Program Updates
Community Youth Council
The RiseUp Partnership Community Youth Council (CYC) began working in February to prepare for EPC Day on the Hill. They researched legislative bills and worked to understand policy and its implications for youth in Goodhue County. They also drafted a letter of support for SF-0197, a Minnesota statewide bill that seeks to expand school board membership to include students. Currently, the CYC is focusing on goals for the Community Co-Design Collaborative. They are assessing the current needs that youth feel require immediate attention in Goodhue County.
Kiln Afterschool
The Kiln Afterschool program is now available twice a week, with a goal to add programming on additional days in the future. The program focuses on student engagement and support and includes weekly check-ins and goal-setting workshops. Recent discussions have included topics such as social media literacy, where youth had the opportunity to role-play different scenarios in order to build their skills. With staff supervision, they also work on life skills such as baking and meal preparation.
Treasure Island graciously donated a large amount of furniture to outfit the space. The youth have been busy setting it up to fit their vision and are excited to continue the transformation.
Currently, The Kiln is open to youth in grades 8-12 on Tuesdays and Thursdays from school release time until 7:30 p.m. There's no need to preregister or sign up ahead of time – stop by and check it out!
Math Literacy Workers
Last November, five Goodhue County students trained with RiseUp Partnership for 30 hours to become Math Literacy Workers (MLWs). MLWs are young people (high school and college students) who teach math-based activities to younger children in their neighborhoods and communities. Through an ongoing cycle of learning, practice, teaching, and reflecting to evaluate the effectiveness of their work, MLWs learn math concepts and teach them to others, all while developing the social and professional competencies they need to facilitate the learning experience for younger peers.
Twice a week after school, the MLWs connect with middle school students to support and help grow their math learning. The program is still accepting middle school students who would like to participate. If you have a student who may be interested or may benefit from this extra support, please contact jenna@riseuppartnership.org.
ASPIRE - Authentic Student Pride Individuality Respect Education
This winter, ASPIRE supported a Telling Queer History exhibit, which included a public reception at Red Wing Arts Depot Gallery on February 23. Over 100 attendees heard stories, viewed art, and read about history from the lens of queer voices. A video of the local part of the exhibit was recorded and sent to the Gay Straight Alliance at Red Wing High School for the students who were unable to attend the reception. ASPIRE meets monthly; reach out to redwingmnpride@gmail.comif you are interested in joining.