow and has learned to manage his patience and work ethic. He is eager to continue his sports journey well into high school.  

Think Together is continuing to change the odds for kids by implementing high-dosage tutoring in key districts in California to ensure students have the math and reading skills to succeed in school.

By aligning to grade-level standards, our high-dosage tutoring aims to accelerate student learning by as much as a year and a half for every four months that students are in the tutoring program. Think Together’s innovations and partnerships team works diligently to ensure our district partnerships and program curriculum are working hand-in-hand with students’ needs.

“There’s plenty of research that indicates when students only get remedial instruction, they’re never going to catch up,” said Think Together’s Senior Director of Program Innovations, Dianne Chaves. “So, one of the important things about our high-dosage tutoring is that it is aligned to grade level standards and it’s accelerating students towards standard mastery.”

With over 25 years of operational experience in partnership with schools, Think Together has the proven ability to set up successful and result-driven programs. We monitor student enrollment, attendance, and collect data of student progress, which is shared with our district partners, students’ families, and most importantly, with students themselves.

“The more that we set goals with students, share their results and celebrate their progress, the more that we find that students are motivated and inspired to continue to make gains and accelerate towards standards mastery,” Dianne said.

To provide continued support to our students, our program is accentuated with extensive specialized support for tutors that aligns with school partner goals. Think Together provides the training, curriculum, and ongoing support to best equip our tutors with the necessary skills to make significant impact towards student success.

Think Together is always working towards providing the most impactful programs for students and we are honored to partner with school districts to continue closing the opportunity gap.

Watch this YouTube video to learn more about what Think Together’s high-dosage tutoring is all about.

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With more than 17 years of experience working with children and six years with Think Together, Joana Lafuente has the right tools to make an impact on students in our General Childcare and Development (CCTR) Early Learning Program. This program grew out of necessity due to the pandemic and now Joana is leading the charge along with coaching, mentoring and supporting our partners with consistent and quality educational learning.  We are excited to give you the opportunity to learn more about Joana! 
What is your Think Together “why?” What inspired you to work at Think Together and what continues to inspire your work here. 

Our mission of changing the odds for kids is always my inspiration. It has been my passion to work with children and the reason I have been doing it for 17 years. My journey in this world is to make an impact on children, families, and educational partners. The programs we offer are created with not only children in mind, but the families are involved, too. This is why I love what I do.

What is CCTR and how does it operate?

CCTR is a family childcare home education network. Our program consists of three components: Our partner, the family childcare providers, and licensed homes. Our education specialists meet with the providers monthly to be able to coach, mentor, and support our partners in providing consistent quality programs. The education specialists work hand in hand with the family childcare providers and families to gather observations to determine the child’s developmental level at the start of the program, the six-month mark and at the end of the program.  Families must apply and are approved based on eligibility and need according to priority. Our children are placed with providers that the families get to choose, and each provider follows their home routine. 

Is there a student story that connects you to your “why?”

Early learning has become more of a focus after the pandemic and there are many programs that our families and children appreciate. Programs like CCTR, family childcare providers, and other child development centers were able to stay open during the pandemic which was essential to keeping students on the right educational path. The family testimonial below is part of my “why,” being able to provide quality services to families in need

“I immigrated from Colombia, after coming across Think Together services I was able to enroll my child in the CCTR program. The first week was so hard for me and my daughter as I had to leave her in a childcare program. After the first week I told myself I was going to stop working and not take my child anymore to childcare as I kept questioning myself if I was doing the right thing. I spoke to my family childcare provider, and she assured me that my daughter was doing good and if there was any concern, she will call me to let me know. I can say that my daughter now cries when I pick her up because she does not want to come home with me. This speaks to how safe my child feels being in childcare and brings me peace of mind to know she is being cared for while I go to work.”

Chavely Naranjo CCTR mom

What is something you wish more people knew about early learning programs?

Early learning paves the way for learning at school and throughout life. What children learn in their first few years of life – and how they learn it – can have long-lasting effects on their success and health as children, teens, and adults. I am an advocate for early learning and hope to inspire others as well. #ECEAdvocacy

What is a mantra, affirmation, or quote that has helped you over the years? Why?

Live with intention, be bold in the face of adversity, and live the life you were destined for.

I have this quote on my desk, and it has followed me throughout my career. It speaks to me because it reminds me to be genuine in what I do, and my life is what I want it to be.

What are your professional goals or resolution for the new year?

 My professional goal is to grow my team in CCTR and to continue to provide quality and intentional support. A resolution for this new year is to continue investing in myself to be able to continue to provide support and be an exemplary leader to my team, providers, partners, families, and children.

