On-site at your school, in a place full of caring educators, new and best friends, and heaps of fun!
Register now for Summer 2024!
From the start of the School Year through the Summer — we’ve got you covered all year long!
Individual after school programs in music, sports, languages and more!
Get started today and bring our exceptional enrichment programs to your community.
On-site at your school, in a place full of caring educators, new and best friends, and heaps of fun!
Register now for Summer 2024!
From the start of the School Year through the Summer — we’ve got you covered all year long!
Individual after school programs in music, sports, languages and more!
Get started today and bring our exceptional enrichment programs to your community.
At Right At School, we’re locally-inspired. We represent the communities we serve. We believe in order to enrich the lives of every child and family, we must create room for each other. Our unique skills. Our stories. And our differences. It’s who we are.
RAS-ers Tamariya Smith, Iris Delos Reyes, and Mike Perrin talk about celebrating Pride.
Pride month is an important time to celebrate and remember our history. It's a good opportunity for me to learn more about our LGBTQ+ pioneers from both the past and present day - there's still more work to be done! For example, you may have noticed the newer Progress Pride Flag which includes black, brown, light blue, pink, and white stripes to include and recognize marginalized people of color & trans individuals. We need to continue to represent and lift each other's voices up to build a better world for us ALL.
— Mike Perrin
See our DEI metrics and learn what we’re working on.
A welcome from Emma Huntley — dedicated to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion.
— GEORGE DEI
For those of you who I have yet to meet personally, my name is Emma Huntley, and I am the Inclusion Manager at Right At School. It is my goal (heck, it’s the reason Right At School created my position) to make our program spaces inclusive and accessible to all children, families, school partners and employees. As George Dei’s quote suggests, this goes beyond bringing individuals into a stagnant space; it requires us to evolve and adapt to make our space truly conducive to success for all parties involved. This is why Right At School prioritizes inclusion, constantly increasing awareness, resources and training in order to meet the demands of our ever-evolving community.
I will be writing a monthly blog dedicated to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, sharing stories and ideas that continue to forge Right At School’s mission of accessibility to all children and families. I want this blog to help you, as Right At School employees, understand a little more about why it is important and beneficial for us to consider DEI as just as integral to our success as academics, social-emotional learning, and healthy lifestyles. Further, I hope to share practical advice about how to put these concepts into effect in program.
I grew up in Evanston, Illinois – a suburb outside of Chicago. Evanston is known for its racially diverse population, and growing up we often referred to our community as a “bubble.” Looking back, our “bubble” shared a lot in common with many communities whose diverse populations were experiencing inequities, especially in education. While attending a small liberal arts college, I noticed more imbalances in the experiences of diverse groups of students, and became interested in and passionate about understanding and contributing to real changes that correct the inequities I saw throughout the learning community.
During the summer after graduating from college, I worked at the preschool on the campus of a university in northern California. This preschool is associated with the school’s psychology program, and known for their research-based and developmentally appropriate principles and practices. There was a student in my class, let’s call him Jack. Jack had difficulty communicating with staff and peers, had frequent melt-downs, and would often wander off or appear unengaged in the activities or materials. In short, Jack demanded extra attention from staff and frequently frustrated or upset other students. Ultimately, the head teacher met with Jack’s parents and recommended they have Jack evaluated (he was diagnosed with Autism) and determined that Jack’s needs exceeded what the program could offer.
I was upset. I felt like we had failed this student and family. The day that Jack left program, I began looking for jobs in clinics in Chicago that provided family therapy and services for children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. That was thirteen years ago, and since then I have worked in various positions helping children with Autism and other neurodevelopmental disabilities; as a researcher, therapist, and teacher. I loved the direct interactions, relationships I developed, and daily successes I saw with the children I worked with. However, in speaking with parents of these children, they told me that no matter how much progress their child made in therapy, they still felt like there were programs and activities their children could not do that their peers without special and diverse needs could. This is what brought me to Right At School – I wanted to be part of an organization that was committed to creating a dynamic and evolving space, accessible to all students and families, regardless of needs, race, sexual orientation or other differences.
I really want this blog to be engaging, relevant, stimulating and beneficial for you as Right At School employees. Therefore, please send me your thoughts, reactions, disagreements, and ideas for future blog topics.
