13 Feb 2017

Volunteer Tutoring: Math and Mentorship 

Melani Espinoza recalls being in the library with some other kids in her class when she first realized she needed a tutor in math. “I remember I was doing math homework in the library,” says first year Pescadero High School student, Espinoza, “And I thought that I might get behind in class.” Fellow student, Laura Gomez, says she first approached Puente’s education director, Lizeth Hernandez, at the beginning of the year. “I had been working at Puente, so I knew they could help me find a tutor,” remarks Gomez.

Both young women had been a part of the Puente community for a while. Melani was originally a student in the building in which Puente now resides when it was a preschool. Just being at Puente conjures good, welcoming memories for her. Laura got seriously involved with Puente last summer when she participated in the youth summer program. Since then, she and her twin sister, Luz, are regular fixtures at Puente–in the evenings they are watching the children of the adults attending ESL classes at Puente and at nearly every Puente event they are there early to help set up and stay late to help with cleanup.

Though Puente does not have a formal tutoring program, our education program team works hard to identify needs and match volunteers with students when possible. Adult Education Coordinator, Charlea Binford, spearheads a lot of this effort because she is often at Pescadero Middle and High School volunteer coaching various sports teams. “I was impressed that Melani and Laura approached Puente about needing a tutor,” reports Binford. “The fact that they were so proactive motivated me to keep my ears and eyes peeled for someone.”

Thankfully support soon came their way when La Honda resident, Cerelle Centeno, came to talk with Binford one day this past summer at the Pescadero Grown! Farmer’s Market. Centeno was new to the area and looking for volunteer opportunities. She notes,”I was terrible at math as a kid, so when Charlea mentioned she had two girls who needed a math tutor, at first I was nervous.” But Centeno accepted the opportunity. “I figured I could at least try.”

Since that day at the market, Centeno, Espinoza and Gomez have been meeting every Tuesday and Thursday after school for one hour sessions. They do homework for the following day, or correct past homework and quizzes or study for an upcoming test.

The young women report that the experience has been a positive one for them. Gomez says that she started the class with a D but has gotten her grade up to a B.

And Centeno has experienced some benefits as well. “It’s been a thrill to get to know Melani and Laura,” she states. “We’ve covered the principles of mathematics, yes, but what we work on is more about self-discipline and self-confidence. I feel like equal parts tutor and mentor.”

A myriad of opportunities present themselves for volunteers at Puente. But the education-related volunteer positions are more structured in that they call for a more scheduled, recurring commitment.

“We recognize that tutoring at Puente poses a unique set of factors to the volunteers and students alike,” notes Puente Education Director Lizeth Hernandez. “Volunteers need comfort in the subject matter and a comfort level with young people, and the students need to be open to meeting and trusting someone new in a relatively short period of time.”

It is therefore no wonder that the relationship formed can be a strong one. “I quickly began looking forward to my Tuesdays and Thursdays with the girls,” Centeno notes. “And if I get any more sappy than that, I’m pretty sure the girls will read this article and say, ‘Ay, Cerelle!’”

Puente is looking for tutors in various subjects for the new semester. Want to help a high school student learn and, in the process, gain a new friend? Contact Charlea Binford at cbinford@mypuente.org to get paired up with a student TODAY.

Feel more comfortable tutoring adults? We also have opportunities for bilingual tutors to help adults with their citizenship tests. Contact us today to learn more.

06 Feb 2017

Scholarship funds pave Corina’s way through college: “Watch me.”

Corina Rodriguez had her plan: finish high school, enroll in a four-year university, graduate with a bachelor’s degree, embark on a career in health care administration and start a family.

But life had other plans. Rodriguez became pregnant in her senior year at Pescadero High. A few months later, she was a new mother and a wife. Rather than enroll at a four-year university, she went to three different community colleges over the next three years. She did this while raising an infant and working full-time to pay her school, rent, food and gas.

“We obviously all have suffered. It’s very hard,” says Rodriguez, now 21.

She thought about dropping out more than once. But her husband and parents pushed her to stay in school. Her parents, both Mexican immigrants, never went to college but made sure that all their children would. “Ever since I can remember, my parents drilled it into me: you’re going to go to college. You’re going to get a bachelor’s degree,” recalls Rodriguez.

