up dance NEWS FROM THE WOODEN FLOOR
Exciting co-creation opportunities announced pg. 8
Be inspired by our Class of 2017 pg. 10
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S PRING
A mother shares her gratitude pg. 6
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Connecting with Purpose
Dawn S. Reese Chief Executive Officer
Recently, I was interviewed for California State University, Fullerton Center for Leadership’s television program, and the Center’s Director asked me how leading with purpose affects my work. This question continued to resonate with me because I really saw this as two broader questions: How does The Wooden Floor’s purpose, to break the cycle of poverty through generational change, affect our collective work together? And how can we use this purpose to serve as a connecting point to each other, and those around us? The story of Rossi Staynova on page six illustrates that connecting point, as she shares that The Wooden Floor is among very few places where she feels people are genuinely invested in her daughter’s future. Through these stories from the families we serve, we are continually reminded that our programs must evolve and grow to meet the very complex challenges that poverty imposes on our students, such as homelessness, food insecurity, and education access. Through these stories, our purpose is renewed and guides the Board of Directors, staff, and faculty in all of our discussions and planning to ensure that we provide even more children with what they need to move forward. We are called to continually bring fresh, innovative solutions with a discipline to best practices around risk taking, ideation, collaboration, execution, and evaluation. These happen to be some of the same practices that we teach our students each day through the co-creation process in our dance studios, which they then learn to apply to all parts of their academic and personal lives. You are central to our purpose. As we implement plans for the opening of our annex at the Depot at Santiago, we are humbled and honored by your enthusiasm to serve more young people and provide them with the same hope and opportunity that has inspired the many students who have come before them. I ask you to further connect with us to advance The Wooden Floor’s purpose, and join us throughout the year by bringing friends and colleagues to learn about our successful and growing mission. With Gratitude,
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The Wooden Floor
Mission
Moment
As part of The Next StepŠ program, students in grades 6-12 take part in one-on-one academic counseling. Topics include reinforcing the importance of a college education, planning and designing students’ course load to be college competitive, exploring the types of higher education institutions, the benefits of volunteerism, scholarship planning, and much more. Students also explore their talents and interests to determine future fields of study and career paths. 3
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Newsfeed Snapshots of our youth in motion. Follow us on
@TheWoodenFloor
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LIFTING SPIRITS: Anaheim Ducks player Ryan Kesler and fellow teammates took Rodrigo and 15 other students on a shopping spree that made sure the holidays were full of cheer for our students most in need.
^ ANNUAL AUDITIONS:
Hoping to gain enrollment, eager children and their families lined up around our building and down Main Street. We were only able to take in about 1 in 4 students due to space constraints. We look forward to opening our new annex location within the Depot at Santiago workforce housing complex, which will allow us to accept 100 more students this fall.
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CAREER NIGHT: Elsie Echevarria, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT); Maggie Gilliam, Program Director at CASA of Orange County; and Teresa Farias, Family Services Manager at The Wooden Floor, participated in a humanities and social sciences career panel. It aimed to inspire our students to start early when thinking about different fields of study and career options.
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The Wooden Floor FIRST DAY: Students shook hands and introduced themselves in their very first class at The Wooden Floor. Faculty member Meg Terán encouraged them to get to know each other in order to promote collaboration. This allowed our students to share space and respect others, an important part of the dance-making process.
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The Wooden Floor Featured on NBC's GIVE On February 18, The Wooden Floor was featured on a national program about nonprofits and charitable giving. We were visited by celebrity ambassador, music artist, actress, and philanthropist Kat Graham, who observed and participated in The Wooden Floor’s Annual Auditions. She met with various members of our community, and learned about our successes as well as our plans to grow and serve more young people who need us. Students were thrilled when Kat walked in the door for what was thought to be a small web series. Much to everyone’s surprise, she presented The Wooden Floor with an additional $25,000 grant funded by The PIMCO Foundation. If you missed it, you can view the episode online at www.nbc.com/the-more-you-know/exclusives/give.
