Heart &SoleA Small Steps Nurturing Center Newsletter

FALL / WINTER 2011

Small Steps Expands to Serve More Students

Inside this Issue:2 Newsbytes Thank You!

Growing Hopefor the Future4 6

We celebrate our past… Small Steps was born out of the vision to invest in the lives of young children who needed intervention and hope for a better future. Small Steps began over sixteen years ago as van drivers picking up children for Impact Church’s summer vacation Bible school saw children who were too young for the summer program being left at home in questionable or poorly supervised situations. With Small Steps’ origins in a city park, then to a small room in Impact Church, to our first campus in 1999, and then with the addition of our second campus in 2006, Small Steps has grown from serving a small group of children in the park to now teaching 118 children across its two campuses. The mission remains the same across the years, even as we grow to meet community demand for an early educational start for children in poverty.

A snapshot from 1998: Mary Overhouse, an early Small Steps volunteer, shares Small Steps’ classroom in a local church building with visitors from the Independent Petroleum Association of America (IPAA), who were touring and presenting a check to Small Steps.

…And look to our future Small Steps Nurturing Center strives to meet the needs of the community and face the high demand for student capacity. In the seven census tracts which surround the Jensen campus, there are 1,942 children under the age of five, 1,330 of whom live in poverty. The median household income in these seven census tracts is $17,370. Small Steps receives approximately three applications for each space available. Our Board of Directors has developed a long-term strategic plan to help address the needs of the community and to fulfill Small Steps’ mission. Part of that plan includes a further expansion of our Fifth Ward facility due to the continued demand for services and proven efficacy of our program. Because of the high demand for student enrollment we face, Small Steps will build an additional four classrooms at the Jensen Drive campus, with construction beginning soon and an opening date of September 2012.

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Oh, The Places You’ll Go!Congratulations to our 2011 Graduating Kindergarteners!

Sign up today!10th Annual Small Steps Clays ClassicFebruary 15, 2012 - American Shooting CenterRegister your team today! www.ssnc.org/events

Sign up your team today to participate in the 2012 SSCC at the American Shooting Center—a fun day of clays shooting, delicious food, plenty of great prizes, and a prime environment for networking opportunities. The tournament format consists of 100 targets at ten stations. Additionally, each participant has the opportunity to take advantage of a shooting lesson and is able to participate in shooting games throughout the day. Following the tournament, all participants are invited to the dinner and awards ceremony. A significant number of door prizes are awarded at the conclusion of dinner. You won’t want to miss this great event!

Organization Number: 1127

2012

2012 Small Steps Wine ClassicThursday, April 26, 2012at River Oaks Country Club

Nourish Your Family& Raise Funds for Small Steps!

Join Grocers’ Programs Below & A Percentage of Your Purchase is Donated to Small Steps!Please contact Small Steps’ development office at 713-236-0330 if you have any questions.

Kroger Neighbor to Neighbor Donation Program: Present this bar code to the Kroger cashier to link Small Steps with your KrogerPlus Card. You only need to do this ONE time. For questions about the Kroger Neighbor to Neighbor Donation Program, please visithttp://www.krogerneighbortoneighbor.com/pdf/10000090444.pdf or call 866-995-7643.

Randalls Good Neighbor Program: Don’t Forget to link our good neighbor number to your Randalls Remarkable Card and help us raise funds for Small Steps!

Come Tour Small Steps! Join us for our monthly“Juice and Cookies” event!

Each month’s event includes a tour of Small Steps, a van tour of the neighborhood where our students live, and an opportunity to learn more about our program and ways to get involved. Interested in coming out to Small Steps or introducing a friend to SSNC? See the calendar below for upcoming dates! Please RSVP to Verna Noack at vnoack@ssnc.org or 713-236-0330.All tours listed below are held at 2902 Jensen Drive, Houston, TX 77026. Tour dates in 2012 include:

Thursday, January 12 – 10:00 am – 11:00 am Thursday, February 2 – 11:00 am – 12:00 pm Tuesday, March 6 – 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm Thursday, April 12 – 10:30 am – 11:30 am

NEWS BYTES

SAVETHE

DATE!

Randalls:

Kroger:small steps NuRtuRiNg ceNteR

Zeina Moorefield visits with Luncheon Host and Chef Alex Hitz, Hugo Ortega of Hugo’s and Backstreet Cafe, and Small Steps Executive Director Evan Harrel.

From left to right: Co-Chairs Courtney Swanson, Katherine Jones, Erin Heath, Jill Holstead, Jessica Brazelton, and Amy Murchison.

