Celebrating Success with The Partnership For Our Kids Goal Setting Program

The school year is nearly complete and while some students are day-dreaming about swimming pools and sleeping late, the students in the Partnership’s goal setting program are working hard to achieve their fourth quarter goals and finish the year with a celebration of success!

“A lot of the students are expressing confidence in their goal progress, and some have already met one or two goals,” says Program Coordinator, Kris Morgan.
Several students are also trying to find ways to show appreciation to their goal buddies for encouraging them throughout the year. “Many classrooms created cards for their goal buddies, thanking them for their time, support, and dedication,” Morgan says. She adds that the students are eager to attend the upcoming Winners Circle celebrations. School-wide fourth quarter celebrations will take place on the afternoons of May 10th-19th.

Sixth-graders in the goal-setting program are especially looking forward to the biggest celebration of their goal-setting careers-The Winners Circle Sixth Grade Recognition Program with the Mayor! This special ceremony will take place on May 11th at the Holland Performing Arts Center and will begin at 10a.m. It is open to family members, friends and supporters.
For details, consult our events calendar.

Change For Change

How old do you have to be to change the world?

Miss Fischer’s sixth-grade classroom at Fontenelle Elementary School has decided to take on this challenge by completing one act of kindness at a time. The Partnership For Our Kids would like to recognize these outstanding students for being leaders of change!

It began as a simple World Studies lesson. Fontenelle sixth-grade teacher, Anna Fischer wanted to motivate her students to begin thinking about the world outside of themselves. “I created a presentation about atrocities that have taken place around the world, due to hate,” says Fischer. After showing her students the presentation, the students began to brainstorm ideas of how they could help start making a difference.

As a class, Fischer and her students decided the first step of their plan for change would be to collect money for charity. They started by putting the $50 check they had earned for achieving their second quarter Winners Circle goals into a donation fund. “Other people need it more than we do,” says Fontenelle sixth-grader, Aleeah about their decision to donate the money.

Fischer’s students reached out to other classrooms, challenging them to join their fundraising efforts through their own classroom collections. “The original goal was to double the $50 check,” explains Fischer. “We currently have almost $400 and we are still raising money.” She adds that her students have even inspired her to do more.

She reveals that when one of her students brought in $40 donation from her own money, it really struck a chord in her. “A sixth-grader giving that amount of money away to charity reminded me that I need to have a more giving heart,” she says.

In addition to collecting money, Fischer’s students have also been working to promote more change by doing good works in the community. At a service trip to the Open Door Mission, a student from another school asked Fischer why she and her students were helping that day. “My students chose to come here,” Fischer explained. “Instead of doing what else?,” the student asked. “Instead of having a pizza party,” replied one of Fischer’s students, matter-of-factly. “I was so proud of them,” Fisher says.

Spring Into Action With The Partnership For Our Kids

The sun is out, the snow is gone and just like spring flowers are popping up all over the city, so are the latest Partnership For Our Kids activities! Here is a preview of what is coming up:

Omaha Storm Chasers - Partnership For Our Kids Night - April 22nd
Kick off the baseball season with the Storm Chasers and The Partnership For Our Kids! The Storm Chasers will take on the Memphis Redbirds at 7p.m. at Werner Stadium and one of our students will be throwing the very first pitch! Come root for both your home teams! Oh, did we mention there would be fireworks?

IMAX Double Feature - April 28th, 6p.m.
Join us for an evening at the Lozier IMAX theater on Thursday, April 28th. We'll be presenting our 'Get to Know Me' film on the giant screen and afterwards, we will also screen the 3D baby-animal documentary 'Born to Be Wild' narrated by Morgan Freeman. This event will be free to the public but is geared toward potential volunteers. Learn more at www.gettoknowmeomaha.com.

Ride to Success Kick-Off Event – May 6th
Thanks to an amazing new partnership with Greenstreet Cycles and a grant from Specialized Bicycle components, the Partnership group mentoring program has exclusive access to a fleet of 30 brand new bikes!

Beginning with a ribbon cutting on May 6th at 3:30p.m., classrooms will go on supervised bike rides across the Bob Kerry Pedestrian Bridge. .Outside of classroom visits, all Partnership For Our Kids mentors will be able to check out bikes for students to go on their own group rides beginning in early May. Learn more at www.gettoknowmeomaha.com.

Sixth Grade Recognition Ceremony - May 11th, Holland Performing Arts Center
On May 11th, sixth grade students in the Partnership’s goal-setting program will be recognized by Omaha Mayor Suttle for achieving their math, reading and life skills goals. This special ceremony will take place at the Holland Performing Arts Center and will begin at 10a.m. For more information, call 930-3000.

Golf For Our Kids – May 16th, Omaha Country ClubGolf For Our Kids will swing into action on May 16th with a shot-gun scramble at the elite Omaha Country Club. In addition to a gorgeous day of golf on the green, participants will receive a fabulous barbeque lunch, an opportunity to perfect their game with an OCC golf-pro, a chance to win an exclusive sports fan raffle package, team awards and much more!

Golf For Our Kids is sponsored by SilverStone Group, John & Anne Nelson and Bob and Judy Bates. Foursomes and corporate sponsorships are still available starting at $1,000. Click here to download a registration form, or call 402-930-3026 to learn more!

*All proceeds will benefit The Partnership For Our Kids’ goal-setting and mentoring programs.

Giving Time and Heart

Volunteers do not necessarily have the time; they just have the heart. ~Elizabeth Andrew

Time is a resource that is always in high demand and it seems that there is never enough of it to go around. So in order to give one’s time away, there had better be a really good reason for doing so, right?

Partnership group-mentor, Kristin Nolan actually has five good reasons for donating her time. Their names are Geovany, Mirna, Francisco, Herlin and Jennifer. Nolan has been a Partnership group mentor volunteer with students at South High School for a year and a half and she truly feels that it has been time well spent.

“I really enjoy getting to know the students. I learn something during every meeting! The topics being discussed apply to my life as well, which is very motivating,” says Nolan.

While Nolan feels that she is the one who benefits from the time she spends with her group of students, her dedication and giving spirit have been invaluable gifts for the Partnership staff and students alike. “It’s easy to notice the enthusiasm and energy, [Nolan] brings to her group,” says Partnership Bilingual Program Specialist, Nick Sasada. “She is invested in the future success of her students.”

Nolan’s commitment to the Partnership has even reached beyond the classroom. “Kristin has gone out of her way to bring her students to special events, she has made special efforts to reach out to her mentees’ parents and has even helped us promote our organization to the community,” Sasada says.

Nolan credits her passion for helping students to those who encouraged her in her own teen years. “Everyone goes through struggles in their lives and without someone to talk to and support your dreams, life is very lonesome,” she says. “I wouldn’t be where I am today without the role models and mentors I have in my life!”

The students in Nolan’s group love having her in their lives and they think of her as both a role model and a companion. “She is a great person, “says Mirna, a ninth-grader in Nolan’s group. “She takes the time to listen to me and I look up to her.” Fellow group mentee, Geovany, agrees. He feels like Nolan truly understands who he is. “Its like hanging out with a friend,” he says.

*To find out more about how to volunteer with The Partnership For Our Kids, visit VOLUNTEER or call 402-557-6392