Outside of work, what do you do for fun?  

I am a homebody. I love to just be home and spend time with my kids and husband. I also love to go to Disneyland. This year I plan on traveling more and visiting more places outside of my county. I want to go on a cruise, or maybe two!

As the season of giving continues in full force, Think Together’s Shalimar Learning Center is embracing it with open arms and creating joyous memories for our students! Being the place where Think Together started, Shalimar is always in motion, especially during the holidays, giving back to students and the community. This year they had an eventful holiday season where they hosted various events in collaboration with other organizations such as You Run This Town OC and the National Charity League Newport Chapter.

Here’s a recap of everything Shalimar was up to this holiday season!

Christmas Tree Distribution with You Run This Town OC Organization

Every year our Shalimar Center puts together their annual Christmas tree distribution event, which are gifted by the You Run This Town OC (YRTTOC) organization with the help of the Tesoro Titan Baseball League.

Think Together has partnered with YRTTOC for nearly seven years to gift trees to the Shalimar community. This year over 40 Christmas trees were donated.

YRTTOC also provides life skills and workforce readiness workshops to Shalimar teens that teach them about financial literacy and help them build their resumes. They currently have around 12 to 15 students who are constantly engaged in the lessons.

Director and college advising mentor for YRTTOC, Jacquie Schaefgen, explained how she helps guide students’ futures.

“I believe in equal access to opportunity, and I feel like giving kids opportunities can be great, so I like to be a part of that,” Jacquie said. “These are life lessons that maybe we don’t all get at the same time. I teach the financial literacy here, which I instill into the kids in terms of their ability that they have more control than they think over their futures.”

Thrifting for the Holiday Season with the National Charity League

Shalimar students enjoyed an evening of thrift shopping, at the National Charity League Newport Chapter’s Ticktocker Thrift Shop in Costa Mesa. Students got to shop around the store and select three items to gift to a family member or friend.

The shopping experience is a special treat for students who showcased good attendance, participation and behavior throughout the year. The NCL has been partnering with Think Together’s Shalimar Learning Center for over eight years to put together events like these, which always bring bright smiles to students’ faces during the holiday season.

In addition to shopping in the store, students decorated sugar cookies and wrapped their gifts in holiday bags. The NCL staff also gifted them with holiday socks and pajamas to add to their gift bag.

“The program is so important for the kids because it keeps them motivated and at the same time, they can participate in events like these where they don’t miss out on Christmas traditions,” said a parent from Shalimar. “The kids get excited to attend class and these events.”

Tamale Feast with Santa Claus

Shalimar’s Parent Advisory hosted it’s second annual Santa Claus event. This year students and their families got to enjoy delicious tamales with none other than Santa Claus himself! Last year the Shalimar Learning Center enjoyed cookies with Santa and due to its huge success, it made a return this year as well.

The tamale feast is graciously provided by Leticia Ortiz, a mother on the Parent Advisory, who owns a catering business. She’s well known in the community for her food and the Shalimar Learning Center expresses great appreciation for having her cater most of their community events.

Besides enjoying delicious tamales, families also get the chance to dress up and take a family photo with Santa Claus. The students of course, are always excited to meet Santa and spend time with their friends and families for the holiday season.

Holiday gift bags were given out to students, which were donated and put together by Pac Life, a long-time champion for Think Together, during a volunteer event. This year they donated over $50,000 for several enrichment kit building volunteer events.

“Our community events are important because it is an opportunity for our center and staff to interact with the entire community and not just our program families,” said Shalimar’s Family and Community Center Coordinator, Melissa Arambula. “It is a way for us to show that our center is a safe space for everyone and a way for us all to connect.”

MVE + Partners, Inc. and AO Architects Holiday Angel Trees

Every year, MVE + Partners, Inc. (MVE) and AO Architects organize a holiday gift drive for the students at the Shalimar Teen and Learning Center. MVE has been part of the holiday drive for six years and AO Architects has been a Think Together partner for three years.

Both companies have angel trees at their offices for employees to choose a student’s tag from the tree and gift them something from their list.

Many of these holiday gifts are made possible by Think Together alumni, Paolo Leon, who attended Shalimar during his youth. He has worked at both companies and has been a prominent champion for expanded learning by sitting on the board of directors and Friends of Shalimar Commitee for Think Together.

It was truly a magical holiday season of giving at Think Together’s Shalimar Learning Center as it always is! We are always working toward creating lasting memories and bright futures.

