The McMeen Project
In August, 2023, TeamUp! joined McMeen Elementary to build and support robust parent and community involvement in Math and Reading. Within weeks, it became apparent that a significant and unanticipated crisis was brewing in the building. On a weekly basis, families were registering students who had recently arrived from South America.
The impact has created a considerable burden for the teachers:
Classrooms are bursting with 35 students.
Many children have missed YEARS of school as they have WALKED from Venezuela.
These children are traumatized and as a result cannot manage their emotions, and therefore their behaviors can be inappropriate and disruptive.
There are not enough desks, computers, bi-lingual staff, and other essential materials.
The food pantries and coat closets were empty.
A complete lack of funds to add necessary staff and materials. The timing of these new students has created a disruption to the existing system to fund schools based on the number of children registered on "count day" which falls in early October. Nearly 1,000 students have registered in Denver Public Schools AFTER count day.
TeamUp! jumped in to work with other agencies and organizations to build sustainable systems and support for these children, their families, and the school staff that support them.
Providing warm clothes including shoes and coats
Establishing consistent distribution of food – both non-perishable and fresh
Purchase basic classroom supplies
Support teachers who are carrying the personal burden every day
Providing materials and training for families to support academic activities at home
Host after-school events to foster community and a focus on academic growth
Some backstory about these McMeen families:
35,000+ immigrants mostly from Venezuela arrived in Denver in 2023. Almost daily a bus from Texas has arrived to drop families including children off on the street – sometimes in the middle of the night. This is part of the largest prolonged displacement of human beings in the Americas.
These people are fleeing in despair due to the deterioration of the economy and social fabric of their country caused by corrupt and dysfunctional leaders. They have experienced rampant inflation, kidnappings, murders, and gang violence. They are seeking food, shelter, healthcare, education, and employment. Only 16% of those fleeing are arriving in the United States. Many are remaining in other Latin American and Caribbean countries.
We need our federal leaders to step up and do their jobs to help stabilize the region and to establish immigration policies that create a path forward. The number one thing these families are asking for is a job.
TeamUp! Is a non-profit working to address the needs at the public-school level. The extra burden in some of our local schools has reached a crisis level.
Their story and our work is being followed on CBS News. Check out our story!
