Meet the Team: Mandy McGowen

Meet Mandy McGowen, West Sunset Rec Connect Program Coordinator

Mandy McGowen, SNBC’s West Sunset Rec Connect Program Coordinator, has always loved San Francisco and, while living on the East Coast, swore it was the only place in California she’d ever live. Mandy moved to the Bay Area for a position as a Camp Director in Mill Valley. When the job was over, Mandy was so happy enjoying family, food, and the sites of San Francisco that she decided to stay a while… and it led her to SNBC!

WRSC’s Program Coordinator, Mandy McGowen, dressed up for Superhero Day as Captain Kale.

Mandy started at SNBC in the fall of 2010 as a Program Leader at SNBC’s afterschool program at Ulloa Elementary School. For Mandy, it quickly became clear that SNBC was an organization she believed in and felt proud to be a part of. In addition to working with 5^th graders at Ulloa, Mandy taught the Mini Meals cooking class at SNBC’s West Sunset Rec Connect (WSRC). She has since made the jump to full time employee, serving as the Program Coordinator at WSRC, and she is ever so happy to be an integral part of the SNBC team! 

Mandy holds a bachelor’s degree in English from UC Irvine and a master’s degree in educational theatre from NYU. While in school, Mandy aspired to teach in the public education sphere, but now that she’s found herself working in out-of-school-time learning, she’s discovered many ways to flex her teaching best practices and loves it! Thank you, Mandy, for being such as wonderful and fun-loving part of SNBC!

Tony Talarico: Why I Give

Take a moment to hear from one of the parents of a child in our afterschool program. Tony Talarico tells you why he supports SNBC and why he's asking you to do the same:

SNBC's Sunset Elementary Afterschool Learning Program (ASLP) provides wonderful opportunities for our children.  Each afternoon Mr. Allan and his team of teachers take our children through engaging enrichment activities that reinforce the curriculum they receive during the school day and enhance their daily educational experience. The program provides a valuable benefit to parents, too, in that it is easier for me to concentrate on my work during the afterschool hours when I know that Yvonne is in a safe environment where she can get help with her homework, participate in clubs, and interact positively with classmates and friends. 

Outside of Sunset Elementary, SNBC is an active participant in our community. In addition to afterschool programs, SNBC also offers computer technology programs and skill building classes for adults. They consistently promote education by being a constant presence at neighborhood celebrations, street fairs and events. Serving a total population of 1,000 children and adults every week, SNBC is critical to the vitality of our neighborhood.

The Sunset Elementary Afterschool Learning Program is offered free of charge to all students. By joining me in donating, we can help Allan and his team do even more for our Sunset ASLP students, and we can help SNBC be an even greater participant in our community.  Gifts of any size will be helpful and appreciated.  I am proud that Yvonne is a participant in the Sunset ASLP, and I hope that you will join me in participating in this important campaign. 

Sincerely,

Tony Talarico

Parent of Yvonne (4^th Grade, Ms. Adams and Mr. Todd)

Friend of SNBC

Ashley Summers - Why I Support SNBC

With Christmas is just 1 week away, it's the perfect time to make a gift to SNBC! Your donation to SNBC helps us fulfill our mission of connecting people to their PASSION, POTENTIAL, and COMMUNITY. 

Hear why recent donor Ashley Summers gives to SNBC:

"I give to SNBC because they provide invaluable services to youth, adults and families in our community. SNBC is a pillar of the Sunset District and administers programs that without them we would not have in this neighborhood. I used to work for SNBC and I can attest that the staff are a very dedicated, enthusiastic and kind group of people."

This holiday season, can you too make a gift to SNBC? Thank you for your support!

PROGRAM SPOTLIGHT: Adult Evening Programs

Adult Evening Programs: San Francisco Chinese Line Dance

One of things that makes our Adult Evening Programs unique is that we are able to partner with other community organizations that wish to offer services to the community, but lack the space to do so. At our hub site at A.P. Giannini Middle School, SNBC is able to partner with organizations to provide a wide range of programming to the Sunset Community. In addition to SNBC's partnership with Bay Area Asian Sports and Loong Mah Sing See Wui (Dragon Horse Lion and Dragon Dance Association), one of the great success stories of the past year has been our collaboration with San Francisco Chinese Line Dance.

