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May 2011 E-Newsletter

15 Years Advancing Children

Executive Director’s Corner


Did you know that early childhood investments have long-term benefits for state and national economies?

As we continue with the series we started in our March e-newsletter on the Pew Center on the States’ Partnership for America’s Economic Success, this month we highlight an issue brief that summarizes the data from two separate papers. These authors examined simulation models to determine the economic impact of early childhood investments on job growth and gross domestic product (GDP). 

The authors found that early childhood investments lead to an increased value of human capital, improved health, increased GDP, and increased tax revenues, all of which contribute to back to a stronger GDP. The brief, “Long-Term Economic Benefits of Investing in Early Childhood Programs: Proven Programs Boost Economic Development and Benefit the Nation’s Fiscal Health,” shows one set of benefits from early childhood education—there are many others!—that encourages states not to miss out on these lasting paybacks. 

Avance-Dallas continues to promote early childhood efforts in the Dallas community, and we appreciate your support! 

Lisa Oglesby Rocha 
Executive Director 


Avance-Dallas Celebrates Its Quinceañera  




On Saturday, April 23, a crowd of around 3,000 parents and children came out to Reverchon Park to celebrate our 15th Anniversary (or Quinceañera) in what was truly an unforgettable event. 
 
Perhaps the highlight of the day was our Quinceañera Waltz. The dance featured 30 children, one boy and one girl from each year of our program, who waltzed to celebrate their educational accomplishments and dreams. And they all got their start at Avance-Dallas!

The symbol for the event was a rainbow, which represented the uniting of our six target geographic areas in Dallas as six colors joined together in a community effort to advance children. The families in attendance expressed an incredible spirit of gratitude and a vision for a stronger Dallas through advancing families. 

Special thanks goes to our presenting sponsor, JC Penney, for making this event possible. Thanks goes as well to the other sponsors for our Quinceañera: BeautiControl/WHO Foundation; 1270 AM; Univision 23 Dallas-Fort Worth; Carnival-Fiesta; and Therapy 2000. 

A number of other people made this event such a success. Claudia Torrescano from Univision Radio welcomed the sizable crowd, and Miguel Bedoy of Univision TV emceed the event. Dr. Edwin Flores, a Dallas ISD Board Trustee, and Ana Virginia Cardenas, from the Mexican Consulate, addressed parents and children. The Latin Clown Association put on an entertaining show, and our very own Pleasant Grove team performed the Zumba exhibit (see Avance-Dallas moms in green shirts below). During the event we also announced the Toy Competition winners (see next article), and the day culminated with a lively performance by the Sol de mi Tierra Mariachi group. 

Again, thanks to everyone for making this landmark moment in our history a beautiful commemoration of all that our families have accomplished in the past fifteen years! 




Annual Toy-Making Competition Celebrates Innovation 



Our annual Toy-Making Competition awarded our mothers’ creativity with community college scholarships for crafting stimulating toys for their children. The five winning moms were honored at our Quinceañera event on April 23, 2011.


1st Place Toy: “Play and Learning with My Family” 
by Celia at Gabe P. Allen Elementary School (West Dallas) 


2nd Place Toy: “Bowling with Animals” 
by Rosa at Leila P. Cowart Elementary School (Oak Cliff) 


3rd Place Toy: “Gabriel’s Educational Toy” 
by Maria at Leonides Gonzalez Cigarroa Elementary School (Bachman Lake) 


4th Place Toy: “Center of Artistic Expression” 
by Flavia at Gabe P. Allen Elementary School (West Dallas) 


5th Place Toy: “Karelly’s Rug” 
by San Juana at L. L. Hotchkiss Elementary School (North Dallas) 


Meet Daniela, Our Quinceañera Princess 



Daniela, who danced as our Quinceañera princess at the 15th Anniversary event (see above), attended our program with her mom fifteen years ago. Today, she’s a top-notch student with dreams of making a lasting difference in her community.

Daniela doesn’t just dream, though. She’s putting a tremendous amount of effort into making those visions a reality. Daniela is a high honor roll student; she received “commended” scores on her TAKS reading and math assessments; and she’s an accomplished athlete—she placed first in all her track events. She’s also an avid basketball player, calling the game “ruthless,” and her passion for the sport helped lead to her team winning the state championship for charter schools last year. 

