We are excited to announce our new partnership with Trinity Academy! StepUp has been working alongside the school and Jessica Hughey from Vintage Church , and we are pleased that three StepUp children are now members of the Trinity Academy family! Jaida Ivy, Aamir Trapp and Ka’lah Trapp started at their new school on August 17, 2021.  

“I have had the privilege of knowing Jessica Hughey for several years now. We bonded over our love for service and over our love of children. Jessica has always gone over and beyond to support our StepUp children and our mission by making sure they had school supplies, backpacks, pajamas, socks, underwear, and even Christmas gifts!  Most recently, she delivered school work books so that our StepUp children can have some extra support as they navigate going to school virtually. Jessica didn’t stop there. She felt a deeper need in her heart to find a way to support our children and their futures that would serve the past their immediate needs. She approached me with the opportunity for our StepUp children to attend Trinity Academy. My jaw dropped and I stood still as she explained all the educational benefits our StepUp children would receive. I was almost in tears thinking about the wonderful children that we serve here, who only need an opportunity or access to resources. Jessica did not know how everything would turn out, but she was determined to ask the right questions and go as far as she needed to in order to make this happen. It is because of her heart, her drive, and her dedication to our StepUp mission that our families are experiencing great opportunities for educational and social advancement! She did it and she continues to advocate for our families at Trinity Academy. May God bless Jessica and her heart of service. We are so thankful for her support!” – Colisha C. Stanford, Director of Children and Young Adult Programs. 

Trinity Academy uses an innovative Classical curriculum that is “purposely designed to employ methods and materials that naturally align with brain development and aid in brain formation in ways that modern educational methods do not. The irreplaceable outcome of Classical education is a brain that can adapt to virtually anything it encounters.” 

James Ivy Jr., father of Jaida Ivy, said, “This is where God’s grace is leading us and we’re just riding along. When we got the call we thought wow this is an opportunity of a lifetime so we’re just going along.” 

Jaida Ivy (7th Grade) said, “I’m mostly excited about meeting new people and having a fresh start. I love my track team and I’m ready and optimistic about my new beginnings.” 

Aamir Trapp (Kindergarten) is excited to meet his teacher and paint, while Ka’Lah Trapp (1st Grade) can’t wait to go to math class and meet her teacher.  We are ready for this new adventure for all three StepUp participants.

StepUp is grateful to everyone who played a role in making this happen. We cannot wait to see the ways this partnership continues to grow!  

This month, our Middle Ground participants participated in the Museum at Home: Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture creative writing program presented by the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Each contestant chose a piece of art from the following options and wrote a poem or essay about it: Walking by Charles Alston, Arty by Nelson Stevens, or Rev. Martin Luther King by Charles Alston. See the submissions below: 

Christian C., 7th Grade 

Rev. Martin Luther King by Charles  

I think piece that I have chosen is show that the author is saying to hold your head up don’t give up. I say this because Martin Luther King never gave up. My favorite piece is walking. I say this piece is my favorite because they are walking as a family, staying by each other side. This artwork relates to my life because I have a quote “Stay up till you come up.” I still haven’t came up but I’m pushing to success one day at a time. “I have a dream.” 

Royality H., 4th Grade 

This artwork is beautiful. It shows how hard people work. This artwork shows justice for Martin Luther King Jr. The person who murdered Martin Luther King Jr. Was wrong because he needed to life a long life. I hope Martin Luther King Jr. Children pass away they are all buried in the same cemetery too.  

I like when he says in his “I had a dream” speech that all children, Black and white will get a chance to play together. It is not wrong for Black and white children to play together and Martin Luther King Jr. Wanted this for everyone. When I think of Martine Luther King Jr. I think of George Floyd because both men were murdered by white men and that wasn’t right. Martin Luther King Jr. Was alive, he would have made justice for George Floyd.  

I hope that Martin Luther King Jr. And George Floyd are dancing in heaven. I am glad they are both away from the pain in this world. Keep their spirit together.  

Samuel G., 4th Grade

This past month has been another busy one for our youngest participants in Baby and Little Steps! We continued our fun activities through virtual programs, with edible playdoh, make your own sensory bins, and lessons about the changing seasons.  

