Annual Report 2016 2015–2016 2015–2016 Executive Committee Life Board Members Advisory Board Members Geoffrey H. Bracken Gail Adler Kristen Berger Greg Meeks President Julie Alexander Leslie D. Blanton Dr. Leslie Miller Nancy Allen Jane Block Brad Morgan William J. Toomey, II William J. Hill Sharon Albert Brier, Amy Moss President-Elect Charlene Pate ABR, CIPS Shelly Mulanax Dr. Kathryn Rabinow A.J. Brass Paul Murphy, Jr. Randolph F. Allen Kathy Britton Daniel S. Parsley Past President 2015–2016 Ernie Cockrell, Jr. Kim Maresh Petersen Board of Directors The Honorable Winnie Phillips Stephen Daniel Elva Akin Garnet Coleman Dr. Barbara G. Samuels Secretary Suzette Caldwell Dr. Kelly Coleman Kristi Schiller Charlotte Christman Pamela Joubert Davis Millette Sherman William J. Hill Ian Fay Tom Debesse Anita Smith (2014–2015) Sam Gainer Adam Drutz Tiffany Avery Smith Saul Solomon Gina Gaston Elie Dimitri Fetokakis Sebastien Solar (2015–2016) Glen Gonzalez Lance Gilliam Krystal Crane Thompson Treasurer William Griffin Hunt Harper Duncan K. Underwood Thad Hill Katherine C. Hatcher Helen Wilson Daniel F. Castaneda Michael H. Holthouse Terri Havens Richard Yoo Vice President of Operations Lee Lahourcade Aaron E. Howes Rachel Leaman Brock Hudson Sicily Dickenson Gina Luna Susan C. Jhin Vice President of Michael Mithoff Mark Jodon Earned Income Katherine Murphy Steve Lasher Meg O’Neill Molly Hackett-LaFauci Michael Lueck Josh Oren Melanie R. Margolis Vice President of Michael J. Plank Sean McCall Strategic Planning Leigh Anne Raymond Michael J. Medrano Sean Rice Dr. Robert McCallister C. Park Shaper Vice President of Brian Thomas Board Activities Dr. Jen Rochlis Dr. Catherine Horn Ex-Officio Vice President Pamela Laborde of Education The Junior League of Houston, Inc. Lisa Barksdale Vice President of Tammie Kahn Contributed Income Executive Director Charlene Pate Vice President of Special Initiatives Contact Us After School Outreach, Armando Orduña, [email protected], 713.535.7234 Family Learning Events at Schools, Maryellen Salas, [email protected], 713-535.7270 Open Doors Free Access Program, Fernando Perez, [email protected], 713.535.7240 Parent Workshops at Libraries and Community Centers, Gisela Treviño, [email protected], 713.535.7224 Parent Workshops at Schools, Maryellen Salas, [email protected], 713.535.7270 School Field Experiences, Lydia Dungus, [email protected], 713.535.7238 Scout Overnights, Lydia Dungus, [email protected], 713.535.7238 Sensory Friendly Programs, Zulma Morales, [email protected], 713.535.7268 Summer Group Reservations, Lydia Dungus, [email protected], 713.535.7238 Teacher Professional Development, Lydia Dungus, [email protected], 713.535.7238 Volunteering, Aaron Guerrero, [email protected], 713.535.7209 Children’s Museum of Houston • www.cmhouston.org • 1500 Binz, Houston, TX 77004 Friends, Imagine driving in a circle around the globe three times in 12 months. That is what the 25 member outreach educator team at the Children’s Museum of Houston did this past year. They accumulated over 84,000 miles reaching locations throughout greater Houston to deliver our programs to 320,000 children and their families reached through our partner networks. All of these programs were provided in English or Spanish and at no cost to participants. Every program was evaluated for specific outcomes. Programs are developed in conjunction with our partners and with the input of those we serve. Early childhood development activities were provided at Head Start locations, faith based organizations, public schools and in Houston Housing Authority residences. Project based after school programs focused on STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, mathematics) were delivered to children at YMCAs and in networks of out of school sites in low income neighborhoods. Programs focused on building early literacy were hosted at United Way agencies, public library branches, and subsidized housing communities. Parenting education reached parents in their children’s Title 1 schools. Onsite at CMH another team of 9 educators managed 13 bi-lingual exhibits, including installation of 9 temporary exhibits, reinstallation of major areas of 3 Museum exhibits, and weekly program changes in lab and maker spaces around the Museum. Part of our team operated our onsite branch of the Houston Public Library where we registered families for library cards and provided English and Spanish language story times. Every child attending story times on Thursday nights when the Museum is open at no charge also received a free book for their home library. Over 815,000 attended CMH this year, with 31% receiving free admission because they could not afford to pay. Your support has made this work possible. For over two decades, the