It has been a busy start to fall at the Neighborhood House Connect Program, and we wouldn’t have it any other way!
To kick off being back in person, the Connect Program hosted “Beaver Week,” building off of the Indigenous-led Eena (Beaver) Festival on September 25. Thanks to a small grant from STEM Beyond Education, kids spent the week learning more about beavers and were able to construct their very own dams.
Connect also cultivated some small green thumbs, as students were given plants of their own from Sparrowhawk Native Plants. Sparrowhawk held a sale in early October, which helped raise $3,750 for the Connect Program. In the final weeks of the Fall term, Connect students will plant the plants with help from various community partners.
Just a few weeks ago, librarians from Multnomah County Libraries donated animal art kits that Connect students painted. They learned about ecosystems and where their newly painted animals would live.
Connect is an afterschool program for struggling students grades 2-4 who need additional academic and emotional support. Not only does the program focus on increasing math and literacy skills, but also provides fun, creative projects for students. Activities like Beaver Week, growing native plants, and creating their own animals allow students to learn in engaging, hands-on ways. This is especially helpful for these children, many of whom are reluctant students who have difficulty focusing at school.
The Connect school year is just getting started, and we can’t wait to see what incredible projects our talented students will take on next.
