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Bold Steps for Children Newsletter
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Happy 2015! I hope your holidays were pleasing and that the new year is starting off wonderfully. Just a few short items today: - The Eighth Annual Children's Summit will be held on February 25 at Microsoft in Mountain View. Be on the lookout for registration materials coming soon! Don't wait to register. Last year we exceeded capacity in early February.
- We are introducing a new feature in the newsletter this month - The Beat Within. The Beat Within goes into juvenile hall and provides the youth there with a consistent weekly writing and conversation workshop that helps them express their thoughts. Each month they produce a 60-page magazine that is shared with the community and the youth authors. I have always been impressed with this publication and the writings of the youth. Each month, the Bold Steps for Children Newsletter will feature one or two pieces written by Santa Clara County Youth.
- In November 2014, Kids in Common was recognized at Legal Advocates for Children and Youth's (LACY) Honors Luncheon. They produced a video that does an amazing job of telling the Kids in Common story. You can see this video by clicking here. Laura Garnette, Chief of Probation, was also honored at this event; you can view the video about her by clicking here.
Have a wonderful January. Remember to be on the lookout for the Children's Summit information. In collaboration, 
Dana Bunnett, Director
Kids in Common
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 Featuring: THE BEAT WITHINTheir Mission and Award-Winning Publication
Since 1996, The Beat Within, based in San Francisco, has been committed to its mission of providing incarcerated youth in the Santa Clara County Juvenile Justice system and beyond with a one-of-a-kind forum. Youth are encouraged to write about the things that matter to them, explore how they have lost connection with those things they value, and consider how they might re-connect to positive situations in their lives through the power of the written word and visual art.
Our primary commitment is to provide detained youth with a consistent weekly writing and conversation workshop that is a safe space to share their ideas and experiences while promoting literacy, expression, critical thinking skills, and supportive relationships with the community. From this work comes the national award-winning publication, The Beat Within. The 60-page magazine is given to each young participant. Below are noteworthy pieces from this publication. Read This Please...
What's up Beat? It's "F" up in the max (unit). Well this is for my fellow peers in Santa Clara County and beyond. All I got to tell all of you is that life is not a joke. It can be taken from you at any moment. I didn't lose my life but I lost my freedom. I got sentenced to sixty-two years in state prison.
All I'll tell you is to go to school and behave. I used to be in your same shoes: the parties, the girls. I even remember when I was in the youngsters unit, being another little goon. I used to say, "damn it sucks for those people up in max, I wonder how they feel."
I used to think I would never end up in max unit, but look at me now. I'm here and I should be getting transferred to CYA any moment. I tell you all of this because I care for you and I hope they publish this so that you can at least get something from it.
-F, Santa Clara
In My Eyes
They say that eyes are windows to the soul.
I wonder what you see in my eyes?
A young man lost in a world of negativity.
A man that wants to go home to see his mother.
A man that wants to turn nothing into something.
All these things are on my mind.
Why did I do it?
Why me?
Why did I have to pick up that gun?
Why didn't I listen to the voice in my head
telling me not to pull the trigger?
Why am I so hard-headed?
Why don't people stop to get to know me
instead of assuming the bad about me?
Why am I writing this?
So many questions that I want to know the answers to.
So little I could do.
Yes, my life's messed up.
Yes I'm going to do the time.
Yes, I made mistakes.
Yes, I miss the freedom and the wind blowing in my hair.
The sun when it sets in the west and also when it rises from the east.
That full moon you see once a month.
Shhh I even miss school.
Don't even get me started about all those homemade meals
I don't get to have anymore.
Is my mug mean do I have an attitude?
Do you sense evil in me?
Aha. What you see in my eyes beats me and do you care to tell me?
Try and set me free by all means.
-Clown, Santa Clara
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Kids in Common wants every child safe, healthy, successful in learning, and successful in life!
