AVANCE (ah-vahn-ceh) is proud to announce that Texas Senate President Pro Tem Leticia Van de Putte (District 26, Bexar County) will appoint AVANCE’s President and CEO, Richard J. Noriega, the Texas Commissioner of Early Education during her time as Governor for the Day this Saturday May 4th, 2013.

Thanks to this symbolic appointment, Texans will be offered an important declaration regarding the state of Early Childhood Education in Texas. As Texas Commissioner of Early Education, Noriega plans to announce operational and policy initiatives aimed at increasing the enrollment of young children (zero to three) in high quality early learning programs.

(From L to R) Melissa Noriega, Governor  Leticia Van de Putte and Former Representative Richard Noriega pose at the State Capitol in Austin.

Senator Van de Putte was elected by her colleagues to serve as President Pro Tem of the Senate for the 83rd Legislative Session, making her third in the line of succession for the governorship. In the event that the Governor and Lieutenant Governor are out of state at the same time, the President Pro Tem serves as Governor. Per tradition, every President Pro Tem gets to serve at least one day as Governor, including an official swearing-in ceremony.

For over five consecutive terms, Noriega served at the Texas House of Representatives and since 1980 he has also served on the National Guard and Army Reserves. AVANCE has grown significantly under Noriega’s Leadership, which landed the organization on Hispanic Business Magazine’s Top 25 nonprofits five years in a row and named Noriega as one of their Top 100 Influential Hispanics in the United States.

“I am honored to have Governor Van de Putte appoint me to this critical position.  She recognizes that early childhood education is the key to Texas’s future. ” Noriega explains.

Governor Van de Putte and Former Representative Noriega have worked together as author and co-author on the Texas Dream Act during the 77th Texas Legislative Session.

We are happy to share this four minute recap video of AVANCE-Houston’s 25th anniversary gala. Their 25th Anniversary Gala hosted nearly 400 guests and raised an estimated $170, 000 for the Parent-Child Education Program (PCEP). CLICK HERE or on the image above to watch the video. Enjoy!

AVANCE-Waco in partnership with the Waco Independent School District (WISD), has relocated to North Waco Elementary School at 2015 Alexander Avenue. The use of the new facility provides more openings for Waco families to enroll in AVANCE’S Parent Child Education Program (PCEP).

AVANCE’s PCEP combines parenting and early childhood education with home visitations, nutrition and a transportation component. Weekly three-hours parenting lessons on prenatal care,  the physical needs of young children, social and cognitive development, goal setting, early literacy and more are conducted to empower parents to become their child’s first and most important teachers. During the parenting lessons, their children (Birth to three years old) receive instruction from a certified Child Development Associate (CDA). AVANCE’s philosophy aims to reinforce the love a mother has for her children and help families reach their full potential.

AVANCE-Waco is using a few classrooms at North Waco Elementary at no cost. WISD Superintendent, Dr. Bonny Cain, said the district is glad to make the in-kind contribution, and expects many wonderful initiatives with AVANCE in the future.

The collaboration between Waco ISD and AVANCE is expected to yield benefits for all involved. The district benefits through increased parental involvement, higher attendance and improved test scores by students who arrive at school ready to learn. The entire family benefits from the partnership because the transition into the school system is made easier. AVANCE child graduates across the state out-perform their non-AVANCE peers on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) throughout their academic careers.

Due to federal and state education cuts in 2011, AVANCE-Waco absorbed the loss of $160,000 that had gone directly to program delivery. Coupled with a reduction in foundation giving, AVANCE Waco continues to seek new income from individuals to make up for the over $200,000 lost over the last year and a half. The rent-free space in North Waco will reduce overhead costs and allow for existing funds and new gifts to be applied directly into delivering the evidence-based PCEP.

