Determination, Naturally,

The longstanding admonition to people to “pull themselves up by their bootstraps” has morphed into a problematic emphasis on “grit” and self-reliance.  Such a focus implies that not doing well, that failing – at school, or in the larger society – is simply an individual problem, that those who have not done well simply are not trying hard enough.  

The proliferation of self-help books, and our veneration of the wealthy and powerful indicate that most people in the United States have, in some measure, taken this message to heart. Most of us probably believe we just need to work harder, earn more, be more, and we expect our kids to do the same.  It is far too easy to conveniently forget the larger contexts – social, economic and political – that have such huge, and sometimes catastrophic, impacts on our lives.

As a teacher, my definition of “success” varied with each student.  Research tells us that one of the most important things for student success is their sense of themselves as students.  Of course, I was working to ensure that students mastered the language I was teaching them, but my deeper objective was to bolster students’ self-confidence and willingness to learn. I found that usually occurred when students were respected and saw a purpose in learning – when they owned their own education, so to speak.

In Root 2 Rise, our Tutor-Mentors gain significant self-confidence and find a new purpose – and a joy! - in learning. The respect by peers, teachers, administrators and younger students is genuine, and the purpose is apparent and rewarding. It encourages success, not by overcoming so-called deficiencies but by capitalizing on the skills students already possess.

In effect, we facilitate a community of support – teachers, peers, support staff, and younger students. For some Tutor-Mentors, it’s their first exposure to success in an academic achievement-based environment.

This doesn’t involve admonitions to be more or to do more. We encourage Tutor-Mentors to be themselves and to experience the satisfaction derived from helping others. It works. No "bootstrapping" required.

Denise Hanson, Founder and Executive Director

Overview of Root 2 Rise

Andrew Cassiday and his mother, Amy.

Determined To Help Others

Andrew Cassiday says people think he needs help because he uses a wheelchair. As a Tutor-Mentor, he appreciated the opportunities to provide help.
He originally thought he’d be helping in Kitty Blattner’s One City School’s second-grade classroom for a few hours a day through the summer, but he decided to attend from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
“The experience was amazing,” says his mother, Amy, who has taught for 18 years. “I know of no other program where students can be consistently mentored by a teacher. Root 2 Rise instills confidence and a love of education.”
“I can’t think of a reason why a student wouldn’t be involved with Root 2 Rise. The kids just loved Andrew. He was a real trooper,” Blattner says.
“The kids bonded with me more than they might have with others because they knew I understood what it was like to go through difficult times,” says Andrew, who uses a wheelchair due to spina bifida.

Andrew relished helping instead of being viewed as someone who might need help.
He also enjoyed the “unfiltered” questions students asked about his disability, which most people don’t ask because they’re afraid of offending him.

“He was such a natural,” says his mother. “A career in education now might be in his future, a possibility neither of us expected.”

Tutor-Mentors MacKenzie Caldwell, Lily Andrade, and Jesse Morales.

Achievement And Compassion

Founded in Wisconsin in in 2017, Root 2 Rise also works in Oregon, according to three high school students of dissimilar backgrounds who attend an alternative high school.

After participating in the program for three months, all say they love working with elementary students, have a renewed interest in their own education, and are more tolerant and compassionate.

MacKenzie Caldwell, 16, a sophomore, said she is “always learning something new along with” the young students, gets along better with her siblings, and has higher  expectations for herself, spending less time on her cell phone and is “less talkative in her high school classes.”

The first graders she works with “helped me grow as a person,” said Lily Andrade, 17, a junior, who now feels “more social” and eager to attend school, is more patient, and is sympathetic to shy kids who remind her of herself at a similar age.

Jesse Morales, 16, a sophomore, said his grades and attendance have improved. He now completes most assignments and is less likely to get annoyed with his younger brother.

“I’m happier,” he said, in part because the fifth graders he works with are happy to see him. He returns the favor by bringing them school supplies and presents.

