By Ashley Bean Thornton
My husband and I both wear glasses. I got mine in the first grade. My grandmother (a long-time second grade teacher) was the first to notice that I was “cross-eyed.” My mother didn’t take it seriously at first, but my grandmom insisted she get my eyes checked. Sure enough, I had a Lazy Eye (amblyopia) and soon I was wearing glasses and a patch. Not great for my popularity – but crucial for my academics. My husband, Craig, got his glasses in second or third grade thanks to a teacher who noticed both his squint and that his grades were dropping.
It’s been fifty-plus years since I put on my first pair of glasses and I still remember vividly the wonder of being able to really SEE for the first time. I remember putting them on and taking them off over and over – blurry, clear, blurry, clear, blurry, clear. I remember being amazed that trees really did have leaves – individual leaves — that I could see. The whole world changed for me with those glasses.
When I saw the news on January 24 about the ribbon cutting for Transformation Waco’s Bernard and Audre Rapoport Vision Center, I was surprised to feel tears filling my eyes. Why was I so emotional?
Sporting our specs, Craig and I both flew successfully through our respective public-school systems with few hitches, then on to college, marriage, careers, a pleasant lifestyle, and now, Lord willing, we have our sights set on a hopefully comfortable retirement in a few years. Would it be overly dramatic to claim that our glasses were the keys that opened the door to that successful life? I don’t think so. What if we hadn’t gotten our glasses when we did? What if I had been in fifth or sixth grade instead of first grade when I got mine? Would school have been more difficult for me? Would I have missed out on becoming a confident reader? Would I have missed the foundation in math I needed to succeed in high school and college? Would I have become a behavior problem because I couldn’t follow what was happening in class? What about Craig? His grades were already dropping. If he hadn’t gotten his glasses when he did, would his grades have continued to fall? Would his teachers have developed lower expectations for him? Would he have been slotted into classes for less able students? Would our whole lives have taken a different turn?
Research on vision and learning shows that about 80% of classroom learning in public school is visual in some way. Surely that does not surprise anyone. About 20% of kids have some kind of vision problem. Corrective lenses can correct most of those problems. Low income kids are the ones least likely to get the corrective lenses they need. Again, surely that is no surprise to anyone. According to the Texas Tribune “Public Schools Explorer” 87% of students in Waco ISD are considered “Economically Disadvantaged,” 95% for the five Transformation Waco schools. That’s compared to 59% statewide.
It’s a cliché to say that education is the “great equalizer” in our country. But, is it possible to get “equalized” at school if you can’t see the instructions written on the whiteboard? If the words on the worksheets are fuzzy blobs?
I imagine most people in Waco have concerns about our school system. I know I do. With so many wonderful things happening in Waco, I yearn for Waco ISD to take its place on the ever-growing list of wonderful reasons for people to choose Waco as their home. What will it take to make that happen?
Certainly, it will require all the things that make any school successful – excellent instruction from caring, patient, well-prepared teachers; dedicated support staff, buildings; equipment; technology; parental and community engagement. For us it will also take an extra helping of sensitivity and creativity. We must be sensitive to the fact that many of our students don’t have ready access to things that students in more financially well-off districts can take for granted. Things like transportation; nutritious food; a consistent, quiet place to do homework; health insurance — and glasses. We must figure out creative ways to help our students get these basic supports or overcome the lack of them. The Bernard and Audre Rapoport Vision Center is a terrific example of this kind of creativity. It’s both a homerun for the students who get the glasses they need and a terrific benefit for the high school students who are learning to make the glasses. Bravo, Transformation Waco and Waco ISD! This is exactly the kind of thinking we need! What’s next?
This Act Locally Waco blog post is by Ashley Bean Thornton, she has lived in Waco almost 20 years now. Far longer than she ever lived anywhere else. She is retired from Baylor works part time helping to organize after school programs for Transformation Waco. She likes to walk. If you see her out walking, honk and wave and say, “Hi!”
The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email [email protected] for more information.
By Cuevas Peacock
My mother is a teacher, a proud member of our world’s greatest profession. Her story is one I often tell when informing others about my upbringing, my namesake, and my passion for serving. Growing up, she taught me many lessons, both direct and indirectly, most not hitting home until years after her initial telling. However, some teachings stayed with me from the beginning, one of which having occurred when I was in the fourth grade. During those years, I was still finding myself, and for some reason, had chosen to follow a group of kids who decided to give our new teacher trouble by answering to the wrong name during roll call for the majority of the year. A seemingly harmless prank at the time, it is one that would come back to haunt me as the person who assumed my name for the day soon after switched schools resulting in me almost being dropped from the school rolls. As you could imagine, my mother was furious, and I got in trouble in more ways than one. Through it all, she taught me an invaluable lesson, centered around the need to always be myself and to ensure that I am always accounted for. It is a lesson I carry with me today and is a driving reason for me choosing to serve as an advocate for the Census in hopes of us achieving a complete count.
