Programs

  • Program 1 [2020]

    BEGINNING IN THE SUMMER OF 2001, LOS NIOS PRIMERO HAS SERVED UNDERPRIVILEGED LATINO CHILDREN, YOUTH AND FAMILIES LIVING IN THE ATLANTA COMMUNITY. LOS NIOS PRIMERO IS THE ONLY LATINA-LED NONPROFIT IN ATLANTA THAT PROVIDES ACADEMIC, LEADERSHIP, ARTS AND CULTURAL ENRICHMENT TO THIS CONSTITUENCY. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, MARITZA MORELLI, EMIGRATED TO ATLANTA THIRTY YEARS AGO, FROM VENEZUELA. MARITZA UNDERSTANDS THE DELICATE BALANCE THE FAMILIES STRIKE TO ENSURE THEIR CHILDREN THRIVE IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS WHILE PRESERVING A MEANINGFUL CONNECTION TO THEIR HERITAGE, CULTURE AND LANGUAGE. IN HER 21-YEAR LEADERSHIP AT LOS NIOS PRIMERO, MARITZA HAS SUCCEEDED IN CULTIVATING A HARMONIOUS, COHESIVE AND RESPECTFUL COMMUNITY IN WHICH THE FAMILIES CAN LEARN, LEAD AND EXCEL. SHE HAS LED THE ORGANIZATION FROM ONE SITE WITH 17 CHILDREN IN 2001 TO SEVEN SERVICE SITES. DURING THE PANDEMIC SHE CONTINUES SERVING THE COMMUNITY REACHING OVER 400 CHILDREN, YOUTH AND FAMILIES IN 2020. TESTIMONY TO OUR LONGEVITY OF SERVING THE LATINO IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY, IS THAT WE ARE NOW EDUCATING "SECOND GENERATION" STUDENTS. IN 2020 ONE OF OUR STUDENTS FROM THE INAUGURAL CLASS OF 2001, IS SERVING AS A BOARD OF DIRECTOR. LOS NIOS PRIMERO HAS SIX PRIMARY PROGRAMS: 1. YEAR-ROUND ACADEMIC PROGRAM FOR PRESCHOOL AND KINDERGARTEN STUDENTS: OUR THREE TO EIGHT YEAR OLDS EXPERIENCE FIVE WONDERFUL WEEKS OF LEARNING VIRTUALLY THIS SUMMER. THE ACADEMICS FOLLOW THE GEORGIA PRE-K, 1ST, AND 2ND GRADE STANDARDS AND ARE TAUGHT BY GEORGIA CERTIFIED TEACHERS. AT THE END OF THE SUMMER, OUR CHILDREN ARE MUCH MORE PREPARED TO ATTEND SCHOOL IN THE FALL. 2. EARLY LITERACY PROGRAM: IN THE FALL OF 2017, WE ADDED AN EARLY LITERACY PROGRAM AT CENTRO CATLICO DEL ESPIRITU SANTO. IN THE FALL OF 2019, WE ADDED A SECOND SITE IN ROSWELL AT MIMOSA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. THE PROGRAM SEEKS TO IMPROVE LATINO FAMILY LITERACY BY INVITING THE PARENTS INTO THE CLASSROOM AND ENCOURAGING THEM TO INVEST EARLY IN A PRODUCTIVE ACADEMIC RELATIONSHIP WITH THEIR CHILDREN. IN 2020 WE OFFERED THIS PROGRAM VIRTUALLY. THIS ALLOWED US TO EXPAND OUR HORIZON BY ASSISTING CHILDREN FROM DIFFERENT LOCATIONS.IT IS A MULTI-GENERATIONAL APPROACH TO LITERACY. THE PARENTS PARTICIPATE IN THE CLASSROOM AND PREPARE MONTHLY BOOK REPORT PRESENTATIONS WITH THEIR CHILD. THE CLASSROOM IS LED BY A BILINGUAL TEACHER WHO USES BILINGUAL BOOKS AND CREATIVE EXPLORATION TO STRENGTHEN LITERACY SKILLS AND TO BUILD CONFIDENCE IN THE STUDENTS (CHILD AND ADULT). IN 2020, WE PARTNERED AGAIN WITH THE ALLIANCE THEATRE TO TRAIN OUR PARENTS TO READ ALOUD USING THEATER TECHNIQUES ADDING MORE VALUE TO OUR PROGRAM. 3. ARTS AND CULTURAL ENRICHMENT: ART, CHORUS, ORCHESTRA, AND DANCE (4 TO 10-YEARS OLD): DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR, WE SUPPLEMENT THE STUDENTS' LEARNING WITH CHORUS, ORCHESTRA, DANCE, ART AND CULTURAL ENRICHMENT. THE PANDEMIC FORCED US TO MAKE SOME CHANGES TO OUR ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS. WE WERE ABLE TO OFFER MUSIC, MOVEMENT AND WELL-BEING PROGRAMS. THE CLASSES WERE VIRTUALLY AND TAUGHT BY OUR FORMER CHORUS DIRECTOR, RICARDO HURTADO. CHILDREN AND YOUTH AGES 5 THROUGH 14 ARE LEARNING TO PLAY THE RECORDER OR UKULELE. THE PROGRAM HAS CLINICAL-BASED STRUCTURE THAT PROVIDES A VARIETY OF ACTIVITIES THAT CONTRIBUTE TO THE PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT AND PSYCHOSOCIAL EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING OF THE STUDENTS. 