Vanessa Mobley Knox
Family Engagement Coordinator
Ngage New Mexico

 

 

21st Century Family Engagement Program offers families the opportunity to bond

Did you know that children are more successful when they have active, supportive family members? Our 21st Century Family Engagement Program is dedicated to precisely that! Family Engagement programs are established to help meet the needs of families and enable them to be more active and supportive. These activities are designed to stimulate the educational needs of children by supporting the needs of the family. Examples of our ongoing activities are The Family Leadership Institute, Afterschool activities, Family Cooking Nights, Adult Basic Computer Skill Courses, Family Art Nights, Family Hiking Adventures, Literacy and Resource Fairs and so much more.

You don’t have to wait long to see what it’s all about either!  We are having a community Resource and Literacy Fair at the end of this month.  This event will be located at the Hatch Valley High School parking lot.  There will be hourly readings from LCPS Board President Ray Jaramillo who will be sharing and signing his recently published children’s book “Gust, Gust, Gust”.  But that’s not all.  There will be hundreds of books for children, students, and families to choose from, games, prizes, and snacks for all.  We recommend that you register in advance to ensure your child and student can get their free backpack filled with goodies and a free book!  We sure hope to see you there.

Register Today! Friday, July 30th from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm https://tinyurl.com/37bw5vax and Saturday July 31st from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm https://tinyurl.com/477vcjza

Family Leadership Institute (FLI) is a program that helps parents to strengthen their leadership skills through a series of classes and activities. A Graduation Ceremony upon completion of the course allows an opportunity for them to experience walking across the stage which is a huge highlight for family members that have not have the opportunity to graduate from an institution.  The sense of accomplishment that is achieved from completing this course, and the tools that the family members are given to be effective leaders in the home, strengthen the entire family.

One of our most popular family activities is Family Cooking Nights. Registration is required because a box of ingredients is delivered right to the family’s front door! All family members have to do is join our Edible Education specialist (from our partners at La Semilla) on Zoom for step-by-step instructions on preparing the food. We have witnessed children whose parents refer to them as “picky eaters” taste their creations and think they are delicious. Families learn a variety of healthy, simple, and delicious recipes that are prepared in their homes by their family…absolutely free of charge.

We have all heard of activities where adults “sip” on a beverage while painting. Our Family Art Nights are very similar. Families are provided with canvases, paints, and paintbrushes for each family member. They then meet our wonderful art instructor on Zoom where they will be led in step-by-step instruction on creating artistic masterpieces right in the comfort of their own homes. We have been amazed at the young talent that has prevailed in our community! We especially love to watch the friendly competition that some families have, seeing who can create the best paintings. However, painting is not the only art program that we have. We have all types of activities that you won’t want to miss.

At Ngage New Mexico and within the SUCCESS Partnership, we believe that children are more successful when they have supportive, involved families. Some parents do not feel confident to mentor their children because they lack basic computer skills, or because they did not complete their education. They may have a desire to return to school and don’t know where to start. Our Adult Learning Courses offer adult computer classes, GED classes, and resources/referrals to help parents get information about returning to school. our Adult Learning Courses.

Don’t miss out on any of the activities that will be offered this school year. Be on the lookout for announcements coming from your child’s school or afterschool program.

Spaces are limited for all of these activities, so be sure to register early!!