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HELP Center > Newsletter > February 1, 2007

Newsletter for February 1, 2007

HELP Center Announcements

Save the Dates:  Wednesdays 12:00 – 2:00

Student Parent HELP Center Group Updates:

The Student Parent HELP Center meets weekly on Wednesdays from 12-2 in Room 24, Appleby Hall. We provide a nice lunch for FREE for those folks who can attend for the majority of the session.

The weekly discussions are based on the input we receive from student parents throughout the course of the semester. Each week, we will try to provide as much information and sharing as possible among student parents, as we feel you are the experts on your experiences as parents. The input you receive from group can be used, or not used, based on your discretion; some tips will always work better for some than others. We love to have you share and we look forward to hearing from you throughout the semester!

Here are some of the upcoming topics and speakers for group.

Wednesday February 7: Deb Wilkin from the Financial Aid office will be coming to answer any of your financial aid questions.
Wednesday February 14: This group will be dedicated to discussing healthy relationships.

Any suggestions or questions, please ask Jerri Wagner or Ali Cain.

We Need You...

Mark your calendars for May 1, 2007, from 11:00 – 1:00, outside of Morrill Hall on Northrop Plaza

The Student Parent HELP Center, along with SPA (the Student Parent Association), is planning another Student Parent Visibility Day.  We will need volunteers, from a variety of academic majors, to share your experience with teen parents visiting the U of M from three different teen parenting programs in the metro area.  If you are interested in volunteering to meet with visiting teen moms to discuss your major, please let us know by emailing Susan Warfield at: warfi002@umn.edu. Please include your contact info, your major and the exact hours that you can attend that day.  We also need students to help prior to and following the event with set up and break down activities. There will be free food for all who attend whether you can volunteer to help out or not!!!

Student Parent Success Stories

We would like to begin featuring announcements of student and family successes as regular newsletter items. If you will be graduating, are welcoming a new child, purchasing a new home, getting married or experiencing any related event that you would like to have us post in the newsletter, please send the details to the SPHC email address, spch@umn.edu. We would be proud and honored to share in celebrating these wonderful life transitions with you and your families.

End of Year Celebration 2007!!!!!!!!!

Mark your Calendar…
The End of the Year Celebration and Graduation Party will be held this year on May 12, 2007 from 11 AM – 1 PM. This celebration is a chance for students and families to get together and honor student parents who have graduated over the past academic year and to celebrate another successful academic year for all. All students and families are welcome to attend the event, and we will be requesting RSVPs in a future email as we get closer to the date. We are still working on a location for the event, but please watch the newsletter for more information as we near the end of the term.

Parenting Information

AccountAbility Minnesota

Taxpayer Assistance Program

The Taxpayer Assistance Program was established with the belief that a taxpayer's access to tax assistance should not depend solely on his or her ability to pay for such services. TAP operates annually from February through April. Volunteers help low-income individuals complete their federal and state tax returns at sites throughout the Twin Cities area, St. Cloud and Duluth. Free tax preparation assistance is available to individuals with an annual income of $27,000 or less per year and families with an annual income of $37,000 or less.

The Taxpayer Assistance Program is accepting appointments and walk-ins beginning January 30, 2007. To schedule an appointment, obtain locations, or for more information you can contact AccountAbility Minnesota at 651-287-0187.

Give Kids a Smile Program

Give Kids a Smile program is coordinated by the Minnesota Dental Association. The dental care will be available in community-based clinics and private practices in many locations throughout Minnesota.  More than 1,000 dental professionals will come together on February 2nd and 3rd, 2007 to provide free dental care to low-income children in need.

Here’s How it Works:
All patients must have appointments in advance and be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. After January 1, 2007, parents may call United Way 211 (just dial 2-1-1) or 800-543-7709. Operators will have a list of participating dental offices and will be able to direct people to a location in their area. Parents will then call the dental office to schedule an appointment.

Services will vary from preventative care, which includes cleanings, sealants and fluoride treatment, to restorative care, which includes fillings. Information on specific services that will be provided on February 2nd and 3rd will be outlined when an appointment is scheduled.

Typically, clinics treat children ranging in age from 3 to 18. When calling for an appointment, parents should ask about age requirements.

University of Minnesota Job and Internship Fair 2007

Don’t miss the biggest student career fair in Minnesota, created specifically for U of M students and alumni. More than 150 organizations will be there looking for candidates to fill a vast array of jobs and internships. This event is open and free to U of M students and recent grads.

Monday February 12, 2007, 10 AM – 4 PM at the Minneapolis Convention Center, 1301 Second Avenue S., downtown Minneapolis.

For more information, including a list of participants and details about registration visit www.umjobfair.org

There is free transportation provided from campus!

Events

St. Paul Winter Carnival Activities
Here are some events that are coming up in the winter carnival. The event may only be free if you purchase a winter carnival button. Buttons are $5 each, or purchase a family value pack of 4 for only $17. The button will be your admission to many of the events and activities throughout the 10 days of Carnival. Buttons can be purchased at Cub Foods, Super America Gas Stations, and Snyder Drug locations.  You can find more information at: www.winter-carnival.com

This interactive presentation for families exhibit features chilling feats and freezing cold temperatures using liquid nitrogen. http://www.winter-carnival.com/events/event_details/cryogenics/

Kare 11 Winter of Fitness Event
The KARE 11 Winter of Fitness is back! Mark your calendars for Sunday, January 28th and Sunday, February 4th and join Diana Pierce at Como Park Ski Hill in St. Paul from 11:00 am - 4:00 pm.