I look forward to hearing from you,
— Emma Huntley
— by Emma Huntley, RAS Inclusion Manager
Each April is Autism Awareness Month, which, similar to other awareness months for diseases or conditions, was established with good intentions. However, awareness, while important, is not enough – each of us can make a difference throughout the year, well beyond drawing attention to autism for one month out of twelve. Let’s no longer stigmatize individuals with autism as “other” – as abnormal or different. Let’s get started this month on a path to acceptance and empowerment of individuals on the autism spectrum by recognizing the humanity and individuality in these individuals; by recognizing their full potential.
During graduate school, I co-directed a social-skills grant for an Illinois-based software testing company, Aspiritech, which employs individuals on the autism spectrum. I went into the job with learning goals and teaching plans for the employees. I left two years later having learned much more than I imparted. I learned to listen; I learned the importance of giving these individuals with autism the opportunity to express themselves. It is a common misconception that people with autism don’t feel empathy, and are unable to communicate thoughts and feelings. The problem is that our society isn’t listening. Just because communication doesn’t look or sound familiar to us doesn’t mean that the message lacks importance.
The reluctance in our society to accept and empower stems from the medical model of disability – the concept that the problem is rooted in the individuals. Individuals with autism don’t need to be cured, and autism does not need to be eradicated. In fact, we are a more successful and richer society because of neurodiversity. Aspiritech was founded by a couple whose son is on the autism spectrum. The Weitzbergs recognized the extraordinary gifts their son possesses, including attention to detail, laser-like focus, lack of boredom with highly repetitive tasks, and an above average intelligence. Aspiritech has built a thriving business by discovering and tapping into the special skills of their unique employee population.
At this point, most individuals are aware of autism – they know it exists, but too often perceptions are stereotyped and understanding is lacking. “If you’ve met one person with autism, you’ve met one person with autism.” – Dr. Stephen Shore. Autism covers a vast range of developmental, neurological and temperamental differences, which is why it’s referred to as a “spectrum.” I urge you to seek opportunities to meet, connect with and learn from individuals with autism – I know that my life is fuller having done so. Perhaps most importantly, don’t avoid or avert your gaze from someone who looks, speaks or acts differently. Introduce yourself. Wave or smile. Let’s move beyond Autism Awareness, and put our awareness into action.
— Emma Huntley
”I had student with autism who attended our after-school program since the beginning of the school year. As the year went on, we noticed that he would run out of the room during transitions and whenever the volume level increased. Instead of using his words, he would use his hands to hit students who were too close to him. My Program Manager looped me into the situation. I collaborated with Emma and with the parents to determine how we could help this child become successful at Right At School. We provided sensory supports, like noise-cancelling headphones, and came up with a reward system to promote safe and appropriate participation. The student loved Pokemon so we created a reward chart decorated with his favorite characters. If he had a good day, he would mark smiley faces on the chart. When his parents arrived to pick him up, if he earned a smiley face, they gave him a Pokemon card. After a few weeks, the Principal contacted me to inquire about the reward system that Right At School was using with the student. I provided her the chart and they began using it throughout the school day to support the student as well! Overall, the student began to excel at Right At School and developed new friendships. If we can't see a child with autism as capable, interesting and valuable, no amount of education we layer on top is going to matter.”
Women leaders from RAS discuss their Pathways to Leadership
My leadership traits began to blossom around 2004. I worked as a Student Advocate for elementary and high school age students, preparing them for post-secondary options. It was my first experience leading a team, but my boss was a great role model. I enjoyed working alongside her and tried to help her as much as I could because I eventually wanted her job! LOL. But seriously, it was rewarding to support youth in their growth and development to become future professionals.
I started in the wonderful world of non-profits. For several years I worked as a Community Resource Coordinator under an Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) grant. In this position, I instituted after school programming for a high school on Chicago’s Southeast side, working as the liaison between the high school and an arts education organization. I hired creative professionals from all over the city to teach, encourage and help shape the lives of these students using art, sports and academic support as a platform. I managed all of the administrative functions of the program to ensure its success and continued funding. That experience helped me land a position as Program Associate with the same arts education organization. In that position, I supported the implementation of arts programs in elementary and high schools throughout the Chicago area.