Because of the support of her family and her own will to succeed, a bachelor’s degree is within reach for Rodriguez now. In late January, Rodriguez enrolled at California State University, Monterey Bay. She has new professors, new classmates, and a new major in Collaborative Health and Human Services with a concentration in Public Administration.

She wouldn’t have been able to accomplish it—any of it—without her scholarships from Puente, generous financial support from anonymous local donors, and regular grants from the Consulate General of Mexico in San Francisco.

This year, Puente received a record $22,000 grant through the Institute for Mexicans Abroad, a Mexican government program that supports continuing education for Mexicans abroad and their descendants. (The Spanish-language name is El Instituto de los Mexicanos en el Exterior, or IME.) The partnership benefits both adult learners and college-age students. The adult learners earn a stipend for near-perfect class attendance in Puente’s adult education programs, which include ESL.

To be considered for an IME grant, college students must have graduated from Pescadero High, must show financial need, have a solid GPA, and must be enrolled in college at least part-time. They must also submit a statement about their involvement and leadership in their community or school. Students need to provide proof of Mexican or Mexican-American descent, although the consulate has expressed some flexibility for other students who deserve the scholarship.

Eight impressive undergraduate students, including Rodriguez, earned IME scholarships this fall; Rodriguez has received this scholarship every year since graduation. When she enrolled at CSU Monterey Bay, she was also shocked to receive a $5,000 gift from an anonymous local donor to help her pay for it.

In recent years, Puente has heard from donors who want to help local students with scholarship funding. In response, Puente has compiled a series of student profiles that help donors get to know the extraordinary youth in their midst, including their career aspirations, their paths to college, and the often-immense challenges they have already overcome.

“There’s something to be said about truly believing in our students’ ability to succeed. When you literally put your money where your mouth is, you’re showing these students you’re willing to make an investment in their future,” says Lizeth Hernandez, Education Director for Puente.

Puente has been committed to giving graduating seniors a financial springboard to college through its Youth Bridges Award, an internal scholarship program that rewards local students who have gone through Puente’s Youth Leadership and Employment Program.

When students graduate, these and other scholarships go a long way toward making college affordable for students whose families cannot afford to support them at all. In fact, the financial margins are so tight for some students that extra money for an on-campus parking permit, or a $300 textbook, can mean the difference between staying in school and dropping out, says Hernandez.

“As sad as it is, money really does make a difference in terms of access… And we’re going to do everything we can in terms of providing access,” she says.

Despite all the help she’s received, Rodriguez fears she’ll need to go into debt next semester to pay her college fees. “It’s beginning to get hard,” she says.

Rodriguez works long hours three days a week as a Community Resource Navigator at Puente, helping locals get signed up for health care coverage, food stamps and other essential services. (She is leaving Puente to commit herself to the heavy workload at school).

The other two days, she drives 150 miles roundtrip to CSU Monterey Bay. Her son is three years old now. Her schedule is grueling, but she loves her new school and she knows that one day, her son will understand why she worked so hard to get her education. “I want to show the world and my son that we can do it,” she says.

“I think I can be someone,” said Rodriguez in 2013, when we interviewed her about her future. Her life nearly took another detour in community college, when she thought she should give up on a bachelor’s degree and pursue a certificate in radiology so she could finish her studies and go start earning an income.

When she told Kerry Lobel about her decision, Puente’s then-Executive Director surprised her. “She said, that’s awesome—but knowing you, that’s not where your education is going to stop.” Lobel has known Rodriguez since she was a girl. She felt the young woman would never settle for anything short of her real goals. “I feel like Kerry knows me more than I know myself, sometimes,” laughs Rodriguez.

Lately, though, she finds herself forming a brand-new goal: a future master’s degree. For someone whose life already looks different than expected, the notion of going beyond the expected has strong appeal.

“A master’s is definitely now in my brain, and it won’t be going away,” she says. “I like being the kind of person who, when someone says you can’t do that – I say: Oh, yeah? Watch me. I can.”

Puente is seeking support for its Youth Bridges Program — every dollar goes to provide scholarships to graduating Pescadero High School students that have worked at Puente. Make your contribution here.

