Community Network Supports Woodrow Wilson Fifth Graders

You’ve heard that it takes a village to raise a child, but the village of people who stand up, believe in, and invest in the students at Woodrow Wilson Elementary School in Trenton is truly unique.

Lysette Toro-Mays, a lawyer-come-teacher who gave up the courtroom for the classroom 14 years ago, is one leader of that village. She smiles as she recounts the challenges and triumphs of her students, all English-language learners in her bilingual instruction classroom.

Toro-Mays was on the Princeton-Blairstown Center campus (PBC), where the entire 5th grade cohort from Woodrow Wilson Elementary School was participating in a three-day program designed to enhance students’ social emotional learning skills, build confidence, and empower students. “They definitely overcome fears here,” she said, sharing anecdotes about the rappelling and rock climbing that comprise part of PBC’s curriculum. “We tell them that they just have to try it – just get harnessed up and put your hands on the wall, and we’ll be happy. For our kids, especially the ones in my classroom, it’s hard to imagine where else they might have the opportunity to do the things they have the chance to do here at PBC.”

The ability for the group to be on such a trip at all is a testament to the community network of local Trenton-based partners that support the school and its students. After losing school funding for the 5th grade overnight trip four years ago, Toro-Mays wasn’t sure how they might continue providing the experience. To pay for such a trip out-of-pocket would likely be out of reach for most, if not all, of her students. While Toro-Mays was volunteering as a chaperone for 40 of Woodrow Wilson’s graduates to attend PBC’s Summer Bridge Program (made possible through a separate collaboration with Partnerships for Trenton), she was approached by Pam Gregory, PBC President and CEO. Gregory asked her if the school would consider returning during the school year if grant funding was available. “We just jumped at that opportunity,” Toro-Mays said.

With the cost for PBC’s programming and accommodations funded by the The George H. and Estelle M. Sands Foundation, the last hurdles included paying for transportation, finding chaperones, and reassuring nervous parents about letting children sleep away from home for a few days. “The parents of my students are especially fearful about letting their children be away from them for any length of time,” she said. “As immigrants, they’ve already gone through that…anxiety and separation, just trying to get their families here intact.” She shared that students use their chaperone’s cell phones every evening, during the journaling and reflection portion of each day, to reassure parents that they are safe and well.

After another community partner, Dan Switlik and Sarah Switlik of SWITLIK Survival Products (who manufacture their products in Trenton) stepped in to pay for most of the transportation costs, the kids and teachers fundraised for the remainder. “It’s important that the kids have a stake in the process too – we’re always trying to instill in them that you have to work hard for what you want in life,” she said.

As the lead organizer, this year’s trip was in jeopardy once again when Toro-Mays injured her Achilles tendon, requiring her to wear a therapeutic walking boot for eight weeks, overlapping with Woodrow Wilson’s scheduled PBC trip. “It was basically, ‘If you don’t go, no one gets to go,’ so of course I’m here. It’s all for the kids,” she said.