This coming spring, El Valor is scheduled to break ground for the Carlos H. Cantu Children & Family Center, our third community resource center. The Cantu Children & Family Center will be built in the heart of Little Village and will work with 500 children under the age of five and their families.
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El Valor Partners for Hispanic Education!

El Valor is honored to have received the designation of Associate Partner with the White House Initiative (WHI) on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans Partners in Education collaboration. This designation stemmed from a nomination process by the Partners in Education's founding partners. more >>

Golfers get Chipper at Reach for the Future Outing

As the summer days dwindled to a precious few, El Valor managed to capture one of its last hot sunny afternoons on September 13, 2005, where one hundred golfers enjoyed 18 holes of golf at El Valor's Reach for the Future Golf Outing. The Reach for the Future Golf Outing is one of El Valor's largest fundraisers... more >>

Raymond F. McCaskey & Mary Gonzalez-Koenig honored at 2005 Don Quixote Dinner

On June 8th, the El Valor family paid tribute to two distinguished Chicago leaders who exemplify the spirit of El Valor - Raymond H. McCaskey and Mary Gonzalez-Koenig. The dinner and award presentation publicly recognized the contributions that these two very special individuals have made to enrich the lives of children, youth, people with special needs and the entire community. more >>

• In partnership with Action for Children, El Valor works with 1,000 Spanish-speaking home childcare providers, providing bilingual training throughout Cook County in preparation for state licensing. It is imperative that we provide children with the best in education at this critical developmental stage in their lives. El Valor sponsors courses that show day care home providers how to establish their home as an environment conducive to high quality care in the education of young children. We provide training on starting a child care business, record keeping, preparing the home environment for childcare, parents as partners, importance of nutrition & health, and best practices in child development and socialization skills. For more information, contact Rosita Nardi at (312) 721-9311.
  
  
• On October 17, 2005, El Valor was honored to recieve the Community Champions Award from Action for Children. This prestigious award was presented to El Valor in recognition of the work performed by our early childhood staff, who train Spanish speaking in-home childcare providers throught Cook County.
  
  
• There is a severe shortage of Latinos in the fields of education, business, and the allied health professions. Through El Valor's community-based Partnerships for Higher Learning Programs, working individuals who would otherwise be unable to pursue advanced education are given the opportunity to participate in associate, bachelor, master, and doctoral degree cohort programs at El Valor centers. Over 400 professionals have graduated with masters and doctorate degrees from El Valor in partnership with area universities such as the University of Illinois and Governors State University. Today, 150 students are enrolled and working toward associate degrees in early childhood education, bachelor degrees in speech therapy and special education, masters degrees in educational administration, and doctorate degrees in education. In addition, 120 adult students are in the English as a Second Language (ESL) Program. Two MBA cohorts, with UIC and NLU are scheduled to begin in January 2006. For more information, contact Leticia Ramirez at (312) 99-2021 x247.
  
  
• The El Valor Padres Como Primeros Maestros Public Awareness Campaign has reached millions of young Hispanic parents. El Valor's Campaign had excellent results with 30% of the parents that saw the ads reading and speaking in complete sentences to their 0-12 month old babies. Peggy Conlon, President and CEO of the Advertising Council stated that these numbers were virtually unheard of in the six years of tracking conducted to date by the Ad Council.
  

• Many times the benefit of research reaches those that need it the most, last. El Valor's Connecting Early Childhood Research to Practice brings the latest benefits of early childhood research into El Valor classrooms. Partners in this initiative include the University of Washington-Seattle, University of Chicago, and Drexel University-Pennsylvania.
  
  
• In 2001, El Valor initiated an academic Youth Enrichment Program that today works with 320 school-age children. This program has an academic enrichment focus and includes reading, math, science, technology, and music. Programs are provided in partnership with the United States Department of Forestry, Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie, United Way, Merit School of Music, and the Chicago Academy of Sciences. The program has 651 unduplicated youth on its waiting list. El Valor's Youth Enrichment Program is looking for committed and responsible volunteers to assist in tutoring children after school in math, reading, music, science, and computer technology. Volunteers can either work one-on-one or with a small group. To volunteer or recieve further information, contact Dan Bianchi at (312) 997-2021 x251.
  
  
• Another Youth Enrichment success was noted during this past marking period ending April 20, 2005. Sixty-three percent of children in our after school reading program increased their academic performance up to two grade levels. In the math program, 70% of children increased their academic performance one to two grade levels. The results of this evaluation are documented and available for review. The rapid growth of El Valor's youth enrichment program, is the result of our partnership with children, families, and the city. Our programs are relationship based where staff and tutors know each child and their parents. Together we are increasing grade levels and closing the achievement gap. For more information, contact Rolando Madrid at (312) 997-2021 x241.