Museum has dedicated itself to collaborating with a growing number of partners which anchor neighborhoods around the region to provide increasingly more comprehensive solutions to the challenges our families face. Randy Allen receives Hillary Farish Stratton Mary Ellen Salas receives Lois Drutz Boiarsky Tyler King receives Jhin Family Award Award from Mary Farish Johnston Award from Dr. David Drutz from Susan Jhin It takes bold community leaders, exemplary staff members, and passionate volunteers to make the most of your investment in the Museum. Three are saluted here. 22-year Board veteran and former Board President Randy Allen received the Hillary Farish Stratton Award this year in recognition of his unparalleled Board leadership. The Lois Drutz Boiarsky Award for outstanding staff leadership was given to Mary Ellen Salas, the Museum’s Senior Manager of School Partnerships. Tyler King, President of the CMH Kids’ Committee, earned the Jhin Family Award. All three provide inspiration to all of us at the Museum. Thank you for making it possible for us to transform communities through innovative, child-centered learning! Geoffrey H. Bracken Tammie Kahn President 2015–17 Executive Director Addressing CMH Response Community Needs COMMUNITY NEED #1 COMMUNITY NEED #2 COMMUNITY NEED #3 Foster the development of Houston’s Increase and support parents’ Provide learning experiences that significant child population engagement in their children’s learning reinforce and supplement school classroom instruction CMH RESPONSE: CMH RESPONSE: CMH RESPONSE: Provides experiential learning through Provides 7 different bilingual Offers 5 different community-based 13 bilingual hands-on exhibits; high- programs focused on increasing and after-school programs to engage quality early education programming; parent engagement in their students in educational activities that an onsite branch of the Houston Public children’s learning. To further CMH’s can be tailored to their own learning Library System; and 8 after-school commitment, the Institute for Family interests and needs. These programs programs delivered at locations in the Learning develops and delivers offer students the opportunity through community to serve those most in need. curricula and programs to enhance self-initiated and facilitated projects, parents’ roles as their children’s first educational games and activities to and most important teachers. strengthen their science, math and literacy skills. 2 CMH connects children and families with experiences that they can customize to suit their own learning interests. These experiences are designed to offer foundational learning opportunities, provide parents with the support they need in their role as the first teachers of their children, and reinforce learning that occurs in school. In an effort to ensure the broadest access, CMH partners with 870+ community agencies that serve low-income communities and develops and delivers exhibits, programming and facilitation in English and Spanish. Equally important are ongoing efforts to remain accessible and welcoming to those with special needs. COMMUNITY NEED #4 COMMUNITY NEED #5 COMMUNITY NEED #6 Reduce the effects of poverty on learning Serve a multicultural, multilingual Promote college and career readiness population through the development of 21st century skills CMH RESPONSE: CMH RESPONSE: CMH RESPONSE: Provides 7 bilingual early education Provides all exhibits, website, programs Bases exhibits and programming on programs dedicated to increasing and facilitation in English and Spanish. “Building Blocks” learning objectives access and engaging low-income CMH presents a range of multicultural that ensure strategic connections children and families. Attendance exhibits and programming that encourages between the CMH’s offerings, 21st of 329,600 children and parents visitor exploration, helping cultivate an century workplace skills, and school- was recorded this past year in understanding and appreciation of the based standards. All of the exhibits 240+ community spaces, with free cultural traditions of diverse communities. undergo intensive testing and ongoing admission and resources provided to 50% of CMH’s public contact staff speaks evaluations to ensure CMH objectives the constituencies of 870+ community- Spanish, the second-language in greatest are achieved. based partner organizations. demand in Houston. All of CMH’s outreach programs can be delivered in Spanish. 3 Community Foster the development of Greater Houston’s significant child population Need #1 “We envision a greater Houston region where young children are a part of supportive and nurturing families; where they are able to participate in high-quality, early education, knowing that intentional,