http://www.openmeadow.org/open en Open Meadow Copyright 1971 - 2013 Open Meadow 2013-04-17T17:52:23+00:00 http://www.openmeadow.org/open/meadow/blog_post/open_meadow_students/ http://www.openmeadow.org/open/meadow/blog_post/open_meadow_students/#When:16:52:23Z UPS Swan Island employees received a resounding THANK YOU from Open Meadow students this morning for the record-setting $132,000 they contributed to this year’s United Way campaign. United Way supported Open Meadow’s equity initiative which has made extraordinary progress towards eliminating the racial academic achievement gap at Open Meadow. UPS has supported United Way projects with a whopping $1 billion plus in contributions over the last 20 years. Open Meadow Blog Headlines 2013-04-17T16:52:23+00:00 http://www.openmeadow.org/open/meadow/blog_post/youth_pass_continues/ http://www.openmeadow.org/open/meadow/blog_post/youth_pass_continues/#When:23:31:24Z Open Meadow is very pleased that the City, TriMet, and PPS came together to support Youth Pass. Serving 85% low income youth this makes a big deal in bridging barriers for our students in getting to school. For full details, check out The Oregonian article earlier this week. Open Meadow Blog Headlines 2013-04-03T23:31:24+00:00 http://www.openmeadow.org/open/meadow/blog_post/supporting_portlands_homeless_youth_yesterday_today/ http://www.openmeadow.org/open/meadow/blog_post/supporting_portlands_homeless_youth_yesterday_today/#When:21:32:00Z Open Meadow has been part of the greater Portland community for more than 40 years, but today the work we do feels more important than ever! Last year, Oregon’s population of students experiencing homelessness reached its peak and, according to the Oregon Department of Education, more than 3,500 students in Portland area school districts alone are counted as “homeless.”  As stated in The Oregonian, this staggering number of youth in unstable housing includes those living in cars, in shelters, on their own, or with relatives, while also pursuing an education.  Under these stressful circumstances, students must overcome barriers in a pursuit for academic and personal success.  In the public education system especially, homeless youth can struggle to find support, make connections, and engage in school. Open Meadow has sought to serve and support all students, including those experiencing homelessness, since it was founded as a drop-in center for high-risk youth in 1971.  Originally established in a downtown storefront, Open Meadow Learning Center fostered a community for Portland’s street youth.  While the student population and Open Meadow’s programs have since evolved, today our mission and motives remain the same.  In fact, Open Meadow still serves an impressive number of youth living in homelessness.  In the 2011-2012 school year, 19% of our middle school students and 16% of our high school students qualified as “homeless,” in contrast to the 3% of students in Portland Public Schools.   At Open Meadow, our community provides the stability and support necessary for students to find post-secondary success.  The experience of homelessness is just one of many stories our students have to share, and unstable housing does not define the youth of Open Meadow.  Despite these barriers, Open Meadow students are consistently improving their math and literacy skills, earning credits toward graduation, and accessing post-secondary education and employment opportunities! Open Meadow Blog Headlines 2013-02-20T21:32:00+00:00 http://www.openmeadow.org/open/meadow/blog_post/reflections_from_unity_retreat/ http://www.openmeadow.org/open/meadow/blog_post/reflections_from_unity_retreat/#When:17:41:58Z I truly believe Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. would have been rolling over in his grave this past weekend with a huge smile on his face as he watched our Open Meadow community come together across race and difference to realize his dream.  This weekend 30 students and staff—a talented, beautiful mix of brown, black, and white—from across Open Meadow programs joined together at Camp Collins to honor Dr. King’s legacy.  We continued his work by facing the racial divide in this country and in our classrooms head on and worked to create a better vision for how we can connect with one another, make space for multiple perspectives, and interrupt the racism we witness in our everyday lives.  It truly took my breath away to see how our staff and students take care of one another, truly listen and hear one another, and help feed a sense of worth in one another.  As we closed our retreat, one Southeast Asian student who has struggled to feel anything but shame in who he is turned to an Asian staff member he spent time with all weekend and said, “for the first time in my life I think I feel just a little bit of pride in being who I am.”  Thank you Open Meadow for reminding me of why I love working here and how proud I am in what we do everyday with our students. Kate Woicke, Step Up Interim Director Open Meadow Blog Headlines 2013-01-23T17:41:58+00:00 http://www.openmeadow.org/open/meadow/blog_post/thank_you_bank_of_america/ http://www.openmeadow.org/open/meadow/blog_post/thank_you_bank_of_america/#When:00:06:55Z Open Meadow appreciates the generous support from Bank of America over the last decade. This year they sponsored and provided an amazing group of volunteers for Open Meadow Middle School’s annual Thanksgiving meal, and presented us with an additional $15,000 check to support our Transition program. With partners like Bank of America, Open Meadow students feel honored and celebrated. What a special day! Thank you, Bank of America, for all that you do for our community. Open Meadow Blog Headlines 2012-11-21T00:06:55+00:00 http://www.openmeadow.org/open/meadow/blog_post/have_you_heard..._open_meadow_is_one_of_the_best_nonprofits_to_work_for_in_/ http://www.openmeadow.org/open/meadow/blog_post/have_you_heard..._open_meadow_is_one_of_the_best_nonprofits_to_work_for_in_/#When:20:02:38Z We are pleased to announce that Oregon Business magazine recently named Open Meadow as one of the 100 Best Nonprofits to Work for in Oregon. Thanks to our amazing staff and leadership team for fostering an outstanding workplace! Open Meadow Blog Headlines 2012-08-30T20:02:38+00:00 http://www.openmeadow.org/open/meadow/blog_post/wrapping_arms_around_students_who_have_left_school/ http://www.openmeadow.org/open/meadow/blog_post/wrapping_arms_around_students_who_have_left_school/#When:19:06:21Z The PPS Reconnect to Your Future campaign this fall expands on the effort that the Education Options team launched last year to reach out to students who have left school, invite them to return and help them connect with the right school setting. This year we are inviting you and your staff or community partners to consider joining us Saturday, Sept. 15, from 9:30 am to 1 pm as we knock on the doors of students who have left school and invite them back. This is not a punitive visit. This is us owning all of our kids. To register as a volunteer no later than Sept. 12, go to: http://ppsreconnect.eventbrite.com Again, the event is Saturday, Sept. 15, from 9:30 am to 1 pm. Volunteers will meet up and form teams at one of several high schools identified in the Event Bright (link above). Please share this opportunity with your staff, parent leaders and community partners. Thank you for all of your many efforts to keep all of our students on track to graduate and welcome to the new school year. Carla Gay and Jocelyn Bigay PPS Reconnections Center 503-916-3956 reconnect@pps.net Open Meadow Blog Headlines 2012-08-24T19:06:21+00:00 http://www.openmeadow.org/open/meadow/blog_post/help_open_meadow_with_the_click_of_a_button/ http://www.openmeadow.org/open/meadow/blog_post/help_open_meadow_with_the_click_of_a_button/#When:15:53:34Z Did you know there’s an easy way to raise money for Open Meadow? Just start using Yahoo! powered GoodSearch.com as your search engine and they’ll donate about a penny to us every time you do a search! Like to shop? Do all of your shopping through their online shopping mall, GoodShop.com, where you can shop at more than 2,600 top online retailers. You pay the same price as you normally would, but a donation goes to Open Meadow. You can also enroll in the GoodDining program. Eat at over 10,000 participating restaurants nationwide and you can earn up to 6% of every dollar spent on the meal as a donation to us. Here’s the web site — http://www.goodsearch.com/. You can also read about GoodSearch in the NY Times, Oprah Magazine, CNN, ABC News and the Wall Street Journal. Thanks for your support! Open Meadow Blog Headlines 2012-08-13T15:53:34+00:00 http://www.openmeadow.org/open/meadow/blog_post/in_her_own_words_-_a_student_perspective/ http://www.openmeadow.org/open/meadow/blog_post/in_her_own_words_-_a_student_perspective/#When:22:20:25Z Dear Andrew, As a late blooming Open Meadow Career Services student, I wanted to take a moment to share my personal feelings about your career services staff. I have been a goat in the OM family for just over 2 years. During that time I have had several pivotal moments in almost every aspect of my life, with focuses on my personal and academic life. I learned many lessons during that time I can’t even begin to cite them all. What I can tell you is that while I was learning those sometimes difficult life lessons, I did so with the certainty that I had the tools, the confidence, and the support I needed to get me through the rough patches. Two years into this relationship and I can tell you I never thought I would be where I am now. I have (with much caring guidance and advising) made the decision to join Job Corps as a way to help me continue propelling forward. I am proud and excited for this new step in my life. However, I think it must be noted that I would not be here without the never ending support of the entire Career Services staff. Not only do my advisors “show up” for me on a constant basis, but they do so in ways that I learn something after every meeting, they ask about important people in my life, they challenge me to think different and explore all options, not just the ones I feel comfortable with. What I think is special about the Career Services staff, is that they all *really* care. Not just the ones assigned to you, but all of them. I have to say that I think the hiring committee has been absolutely brilliant with it’s hires. There is not one person who works at 7633 N Wabash that I wouldn’t feel comfortable talking to about my life. I have so much trust and love for the Open Meadow community that I scarcely stop talking about the how much the programs and people I’ve been evolved in have meant to me. So Andrew, I guess the purpose of this is to thank you for taking the time to cultivate this program and for having an amazing staff that has not only made a difference in my life, but the difference in countless other students and community members lives. I think sometimes all we need is someone else to believe in us and tell us, without a doubt that we can accomplish our goals. I now carry confidence they had in me this all this time. Thank you. Michelle A. Klees Open Meadow Blog Headlines 2012-07-02T22:20:25+00:00 http://www.openmeadow.org/open/meadow/blog_post/next_generation_leader/ http://www.openmeadow.org/open/meadow/blog_post/next_generation_leader/#When:09:00:36Z Open Meadow High School student Audrianna Rodriguez addressed the City Club of Portland’s Friday Forum last week. Held at PSU as part of the Portland Action Summit: Leadership for the Next Generation, Audrianna joined a panel of youth leaders in discussing her experiences with civic engagement.  During her speech, Audrianna spoke passionately about her involvement with the Oregon Community Foundation’s Community 101 , a leadership class that teaches young people about grantmaking. Through the generosity of the Northwest Health Foundation, Audrianna and several other OMHS students had the opportunity to grant $5,000 to local nonprofits that are working to serve women and children affected by domestic violence. Throughout the class, she sought out ways to take on leadership roles and presented a two hour workshop to her peers on the subject. In choosing the issue to fund, Audrianna and the rest of her class did hands on research by volunteering in multiple local organizations to understand directly how their contributions would impact those served. Audrianna is looking forward to finding more ways to give back to her community. We are so proud of her and know that our community will benefit from her leadership. Way to go Audrianna! Open Meadow Blog Headlines 2012-06-04T09:00:36+00:00