Kids in Common advocates for policies, partnerships, and investments that improve children's lives in Santa Clara County. The cornerstone of our work is the Children's Agenda, a county-wide initiative working to create measurable, positive changes for Santa Clara County children and families. |
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Community Events
Mentoring Faire Make a difference in your community and connect one-on-one with a child, teenager, or young adult. Find out more by coming to the free mentoring faire and learning about various mentoring organizations that will be present. Date: Saturday, January 24, 2015 Time: 10:00am - 12:30pm Location: County Government Center, 70 W. Hedding Street, San Jose, CA For More Information: Visit www.SouthBayMentoring.org; send email to [email protected]; or call Tiffany Lee at (408) 299-5030. Santa Clara County Children's Summit
The Eighth Annual Santa Clara County Children's Summit features workshops and speakers focused on youth, family, and community topics that are important to the Santa Clara County Children's Agenda: Every child safe, healthy, successful in learning, and successful in life. The summit brings community members together to take the next bold steps to ensure all children in Santa Clara County thrive, and to implement the Children's Agenda, engaging on a common vision for our children.
Date: Wednesday, February 25, 2015
Time: 7:30am - 1:30pm
Location: Microsoft, Mountain View, CA
For More Information: Send email to Kids in Common at [email protected]. |
For Your Reading or Viewing Pleasure
WEBINAR: Recycling Challenge Competition
This friendly competition and benchmarking tool for K-12 school recycling programs help to promote waste reduction activities in California school communities. During the month of March, schools report recycling and trash data, which are then ranked according to who collects the largest amount of recyclables per capita, the largest amount of total recyclables, or have the highest recycling rate. Webinar dates are January 14 at 10:00am and January 15 at 1:30pm. You can learn more about the competition and webinars by clicking here.
Facing Prejudice with Compassion and Determination
This article describes how to address prejudice and work with members of our communities to keep everyone safe. See the article from Kidpower's extensive free online library by clicking here.
WEBINAR: Social and Emotional Learning
Supported by music and videos, take-home activities, and stories kids relate to, the developmentally appropriate Second Step lessons have helped teachers instill social-emotional skills in their students for over 20 years. Interested in putting the Second Step program to work for your students? Attend one of the sessions from Committee for Children to hear directly from our experts. You can see a list of live webinars and register by clicking here.
TeenForce Plans to Ramp Up in 2015
TeenForce, which was founded almost five years ago by retired mortgage executive, John Hogan, specializes in finding jobs for young people who have been in the foster care system. You can read about their ambitious plans for 2015 in the Silicon Valley Business Journal by clicking here. Stay culturally appropriate while teaching children of all backgrounds the essentials of being safe with friends, family, and strangers. See the article from Kidpower's extensive free online library by clicking here.Help others by giving time and money to causes you believe in, while staying true to your boundaries. See the article from Kidpower's extensive free online library by clicking here. Foster Youth STEM and Work Readiness Program
Silicon Valley Children's Fund and TeenForce is happy to announce that Symantec will be funding the pilot and implementation of the Foster Youth STEM and Work Readiness Training Program. This program was developed as part of the Clinton Global America Initiative. You can read the press release about the program by clicking here. You can also read about this commitment to action by clicking here.
New Study: C�mo Est�n los Ni�os? The Health of Latino Children and Families in California
A comprehensive new study of California's Latino children paints a complex picture of their health and well-being, and finds striking differences within a 4.7 million-strong population that comprises more than half of all the children in the state. You can review the study by clicking here.
VIDEO: Sports Illustrated Introduces Us To America's Homeless Student-Athletes
More than 100,000 student-athletes in America are homeless, according to Sports Illustrated. While athletes such as Kevin Durant and James Jones have made headlines for overcoming childhood poverty and struggles, the magazine introduces us to today's kids who are succeeding in athletics but have no place to call "home" at the end of the day. You can watch the video by clicking here.
