L.A. Times: Preschool or TK? Parents are Stressing Out.

Written by

Jenny Gold, the Early Childhood Education & Development staff writer & reporter from the L.A. Times goes in-depth on the topic of choosing between preschool and transitional kindergarten (TK). In the article, she features interviews and insights from teachers and parents across California, including Micaela Elias, a parent of a child that attends Children’s Institute’s Head Start program.

“California is in the midst of a $2.7-billion initiative to provide an additional year of free, high-quality education during the crucial early years. Yet while TK is a statewide program, the details that often matter most to parents – the balance of play and academics and how the program differs from preschool – vary greatly by district. The last major assessment of TK curriculum was done in 2016, long before the current expansion, and the state is not currently evaluating TK classrooms to see how districts are educating their youngest students,” reports Jenny.

As she delves into this hot topic, you can hear all sides and different considerations – some proponents of preschool and others, of the expansion of transitional kindergarten. Read more about this current issue affecting parents as they are in the midst of making this critical decision for their children.

Please see here for the full article in English and Spanish.

(Photo credit: Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times)

Children’s Institute will be at the Festival of Books April 20-21!

Written by

The L.A. Times Festival of Books is the largest book festival in the nation and this year, Children’s Institute will be an exhibitor! Held at the University of Southern California (USC) campus from April 20-21, we are honored and excited to have our own booth alongside hundreds of other exhibitors, including NASA, Harper Collins Publishing and Vroman’s Bookstore – just to name a few.

This is a free, family-friendly event with indoor and outdoor activities. We are excited to be a part of this event because we hope to inspire a love for reading in the hearts of our youth. Reading opens hearts and minds to other worlds and endless possibilities while stimulating creativity.

Make sure to mark your calendars for April 20-21, 2024 to meet us at Booth #732 for books, games and info on Children’s Institute!

“There are many little ways to enlarge your world. Love of books is the best of all.” – Jacqueline Kennedy

Top Ten Children’s Books with Mental & Behavioral Health Benefits

Written by

A recently published Ipsos research report on parenting, “What the Future: Parenting,” finds that mental health is now the top concern parents have as they’re raising children. Kate MacArthur, a research editor at Ipsos says, “Thinking about all the things that parents could worry about for their children, seeing that 40% of parents indicating that they are extremely or very worried their children will struggle with anxiety or depression is a key finding.”

At Children’s Institute (CII), the therapists that work with children are aware of the importance of addressing mental and behavioral health issues from an early age. Children are growing up in a time defined by one global crisis after another, on top of the everyday struggles of trying to be a kid navigating the world around them, which can magnify existing mental health issues.

Children’s Institute serves children that experience this in addition to having to cope with community violence and economic hardship. It may not be easy to talk about difficult emotions with children but there are books and resources that facilitate these conversations in safe, accessible ways.

The therapists, teachers and staff at Children’s Institute came up with a list of resources and books that facilitate these types of conversations between parent and child. Here are their recommendations.

The Invisible String by Patrice Karst

The Invisible String is a great book as it helps children cope with separation anxiety, loss and grief. The book can help a child when they experience the death of a family member and even in class, when they need support while missing home.

In My Heart: A Book of Feelings by Jo Witek

This book helps children talk about their emotions and the issues they hold in their hearts. During the pandemic, I used this book to help kids verbalize their worries and anxieties, which helped facilitate those conversations.

Moody Cow Meditates by Kerry Lee MacLean

The child in this book has a very bad day and his uncle, who is a sensei, teaches him about regulating his feelings. The book has important lessons to hold onto and it even includes a children’s activity to make a calming jar.

Have You Filled Your Bucket Today? by Carol McCloud

This book helps children develop empathy and kindness. My daughter’s school read this book and it became the basis for their school-wide program to help students empathize with their classmates.

El Libro de los Sentimientos (The Feelings Book) by Todd Parr

This beginner’s book illustrates the wide range of emotions humans – including children, can experience through the use of simple vocabulary and eye-catching illustrations. Instead of children bottling up their emotions, this book creates opportunities for your child to open up.

