22FALLSummerStudent recap, pg. 5 Cecilia uses reflection for growth, pg. 6 sightings,Supporter pg. 11
As we look ahead to the fall, I have bittersweet news to share that our Artistic Director Falon Baltzell decided it was time to leave The Wooden Floor after our summer session.
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Warmly, Towards the Future
As our tagline inspires, from here you can step anywhere for our students, Falon too was inspired to resume her professional choreography career. We wish her the very best on this next step in her professional journey (See page 5).
■ Over 140 alumni are enrolled in colleges and universities across the nation.
■ 100 percent of our senior class members graduated and enrolled in higher education, our 18th consecutive class since 2005.
*2020–21 Compare Smarter Balanced ELA and Mathematics Test Results - CAASPP Reporting (CA Dept of Education)
■ 55 percent of our alumni have graduated with a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree since 2005, as compared to 12 percent of their peers.
Dawn S. Reese Chief Executive Officer @DawnSReese up
In the news, there have been reports about the increased drop-out rates for high school and college students, as well as lowered test scores in K-12 due to remote and hybrid learning. In order to mitigate these potential outcomes, The Wooden Floor’s team of our Board of Directors, staff, and supporters work tirelessly to ensure our students have not been derailed during the pandemic. We are proud of our recent accomplishments:
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As an entire organization, we are laser-focused on ensuring that ten years from now, when the pandemic will be hopefully long over, The Wooden Floor’s students will have the social, emotional, and academic prowess to reach their big dreams for their futures in higher education and beyond.
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It has been even more important to keep re-examining what we know, as well as to keep refreshing our organization in order to respond to the evolving needs of the students and families, today. At the same time, we have kept an eye towards a vision for the future---when students join The Wooden Floor, they make a 10-year mental commitment to the organization, and we must be prepared to make a 10-year organizational commitment to them.
■ 3rd, 5th and 8th grade students are exceeding benchmark standards in math literacy for Orange County and California.
On behalf of our Board of Directors and staff, students, and families, I thank you for your continued efforts to ensure we keep moving our mission forward.
As we witnessed during the early days of the pandemic, rapid innovation unfolded in new and enlightened ways as most organizations moved into virtual and hybrid environments. The Wooden Floor has continued to find ways to assess which programs and/or service deliveries can scale, adapt, or sunset based upon responding to new information and data.
Waiting in the Wings at the 39th Annual Concert: Hope Abounds
Mission Moment
THE WOODEN FLOOR3
The Wooden Floor’s Annual Concert process gives our students a place to express their feelings and an increased sense of self through being witnessed by an audience. It also helps to develop curiosity, attentiveness, creative problem solving, and much more. Our dance approach values exploration, discovery, and innovation - which leads to the success of our students in school and in life.
JUNE 2022
Newsfeed
CLASS OF 2022 GRADUATION
We celebrated our Class of 2022 with a graduation season kickoff! The event was a celebration to mark the start of our seniors' well-earned graduation celebrations, as well as a way for our staff to bid our graduates a personal farewell as they take their next step onto higher education.
For five weeks this summer, students in third through eighth grades participated in fun activities that meet Common Core State Standards for reading as well as in Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM). The reading program encouraged creativity, critical thinking, and communication as well as explored the idea that reading is fun with arts projects. The STEAM workshop guided students through inquiry, discussion, and problem-solving skills with projectbased and hands-on learning such as making slime, a polymer substance that can help students strengthen fine motor skills, learn about cause and effect, learn about compound measurements, and much more!
READING AND STEAM SUMMER PROGRAMS
JULY 2022
Our College and Career Readiness Workshops helped our Class of 2023 get started on the college application process. Topics for the summer workshops included an overview of the college application process, creating a college list, building a résumé, personal statement writing, and financial aid research.
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MAY 2022
COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS SUMMER WORKSHOPS
Students, families, and staff gathered for a light reception to wish Falon well on the next phase of her career. Falon has made a lasting impact on our organization and students.
JUNE 2022
The Wooden Floor received the 2022 Nonprofit of the Year Award from Greater Irvine Chamber. Through this award program, the Greater Irvine Chamber recognizes businesses and individuals in greater Irvine that have demonstrated the principles of community service, volunteerism, and the best traditions of good corporate citizenship. We would like to thank to Katheryn Morrison for nominating our organization for this prestigious award.
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JULY 2022 After five years, The Wooden Floor’s Artistic Director Falon Baltzell decided to step beyond The Wooden Floor to further pursue her career in choreography and Somatics research.
