After reading reports about the achievement gap in Minnesota and Northfield, Matney started thinking of local solutions.  She wondered:  are there willing and interested volunteers in Northfield who could be asked to assist in closing this gap?

She approached her husband, Fritz Bogott, with the question, and they sprang into action.  They contacted Northfield Public Schools, HCI, St. Olaf College and Carleton College.  Bogott reported that from the first meeting, the enthusiasm from the partners was “irrepressible.”   A new pilot initiative – Accelerate Northfield – was born, aiming to recruit volunteers to work in the Northfield schools primarily with youth who are struggling academically.  Matney and Bogott have played key roles in designing the Accelerate Northfield model and recruiting community volunteers.

According to Superintendent Chris Richardson, “Accelerate Northfield is providing a valuable source of trained and caring adults that provide quality interactions and reinforcement of instruction for Northfield elementary students who need extra support to be successful.”

Bogott and Matney are reluctant to take credit for the success of the program beyond the initial instigation and training.  However, the truth remains that they began a partnership that will make a difference to Northfield students for years to come.

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The Healthy Community Initiative and the Northfield News present the Making a Difference Award cooperatively. If you know an individual or group that you would like to nominate for this award, click HERE for nomination guidelines and the easy-to-complete application – or find HCI on Facebook.  Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis and are selected by a review team of HCI board members and local youth.

The Northfield Healthy Community Initiative (HCI) is proud to partner on this new financial literacy program for local youth.  Dollars and $ense is funded by the Minnesota Office of Higher Education through the College Access Challenge Grant Program (a federal program that seeks to increase the number of low-income students who are prepared to enter and succeed in postsecondary education).

Click HERE for information on the current postings, including contacts and the processes for applying.  Questions?  Contact HCI (507.664.3524; info@northfieldhci.org).

Positions currently accepting applications:

• AmeriCorps VISTA with Growing Up Healthy
• AmeriCorps VISTA with the HealthFinders Collaborative
• Accelerate Northfield VISTA
• VISTA with Northfield TORCH (Tackling Obstacles and Raising College Hopes)
• Reading Corps Tutor — Greenvale Park Elementary School
• Reading Corps Tutor — Sibley Elementary School
• Math Enrichment Corps Tutor — Northfield Middle School (two positions!)
• Math Enrichment Corps Tutor — Greenvale Park Elementary School
• LINKing Youth & Families VISTA
• Promise Fellows — up to six positions at school and community sites

Antonia Cristofaro-Hark, Arlo Cristofaro-Hark and John Daniels display the completed cedar strip canoe (photo supplied by John Daniels)

A Northfield man who helped a group of teenagers from the Key build a canoe is the February 2012 recipient of the Healthy Community Initiative “Making a Difference” Award.  The award celebrates those groups and individuals in the community who have a positive influence on Northfield youth.

John Daniels spent nine months guiding the teenagers through the 200-hour process of building a cedar strip canoe, which will be used for a fundraiser.  It was his fifth canoe project, but the first one involving youth.

“I was really impressed,” he said.  “I didn’t know how that would go because it takes a great deal of patience.  It’s a really slow process, for one thing – you have to be willing to work for a couple of hours at a time.  The kids were fine with that; they learned really quickly.  I would show them something once and turn them loose.”

The youth started the project in late March 2011, took most of the summer off, and completed the canoe in December.  Those involved were Danny Dobrow, Arlo Cristofaro-Hark, Helen Forsythe and Antonia Cristofaro-Hark.

Daniels said he was initially reluctant to assist in the project because he knew it was a big time commitment.  But he said it helped knowing the work could be drawn out over several months.

“I’m really glad I did it because it was well worth it for me.  I got a lot out of it.  It was fun and rewarding to get to know these kids,” he said. “Mentoring is a good thing; it has rewards, and they go both ways.”

- Story by Joy Riggs, HCI Board member and freelance writer

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The Healthy Community Initiative and the Northfield News present the Making a Difference Award cooperatively. If you know an individual or group that you would like to nominate for this award, click HERE for nomination guidelines and the easy-to-complete application or find HCI on Facebook.  Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis and are selected by a review team of HCI board members and local youth.