Small Steps Inaugural Nurture & Nourish Luncheon, held at Houston Country Club on September 28, 2011, was a smashing success for the children and families of Small Steps! The luncheon raised $325,000 in support of Small Steps Nurturing Center. We are so grateful for our co-chairs’ hard work and determination to make this first luncheon such a success. Chef Alex Hitz and emcee Lisa Malosky treated us to an afternoon of stories, photos, and delicious fare.

Photos courtesy of Jenny Antill

Thank You!

From left to right: Kimberly Miller, Michelle Smith, Aimee Snoots and Tabitha Casey

From left to right: Wendy Mixon, Liane Phillips, and Kathy Covey

Lead Sponsor - $50,000EnCap Investments, LPWeatherford

Master Chef - $20,000Liane and Marty PhillipsShelley and Lew Brazelton / Jessica and Fred Brazelton

Sous Chef - $10,000Merrill Lynch / Scott HolsteadJack H. and William M. Light Charitable TrustMary Eliza and Park ShaperKelli Weinzierl

Pastry Chef - $5,000Erin and Boyd HeathLorie Herod / Shelley Iglesias

Thanks to Nurture & Nourish SponsorsJulie Howie / Aimee SnootsKaren and David LailMichelle and Alan SmithCourtney and Doug Swanson, Jr.

Commis Chef - $2,500Abello/Brass/Christ/Consoli/ Finkelstein/Heldebrand/Horlock/ Massey/Newcomer/Nockolds/ Raynes/SusmanAdams/Elliott/Harris/Masterson/ Millard/Miller/Moody/Pagan/ Rubey/UnderwoodBrown/Jafarnia/Junell/Kincannon/ Light/Lobb/O’Shell/Paddock/ Pitts/Tower/WeberCooke / Davis / Holstead / Moses / Snell / Thomas

Cutter / Hogan / Jacobe / Jeffers / Kinder / Robison / WatsonMr. and Mrs. Josh DavisFriends & SupportersFriends of Small Steps Nurturing CenterConnie Gregory / Stephani HessKathleen JenningsJones Industrial HoldingsMarie Louise and David KinderRachel and Mark Lawrence / Angie and John RecklingLucinda Marinis / Kate WaltersCourtney and Sean MitchellAmy and Hardy MurchisonElizabeth and Gary PetersenMrs. Michael K. PierceBarbara and

Corbin J. Robertson, Jr.Amy and Peter ShaperSunny Sky ProductsCarolyn and Gary TannerCecie Turlington

DonationsLilly and Thurmon AndressBud Light / Silver Eagle DistributorsKim MartinAlison RobinsonSchaub FamilyJennifer and Justin SegalSuzi and Doug Swanson

Inaugural Nurture & Nourish Luncheon

Spindletop Charities Visits Small StepsWe were so thrilled to be visited by Spindletop Charities, a long time supporter of Small Steps, this fall. Spindletop has funded several Small Steps van purchases and playground renovations and upgrades, among other projects, over the years. We were glad to show Spindletop trustees, advisory board members, and staff the great work they have made possible.

Back-To-School Kick Off with Linn Energy!Thank you to all the wonderful employees of Linn Energy for their generous donation of back-to-school supplies for our students! Linn Energy employees spent the month of August collecting school supplies for our children. We were overwhelmed with joy at their arrival. In addition to all the items the employees collected and donated, Linn Energy also purchased a large order of office supplies to stock Small Steps for the year! We are so grateful for Linn’s generosity!

Spindletop Charities visits Small Steps and enjoys the playground shade structures they made possible.

Thank you to Spindletop Charities for your support of Small Steps Nurturing Center!

From left to right: Verna Noack, Toni Montegut, Lindsey Fondren, Diane Johnson, and Kristin Crum.

Meredith Turner and her four-year-old daughter, Mary Helen, dropped off toys that Mary Helen collected for Small Steps at her birthday party. Kathie Hartzog, our Jensen campus Program Director, showed Mary Helen the classrooms and where the children might use the toys and gifts. Thank you, Mary Helen and Meredith, for helping the children of Small Steps! And thank you to Ben Ison and other young friends of Small Steps who have supported us through their birthday parties!

Donation from the Youngest of Supporters!

Thank you toTexas Capital BankWe received a wonderful visit in August from Texas Capital Bank employees Missy Krantz, Robyn Drago and Bill Wilson, who dropped off a load of school supplies for our students and surprised us with a check to support our education program. Thank you Texas Capital Bank for presenting Small Steps with a donation to support our high-quality preschool education program! Texas Capital Bank employees spent the last half of the summer collecting school supplies for our students, ensuring they start the school year off prepared. We are so grateful for the employees of Texas Capital Bank and their generous donations!