The research will show that for every person not counted in the Census, a municipality will stand to lose $10,000 worth of federal funding over ten years. This loss of funding affects us all, from housing to education, transportation, economic development, and a wide swath of other areas. Through my previous work as a community organizer with Grassroots Community Development, the Census played an essential role in helping us to develop communities. We used Census data that showed homeownership rates in specific neighborhoods to choose where we would target our building efforts, and the data also aided us in applying for grants to provide financial literacy to residents looking to purchase homes. For so many Wacoans, Grassroots and other housing organizations have helped them achieve the American dream of homeownership. It is a dream deferred without an accurate census count to provide the funding needed to support local housing programs.
Currently, through my role in higher education and my interaction with college students, I get to see firsthand the product of our public-school system. This is a system that is directly funded by the Census, where a failure to gain an accurate count is a failure to fund our local schools accurately. Census data determines the distribution of more than $14 billion in Title I grants, $11.3 billion in special education grants, about $13.6 billion for the National School Lunch Program, plus funds for the Head Start preschool program and grants to improve teacher quality. For so many of the students I see across campus, they have taken their learning to a higher level. These are the best of the brightest minds, who will be charged with carrying society forward and making it better for us all. I can honestly say we are in good hands. However, it is only because of the strong educational foundation they received in the public-school system—a public-school system funded by the Census.
Through my time on the Census Complete Committee, I have been able to work alongside a group of community leaders from various sectors to develop initiatives that will help us achieve an accurate Census count. While our backgrounds and experiences may be different, our mission is the same—Waco’s future. The fight for equity across our systems is a battle we all must be engaged in to win. The first step is making sure we do our part to ensure we are equipped with the funding to meet the challenge. An accurate Census count is needed in order for us to obtain the funding to guarantee Waco works for all of us. Thus, Waco needs you to participate in the 2020 census. You count, so this April, make sure you are accounted for!
For more information about local census efforts and how a complete and accurate Census count will ensure our community’s future, please visit whyicountwaco.org/community-impact.
Cuevas Peacock is a community builder with dreams of becoming a poet, for he was once told that they are life’s last true teachers. Originally from Port Arthur, Texas, he is employed with Baylor University as the Assistant Director for Cultural Wealth-Community Relations. Cuevas is certified as a Professional Community and Economic Developer through the Community Development Council, a graduate of THE Texas Southern University, and is currently pursuing his Masters of Social Impact from Claremont Lincoln University. He is a member of the 2020 Census Complete Count Committee, along with being involved in a host of other initiatives working towards making a better Waco.
By Jo Ann Sharkey Reinowski
On Friday and Saturday, January 24-25, Truett Seminary is welcoming 20 leaders in innovation, entrepreneurship, non-profit, co-vocational, and creative ministry to share their experiences at the Alongside: Ministry Innovation Conference.
The conference was born out of a need to celebrate and explore creative and non-traditional approaches to ministry. The mission of Baylor’s Truett Seminary is to equip ministers for service in and alongside Christ’s Church, and the Alongside Conference will focus specifically on inspiring, encouraging, and equipping those who have been called to Kingdom-work alongside and beyond the church.
The conference is hosted by Truett’s Financial Wellness for Ministry, a program dedicated to helping seminary students and graduates to make healthy and sustainable financial decisions, and is funded through the Economic Challenges Facing Future Ministers Lilly Endowment grant awarded to Truett Seminary.
The Alongside Conference begins at 1:00pm on Friday with a keynote presentation from Shannon Hopkins, the Founder and Creative Director of Matryoshka Haus. The Matryoshka Haus is a collective of entrepreneurs, freelancers, creatives, and friends all working to see hope, justice, and restoration transform our world. An extreme networker and social entrepreneur, Shannon lives in East London but is a Texas native. Her passion for community and individual transformation has launched or influenced the formation of 15 campaigns, projects, and organizations.
On Friday night at 6:00pm, Jeremy Courtney, a graduate of Baylor’s Truett Seminary and founder/CEO of Preemptive Love, will discuss how he created a leading non-profit dedicated to providing emergency relief to war-torn countries and staying to support small business start-ups. Jeremy is the author of a new book called Love Anyway, and he speaks globally on the integration of activism, spirituality, leadership, and service. His work has been covered by CNN, the BBC, Al-Jazeera, and the New York Times. He lives in Iraq with his family.
In addition, several notable Wacoans will share how they founded their own innovative nonprofits and organizations dedicated to helping the marginalized and those in need. Presenters include Emily Mills, founder and Chief Ideation Officer of Jesus Said Love, and Kent McKeever, Managing Attorney Partner of Greater Waco Legal Services.