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KAPLAN® SAT COURSE: Our juniors participated in free Kaplan SAT workshops, which are designed to improve test-taking strategies to help our students on their path to college.
From left: Student Hugo, celebrity ambassador Kat Graham, CEO Dawn Reese, alumna Alejandra, and student Leah.
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In the First Person
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The Wooden Floor
Emma demonstrates her dance abilities to her mother, Rossi.
Rossi Staynova, mother of Emma "The Wooden Floor has been a blessing. I feel so fortunate that my daughter Emma has been here. I have seen her grow. In one short year, she has become mature, determined, and focused. At 10 years old, she has a very clear vision of what she wants to do with her life. I was apprehensive at first about the time required by The Wooden Floor and how it might have affected Emma's schooling. She’s actually doing better in school and she has learned to manage her time. I feel like I can never repay The Wooden Floor. It’s a place where she’s safe and she is encouraged to be her best self, not only in dance, but in life. I volunteer here a lot—from doing dancewear inventory, working in the kitchen, and sweeping the patio. I always look forward to rolling up my sleeves with the other parents. This is our way of giving back. It is a little contribution, but it is my contribution. I wish The Wooden Floor was in every city because it provides an invaluable service to an under-served community. These kids would not be where they are without it. I get emotional talking about it. Where else can you drop off your child and know they are cared for by people who are really, genuinely invested in their future? We would never be able to afford dance classes let alone everything else The Wooden Floor offers. It’s amazing that, from a dance class, our life has taken a completely different path." 7
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A Place to Co-Create In 2016, The Wooden Floor received a threeyear Thriving Cultures grant from the Surdna Foundation totaling $240,000. As part of their Teens’ Artistic and Cultural Awareness priority, Surdna seeks to invest in organizations that help teens explore their cultural identity and equip them with the life-enhancing skills they need to achieve their educational and career goals. With this multi-year grant funding, our objective is to strengthen and deepen teen artistic programming to serve our growing pipeline of teens resulting from high retention rates, while deepening their engagement through 12th grade in order to maximize our opportunity to have life-long impact. We will be showcasing our unique approach to dance, collaboration, and co-creation by inviting students, parents, and supporters to join us for learning opportunities and performances in The Wooden Floor’s Co-Creation Lab July 20-22, 2017. Be on the lookout for these exciting endeavors soon. 8
Some highlights include: ■■ A three-week professional residency by Seán Curran and his internationally recognized dance company, featuring dance-making that will culminate in performances in our Studio Theatre of two works by the company and a piece co-created by our students. Seán is the Department of Dance Chairperson and an Associate Arts Professor at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. ■■ A summer Dance Film-Making Workshop with Kara Miller, PhD, an international teaching artist, currently on faculty at the University of Hawaii at Mānoa. ■■ Master Classes with guest artists in various dance genres and music disciplines to introduce diverse and multicultural art-making approaches to our students.
The Wooden Floor
Neighbors Sustain a Child’s 10-Year Journey Although she's only in middle school, Evy has her sights firmly set on college. "I dream to go to college because I know I am capable of going places, and with college, you can do anything." As you may know, we make a long-term commitment of up to 10 years to empower young people to break their family's cycle of poverty through the power of dance and access to higher education. We do this in part thanks to a neighborhood of supporters who inspire our youth to succeed. Our Neighbors giving group provides a solid foundation through sustaining monthly gifts, which students like Evy can count on over their 10-year journey at The Wooden Floor. A gift starting at just $10 a month will help a student improve their grades through one-one-one tutoring. Such ongoing contributions provide stable funding to carry out the comprehensive programs that Evy needs to build her confidence and skills to become the first in her family to go to college. Become a part of a child’s journey by making a Neighbors sustaining monthly gift today using the enclosed envelope.
2016-2017 Board of Directors James A. Driscoll,* Chairman Community Leader
Felisha Luna, Parent Representative Community Leader
Ernesto M. Vasquez,* FAIA, NCARB, Immediate Past Chairman Partner & CEO, SVA Architects, Inc.
