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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 2, 2015)
December 2, 2015 Page 5 Honored at the White House C ontinued from P age 2 Caldera was chosen from a pool of more than 285 nominations and 50 finalists from 50 states for im- proving literacy, language abili- ties, communication, performance skills, and cultural awareness. It is the first nonprofit in Oregon to re- ceive this prestigious award. “As I’ve said many times be- fore, arts education is not a lux- ury, it is a necessity,” said Mrs. Obama. “It’s how we get kids ex- cited about getting up and going to school in the morning. It’s how we get them to take ownership of their future. And that’s why these programs are so important.” Caldera mentors youth with seven years of continuous, year- round arts and environmental pro- gramming. Since its founding in 1996, the program has engaged approximately 1,900 young peo- ple—from both urban and rural areas—who come to the program with myriad strengths but limited opportunities. Caldera’s mentors and teaching artists help the youth find their own voices, self-confidence and creativity, while helping them de- velop problem-solving strategies, work skills, and ways to exercise their creativity in all aspects of their lives. As a result, Caldera youth transform their own lives and often have a positive effect on their families and broader com- munities. The powerful impact of the program is also evident in school success rates. In 2014, 100 per- cent of Caldera’s eighth graders transitioned successfully to ninth grade, and 90 percent of Caldera’s twelfth graders graduated from high school. “The chance to represent my peers in accepting this award from the First Lady of the United States in the White House was an experience I’ll never forget,” said Caldera student Alena Nore. “My experience with Caldera has been life-changing. It’s exciting to see that programs like this are recog- nized and valued, because I know there are many more young people who need the kind of mentoring I benefitted from.” In addition to the national rec- ognition bestowed by the pres- tigious award, Caldera will also receive $10,000 to support its pro- gramming and build the long-term sustainability of the organization. “This award inspires all of us at Caldera—youth, staff, board, vol- unteers, supporters—to reach for new heights in our work. We are in this work for the long term, and we are excited to learn about and from the awardees,” said Caldera Executive Director Tricia Snell, who accompanied Alena Nore to the White House. “We also hope that the award will shine a light on the amazing thing young peo- ple can achieve through the arts, through humanities, through car- ing adult mentoring, and through immersion in nature. Providing this to every child is an investment not only in those individual young people, but in our entire society.” Black United Fund College Fair The Black United Fund is en- couraging local students and parents to attend their free 2015 College Fair, hosted at Concordia University in northeast Portland, on Saturday, Dec. 5 from 9 a.m. to noon. Many of the colleges and uni- versities from Oregon and south- west Washington will be repre- sented, along with alumni from historically black colleges and universities. There will be infor- mation sessions for students inter- Students and parents can reg- ested in scholarships regardless of ister for the college fair online at their socioeconomic status. bit.ly/2015BUFCollegeFair or by A Scholarship Writing course visiting bufor.org. on how to create an award-win- ning essay will follow the college fair. This workshop will take place from 12:30 to 4 p.m. and only cost $10, which covers the cost of workshop materials and lunch. To register for the workshop, visit bit. ly/2015ScholarshipWritingWork- shop.