“I'm grateful for the gift of serving as The Wooden Floor’s Artistic Director, where I have had the opportunity to advance our culture of excellence, support the growth of students, and work with outstanding teams to move the organization’s mission forward.” -Falon Baltzell
FAREWELL TO OUR ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
NONPROFIT OF THE YEAR
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Cecilia, Class of 2023
“The Wooden Floor provides a lot of opportunities. It allows you to be yourself, to get to know people, but also to get know yourself. You’re encouraged to reflect on how you feel and on how you can improve as a person and as a dancer. Being here has helped me feel closer to my family. When my parents come and watch me dance or bring me to dance class, it makes me feel loved and supported. When I dance, I feel inspired by the other people dancing around me. I feel expressive - whatever I’m feeling, I’m able to convey it into physical form. I feel heard and seen.”
Cecilia has been at The Wooden Floor since the 5th grade and currently has a 4.8 GPA. Her Academic Advisor at The Wooden Floor encouraged her to apply to the prestigious QuestBridge College Scholars Program, where she was accepted and will work towards getting matched in the highly competitive National College Match Program for a full-ride college scholarship. Cecilia’s dream school is UC Davis, where she hopes to study animal sciences to fulfill her dream of becoming a veterinarian. She is a role model for her peers and for her younger sister, Anahi, who is also at The Wooden Floor.
In the First Person: Cecilia Class of 2023
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2022 at 6:00PM Big Canyon Country Club Newport Beach, California WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK OUR 2022 KEEP THE PROMISE SPONSORS! PREMIER The Beall Family Foundation Janice & John Markley GOLD Theresa & Jonathon Allen Frome Family Foundation Adele & Bryan Green Sharon & Terry Hartshorn Nicholas Pardon & Sean Devlin Judith F. Posnikoff Dave & Robyn Stauffer The Thompson Family Foundation SILVER Cohn & Swartzon, P.C. First Republic Bank The Hughes Family Hydraflow - The Ayloush Family Yvonne & Damien Jordan Carole & Rich Lee BRONZE Michele & Joseph Chatelle Sally & Randy Crockett Monica & Jim Meacham The Muzzy Family Ginger & Arthur Ong COPPER Denise & Keith Banning Jennifer & Ron Cole Denise & John Duncan Nancy & Stephen Eng Jean & Robert Lucas Catherine MacIver & Jim Slaughter Sandy & Charlie McLaughlin Lisa & Barney Page Stacy & Jeffrey Stone THIS YEAR FEATURING ALL 100-POINT ORANGE COUNTY’S WINE TASTING As of 7/25/2022
Sharon
Laura
Arthur
Naveen Jonathan, PhD, Representative Associate Professor of Marriage & Family Therapy, Chair, Marriage & Family Therapy, Crean College of Health & Behavioral Sciences, Chapman University Simon Khinda, Partner, Bridge Law, LLP King, Choreo Advisory Council Chair Account Director, FinancialSalesforceServices, Jeremy Krout, EnvironmentalPresident/CEO, Planning Development Solutions, Inc.
Alix
LMFT, Community
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Richard Lee, Market President, Retired, Aetna, Southern California
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Fabiola Velazquez, Parent Representative Community Leader Board Emeriti Joan Beall, Community Leader Beth A. Burns, Founder of The Wooden Floor and Artistic Director (’83-’05) Hartshorn, Community Leader Richard C. Hunsaker,** HunsakerPresident,Management Virginia Hunsaker,** Community Leader Damien M. Jordan, General Manager, Retired, American Funds/ Capital Group Companies, Inc.
9 ▫ A fun, strolling blind wine tasting competition ▫ Signature small plates ▫ Sharing of student success stories ▫ Silent auctions and opportunity drawings ▫ Giving opportunities Sponsorships available now at TheWoodenFloor.org/WineTasting THIS EVENT SELLS OUT EVERY YEAR! ANNUAL16TH 100-POINT WINES! COUNTY’SBENEFITPREMIER 2021-2022 Board of Directors Theresa Allen,* Board Chair Managing Director and Portfolio Manager, First Republic PrivateManagementWealth Judith F. Posnikoff, PhD,* Immediate Past Chair Managing Director, Martlet Asset Management, LLC Saar Swartzon,* Vice Chair Principal Attorney, Cohn & Swartzon, a Professional Law Corporation Yvonne O’Neill,* Treasurer Certified Public Accountant, O’Neill Financial Management Joseph Chatelle,* Secretary Principal,Mercer Sasha Ayloush,* Director of Sales & Marketing,Hydraflow Seán Curran, Chair, Department of Dance, NYU Tisch School of the Arts Michelle Dean,* Community Leader Brent Funston, Chief Executive Officer, Wind River Group, LLC Elizabeth Gonzalez, Alumni Representative Community Leader Raquel Gonzalez, Parent Representative, Community Leader Bryan Green, Financial Advisor, Edward Jones Jehan Jayakumar,* Founding Partner, Carlson & Jayakumar, LLP
Catherine M. MacIver, Community Leader Dana McCollum, General AmericanManager,Funds/Capital Group Companies, Inc. Ong, Executive Vice President, Retired, Deputy General Counsel, PIMCO Portillo, Assistant Vice President, Compliance Monitoring Officer, Genesis Bank Dawn S. Reese, CFRE, Chief Executive Officer, The Wooden Floor Jim Slaughter, Partner, Slaughter & Slaughter, LLP
Yvonne M. Jordan, Community Leader Socorro Vasquez, Community Leader Executive Committee Members. In Memoriam.