And school administrators are also “very satisfied” with Root 2 Rise, buoyed by the positive response to Tutor-Mentors, said Maureen Geraghty, who coordinates the program at Reynolds Learning Academy, near Portland, Oregon.

Laura Craford, the school’s social worker, concurs, noting that students who attend an alternative school are often labeled as underachievers or troublesome. The 20 students (of a school enrollment of 230) participating in Root 2 Rise have dispelled that view. Two who recently completed the R2R program and graduated early are interested in a career in education – and are now enrolled in a community college, with financial assistance from a local program, Multnomah Educators Rising.

Craford anticipates long-term positive effects if they track Tutor-Mentors’ grades, attendance, and graduation rates.

“Many of our students have been disengaged from school. Some who weren’t doing great in their classes are really shining in Root 2 Rise,” says Geraghty. 

“Teachers are a little apprehensive about having Tutor-Mentors in their classrooms because they think they might require additional attention, but are eager to participate after hearing the experiences of Partner Teachers.”

She believes participation in Root 2 Rise is limited only by the availability of funding and the work required to obtain grants. 

Armari Tucker

Talent And Ambition

A young Black student - and an aspiring venture capitalist. Baker. Statistician. On track to be a 2025 graduate at Howard University.

Armari Tucker, 21, is well on his way to achieving all of these goals.

He worked at a bakery, and baguettes and other pastries prove his mastery of the craft, now coupled with the goal of owning a bakery. 

Tucker is a senior at Howard University majoring in economics and minoring in computer science. He and other business professionals received $125,000 for their start-up company, TribeMeets, designed to foster cohesion among members of the African diaspora, an enterprise consistent with his goal of becoming a venture capitalist.

Tucker credits his aspirations to his supportive family, who helped him navigate the isolation he often felt living in Iowa and the Madison area, dealing with the seeming “indifference” and “a lack of empathy” toward Black culture.

Participation in Root 2 Rise was also instrumental in his success, providing “an oasis, a chance to interact with people who look like me - and for me to serve a purpose for my community; That consisted of helping younger Black students with their educational and personal backgrounds.”

Root 2 Rise: Thrive has paid part of his college tuition.

“The chance to help others helped me feel part of a larger network. I felt more comfortable with myself,” he said.

“The help provided by Root 2 Rise definitely made a difference in my life. It instilled a the importance giving back to one’s community, and of making an impact on everyone, including those who don't look like me.”

Jaden Caine

Undeterred And Determined

Jaden Caine, 23, has reset his goals after experiencing some tough times - and (fortunately) sometimes with a little help.  

After a rough patch in middle school following his parents' divorce and initially “not doing well” in high school, he set his sights on a career in medicine.

As a sophomore at Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas, he found it wasn’t “realistic” to attend school while working full time, and sought advice from Denise Hanson, who arranged for Thrive to pay him to enter data for Root 2 Rise. The flexible work schedule let him continue in school.

He hasn’t looked back since, earning certification as a nursing assistant and as a medical aide, and now attends college to become  a registered nurse while working at a state hospital.

“I don’t just want to earn a degree. I want to start at the bottom and work my way up,” he said.

He considers himself fortunate to be “surrounded by determined people,” including his mother who earned an MS degree while raising eight kids.

“I try to learn as I go. I understand that I fail sometimes, and when I do, I seek advice. Sometimes you have to go through hard times to get to a better place,” he said, noting that high school students often benefit from assistance after graduation.

Hanson, the Founder and Executive Director of Root 2 Rise, said Jaden’s experience is an example of the targeted and timely help that Thrive provides.

“The right help at the right time can make a huge difference,” she said.

Denise Hanson (right) and Tutor-Mentors who assist young students in the Sun Prairie School District.

Investing in the Future

To date, 98% of Root 2 Rise graduates are students of color and 30% say they're interested in pursuing a career in education.

"Black students who have just one Black teacher in K-3 are 13% more likely to graduate from high school and 19% more likely to go to college.

If they have two, they are 32% more likely to go to college"

The Center for Black Educator Development