Jessica Xolalpa, AVANCE-Waco’s Executive Director

Jessica Xolalpa, AVANCE-Waco’s Executive Director explains, “AVANCE-Waco is excited to have this opportunity to collaborate with Waco ISD. AVANCE chapters that have the biggest impact on their communities throughout Texas are those chapters that have formed successful collaborations with their local school districts. We appreciate the excitement of Dr. Cain, Dr. Patterson and the entire WISD School Board, and their generosity in making this space available. We all share a vision for a better Waco and know that only way our vision will be realized for all of Waco’s families is by partnering together in education.”

Recently, a number of academic and political leaders, including President Barack Obama during his 2013 State of the Union Address, expressed the long-term benefits high-quality early childhood education has for society. According to Nobel Prize Winning Economist, James Heckman, there is a $7 to $1 return on early learning investments due to the boosting of graduation rates, reduction in teen pregnancies and violent crime.

AVANCE believes that investing in early childhood education for Waco’s most vulnerable families is arguably the best investment you can make.

AVANCE-Waco Children enjoy an Easter Egg Hunt.

“We all want to see poverty reduced. Families who go through our program understand that education is the key to breaking the cycle of poverty. After going through ESL and GED classes, with a focus on workforce development, AVANCE parents are prepared to lift their families out of poverty. Sponsoring a year of the AVANCE program for a local parent or child is a tangible way to change the life in a lasting way for someone right here in our community,” Executive Director Xolalpa concluded.

More about AVANCE-Waco: AVANCE-Waco is a nonprofit organization dedicated to Unlocking America’s Potential by strengthening families in at-risk communities through effective parent education and support programs. Connect with AVANCE on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

Ms. Gonzales proudly holds her son Alessandro for a picture on Graduation Day.

AVANCE’s philosophy aims to build on the love a mother has for her newborn child. Ms. Yesica Gonzales, age 23, and her son, Alessandro Martinez, age 4, have a lot of love to share and represent the positive outcomes successful family intervention models, like AVANCE that begin in the home, can have on the most vulnerable families in our communities.

Prior to enrolling her Child in AVANCE’s Early Head Start (EHS) program in Del Rio, TX, Ms. Gonzales was a stay home mother attending to her son. She was unsure of what and how she was going to pursue her life, and wanted to be a positive role model for her son. One day an AVANCE Home Educator came by her home to talk to her about the program. Instantly, Yesica knew this program would guide her and her son to a positive and successful life. The Home Educator encouraged also Ms. Gonzales to attend college and assisted her in preparing for a positive life changing decision.

“I joined the AVANCE Program because I wanted the best for my son and that’s what AVANCE offered,” Ms. Gonzales explained.

The mission of Early Head Start (EHS) is to promote healthy prenatal outcomes for pregnant women, enhance the development of very young children, and promote healthy family functioning. Participating families revive weekly one-hour child development lessons that the parent models with the child. As part of the program, the families also participate in group socialization sessions at the AVANCE site, where they have the opportunity to learn together and interact.

Alessandro plays with arts and crafts.

Her Son, Alessandro Martinez, is currently attending Head Start at Cardwell Head Start. While in the Head Start program, Alessandro is able to write short sentences and do simple math additions.  Alessandro has also shown an interest in prehistoric dinosaurs and fossils. His teacher is impressed with his development. Currently, he is outperforming many other students and is one of the top students in his class.

During her time in the EHS Program, Ms. Gonzales seized the opportunity to be the President of the Parent Committee and also served as a Delegate to The National Policy Committee and a Personnel Committee Member. This was one of the first times she had been elected to be a group leader and she cherished being a role model to other mothers and fathers in the program. Ms. Gonzales elaborated saying, “It was an honor to be elected as the President of the Parent Committee.  I was able to learn about leadership and it made the parents and me aware that we have a voice.  It also helped me gain more confidence to take an active role in my career decisions.”

Upon completion of the EHS program in November 2011, AVANCE’s management team hired Ms. Gonzales as a custodian and bus driver, a role that many AVANCE alumni have held over the years. Hiring people from within the community, specifically successful program participants, and treating people with dignity and respect are major principles AVANCE has embodied since its conception in 1973.