FIRST 5 Obesity Prevention Efforts
The California State Association of Counties (CSAC) recently profiled FIRST 5 Santa Clara County's efforts to prevent early childhood obesity. Through a blog post and video, CSAC highlights how FIRST 5 programs are making healthy habits fun! You can read the blog by clicking here; you can watch the YouTube video by clicking here.
New Data on California's Homeless Students
The story of California's homeless students is largely a hidden one - many are doubled up with family and friends, while others live in shelters. See new data from Kidsdata.org and the California Homeless Youth Project about homeless students in your county and school district by clicking here.
ARCHIVED WEBINAR: How to Put Legislative District Data to Work For California Children
If you missed Kidsdata.org's webinar about putting legislative district data to work on behalf of children, the recording is now available on the Kidsdata.org website. The webinar covers how to access data available by legislative district and overlay legislative district maps on many other indicators of child health and well-being available by county, city, or school district. You can review the webinar by clicking here.
Hewlett Foundation Blog Post: The Paradox of Story Telling
The Opportunity Youth Partnership (OYP) and Kids in Common Children's Summit were featured in a blog post by Elisha Smith Arrillaga, Program Fellow at the Hewlett Foundation. You can read the blog by clicking here.
Early Literacy in California's Immigrant FamiliesRead this report about disparities in exposure to book-sharing programs among California's immigrant families. The Chair of the Children's Agenda Vision Council is a co-author of this report. You can read it on Reuters by clicking here. School Discipline Consensus Report Released by the Council of State Governments Justice Center, this report presents a comprehensive set of consensus-based and field-driven recommendations to improve conditions for learning for all students and educators, better support students with behavioral needs, improve police-school partnerships, and keep students out of the juvenile justice system for minor offenses. You can read the report by clicking here. The 2014 California Children's Report Card
This study identifies how kids are doing in our state and what needs to be done about it. Released by Children Now, it covers 27 critical education, health, and child welfare issues and provides a comprehensive evaluation of the current status of California's kids. You can read the Report Card by clicking here.
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Be a Child Advocate!
Child Advocates of Silicon Valley is recruiting volunteer Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASAs) to work one-on-one with foster children and be a mentor and their voice as they navigate the dependency system. We train and support our CASAs as they work to support foster children.
For More Information: To learn more and sign up for an introductory session, visit www.bemyadvocate.org.
Yes We Can...Read! Mentor Program
With a one hour a week commitment, you can read with Kindergarten or 1st grade students to support their reading skills and instill in them a lifelong love for learning! You will work with two students for 30 minutes each in one-on-one reading sessions for 12 weeks in the Spring semester. Your o ne-hour time slot will occur Monday through Friday between 8:30am - 1:30pm at East San Jose at Dorsa Elementary (1290 Bal Harbor Way, San Jose, CA) or San Antonio Elementary (1721 E. San Antonio Street, San Jose, CA). We will train you in successful interactive reading strategies that will make your read-aloud sessions exciting and will keep the students engaged and learning! We recruit year-round, so sign up today! For More Information: Call Gabriela Alvarado at (408) 347-7892, Ext. 306, or send email to [email protected].
Volunteer to Become a Certified Car Seat Technician
In the Bay Area, 4 out of 5 car seats are installed incorrectly. ACCESS (a service of the Good Samaritan Hospital Auxiliary) hosts free car seat fitting inspections. Join ACCESS in our efforts to ensure infants and children are safe in their vehicles. Training is provided at Good Samaritan Hospital, 2425 Samaritan Drive, San Jose, CA.
For More Information: Call Shannon Hickok at (408) 559-2395, or send email to [email protected]. You can also visit the ACCESS website by clicking here.
OYP Is Seeking Youth Leaders
The Opportunity Youth Partnership (OYP) is once again opening Youth Voice positions for youth ages 16 - 24 years who would be interested in representing their peers in this partnership. If you know of a youth who would be interested in the role, please have them complete an application. This is a wonderful leadership opportunity, and a stipend is provided for the youth members.
For More Information: You can download the application (PDF format) by clicking here.
