Special to the Record
During the height of the pandemic, while schools were operating under virtual learning, Chelsea Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Almi G. Abeyta expressed her concerns about the future of Chelsea’s youth in a conversation with Dr. Aaron Jennings, CPS’ Chief of Staff and Equity. She was worried about the long-term impacts of the pandemic on students and recognized that the school department alone couldn’t address the immense needs of students, as schools only engage with them for about 20 percent of their waking hours. Drawing from her experience with the Children’s Cabinet in Somerville, she approached then-City Manager Tom Ambrosino with the idea of creating a similar initiative in Chelsea.
A Children’s Cabinet is a collaborative action body composed of agencies inside and outside of government, with responsibilities and interests in seeing children thrive in school and in life. This led to the formation of the Chelsea Children’s Cabinet in 2021. “We reached out to numerous community partners and invited them to join the Cabinet. Our initial meetings were held virtually since we were still in remote learning,” Abeyta recounted.
At the outset, the Children’s Cabinet focused on three main areas: expanded learning, college and career readiness, and mental health. Members selected which areas they wished to support, but as time passed, youth mental health became a more pressing issue. Consequently, City Manager Ambrosino encouraged the Cabinet to develop a proposal for funding mental health services for young people.
Thus, a proposal was created and funded. Eventually, the EdRedesign Lab at the Harvard Graduate School of Education invited the Chelsea Children’s Cabinet to become part of their network, and the Boston College Lynch School of Education and Human Development also came on board as a partner. Three years later, thanks to the progress made through the Children’s Cabinet, Superintendent Abeyta was chosen to be a William Julius Fellow at the Harlem Children’s Zone. This fellowship selected only 24 superintendents from across the nation to envision and develop community-based education initiatives. As part of this fellowship, Superintendent Abeyta invited a small team to join her at the Transforming Place Through Neighborhood Leadership event hosted by the William Julius Wilson Institute and the EdRedesign Lab at Harvard Graduate School of Education.
The Chelsea delegation included Fidel Maltez, City Manager, Dr. Aaron Jennings, Chief of Staff and Equity, and Lead Pastor Diego Netto of Revive Community Church. “Hearing from national leaders in the cradle-to-career movement and the amazing stories from communities across the country inspires the work happening in Chelsea,” said Maltez. “We have such a strong and special community, and the City alongside its partners in the Chelsea Children’s Cabinet are committed to working together to ensure the success and wellbeing of our youth.”
At the Institute, they had the opportunity to learn from many distinguished speakers, including Geoffrey Canada, the President of the Harlem Children’s Zone and innovator in the field of education and place-based work. “I have followed Geoffrey Canada’s work for years and it is exciting to further the work he has perfected to positively impact the lives of children, youth, and families in Chelsea. I left the conference inspired and fully confident that we have what it takes to do the work here in Chelsea,” added Dr. Jennings. In the future, the team hopes to send a small group from Chelsea to visit the Harlem Children’s Zone so they can learn more to build out a system that supports students from cradle to career.
“The Summer Institute 2024 was an eye-opening experience. I was particularly inspired by the stories shared by presenters and educators nationwide. The resources and information made available to us were invaluable, and I am encouraged to see the commitment of our leaders to the ongoing improvement of our education and local community,” commented Revive Community Church Lead Pastor Diego Netto.
“I see wonderful things on the horizon for our city; Chelsea has a team of excellence leading the charge on every front. I’m excited about the collaboration, partnerships, and effective change that will take place in support of our cradle-to-career efforts. Let’s get to work!”