Cascades Academy, a local pre-kindergarten through 12th grade independent school, is excited to come together with four local nonprofits to pursue partnership opportunities focused on education, outreach and social responsibility.
The school has worked informally with The Latino Community Association (LCA), Ten Friends Project, the Upper Deschutes Watershed Council (UDWC) and World MUSE for many years. Now, the school has taken the additional step to formalize these partnerships and deepen its work with these organizations.
“We are so happy to formalize what have been long standing informal partnerships with these organizations. Their work in our community is essential in so many ways, and we are grateful for the opportunity to work with these important nonprofit leaders in our region. From empowering Latinx families in Central Oregon, to protecting our local natural resources, to inspiring young women near and far, their work is truly impactful. We are excited about the future opportunities these partnerships will provide for our students and families, the Central Oregon community, MUSE, the LCA, the UDWC and Ten Friends,” said Julie Amberg, Head of School at Cascades Academy.
Through each of these partnerships, the school and these nonprofits will be able to further educate students, faculty members and the Central Oregon community on how to be positive social and environmental changemakers. Though each partnership takes on different goals and approaches, they all aim to create a lasting impact on the community and all of those involved through community outreach and experiential learning.
“We have worked with many of the teachers at Cascades Academy for over ten years,” shared Kolleen Miller, education director with the Upper Deschutes Watershed Council. “We have developed incredible working relationships that help us to achieve our mission to connect youth to the natural world and help them develop a sense of stewardship for our local rivers and streams. Now, we are so excited to be formalizing our relationship into a partnership that can help us connect even more students to the natural world while also helping Cascades Academy accomplish their academic and student enrichment goals!” said Miller.
As LCA Executive Director Brad Porterfield sees it, “At the Latino Community Association, education provides access to opportunity. Our mission drives us to open doors of opportunity to our immigrant Latino families and their kids, and our partnership with Cascades Academy helps us achieve this. We have worked together to provide tours and orientations in Spanish. We are a partner in their equity work and we’re passionate about making sure our youth can benefit from the small class sizes and unique educational approach Cascades Academy offers.”
“Our first goal is to bridge some of LCA’s Amiguitos summer camp offerings with Cascades Academy in order to provide culturally responsive activities with positive identity reflection for bilingual and bicultural youth,” LCA’s Youth Rising Manager, Renee Gonzalez, added. “Cascades Academy and LCA want to explore what gets kids motivated while creating community.”
“World Muse began over a decade ago as a teen empowerment program that was piloted at Cascades Academy,” shared Amanda Stuermer, founder and director of World Muse. “We are grateful to have a partnership with Cascades Academy and a shared mission of inspiring youth to realize their potential as changemakers in our local community and beyond.”
“Cascades Academy has been a wonderful supporter of Ten Friends over the years through holding a fabulous Himalayan dinner and auction and actually sending several students to Nepal to build a library!” shared Bruce Abernethy, Ten Friends Board chair. “We view the expanded partnership as an exciting way to help students think beyond what they know here in Bend, and further integrate and share awareness of the cultures and educational systems of the U.S. and Nepal.”
Formally collaborating with these organizations is an exciting opportunity and privilege for Cascades Academy, and the school looks forward to continuing to build their relationships and seeing the positive outcomes that yield from these partnerships.
About Cascades Academy
Cascades Academy is a pre-kindergarten through twelfth-grade independent private school located in Bend, Oregon that focuses on challenging academics through experiential learning. For questions or press inquiries, please contact Quinn Martell, advancement coordinator at 541-382-0699 x130.
About the Latino Community Association
The Latino Community Association’s mission is to empower our Latino families to thrive, creating opportunities for advancement and building bridges that unite and strengthen our communities. Their programs include Youth Rising, Workforce Education & Training, Family Empowerment, Healthy Families and Cultural Enrichment.
About the Ten Friends Project
Ten Friends is a dynamic, nonprofit organization dedicated to improving lives in the third world with simple, hands–on projects that make a big difference to people in need.
About The Upper Deschutes Watershed Council
The Upper Deschutes Watershed Council seeks to protect and restore the two-million acre Upper Deschutes River watershed through collaborative projects in habitat restoration, watershed education and long-term monitoring.
About World MUSE
World Muse inspires individuals to create positive social change from within. Our mission is to connect folk to their own sense of purpose as well as to each other and to provide the tools and support they need to create positive change in their lives, in their communities and in our world.
