 We think donor transparency is important.
Fact 1: We want to give our students the most impactful experience, providing them with information, skills, safety, real-life experience and new vision for their future. Fact 2: Creating Glass Art, purchasing supplies and maintaining a fully functioning studio is expensive. Fact 3: Most of our students could not afford to pay the full cost of our programs. So, we ask you for a lot. We ask you to trust that our programs are making a difference. We ask you to believe that our students can benefit from the time they’re here at GlassRoots. We ask you to make their experiences possible through your gifts. So why do we focus on transparency? Well, you wouldn’t want to give to an organization that spends 50% of their donations on break room snacks, would you? You expect that donations that you give go toward helping those that we serve, doing the work we say we’ll do. We are honest about where the dollars actually go and we report that information. And, while we think of transparency as just being about financials, and although this is important, overall transparency involves a whole lot more. Being transparent means that we are willing and able to distribute critical data about all aspects of our operations. To that end, we
We want to connect you to GlassRoots, and we know that connection is often created through shared values. Shared values, such as strong ethics, honesty, fiscal responsibility, and the propensity for collaboration are all evident we are transparent. I look forward to hearing your thoughts about this topic, or about GlassRoots in general. With thanks, Barbara Heisler, CEO PS. As you can see, Guidestar thinks we're doing well with our transparency - awarding us a 2018 Gold-Level Seal of Transparency!  Each year at this time we take stock and give thanks for all we've been able to accomplish throughout the year with your help. At GlassRoots, we’re grateful for your support that continues to help us grow, surpass goals, and transform lives.
We issued our annual evaluation report documenting our work (online here), for our third full year of our data collection and analysis. The results of our evaluation efforts continue to inform our policies, practices and programming choices. Our data, both the quantifiable and anecdotal, shows that GlassRoots’ programming for youth and young adults is impactful and achieving program objectives, as evidenced in, among other measurement; high scores for program satisfaction, intent to recommend our programming to others, returning students, and participants stating an intent to return to GlassRoots for more classes or workshops. We have created new program partnerships enabling us to serve more students in our unique youth entrepreneurship programs this year. Over the past several years we have been actively working to build new partnerships throughout the Newark and our region and we’re seeing the fruit of these efforts. The number of students we serve and the program hours offered continues to grow. We have reported fabulous successes of the students in our post high school programs, those programs introduced within the past several years to meet newly identified community needs. Without a doubt GlassRoots programs are helping students accomplish great things. And, finally, we're recognizing that this will be our last full year in this space, which has served us so well, but which we have outgrown. At this time next year we'll be offering our programs in our new space not too far down the street. All of this is possible because you support us. You make it possible for our amazing staff (and they are absolutely amazing!) to make a difference every day with the students we serve. Your funding and support keep our doors open, our furnace lit, and creativity flowing. So, as the year ends, we once again hope you’ll consider a gift to GlassRoots to further expand our reach! Your gifts serve all of our students -- young people who catch the spark during class trips to our studios or residency programs with our teaching artists, high school youth in our YES! Youth Entrepreneurship programs, young adults in our Bead Shop and Fellowship programs, and differently-abled adults who workshop in our studios. And, always, our studios are open for your visits - to create, shop, or to simply stop stop in. Until you do, our videos can bring our students and programs to you! We appreciate your consideration! From our studios to your home, our staff and board wish you a happy and healthy holiday season and joy in the New Year, Barbara PS. We'll be closed from December 24 through 2019 New Year's Day, but we will acknowledge any gifts received during this time as 2018 gifts (for tax purposes.) Barbara had the chance to talk with Steve Adubato about entrepreneurship, leadership and our future plans. So much has happened since our first visit three years ago. Watch! Thanks to CEC and the Horizon Foundation for New Jersey for helping us tell our story!