B is for Breathe: The ABCs of Coping by Dr. Melissa Munro Boyd

This book uses the ABCs in a way that helps children with coping skills to help manage their fussy and frustrating feelings. The story has fun illustrations which helps promote positive behaviors and self-regulating skills for children 2-5.

The Color Monster: A Story About Emotions by Anna Llenas

This story focuses on investigating feelings and introduces a method to help children identify their emotions. Children learn to identify their emotions by associating them with colors, helping them share how they are feeling.

The Bad Seed by Jory John

The Bad Seed introduces the concept of trauma and how it affects the way children think about themselves, behave and perceive others. Children can learn that positive changes are possible for each and every one of us.

The Goodbye Book by Todd Parr

This book is helpful when children deal with heavy emotions such as grief and anguish. It’s a touching story that discusses loss and how it is okay to not know how to feel in those times while establishing a feeling of safety and support.

My Many Colored Days by Dr. Seuss

This Dr. Seuss book utilizes colors and animals to describe different moods and emotions. Reading this book helps children validate their emotional experiences and get back to their baseline.

 

Additional Resources for Caregivers:

Conscious Discipline

Social Stories – ABA Resources 

The Best Behavior Series

NASP’s Book List for Children Dealing with Trauma and Loss

 

*Many thanks to Dr. Brandi Eichstedt, Dr. Diane Elias, Odalys DeLeon, Ingrid Mürrle and Riley Solorzano for contributing to this list of books & resources.

Deskside Chat with the Board: Ariff Sidi

Written by

We had the privilege of sitting down with one of our newest Board members, Ariff Sidi, former GM & Chief Product Officer at Edgecast, a division of Verizon Media. During our conversation, Sidi shared some of his major career accomplishments and his convictions as a father and how these experiences led him to join the Board at Children’s Institute.

Ariff, you’ve had quite an impressive career – from engineering to product management to media and tech! Could you walk us through your professional journey, highlighting some of your achievements?

I started off in software engineering at Qualcomm, having graduated from the University of California, San Diego. In the beginning, my work was hands-on, writing code. While it was intellectually challenging, it was also a bit removed from the consumer experience, and I wanted to create products that touched people’s lives more directly. That led me to Disney, where I began migrating from engineering to product management.

During my 12-year tenure at Disney, I built a variety of products and technology that people were using and enjoying daily, which I loved. I also played a central role in the development of ABC’s industry-first video streaming platform, which my team built in only 62 days, and kicked off an entire industry transformation that is still ongoing today! In the process, I filed 10 patents, won an Emmy award and two additional Emmy nominations. I also earned an MBA from UCLA during this time.

After my time at Disney, FOX and a couple of start-ups, I went on to become the Chief Product Officer at a division of Verizon During my time at Verizon, I led the business through two private equity transactions, after which I decided to take some time out to spend with my family.

 Wow, what an incredible impact you’ve made across multiple industries! It must’ve been a rollercoaster of an adventure to be part of an unprecedented transition from traditional media to streaming, and congrats to you!

Can you share about what motivated you to join Children’s Institute’s Board of Trustees?

Ultimately, being a father of two young kids in the same age range as Children’s Institute’s children is what motivated me to join and why Children’s Institute’s mission and work resonates with me personally.  I recognize that a stable and healthy childhood makes a huge difference in launching young people into successful and happy adults. If I were to think of my own kids in anything but the best conditions – not being cared for, not having access to education, feeling unsafe, not having the opportunities they currently have, not having their dad around, etc. – it’s heartbreaking.

Knowing that not all children are afforded these opportunities, and that Children’s Institute is pushing hard to change that is the source of my motivation to get involved. I’m hoping that I can use my skills as a technologist, business leader, and dad to support Children’s Institute and the great work it does.

That’s wonderful to hear and thank you for your incredibly big heart and desire to help the children of Los Angeles, particularly those who are consistently marginalized and underserved. Children’s Institute’s North Star states that all children and families can achieve educational success and emotional wellbeing to build lasting pathways to lifelong health and economic mobility. Can you share what specifically connects you to Children’s Institute’s North Star?