Catherine M. MacIver, Community Leader
Arthur Ong,* Vice Chairman Executive Vice President, Deputy General Counsel PIMCO Judith F. Posnikoff,* PhD, Treasurer Managing Director, Pacific Alternative Asset Management Company, LLC Epiphany Owen,* Secretary Partner, Government & Regulatory Law, Rutan & Tucker, LLP Theresa Allen, Managing Director and Portfolio Manager, First Republic Private Wealth Management Sasha Ayloush, Customer Service Manager and Secretary of the Board of Directors, Hydraflow
Victoria Marks, Choreographer/Professor, University of California, Los Angeles Danny Melita, Community Leader Yvonne R. O’Neill,* Certified Public Accountant, O’Neill Financial Management Dawn S. Reese, Chief Executive Officer, The Wooden Floor Kristy Santimyer-Melita, Community Leader Saar Swartzon,* Principal Attorney, Cohn & Swartzon, a Professional Law Corporation Mary E. Tolar, Vice President and Senior Strategic Program Manager, American Funds/Capital Group Companies, Inc. Joan Beall, Board Emerita Community Leader
Gilbert R. Cisneros, President and Co-Founder, The Gilbert & Jacki Cisneros Foundation
Beth A. Burns, Board Emerita Founder of The Wooden Floor and Artistic Director (’83-’05)
Michelle Dean, Community Leader
Richard C. Hunsaker, Board Emeritus President, Hunsaker Management
Evangelina Gonzalez, Parent Representative Community Leader Bryan Green, Financial Advisor, Edward Jones Sharon Hartshorn, Community Leader
Virginia Hunsaker, Board Emerita Community Leader Yvonne M. Jordan, Board Emerita Community Leader
Socorro Vasquez, Damien M. Jordan,* Board Emerita General Manager, Retired, American Funds/Capital Group Community Leader Companies, Inc.
Evy, Class of 2022
Jeremy Krout, President/CEO, Environmental Planning Development Solutions, Inc.
*Executive Committee Members
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danceup Upcoming Event
3RD ANNUAL CIRCLE OF GRATITUDE® LUNCHEON NOVEMBER 12, 2016
SUPPORTER DAVID STAUFFER MEETING WITH THE CLASS OF 2016 DURING LAST YEAR'S BREAKFAST
5th Step Beyond Annual Breakfast® Thursday, April 27, 2017 7:30am at The Wooden Floor
Join us to support and be inspired by The Wooden Floor’s Class of 2017—our largest graduating class to date! They are also the 13th consecutive class to have 100 percent of students on track to graduate high school on time and immediately enroll in higher education. Named one of Orange County Business Journal’s Top Three Fundraising Breakfasts for three consecutive years, the event allows supporters to hear from our students about how they have beaten the odds to step beyond their familiar surroundings towards success in school and in life. Keynote Speaker: Dr. Alice Police, Medical Director, UC Irvine Pacific Breast Care Center and Surgical Oncologist Dr. Police is a dedicated breast surgical oncologist who is primarily interested in modalities and technologies that improve the breast cancer experience for the patient. During her residency, she served a diverse population and felt her Latina patients were affected by cultural perceptions, familial 10
The Parent Leadership Council prepared a spectacular array of delicious food in a parentled effort to raise funds for the youth we serve. More than 100 guests, including supporters, our Board of Directors, families, students, and staff, gathered together to kick off the season of gratitude and give thanks for the roles we play in each other's lives.
influences and expectations, and lack of resources, which made it more difficult to adjust to life as a cancer survivor than other patients. She has worked towards establishing culturally-adapted programs that helped them to discover healthy coping mechanisms within their own unique situations and empower them to draw from their own resources. In 2014, Dr. Police was named on the list of 100 Most Influential People In Orange County by the OC Register. PARENT LEADERSHIP MEMBERS MARIA CIRESE AND LUZ OROZCO
The morning also includes: ■■ Class of 2017 Student Address ■■ Recognition of Class Partners who help underwrite the college and career readiness journeys for each of our graduating classes Sponsorships ranging from $1,000 to $25,000+ are available. Tickets are $75 per person. RSVP by April 20, 2017, with the enclosed envelope; by phone to Jessica Morrison at 714.541.8314 ext. 139; or online at TheWoodenFloor.org/StepBeyond.