Bring the family and enjoy free ski rentals for downhill and cross country skiing, free use of the hill and free sledding!! You can try snowshoeing and snowboarding too!

KARE 11 is partnering with the Winter Carnival and the St. Paul Parks and Recreation department to provide the winter activities for free!

No pre-registration is required. Just show up and make sure to dress warm! Bring the whole family and get active! We look forward to seeing you there!

Student Appreciation Night
Stop by Goldy's Gameroom for Student Appreciation Night where students get 50% off bowling and billiards! Students also receive $0.50 fountain sodas. Website at http://www.coffman.umn.edu/goldys

Coffman Memorial Union, Goldy's Gameroom.
CMU, Goldy's Gameroom: Jan 31, Feb 7, Feb 14, Feb 21, Feb 28

Also occurring in other locations at different times on:
SPSC, The Gopher Spot: Mar 7, Mar 21, Mar 28, Apr 4, Apr 11 and 10 more...

Grants Update

The deadline for all grants was Wednesday January 31st at 4:00 PM. If you have any questions regarding the grants or materials please contact the office at 612-626-6015.

Note From Susan: We had many issues with people trying to fax applications to us at the last minute, despite multiple warnings that you should drop grants off in person so that SPHC staff can make certain your applications are correct and you can avoid delays.  Many faxes did not come through or were un-readable.  Effected students were notified about these issues when they occurred, but that placed a burden on our already busy staff. Please note that in the future it is NEVER a good idea to mail, email or fax a grant application to the SPHC. When money is on the line it is always best to ere on the side of caution and take the added time to drop by between classes to submit your applications. That way we can review them in person and check for anything that would delay the processing of your award. If you have special circumstances; (live out of state and take distance classes for a term, for example), then contact Susan Warfield in advance and make arrangements to send your application through the mail. Otherwise, all students should be delivering all their grant materials in person. 

All programs of the SPHC are available to undergraduates only

Who’s Who at SPHC

Susan Warfield, MSW, LICSW
As the Director of the SPHC, I am responsible for overseeing all programs of the Student Parent HELP Center and supervising SPHC staff. This has meant that I have had to step back from having the degree of direct contact with students I have always enjoyed having. This has been a difficult but necessary step for me to take in order to meet the needs of our growing program. If you have an issue that absolutely cannot be addressed by another SPHC staff member, you may schedule an appointment with me. These appointments should be booked through the SPHC front desk. Intakes and basic questions about services offered should be directed to Jerri Wagner, Melissa Schmidt, Ali Cain, or Zer Xiong.  I am entering my 7th year with the HELP Center and during this journey have moved from staff, to Coordinator and now Director.  With this evolution has come an increase in responsibilities and duties. Please know that even though you may not see as much of me in the actual Center as you may have in the past, I continue to work each and every day to bring you the programming, funding and visibility on campus that student parents need to have a successful experience at the U of MN. We are experiencing a bit of a crisis on the private child care funding side and I really need to devote most of my attention this year to finding more child care assistance and emergency grant funding in order to keep up with demand. Have no fear; you will continue to hear my raucous laughter echoing through the SPHC!

Jerri Wagner, MSW, LGSW
I am the new Direct Service Program Coordinator for the Student Parent HELP Center. Originally from New York State, I graduated from Syracuse University in 2000 with an undergraduate degree in theatre, with minors in sociology and women’s studies. After undergrad, I was an AmeriCorps volunteer for one year in Chicago, teaching arts integration on the west side in a Chicago Public School. In June of 2003, I graduated with my Master’s in Social Work from the University of Chicago. While in graduate school, I served as a therapist with Chicago’s Metropolitan YWCA, working with survivors of sexual assault and their families. From 2003-2006, I coordinated two statewide youth violence prevention programs for the Illinois Center for Violence Prevention in Chicago. Prior to relocating to Minneapolis, I spent March-June of 2006 traveling and learning abroad in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, and Rwanda. I would love to talk about any of these varied experiences with you and really look forward to working with such an amazing and resilient population at the SPHC!


Melissa Schmidt
Hello, I am one of two social work interns at the HELP Center this year.  I am in the Masters of Social Work program here at the University and am really excited to be involved in the HELP Center this year.  Along with graduate school, I am also an employee at The Aurora Center here on campus.  I have a son, Aiden, who was born 10/5/05.  I’m looking forward to working with all of you this upcoming semester.

Ali Cain
I am pleased to be completing an internship at the Student Parent HELP Center.  I am in my last year of the Masters of Social Work program at the U of M, where I also completed my undergraduate degree in Family Social Science.  I have worked at a large family homeless shelter for the past five years.  I am looking forward to an exciting year, working on campus alongside a great staff and motivated student parents!

Zer Xiong
Hi! It is my pleasure to be the undergraduate teaching assistant (UGTA) for the Student Parent Help Center. I am also a student parent myself. I have a son who was born on 11/27/06. Currently, I am pursuing a bachelor of arts in the Inter-College Program in the following three areas: Sociology, Family Social Science, and Public Health. Feel free to ask me any questions if you need help in the Student Parent Help Center. 

Comments, questions or ideas about useful information for this newsletter can be directed to Melissa Schmidt at sphc@umn.edu.