I want to start off by sharing a quote by Martin Luther King Jr, from his book, “Why We Can’t Wait.”

It is obvious that if a man is entered at the starting line of a race 300 years after another man, the first would have to perform some impossible feat in order to catch up.

While this quote is specifically about racial inequality and reflects the challenges that many African Americans face today, I think it is has quite a lot of relevance to the work of Children’s Institute. It is difficult to compete if your starting line is so far behind your peers. That’s why the work of Children’s Institute and its work in early childhood education and head start programs is so important. How one starts their lives impacts their future and their early years in childhood carry forward into adulthood. I believe in a fair playing field, for kids most of all.

Let’s give these kids a better start to ensure better outcomes in the future.

What a powerful motivator. It’s true that to make a lasting impact, it often starts with the early stages of childhood. That relates to a statement that was recently made by a fellow Board member, Sunil Gunderia, who said, “The most effective and efficient societal investments in education are those made in early childhood education.”

Now that you are a member of Children’s Institute’s Board, what is something you would like to accomplish in your work and advocacy through Children’s Institute?

There are three parts to what I’d like to accomplish as a Board member of Children’s Institute:

First, in an early meeting with Martine Singer and Catherine Atack, before I became a member of the Board, they had mentioned that Children’s Institute has been around for over a hundred years – since 1906, which is about the time LA Children’s Hospital was established. But a major difference is the level of public awareness between the two. I would like to help build awareness for Children’s Institute and its work through my efforts and connections.

Second, because of my background in tech, I hope to be helpful in guiding the use of technology to drive and improve efficiencies to contribute to better outcomes internally.

And third, also related to technology, but more specifically as it relates to its externally facing products. I hope to be helpful in guiding the use of technology to improve products and services delivered to CII’s children and families.

That’s wonderful! We’re so excited to have you onboard! On a personal level, can you share some of your hobbies?

I have a bunch of hobbies, most of which lean pretty technical. I enjoy photography; I also enjoy sailing and powerboating; I’ve always been big into cars and had an amateur racing license at one point; I do a lot of DIY from electrical to plumbing to carpentry to metal work; I do some content creation; and I’m building an AI home automation system. I’m probably forgetting something. One day I will get a private pilot license, but my wife has forbidden me to do that while we have young kids!

Are there any other interesting facts about yourself?

I mentioned I had several patents from my time at Disney. There’s a high likelihood, probably a certainty, that you have come across and experienced one of my patents if you’ve ever watched a streamed video with ads in it. If you’ve noticed the countdown timer during an ad or how you can’t skip the ads, you’ve come into contact with one of my patents!

Thank you so much for your time, Ariff. It was a pleasure getting to know you and your desire to make a positive impact on the lives of children. Welcome to Children’s Institute!

(more…)

Back-to-School Advice for Parents and Caregivers

Written by

For many parents, caregivers, and children alike, the back-to-school season is rarely synonymous with an easy time. Instead, this time often entails a transition from long summer days to structured school hours, which for many can be exciting, but also anxiety-inducing and even chaotic for some families. Understandably so, from as early as 0-5 years old, kids can have a hard time adjusting to new routines, which can add stress to family dynamics. Given this, we’d like to provide caregivers with information and advice on how to help ease their child and themselves during this time of year and beyond.

Beginning with the little ones, ages 0 to 5, the back-to-school transition is just as much a new experience for the kids as it is for the parents. Up until then, many of the kids haven’t left their caregiver’s side for extended periods of time, so this can be a jarring change for all parties involved. According to Odalys DeLeon, ASW, CII’s Behavioral Health and Wellness Specialist, it is important for parents to observe and note their child’s temperament and consider sharing this with their teacher. Are they easy going or slow to warm up? Are they receptive to new experiences or do they take time to adapt? What is their frustration tolerance? These are all great questions Ms. DeLeon recommends you keep in mind during this time of year.