Supporter Spotlight
“Circle of Gratitude is our way to thank the supporters of The Wooden Floor, all those special people, for what they do for our children. We wouldn’t be here if not for them. It is always a happy day when we get here early in the morning to start cooking for them. Our love shines through on to the food we make. We know everyone will be smiling when they start eating together.”
–Luz Orozco, Member of Parent Leadership
The Wooden Floor
Supporter Sightings 10TH ANNIVERSARY KEEP THE PROMISE™ WINE TASTING BENEFIT SEPTEMBER 22, 2016
Over 300 guests gathered at Big Canyon Country Club to taste 12 hard-to-find wines, collected by Co-Chairs Janice and John Markley. The benefit netted a record-breaking $350,000, and over the past 10 years, has raised more than $2 million to help us keep the promise we've made to our youth: from here, you can step anywhere. BOARD CHAIRMAN JIM DRISCOLL, EVENT CO-CHAIR JANICE MARKLEY, CLASS OF 2017 STUDENT JOCELYN, EVENT CO-CHAIR JOHN MARKLEY, AND CEO DAWN REESE
Save the date for our 11th Annual Benefit on September 14, 2017.
HOLIDAY TREE DONATIONS
Each year, our supporters make a special effort to brighten the spirits of our students and families during the holiday season. This includes our tradition of gifting Christmas trees to families most in need. Supporters donate trees and decorate them on-site, with our students often joining in on the fun. Gerry Gerken and her friends at the Zonta Club of Newport Harbor have been fiercely loyal Christmas tree donors and supporters. Sadly, Gerry passed away in January 2017. Her giving nature and love for our students will be carried on by the many people Gerry introduced to our mission.
BOARD VICE CHAIRMAN ARTHUR ONG, CLASS OF 2017 STUDENTS CELESTE AND LESLIE, AND GINGER ONG
Supporter Spotlight
"Gerry never sought any recognition for her efforts and was always honored to be able to assist The Wooden Floor. She was proud to go out every year to buy a Christmas tree, along with lights and garlands to decorate. Gerry said The Wooden Floor helped her feel that her life had real meaning."
–Stephen Evans, son-in-law of Gerry Gerken
SUPPORTERS CRIS PETERSON, MELISSA FIGGE, BONNY SCHUMACHER, AND GERRY GERKEN
To learn about more ways to get involved, please contact Keegan Bell at 714.541.8314 ext. 140 or Keegan@TheWoodenFloor.org.
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1810 North Main Street Santa Ana, CA 92706-2727 714.541.8314 www.TheWoodenFloor.org
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Come join us! March 9, 2017
Get an insider's look into the power of our dancemaking process leading up to our 34th Annual Concert, Connected spaces. To learn more, visit www.TheWoodenFloor.org/Events RSVP to Jessica@TheWoodenFloor.org or 714-541-8314 ext. 139 by March 6, 2017.
April 27, 2017
5th Step Beyond Annual Breakfast®
Gather to support and celebrate the continuation of our graduating students' 100 percent college enrollment rate, our college scholarship programs, and our largest graduating class to date. Sponsorship and ticket information available at www.TheWoodenFloor.org/StepBeyond.
June 1-3, 2017
34th Annual Concert: Connected spaces
Be inspired by our young artists as they perform new works co-created with leading contemporary dance choreographers. Tickets on sale April 1 at www.TheWoodenFloor.org/ConnectedSpaces.
Photography by Christine Cotter, Steven Georges, and Edie Layland. ©2017 The Wooden Floor. DanceUp is a trademark of The Wooden Floor.
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