We also had a wonderful opportunity to partner with WAKE Up and Read, a local nonprofit committed to improve childhood literacy. They provided us with bags of activity books, picture books and other resources tailored to our youngest participants. Read more about WAKE Up and Read here: https://wakeupandread.org/

“I like this!”  - Royality Hill, Children's Program participant

Royality has enjoyed all of the April activities from decorating Easter eggs to talking about empathy to planting a garden. 

This month in the Children's Program, we celebrated Easter with an egg hunt and a basket full of activities thanks to our amazing volunteers. We also focused on nutrition and learned how to grow our own food. StepUp children got to plant herbs and tomatoes with the help of a lesson created by one of our Life Skills alumni!

We have had a busy and exciting March in the Children’s Program! Our youngest kids learned about spring flowers and planting in the Pre-K class, and just like the Middle Ground group, they had an educational and fun class activity focused on St. Patrick’s Day.

We hosted our first ever Positive Parenting Program virtual event for families and community on March 24th alongside Project Enlightenment and trained Triple P practitioners. StepUp staff, volunteers and families were all able to benefit from the evidence-based training that supports parents in raising resilient children. The sense of unity and excitement from everyone in attendance was encouraging as we all looked to how we can grow as parents and as families.

“It was the coolest virtual atmosphere! I liked seeing other parents all logged on to get parenting support. It was great to know that I am not the only parent struggling at times and that it’s ok to reach out to get advice and support. Everything I heard was practical and made lots of sense. I feel like I have more parenting tools to work with now! ” - StepUp participant

Along with the virtual event, pizza, snacks, door prizes and activities were also offered to our participants safely in their homes. It was a wonderful night for over 30 families. What a great start to the spring season!

Middle Ground continues to grow, flourish, and thrive. We have just finished up our “I have a dream” clouds, where the children wrote down their dreams in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. To celebrate Black History Month, the children played a version of Guess Who with Black and POC leaders (mostly under the age of 12) that they had to guess. These leaders were the same age as our kids and had done some pretty amazing things.  The children could identify, discuss, and imagine themselves as a leader in the world. 

Every week, they showcase new talents, thoughts, and ideas that we would have never guessed children today were capable of, such as new inventions that could purify water in Flint, Michigan.

We are looking forward to continuing to celebrate this month and celebrate our children in every way possible.

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“In school, Nikenzie is shy and she doesn’t raise her hands often.  Her teachers could not get her to come out of her shell.  Here with StepUp, I see an entirely different side of her.  She’s opening up and I can’t thank you all enough.” – StepUp parent

This year, I am incredibly grateful to our surrounding community for the overwhelming support of our StepUp children and young adults. I want to thank each individual, school, group, church, organization, and agency that donated to our wonderful children. It was such a pleasure to meet many of our new donors for the first time and such a joy to get to see our repeat donors.  When I contacted the parents to let them know that StepUp would be providing Christmas gifts and items for their children, many of them were overwhelmed with emotion and so excited for their children to be supported by the community. Many parents told me that they were not going to be able to do anything for their children for Christmas this year. Covid 19 may have affected our ability to be with each other in person this year, but it did NOT affect the generosity, the compassion,  and the giving hearts of our outstanding community members! On behalf of the families we serve, we want to thank our Christmas donors from the bottom of our hearts! We wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Colisha C. Stanford, Director of Children and Young Adult Programs

The Children’s Program has had an amazing fall working with local artists to create beautiful collaborations. Gab Smith, executive director of CAM Raleigh, worked with our Real World kids at our virtual camp in September. She introduced them to the current exhibits and artists and invited them to create pieces to be displayed in a Public Art Installation by renowned artist Hank Willis Thomas. His “Love Over Rules” exhibit can be seen on the side of Raleigh Union Station on the corner of West Martin Street.

We also worked with local artists Shannon Newby (KidLabRaleigh), and Deanna Hicks (Paper and Stars Studio) to create art kits to send home with our younger kids. Shannon was even gracious enough to donate extra supplies to stock our shelves for next year! We have loved partnering with all of our local artists and getting a chance to create with our StepUp kids!

