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Making a Difference in the NoCo

11/27/2016

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You may be struggling to decide how you, personally, can generate meaningful impact, during this time of discord and social inequity, with your charitable giving as well as your time and talents. There are multitudes of worthy not-for-profit organizations, all doing amazing and diverse work for the good of society, who are seeking your donations and volunteer time during this holiday season and the last month of the fiscal year.


Deep Root Center (DRC) is one of those organizations. If you are one of the nearly 200 folks who receive and read our weekly blog post, you already know that the DRC staff, board, and volunteers work tirelessly to provide a non-coercive, safe, supportive, and completely individualized educational option to kids who would otherwise be lost in (to) the system.


These are youth who struggle to fit in, are anxious, bullied, bored, are incredibly creative, or are too independent for the standard classroom. Some of their families feel hopeless and beaten down, because they have a child who is suddenly acting out or is severely depressed. They hear about DRC and then realize, upon investigation, that there is a fee. Many, I would guess, do not consider DRC as an option, because they assume they can not afford our programs, others call us anyway, with trepidation, because they understand that DRC may be the last resort for their child.


These are difficult and heart breaking conversations. I listen to their story (often long and embedded with years of frustration); they ask about the cost and I tell them about the sliding scale. They frequently sigh and say, I can't afford that because …. I generally jump in at that point and explain about our scholarship program.


Very simply, Deep Root Center does not refuse any child based on their family's economic situation. We ask the family to complete the scholarship application and indicate the amount they would be able to pay each month along with an explanation of their current financial circumstances. The DRC board reviews the application and either accepts the reduced fee as requested or offers a compromise.


The Deep Root Center scholarship fund, as explained several posts ago, is not currently financed by a special account. There really is no big pot of extra cash floating around for this essential program. DRC is a bare bones operation; we often quip that we squeeze every dime until it screams for mercy (it is however, no joke). The staff (with the exception of one part-time person) are essentially volunteers, because the fees collected from our families and our generous donors go directly to rent, insurance, supplies, resources, and other basic operating costs.


I am so very proud of all we, together, have accomplished, over the past three years, with such a limited budget. We are asking you, our community, for your contribution to the DRC scholarship program. This will allow us to continue (and grow) our programs that support and mentor independent minded and intrinsically motivated youth, here in the North Country and compensate our amazing staff with competitive wages for their dedication and love for this place. Your donation is instrumental in sending educated, open-minded, innovative, and self-directed young adults out into the world, which is a win for the entire North Country.



In deep gratitude,
Maria

For more information, please click this link to our annual funding appeal.


Your donation can be sent to Deep Root Center, 7 Main St., 2nd floor, Canton, NY 13617
(or) you can use your debit or credit card at Square Up or PayPal.


Deep Root Center is also seeking long term sustainable donors, who are passionate about growing a dynamic and creative community of young people through the innovative programs at DRC. Contact Maria today to discuss the possibilities.

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Confidence

11/20/2016

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By Maria Corse


It should not surprise us (those of us that work in self-directed learning centers) that self-confidence is born and bolstered by providing a safe, supportive, and compassionate educational environment, where self-determination is expected. It is one of those happy side effects, we are discovering, that presents itself very early in a student's membership when there seems to be a (almost miraculous) transformation, from nervous, anxious, and overwhelmed kid to self-possessed, engaged, and happy student, as they settle into and become an integral part the DRC community. The skills that I am the most proud of fostering at Deep Root Center are the poise, ingenuity, kindness, and courage exhibited daily by our student members, because it takes confidence to  . . .