In some cases, little kids can start off very excited for the new year and new experiences, but as the year progresses and they settle into the routine, they may become increasingly dysregulated both at school and at home. Some warning signs include having a hard time with the morning routine and if there are tantrums before school and/or afterschool. These signs as far as one or two months into the school year should raise some alarms.

So, what can be done if a child is not adjusting that far into the school year? “Something to keep in mind,” Ms. DeLeon mentions, “is that consistency creates a sense of safety. Bedtime and morning routines can help with anxiety about school.” Creating a social story can allow a child to visualize these daily routines and ultimately feel grounded when they are doing their routines in real-time. To create a social story, first ensure that the child is in an emotionally regulated state. Then, allow the child to draw themselves during each stage of their daily routines and caption the images with a few words about what they are doing. Example, ask the child to draw a picture of themselves brushing their teeth and write “when I wake up, I brush my teeth.” Other helpful activities include exposing them to media which portrays school in a positive way, such as Bluey or Sesame Street, or allowing them to bring a small item or token with them to school that reminds them of their caregiver.

Though we can expect children to become more resilient as they grow older, it can still be hard for kids in higher grade levels to feel integrated, especially if they are starting at a new school. According to Dr. Karla Harness Brown, Inglewood Unified School District’s Child Welfare and Attendance Advisor, something to look out for in teens and pre-teens is “spill-over” from the school day into the evening time. This can look differently depending on the child, but some signs include withdrawal from social situations, wanting to stay in their room all the time, having negative conversations about school, and becoming heavily involved with the internet. Overall, the child is communicating that they had a hard time at school during the day.

Thankfully, it is possible to intervene when you sense that your child is struggling. Dr. Harness Brown recommends that caregivers use the window of time on the ride or walk home to naturally ask “What did you like about school today?” Even if it was just what they had for lunch, this is a good way to help the child feel safe to talk about their day to their caregiver. Also, it is still advised to reach out to their teachers. “Talk to the teacher. It’s okay to do that,” says Dr. Harness Brown, “In the beginning teachers are doing ice breaker activities that help build bonds between students. During this time of year, teachers can also set up a buddy system for recess and lunch.” If the child is a bit older, you can also encourage them to join clubs and school activities to help them integrate. “It’s hard for new students when their classmates have attended the same schools overtime.  In this situation, a parent can also connect with other parents at their child’s school to help create a social network with their child,” says Dr. Harness Brown. Building a social network of parents can also be very beneficial for neurodivergent children who have a harder time in social situations. If needed, talking with a school counselor is also an option as they can act as the liaison between the parent and the teacher.

Though it may feel natural to stay focused on the child’s experience during this time, it is just as important to simultaneously practice self-care as a parent. Both Odalys DeLeon and Dr. Harness Brown recommend finding a mindfulness activity to help parents understand their own feelings and soothe their emotions. Meditation, deep breathing, prayer, and yoga are all great ways to begin this practice. In addition, understanding one’s own triggers is essential to help navigate stressful situations both at home and at school.

Though this time of year brings many changes, it also allows an opportunity for growth and development. As with any transitional period, moments of uncertainty are common. Though tantrums or mood swings are uncomfortable to bear, caregivers are encouraged to approach tough situations with curiosity and know that children may lack the maturity and language to communicate that they are having a hard time adjusting. It is great to know that there are ways to help students integrate and there is a community of adults, including teachers and school counselors, dedicated to helping the child succeed at school and beyond. CII wishes everyone a great 2023-2024 school year!

CII’s Home Visitation Program Changed My Son’s Life

Written by

My name is Shirlys, and my son received life-changing services at Children’s Institute.

When I was seven months pregnant, I was visiting a friend while a CII staff member was there, and I loved the way she interacted with her two-year old daughter. I wanted that for my son, Sebastián. So, she put me in touch with Wendy from CII’s Home Visitation program.

Our team of home visitors were there for us every step of the way. They taught us what developmental milestones Sebastián needed to reach at six months, ten months and beyond. Everyone told us that it was normal for him to not be speaking at his age, that “boys just talk later than girls,” but not CII.