I have been blessed to work for organizations and companies where gender inequality has not been an issue for myself or my peers.
Yes! Working with parents in Out of School Time programming (OST) can be a challenge… I find that especially as a child gets older, parent participation in school goes down… I spent many days and nights trying to get parents involved in what really excited their children. I wrote notes and letters explaining to parents how important OST is to the development of their children and how their endorsement could take their child even further…[and] I created a parent cafe that ran alongside after school programming. The parent cafe offered professional office space, networking events, workshops and other special interests that got parents [to come] in the school building. While they were there, parents were encouraged to stop by their child’s after school classroom, which enabled them to observe how dedicated and serious [their children] were about perfecting their crafts. [All of this] motivated parents to dedicate energy into supporting their child’s talents.
This is an interesting question! I’d say being a woman working for RAS has allowed me to build wonderful professional and personal relationships with other female industry leaders across the country. Hearing about and seeing the impact of their work has been inspiring for me.
I stand in that space between education and recreation and I believe children appreciate that. Most of my younger relatives think my job is so cool! Many of them participated in events and trips with me and even helped me with “special” projects. A couple of them went on to study early childhood education and I’d like to believe that I and other educators in our family were their influencers.
Dr. Barbara A. Sizemore was a Chicago Public School teacher/principal, college professor, dean for the School of Education at DePaul University and an author. She was also my mother’s third grade teacher! Dr. Sizemore pioneered and was responsible for school reform in African American communities. The Forward in her book, Walking in Circles: The Black Struggle for School Reform, describes her this way:
“Dr. Sizemore was involved in the struggle for academic and cultural excellence, successfully and for many decades. Few educators can match her record of excellence in teaching, research, theory building, institution building and political activism.”
But it’s perhaps this quote that best summarizes why she has been such an inspiration in my professional journey.
“The cry of the ghetto is being heard by a nation with its fingers in its ears.” – Barbara A. Sizemore.
Kelly Christiel,
Area Manager
My leadership traits first emerged early in my childhood. I was the oldest, so I made sure that whatever I did, the little kids did as well. LOL. I would tell them, “You guys follow me and I’ll teach you. But when you show other people, make sure it’s better than me. And don’t mess up because I’ll say I didn't teach you that!”
My leadership experience really started to come out in high school. In my junior year, I and my co-captain led our ProStart cooking team in the national competition. We competed against 50 other schools. My team was down after some mishaps in the kitchen. I pulled us together and said, “Let's just rock with what we’ve got and know.” Thirty-two hours later, we placed second. Our school had never placed before. It was the highlight of my high school years. The following year, I led the team all by myself and we ended up placing fourth or fifth.
Wow… I can't even touch the surface of the gender stereotypes I've had to overcome in life. I think the most common one is the “angry woman”. For me, that has been the hardest to overcome. I’ve even had to adapt my communication skills in order to not come off as upset or angry, even in the workplace.
Absolutely! Especially working with such a diverse group of women. Sometimes, you have to put yourself in the shoes of others to understand them as a person. I’ve grown in such ways over the years that I can adapt my approach with people by demonstrating that I value them (employee, friend, etc.) and want them to succeed beyond the work environment.
Being a woman has not affected me here at RAS. I also do not feel that it has had an effect on my role with children. Here in the program, I’m just Miss Chelaya. I’m the one who’s here to help guide you in the right direction and help you with school work (not math though, because Miss Chelaya doesn't do that). I’m here to let you make mistakes, messes, and memories. All that matters is the smile on the faces of the families I serve. It's happiness and laughter.
Mae C. Jemison. I’m not sure why I became obsessed with her. But I remember doing a report on her in third grade and being mesmerized that she was the first African American woman in space! I thought, if she can do that, then I know I can do anything I put my mind to.
“Don’t let anyone rob you of your imagination, your creativity, or your curiosity. It’s your place in the world; it’s your life. Go on and do all you can with it, and make it the life you want to live.” — Mae C. Jemison
Cheylaya Stalling,
Program Manager
We serve more and more communities across America every day. That’s why we work hard to elevate everyone’s voice. And while we’ve got a lot to celebrate, there’s plenty of work to do. Our goal is to ensure every single person in the Right At School community feels valued and supported, and that’s where we’re heading.
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