Seattle U Recognition 2

I'll see you tomorrow.

Our second honoree recognized group tonight is Seattle University for their youth initiative work.

We've been recognizing premier partners and honoree recognized group tonight is Seattle University for their youth initiative work.

We've been recognizing premier partners and we don't really have a good definition for that except that when we see one we know one.

Seattle University started their inquiry a number of years ago by actually, what is it?

Some famous person says don't just do something, stand there.

So they did that.

They came to us a number of years ago and they said we want to help but before we do we want to know what you need.

And so I think there was a number of months or maybe even years.

of careful thought together how we could do good work.

And in the end they put together the kind of partnership that we would really like to see expanding to other areas throughout the district.

So they partner with many other community-based organizations and they partner with Seattle housing Authority all in support of Bailey Gatzert primarily as well as Washington middle school and Garfield high school.

And they will tell us the numbers are staggering in terms of the number of SU students who are on campus every day.

providing mentoring and tutoring for our students and trying to figure out together what else do we need and often times they are able to fulfill those requests.

And middle college.

I would like to invite James Bush to come and add to the details that I didn't have right at the tip of my tongue.

So Seattle University has just been a great partner for Bailey Gatzert and for the district.

Thank you superintendent Nyland and board members for this opportunity to recognize another one of our critical partners.

In 2011 Seattle University launched the Seattle University youth initiative to connect the university to the wider Seattle community to develop successful youth, a thriving community and an engaged neighborhood.

Through the youth initiative the university is partnering with neighbor leaders, parents, the city, Seattle Housing Authority and over 30 nonprofit organizations to improve the academic achievement of 1000 low-income students in the 100 square block area just south of the campus.

A central component of the youth initiative is strong partnerships with Seattle Public Schools including Bailey Gatzert, Washington middle school, Garfield high school, and the middle college high school at Seattle U. The youth initiative also enhances the education of Seattle U students as hundreds of students serve, learn, and lead by engaging schools and dozens of local nonprofit organizations.

Upon graduation many of these Seattle U students go on to serve Seattle including Seattle Public Schools as teachers, paraprofessionals and other roles which we are very honored to have them join our ranks.

Tonight we are joined by staff and students from Seattle U including Kent Coath and I'm going to invite Kent Coath to come up and share a few words and have a brief video that they're going to share with the board and the audience.

And we have a student and a mentor here also to share the story.

Good evening.

One of the things I was going to mention is Gwendolyn I think has left now.

She came up and introduced herself to me beforehand because she's also a Seattle U grad so I was sort of honored.

Amidst her other accolades there seems to be a theme this evening at least.

I just want to first of all thank you for the recognition but I wanted to mostly say thank you on behalf of our students, our faculty and our staff.

As a university we are oriented around wanting to provide our students with learning experiences in the community and the opportunity to engage and learn from the professionals in the schools is a tremendous opportunity for our students.

I am joined tonight by some of our staff and our students from our partnerships and in a moment I've invited one of our middle school students and one of our college students.

Unique Jordan is a seventh grader at Washington middle school and Jesse Gunn-Kelvis is a sophomore math student from Portland Oregon.

So they're going to share very briefly, but I have initially just a short video that offers a snapshot of some of the different people involved in the youth initiative, kids, children.

Our university president couldn't be here, but he makes a cameo in the video.

So thanks so much.

The youth initiative is the reason I first came to Seattle U and it's been giving meaning to my life ever since.

As a faculty member, the youth initiative has allowed my students and I to really get engaged in the community while also preparing professionally for careers in the student development administration field.

SUYI is a way for Seattle University students from all over the country to make meaningful connections in our neighborhood.

The Youth Initiative is a call to action and it's a place and a space where campus and community can come together to change the odds for youth and families that live in our neighborhood.

Youth Initiative is great for the neighborhood, it's great for the students of Seattle University, and it's great for the future.

I'm really proud of it.

SUYI is convergence.

Seattle University Youth Initiative is inspiring.

It is something that we hold dear, and all our youth should be a part of it, because it helps them be what they aspire to be.

The Youth Initiative is an amazing partnership between the community and the university.

It is a true partner for the community.

It is caring.

It is funny.

It is amazing.

SUJI is the heart of Seattle University, connected to the heart of the city.

SUI is for you.

SUI is home.

The Seattle University Youth Initiative is opportunity, hope, and change.

SUI is good for children that want to learn more.

SUI is a wonderful asset to the Gadsher community.

SUI initiative program is amazing.

I love it.

It's like a gift from the center for our community.

Thank you so much.

So it's about our neighborhood.

It is about community engagement.

And it's about the kids.

SUI is a bridge that connects our students here at middle school with their future that they can see in the eyes of the college students.

SUI is a transformative experience for the youth in the community.

SUI is love, community, and friends.

SUI is a place where every student has the opportunity to learn and grow.

SUI is Mr. Garth helping me with my math homework.

Soon he's getting to hang out with AJ.

What I think about it is it's like fun and it's creative and it's for critical thinkers like me.

Thank you.

Hi my name is Jesse Goncalves I'm a second-year student at Seattle U and I have been involved in the youth initiative for two years now so since the beginning of my freshman year.

I have worked at Washington middle school as a sum core leader SU math core lead and I study math so I love it and I love working with kids on math.

I have worked in math classrooms, I have mentored students one-on-one and I've worked in after-school programs.

And I've just learned so much and made a connection to the community that I really wouldn't have made had I not been involved in this program.

Especially coming from another state.

and not really having any connection to that community without this program.

So I'm just really really thankful that I've been a part of it and that I've made so many connections to so many awesome students such as Unique.

Unique Jordan I'm a second year student at Washington Middle School.

I'm in the RAMP program after school with Rachel Ann Williams.

She is a great teacher.

I did a forensic science camp the week before the last week of summer.

I was in a PALS program at Washington Middle School for nearly the whole summer.

year and the year before.

And I enjoyed it.

And I have a mentor at Washington Middle School.

Her name is Maisha and she helps me with my homework and my schoolwork and stuff.

And I enjoy being in the mentor center once a week.

Sometimes more.

And I would invite Seattle U to come up and greet the board and the board to congratulate Seattle U and those that came tonight on their behalf.

th th I can see you.