One of our next steps to support the students at Shalimar is to raise funds for a laptop cart so students have better and consistent access to online curriculum. Your support can make a meaningful impact! Please consider donating to help us continue to change the odds for kids and make a difference in our California youth. Follow the link to donate today.

Think Together students’ spirits were made bright this holiday season through gift drives and volunteer kit builds made possible by Kaiser Permanente, Ontario Clippers, and Cisco.  

Kaiser Permanente Spreads Holiday Cheer with Gifts for Think Together Students 

Kaiser Permanente Riverside Service Area employees, physicians, volunteers, and contracted business partners formed 78 teams across Riverside County to collect more than 2,000 toys and teen gifts for Think Together students. This is the second year Kaiser Permanente and Think Together collaborated to treat students in the area with holiday gifts and the 11th year Kaiser Permanente Riverside Service Area has hosted the holiday drive.  

Think Together and Kaiser Permanente have worked together for more than 10 years on such initiatives as trauma informed care training for staff, Workforce Readiness Education Programs and backpack drives in the fall. 

Clippers Host a Slam Dunk Christmas in Ontario 

Think Together and the Ontario Clippers have partnered for a third year to host a toy drive for an excited group of 472 students at Corona Elementary School. Coaches, players, and other Clippers staff helped pass out Clippers branded tote bags full of the toys each student picked out. The students’ excitement and eagerness to meet the players and receive their gift bags was the highlight of the event for all in attendance. 

Think Together and the Ontario Clippers have been partners since 2021 and have collaborated to increase students access to literacy, STEM and workforce readiness programs. In the winter of 2021, The Clippers and Think Together passed out STEM Kits and Clippers swag to students at Ontario Center Elementary School. Think Together partnered again with the Ontario Clippers in the spring of 2022 for a two-week reading program, in which students were awarded a Clippers hat or t-shirt for reading one book, and Clipper’s game tickets if they read two.  

Cheers to Our Cisco Volunteers! 

New partner, Cisco, joins the team as the most recent partner to participate in a kit-building volunteer event. 25 volunteers assembled 1,000 holiday-themed kits that will be distributed to Bay Area students.

This is on top of $50,000 that was awarded to Think Together to implement Systematic Instruction in Phonological Awareness, Phonics, and Sight Words (SIPPS) training for staff. This training will benefit TK through second-grade students in Alum Rock Union School District, and is intergraded into Think Together’s early learning and kinder academies located in the Bay Area. 

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With more than 14 years of experience filled with traditions, memories, and students, Elizabeth Portugal goes above and beyond when it comes to being the site coordinator at Bassett High School. Elizabeth is dedicated to building trust with students and offering them a support system to succeed. She is described as humble, determined and selfless and has worked hard to make a change in so many lives. We are excited to give you the opportunity to learn more about Elizabeth!
What inspired you to work at Think Together and what continues to inspire your work here?

What inspires my work is the students and the ability to expand their horizons. I always try to teach my students new things by planning field trips to new and fun spots. My passion is to build daily consistency for youth. I have been in Bassett Unified School District my whole Think career and have built long-lasting relationships with my peers, parents, students and school staff. I want to be their biggest cheerleader, rooting for them to accomplish anything they put their mind to. I love my job and I love what I do!  

What is one of your favorite traditions you have with your students or staff?

I can’t pick one! One of my first and favorite traditions is celebrating student and staff birthdays each month. I love to celebrate my birthday, so I make sure others feel special on their day. Birthdays at Basset are usually celebrated with cake or cupcakes and a Happy Birthday sing-along.

Another favorite tradition is my holiday treat bags. All my staff get them, including the night custodians. They deserve recognition for the hard work they do. I fill the bags with treats and a handwritten thank you note to show my appreciation for all their help.

My last favorite tradition is my annual end-of-the-year awards. Each older youth leader gets an award and I give one special staff member the Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson award. This award is given to the staff member who was my rock and helped me get through the year!

Is there a student story that has stuck with you?                                                                                       

I have over a decade of stories that have stuck with me. If I had to choose one, it would be the sibling duo I connected with when I was the site coordinator at Torch Middle School in Basset. Their time at Think Together was challenging. I worked closely with their aunt to keep them engaged in the program. They graduated middle school and started at Bassett High School around the same time I became their site coordinator.

During this time, I reminded them that they are always welcome in my program. I ended up working closely with the sister during Think Together’s after-school program and we were able to help her catch up on her credits. She graduated in 2016 and I was able to sit on the field cheering her on! Both siblings came up to me afterward and thanked me for never giving up on them and keeping them in the program. It was the first time I ever got a thank you from my students and it was the best feeling in the world!