 2018 Summer Youth Leaders at Work! Throughout each day, students will be impacted by countless experiences that will help to shape their character and guide them on a path that may offer a stronger, better future. At our annual fall celebration a few weeks ago, we talked with our guests about the range and impact of our out-of-school programming, and, not surprisingly, the knowledge of our program reach was new to some. Researchers report that many of the benefits of out-of-school programming – including building social capital by providing the opportunity to develop friendships with peers and adults, opening doors to new experiences, and closing the opportunity gap – have long been ignored. GlassRoots out-of-school programming for youth includes three long-term programs, plus a wide variety of camps, special programs and lessons. Our long-term programs include:
Through these programs alone we served over 500 students last year, in nearly 4000 visits, providing almost 10,000 hours of instruction! Generally, too many urban, low-income youth grow up without even a cursory understanding of what high-quality arts programs are like, or what benefits may accrue from participation. GlassRoots’ evaluations show that we play an important role in providing this understanding for students from the Greater Newark community. National studies show that arts-based after-school programs:
Our findings mirror the national studies. You can read more about our impact on our Impact Page. Your gift today makes it possible for GlassRoots to continue to work with youth and provide alternatives to risky behavior. Your gift is about offering the experience that shapes their future. And your gift to GlassRoots affirms that our programs channel energy into positive quests for better education, stronger family life and rich community. As part of a well-regarded report, which studied the impact of the arts on learning, researchers found that young people engaged with arts-based organizations gain practice in thinking and talking as adults. They go on to say that participants in arts-based programs had dramatic increases in language development, reasoning, and questioning ability. They end by saying, “a key outcome for youth engaged with the arts is not just academic development, but also work opportunity—the chance for youth to apply skills, techniques, and habits of mind through employment in arts and/or community-related fields.” In our YES! Program, similarly, our students reported high gains in skills in multiple measurements: goal setting, financial management, marketing and selling, team building, written communication and creative thinking; all skills needed to help students keep up with the lightning-pace of today’s modern markets. Please join us and invest in this community dedicated to giving youth brighter futures. And perhaps, consider making your gift as a monthly donor knowing that each month you will have an immediate impact on GlassRoots’ students! Please make a gift today to immediately impact the future of our students! With our great thanks, Barbara Heisler, CEO Become a GlassRoots Gaffer! Our monthly giving program is the easiest way to provide steady support for our impactful programs. Giving online means your gift can be put to immediate us in service to our students and community. Learn more at glassroots.org/donate
In 2018, with the help of Dana Glazer, GlassRoots captured our story in a most compelling way! Take a look and tell us what you think. Here's our favorite: There are six short videos and one longer video for you to enjoy and share here.
FLAT SHOP INSTRUCTOR
GlassRoots is looking for a great Flatshop Instructor to join the artistic staff of our exciting and growing arts education organization in Newark NJ. This is a skilled artistic and technical work position which includes teaching, fabrication and repair of glass pieces in flat shop / kiln forming studio. We’re seeking a self-motivated individual who is can assist in the development, implementation and delivery of our artistic programs. Work involves instruction of students in flat shop/ kilnforming, the operation of facilities required for the instruction, fabrication and repair of a wide variety of glass pieces. On any given day you’ll be providing instruction to students participating in GlassRoots’ long and short term programs, maintaining the flat shop, advising and consulting with other program staff on the development of programs. Additional responsibility includes the creation of sales and commission works. Work is reviewed through inspection and observation of results. This is full time position, with hours that may vary depending on class scheduling. Salary is in the low $30s. Benefits included. DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Read more about GlassRoots at www.glassroots.org. Candidates must have ability to clear background checks and must have their own transportation. Important: To apply, email a cover letter in the body of your message including salary requirements and attach resume to jobs@glassroots.org. Please indicate the job in the subject field. No calls please.  It's July and a new year is upon us here at GlassRoots, and you deserve a special thanks for supporting us during our last year. You've brought us to this point, and we'll glad you're with us!
GlassRoots has many upcoming events and programs working with students during the summer. Our Assistant Program Director, Kate Dowd, leads our summer youth program, Youth Leadership Corps (YLC). YLC has a main goal of equipping our young students with leadership qualities while making the experience enjoyable and fulfilling. For six weeks, a cohort of high energy Newark high school students receive onsite training and experiences, with weekly themes that address 21st century skills such as goals setting, collaboration, communication, career planning, and problem solving. These skills are essential to helping students and future entrepreneurs flourish in any career field and direction they deem fitting. We thrive knowing that students are being creatively engaged while simultaneously acquiring knowledge and skills. As mentors to our younger students, these teens experience a good deal of growth quickly. Kate’s goals are clear, “Our students develop leadership and planning skills. Students will get to run and manage a walk-in workshop program this summer. The students will lead their own marketing campaign, teach their own workshop and showcase a demo in our hotshop. They will name their workshop, and market it themselves.” We’ll also see over 300 young people through our partnership with the Newark Public Schools Summer Plus program, and more in our summer camps. And our Adult classes continue through the summer as well! Your strong financial support has enabled us to continue to provide impactful programs to students and give them the ability to have these experiences. GlassRoots continues to be a place where students can grow creatively and intellectually while expanding their interests through the wonderful world of glass art! Join us this summer! GlassRoots is a wonderful place to be! Barbara (Special thanks to our NCLC Summer Intern Shanay Chambers for her contributions to this blog post!) Thanks to you, as of today, GlassRoots has provided over 1,000 youth and young adults, and over 400 adults with nearly 10,000 hours of our high quality programming so far this program year (since July 1, 2017.) In over 3,425 visits Newark-area youth, young adults and adults explored not only their creativity through the glass arts, but learned transformational life skills that work with glass instills – persistence, resilience, communication, cooperation and more. Some of our students stayed in school because of our programs. Some started businesses. Others discovered new skills or renewed old ones. On behalf of them all, thank you for supporting these opportunities.