Other local leaders presenting at the conference include Ahmad Washington, Lead Advisor to the President of the Methodist Children’s Home, CEO of MovementUP, and Worship Arts Director for the Hip Hop Worship Service at FUMC Waco and Kerry Burkley, Pastor of Greater Ebenezer Baptist Church of Waco and Children’s Advocacy Center Program Director of the Advocacy Center for Crime Victims and Children.
The Saturday portion of the Alongside Conference will feature practitioners in the areas of co-vocational and bi-vocational ministry, entrepreneurship, non-profits, church planting, and supplemental income or side hustles. Interviews between practitioners and experts in these areas will occur in the style of Guy Raz’s popular podcast, “How I Built This.” Music will be provided throughout the conference by Ryan Richardson, Director of Worship & Chapel in the Office of Spiritual Life at Baylor University.
Registration is open to the public and free unless you would like to include meals with your registration. To register or learn more, visit baylor.edu/truett/alongside.
Jo Ann Sharkey Reinowski is a native of Houston, Texas but who has lived in Waco for nearly nineteen years. Jo Ann enjoys working with students and she spends her days at Truett Seminary at Baylor University where she serves as the Director of Academic Services. Jo Ann is married to Brian Reinowski, a financial advisor, and they have one daughter.
The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email a[email protected]for more information.
Prosper Waco is pleased to announce the hiring of Hermann Pereira as senior content specialist for education. In this role, Pereira will implement strategic approaches to engage the Waco community in collaborative work for the measurable betterment of education, deepen the engagement of Prosper Waco’s partners in education, coordinate and mobilize community working groups and manage Prosper Waco leadership projects related to education. Along with these tasks, Pereira will work to ensure Prosper Waco’s accountability to funders through grant management, planning, reporting and budgeting; while also serving as a liaison with community leaders in Waco and state and regional educational organizations. Pereira will provide assistance in building partner capacity in data collection and interpretation as he works with Prosper Waco research and evaluation staff as they analyze and interpret data for shared measurement.
“We welcome Hermann Pereira to the work of Prosper Waco. Waco already knows him as a proven champion for children, their education and their hope for a bright future,” said Prosper Waco CEO Suzii Paynter March. “Waco is preparing educational pathways for success and we look forward to Hermann’s leadership for years to come.”
Pereira has spent the past 14 years in education in a variety of roles such as teacher, coach, director, assistant principal, and principal. In his most recent role Pereira was the principal of Connally Career Tech Pathways in Technology Early College High School as well as the Career and Technology Education Director at Connally ISD. His leadership has earned his campus and district a number of grants and recognitions from the Texas Education Agency, University of Texas STEM Center, Educate Texas and Texas State Technical College. He also spends his summers as a National Staff Developer for Advancement Via Individual Determination. He has led professional development in leadership, curriculum, culturally relevant teaching, and career and technology. He has a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Stephen F. Austin State University and a Masters in Educational Administration from Baylor University.
Pereira believes community partnerships are the vehicle to creating sustainable solutions. He serves as the chair of the Prosper Waco working group Heart of Texas P-20 Council which brings together representatives from the independent school districts (ISD), McLennan Community College, Texas State Technical College, Region 12 Education Service Center, industry, chambers of commerce and government. The organization works to promote streamlined, transparent degree pathways for students to move quickly and successfully through their education and on to college and/or a career. Hermann is active with the United Way of Central Texas and was a founding member of the Young Leaders United affinity group. He serves on the City of Waco Parks and Recreation board and the Centex Hispanic Chamber of Commerce board as well. Hermann was recently recognized by the Waco Chamber of Commerce as one of the “Top 40 under 40” individuals in the community and Educator of the Year by the Centex African American Chamber of Commerce.
“I am excited about what is in store for 2020. I have been a passionate educator for the past 14 years in the Waco area so this opportunity is a natural progression in my career,” Pereira said of his new role. “Working at Prosper Waco will allow me to advocate and bridge the gap for all students in Waco.”
Prosper Waco is a collective impact initiative focused on addressing issues facing the Greater Waco community in the areas of education, health and financial security. As a facilitator and convener, Prosper Waco encourages collaboration amongst existing nonprofits, city and county governments, business, foundations and churches to build on and increase the effectiveness of current efforts and develop new strategies to bring about measurable and sustainable positive change within the focus areas for the members of our community. For more information, please contact [email protected].
They say an elephant never forgets, and Brenda Gay’s Friends will never forget her elephant loving legacy.
When her son, Nathaniel Gay, was born in 1977, Brenda Gay got him his first stuffed animal – an elephant. Her love for elephants grew over the next 42 years. She laughingly blamed Nathaniel when her elephant collection became – well – elephantine! Her collection now contains over 6,000 pieces. She explained that her love for elephants came from the loving nature they have toward their own families, and the fact that the mothers take great care of their babies and form incredibly strong bonds with them.
A veteran, Sergeant Brenda Gay is known as BJ to her friends. They describe her as loyal, dedicated, trusting, courageous and an inspiration – as well as more than a little bit stubborn.