Clink HERE to check out the PSAs — you may even see a local face from the Northfield TORCH program in them!

• “Northfield school board praises efforts of HCI” (February 15, 2012)

• “Invisible helping hand: Funding needed to support youth development” (February 18, 2012)

• “HCI wrestles with sustainability questions,” column by Scott Richardson (HCI Board member) from February 8, 2012

Students Jasmine Barksdale, Olivia Upham and Jon Fried are surprised with the Making a Difference Award at the December benefit concert. Not pictured is Gabby Frenstad. Photo by Helen Forsythe.

Four teenagers who organized a benefit concert for a family who lost their home in a fire are the December 2011/January 2012 recipients of the Healthy Community Initiative’s  “Making a Difference” Award.  The award celebrates those groups and individuals in the community who have a positive influence on Northfield youth.

Within hours of learning of the Thanksgiving Eve fire that destroyed the home of the Haslett-Marroquin family, ARTech students Gabby Frenstad and Olivia Upham and Northfield High School students Jasmine Barksdale and Jon Fried rallied support for the family through a Facebook page and organized a concert and bake sale.  Their efforts have raised more than $6,500.

“I was incredibly surprised by how amazing the response was,” said Fried.  “Right from when we started organizing, we knew there would be a lot of people involved, and we knew that the event would probably have a good turnout, but it wasn’t until we got a call from the Star Tribune the evening of concert that the impact of what we were doing really hit me.”

Barksdale said her favorite memory of the concert was seeing all the people streaming in through the doors, after worrying that no one would show up.  “I definitely did not expect that many people to be willing to devote their time and money to people who they didn’t really know.  I think it says a lot about the community we live in,” she said.

“What these young people did for our family and for this community’s spirit after our house fire is beyond what we had imagined,” said Reginaldo and Amy Haslett-Marroquin.  “Together with the immense generosity and accompaniment from so many others, they have made our journey bearable and manageable.  The English language does not have a word that would properly express the depth of our gratitude.  What the youth gifted us with was so much more than funds – it was hope, and with hope anything is possible.”

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The Healthy Community Initiative and the Northfield News present the Making a Difference Award cooperatively. If you know an individual or group that you would like to nominate for this award, visit  www.northfieldhci.org for nomination guidelines and the easy-to-complete application — or find HCI on Facebook.  Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis and are selected by a review team of HCI board members and local youth.

Article written by Joy Riggs, HCI Board member and freelance writer

The following Sunday, February 5, 2012, St. John’s Forum will include a panel presentation at 9:45 a.m. in St. John’s Hall.   Greg Kneser, Dean of Students at St. Olaf College; Joel Leer, Principal at Northfield High School; John Sand, Athletic Trainer and Health Educator at Northfield High School; and Joan Janusz, Member of the Northfield Mayor’s Task Force on Youth Alcohol & Drug Use, will be the panelists discussing addiction and substance use in Northfield.

The events are free and all are welcome to attend.  St. John’s Church is located at 500 3rd Street West in Northfield.

For more information, please call Barb Knaak at 507-664-0444.

With this funding, the MYC is making grants available to groups to help promote graduation and increase our local graduation rates.

A total of $2,000 is available for Northfield projects.  The application is designed to be short and easy to complete.  It can be found HERE.

Applications are due by Friday, January 27, 2012.

Questions?  Call 664-3524 or email nfldmayorsyouthcouncil@gmail.com

Funded HCI mini-grant projects:

• allow Northfield young people to develop positive intergenerational relationships with caring adults and/or
• connect Northfield youth with their communities (ex. neighborhood, school, greater Northfield)

A record number of projects — nearly 70% — were designed and/or implemented by youth themselves.

HCI wishes to offer special thanks to the 2010-11 funders of the mini-grants program, including:

• Northfield Area United Way
• Women In Northfield Giving Support
• Carlson Capital Management

HCI is currently accepting applications for its 2011-12 mini-grants.  These are reviewed monthly by the HCI Board.  For more information, visit the HCI mini-grants webpage.