Join the LPC Council of Santa Clara County
The Local Early Education Planning Council (LPC) of Santa Clara County is seeking individuals who are interested in applying for membership to the Council. Funded by the California Department of Education and housed at the Santa Clara County Office of Education, the mission of the LPC is to assess, represent, and promote the early care and education needs of children and families in the community. Applicants must work or live in Santa Clara County, and exhibit a strong commitment to advocating for increased quality childcare services; an ability to make information-based decisions; and excellent leadership skills.
For More Information: If you are interested in submitting an application, send email to Michael Garcia at [email protected], or call (408) 453-6649.
Volunteer with Junior Achievement
Inspire students at local elementary schools with Junior Achievement! Junior Achievement prepares youth for economic success through a short series of age-appropriate lessons about entrepreneurship, financial literacy, and work readiness. You can volunteer to work in schools and teach these lessons (the teacher will be in the classroom to provide support.) The dates, times, and locations are flexible, including any school or after-school program (i.e. public, private, charter, etc.) There is a one-hour mandatory training.
For More Information: Send email to Amanda Lopez, District Manager, Silicon Valley, at [email protected], or call (408) 217-7906.
Be a Mentor for Elementary School Children
Collaborative Community Program (CCP) is seeking mentors for children from Washington Elementary School in downtown San Jose. Mentors meet with children in Kindergarten through 5th grade on Thursdays from 3:30 - 5:00pm at the Biblioteca Latinoamericana Branch Library.
For More Information: Send email to Rochelle at
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We'd Love to Hear From You!
If you have a story or an opportunity that you would like to share in a future newsletter, please send us an email! [email protected]
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Community Resources
10 Steps to a Healthier You!
 A FREE, three-class series for parents and caregivers about implementing a positive, healthy lifestyle into home environments. Classes are for residents of Santa Clara County, and are held at various dates, times, and locations throughout Santa Clara County year-round.
For More Information: To sign up for the free three-class series or to host the free classes at your site, call Healthier Kids Foundation at (855) 344-6347. You can get more details about the program by clicking here.
Eastside Elite Basketball League
If you want a Basketball Program for your child, we have both Non-Competitive and Competitive programs. Our Co-Ed Non-Competitive League is for 6 - 9 year olds with little or no basketball experience who would benefit from participation in a structured program with a focus on skills development, basketball fundamentals, and structured game time. Our Eastside Elite Competitive Basketball League is for 10 - 16 year olds with emphasis placed on good sportsmanship and skills development.
For More Information: For program details and fees, call Eric or Rhonda at (408) 794-1060.
FOR EDUCATORS: Embrace the Core Website and Communications Toolkit
The Embrace the Core website and Communications Toolkit are designed to help educators cut through the noise and communicate to parents about California's Common Core State Standards in their classrooms. Teachers, principals, district leaders, after-school program administrators, and anyone else who regularly fields questions from parents can use the posters, sample letters to parents, talking points, and various other resources to drive those conversations.
For More Information: Visit the website at www.embracethecore.com. You can get to the toolkit by clicking here. If you have questions, send email to Neha Singh Gohil, Silicon Valley Community Foundation, at [email protected].
Good. To Go. Is in San Jose! 
Good. To Go. (G2G) is a community-based marketing campaign aimed at increasing San Jose residents' purchase of "fun, fast, and fresh" items such as fresh produce and kid-friendly 'grab n go' snacks at participating G2G outlets: Healthy Corner Stores, Fresh Cart mobile produce vendors, and PCFMA farmers' markets. To find G2G locations in San Jose, visit our online interactive map by clicking here. To stay up to date on events, new products, and program updates, be sure to Like our G2G Facebook page.
For More Information: To learn how to spread the word about G2G within your network and become a G2G brand ambassador, please contact Misha Taherbhai at [email protected] or call (408) 513-8716.