Towards the end of 2017, Sergeant Gay started to lose her voice. She had already lost a significant amount of weight. Family and friends chalked it up as a side effect of recent thyroid surgery.
In February of 2018, Brenda was sent to an Ear, Nose and Throat specialist (ENT) after the speech therapist noticed worsening of speech and swallowing. The ENT said the symptoms, including slurred and abnormal speech, tongue twitching, and poor pitch control were possible signs of a neurological disorder such as bulbar ALS. Brenda was referred to a neurologist for further testing. The tests eventually resulted in official diagnosis of ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease). Brenda was given a life expectancy of 3-5 years.
Since that diagnosis, Brenda has completely lost her ability to speak, and swallow food. She has become weaker in her extremities. ALS is a cruel disease. Brenda’s nerve cells will continue to break down and prevent her muscles from functioning.
To honor Brenda’s Life Journey and her passion for family and Elephants and to raise awareness for ALS, her friends and family are hosting an event to display her 6,000-piece elephant collection – a hobby rooted in her love for family and motherhood. Their goal is to raise funds for the ALS Association and the Cameron Park Zoo, and to share a bit of Brenda’s life and legacy with others.
Do you love elephants? You can view this amazing collection December 7, from 1 to 4 PM at 2460 Flat Rock Rd in Waco. Enjoy the collection and leave a small donation for ALS Research and for the Elephants of Cameron Park Zoo. Well done Sergeant Gay!
By Rae Jefferson
Communications Director, Family Health Center
On most treatment days, Ever makes popsicle stick puppets of creatures that eat, stomp, and breathe fire on cancer. The characters, with carefully drawn outlines, consist of crayon shading and physical features he remembers well.
He points to a couple crayon dashes on one puppet. “Those are his eyes.”
He points to a nearby line. “That’s his nose.”
Then his little finger moves to a cluster of scribbles an inch away from these facial features. “I just did that for fun.”
When Ever was three, his mother and father, guided by parental instinct, went to their primary physician at the Martin Luther King Jr. Community Clinic, one of 14 clinics in the Family Health Center network. After a series of tests, Ever was diagnosed with leukemia. He’s been undergoing cancer treatment at McLane Children’s Hospital – Temple ever since.
It was evident early in his treatment that art would be an important weapon in Ever’s fight against cancer. When given the opportunity to draw before treatments, Stefanie and her husband noticed an improvement in their son’s ability to cope with the stress of pokes, prods, and strong chemicals used in cancer treatment.
“I feel happy and calm,” Ever said.
Most of Ever’s drawings consist of monsters and animals to which he assigns special cancer-fighting abilities. His Child Life Specialist recognizes the value of this process and helps him by writing names and powers on the back of each drawing and laminating the creations so Ever can keep them. Now, Ever has a special art supply box waiting for him when he goes in for treatment.
His sisters, who often accompany him to treatments, have also benefitted from the art supplies. It helps pass time and enables all three of the children to practice creativity.
Stefanie is the project manager of ArtPrenticeship, a creative internship program that teaches high school students how to manage a large-scale mural project from concept to completion. These students work alongside local artists to pitch and design murals to clients around Waco. This summer, one of two ArtPrenticeship teams painted a mural titled “The Color of Health” on the side of MLK Community Clinic – the very clinic in which Stefanie’s children, including Ever, receive primary care.
Stefanie said the decision to paint MLK Community Clinic was an easy one for ArtPrenticeship program leaders to make. Although clinic staff at MLK Clinic don’t treat Ever for cancer, they remain sensitive to how they can make visits more enjoyable for a child battling medical trauma from enduring years of unpleasant procedures.
“He processes these things through art no matter where he goes,” Stefanie said. “His providers, whether at MLK or McLane, they’ve always immediately clued into that. All of our doctors have received pictures that he’s made.”
Apart from the personal connection, Stefanie said MLK Clinic was the right choice because it exposed the high school-aged apprentices to conversations about health and wellness in Waco. Professional artists participating as program leaders and teachers also benefitted.
“They are creatives and self-employed,” Stefanie said. “They didn’t know some of the services FHC provides for people without insurance.”
Join Family Health Center, Creative Waco, and ArtPrenticeship for an upcoming celebration of art and health. Movie at the Mural is from 5:30-8 p.m. this Friday, Nov. 22, at Martin Luther King Jr. Community Clinic. The free event will begin with a plaque unveiling at the mural, and at 6 p.m. will segue into an outdoor screening of “Paul Blart: Mall Cop” with popcorn, cookies, and a hot cocoa station.
Rae Jefferson is a creative, Netflix binger, and marketing professional, in that order. Originally from Houston, she stuck around Waco after graduating from Baylor University with a B.A. in Journalism, PR, & New Media and a minor in Film & Digital Media. Now she’s the Communications Director at Family Health Center, where she gets to spend each day serving Waco. When she’s not working, find her at home snuggled up with her dog-daughter, Charlie, watching “The Office” for the hundredth time.