 . . . take charge of your entire learning plan.
 . . . say, “no”, to an adult's suggestion.
 . . . paint a whole wall with your own original design.
 . . . research something that may be controversial and present everything you learned to a group who may not be completely open to the idea.
 . . . meet the newest adult volunteer at the door and invite them to see the "arcade' you made from cardboard boxes and paper.
 . . . discuss important issues and topics with the adult staff and facilitators as an equal.
 . . .have a point of view that differs from those around you.
 . . . speak up and take action when you see or hear something that is not okay.
 . . . play classic rock tunes on your fiddle, Irish drum, and conga drum.
 . . . change your mind.
 . . . be an individual surrounded by a flock of sheep.
 . . . say, “I am sorry” and “I was wrong,” because it takes confidence to own your mistakes.
 , , , create a goal and follow through by adapting it as you run into difficulties or discover new concepts or interests.
 . . . go into the community and volunteer.
 . . . say, “this is who I am ---- and I like myself!”

This is DRC in a nutshell, and, I am so very honored to witness the wild and crazy, creative, sparking energy that over-flows this place and infects all who enter with a sense of amazing possibilities.














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DRC NEWS

Are you: 
Feeling frustrated with traditional school? Itching to follow your interests? Seeking opportunities to be yourself in a world of sameness? Sick of trying to fit in? Contact DRC today to learn how to join our group of inspiring individual learners. 

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Expanding My Voice

11/13/2016

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by Maria Corse

I write to process, and, then, express my personal emotions, hopes, fears, anger, and observations, which are then broadcast to the world via the Deep Root Center Blog. This past week, I came to realize that many of those things I have to say, as an individual, are not necessarily appropriate to articulate as the voice of an organization, especially a not-for-profit, educational entity that welcomes, expects, and respects a variety of perspectives from our student members, their families, our staff, volunteers, community collaborators, and supporters.

In the coming days, I will be creating an additional blog entitled, Rooting for Change. This will be the place where I can be, purely, Maria, and write freely to reveal, express, and share my ideas, as a separate being, without censoring myself and obsessing about ticking someone off. The title will be fully explained in the first post. If you are interested in following Rooting for Change, information will be shared on my Facebook page and you can always get in touch through email.

I would like to send out a huge thank you to all of the regular readers and followers of the weekly Deep Root Center Blog for your tolerance of my occasionally strident rants and arguments. I will provide fair warning, however, my strong opinions about self-directed learning, justice, and respect for all will continue to be evident in the DRC Blog, because, after all, I am writing this as an authentic human who will always share what is in my heart.

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DRC NEWS

The DRC 2nd Ten Week Class Schedule begins this Monday and offers a variety of interesting, fun, and thought provoking classes for our students - Ages 9-17. The staff is also delighted to welcome several new talented volunteer facilitators to the Center who will be leading many of these classes. If your child wants to take charge of their education and is looking to create a challenging, individualized academic plan based on their interests and passions, within a safe, welcoming, supportive, and empowering community, please give us a call (315-244-3034) or email.

The Seedlings Program (5-9 year olds) also has openings. Our youngest student members spend their days engaged in imaginative play, reading readiness activities, hands-on creativity, and active exploration of their environment. We honor and nurture each child as an individual and encourage them to share their strengths, idiosyncrasies, and awesomeness with the world.   ​

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Hope - not debilitating despair

11/9/2016

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by Maria Corse

Today we learned that there is an immensely pissed off, hurting, silent majority who have found their voice.

Today we learned that hiding behind educated privilege and shouting la, la, la with our hands over our ears and eyes does not work.

Today we learned that our debates based on polarizing and insular arguments and social media memes have failed.

Yesterday I voted, but today I choose to stand up to be counted.

Today I choose to get out of bed, do yoga, get dressed, spend the day with my inspiring students, express my feelings in the only way I know how.

Today I choose to practice Hope – not despair.

Today I choose Love – not hate. 

Today I choose the Healthy Anger that will fuel my resolve to use my educated, white, middle age, heterosexual, cisgender, female, privileged voice to empathize and fight for those who have been, and, will be silenced by misogyny, racial and social injustice, homophobia, poverty, the penal system, and a broken educational system.
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The Opposite of “Win” is “Lose”

11/6/2016

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PictureJust chilling ...

