Science and Multimedia Lab (SAM)
Tax deductible
Hey GoFundMe world! We are Centro Romero, a community center for immigrants and refugees located on Chicago’s north east side. For 30 years our center has provided a space for immigrants and refugees to educate themselves and acquire the skills they need in order to thrive in this country. To this end, we offer community members legal services, an afterschool program , public benefits assistance, domestic violence support, and adult education classes. We believe today and every day that no human being is illegal and that every individual is fundamentally deserving of respect.
In the last year our adult education program has served over 800 students, providing English Language Acquisition, GED, Adult Basic Education, Citizenship, and Spanish Literacy courses. All of our classes are free, allowing them to be accessible to all who need them. The teachers and students of Centro Romero are dedicated, skilled, and creative.
But, we have a problem: our classrooms. This is where you, dear donor, come in. We need your help to modernize our learning spaces—specifically, transforming our drab, outdated computer room into a 21st century Science and Multimedia Lab (S.A.M.).
Okay so I’ll set the scene for you: the room is a pale green, the walls lightly posterized with student work and grammar cheat sheets. Computers from the turn of the millennium line the perimeter of the room. A printer breathes and often jams in a back corner. Student-made terrariums drink in the sunlight on the windowsill. Depending on the hour, there may be K-12 students in the room finishing their homework, or maybe adult learners in their GED, health bridge, or career foundations class.
The room, though so many students pass through it everyday, is not of these diverse students. It is a well established fact that the physical environment has a profound impact on a student’s ability to learn. So, it needs a transformation. We need a room that reflects and serves the diverse lives and needs of the students who occupy it hour by hour. We need a room that will inspire greatness.
Thankfully, our re-imagination of the space is beginning its realization thanks to a civic engagement partnership with students from Northwestern University’s Social Justice Education Department. So far, our plans include a hydroponic grow station that will produce edible plants, and be cared for by our field biology students, as well as moveable multi-purpose furniture and a sound dome to block out excess noise to facilitate students focus. The NW students are tasked with investigating the intersections of psychological and educational research so that we can best design the room, while we at Centro Romero are fundraising.
Our best estimate for the cost of the new room hovers around $10,000. This is a hefty price for those of us in the nonprofit education world. But, as we’ve seen in recent years, many small donations can have a massive impact in the lives of everyday people. So, we encourage you to donate to our campaign and to help us transform the space for our current students and students to come. If you have more questions or want to know more about Centro Romero you can visit us online at www.centroromero.org.
In the last year our adult education program has served over 800 students, providing English Language Acquisition, GED, Adult Basic Education, Citizenship, and Spanish Literacy courses. All of our classes are free, allowing them to be accessible to all who need them. The teachers and students of Centro Romero are dedicated, skilled, and creative.
But, we have a problem: our classrooms. This is where you, dear donor, come in. We need your help to modernize our learning spaces—specifically, transforming our drab, outdated computer room into a 21st century Science and Multimedia Lab (S.A.M.).
Okay so I’ll set the scene for you: the room is a pale green, the walls lightly posterized with student work and grammar cheat sheets. Computers from the turn of the millennium line the perimeter of the room. A printer breathes and often jams in a back corner. Student-made terrariums drink in the sunlight on the windowsill. Depending on the hour, there may be K-12 students in the room finishing their homework, or maybe adult learners in their GED, health bridge, or career foundations class.
The room, though so many students pass through it everyday, is not of these diverse students. It is a well established fact that the physical environment has a profound impact on a student’s ability to learn. So, it needs a transformation. We need a room that reflects and serves the diverse lives and needs of the students who occupy it hour by hour. We need a room that will inspire greatness.
Thankfully, our re-imagination of the space is beginning its realization thanks to a civic engagement partnership with students from Northwestern University’s Social Justice Education Department. So far, our plans include a hydroponic grow station that will produce edible plants, and be cared for by our field biology students, as well as moveable multi-purpose furniture and a sound dome to block out excess noise to facilitate students focus. The NW students are tasked with investigating the intersections of psychological and educational research so that we can best design the room, while we at Centro Romero are fundraising.
Our best estimate for the cost of the new room hovers around $10,000. This is a hefty price for those of us in the nonprofit education world. But, as we’ve seen in recent years, many small donations can have a massive impact in the lives of everyday people. So, we encourage you to donate to our campaign and to help us transform the space for our current students and students to come. If you have more questions or want to know more about Centro Romero you can visit us online at www.centroromero.org.
Organizer
Centro Romero
Organizer
Chicago, IL
Centro Romero
Beneficiary