4. SPORTS: SOCCER, KARATE, SWIMMING (4 TO 10-YEARS OLD): DUE TO THE PANDEMIC WE WERE UNABLE TO PROVIDE THESE SERVICES IN 2020. 5. YOUTH LEADERSHIP PROGRAM: LYRIC PROGRAM (LATINO YOUTH REEDINESS AND INFORMATION ABOUT COLLEGE) DURING 2020 WE MADE SOME CHANGES TO OUR YOUTH PROGRAM WITH THE OBJECTIVE OF PROVIDING THE SUPPORT THEY NEEDED. LYRIC IS A NEW INITIATIVE THAT PROVIDES FREQUENT, INFORMATIVE, OUTREACH SESSIONS TO HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES. THE PROGRAM PROVIDES RESOURCES, OPPORTUNITIES, AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH, INTENDED TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF THEIR LIVES AND PURSUE HIGHER EDUCATION. WE CONTINUE WITH THE MARTHA BARRIOS MEAD SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM HONORING MARTHA MEAD A BELOVED FOUNDER AND BOARD MEMBER WHO PASSED IN 2017 AFTER A LONG BATTLE OF CANCER. IN 2020, FOUR ADDITIONAL SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS WERE CHOSEN. CELIA SORIANO, ANGEL MARTINEZ, LUNA RAMIREZ AND RAFAEL LARIO ARE THE FIRST IN THEIR FAMILIES TO ATTEND COLLEGE. EACH ONE OF THE RECIPIENTS IS A LONG-TERM VOLUNTEER AND SERVANT LEADER. CELIA, ANGEL AND RAFAEL BEGAN WITH LOS NINOS AS PRESCHOOL STUDENTS. WE ARE DELIGHTED TO KNOW THAT OUR APPLICATIONS HAVE INCREASED EACH YEAR SINCE ITS CREATION. 6. FAMILY CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND LEADERSHIP PROGRAM: LOS NINOS PRIMERO REQUIRES PARENTS TO ACTIVELY PARTICIPATE IN OUR YEAR-ROUND PROGRAM. IN 2020 WE OFFERED THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS WITH A CLEAR INTENTION OF EMPOWERING THE PARENTS TO BUILD CONFIDENCE AND THE COURAGE TO BE AN ADVOCATE FOR THEIR CHILDREN IN A VERY DIFFICULT TIME. ALL PROGRAMS WERE OFFERED VIRTUALLY. FOSTERING FAMILY LEADERS LOS NINOS PRIMERO AND UNITED WAY OF GREATER ATLANTA HAVE JOINED EFFORTS TO ENSURE EVERY FAMILY HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO REACH THEIR FULL LEADERSHIP POTENTIAL THROUGH THE FOSTERING FAMILY LEADERS PROGRAM. THIS IS A 10-WEEK PROGRAM THAT BUILDS ON THE PARENT'S CURRENT STRENGTHS AND TAKES THEM ONTO A NEW LEVEL OF LEADERSHIP IN THEIR HOME, SCHOOL, AND COMMUNITY. OUR FACILITATORS MEET WITH OUR PARENTS TO TRAIN THEM ON EFFICIENT PEER-TO-PEER MENTORING, SOCIO-EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT, AND PARENTING SKILLS. COGNITIVE-COMPASSION TRAINING DUE TO THE HIGH STRESS THAT THE PANDEMIC BROUGHT TO OUR FAMILIES WE OFFERED THE COGNITIVE-COMPASSION TRAINING TO HELP THE PARENTS TO MANAGE THEIR STRESS. ANDREA GARCIA, A CBCT CERTIFIED INSTRUCTOR (THROUGH EMORY UNIVERSITY), LED OUR NEW PROGRAM THAT IS DESIGNED TO EMPOWER INDIVIDUALS WITH THE ESSENTIAL PRINCIPLES OF MINDFULNESS TO REDUCE STRESS, PROMOTE SOCIAL COMPETENCE, SUPPORT SELF-REGULATION AND SOCIAL REGULATION. OUR PARENT COURSES FOCUS ON COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP TOO. AMONG FRIENDS IN RESPONSE TO LNP FAMILY'S NEEDS. THIS NEW PROGRAM ENCOURAGED FRANK AND HONEST CONVERSATIONS OF COMMUNITY CONCERNS. YOUNG ADULTS AND PARENTS ARE INVITED EACH WEEK TO DISCUSS A VARIETY OF SUBJECTS THAT IMPACT THEIR LIVES. THE PARTICIPANTS CHOOSE THE TOPICS TO CONSIDER AND EXPLORE. COACH PARENT PROGRAM IN THIS PROGRAM, THE PARENTS COMMIT TO A ONE YEAR "COACHING" EXPERIENCE. THE PARENT COACH WORKS WITH TEN LOS NINOS PRIMERO FAMILIES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. THEY ACT AS A LIASON BETWEEN OUR ADMINISTRATION AND THE FAMILIES. WITH THIS SYSTEM, THEY SHARPEN THEIR COMMUNICATION SKILLS, DEEPEN THEIR ENGAGEMENT IN THE PROGRAM, ENHANCE THEIR LEADERSHIP SKILLS AND FACILITATE THE COMMUNICATION FOR LOS NINOS PRIMERO.