​by Maria Corse


Our culture has distorted the concept of competition beyond recognition and grossly misinterpreted it to convey that winning means defeating, conquering, and overpowering someone or something else. The human condition exemplifies the power of competition - survival of the fittest, etc... We are here as anatomically modern humans as a result of our ancient ancestors ability to develop adaptations and use their smarts (hacks) to survive. I will point out (tongue in cheek), however, that their personal goal was, probably, not to make sure the Neanderthals were annihilated as a species.

I often hear kids comparing themselves and their personal accomplishments to their friends and acquaintances, and, in the process either denigrating themselves or others. It is what they have been taught to do (remember: culture = learned behavior) from their earliest moments on earth. They are surrounded and bombarded with the message: winner takes all and losers are, well, losers.

This very scenario was in evidence last Thursday, during our excursion, when we brought eight of our kids, ranging in age from 4 to 13, to the St Lawrence University Climbing Wall. Some had never been before and others had been multiple times. Besides the age range, there were kids who were very excited about climbing and others who were happy to relax on the mats and simply soak in the experience. To break it down further, some were determined to climb to the top, because they wanted to challenge themselves; a couple of others had the added impetus of surpassing everyone else's achievements.

This was a very literal, hands-on experience that exemplified, for me, how societal pressures can reinforce external motivation, for almost every single thing we choose to be engaged in.

I, as usual, disagree with this view, and, will argue, quite strenuously, for developing intrinsic motivation, instead . . .

​If you are climbing a rock wall to, simply, go higher than the other guy – you will not find lasting satisfaction in the accomplishment, because, ultimately, you are only fueling that endless cycle of external drive. Sure you may have climbed higher and faster, but when your focus is purely on beating another, you instantly imagine (create) an “enemy” and lose all sense of compassion and empathy for that other person. Winning then becomes about making someone else feel bad, instead of feeding your own positive reinforcement.

If, however, you are completely passionate about climbing rock walls, then by all means, push yourself to go higher and higher, learn new skills, explore the limits of your endurance, and have fun! The rest of us are thrilled to be here at the bottom rooting for you with the understanding that when we are working on something challenging and exciting, you will be right there on the sidelines cheering for us.

In the end, your happiness and all those other positive emotions associated with effort and success will come from “winning” at setting personal goals, as well as, your inherent determination, passion, and enthusiastic support for others, not from demolishing another person's hopes and dreams.

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Determination in the face of exhaustion.
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Pushing Personal Limits
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DRC NEWS:



Testimonial from a DRC Family

Thank you, Joan!
​

"Thank you Maria and staff for the amazing work you do. With our past military years, moving often and not putting down any roots, Takoda needed an opportunity to just find a comfortable space to grow. Since he started going to the Deep Root, Takoda has taken so many giant steps forward, both socially and academically. He realizes that he can take charge of his future, and that there are so many paths to choose. I also love the interaction that happens between the children, the teens and the adults, this is real socializing, not selective socializing. Deep Root is an amazing place, with so many great opportunities for kids of all ages. It is a place where everyone fits, or maybe better said, a place where there is no need to fit, because we are all individuals." ---Joan Rasmussen

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If this is the educational atmosphere you are seeking for your child, please get in touch.

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© 2023 Whole Learners, Inc. 501(c)3
Deep Root Center
48 Riverside Drive, Canton, NY 13617

​315*244*3034/maria@deeprootcenter.org
  • Home
    • Contact
    • Our Story
    • Testimonials
    • Guiding Principles
  • About Us
    • Consultations
    • DRC-Canton Summer Program
    • Canton Afternoon Program
    • DRC Calendar
    • Resources >
      • Liberated Learners Network
  • Get Involved
    • Donate
    • Sponsor a DRC Kid
    • Thank you
    • Grant Funders & Sponsors
  • Blog