To further her education beyond the AVANCE lessons, Ms. Gonzales attended and received an Associate of Arts in General Studies (A.A.) degree from Southwest Texas Junior College in May 2012. She was then promoted to a Home Educator and assumed more responsibilities for the EHS families. Ms. Gonzales did not stop with General Studies, rather she returned to pursue a one-year Child Development Certificate and an Associates of Applied Science (A.A.S.) degree, which she received in February 2013. Today, Ms. Gonzales is studying to obtain a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Bilingual Education.

Rosario Rivera, AVANCE Education Coordinator, has watched Yesica develop into a strong mother and professional over these last few years and is confident Ms. Gonzales and her children will reach their full potential. “Yesica is a brilliant young woman with limitless potential. Yesica is a very ambitious and determined to give her family a successful life. She has a wonderful rapport with people of all ages, especially children. Her dedication and commitment to the program has given the AVANCE families hope and a chance for a brighter future,” Ms. Rivera explained.

Alessandro poses for his graduation picture.

“AVANCE has definitely changed my life for the better!  I am grateful to the AVANCE staff for making this opportunity possible. I always feel that there is opportunity for growth in everyone. As long as you believe and have faith in yourself, anything is possible,” Ms. Gonzales concluded.

AVANCE Early Head Start staff are dedicated and work diligently to provide the families the best possible education for their children. Local AVANCE Staff include: Education Coordinator-Rosie Rivera, Intervention Support Specialist-Dina Sanchez, Socialization/Health Aide-Iracema Guerra, Home Educators/FDW-Cecilia Santillan, Antonieta Aguirre, and Yesica Gonzalez, Bus Driver/Custodian-Joe Ochoa.

More about AVANCE’s EHS Colonias Project: Thanks to funds received through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), since 2010 AVANCE has been delivering a Home-based Early Head Start (EHS) program to 100 Hispanic pregnant women and children that reside in Colonias (Spanish word for neighborhood or community) in two of the poorest counties bordering with Mexico; Val Verde and Hidalgo. Connect with AVANCE on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

More about Early Head Start (EHS): Early Head Start (EHS) is a federally funded community-based program for low-income families with infants and toddlers and pregnant women. Its mission is simple: to promote healthy prenatal outcomes for pregnant women, enhance the development of very young children, and promote healthy family functioning.

Pete Gallegos, U.S. Representative for Texas’ 23rd district, with President Noriega.

During the week of Monday, March 4th, representatives from AVANCE, Inc. (ah-vahn-ceh) visited our nation’s capital to promote and advocate on behalf of the AVANCE Parent-Child Education Program (PCEP). The visit was in conjunction with a presentation before the U.S. Department of Education.

AVANCE was extended an official invitation by the Office of Early Learning and the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics at the U.S. Department of Education to showcase the progress being made by AVANCE’s Unlocking America’s Potential Project (UAPP). The presentation allowed AVANCE to present on what the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) at Rutgers University, preliminary results on the adaptability of the PCEP to different ethnic groups including Native American, African American and Hispanic of non-Mexican descent. NIEER’s preliminary findings of this project suggest that AVANCE’s PCEP can be easily and effectively implemented across various cultural backgrounds.

From L to R: Romanita Matta-Barrera, Fluent Strategy Group; Magdalena Santos, AVANCE; Richard J. Noriega, AVANCE; Nicolas Medina, AVANCE Board Treasurer; Milagros Nores, NIEER; and Robin Smith, Excellence Foundation for Parent and Children Inc.

The panel included Richard J. Noriega, AVANCE President and CEO; Magdalena Santos, AVANCE Unlocking America’s Potential Project (UAPP) Project Director; Milagros Nores, PhD National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) Associate Director of Research; and Robin Smith, Excellence Foundation for Parents and Children Inc. Executive Director.