San Francisco Chinese Line Dance (SFCLD) founder Philip Hui had heard that SNBC ran free programs for adults in the evenings and approached us to see if there would be a space available for their group, which had only been operating for about a year at that time, since they were currently restricted to meeting outside in public places during the daytime such as the area near West Sunset Playground. SNBC agreed to open up space to them once a week and the response from the community was overwhelmingly positive. SFCLD would consistently pack the gymnasium with community members looking for a fun, safe, and culturally unique program to connect with others in the Sunset. That it was free, operated on a drop-in basis, and was a great workout to boot were just added bonuses!

Now in their third year, SFLCD -- which is comprised of both regular SNBC Evening Program participants as well as community members from all over the city -- has become one of the cornerstones of the Evening Programs and has expanded to meeting twice a week, providing its services to between 75-90 community members each week! SFCLD is fun, inclusive, and culturally relevant to the community it serves. Partnering with community groups such as SFCLD is just one of the ways SNBC is working hard to provide the Sunset with free, quality programming.

For more information about San Francisco Chinese Line Dance, check out www.sfcld.org. If you have a group or organization that would like to provide a service to Sunset residents but are needing a reliable, safe space, please contact SNBC’s Evening Programs Coordinator, Patrick Montgomery.

Meet the Team: Annie Ma

Meet Annie Ma, SNBC's A.P. Giannini Middle School After School Program Coordinator.

Annie Ma attended Ulloa Elementary School, Lincoln High School, and A.P. Giannini Middle School – where she now works as SNBC's Program Coordinator at the After School Learning Center. As the Program Coordinator, Annie serves over 250 students every day. Annie loves her job and the people she works with; one of her favorite parts of the job is holding a Girls' Book Club for her students every Tuesday at lunch.

Outside of work, Annie enjoys reading, knitting, walking, and playing with her dog, Mr. Big. She also enjoys cooking and watching reality television. Annie holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology with an emphasis in Child Development and is currently working towards a Master’s Degree in Public Administration with a focus on Nonprofit Management. We at SNBC feel lucky to have such a fun and dedicated staff person on our team!

Spotlight On: Beacon Leadership Camp

Did you know that the Sunset Neighborhood Beacon Center is one of eight Beacon Centers providing services to San Francisco communities? Yes, we are! And did you know that SNBC is part of a national Beacon movement and that there are Beacons in Minneapolis, Denver, Philadelphia, and New York? Well, here’s a treat for you.

Recently, two of SNBC’s youth participants had the chance to meet other students from Beacons across the country at a youth conference -- the Beacon Leadership Camp -- in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Two students from SNBC joined youth from San Francisco’s 7 other Beacon sites across the city in attending the conference; the students were selected through an application and interview process.

These students are part of the citywide Beacon Leadership Team, which is a council of students from each of the 8 Beacon sites in San Francisco, including SNBC. Each site sends 3-4 youth representatives to meet regularly to share their experiences in the program and gain knowledge to take back with their own Beacon community.

For the past 5 years, the Minneapolis Beacon Leadership Team (BLT) has held a youth leadership camp to offer workshops, leadership trainings, goal-setting exercises, and team-building activities. This year, youth from other Beacons across the nation joined the Minneapolis BLT at their fall Beacon Leadership Camp. Beacons were represented from Minneapolis, New York, Denver, and San Francisco!

7th graders Olivia Flores and Saleen Lee and 8th graders Carlos Flores and Luke Cheng-Kenezevich are participants in SNBC’s West Sunset Rec Connect program and they represent SNBC on the San Francisco BLT. All four representatives attended BLT meetings in which they interacted with other youth from around the city, designed goals for the Beacon Leadership Team, and planned the recent trip to Minneapolis.

Unfortunately, each Beacon Center can only send 2 students on the trip, so the group decided that Carlos and Luke, the older youth, would attend in 2012 with the hope that Olivia and Saleen could attend in 2013.

A few weeks ago, Carlos, Luke, and West Sunset Rec Connect Program Coordinator Mandy McGowen bid San Francisco adieu and took a red-eye flight to Minneapolis alongside other San Francisco Beacon Leadership Team members. Students and instructors visited the Bloomington Mall of America and rode some roller coasters before the conference.

A bus took the BLT ambassadors to a YMCA camp outside of Minneapolis, the site of the Beacon Leadership Camp. Students attended workshops about bullying and transitioning into high school as well as sessions addressing other national youth issues. During “choice time,” Luke and Carlos learned a new game – gaga – which is similar to dodge-ball but with its own court. They also engaged in team building and trust activities on the ropes course. As Luke and Carlos said, “It was an amazing weekend of making new friends and learning how to be better leaders!” After a great 3 days, Carlos, Luke, and Mandy flew home Sunday afternoon, exhausted but happy.

