View this email in your browser

PASA’s Back in School

Dear PASA Friends,

After more than a year offering virtual and outdoor programming, I’m thrilled to announce that PASA’s AfterZone and Hub programs are back in school, along with students! We’re grateful to our many new and longstanding program partners that came together to ensure Providence youth could keep learning, exploring, and having fun in our programs throughout these difficult and scary 18 months. I also want to acknowledge the incredible work that our staff has been doing throughout the COVID-19 pandemic under stressful and constantly changing circumstances. It’s thanks to their hard work and commitment that we were able to keep showing up for young people and continue to do so as this pandemic wears on.

We’re excited to be back in the school buildings our AfterZone and Hub systems have called home for 17 years. Our staff feed off of the energy in the buildings and the enjoyment of being back with their “kids.”

Still, we know that this has been almost two years of compounding traumas for the nearly 2,000 young people we serve, and so much needs to be done to transform our systems into places of healing and growth for them. To start do just that, PASA has been working closely with the Center for Leadership and Educational Equity to examine our operations, as well as with our city-system partners at Every Hour Counts to align our social and emotional learning approach with anti-racist, equity-centered practices. Our long-term goal is to make sure that our year-round 6th-12th grade programmatic pipeline centers equitable learning practices, data collection, and program approaches in order to provide the best experiences and outcomes for our youth.

As we embark on a new year and a “new normal,” we are grateful to all of you for your support and dedication to Providence youth. Wishing you all a happy and healthy fall!

Sincerely,

Ann Durham, Executive Director

Program News

Peer Learning Community Spotlight

PASA kicked off its THIRD social and emotional learning (SEL) peer learning community last month with seven new members. Our SEL learning communities bring school-day educators and out-of-school time professionals together to explore best practices for supporting middle school student SEL growth. Each participant receives 12 hours of training and 10 hours of continuous coaching to support them in growing and applying their skills.

Being an educator is as challenging as it is rewarding, so our cohorts start by focusing on the educators and their self-care needs. To support this, we send each member a package filled with self-care supplies like scented candles, journals, meditation/mindfulness exercises, and a coloring book!

Over the past few sessions, we spent time looking at the interplay between SEL and equity and discussed ways that educators could intentionally work to increase young people’s experiences of equity through SEL practices. Next, we focused on emotional intelligence and the adolescent mindset as we considered the role that emotions play in the learning environment. We’re really excited about another year exploring these topics with our City’s incredible education community.

Camila Guillama Capella, Expanded Learning Coordinator: Camila is supporting All Course Network partners and programs. Camila moved to Providence in 2015 to attend Brown University and graduated in 2019 with a degree in Comparative Literature with a focus on Translation. Before joining PASA, she worked in the behavioral health field and at several private schools on the East Side. Camila was born and raised in Puerto Rico and has a special interest in contributing towards a more equitable future for the Latina community in Rhode Island.

Julissa Rivera, Business Operations Manager: Julissa supports PASA’s financial and building operations. Prior to PASA, Julissa worked as the Education Director for Enrichment Programs at the Center for Dynamic Learning in Providence. She is currently in her senior year at Rhode Island College pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in youth development with a minor in psychology. She plans to attend graduate school to achieve her master’s in education/psychology.

Jenneh Shariff, Hub Coordinator at Hope High School: A Providence native, Jenneh received her Bachelor’s in English at Rhode Island College. She has a background in the mental health sector and working with various youth organizations. Jenneh is currently getting her Master’s in Criminal Justice with a concentration in Advanced Counterterrorism and Homeland Security at Southern New Hampshire University.

Austin Pine, AfterZone Coordinator at Roger Williams Middle School in partnership with the Boys and Girls Club of Providence: Austin grew up in Burlington, Vermont and attended McGill University, where he received a BA in Psychology and English. After graduation, Austin moved back to Burlington where he served two AmeriCorps terms with a youth mentoring program called DREAM and, more recently, worked as a behavior interventionist at a therapeutic day school. Through his work in youth development, Austin strives to empower young people to realize their potential and build success in their lives.

We’re Hiring!

Check out the full-time, part-time, and AmeriCorps service positions available on our website!