    Geographies
    Not indicated
    Dates
    Jan 1, 2020 – Dec 31, 2020
    Source
    990
    No causes provided
    No populations provided
    –
    $361.6K

  • Comprehensive Educational Support for Latino Families

    For over two decades, since 2001, Los Nios Primero has been dedicated to providing educational support to underserved Latino students, youth, and their families. Our programs aim to prepare children, youth, and parents to excel in their communities while fostering a love of learning at any stage of life.Led by our Executive Director, Maritza Morelli, who emigrated from Venezuela to Atlanta, Georgia, Los Nios Primero has made a significant impact on countless Latino children, youth, and adults. Maritza's dedication and intentional actions have built a cohesive, inclusive community centered around our organization.The early years of Los Nios Primero reflect the power of community, setting the course for our visionary curriculum that has impacted over 6,100 Latino children, youth, and families. Under Maritzas leadership, we have established ourselves as a trusted resource for Atlantas underserved Latino population.For 23 years, Los Nios Primero has provided comprehensive educational support, nurturing the academic, social, and emotional well-being of Latino children and their families. Our innovative approach fosters a culturally rich learning environment, empowering teachers and students through Play & Inquiry-Based Learning, and cultivating a new generation of independent thinkers.Los Nios Primero offers six core programs:1. Year-Round Academic Program (ages 3-9): Enriching summer and Saturday school sessions aligned with Georgia Early Learning and Development Standards (GELDS) and Georgia Standards of Excellence (GSE).2. Early Literacy Program (ages 4-5): Enhancing family literacy with bilingual instruction, creative exploration, and parent involvement, in partnership with the Alliance Theater.3. Arts and Cultural Enrichment (ages 4-13): Offering chorus, orchestra, dance, drama, art, and cultural enrichment to foster well-rounded educational experiences and cultural connection.4. Sports (ages 4-12): Led by Coach Ricardo Montoya, our soccer and swimming programs promote physical health, social skills, and emotional well-being.5. Youth Service and Leadership Program: Engaging youth volunteers as role models to foster leadership and intellectual curiosity, with opportunities for scholarships through the Martha Barrios Mead Scholarship Program.6. Family Civic Engagement and Leadership Program: Empowering parents with confidence and skills to advocate for their children through initiatives such as:. Fostering Family Leaders Program: A 10-week initiative in collaboration with The United Way of Greater Atlanta.. Parent Education Program: Workshops and training to enhance understanding of the U.S. school system and child development.. Cognitive-Compassion Training: Stress management for parents, led by a certified instructor.. LYRIC (Latino Youth Readiness and Information about College): Outreach sessions for high school students and families.. Coach Parent Program: Year-long coaching to enhance communication and leadership skills.. Affordable Family Counseling: Free bilingual, GA-certified mental health therapy for enrolled families.Our journey as key innovators in education in Atlanta continues as we foster a new generation of independent thinkers ready to engage with the world around them.
    Geographies
    Not indicated
    Dates
    Jan 1, 2023 – Dec 31, 2023
    Source
    990
    No causes provided
    No populations provided
    –
    $1.2M