CHCF

On April 6. 2006 Helena Yordan, Site Coordinator of the CHCF After-school Program at PS/MS 279, was awarded the PASEsetter Award from the Partnership for After School Education (PASE). She was one of 5 after-school educators in New York City honored for their dedication and years of service as role models, innovators, and tireless advocates for the city’s most underserved youth.

In her native Puerto Rico and her current home, New York City, Helena Yordan has spent her entire adult life working to improve the lives of children. In her seven years as Site Coordinator for The Committee for Hispanic Children and Families (CHCF) after-school program at PS/MS 279 in the Bronx, Helena designs and implements a program that offers 250 students in kindergarten through 8 th grade homework help, literacy activities, sports/recreation, community service, and arts and cultural programs. She encourages young people to look beyond their neighborhoods to the world beyond, using innovative strategies and curricula that allow the students to learn about global cultures.

Integrating school day learning with such engaging pursuits as Afro-Caribbean dance, comic book creation, choral music, and more, is a hallmark of Ms. Yordan's vision for afterschool. This vision resulted in her program being named one of the ten highest performing afterschool programs in the city for 2005 by Policy Studies Associates, based on changes in students' achievement on New York's statewide mathematics and English Language Arts tests.

Ms. Yordan's trademark predominance of arts and cultural activities brings academics alive for young people, using percussion, visual arts, storytelling, and dance. Partnerships with organizations including Putumayo World Music and the New York Hall of Science open new worlds for youth. An active participant in the Bronx community, Ms. Yordan is part of the School Cabinet Members and the TASC Advisory Committee.

A model of fairness, dedication, and hard work, Ms. Yordan entertains a continuous stream of student visitors looking for advice, to share an accomplishment, or just for a hug. Her connection with young people, particularly those who have literally grown up with her from first grade through eighth, is clear and tangible.

The sense of hope and confidence she instills in each of the children is exemplified by the testimony of 13-year-old Juan, a seven-year veteran of the program who also volunteers as a helper for Helena. He says, "I learn a lot here. Someday I want to be a doctor. I was thinking about going to Harvard." Juan and his peers are fortunate to have Helena to remind them that the sky is the limit when they're willing to work for their dreams.

The Committee for Hispanic Children and Families, Inc.
110 William Street, Suite 1802, New York, NY 10038
T: (212) 206-1090; F: (212) 206-8093; chcfinc@chcfinc.org
© 2000 The Committee for Hispanic Children and Families, Inc All rights reserved
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		Good News!! On April 6. 2006 Helena Yordan, Site Coordinator of the CHCF After-school Program at PS/MS 279, was awarded the PASEsetter Award from the Partnership for After School Education (PASE). She was one of 5 after-school educators in New York City honored for their dedication and years of service as role models, innovators, and tireless advocates for the city’s most underserved youth. In her native Puerto Rico and her current home, New York City, Helena Yordan has spent her entire adult life working to improve the lives of children. In her seven years as Site Coordinator for The Committee for Hispanic Children and Families (CHCF) after-school program at PS/MS 279 in the Bronx, Helena designs and implements a program that offers 250 students in kindergarten through 8 th grade homework help, literacy activities, sports/recreation, community service, and arts and cultural programs. She encourages young people to look beyond their neighborhoods to the world beyond, using innovative strategies and curricula that allow the students to learn about global cultures. Integrating school day learning with such engaging pursuits as Afro-Caribbean dance, comic book creation, choral music, and more, is a hallmark of Ms. Yordan's vision for afterschool. This vision resulted in her program being named one of the ten highest performing afterschool programs in the city for 2005 by Policy Studies Associates, based on changes in students' achievement on New York's statewide mathematics and English Language Arts tests. Ms. Yordan's trademark predominance of arts and cultural activities brings academics alive for young people, using percussion, visual arts, storytelling, and dance. Partnerships with organizations including Putumayo World Music and the New York Hall of Science open new worlds for youth. An active participant in the Bronx community, Ms. Yordan is part of the School Cabinet Members and the TASC Advisory Committee. A model of fairness, dedication, and hard work, Ms. Yordan entertains a continuous stream of student visitors looking for advice, to share an accomplishment, or just for a hug. Her connection with young people, particularly those who have literally grown up with her from first grade through eighth, is clear and tangible. The sense of hope and confidence she instills in each of the children is exemplified by the testimony of 13-year-old Juan, a seven-year veteran of the program who also volunteers as a helper for Helena. He says, "I learn a lot here. Someday I want to be a doctor. I was thinking about going to Harvard." Juan and his peers are fortunate to have Helena to remind them that the sky is the limit when they're willing to work for their dreams. The Committee for Hispanic Children and Families, Inc. 110 William Street, Suite 1802, New York, NY 10038 T: (212) 206-1090; F: (212) 206-8093; chcfinc@chcfinc.org © 2000 The Committee for Hispanic Children and Families, Inc All rights reserved Please email us for more information		Child Care Services Policy and Advocacy Family Health Education Youth Development Special Events National Interests Home History and Mission Our Executive Director Board of Directors Corporate Advisory Board Junior Advisory Board Donate Today Join our mailing list E-Newsletters Other agencies Latino Statistics Funding Sources Careers Want to stay informed about our programs and events? Join our mailing list!* · Find out about upcoming events. · Stay informed about our programs. · See your donated dollars at work. Click here to join! *We will never share your information. All collected data is used for CHCF purposes only. Click here to read about our privacy policy.