El Puente Educational Center Inc

SERVE AS A CONNECTION FOR LATINO STUDENTS AND FAMILIES FOR ACADEMIC SUCCESS, WELL-BEING AND INCREASED INTEGRATION INTO THE DAYTON COMMUNITY

ADDITIONAL COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES - MENTAL HEALTH NAVIAGATOR - WITH A GRANT FROM THE OHIO COMMISSION ON LATINO AFFAIRS (OCHLA) WE BEGAN TO DEVELOP A MENTAL HEALTH NAVIGATOR LINE. WE PROVIDED SEMINARS AND BROUGHT SPEAKER TO TALK ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES TO PARENTS AND THE COMMUNITYEL MILAGRO DE LA MUJER - WE BROUGHT BACK THIS PROGRAM AS PART OF THE MENTAL HEALTH GRANT TO OFFER A SERIES OF SEMINARS TO BUILD UP AND STRENGTHEN WOMEN.FOOD DONATIONS - WE PICKED UP AND DISTRIBUTED FOOD DONATIONS FROM KROGERS MARKETPLACE IN BEAVERCREEK.OCTOBER 2023 - WE BEGAN TO HOST LATINO WELLNESS CLINICS ONCE A MONTH. WE PROVIDE HEALTH SCREENINGS, FLU SHOTS, AND OFFER OTHER SERVICES AND CONNECTIONS TO FAMILIES.EYE SCREENINGS/GLASSES - EL PUENTE PARTNERED WITH PREVENT BLINDNESS TO OFFER FREE EYE SCREENINGS AND GLASSES TO MEMBERS OF THE LATINO COMMUNITY.COORDINATED A SUMMER CAMP AT CAMP KERN FOR MEMBERS OF THE LATINO COMMUNITY. WE SOUGHT OUT FUNDING TO HELP OFFSET THE COST

TUTORING AND EDUCATION SERVICES - THE TUTORING COORDINATOR/ASSISTANT, A FORMER TEACHER, WHO OVERSEES THE AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAM. SHE DILIGENTLY WORKS TO GIVE STRUCTURE TO THE PROGRAM WHILE CREATING A ROUTINE FOR THE CHILDREN. SHE ASSIGNS STUDENTS TO TUTORS, OVERSEES THE WORK THE STUDENTS DO, MONITORS THE PROGRESS AND AREAS THAT NEED MORE ATTENTION, RESEARCHES FOR DIDACTIC MATERIAL FOR THE CHILDREN AND CREATES ACTIVITIES FOR THEM. THE DISRUPTION CAUSED BY THE COVID-19 SHUTDOWN AFFECTED THE CHILDRENS ACADEMIC DEVELOPMENT AND SET THEM FURTHER BEHIND. THE STRUCTURE PUT IN PLACE BY OUR TUTORING COORDINATOR HAS HELPED THE CHILDREN REDUCE THE GAP CREATED DURING THE PANDEMIC AND HAS ALLOWED THE CHILDREN TO THRIVE

THE PARENT PROGRAM - WE CONTINUE TO PROVIDE PARENTAL SUPPORT AT EL PUENTE. WE HOLD REGULAR MONTHLY MEETINGS WHERE THE PARENT ADVOCATE DISCUSSES DIFFERENT SUBJECT MATTER WITH THEM, LIKE STUDY HABITS, READING AT HOME, HOW TO TALK WITH YOUR CHILD, ETC. SHE ALSO MEETS WITH PARENTS BY GRADE LEVEL TO GO OVER STUDY PLANS AND THE CREATION OF ROUTINES AT HOME FOR THE CHILDREN. THESE CONFERENCES HAVE PROVEN VERY HELPFUL FOR THE FAMILIES IN OUR PROGRAM. THEY HAVE TAUGHT THE PARENTS HOW TO TALK WITH THEIR CHILDREN AND HOW TO BEST SUPPORT THEIR CHILDREN AND THEIR SCHOOLWORK. IN ADDITION, WE WORK WITH WRIGHT STATE UNIVERSITY STUDENTS IN THE FALL SEMESTER TO PROVIDE ONE ON ONE TUTORING TO A GROUP OF OUR STUDENTS WITH COLLEGE STUDENTS ENROLLED IN THE ADVANCED INTERVENTION SPECIALIST CLASS.