Looking forward to next year, stay tuned for more details.
Hosted by Minneapolis Beacon Youth at Camp Iduhapi, a YMCA camp in Independence, Minnesota. 

Help us LIGHT UP the Sunset with Lights On Afterschool!

It's that time of year again... time to celebrate the importance of afterschool programs for our kids and our families! This Thursday, October 18th, we're joining thousands of communities across the country to shine a light on our afterschool programs and recognize how important they are for our kids as they learn and grow. 

Help us celebrate afterschool programs at one of our many Lights On Afterschool celebrations going on this Thursday. See the complete list below!

Upcoming Events: Noriega Merchants Street Fair

Celebrate our neighborhood at the 2^nd Annual Noriega Street Fair!

This month in the Outer Sunset, SNBC would like to invite everyone to the 2nd Annual Noriega Merchants Street Fair, coming up next Saturday, October 13th. Enjoy live music, tasty food, fun family-friendly activities, a beach clean-up, and a huge raffle put together by local businesses including Devil's Teeth Baking Company, Sunset Shapers, Sunset Pet Supply, The Pizza Place, Establish, and more. SNBC participated in this fun event last year and we’re looking forward to being part of it again this year!

WHEN: Saturday, October 13, 11:00 am – 5:00 pm

WHERE: Noriega Street between 45^th and 46^th Avenues 

MORE INFORMATION: https://www.facebook.com/events/339977889430616/

Raffle tickets, on sale now, are $5 each or $20 for 5; proceeds from the raffle help cover the cost of permit fees. Prizes available this year include:

• $300 Hess Skateboard;
• Limited edition framed print of the Golden Gate Bridge from 3 Fish Studios;
• Noriega Produce gift basket of assorted wines, cheeses, chocolates and flowers;
• $100 San Franpsycho gift certificate;
• Kitty Care Package from the Sunset Pet Supply;
• 3 month membership to the Fit Club

Plus many more!

Winners will be called throughout the Street Fair; you don't need to be present to win, but be sure to write down your contact information on the back of your raffle tickets. 

Come by the SNBC table and play with us! We'll have a booth set up with fun kids activities including art projects and bean bag tossing. We hope to see you there!

Before the Street Fair festivities, come help out at the beach clean-up, hosted by the San Francisco Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation. The clean up will start at 9:30 am at the end of Noriega at the Great Highway. All are welcome to come join the efforts and help out our community. 

See all the fun from last year's event here.

Spotlight On: The Sunset Family Resource Collaborative

Program Spotlights are back for the 2012-2013 school year and we're kicking things off with the spotlight on the Sunset Family Resource Collaborative (SFRC)!

SFRC Staff

The SFRC is a partnership between four agencies -- Sunset Youth Services, the Asian Women's Resource Center, and TalkLine -- and is led by the Sunset Neighborhood Beacon Center (SNBC). The SFRC serves hundreds of families a year through multiple programs and services. One of the SFRC's more popular programs is an Early Literacy class held at West Sunset Playground. 15 families are enrolled in each class and there are two classes a day, once per week; the Early Literacy classes usually have big wait lists because of its popularity.

Recently, the SFRC introduced new movement class, where parents were able to do yoga with their little ones. This class has been a hit among parents and kids alike! Aren't little kids doing yoga the cutest?!

Another important service offered by the SFRC is parenting classes. The SFRC uses the Triple P - Positive Parenting Program which is a multi-level parenting and family support system. Triple P aims to enhance the knowledge, skills, and confidence of parents. Parents who participate in the SFRC's Triple P training not only enhance their parenting skills, but feel much more confident and in control of their family situations. Currently, parenting classes are taught in English, but the SFRC plans to offer a Chinese class in the coming months, to better meet the needs of Sunset parents. Stay tuned!

Also in the coming months the SFRC will be offering one-time parent workshops on various topics chosen by community members. For interest parents, the SFRC will soon host an open Parent Leadership meeting, where parents can help SFRC staff select what activities and workshops they think would be the most beneficial for their families and communities.

It looks to be an exciting year for the SFRC! Visit snbc.org/SFRC to stay up-to-date with all the SFRC happenings!

Meet the Team: Monica Guzman

Meet Monica Guzman, SNBC's Sunset Family Resource Collaborative Coordinator.

Monica joined the team in early 2012, coming to SNBC with years of experience working with youth. She has worked as a program manager for a local afterschool program, a social worker for children with developmental disabilities, and as a policy advocate for various underrepresented communities.

With a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Cultural Anthropology from San Francisco State University and a law degree from Santa Clara University, Monica brings a wealth of education and experience to SNBC. We're lucky to have you, Monica!