While she’s currently going to William Preparatory Charter School (rated “exemplary” for 2009–2010), next year she hopes to attend Parish Day Episcopal School, where she has been accepted, but is waiting on a financial aid decision. 

Daniela attributes much of her success to her parents’ role in her life—a core message from the Avance-Dallas program. When she thinks of her parents, Rosa and Santiago, the words pride, courage, and sacrifice immediately come to mind. 

Her parents specifically helped Daniela grasp how much she could accomplish. She recalls, “I didn’t see what I had in me. They did. They pushed me to the next level in a good way.” At one challenging point her mom told her, “You can do more. Don’t just think about yourself or about us. Think of the pride that you’ll bring to your culture.” 

Now as Daniela plans for college (“maybe Rice University”), she has quite a vision for how she is going to make her mark on the world: “I want to make a difference in my culture. I want to be a leader in my Hispanic community.” Whatever she does, Daniela is sure to shine. 


Hillcrest Foundation Invests in Avance-Dallas’s Long-Term Impact 



As Avance-Dallas prepares to move our administrative headquarters in June to a new location in West Dallas, we want to recognize the Hillcrest Foundation, founded by Mrs. W. W. Caruth, Sr., for its $25,000 contribution to our 2011 Relocation Project. 

The Hillcrest Foundation was created by Mrs. W.W. Caruth, Sr. (Mrs. Earle Clark Caruth) in 1958 to provide financial support to qualified Texas charitable organizations for the advancement of education, the promotion of health, and the relief of poverty. Most grants are made to charitable organizations located in Dallas County and the surrounding area. 

Mrs. W.W. Caruth, Sr. was from a pioneer family who settled in the Dallas area in 1848. Several Caruth family generations owned and managed farms and ranches, which the family later developed into real estate properties as Dallas became a major metropolitan area. Each succeeding generation has been characterized by a pioneering spirit, vision, courage, hard work, and generosity. The Hillcrest Foundation was created to carry the Caruth family’s generosity to the people of Texas. 

The Hillcrest Foundation’s gift to Avance-Dallas specifically funds some of the renovation costs required to refit the new building for our agency’s purposes before we move this June. Thanks in large part to the Hillcrest Foundation, we will have a solid new location for our operational headquarters beginning this summer. 


Cristina’s Letter 




Cristina attends the Avance-Dallas program at the Annie Webb Blanton Elementary School site. When Cristina first came to Avance-Dallas, she says she “didn’t know what to do” with her two young children. Read her letter below:

Hello, my name is Cristina, and I am twenty-two years old. I have two children, a three-year-old boy named Miguel and a two-year-old girl named Nora. I’m also expecting a third baby on the way. 

When I started going to the Avance-Dallas program last September, I felt like I was not doing my part as a mother. My son was a very restless boy and rude to other children and would even beat the others. I didn’t know what to do! Now, five months later, my son is very different. Miguel is friendlier with other classmates and does not fight with them. The program is helping him a lot. 

When my daughter entered the program she was very shy with everyone and cried a lot. Now Nora has learned many things and is actually very intelligent. She’s also very talkative. She knows and loves the story about “Corduroy,” and I have even seen her reading to her teddy bears. 

Before Avance, Nora and Miguel looked at books but didn’t like anything. They would even rip up their books! But now both of them like to look at books and read them. I’m very glad that my two children are learning. They love attending class and get very happy whenever I take them. 

I am very happy with my children and with Avance-Dallas. Thank you very much for having a program as loving and perfect as Avance. Thank you all so much. I will be taking my new baby to this program! 

Cristina 


Partner Spotlight: Margaret and Leon Walker Fund of Communities Foundation of Texas 



In a show of confidence and support, the Margaret and Leon Walker Fund of Communities Foundation of Texas provided Avance-Dallas with a $1,500 contribution. Their gift helps us make the impact on children and parents that reaps lasting change in at-risk Dallas families. A special thank you to the Margaret and Leon Walker Fund for standing with us on behalf of our community’s most precious treasure, our children!