This years Parent University (PU) was another major success! Despite the cold, rainy night, we had over 180 parents and 180 students show up for a night of education and fun. Again the largest evening event held on the School campus. Launch Pad joined forces with Celebration Church who provided 32 student interns to help with promoting and volunteering at the event. The Celebration interns were a key part of the night’s success and fun. THANK YOU Celebration Church!
We used dance and drama to entertain the 180 students. While students were engaging in fun filled team building activites, parents were gathered in the school theater learning from a variety of special speakers such as Rolando Fernandez, an assistant to the City Manager of Austin who brought a powerful testimony of overcoming obstacles and poverty to achieve lasting success through education and perseverance. We also had the Austin Police Department provide insights to key areas such as domestic abuse and school truency issues. The goals of Parent University were achieved by educating parents about the critical importance of engaging in thier student’s education while at the same time engaging the students in fun filled games teaching them the importance of team building!
Back by popular demand, “Parent University”. We will launch Parent University this year at Dobie Middle school twice this school year. The first event will be held on Thursday, December 3rd (Date has been moved up to Tuesday, December 1st) from 6 to 9 pm. Last spring we held a pilot launch and our event drew over 180 parents and almost 200 students to the school campus! This year, we look forward to another successful event.
The 2009 fall semester After-School Program blasted-off with a roar this new school year! Last school year, on our first day we had 12-15 students attend our program, as the school year progressed our program grew to a consistent 30-35 students per class. This year on day one we had 40 students and maintaining every class since then!
The school Principal moved us into the school cafeteria due to our tremendous growth.
Maximizing this new space, we are able to bring innovative media and sound to keep the students engaged and interested. The venue also has allowed us to utilize team building games at the beginning of our classes to allow the middle schooler’s to burn off some energy!
The most exciting part of this new school year is the launch of our new curriculum, RESH180. This curriculum is written by my good friend and team Chaplain for the Oakland Raiders. The NFL Oakland Raiders use this program for all their incoming rookies and it’s also been used throughout the country to train youth with necessary life skills.
Through this program our at-risk students, grades 6th thru 8th are taught how to plan their dreams (set goals), know where they are going (direction for their life) understand self (purpose and destiny) renew their thinking (mindset and behavior) and so much more! RESH180 will set the important foundation for our core values curriculum later on in the school year.
Austin Heroes vs. Dobie Heroes
This years’ Dobie Middle School, end of the school- year soccer game, included the Austin Fire Dept. along with the Austin Police Dept, fittingly called the Austin Heroes. The annual soccer event was for those students in the LauchPad after-school program, who improve on school attendance, grades and behavior. LP students looked foward to being a part of this special end –of- school event.
Austin Fire Lieutenant Jose Cortina participated in the opening ceremonies, first goalie – kick to start the games. Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo joined his staff (fellow officers) and was a strong competitor on the indoor court. Over thirty LaunchPad (LP) students participated in the soccer game while another eighty students cheered them on! The combination of Police and Fire Fighters against the LP students was fierce and fun. The LaunchPad team took an early 5 to 1 lead over the Austin Heroes during the game but eventually fell two-points short when the clock finally ran out.
Parent’s were also a part of the event and joined the students and Austin Heroes for lunch. Once lunch was over the students and Austin Heroes teamed-up to participate in a variety of team-building exercises to compete against other teams. The top three teams won soccer balls and footballs signed by Chief Acevedo.
The LP Soccer Game is an annual school event that serves multiple purposes. We allow the students to interact and connect with Police and Fire Fighters. Given the area where Dobie Middle school is located the Austin Police Index places it, as the top zip-code area for a plethora of crimes. This event provides a vehicle for these students to see Police and Fire Fighters in a different more positive light, where they can learn trust and build-bridges to these community protectors.
Location: Dobie Middle School
In the spring of 2009, LaunchPad held the first “Parent University” a school wide event on the campus of Dobie Middle school in Austin. The event took place the first week back from Spring Break, to get the students reengaged to finish the school year strong.
Parent University brought parents and students together for a fun and educational night. Students were invited to attend and bring a parent or care taker with them to the event.
The night was filled with food and fun for everyone. LP and Dobie experienced a record breaking attendance of over 200 students and over 184 parents! Testimonials from the educators at Dobie noted ” in over the last 10 years the average PTA attendance at most was maybe 20 parents, Parent University was a huge success”.
After the families were fed, the students were escorted to the school gym to participate in fun filled team building actitivies and a large inflatable obstacle course competition. Parents had an opportunity to hear from the Austin Police Department Gang Unit and various social and community organizations talk on specific helpful topics and provide key information to support parents and families. Austin Safe Place, the Austin Smile Center among others also participated in the parent education night. Just as important the Dobie Dropout Prevention Specialist, Ms. Maria Hernandez and the Dobie Parent teacher coordinator Mrs. Quintana talked about the importance of the kids coming to school. The reinforcement on the importance of parents encouraging their children to stay focused on their education and understanding that education is a ‘family affair’ was strongly communicated.
At the end of the event,a drawing was held and 5 bicycles, 2 MP3 players and 1 Dell lap top was given away.
Launch Pad would like to personally thank our amazing LP volunteers for the sweat equity in helping us pull this even together, the leadership of Dobie Middle School for their generous donation of all the food, the Austin African American Fire Fighters Association for donating the Dell Lap Top and other partners for their gift donations such as Austin Smile Center, Celebration Church and Redeemed Trucking.
Parent University was a huge success for LP and the students and families at Dobie Middle School!