The SFRC team (L to R): Monica Guzman, Maria (and Mac!) Dajani, Rhea Mistades, and Cheryl Lou

As the Coordinator of the Sunset Family Resource Collaborative (SFRC), Monica leads a group of agencies that work to ensure that Sunset families receive much-needed services. The SFRC offers early literacy classes, parenting classes, case management services, and a food pantry.  

In her free time, Monica enjoys rock climbing, road cycling, playing board games, and seeing live shows. She loves traveling and spending time with her large extended family, all of whom live in the SF Bay Area.

Register now for fall classes at West Sunset Rec Connect!

Registration is currently underway for fall classes at SNBC's West Sunset Rec Connect. Sign up online at http://www.eventbrite.com/org/2013841901?s=9391260. Registration runs now until August 19th or until classes are filled.

Fall Classes include:

Sunset Green

Steel Pan Drumming

Mini Meals

Beginning and Advanced Hip-Hop

Middle School Afterschool Program

Questions? Contact WSRC Program Coordinator Mandy McGowen at amcgowen@snbc.org.

PROGRAM SPOTLIGHT: SNBC's Youth Programs at West Sunset Rec Connect

SNBC runs a number of different programs for elementary and middle school-age children at West Sunset Rec Connect (WSRC), a recreation clubhouse located by the West Sunset Playground and the Ortega Branch Library. Led by Program Coordinator Mandy McGowen, West Sunset Rec Connect offers afterschool and evening enrichment classes for youth. Classes include Hip Hop Dance, Steel Pan Drumming, Mini Meals, and Sunset Green.

Part of what makes West Sunset Rec Connect run so smoothly is its high school intern program. Students apply for the summer internship program by submitting an application and getting a teacher recommendation. This summer, WSRC has 9 interns, who support program instructors in daily activities with the kids, prepare snacks, maintain the WSRC garden, and help keep the center clean. 

All the WSRC interns have been working really hard this summer - for free! A dedicated, helpful group, they keep the WSRC summer programs run smoothly and help create awesome memories for all the kids who attend. As a thank you for all their hard work, interns will receive community service hours and letters of recommendation - not to mention a lot of fun! Thank you, interns!

PROGRAM SPOTLIGHT: SNBC's Afterschool Program at Ulloa Elementary School

SNBC's afterschool program at Ulloa Elementary School runs every school day from 3:30 pm to 6:30 pm. SNBC's program serves 185 2nd-5th grade students each day and is led by Program Coordinator Kyle Giocomo and his staff of 16.

What's a typical day at Ulloa like? The afternoon is broken into two basic periods: Homework Time and Community Time, with a snack break (yum!) and a short recess (fun!). During Homework Time, students have a quiet space to work and receive homework help from their program leader, while during Community Time, students participate in structured activities that focus on academic achievement in literacy, math, art, science, language, and culture. Once a week, Community Time is devoted to structured physical education and sports recreation time.

If students need extra help with homework, the Ulloa afterschool program has targeted math and literacy classes for students needing additional support.

Every Friday is "Clubs Day" at Ulloa, where students have the chance to take elective classes of their choosing. Clubs include Kite Club, Basketball Club, Mask-Making Club, Science Club, Cooking Club, and Pen Pal Club.

In addition to clubs, the afterschool program runs a number of fun ongoing classes that meet weekly, including: 

o   Ulloa Chronicles Newspaper Class

In this class, students meet with instructor and poet Lindsey Boldt to write and develop the school newspaper. Learning from newspaper article examples, students learn how to interview, research, and compose articles related to their school and interests. The Ulloa Chronicles goes out quarterly to the entire 2^nd–5^th grade class. Popular articles include critiques of the school lunch program, interviews with teachers, and reviews of video games.

o   Media Arts

Media arts students work with instructor and filmmaker Kapiolani Lee to create learn the art of filmmaking. Students write, direct, and film short skits, self-introductions, music videos, and animations. This year, two films were selected to be shown at SNBC's Annual Film Festival. Video "Dynamite Music" tied for the Viewers' Choice Award!

o   Hip Hop Dance

Instructor and experienced dancer Zack Gee works with students to develop complex choreographed hip hop dance routines. Students have performed at Ulloa’s Afterschool Winter Talent Show, SNBC's Annual Film Festival, and Ulloa's Afterschool Spring Talent Show.

o DJ Club

Students learn the fine art of turntable-ism and discover how to mix and scratch while working with experienced DJ and instructor Michael Falsetto-Mapp.

o   Girls and Boys Sports Teams

Forty 4th and 5th grade students are introduced to various sports including soccer, basketball, hockey, and softball. This year, the Ulloa Girls and Boys Sports Teams have had the opportunity to compete against the afterschool Sports Teams at Sunset, Robert Louis Stevenson, and Francis Scott Key Elementary schools.