But, in addition to thanking you, I wanted to make sure you heard what Josh said. In April, supporters who attended our historic groundbreaking for our new space heard from Josh, a graduate of our 2017 GlassRoots-Penland Fellowship program. Josh shared that, “part of what’s amazing about my story is that before I joined the program I had no artistic experience at all; only practical skills I had gained from working with my father in his construction business. Other than music I hadn’t made a deep connection to any art form. But after the program – in just three short months -- I found myself completely bonded to the craft of Iron Work. I now consider myself an amateur blacksmith, and I’m eager to share my experience with everyone.” Josh went on to thank the program for providing “skills that can be a source of income for me right now and in the future; 9 college credits to launch me into college, and friendships that will last me for a lifetime.” But it was what Josh said next that brought tears to everyone’s eyes! Josh shared with everyone present that he had been accepted into the Honors Living and Learning Community at Rutgers University, where students are prepared to tackle the world’s most pressing problems. Josh, who hadn’t considered what was next in his life. Josh, whose mother told us that she worried for his future. Josh! Josh was going to a prestigious, competitive college program – on a full scholarship! Every day, your support makes stories like Josh’s possible. There are only two weeks left in our FY2018 Annual Fund Campaign. Our fiscal year closes on June 30. Our goal is to ensure we have funding for our programs so that other students can find a way to get their lives back on track. You see, even though we worked with over 1,400 people so far this year, there are estimated to be almost 7,000 disengaged young adults in Newark alone, and we want to make sure that we have program funds to support any one of them that walks in our door. That’s why our goal for the last two weeks of our FY2018 Annual Fund campaign is to raise $30,000 by June 30. If we raise that amount, we’ll be able to start the year with funds in our accounts to serve the nearly 300 students we expect to see this summer, without turning anyone away. But, we need your help to make it happen. Would you be willing to make a special year-end donation of $50, $100 or whatever you can afford to help us meet our goal and prepare us for the 300 summer students we expect? We simply can’t do it without you. Your support will make a real, lasting impact in the lives of our youth. Josh ended his remarks by saying, “I ask everyone in this beautiful audience to share what you know about GlassRoots with as many people as you can, to tell students of all ages what they can accomplish through and with GlassRoots’ teachers, mentors and programs, and to support them in their mission to ignite a passion for learning through art in all of us.” I think I’ll leave it at that. Please, click here to make your donation now. We need more stories like Josh’s! Thank you for your continued support and friendship, With gratitude, Barbara Heisler, CEO GlassRoots P.S. It’s almost our year end. Our goal is to raise $30,000 to start our summer programming off strong. We can’t do it without your help. Will you make a gift of $50, $100 or whatever you can afford to help us meet this goal? Click here to make your donation now! PPS. You can hear more about how GlassRoots creates an environment for change, from Josh and other students and staff here! GlassRoots is looking for a full-time Instructor to work in our flame and flat shops and join the artistic staff of our exciting and growing arts education organization in Newark NJ. This is a skilled artistic and technical work position which includes provision of instruction, design and fabrication, and repair of glass pieces in flat shop / kiln forming studio. We’re seeking a self-motivated individual who is can assist in the development, implementation and delivery of our artistic programs, offered to our target audience of disengaged youth and young adults as well as to the general public.
Work involves instruction of students in flat shop/ kilnforming, the operation of facilities required for the instruction, fabrication and repair of a wide variety of glass pieces. On any given day you’ll be providing instruction to students participating in GlassRoots’ long and short term programs, maintaining the flat shop, advising and consulting with other program staff on the development of programs. Additional responsibility includes the creation of sales and commission works. Work is reviewed through inspection and observation of results. Position begins as soon as July 1. This is full time position, with hours generally between 9 am and 8 pm, but may vary depending on class scheduling. Salary is in the low 30’s. Benefits included. Responsibilities:
Additional desired skills:
Application Process: To apply, submit a cover letter that speaks directly to how you meet qualifications of job, and include a resume and salary requirements to Katie Witzig, Chief Operating Officer, via email at kwitzig@glassroots.org. No phone calls please. GlassRoots is an equal opportunity employer. |
Archives
February 2019
Categories |
RSS Feed