If it weren’t for our home visitors—Wendy, Mayra and Stephanie—Sebastián wouldn’t have been diagnosed with autism this early and he wouldn’t be receiving the help he is now, including language skills, paired with occupational and behavioral therapy. One of the most important things CII’s program has done is helping our son with his speech, giving him the confidence to use his voice.

Our greatest hope as parents is that this early diagnosis, and the support he is receiving, leads to an understanding of his condition and the ability to adjust to society so he can lead a fulfilling life, not limited by his condition. We want what every parent wants: a healthy child with everything they need to reach their abundant potential—educational achievement and being able to participate in activities like sports and the arts.

I am eternally grateful to Children’s Institute for giving us the opportunity to help improve the quality of our son’s life.

Please consider making a gift to CII this holiday season so that more children across Los Angeles can have the same opportunities and success as Sebastián.

Vaccines: What You Need To Know

Written by

As we ease back into the school year, we want to recognize that August is National Immunization Month. In addition to staying up to date on your child’s regular vaccines, we encourage you to consider the COVID-19 vaccine for you child. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and pediatricians at Cedars-Sinai put together an article to answer a few common questions when considering if your toddler or preschooler should get vaccinated. Here are a few things you should know.

How old does my child need to be to get the COVID-19 vaccine?
The FDA has approved for children 6 months to 4 years old to receive the vaccine. In California, you can schedule vaccines through MyTurn.ca.gov.

Is it safe for my child to get the vaccine?
It is completely safe for your child to get the COVID-19 vaccine. Healthy children should especially follow local protocol for receiving vaccines and wearing masks to prevent the spread of COVID-19 to other, more vulnerable children. Cedars-Sinai writes, “It’s understandable that some people have reservations about the vaccine, but it’s important to remember that the COVID-19 vaccines currently available have been through rigorous safety testing and were required to meet the same standards as other vaccines—such as chickenpox and polio—that have been given to children for many years and are known to be safe and effective.”

Which vaccine is “better”?
The safest vaccine to get is whichever is available to you first. Both the Moderna and Pfizer “are safe and effective.” However, Dr. Priya Soni, Assistant Professor of Pediatric Disease at Cedars-Sinai Guerin does “urge parents to consider timing and availability as they make their decision.” Moderna requires two stronger doses while Pfizer is given at lower doses across three injections.

Will this harm my child later in life?
There are no known long-lasting side effects from the COVID-19 vaccine. Dr. Soni reports that “there are no long-term health effects of these vaccines other than they will protect your child from contracting and developing potentially devastating complications from this virus.” While you or your child may encounter mild symptoms from the vaccine, this is normal and not anything to be concerned about.

In the coming weeks, we will be partnering with Cedars-Sinai to host free vaccine clinics around Los Angeles county. We will be sure to share the dates and times of these clinics so that you and your family can prepare to go back to school safely. Check you email and our social media for updates and information.

Fun Science Experiments for Families

Written by

August is a time of preparing to go back to school and reconnecting with friends and loved ones. We want to encourage family bonding and enrichment by celebrating all the different ways you and your family can have fun in your own home!

Have you ever tried an at-home science experiment? It’s a lot easier than it sounds and you don’t need many extra materials or ingredients. Check out a few recipes below.

Erupting Volcano
Skills Level: Basic
Messiness Level: High
Skill Practiced: Chemical reactions

What you’ll Need:
* 2 Liter bottle of coke
* Packet of Mentos
OR
* Warm water
* Dishwashing detergent
* Baking soda
* Vinegar
* Empty soda bottle

If using the Mentos method, all you’ll need to do is drop one tablet into the 2 liter soda bottle. Make sure to do this outside and keep your children at a safe distance. If using the baking soda method, place an empty container on a tray and use play dough or foil to create the “volcano” base around it (so the opening of the container is the top of the volcano). Drop remaining ingredients into container and watch it erupt! See here for more info.