The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email a[email protected]for more information.
By Sion Firew
As the holiday season approaches, it’s wonderful to recognize the joy within one’s own life through family, community and giving. It’s also the perfect time to share personal blessings with others who may be less fortunate. During this week, National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week, there are many opportunities to give back to the community and spread light to those who may not be looking forward to the holiday season. One opportunity that has changed the lives and filled the stomachs of many for the past 30 years is the Food For Families Food Drive on Nov. 22. This one-day food drive happens all over Central Texas and gives members of different counties and communities the chance to donate non-perishable food items to their local food pantries.
The Longhorn Council, Boy Scouts of America, H.E.B. Grocery Company and KWTX News 10 sponsor Food For Families annually the week before Thanksgiving, that way food pantries throughout Central Texas have plenty of food to offer the people during the holiday. In McLennan County, Caritas of Waco helps facilitate volunteer and donation services, making sure there are enough people on Nov. 22 to help collect the food items that were donated. The staff of Caritas also prepares their warehouse to receive a large influx of donations.
According to the KWTX website, the first Food For Families Food Drive in November 1990 collected 84,435 pounds of food. As this operation has grown over the past 30 years, Food For Families has become a collaborative effort bringing prominent organizations and businesses in Central Texas together. According to the KWTX website, in 2018 alone, 2,221,369 pounds of food were raised all over Central Texas. In McLennan county, 498,000 pounds of food were collected in 2016. This goes to show the power of community, caring and collaboration.
Buddy Edwards, the executive director of Caritas of Waco, talked about the importance of the food drive for his organization’s successful community engagement.
“Food For Families is really a critical aspect for operations of several food pantries here in our area,” Edwards said. “It helps us in terms of our direct assistance to people in need, [with] Waco having a very significant poverty rate, 25 to 30% of the Waco population living in poverty.”
He explained how the food drive has grown significantly since he started working at Caritas 10 years ago, and how this initiative allows his organization to reach members of his community personally. Edwards also emphasized the importance of teamwork in order to make this food drive grow throughout his time with Caritas. Through the efforts of the sponsors and other organizations, they have been able to spread awareness about not only Food For Families, but also the hunger and homelessness situation that Waco faces. While it’s important for the leaders of different counties and communities to support this event, it’s up to the members of these communities to donate, spread the word and volunteer.
This holiday season, share a blessing with the members of your community and take part in the Food For Families Food Drive on Nov. 22. While grocery shopping, you can purchase any number of non-perishable food items (canned meats, tuna, cereal, rice, peanut butter and more) and leave them at the doors with the volunteers. Help fight food insecurity by contributing to the food drive and filling the shelves of your local food pantry. When people come together for a common cause, lives can be changed for the better.
For more information, visit: https://www.kwtx.com/content/misc/Food-For-Families-448669003.html
Sion Firew is a communications intern at Prosper Waco. She is a Journalism and International Studies major at Baylor. She is the president of The East African Student Association and an Ambassador for the Baylor Journalism Department.
The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email [email protected] for more information.
Triple Win Apprenticeships build on authentic learning to create success for students and businesses
By Clay Springer
Following the wildly successful partnership between Rapoport Academy and Waco Pedal Tours, a new collaboration emerged to formalize the process of non-traditional apprenticeships and provide the space to reach more students. The Triple Win Apprenticeships pilot program is a collaboration and joint venture between Rapoport Academy Public School, Connally Career Tech High School, and Triple Win Apprenticeships. While earning a stipend, students from both schools are working through a rigorous 24-week internship on Thursday nights to gain hands-on experience in a variety of disciplines including entrepreneurship, fabrication, electronics, sales, and marketing. The internship is a hybrid program of both hands-on shop time and online training and professional learning to earn the OSHA 30 industry certificate for general fabrication, as well as Solidworks for CAD design and blueprinting, CAM programming for plasma CNC tables.
Several businesses and individuals approached the schools about partnering to bring their products and ideas to market including the latest project with Waco Axe Company to build a mobile axe throwing trailer. Triple Win has also partnered with HomeHarvest, an agrotech startup company that recently won the first place $5,000 prize in Extraco Banks Big Idea Challenge. HomeHarvest’s signature product, the GreenPod – a modular, hydroponic growing environment, will move from paper designs to market with the help of Triple Win students.
Two pieces of legislation, Texas House Bill 5 in 2013 and House Bill 3 in 2019, have fundamentally changed the funding and accountability models for Texas students and provided new avenues for our next workforce to move quickly and efficiently through training into career. Under the new state accountability rating system, the state assigns a letter grade to each district. The standardized testing scores are considered at the same rate as student completion of industry-based certificates making them workforce ready. Industry-based certificates include professional certificates like welding CWS 1.1-6, Entrepreneurship and Small Business, Solidworks CAD Associate, Drone Pilot Part107, Adobe Products Associate, OSHA30 construction and many more. The district can also earn up to $7,000 per student for students that become College, Career, and Military ready, or CCMR ready, as an Outcomes Bonus from the state in the following fiscal year.
