Los Ninos Primeros Inc

EMPOWERING LATINO STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES FROM EARLY CHILDHOOD TO COLLEGE THROUGH HOLISTIC ACADEMIC, LEADERSHIP, AND COMMUNITY PROGRAMS.

BEGINNING IN THE SUMMER OF 2001, LOS NINOS PRIMERO HAS SERVED UNDERPRIVILEGED LATINO CHILDREN, YOUTH AND FAMILIES LIVING IN THE ATLANTA COMMUNITY. LOS NINOS PRIMERO IS A LATINA-LED NONPROFIT IN ATLANTA THAT PROVIDES ACADEMIC, LEADERSHIP, ARTS AND CULTURAL ENRICHMENT TO THIS IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, MARITZA MORELLI, IMMIGRATED TO ATLANTA THIRTY-TWO 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 22-YEAR LEADERSHIP AT LOS NINOS 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. IN 2021, LOS NINOS PRIMERO SERVED OVER 700 CHILDREN, YOUTH AND FAMILIES. TESTIMONY TO OUR LONGEVITY OF SERVING THE LATINO IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY, IS THAT WE ARE NOW EDUCATING "SECOND GENERATION" STUDENTS. SPECIFICALLY, STUDENTS FROM THE INAUGURAL CLASS OF 2001, ARE ENROLLING THEIR OWN CHILDREN IN OUR PROGRAMS. WE HAVE ENROLLED NINE "SECOND GENERATION" CHILDREN. A SIGNIFICANT MILESTONE FOR US, IS THAT IN DECEMBER 2020, ONE OF OUR FORMER PRESCHOOL STUDENTS, ABEL RIVERA, FROM THE INAUGURAL CLASS OF 2001, WAS INVITED TO JOIN THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS.LOS NINOS 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 MORE PREPARED TO ATTEND SCHOOL IN THE FALL.2. EARLY LITERACY PROGRAM: 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.. IT IS A MULTI-GENERATIONAL APPROACH TO LITERACY. IN 2021, THE PROGRAM WAS OFFERED VIRTUALLY. THE PARENTS PARTICIPATE IN THE VIRTUAL 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). WE PARTNER 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, DRAMA, AND DANCE (4 TO 13-YEARS OLD): DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR, WE SUPPLEMENT THE STUDENTS' LEARNING WITH CHORUS, ORCHESTRA, DANCE, DRAMA, ART AND CULTURAL ENRICHMENT. WE SUPPLEMENT THE STUDENTS' LEARNING WITH EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES THAT ENHANCE THEIR LEARNING EXPERIENCE AND CREATE A WELL-ROUNDED INDIVIDUAL. INTEGRATING MUSIC EDUCATION IN THE CURRICULUM ALLOWS US TO PROVIDE FUN ACTIVITIES THAT INCREASE THE STUDENTS' LEARNING, LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT, MEMORIZATION, AND COMMUNICATION SKILLS. IN OUR CHORUS AND ORCHESTRA PROGRAMS, SONGS AND MUSIC COMPOSITIONS ARE TAUGHT TO SUPPORT CLASSROOM ACADEMIC LEARNING AND A VARIETY OF CULTURAL MUSICAL TRADITIONS. THESE SUPPLEMENTARY ACTIVITIES HELP THE STUDENT TO BUILD A STRONG SENSE OF BELONGING AND KEEP THEM CONNECTED TO OUR PROGRAM DURING THEIR SCHOOL YEAR UNTIL THEY REACH THE AGE (13 YEARS OLD) TO RETURN AS A YOUTH VOLUNTEER.4. SPORTS: SOCCER, KARATE (4 TO 10-YEARS OLD): COACH RICARDO MONTOYA LEADS OUR SOCCER PROGRAM. COACH MONTOYA INSPIRES AND ADVANCES A BETTER QUALITY OF LIFE FOR OUR YOUNG PLAYERS BY INTEGRATING SOCIAL, HEALTH AND EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING INSTRUCTION. COACH MONTOYA IS A SKILLED INSTRUCTOR AND TEACHES THE MOST EFFECTIVE APPROACH TO INSPIRING COOPERATION AND TEAMWORK. HE IS A FORMER PROFESSIONAL SOCCER PLAYER, AND EXPERIENCE INSPIRES HOPE IN THE LATINO BOYS AND YOUTH WHO ENGAGE WITH HIM.KARATE IS OFFERED WEEKLY. IT PROMOTES SELF-DISCIPLINE, CONCENTRATION AND COORDINATION. AT WEEKLY PRACTICES, STUDENTS ENGAGE IN FUN, PHYSICAL ACTIVITY WHILE DEVELOPING HEALTHY HABITS.5. YOUTH LEADERSHIP PROGRAM: LYRIC PROGRAM (LATINO YOUTH READINESS AND INFORMATION ABOUT COLLEGE). LYRIC 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 AWAY IN 2017 AFTER A LONG BATTLE OF CANCER.IN 2021, 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 2021 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. ALL PROGRAMS WERE OFFERED VIRTUALLY.FOSTERING FAMILY LEADERSLOS 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 TO 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 TRAININGDUE 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 FRIENDSIN RESPONSE TO THE LNP FAMILIES' 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 PROGRAMIN 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 LIAISON 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.