Sink or Float
Skills Level: Beginner
Messiness Level: Low
Skill Practiced: Water density

What You’ll Need:
* Sink, bathtub, or large container of water
* Objects of various densities and size (ball, coin, empty bottle, rock, etc.)

This game is best for young toddlers and infants. While bathing your child, give them a variety of objects to try and sink. Let them observe which objects sink (more dense objects) and which objects float (more hollow objects).

DIY Lava Lamp
Skills Level: Easy
Messiness Level: Medium
Skill Practiced: Chemical reactions

What You’ll Need:
* Vegetable oil
* Water
* Empty container (ex. empty water bottle)
* Antacid tablet (ex. Alka-Seltzer)
* Food coloring

Mix water with desired food flooring. Break up the antacid tablets into a few pieces and drop into water. Add vegetable oil and watch the liquids and oil separate into fun globs! See here for more info.

Potion by Steve Jurvetson

Solar Oven
Skills Level: Difficult
Messiness Level: Medium
Skill Practiced: Solar energy

What You’ll Need
* Carboard box (ex. Pizza box or shoe box)
* Aluminum foil
* Plastic wrap
* Food to cook (we recommend s’mores)
Optional:
* Wooden Skewer or stick
* Plastic wrap

The most basic solar oven can be made with just a box and foil. Simply wrap the box in the foil and set your desired food inside. Then, place the box in the sun for a few hours and watch your food cook (or melt!). For more precision and faster cooking, prop the pizza box up with a stick or skewer and place the food on the base of the box. Cover the bottom part of the box with plastic wrap. The foil from the top of the box will reflect down into the bottom, melting the food faster. See here for more info.

Dinosaur Bones
Skills Level: Medium
Messiness Level: Medium
Skill Practiced: Paleontology

What You’ll Need:
* Flour
* Salt
* Water
* Images of dinosaur bones
* Oven

Mix the flour, water, and salt until you get a thick dough. Shape your dough into different bone shapes. You can leave the bones as clay material to reshape, or you can bake them at 250 degrees for 3 hours to achieve a hard bone-like texture. See here for more info.

Egg Drop
Skills Level: Easy
Messiness Level: High
Skill Practiced: Gravity
What You’ll Need:
* A few eggs (varies on how many you want to use)
* Various objects to wrap/store eggs in (ex. felt, plastic wrap, foil, leftover container, blanket)

Find a high point (such as stairs or a landing) to drop the eggs from. Using the materials gathered, create structure to protect egg from cracking when dropped. Drop protected egg from high point to see if it stays together or breaks!

CII Head Start Teacher Nancy Chavez Lugo Receives Prestigious Golden Apple Award

Written by

Nancy Chavez Lugo has been teaching for only two years but she has already received a top honor for her dedication to early childhood education. On January 12, she was presented with the Seventh Annual Golden Apple Award from the Los Angeles County Office of Education (LACOE). The award recognizes “exceptional early childhood educators who find new ways to engage families and children, create meaningful learning interactions, and excel in teaching and leadership.”

Nancy, who is a Head Start teacher at Children’s Institute’s Watts VI campus, was very surprised when she got the news, but her site supervisor, Dana Henderson, certainly was not. Dana describes Nancy as a very hard worker who goes above and beyond her job, constantly trying to improve herself. When CII students returned to the Watts VI center at the end of September, Nancy took over for Dana, who was out on leave. She rolled up her sleeves and created weekly interactive videos aligned with the curriculum, mentored her peers, wrote reports, oversaw sanitation and logistics for meals, and created the safety and health plan for re-entry that is still in use. “Nancy did everything a site supervisor would do plus her own job and was excellent. It’s like she’s a seasoned teacher; she always takes the initiative and is a pleasure to work with and very patient with both children and parents,” Dana said.

