Fall 2020

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Dear Friend, What an unparalleled journey we have seen unfold over the past six months. Despite the ever-changing circumstances of our education system today, we are immensely proud of our partner schools and the way they have overcome countless obstacles in delivering high-quality curricula in the virtual space. We are excited to partner alongside our beloved teachers as we begin teaching next week.  We can’t wait to connect with our students! I am also excited to share our new, dynamic newsletter with you — The Progress Report! Read on to hear about all the latest happenings at Live It Learn It, including our new, sleek and user-friendly website, the celebration of our 15th year of programming, and our continued commitment to anti-racist teaching and learning. We look forward to engaging more deeply with you — you are an integral part of the Live It Learn It family!   Sincerely,  Michelle N. Edwards, Ed.D Executive Director Meet the Fellows! We are thrilled to announce the 20-21 Cohort to you... ... A dynamic, diverse group of eight educators from across DC. Each teacher was chosen for their passion for both teaching and learning, as well as their commitment to racial equity, socio-emotional learning, and trauma-sensitive classrooms. Though the school year is just starting, the Fellows have already been hard at work setting the foundation for the school year. We'd also like to send a huge shoutout to Alejandro Diasgranados for receiving the Sanford Teacher Award, which is awarded to one teacher per state and Washington, DC for extraordinary and inspirational teaching, and Tenisha Marcel-Herbert for completing her Doctor of Education with a specialization in curriculum and instruction. These ELF teachers are nonstop! Get to Know Our Fellows → Anti-Racism Commitment  “The fight for racial justice is active in nature and, as an anti-racist organization, we are actively learning how to better fight against the barriers that exist in our city’s education system.”  — Dr. Michelle Edwards, ED By providing experiential education through an anti-racist lens, we seek to address inequities in both education and society as a whole. To do this, we believe it is imperative that our entire staff participate in racial equity training. We are currently halfway through a year-long racial equity program, facilitated by two local consultants who have worked directly with our team to design and conduct monthly workshops and assign readings and exercises between meetings. Additionally, three staff members and one of our partner teachers participated in an Undoing Racism workshop hosted by another local nonprofit. Field Notes From the Atlantic to the Anacostia The onset of COVID-19 has meant reimagining our units for the virtual landscape, and in many cases, virtual learning has opened doors to a more global experience. In our new, two-part unit, students scuba dive in the ocean and then kayak on the Anacostia River to understand the scope of plastic pollution. We then examine how community-led efforts against environmental degradation in DC will have an impact on their own futures. Drumroll, please... The minute you finish reading The Progress Report, we suggest you check out our brand new and oh-so-improved website! It is a sight to behold! (Can you tell we’re pretty psyched?!) Take a Look → Welcome, LaToya! LaToya began her role as a Senior Manager this summer and hit the ground running. She is a Howard University graduate with a degree in biology. She has also worked as a classroom teacher, created a community youth garden, sings opera, and regularly helps bring babies into the world as a doula. Learn more... But seriously, have we said thank you? Thank you, thank you, thank you to all of the teachers, partners, and supporters who have done so much for us! And thank you for helping us celebrate our 15th year of programming — we would not be here today without your continued support and partnership.  ICYMI: Check out our latest video highlighting our virtual teaching during COVID-19 and our commitment to serving schools this year! Did you know? You can support LILI in so many ways! Select Live It Learn It as your charity when shopping on Amazon! Go to smile.amazon.com  and designate LILI as your charity — it’s that easy! Become a social media ambassador by sharing our posts @liveitlearnitdc to your own network! Do you want your friends to know about LILI? Host a Zoom Friendraiser in your community! Contact  lili@liveitlearnit.org for info. Discover more ways to support our mission of bringing experiential learning to students in DC here!  view this email in your browser Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.