School districts are quickly seeking highly-qualified instructors needed to meet the qualifications required for students to meet the CCMR requirements for accountability grade and funding bonus. This means retraining current teachers and enabling paid time off for teachers to obtain the clinical hours required for licensure through externships.
What is Triple Win?
Triple Win is a startup company owned and operated by teachers and students together. The modern workforce demands a multidisciplinary learner that has deeply experienced the process of learning. No longer will a classroom full of students following a set of instructions to make the same product prepare our workforce for unknown problems with unknown solutions. Students, educators, and employers together need real experiences, real dollars, real successes and real failures to form a team dedicated to learning together and becoming confident problem-solvers. When students work with local businesses to authenticate classroom learning and receive mentorship, high-wage and in-demand careers become an attainable endgame. Triple Win serves as the bridge from education to workforce through training, consulting, and fiscal agency by leveraging local, state, and federal funds earmarked for workforce development.
Triple Win apprentices show up early, stay late, thrive on hard work and ambiguity, and believe that learning how to learn is a lifelong investment. Triple Win is a noun and a verb; it’s a concept, but more than that, it is students, education, and business sticking their hand in the middle of the team huddle and saying, “together we can achieve more.”
Triple Win evolved from a group of high school students and their teacher while working with a local start up business, Waco Pedal Tours. The team of four students and a teacher were asked to build a new pedal bike from scratch after the company’s bike had failed leaving the business stranded and its owner’s emotionally drained. WPT hired the team from Rapoport Academy Public School as W-4 employees, provided workers’ insurance, an hourly wage to students during class and even rented a shop for the team. After six grueling months of design, fabrication, and testing, the team had produced its first prototype ready for customers. The new bike was bigger, more powerful, and full of custom touches like laser engraved Waco themed pieces, LED lights, air-ride suspension, and many more technical attributes. The owners could not have been more excited; they considered the new bike a masterpiece. Since that time the company has thrived. The new bike project was a major win and has been featured in local and statewide media coverage as a cutting-edge workforce development program. The Waco Pedal Tours owners and students realized, even with the wild success of the product, the process of authentic learning experienced by everyone involved outweighed the success of the new bike. The teacher moved from in front of the class to working alongside students, addressing individual student learning needs and passions. Together, a local startup, students, and a teacher formed a three way mutually beneficial partnership – they formed a Triple Win. Triple Win Apprenticeships formalizes the concept discovered during the pedal bike build into a consulting agency that school districts can partner with to reach more students.
We cannot expect public educators to train for pedagogical expertise and yet still be experts in the trade careers, neither will be executed well for our next generation. Triple Win was formed by students, teachers, and business owners who recognize that the weight can be taken off the shoulders of teachers and administration by working together for workforce training.
Triple Win has four community directives:
- Modern workforce development through non-traditional apprentice programming ( Often this programming will happen outside of regular work hours to allow students to earn wages and finish school. Triple Win’s current joint venture takes place on Thursday nights ).
- Act as a fiscal agent for student start-up businesses.
- Act as a consultant to bridge the communication and skills gap between K12, higher education, and employers by developing and employing highly trained instructors that have extensive knowledge of both industry and education while also holding industry certificates.
- Let teachers be teachers.
Triple Win Apprenticeship programs are offered at no cost to each school district beyond the extra funds the school district receives from placing students in the CTE course. A Triple Win instructor is placed on faculty at each partnering district as an adjunct instructor and paid a stipend. Local school districts are thrilled about a program that pays for itself and fulfills the new requirements for state accountability and funding bonuses from workforce ready students. School districts will not be the constraint of scaling the Triple Win model.
Triple Win will continue to cultivate partner businesses to ensure lasting pipelines to career, and publicly celebrate every complete project. Partner business are expected to contribute financially to each student’s experience through providing training, materials, and work space. To scale, Triple Win must prove concept through strategic publicity and well directed marketing strategies to increase awareness.
The program sells itself to educational entities and business, but Triple Win must work closely with families to gain trust and respect to support a clear bridge to career for each student. To better market the program to new families, Triple Win will ensure that appropriate wrap-around services are provided to apprentices for a successful launch into a career.
Clay Springer currently serves as STEAM and Career and Technical Education Director for Rapoport Academy Public School. Clay started his educational career at Rapoport Academy in 2010 as a teaching assistant for Quinn Middle school before becoming a classroom teacher and advocate for STEM and Authentic education. Clay and his wife, Joi, welcomed their first child, Shepherd, on Thanksgiving day 2018. They enjoy spending time on the Brazos River on old boats that Clay boldly claims someday will be as good as new.