LACOE’s Head Start and Early Learning Division Executive Director Keesha Woods elaborated as she presented Nancy with the Golden Apple Award at a recent (virtual) LACOE Board meeting: “Nancy is a driven, organized teacher who’s whole teaching approach involves finding and using children’s unique strengths to help overcome their struggles and develop a positive self-concept…Over the past year, we seen just how difficult teaching infants, toddlers and preschoolers can be and just how vital this work is to children, parents, communities, and even the health of our economy… LACOE is blessed with many extraordinary educators across the county who have risen to this challenge and it’s an honor today to recognize the very best.”

Nancy always wanted to be a teacher. She attended Cal State LA to follow her passion and study child development. She began teaching three years ago at CII’s Western site for her practicum and liked the work so much that she continued to sub while finishing her BA. After graduating, she was excited to embark on her teaching career as a full-time teacher at CII. Nancy describes herself as a very mellow person and believes that translates into patience while teaching.

Because she lives in a neighborhood similar to where her students live, Nancy feels she can understand their viewpoint and enjoys being able to help them and the community. “We never know what they go through at home so it’s important to be there for them. School is a sense of community.” It comes as no surprise that the past year has been extremely challenging for teachers and families, which made Nancy’s recognition all the more special. About teaching during the pandemic, Nancy said, “Zoom is hard on both teachers and the kids. We can do our one-one-ones but kids can’t interact with other kids – there’s no sharing or borrowing, you can’t say ‘go ask your classmate for that toy,’ they can’t be social. It’s so different.” The Golden Apple Award has kept Nancy motivated to get through these difficult times.

At the LACOE Board meeting, CII’s President & CEO Martine Singer was acknowledged alongside Nancy for CII’s continued support of early education. “We are so proud of Nancy winning the Golden Apple Award! Teachers are the backbone of CII and it’s thanks to professionalism and dedication like hers that we are able to make a difference in so many children’s lives.”

As a congratulations, Nancy received $750 worth of Lakeshore Learning classroom supplies.

CII Teacher Citlali Gudino Surprised by Ellen Pompeo with Pandora Honor

Written by

Citlali Gudino is a dedicated CII preschool teacher who regularly goes above and beyond for her students and their families, especially during this unprecedented school year. To celebrate her passion and commitment, Pandora North America and renowned actress and producer, Ellen Pompeo, crafted a carefully planned, socially-distanced surprise to honor her with gifts and a donation of $25,000 to Children’s Institute on her behalf.

Throughout this holiday season, Pandora and Ellen Pompeo are recognizing teachers across the U.S. with ‘surprise and delight’ moments, gifting Pandora’s Timeless Collection to more than two dozen educators and highlighting one exceptional teacher – Citlali – with their donation to Children’s Institute.

“We are so appreciative to receive this generous donation from Pandora North America and provide recognition to one of our dedicated teachers,” said Martine Singer, President & CEO of Children’s Institute. “Citlali is dependable, kind and was quick to adapt to the challenges of virtual learning at the beginning of the pandemic. With resilience and positivity, she quickly began providing fun, engaging Zoom sessions for her students and actively supported their families through the challenges of this new normal.”

“It is important to acknowledge this amazing group of people across the nation that did not enlist as essential workers, but that have exceeded all job expectations to bring education, joy and stability to their students in a tumultuous year,” said Karen Chisholm, Vice President Marketing North America at Pandora Jewelry. “We are pleased to recognize Citlali Gudino and Children’s Institute for their outstanding achievements and provide financial support for their continued work.”

“As a mom, I think all of us can relate to how important teachers are in our children’s lives and how we respect them and cherish them. I am delighted to join forces with Pandora North America, as I fully stand behind their mission to provide resources to a wonderful organization like Children’s Institute,” stated Pandora North America ambassador, Ellen Pompeo. “It was a wonderful and joyous moment to surprise Citlali and honor her dedication to her students.”

Pandora North America is also donating 100% of the proceeds from custom art prints – created by four women artists and inspired by Pandora, love and unity – directly to Children’s Institute. Prints made by Ashley Lukashevsky, Amber Vittoria, Alia Penner and Ariel Sinha are available for purchase for $30 per print through December 31 via Shopify.

Congratulations, Citlali! We are so proud of you and grateful for your dedication and hard work.