Firewall Centers Receives Children’s Services Council ‘Collective Impact for Youth’ Award

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (Feb. 13th, 2015) – Firewall Centers was awarded ‘Collective Impact for Youth’ at the Fifth Annual South Florida Community Care Network Non-Profit Academy Awards.

“We are growing and our goal is to set up Firewalls in the lives of all the at-risk kids here in Broward County, so we are just getting started,” said Andy Fernandez, Firewall Centers’ founder, at the Broward 2-1-1 Academy Awards.

Firewall Centers currently has seven locations across Broward County, two of which are funded by the Children’s Service Council (CSC) of Broward County and the Community Foundation of Broward (CFB). These Centers mentor and tutor students every day, most of which come from minority, low-income, and/or single-parent households. With the help received from these two organizations, Firewall Centers has been able to increase its impact on Broward County students.

“Anybody who knows the Children’s Services Council knows we’re all about collective impact on behalf of youth,” said Cindy Arenberg Seltzer, CSC President and CEO of Broward County.

A current initiative focused on Middle School student success in order to raise graduation rates was developed by CFB and is played out by the key services that Firewall Centers provides. The Community Foundation of Broward’s funding for the ‘School is Cool’ initiative has been matched by CSC for the past two school years and supports the Bair and Plantation Middle School Firewall Centers.

This collaborative effort has impacted the lives of over 120 students by focusing on improving their performance in the areas of school attendance, behavior, and course performance (ABC’s).

To find out more about the Community Foundation of Broward’s ‘School is Cool’ initiative, visit www.cfbroward.org.

February 2015 Newsletter

 Firewall wins Children’s Services Council Collective Impact for Youth Award at Academy Awards!

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On Friday, February 13th, our founder, Andy Fernandez, and his wife Janeth, attended the Fifth Annual Broward 2-1-1 Academy Awards for non-profits. Firewall Centers is honored to be chosen to receive this award and would like to give a special thanks to the Children’s Services Council and Community Foundation of Broward for their support and collaboration as we impact students’ lives every day!

 


FIREWALL EXISTS TO TRANSFORM STUDENTS INTO SERVANT LEADERS

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   Meet Elizabeth (front right), a sixth grader and one of Pompano Middle’s Servant Leaders. When she first started Firewall, her mentor, Jemimah, thought she was shy.
“She proved me wrong; her witty personality and her ability to help others around her was something she excelled at,” said Jemimah.
   Elizabeth helps the Pompano Middle Firewall Center staff get supplies ready and clean up at the end of the day.
“Jemimah helps me with my homework every day…and every day she has to clean everything, so I help her. When I give back, it makes me happy to know I can always be there when they need my help,” said Elizabeth.

DAILY TEST PREPARATION BEGAN THIS JANUARY AT OUR 5 MIDDLE SCHOOL CENTERS

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After the bell rings, our students at Pompano Beach Middle School race to the cafeteria to begin their Firewall activities. Upon signing in, students receive a snack and take a seat as they wait for the daily announcements.

Once announcements are completed, the Center becomes quiet as the students receive their Daily Warm-Up question, a math problem that could appear on a future standardized test. When the allotted time is up, a mentor goes over the problem step by step. Those who had difficulty completing the problem or answered incorrectly, receive additional one-on-one help during homework time.

Warm-Ups not only serve to better prepare Firewall students for tests, but they further improve their overall academic performance in the classroom.


SUN-SENTINEL CHILDREN’S FUND GIVES 10,000 

Recently, Firewall Centers was awarded $10,000 through the Sun Sentinel Children’s Fund, a McCormick Foundation fund, to expand its reach in the Pompano Beach area. You can read more about thepartnership here.

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Sun-Sentinel Children’s Fund Continued Partnership with Firewall Centers

POMPANO BEACH, Fla. (Feb. 2nd, 2015) – Firewall Centers was awarded $10,000 through the Sun Sentinel Children’s Fund, a McCormick Foundation fund, to expand its reach in the Pompano Beach area.

Firewall has operated a Center within Pompano Beach Middle since the 2011-2012 school year, and neighboring Crystal Lake Middle opening this past school year, where staff has worked closely with students beginning in their sixth grade year. The relationships built in these centers don’t end in eighth grade, but are carried over to the near-by newly opened Blanche Ely High School Firewall Center. This long-term approach has proven to be the key to empowering at-risk students towards the pathway to self-sufficiency and success.

Firewall has helped me in improve in all aspects; I have grown to learn more good studying habits and to be more social with others around me,” said 9thgrade Blanche Ely High student, Rhoven.

Last school year, the Sun-Sentinel Children’s Fund, a McCormick Foundation fund, supported the Pompano Beach Middle School Firewall Center as a part of their support of local nonprofits that deliver well-rounded education programs for kids with the support from the public and matching Foundation funds.

By reading more, practicing, doing problems, and working with others at Firewall, I’m able to earn better grades,” said Nitaisa, a sixth grader at Pompano Beach Middle.

With this funding and through other generous supporters, Firewall is able to mentor 400 at-risk students every day.  To find out more about the Sun Sentinel Children’s Fund visit http://sunsentinelchildrensfund.org/