Running a program for over a decade is not easy. What is a mantra, affirmation, or quote that has helped you over the years?

The first thing that comes to mind is two sayings that I meshed to create my own. I always try to remember to “leave my problems at the door because I am the best part of someone’s day.” I know everyone has a lot going on, but our job as educators is to not to let that affect the students and their learning. I try to remind myself and my staff that we are the students’ support, and our mission is to make them feel welcome and help them succeed.

As we approach winter break, what is one of your favorite memories of the past school semester?

Last year, my older youth leaders and student leaders hosted our very first holiday dinner. First time events can always be hit or miss but we had about 48 students attend. We all enjoyed tamales, rice, beans, dessert and drinks. My favorite part was all of us sitting around like a huge family listening to holiday music, sharing holiday traditions and creating new friendships. I can’t wait to host this event again this year!

 What advice would you give yourself when you started at Think Together 14 years ago?

I would tell myself that there will be challenging times, but the students will appreciate the support and knowledge you give them. I would also tell myself not to worry about this new opportunity because you will enjoy your work and make lasting connections. One of the best parts of my career is that my coworkers have turned into my family.

Outside of work, what do you do for fun?  

Outside of work, my main hobbies are spending time with family, friends and trying new foods. I combine all three every month with my four godchildren. They take turns picking out a new dinner spot to try that month.

I am a huge baseball and football fan as well, so I am always repping either the Dodgers or the San Francisco 49ers.

I also have a deep love for traveling and recently went to Cabo San Lucas and tried parasailing. If you have never tried it, you must try it at least once!

Thanks to our generous corporate and foundation partners, Think Together is enhancing our innovative STEM programs and engaging elementary and middle school students in hands-on, experiential STEM learning. Studies show that STEM careers are on the rise and computing jobs are one of the top sources of income in the nation. In California, the average salary for a computing occupation is twice that of the overall state average. This is why it’s crucial to integrate robust STEM-focused curriculum and manipulatives into Think Together’s daily programming.

New Think Together partner, Ross Stores Foundation provided a generous grant of $30,000 to purchase robotics kits and coding curriculum serving over 1,000 students in Perris Elementary School District. Ross’ mission aligns with Think Together’s mission of helping close the equity gap in education for kids in underserved communities. Ross supports organizations that help strengthen communities and create a brighter future for today’s youth by advancing academic achievements and helping youth establish life skills.

“We are proud to invest in Think Together and its innovative approach that equips youth with crucial workforce skills that prepares them for future careers,” said Leslie Oestreicher, Deputy Director, Ross Stores Foundation.

Broadcom Inc. continues to donate high quality, refurbished laptops to support our coding and robotics after school STEM programs, with their most recent in-kind donation valued at over $100,000. Through our partnership with the Broadcom Foundation, Think Together students are learning basic coding that they need to compete for highly skilled jobs in emerging industries built on technologies of the future.

Their support has had a tremendous impact on Think Together students across the state, reaching over 150,000 students from kindergarten to their senior year and beyond.  Think Together’s Coding For All initiative is made possible thanks to both Broadcom and Broadcom Foundation’s steadfast partnership in preparing California students for the technology workforce.

“Sharing the power of STEM with under-resourced and underrepresented students in California creates multiple education pathways and provide optimal project-based learning time for coding, a foundational skill they need for STEM education and workforce readiness,” shared Paula Golden, President, Broadcom Foundation. “Broadcom Inc.’s unwavering commitment to afterschool STEM and coding provides students with a unique opportunity to explore multiple STEM career pathways, including trade schools, community colleges, universities, and apprenticeships.”

A partner since 2004, Southern California Edison invested $30,000 towards coding curriculum and robotics kits that support hands-on, minds-on STEM experiences for over 900 middle school students in the Inland Empire. Think Together offers three 10-week rotations of coding, robotics, and investigative science. Students are learning about engineering design by building robots and are developing critical thinking and problem-solving skills through conducting a variety of programming experiments.

San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, also based in the Inland Empire, awarded Think Together with $25,000 for coding programs supporting more than 1,200 students across 24 elementary and middle schools in Rialto Unified School District. San Manuel Band of Mission Indians has been a longstanding partner of Think Together’s expanded learning programs in Rialto Unified, launching our reading and literacy programs in 2011 and our coding programs in 2021.