PROGRAM SPOTLIGHT: SNBC's Afterschool Program at Sunset Elementary

The Afterschool Program at Sunset Elementary is comprised of 13 dedicated staff members who serve 160 students on a daily basis. On a typical day, students receive homework assistance and participate in recreational and enrichment activities, while on Wednesdays and Fridays, students participate in project-based learning clubs. Clubs include basketball, softball, yoga, badminton, and the Girls Sports Team, as well as educational enrichment activities including science, nutrition, cooking, knitting, clay creations, and comic book making. So many opportunities for fun and learning!

Students in the cooking club participate in a cook-off!

First graders participate in the afterschool yoga class

One club that's taken the world by storm is the Hula Dancing Club. Led by first-year instructor Michelle Huynh, the expert hula dancers have performed at school for their peers as well as at San Francisco State University. Initially viewed as a “club only for girls,” the number of boys in the club has increased dramatically after seeing how much fun it is!

One of the biggest events at Sunset Elementary's afterschool program is Olympics Week - a weeklong event in which students challenge themselves athletically. With a focus on team-building and achieving personal bests, students work alongside their classmates as they learn that victory isn't just about winning, but about personal improvement and being a team player. Instructors lead activities such as the 40-yard dash, long jump, and hurdles; throughout the week, students get the chance to participate in the various events multiple times, looking to improve each time. At the end of the week, each student receives a t-shirt and a medal for their accomplishments. Go Sunset Elementary!

It's all about teamwork!

What makes the afterschool program at Sunset special are the bonds formed between teachers and students. The trust and care for one another is apparent the moment you visit into the program. To get a clear picture of this, we’ll take you back to January 19, 2012. Knowing that it was instructor Ms. Rene’s birthday, four students approached the Program Coordinator, Mr. Allan, about using his office to pull off a surprise party for Ms. Rene. Little did he know but Allan would be picking up confetti for the next month! The students decorated the office, baked cookies, made confetti, and gave Ms. Rene quite the birthday surprise! Rene was moved to tears by her students' kind gesture. It will be a day she'll never forget - all because of the special student/teacher relationship formed during afterschool. 

Happy Birthday Ms. Rene!

PROGRAM SPOTLIGHT: SNBC's Afterschool Program at Francis Scott Key Elementary

SNBC's afterschool program at Francis Scott Key Elementary is the largest afterschool program SNBC operates, serving over 280 students each school day. FS Key's program is unique to the other afterschool programs SNBC offers because it serves all elementary grades, K-5. FS Key's popular elective program includes school-year-long classes in Judo, Soccer, Ping-Pong, Girls Sports, Boys Sports, Cooking, Ribbon Dance, and Origami. Each class meets weekly so that students have the opportunity to learn new skills, practice them, and master the activity over the course of the school year.

To get a sense of what a day in the FS Key afterschool program looks like, let's take a peek into what the 2nd Grade "Electric Eels" class has been up to!

The “Electric Eels” class have 3rd grade pen pals in Taiwan!  Students are currently drafting their first letters to introduce themselves to their new international friends in Changhua City, Taiwan. With help from instructors Ms. Lindsay and Ms. Bienn, students drafted a list of things to tell their new pen pals and things they’d like to learn about them. Students asked questions such as, "What kind of food do you eat?" and "What kind of toys and games do you like to play with?" Students' first letters were recently sent out and they're anxiously await a response!

The pen pal project is not only a great literacy activity for afterschool students, but also allows them to make new friends and learn about a different culture. Way to go, Electric Eels!

In other class happenings, the 3rd Grade "Godzilla Group" has been hard at work on various art projects. Each Friday afternoon from 4:30-5:30 PM, the third graders have an Art Party, where they create art using free and recycled art materials. Students turn used snack packaging and scraps from local art stores into creative works of art. At the end of each Art Party, students have the opportunity to present their art to their classmates.

The “Godzilla Group” students also had the chance to share their art with parents, siblings, and other relatives at the Art Show they hosted earlier this year. Showing off the artwork they created in their afterschool learning program elective class, students explained their pieces and the creative process to attendees. Student art on display included sculptures, paintings, and drawings. Refreshments and snacks were served, and the event was very well-attended!