The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email a[email protected]for more information.
*Identifying information has been changed due to confidentiality.
In January 2019 I, Amanda, went with my close friends to a Children’s Pastor’s Conference in Florida. The conference was very inspiring and informative. Curiously, every speaker mentioned foster care or adoption in relation to how to minister to our families and children. They talked about how families have changed so much and the need for people to come alongside and support and encourage these families and children.
My husband and I had pursued foster care in the past but had such negative experiences with the process and frustrations with their requirements that we really weren’t interested. But the desire to help children in need wouldn’t go away… so much so that I asked my husband what he thought about it. Unbelievably, he agreed to do the online interest meeting, and he wasn’t completely turned away.
In January of 2019, I had a dream about a young boy. This young boy was running up to my car as I was driving out of the grocery store parking lot. The boy was yelling, “Please take me home with you. Are you taking me home? Please don’t leave me here.” I woke up undone! In tears, crying my eyes out. Although the boy in the dream resembled my own son Matt, I had never seen a child of my own cry with such desperation! From that point on, I felt convinced that for some reason God had us on this path. I wasn’t sure if the dream was just to awaken my senses to a deep need in our community, or for me to be a part of the foster care system, or if indeed I had a son that was waiting for me to take him home.
After many conversations with my husband, we began the process to become a licensed foster/ adoptive family. We continued with the classes but frequently thought about dropping out of the process. We second guessed our decision at least twice a week. It was weird and awkward talking to friends and family about what we were planning on doing because I’m 60 and Mark is 62 and it’s like … Abraham and Sarah … we’re a bit old to start parenting again. And yet … the effects of the dream would not go away.
We finished all our classes, paperwork, inspections, and then home-study in May and we were simply waiting for them to finalize the paperwork for licensing. We told them we weren’t in any hurry because we weren’t going to take a placement before our vacation in June. We had by this time decided that we were just willing to do respite. The stories our friends were telling us regarding their placements, and the trouble the kids were, and just all the stuff … we simply had too much going on in our lives to deal with it for more than a week. But we could certainly help someone else out and give them a break. Babysitting without all the commitment.
On a Sunday in June 2019, I got the call asking if I would do respite for an 11-year-old boy who was coming from a failed adoption placement. From here, we took our first [and only] foster respite placement. Jay was a neat kid from the beginning. Eager for life and connection. After a being with us a few days, I asked if he could come with us to a preteen camp. By the end of the first week, I told the case workers that Jay really needed to stay put for a while. We were the 7th place he had stayed in 2.5 years. [only three actual placements, but 7 different stays, 7 different adults, 7 different rules and situations, 7 different everything]. Praise God Arrow’s case managers were thinking the same thing and worked overtime to get us officially licensed so that Jay could stay with us as his new foster placement.
Since the time Jay had been placed in foster care going to school was challenging. Obviously, he was frustrated with being separated from his brothers, and then moving to a new place, not knowing what was going to happen and being forced to behave socially when he was unsure of what was going to happen to him.
Jay began dropping hints that he wanted us to adopt him. But my husband wasn’t truly convinced we should adopt. Our age, my parents living with us, Jay’s energy and anger issues. How would we be able to handle all of this? And what would happen when he was older and stronger?
One day we got an email stating they were presenting Jay’s case to 3 families who were interested in him, and that IF we were interested in adopting Jay, we would need to let them know right away.
Suddenly, we were faced with a dilemma. We didn’t feel ready to adopt but we were already attached to Jay and unwilling to let him go. Plus, the dream kept compelling us. So, we said yes; we wanted to adopt him! We began the adoption process. We worked hard to complete the process quickly because we wanted to complete the adoption before the holidays.
During this time, we began discussing his name. Naturally we wanted him to have our last name. And because of the dream we wanted him to know that God saw him and heard him and so God spoke to me in a dream revealing to us his new middle name, Derek. But we also wanted to change his first name from Jay, which was associated with so much pain and suffering, to a character he had begun to admire who was bold and courageous. *Adoptive Name*. We prayed and we asked our friends to pray that he would be receptive to the change.
We had planned to wait to tell Jay until we had a court date so that he wouldn’t be so anxious. But in September, we received the papers from the lawyer and included was a statement Jay had to sign in front of a notary public stating he wanted to be adopted and he approved of the name change.
So, on that day, [8 months from the morning of the dream] we formally asked Jay if he would like for us to adopt him. We took him out to IHop for breakfast, and after ordering our food we asked.
Mark, “We would like to adopt you. Would you like that?”
Jay, “Yes! Yes!”
Amanda, “Jay, back in January I had a dream about a little boy who came running up to my car and beating on the windows begged ‘Please don’t leave me here! Please take me home!’”
Then I handed him a card which read:
Would you be our son?
*Adoptive Name*
We love you Mom and Dad.
