What you find listed below is our story, before March 2020. With the onset of the pandemic, we began reaching out to our younger people in creative ways to maintain stable contact and learning opportunities in various ways. Due to the fluid situation, it is best to contact the Executive Director directly to learn about current programming. We hope our story below gives you a glimpse of Rising TIDE's priorities and commitment to young people. Story below will be updated September 2020.
We provide nearly 100 children with free after school, education programming, and meals Monday-Thursday.
We make the most of our time together by providing services and programming that empower and invest in the youth of Long Beach.
Guided Learning
Tutoring
The tutoring program operates on Monday between 3:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. for elementary-age children and middle school youth. A tutor is matched with a tutee in a one-on-one relationship for the school year, September through mid-June. As they meet for an hour each week, tutors not only help with homework, but give guidance and often become a part of their tutee’s life. The need is great and we are always open to receive new tutors. Tutors are given orientation and training, and are offered support throughout the year. For more information about volunteering to be a tutor, please check out ‘volunteers’ on this website.
LENDING LIBRARY
A lending library is available to the children and youth with nearly 10,000 titles. Library cards are provided so that books can be read on location or checked out and borrowed to read at home. At various times during the year, the library hosts used book fairs for children and youth to select books they would like to personally keep.
HOMEWORK ASSISTANCE
As children arrive from school, they receive help with their homework. Some children need more help than others, but all are given attention and academic encouragement. A computer bank and other educational resources assist the children with their homework and projects. Four spaces to work on homework make it possible for a child to find the right location to focus on doing his or her best academically, under the assistance and supervision of staff—one area is our lending library.
COMPUTER BANK
Nineteen computers are made available to the children and youth to use for homework, educational games, and creative activities. We are in the process of upgrading the computers we use in the science area for science research and projects.
GUIDED LEARNING CLUBS
Guided Learning clubs are offered at various times throughout the year for 6 to 8 weeks. Some examples are “Dreams that Stick” (inventors and their inventions), “Clifford, the Big Red Dog” (part of our children’s book series), and “Travel Across America” (following routes, such as Route 66). Guided Learning is woven into everything we do, as we look for every moment being a ‘teaching moment’.
Health & Wellness
FREE MEALS
Free healthy snacks and meals are served each day to everyone. Volunteers and staff partner to make tasty delights from donated and purchased food.
HEALTH & WELLNESS CLUBS
Health & Wellness clubs are offered at various times throughout the year for 6 to 8 weeks. Some examples are Teddy Bear Doctor, Volleyball, Kickboxing and Music.
OUTDOOR RECREATION
A fenced in parking lot area is converted to a safe-play space for children and youth during Rising TIDE hours. The area has basketball courts, as well as other game courts. The area is modeled from ‘Peaceful Playgrounds’.
WORKOUT ROOM
A workout room is available to older children, youth and young adults. Some examples of equipment available are free weights, weight-lifting machines, an elliptical machine, a rowing machine, a stationary bike and a treadmill. Young adults with sports training help children and youth to develop an exercise plan.
Life Skills
LIFE SKILL CLUBS
Life Skill clubs are offered at various times throughout the year for 6 to 8 weeks. Our most popular is creative cooking. Some other examples are “Manners Talk” and “Money Counts”. Life Skills development is woven throughout our clubs and entire program as we teach responsibility, respect and follow through on one’s decisions.
FOCUSED SKILL SETS
Volunteers have the opportunity to offer their skill set to the children and youth . A volunteer’s talent and passion go a long way in helping children and youth become motivated and passionate in their lives. For example, someone who loves to write come to work with the children an hour a week on creative writing. She got the children inspired and they collectively wrote a book!
JUNIOR VOLUNTEER PROGRAM
Our younger children have observed the high school youth, college students, and adults who volunteer with Rising TIDE, and they want to be just like them. To encourage their ‘helping out’, we recently began a Junior Volunteer Program. An older elementary child or middle school child must fill out an application, be interviewed, go through training, and sign a behavior contract before officially volunteering. The Junior Volunteers are feeling better about themselves and positively contributing to the program.
STEM
Science Technology Engineering and Math
STEM CLUBS
STEM clubs are offered at various times throughout the year for 6 to 8 weeks. Some examples include Lego Club, Numbers, Dance and Kitchen Science. One club currently being offers is “Curious George Goes Extreme”, encouraging curiosity and experimentation. A huge thank you to the Long Beach Port whose grant to Rising TIDE enabled a 6 week series on the workings of the Port, earlier this year.
SCIENCE CENTER
The Science Center, made possible in part by Southern California Edison, is open Monday through Thursday for several hours of experimentation and exploration under the direction of those who love the world of science. Activities often involve technology, engineering and mathematics.
The Arts
ARTS CLUBS
Art clubs are offered on Tuesdays throughout the year. This Fall we are focusing on artists and their form of art, e.g. Monet & Georgia O’Keefe. Computer art, duct tape art and origami are always favorites.
MADD INC SUMMER PROGRAM
Music Art Drama Dance Incorporating New Creativity
MADD INC is a nine-week summer intensive program, run on Tuesdays. Artists join our leadership team to help students develop their creativity skills and produce art that is long-lasting and inspiring. Classes not only include art (like sculpture and painting), but also music, dance, acting and writing.
Specialized Programming
SPECIALIZED PROGRAMMING CLUBS
Specialized program clubs include a Summer Bible Club (SBC) that is done in partnership with Covenant Presbyterian Church, for 9 weeks on Wednesdays throughout the summer. Parents who do not want their child to participate in the religious part of the SBC are given alternatives so that they can fully engage in Rising TIDE.
EVENTS
Special events are held several times throughout the year. For instance, a back-to-school prep day is offered the day before children and youth return to school with the distribution of school supplies, haircuts, flu shots and more.