A Proven Way to Restore your Child's Health: The Pediatric Weight Control Program
Based on almost 20 years of Stanford's research, the Pediatric Weight Control Program for overweight children and teens has a success rate of over 80% in restoring and maintaining a lifetime of healthy weight. Parents lose weight too! Early intervention is the best way to ensure your child's success. Class options for groups in English are Mondays from 4:30 - 6:00pm, and 6:00 - 7:30pm. Class options for groups in Spanish are Wednesdays at 6:00pm. Classes will run every week for six months in Menlo Park, CA. No referral needed!
For More Information: If this sounds like a good fit for your family, call (650) 724-5611, or send email to [email protected] to reserve your space.
New Teacher Intern Credential Program: Education Preparation for Inclusive Classrooms This Fall, the Inclusion Collaborative started an education specialist credential program focusing on inclusion: Preliminary Early Childhood Special Education, Preliminary Moderate/Severe Special Education, and a Clear Education Specialist Induction Program. Classes are held in the evenings and occasionally on Saturdays. These are alternative pathways to acquiring a teaching credential, allowing students to earn their credentials while interning with a school district. Education Preparation for Inclusive Classrooms (EPIC) accepts new students every 2 years, so if you are interested in one of the three programs, plan to apply for Fall 2016.
For More Information: To learn about the program, see the FAQ page by clicking here. For additional professional development opportunities and resources, visit www.inclusioncollaborative.org.
FREE Kids' Vision and Dental Screenings
Healthier Kids Foundation FocusFirst and DentalFirst programs are conducting FREE (donor-funded) vision and dental screenings for children ages 6 months - 18 years old. Vision screenings are performed with a high-optic digital camera, and dental screenings are performed by a licensed dentist, Monday through Friday at your school, church, daycare center, community center, after-school program, or community-based organization. For dental screenings, all children will receive a FREE toothbrush, toothpaste, and floss. Healthier Kids Foundation staff will help parents with any follow-up as needed.
For More Information: This program is done on a first-come, first-serve basis. Schedule your screenings by calling Sunny Ochoa at (408) 564-5114, Ext. 206, or send email to [email protected].
Personal Safety Workshops
Kidpower's Public Workshops for ages 3 years to adults offer personal safety skills training that is relevant to the ages and life situations of the students. These dynamic, upbeat workshops teach skills such as boundary setting, advocacy, stranger safety, safety with words (spoken or online), help-seeking, and de-escalation. There are multiple workshops for different child age groups coming soon. Classes fill-up quickly, so let Kidpower know right away if you're interested!
For More Information: See the public workshop schedule by clicking here; you can get registration information by clicking here. For additional details, call (800) 467-6997 Ext. 1#, or send email to [email protected].
Get Help with College Planning
The Online Colleges Database helps to make the college planning process easier for future students. It provides an easy-to-use search tool with relevant data and integrated Google Maps. The site also includes expert-driven topical guidebooks that aid specific demographics, such as minorities, students and families with disabilities, and veterans who may need a different set of advice and information.
For More Information: Visit www.onlinecollegesdatabase.org. GED Preparation Classes
These classes target older youth, ages 17 - 24 years. An assessment of a student's basic skill level will determine placement. Classes include both lecture and computer-based learning. The GED program is open-entry/open-exit during the school year.
Date: Monday through Friday
Time: 8:30am - 11:40pm
Location: 749 Story Road, Suite 10, San Jose, CA
For More Information: Contact Mariah Artley at (408) 213-0961, Ext. 27, or Caroline Sailor at Ext. 30.
City of San Jose's Recreation of City Kids (ROCK) After-School Program
This program offers quality, safe, affordable, and fun after-school care for children in Kindergarten through 6th grade. The program consists of enrichment activities, homework assistance, healthy recreation, cooking projects, special events, and STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) curriculum. Scholarships are available.
Date: Monday through Friday during the school year
Time: End of school until 6:00pm
Location: Schools throughout San Jose
FutureArtsNow!
This program hosts weekly Open Dance Sessions at the Edenvale Community Center for $3/session. Youth and young adults are invited to come and hone their Hip Hop dance skills during our weekly sessions inside the Edenvale Dance Studio/Gym.