Baking, crafting, dancing, and etiquette lessons were on the agenda for our Children's virtual camp this month along with guest appearances from Dr. Donna Corbett and Chef Carmen. 

The Children's Camp was full of over 40 kids and their families! Camp participants Selena and Faith said, "How did you come up with something so creative and unique? This was absolutely the BEST idea and it went over so well... I am curious to see what else StepUp has to offer me and my family." 

Our Real World virtual camp is scheduled for September 30th and will include spoken word, dance and fitness classes, personal grooming tips, make up tutorials and chances to win T-shirts or gift cards! 

The Children’s Program has focused on preparing all of the Step 2/Life Skills participants and recent graduate families for the school year, whether it's beginning virtually or in person. We made sure every child had a backpack, school supplies and healthy snacks to start the year off right!

Thanks to Vintage Church and our Amazon Wish List shoppers for equipping our children for the new school year.

During the past few summer months, the nursery aged kids have had the opportunity to watch and learn through hands on activities via Zoom. Although we can’t be there physically with them, we have tried to find fun ways to keep them involved during our weekly class times on Thursday evenings. We have made DIY volcanoes with baking soda and vinegar, picture frames collages, cupcake decorating, and most recently vegetable and herb gardens. The vegetable and herb gardens were a hit for parents and kids alike. It gave the kids a chance to learn to decorate their own flower pots, and then plant their own kitchen staples like basil and mint. It is always a joy to see them enjoying new activities.

StepUp’s program for school-aged children is now called Middle Ground! This age group has stayed connected in the last two months through weekly ZOOM calls on Wednesdays. During our time together, we recap our weeks and try to maintain some sense of normalcy amidst this pandemic. 

One of our favorite partners, the Poe Center, typically visits in April. The Poe Center always brings  fun, informative, and interactive lessons that keep the students engaged and learning. We were really sad about our children missing these opportunities, but luckily we did not miss a beat! The Poe Center has some great online resources that we have been able to utilize and make sure our students are still receiving valuable weekly lessons as planned. 

Each week we visited a different topic, including healthy eating habits, cooking, and medicine safety. The kids completed online activities and discussed the topics. Thanks to the Poe Center for providing materials and concepts for us to explore.

ChildTrust Foundation, , recently awarded a significant grant to StepUp Ministry’s Children’s Program. Their support helps StepUp provide high-quality programs to build school success. “The current crisis has only intensified our commitment to stand in solidarity with children and families in North Carolina,” said Cyndi Soter-O’Neil, policy advisor for ChildTrust Foundation. 

“We are extremely grateful to ChildTrust for their continued commitment,” stated Colisha Stanford, StepUp’s Director of Children’s and Young Adults Programs. “Their investment is at a critical time when our staff is providing virtual group programs and one-on-one support for children and their parents.”

“Our staff teaches parents using the evidence-based Positive Parenting Program,” Stanford added. “Parenting support is even more important during social distancing, and our staff continues to guide parents during this challenging time.” 

When group activities can resume, ChildTrust’s support will help provide arts, etiquette, and literary opportunities for children whose parents are in the Life Skills program and the young adults participating in the Real World program.

Did you know that 121 volunteers supported 80 StepUp children last year?

Our Children’s Program volunteers help us ensure our children have a 1 to 1 ratio for homework support and individualized tutoring when needed. Our wonderful volunteers serve meals to our kids, instruct our Tuesday night classes, and provide amazing activities to ensure our kids spend every moment learning and having fun! 

We absolutely could not do what we do for our families without their kindness, generosity, and support. Thank you from the entire StepUp family!

Interested in volunteering? Check out our volunteer page to see how you can get involved!

On March 10, the nursery children got to decorate, paint, and plant miniature flower pots. We learned about the process of tiny seeds becoming beautiful flowers with a little sun and water. The overall theme was patience and nurturing because we have to be patient to see what will bloom in a few weeks. The plan was to have the plants grow at the StepUp office and have the kids water them each week until they could take them home for Mother’s Day. Obviously, our plans have changed. During this crazy time, I have taken them home with me and they are living on my back porch. I have been watering them every other day, hopeful that I can bring them back to the kids soon with some flowers in them! We all need a little patience and prayer right now, so hopefully, these flowers will be a good reminder of that.