Associate Director Nores reinforced that AVANCE’s PCEP is adaptable across various ethnic communities. “Parents felt strong social support from the program, without variation across sites or by cultural background,” Nores explained during the presentation.

Executive Director Smith, AVANCE’s research partner, highlighted the efforts and success the Foundation has experienced offering the program to predominately African-American families. “You have heard the African Proverb “It takes a village”, using the PCEP model, we have brought the village back to Brooklyn. We are helping children and families in isolated and underserved communities thrive by educating both children and their parents, providing access to much-needed resources, and helping establish social support networks,” Smith explains.

AVANCE Board Chairman, Dean Aguillen, and President Noriega present Roberto Rodriguez, Special Assistant to the President for Education in the White House Domestic Policy Council, a “handmade” gift of appreciation for the Administration’s commitment to early childhood education.

National Board Chairman Dean Aguillen and President Noriega visited with Roberto Rodriguez, Special Assistant to the President for Education in the White House Domestic Policy Council, to brief him on AVANCE’s plans for the 40th anniversary celebration. President Noriega shared with Rodriguez AVANCE’s continued commitment to change the trajectory of children’s lives by providing families with culturally appropriate parenting education, empowerment, and community-building with early childhood development services to a hard-to-reach constituency.

“Our visits and presentation in D.C. are a testament that AVANCE’s expertise in early childhood and parental education continues to enhance national education through our family wellness platform,” President Noriega concluded.

More Info about AVANCE:
AVANCE is a nonprofit organization dedicated to Unlocking America’s Potential by strengthening families in at-risk communities through effective parent education and support programs. Connect with AVANCE on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

More Info about the UAPP:
Through the Unlocking America’s Potential Project (UAPP), AVANCE will create and study the impact of adapting its culturally-responsive program to other racial and ethnic communities; African American, American Indian and Hispanic families of non-Mexican descent.

The extensive five-year project is funded by a $12.6 million grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, the largest foundation grant in AVANCE’s history. The ultimate goal of this project is to develop, document and share innovative ideas for serving vulnerable families as a global learning experience.

Expected outcomes of the UAPP include:

• Participant children entering kindergarten with an increased vocabulary
• A safer and more stable home environment
• By the third grade, participant children will outperform peers in standardized academic assessments of education and will ultimately achieve higher levels of educational attainment
• Better-developed language skills
• Parents engaged in their child’s education
• Good social skills for school readiness
• Parents will learn to appropriately nurture their child, better understand their developmental needs, and increase their own personal, educational and economic advancement

Throughout the month of February, families enrolled in the adult and early education programs with AVANCE-San Antonio have been visiting the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo to practice and implement the new skills they are learning in their classes while also alleviating the common stresses they face as parents.

The families learned about the relationship between the everyday uses of animal products and their agricultural basis at the Animal Adventures exhibit. The Little Buckaroo Farm: A Truly Texas Family Experience was also very informative for the families. Within the 30,000-square-foot facility, they had a chance to see the agricultural origins of the food and fiber they consume every day. Another fun and revealing exhibit was the Borden Dairy Center, where the families saw a live cow milking demonstration. The Dairy Center also offered information on all aspects of milk production, dairy products and their roles in agriculture.

Brenda Tierranegra, an AVANCE-San Antonio Early Head Start Parent, was reassured that reading to her child is critical when her son saw a sheep, pointed and said, “Mommy look, like in the book.”

Activities outside the classroom play an important role in helping parents and are a great opportunity for the children to socialize and experience new things. Trips to the zoo, circus, park or orchard promote joyful community centered activities, inexpensive recreational experiences and opportunities to learn about culture. AVANCE programs everywhere dedicate specific time during the program year, especially over the holidays, to bring their families into new atmospheres outside of the class and enhance their learning experience.

“I liked the Little Buckaroo Farm, because it was interactive and this was the first time I had been to the rodeo.” Irene Delgado, Early Head Start Parent, AVANCE-San Antonio.