PARENT MENTOR PROGRAM GRADUATION

Congratulations, Parent Mentors!

$8 million in funding was approved for Parent Mentor Programs across the state of Illinois to expand the program to more communities so that no child will be truly left behind!

For Project: VISION, this means we’ll be able to expand to other local schools that have expressed interest in the program, such as Healy Elementary and Armour Elementary. Asians only make up 3.1% of the population of schools with the parent mentor program. As the only parent mentor group with predominantly Asian parents, primarily of Chinese descent, this win means we can support and empower even more Asian American families in other neighborhoods and schools in the Chicagoland area.

There would be more opportunities for parents to be leaders and knowledgeable about school and classroom related news. Especially when it comes to languages, our parent mentors and coordinators come from bilingual and trilingual speaking households. Increased funding would allow us to continue to serve and support more ELL students or families that may have recently immigrated. This year has also been incredibly challenging too in light of the anti-Asian racism and hate crimes that have been impacting AAPI communities throughout the U.S. The Parent Mentor Program has given us the platform to be able to look out and help one another alongside the challenges of navigating virtual learning and the ongoing pandemic.

It’s because of the Parent Mentor Program that we’ve been able to continue serving so many families and classrooms in the Chinatown, Bridgeport, and in the future, other schools and communities! Project: VISION is proud of our parents and looking forward to working with parents again in the fall at James Ward and Haines!

Watch the 2nd Virtual Statewide Parent Mentor Graduation to celebrate the accomplishments of parent mentors, coordinators, and organizers from across the state of Illinois.