Jay looked up at us with wonder in his eyes and said, “Is this my new name?” We nodded. “I love it! My name is going to be *Adoptive Name*, like the man in the Bible. You’re really going to adopt me?” “Yes!” “I’m going to be your son!”
Our family has been blessed through the process of adoption. This was a journey our family could have never fully prepared for. We are thankful for the people who helped us through this process. Jay, you are loved, you are worthy, and we are blessed by you joining our family.
A note about Arrow Ministries from Ashley Seidl:
Arrow Child and Family Ministries is a foster agency whose goal is to help kids and strengthen families. Arrow serves and impacts over 4,000 children, teens and families each year. We were founded in 1992 by a former foster youth who believe that Christian foster care was the answer to the ever-growing crisis of foster care.
One of our beloved families has been so kind to share their story with you! This was written by a foster mom who will be becoming an adoptive mom on November 22nd, National Adoption Day. Their lives have been forever changed through the foster and adoption process. She and her husband have been a blessing to Arrow Child and Family Ministries. If you are interested in becoming a foster/ adoptive family, or would like to receive more information on how to serve these families in the area, please reach out to me, Ashley Seidl at [email protected] or call (254) 752-2100.
By Jessica Attas
Fall is here and what is MORE exciting than even pumpkin spice?! Policy!
For that reason, the Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce is excited to announce our fall State of Series! This four-part series is aimed at educating and engaging folks in the important policy discussions at the local, state, and federal levels, with a special event focused on one of the Chamber’s top priorities: a strong workforce and education pipeline.
The series kicks off with State of the City and County with Mayor Deaver and Judge Felton, Wednesday, November 13at 11:30 a.m. at Ridgewood Country Club. As if Judge Felton’s humor isn’t reason enough to attend, Mayor Deaver is not running for reelection, so this is a wonderful chance to come thank him for his faithful service and hear about the last year’s accomplishments in his tenure.
The State of Public Education is next in the lineup (registration closes Nov. 11), and will be a breakfast event on Wednesday, November 20 starting at 8:30 a.m. at the Baylor Club. This exciting event, brought to you in collaboration with our area P20 Council, will provide updates from Midway ISD and Waco ISD Superintendents Drs. Kazanas and Kincannon, followed by a keynote by Commissioner Mike Morath. The 86th Legislative Session saw the passing of House Bill 3 and an additional $11.3 billion for public education! Commissioner Morath will walk through the many strategic goals afforded by this bill and we’ll have the chance to hear from two of our area superintendents on how their districts will utilize these funds. Doors will open at 8 a.m. and attendees will have the chance to visit with area students and educators, as multiple school districts – and the Waco Chamber’s own LEAD Mentorship Program – will be in our School Spotlight booths around the periphery of the room. Schools will showcase the unique ways they are educating our youth and preparing them for post-secondary success: career & technical education, apprenticeships, mentoring, teacher externships, and more! This year we are also very excited to welcome other organizations from around the state who will have booths with research information about their work and how you can get involved. From Raise Your Hand Texas to the Coalition for Apprenticeship Partners in Economic Development to the Texas Education Grantmakers Advocacy Consortium and more, you won’t want to miss the chance to learn about the great work being done across the state to strengthen our education systems and how you can engage!
State of the Nation follows on Monday, December 2 at 11:30 a.m. at the Baylor Club. While U.S. Congressman Bill Flores has announced he is retiring, he will continue to vote for our district for the next sixteen months! This is a great chance to share our priorities for these remaining months, and hear his thoughts and observations on federal policy in 2019 and what lies ahead. Additionally, we are thrilled to welcome famed economist Dr. Ray Perryman to join this conversation and share his perspectives on economic trends and forecasting as we go into 2020. Perryman was recently recognized at the International Economic Development Council conference with the Chairman’s Lifetime Achievement award. Our Chamber is excited to welcome such a distinguished speaker and guest!
The series will conclude with State of the State on December 12 at 11:30 a.m. Baylor Club. At present, we have three fantastic panelists confirmed: Representative Kyle Kacal; State Demographer Lloyd Potter; and Texas Workforce Commissioner Julian Alvarez. We’ll have a great discussion about demographic and workforce trends in the state and how the state is responding with policy to meet our opportunities and challenges. A legislative panel will follow with our elected state officials who join us!
These are ticketed events, open to the public and registration is closing soon! We hope you will join us and come to learn more about the opportunities and challenges for our community, state and nation, and how you can be a part of influencing policy for good!
Visit us online at wacochamber.com/state-of-events/ for more details, ticket prices and registration.
Jessica Attas is the vice-president of public policy for the Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce. She works with key state and federal elected and appointed officials to advocate on key issues of community and economic development. Attas loves thinking about solutions for big challenges, and when her schedule allows, enjoys serving as a professor in the Baylor Interdisciplinary Core Honors College. Attas has two sons and a pup who keep her busy during “down time.”