Social distancing may keep us from gathering at White Memorial Presbyterian Church on Tuesday nights, but it’s NOT keeping us from supporting our families!

Our Children & Young Adult's Team is bringing Life Skills to the participants creatively! Schools are closed, folks are staying in to remain safe and healthy, and our staff is working remotely to connect with adults and children and provide support in any way they can. They are determined to keep our families engaged and continuing to work towards their goals!

Most parents are with their children all day now, and plenty of new challenges will arise as we all adjust to the current climate. Phylicia Barr, one of StepUp Ministry's Children's Program Case Managers, pointed out that "the REAL parenting begins now." Staff members are increasing Triple P (Positive Parenting Program) education sessions via email, phone, and even Facetime. Colisha Stanford, Director of Children and Young Adult Programs wants to ensure "parents have adequate and evidence-based tips in front of them to help them during this period of uncertainty."

Our team is engaging with children of all ages to provide activities and resources. Ashton Herbert, case manager and coordinator for the Baby Steps program, celebrated St. Patrick’s Day remotely. She shared the crafts by email and facetimed with the children to read Shamrock stories! Collin Morrison is supporting the young adults in the Real World program as usual.

Whatever the coronavirus pandemic brings, we are all in this together! We are keeping close relationships with our families, providing remote instruction, and remain ready to help wherever we can.  

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The Children’s Program has been spending the month talking about and doing activities surrounding Black History. Middle Ground got to learn facts about African American people who have made important contributions to our society while playing a trivia game. They also made collages to represent what Black History means to them using different fabrics papers and stickers. Simon Payne said, “ Black History month makes me proud to be black.”

Our little ones in Baby Steps didn’t miss out on the action! They spent one evening reading about Rosa Parks and her contributions to society. Following the lesson, they did a craft with seashells to give an easy to understand example of diversity. The children had a chance to pick out shells to glue to their canvas, they were told to focus on the differences of the shells while appreciating the unique beauty of each one. All the children took their artwork home and now can teach their families what they learned about African American History and diversity.

Real World participants have been busy learning creative problem-solving skills! Recently, the group participated in "Bright Ideas," a game designed to boost creativity while discussing real-world problems. Each participant had time to think of a "One Million Dollar Idea" that would effectively solve an issue they identified. The ideas ranged from Water Supply Receptacles, Automated Grooming Machines for the Disabled, and Mobile Finance Apps. This sparked many conversations about personal finance and development, as well as how their generation viewed themselves in the global community!

Aside from solving the world's problems, Real World participants got a chance to practice their interviewing skills this week. Guest speakers from Abrigo spoke to the group about resume building techniques, interview etiquette, and how to handle certain questions while speaking with a potential employer. Participants then ran through a series of mock interviews and received feedback from their peers.

On Sunday, November 16th, the weather was perfect for football, so members of the StepUp family took full advantage of the day. We packed up our cars and made our way to Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte to watch the Panthers battle the Falcons. StepUp Ministry was graciously given 70(!) free tickets courtesy of the Carolina Panthers to attend the game that week. Fortunately, many families involved with StepUp Ministry and members of our staff were able to go and enjoy time together at the game. For many, this was their first pro football game experience and an opportunity of a lifetime. Some of the kids said they truly enjoyed being at the game, but the real treat was spending quality time with their StepUp family!

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This past Saturday, a group of young adults from our Real World and Children’s program came together to help clean up the Historic Oberlin Cemetery. We got to spend a few hours giving back to the City of Raleigh by helping preserve a piece of history right down the street from StepUp’s office. After we joined others in cleaning debris and branches from the cemetery, we got to go on a tour and learn about the freed slaves that founded Oberlin Village in the 1860s. It was a wonderful morning out with some of our young adults, and we had a great time giving back to such an important piece of our community. We look forward to our next visit!