Date: Every Wednesday and Thursday
Location: Edenvale Community Center, 330 Branham Lane, San Jose, CA
Youth Facing Expulsion
If you know of youth facing expulsion, Legal Advocates for Children and Youth may be able to connect you with a free lawyer to represent your child in a school expulsion hearing.
For More Information: Call (408) 280-2416.
Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) Dollars Looking for resources to help advocate for Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) dollars to support early learning and development? Children Now can help!
For More Information: Check out Children Now's new campaign with resources by clicking here. Sign up for The Children's Movement of California to receive more talking points, tips, and tools that will be released over the coming weeks and months by clicking here.
CalFresh (Food Stamps) Outreach and Application Assistance
Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties can do pre-screening, answer questions, and help clients complete applications for CalFresh benefits. Application assistance can be arranged for weekdays, weekends, and evenings at community locations throughout Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties.
For More Information: Call Second Harvest's Food Connection, 8:00am - 5:00pm, Monday through Friday, at (800) 984-3663, or visit www.shfb.org/getfood.
Free Food for Low-Income Families
Free food resources are available to low-income families through Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties. Our region's Family Harvest, Produce Mobile, Pantries and Prepared Meal programs can accept more participants. Food distributions and meal programs are available weekdays and on weekends at community locations throughout Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties.
For More Information: Call Second Harvest's Food Connection, 8:00am - 5:00pm, Monday through Friday, at (800) 984-3663, or visit www.shfb.org/getfood.
For All of Our MFCCs and Other Professionals Under the Board of Behavioral Sciences
Kidpower is now certified as a Continuing Education Provider under the California State Board of Behavioral Sciences!
For More Information: Visit www.kidpower.org.
Kaiser Permanente Child Health ProgramDid you know that Kaiser Permanente in California insures low-income children who are not eligible for Medi-Cal or Covered California through its Child Health Program? With all of the confusion surrounding the Affordable Care Act (ACA), many mixed status and immigrant families do not know that the program is an option for their child. The Child Health Program is pleased to offer a quality option in California that gives children the healthcare they need for just $0, $10, or $20 per child, per month, for up to three children, depending on the family's income. Additional children are covered at no extra premium. There are also no co-pays (no charge) for services at Kaiser Permanente facilities.
For More Information: Send email to Sarah Hurd at [email protected]. You can also get additional details, including eligibility guidelines and how to apply, by clicking here.
PARENT PROJECT This 12-week program, which offers classes throughout Santa Clara County, is specifically designed for parents with difficult or out-of-control adolescents. Parents learn specific prevention and intervention strategies for destructive behaviors. For More Information: Visit www.ParentProject.com; call (408) 808-3794; or send email to [email protected]. Silicon Valley Kids Climate Club This club offers children (and adults) important lessons about conserving energy and water, recycling trash, and finding new food sources. Supervisor Dave Cortese started the Kids Climate Club to introduce children in 3rd through 12th grades to simple tips they can use to help protect the environment. For More Information: If you would like Supervisor Cortese to give a presentation to your school or youth group, call (408) 299-3050, or send email to [email protected].
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Crowdsourcing for the Next Great
STEM Program, Idea, or Initiative
United Way Silicon Valley believes the next great idea about how to address Science, Technology Engineering, and Math (STEM) education in our community may come from a new source that we have yet to discover. STEM education is the wave of the future. No longer will just a high school diploma suffice as the 'finish line' for student success - career opportunities in STEM need to be the new 'finish line' for students.
To this end, we have embarked upon a crowdsourcing project to uncover the next great idea. We invite those in our community (and elsewhere) to share your insights. Please visit www.futureofsiliconvalley.org, and give us your thoughts, ideas, and suggestions.
For More Information: If you have any questions or want additional information, send email to Zane Barnes, Grants Manager, United Way Silicon Valley at [email protected], or call (408) 345-4308.
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