30 Jan 2017

Puente provides essential tax program for the South Coast

As the only Resource Center on the South Coast, Puente provides Economic Security assistance to the residents of the communities of Pescadero, La Honda, San Gregorio and Loma Mar. Puente’s Tax program is a key component in building our community’s economic capacity and sets out to establish financial health in all of the four communities.

Since the inception of our Tax Preparation program 2008, its impact has been staggering. Puente has filed over 430 federal tax returns and nearly 410 state tax returns, resulting in over $500,000 in refunds for local taxpayers. Most of these refund dollars remain in our local area and are often equivalent to a month or more in wages. Puente has also been an ITIN Acceptance Agent, the only one to serve the areas of Pescadero, La Honda, Loma Mar and San Gregorio.

A recent study found that despite significant gains in the U.S. economy following the Great Recession, finances remain a common source of stress for many American households. A recent survey evidence has found that almost half of lower income households are either “finding it difficult to get by” or “just getting by.” The financial stress faced by many low-income households may increase the risk of experiencing other mental health symptoms, negatively affect parental quality, and lead to adverse developmental and academic outcomes for children .

The impact of a simple tax program for low-income households and families cannot be overstated. A tax refund can have a tremendous impact on how the rest of the year plays out financially. It is about advocating for our community to keep what they have earned and promoting savings as a foundation to a sound economic future.

Most recently, we finalized a case of an individual with whom we had been working closely for about two years.  Silverio Perez came to us because he had received several letters from the IRS stating that he had a balance due on a tax return from years back. After taking a closer look at his taxes, it appeared that the agency that had filed his return had made some errors. They had entered incorrect information without properly screening him and asking essential intake questions. Because of these errors, he expected his tax refund to be $4,200. He soon found out that not only would he not receive the refund, but would in fact, owe the $4,200. Puente was able to help him file an amended return.

After making the corrections needed on his return, he still had a balance due but it was only a fraction of the large amount charged. He agreed on the amount and we filed. We then followed up by calling the IRS. The first time we called, we spent four hours on the phone. When we finally spoke to someone, the person let us know it would take several weeks for his taxes to be processed and corrected, and that they would send him a notice informing him when the changes would be reflected in his records. For the months that followed, the he received letters from the IRS, which he would bring to Puente for us to translate. These letters only let him know that the amount he owed was increasing and that his case was still pending. What normally might be a 30-minute appointment to look over the letters, turned into a 2 to 3 hour periods of being on hold and waiting until we spoke to someone from the IRS. Over the course of the 2 years, Silverio had to miss several days of work trying to resolve his case with little avail only to hear the same response from the IRS when we would call.

In November of this past year, Silverio came to us and said that he wanted to pay the money owed. He was exhausted with going back and forth with the IRS and that it was affecting his job as well. He had several money orders with him that he wanted to mail to the IRS. We advised him not to send all the money, but instead, to send only a portion and wait. Three weeks later, Silverio came to see if we could assist him when he was out of work because he had gotten another letter from the IRS. When he came in and we read the letter, it stated that he was getting a refund because of an overpayment made. We decided to call the IRS one last time. The person who we spoke to, let us know that his case had been resolved. His amended return was accepted and the amount he owed, reduced to reflect the corrections we made. The letter he received was correct, saying he had made an overpayment and that he would receive his overpayment refund within weeks. Silverio was glad this ordeal finally ended and was relieved that he did not have to think about it anymore.

Supporting individuals and families through the arduous tax season is something that we feel very privileged to be a part of as an organization. Becoming a VITA tax site is no easy feat. There are numerous trainings and logistics to maneuver. However, as part of a resource center and non-profit that believes in empowerment and supporting our community to become economically secure, we believe that this service is not only necessary, but also transformative. We strongly encourage participants to save a percentage of their tax return. Being able to save and make informed decisions about finances is not only empowering, it is an opportunity to learn new habits and build a more sustainable future.

Let our tax experts do the work for you – free. Services are available to South Coast households with a 2016 income of $54,000 or less. Come in to see if you qualify, and find out if you are eligible for the California Earned Income Tax Credit.

For more information about the tax program and to make an appointment, please contact Omar Ortega at 650-879-1691 or oortega@mypuente.org