Ernesto M. Vasquez, FAIA, NCARB, Partner & CEO, SVA Architects, Inc.
Clinical
April 27, 2022
We are grateful to the passionate and caring community of individuals, foundations, companies, and community partners who were generous underwriters and supporters of our students’ success at our 10th Step Beyond Annual Breakfast. We were also moved by the strong presence and commitment to our students and mission by our board leadership, civic leaders, community leaders, education partners, and alumni who joined us. All of us standing together helped us raise over $340,000 this year.
danceup 10 10th Step Beyond Annual Breakfast
From left: Susie Lopez-Guerra, Ed.D. Director of Community Relations, Santa Ana Unified School District; Class of 2022 graduates; Supporter Monica Guillena. Creativity Underwriter Ginger & Arthur Ong with their Dance Partner and Class of 2022 graduate Viviana (Center).
From left: CEO Dawn S. Reese; Student Speaker Victoria Ocampo; Keynote Speaker Honorable Elizabeth Macias, Superior Court Judge; Santa Ana City Council Member Jessie Lopez.
SightingsSupporter
“I have been involved in the Dance Partner program since its inception. I met Raquel when she joined The Wooden Floor at 9 years old, and we were partners until her graduation from high school. At that time I never could have imagined that my Dance Partner would one day become a Parent Representative on the Board of Directors for The Wooden Floor after her own daughter Rubi joined the organization.
June 2, 2022
39th Annual Concert Opening Night Reception
The Wooden Floor welcomed Concert Underwriters and Dance Partners backstage at the Irvine Barclay Theatre for opening night of the 39th Annual Concert: Hope Abounds. This year, nearly 80 young people from The Wooden Floor collaborated with nationally-acclaimed choreographers— Kendra Portier, Christina Robson, and The Wooden Floor Artistic Director Falon Baltzell to co-create three world premiere dance pieces. Underwriting for this year’s Annual Concert raised $206,700 for our successful year-round dance, college and career readiness, and family service programs.
Sally McIver (center) with her two generations of Dance Partners, Rubi (left) and Raquel (right).
What fun it’s been to partner with a second generation dancer along with my daughter, Camille. We’ve been able to witness not one, but two generations of The Wooden Floor success stories,” Sally McIver, Dance Partner Hal and Charlotte Van Ryswyk with their Dance Partner, Yamilet.
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RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED 1810 North Main Street Santa Ana, CA 92706-2727 714.541.8314 TheWoodenFloor.org Floor.WoodenThe©2022Lattimore.TonyandDelgado,SarahAgler,TimothybyPhotographyEat & Wrap 16th Annual Keep the Promise Wine Tasting Benefit™ Annual Auditions USNONPROFITPOSTAGE PAID SANTA ANA, CA PERMIT NO. 949 Join The Wooden Floor as we bring holiday cheer to our 475 students! Enjoy wrapping gifts for each and every child and decorating trees to be sent home with students who would otherwise go without. More information at TheWoodenFloor.org/Events A fun, strolling blind wine tasting competition this year featuring all 100-point wines! Proceeds help us keep the promise to each of our students: from here, you can step anywhere. More information at TheWoodenFloor.org/WineTasting Know a child who needs us? Spread the word to our community about the opportunity to join The Wooden Floor. More information at TheWoodenFloor.org/Auditions Floor.WoodenTheoftrademarkaisDanceUp Join us at the following events to help propel our students and our mission forward. Please Save-the-Date!* December 5, 2022 | 11:00am THE WOODEN FLOOR MAIN STREET LOCATION September 15, 2022 | 6:00pm BIG CANYON COUNTRY CLUB, NEWPORT BEACH October 22, 2022 | 8:00 am THE WOODEN FLOOR MAIN STREET LOCATION *Based on community health conditions at the time. Follow us @TheWoodenFloor