In Think Together’s Orange County region, Fluor Corporation is stepping up to support four schools with STEM programming with a $10,000 grant. More than 400 students in grades K-8 across Orange Unified, Garden Grove Unified and Santa Ana Unified School Districts will have access to STEM and coding programs. Shalimar Learning Center, Think Together’s origin site, will also receive support from the Fluor grant.

A funding partner for over a decade, Edwards Lifesciences presented a $10,000 grant for the Orange County region that focuses on preparing students for the STEM workforce and STEM careers.

Think Together thanks Ross Stores Foundation, Southern California Edison, San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, Fluor, Edwards Lifesciences, and Broadcom for helping us change the odds and providing exceptional resources and STEM kits to help students explore more potential career opportunities in the STEM industry.

Help keep the STEM momentum going by supporting Think Together’s end-of-year campaign Celebrating Bright Futures. We are looking to raise funds to bring even more dynamic technology to students!

Think Together will strengthen leadership and technology capabilities, driving efforts to close the opportunity gap to more than 200,000 California students through expanded learning and school improvement programs.  

Santa Ana, Calif. (Nov. 17, 2023) – Think Together, California’s leading nonprofit provider of school improvement, expanded learning and afterschool programs, announced the appointment of Dave Cummings as Chief Digital Officer (CDO). This new CDO position for Think Together will define, socialize and implement a technology vision for the organization, in order to drive their mission and goals towards education equity in California.    

“The addition of Dave in the CDO role represents a significant step forward in our ability to deploy technology and scale our operations more efficiently,” said Randy Barth, founder and CEO of Think Together. “With his extensive experience in digital and an innovative mindset, he will be instrumental in guiding the organization as it explores the implementation of emerging technologies.” 

Cummings brings more than 30 years of expertise and leadership to Think Together, including international experience in large scale corporations and a track record of driving technology and digitally-led strategic transformation. He also lent his time and talent as an independent director on company boards, including large publicly listed companies, technology startups, and nonprofit organizations, where he provided guidance and mentoring on technology-related matters.  

“As I retired from corporate life, I knew I still had a lot to offer and wanted to seek something where I could make a difference,” shared Cummings. “I was drawn to Think Together because I’m passionate about dealing with inequities and hold a deep personal alignment with the mission, goals and values of this organization. I want to help our organization scale and develop processes that make us more impactful with our school partners.” 

Think Together is in the midst of a multi-year growth cycle. In fiscal year 2023, the nonprofit grew by more than 70%. Since fiscal year 2021, the organization has tripled in size. With this sustained growth, Think Together continues to recruit purpose-driven talent and has since scaled its workforce to more than 4,000 full- and part-time staff members serving in school site and administrative roles. 

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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.  

Edward Nobles makes learning and growth his number one priority when it comes to being a site coordinator at Magnolia Science Academy 2 Middle School. He continues to think of new ways to improve program quality, culture and student attendance. We are excited to give you the opportunity to learn more about Edward! 
What is your Think Together “why?” What inspired you to work at Think Together and what continues to inspire your work here?

The freedom to be creative is the reason I work at Think Together. I really enjoy working in an afterschool setting. It also provides me with the opportunity to grow professionally as a manager, which makes me love it even more. 

We are past the halfway point of the semester, what do you hope to accomplish by the end of it?

My biggest goal is to boost enrollment across all programs, starting with 100% school enrollment. I am working to have at least 25 families in attendance at one of our events. In December, we are hosting our exciting Magnolia Science Academy 2 sports tournament, and I am collaborating with my team to have 40 students participate. All of my goals center around getting students and parents more involved in our Think Together community.

Gratitude is a popular word this time of year, what are you most thankful for in your career? 

I am most thankful for this opportunity at Think Together. I have the freedom to manage a big team and think creatively. I am developing skills I will be able to take with me throughout my career and in my personal life. In my work, the failures and successes give me the ability to identify how I can evolve to make myself a better manager, collaborator, and role model for students.

What is the best piece of advice you have received that you like to share with others? 

A piece of advice I would give to others is to always take accountability and support your team. We succeed together and we fail together. As a manager, I take full responsibility for my team so when a mistake is made, I treat it as an opportunity for us to learn and grow.

Running a program is not a small feat, is there a mantra or affirmation that keeps you going throughout your day?

Make it a great day!

What experiences are you looking forward to in the next semester? 

Our team is always looking for new ways to excite kids with learning. We are looking forward to creating new workshops and field trips centered around design for all our art lovers. We hope to take a tour of the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory to see how our STEM lessons come to life and to create memories for the students.

Outside of work, what do you do for fun?  

I enjoy going to new restaurants, to the beach, and watching new movies!

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