Kandelia Updates
Summer School Recap
This summer Kandelia ran another successful Summer School program in partnership with Seattle World School and Seattle Parks and Recreation. This program prevents summer learning loss, provides opportunities to practice English, and helps students catch up in core classes. Students also had hands-on learning opportunities while exploring the Seattle region thanks to weekly field trips planned in collaboration with Seattle Parks and Recreation. Field trip destinations included the Ballard Locks, the Duwamish LongHouse, the Museum of Flight, the Northwest African American Museum, and Bainbridge Island. Students who attended 80% or more of classes earned .5 credit towards graduation, as well as a $500 stipend. Stipends help offset the opportunity cost of attending school instead of getting a summer job, and makes a huge difference in student engagement.
Summer School by the Numbers
- 127 students registered, 100 participated, 89 attended at least 80% of programs, receiving $500 and 0.5 elective credit for HS
- 32 students participated in after summer school programs (music and open gym)
- Kandelia supported 13 students to get their checks cashed at Umpqua bank
- Survey Results:
- Kandelia classes help me build new skills – 94%
- Offers classes I’m interested in – 92%
- I feel safe – 96%
- I am able to practice and improve my English – 100%
- I see staff members as trusted adults – 96%
- I can be myself in programs – 96%
Fall Programs
Strategic Planning and Kandelia’s Three Core Pillars
Over the past year, we’ve been working on strategic planning to ensure we’re using Kandelia’s resources to best meet immigrant and refugee community needs. Through many focus groups and listening sessions, we identified three areas of need that align with Kandelia’s strengths. Based on these findings, we are realigning our programs around three core pillars:
Language equity, including English language acquisition, home language support, and advocacy and capacity building to help schools and other systems better support English language learners.
Educational systems navigation, focused on supporting students and families to navigate school from middle and high school through the transition to post-secondary education.
Employment and career navigation, including job readiness training, career exploration, and systems navigation.
Youth Programs
Back to School Fair
On October 11th, Kandelia hosted a Back to School Fair where students and families could learn about local resources including our own youth programs, eat some free food, meet new and old friends, and get excited for the school year. We even had a photo booth! We’re so grateful to our community partners Bethany Presbyterian Church and Community Health Plan of Washington who made this event possible with their sponsorships! It was a great day to connect with students and build excitement around a new school year.
Student Success Coaching
This fall we are launching a mentorship program for students at Seattle World School. Kandelia has always excelled at providing a safe place for students to build connections with trusted adults. This mentorship program builds upon and formalizes this skillset to provide consistent support to students in need of extra intervention and support. Each Friday, students have the opportunity to drop in to spend time with members of our Youth Program staff, talk through any struggles they’re experiencing, and get support, advice, and connections to any resources they might need.
Newcomer Focused Job Readiness Training (JRT)
Kandelia is launching a Job Readiness Training series that is specifically tailored to newcomers, and to the needs of our current students. The JRT program includes 3-4 week long series covering different topics, during which students meet once a week. Our first series is called “Get Hired” and is focused on how to build a resume, how to find jobs, how to apply, and all the other hard skills needed to find employment. Our second series is called “Follow your Dreams” and will introduce students to potential career paths through classes, field trips, and guest speakers. This JRT program is built in collaboration with SWS to ensure we’re not duplicating the school’s work in this area.
Beginner’s English and Conversation Club
Kandelia’s English classes continue to be an important resource for students hoping to increase their English skills. We will be holding weekly Beginner’s English classes where students can build on their school day English learning. Additionally, we’re offering a Conversation Club, where students can practice English in fun, real world settings – like a trip to the grocery store to practice vocabulary about food and money.
Family Programs
Kandelia’s Family Programs run on the calendar year, which means we’ll begin enrolling new families into the program in the next few months. These classes continue to be well attended and are an important resource for the families and guardians of Seattle World School Students. Current classes include digital literacy, English for beginners, English conversation, social classes, as well as workshops and engagement events throughout the year to support self-sufficiency and foster community building.
Food Access
This October we resumed our weekly food bag program where we provide fresh fruits, vegetables, meats, pantry staples, and culturally relevant foods for our students and families, available to be picked up from SWS each Thursday. Ahead of school breaks, we also provide supplemental groceries, basic necessities, and gift cards to grocery stores. Additionally, our Community Resource Coordinator will work closely with families throughout the year to assess needs and connect them with community resources. Starting next summer, we plan to connect each family with a local food bank and other community resources they can access more conveniently within their own neighborhoods, many of which are outside the SWS area of Seattle.
3829B S Edmunds St Box 9
Seattle, WA 98118
info@kandelia.org
206-760-1573
Tax ID: 911122532
programs
Stories from our Community
Read about the folks in our community who have shared their stories and experiences with us.
Patrick's Story
From Kenya to Seattle: Patrick’s Journey and the Impact of Community
We met Patrick when he was 16 years old and had just moved to Seattle from Kenya. After enrolling at Seattle World School (SWS), he got connected with Kandelia and started building a community for himself here in Seattle. Now, as a soon-to-be graduate of the University of Washington, Patrick shares his journey, the support that helped him along the way, and his plans to give back to the Seattle community that he loves.
Patrick’s journey to Seattle began when his mother, who had come to the U.S. as a refugee in 2008, sponsored him to join her in 2014. Adjusting to life in a new country came with its challenges and moments of discovery. For Patrick, one of the first surprises was the bathrooms. He laughed, recalling his initial reaction: “This is so sustainable! You just flush, just like that! This is so easy!”
Although Patrick arrived with a basic understanding of English, he noted that many people often spoke too fast. “I knew how to say ‘hi’, ‘how are you?’, but sometimes I would miss what people were saying because they were talking too fast. I would struggle with complex words.”
Patrick was able to enroll at Seattle World School, a public school designed for newcomers, which helped him get adjusted to a new life here. Starting his US education at SWS meant Patrick was surrounded by other students like him who were newly arrived, and who were also learning English. It also meant he found Kandelia, where he became involved in every program that he could: soccer, homework help, field trips, and Saturday school, to name a few. Patrick shared, “For me that’s how I connected to the school when I was here, is through Kandelia. Kandelia brings the community. Sometimes it's very hard to feel that belonging, but with Kandelia you feel like there is a sense of community.”
Patrick quickly grew to love Seattle. "Oh my god, Seattle is my favorite! I love the rain, people hate the rain, I love rain. I think all four seasons are beautiful." he shared with us. "Seattle is just unique," Patrick says. "It feels like home, because it’s the home I’ve known since coming to the U.S." Patrick is a soon-to-be graduate from the University of Washington with a degree in Community Environment and Planning, an urban planning program that aligns with his passion for community engagement. His goal is to work for the Department of Transportation or in a role that allows him to focus on improving the community. “I love giving back to the community, working for the community, and seeing how we can make progress in Seattle, how we can help each other” he says. Patrick is already deeply involved in his community and currently volunteers with Kandelia in our Food Access Program!
Amidst all the new experiences in the U.S., Patrick has held on to his Kenyan roots. Christmas is especially meaningful to him and his family, who cook traditional Kenyan dishes during the holiday season. "We love Christmas!" he says, smiling at the thought of the foods that bring his family together. "We cook a lot of Kenyan food during that time of year, like chapati and mukimo."
Patrick’s journey from Kenya to Seattle has helped shape his passions and goals. As he looks forward to his future in Seattle, he is eager to continue making a positive impact on the community that has embraced him.