Santa Fe for Students
Santa Fe for Students' mission is to provide comprehensive support for low-income elementary school students and families of Santa Fe Public Schools and remove obstacles that often prevent them from reaching their full potential in the classroom.
At Salazar and Agua Fria Elementary Schools, 98% of students are under the poverty level and 8% are homeless. Santa Fe for Students mobilizes community resources and local partnerships to provide desperately needed services and educational support to these students. More than seventy volunteers from Santa Fe for Students work every day with children who come to school hungry, own no books and have little conversation with people at home. These children benefit from one-on-one relationships with caring adults who provide a safe learning environment. Nurses and family coordinators funded by Santa Fe for Students help alleviate issues that hold students back from academic achievement and help them achieve well-being. Programs supported by Santa Fe for Students include:
Literacy and Mentoring: Over seventy mentors regularly work with students individually or in groups, supporting the teachers and giving caring personal attention to help students become more literate and confident.
Book Distribution: Each child at the schools is given the opportunity to select a book of his or her own three times a year. Over thirty thousand books and dictionaries have been given to students in partnership with Reading is Fundamental.
Healthy Schools: The “Healthy Schools” program supports full-time nurses at both schools and access to primary medical and dental health care for students and their families through La Familia Medical Center. The program aims to decrease obesity and create a school-wide culture that supports health and well-being.
Parental and Family Support: Schools have Family Nights, offering parents classes in health education, positive parenting, Cooking With Kids, media literacy and more.
1997