From left to right: Texas Capital Bank’s Missy Krantz, Robyn Drago, Bill Wilson and Small Steps’ Verna Noack and Evan Harrel.

Thank you to

We are thankful to JPMorgan Chase for its support of Small Steps Nurturing Center! Small Steps recently received a grant of $20,000 in support of several of our programs, including teacher training through Rice University’s Classroom Storytelling Project, training through our Social-Emotional Program (SET for Life ©), and in support of our fine arts program for children, which includes creative movement and music. Thank you, JPMorgan Chase, for your commitment to investing in the lives of Houston’s economically at-risk children!

Our teachers and staff, along with Texas Capital Bank employees.

Jenna Luce, 2-3 Year Old TeacherJenna joined the Small Steps staff as a Stephen F. Austin State University graduate, with experience in teaching Head Start and Kindergarten and as an elementary school reading interventionalist. Jenna shares that she enjoys creating an environment where children are able to explore and discover. She tells us, “What I most value about working at Small Steps is being able to meet the social/emotional needs of children. In order for our students to be successful, they must be in a nurturing environment.”

Welcome, New Small Steps staff!We are excited to welcome these two new teachersto the Small Steps family.

Andrea Rowe, 2-3 Year Old TeacherAndrea comes to Small Steps as a Florida State University graduate, with experience as a middle school teacher, and as a Teach for America pre-kindergarten and kindergarten teacher in HISD. Andrea worked at Cage Elementary for four years and then became a founding staff member at KIPP Explore where she taught kindergarten and first grade. Andrea tells us, “I was drawn to Small Steps because it is a very developmentally appropriate school. Students drive the learning and you are able to focus on students’ individual needs. I am so excited to be here and can’t wait to see how students grow throughout the year!”

Memorial DrivePresbyterian Churchshares Legoland with Small StepsStephani Hess, Small Steps Volunteer and Auxiliary Member, helped sponsor a Legoland booth

at Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church’s Vacation Bible School this summer. The Legos were donated to Small Steps and have become a part of the Buddy program’s toys. This has become a treasured gift to us from the children at MDPC! Thank You!

How Small Steps Breaks the CycleWhen Jessica came to Small Steps Nurturing Center as a two-year-old, her behavior was out of control. She would bolt from the classroom and her teachers even had to put up “stop signs” around the classroom to help her slow her body down. The issues that Jessica faced at home were complex: Jessica’s mom, Isabel, was raising Jessica as a single mom and living with Jessica’s grandmother. Isabel and Jessica went back and forth between living with Jessica’s grandmother and Jessica’s dad’s house. On top of this, Isabel had only completed her education through tenth grade, and struggled to provide for the family. Our teachers talked to Isabel about creating a predictable schedule for Jessica, which would make her environment less chaotic and in turn might resolve some of her behavioral troubles. Jessica started in a play therapy group with Small Steps’ social-emotional therapists and teachers began to see progress. Still, our staff saw that Jessica needed to be evaluated further in order to address some of her developmental delays. Jessica then was able to receive outside services from HISD and MHMRA through referrals from Small Steps. Jessica is now making great strides. By her last year, not only was Jessica receiving all of that additional support, but one of our volunteers met with Jessica weekly to work on homework, reading, and other classroom activities. Jessica has graduated from Kindergarten at Small Steps and is currently at a technology magnet elementary school program. Isabel participates in Small Steps’ Parent Education program and is learning skills to work with her younger son, who entered Small Steps this fall. She has also participated in Small Steps’ Thursday night parent Bible study and support group.

Jessica and Isabel

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Through Small Steps’ early intervention in Jessica’s life, the cycles of lack of opportunity are being broken in her life and in the lives of her family members.

Our Current Program Small Steps currently operates two preschools for economically at-risk students, ages 2-6, living in the First, Second, Fourth, and Fifth Wards of Houston, Texas. Small Steps invests in the lives of its students through meeting their needs, intervening early, and setting them on a trajectory filled with greater opportunities. Several well known, long-term studies have demonstrated the long term benefits of early childhood education for economically at-risk children into adulthood for themselves and for the community at large. Small Steps’ program operates five days a week, ten months each year, at no financial cost to the families it serves. Parents engage in the program through required volunteer hours, parent education opportunities, and home visits. Small Steps Nurturing Center’s program provides the following to its students:

• A high-quality education in small classes,• A nurturing Christian environment,• Transportation,• Nutritional meals, and• Social and emotional therapy (SET for Life © program)

“I think that Small Steps is the future for the families.”

– Isabel, Small Steps parent

THE NEEDWe face a high demand for additionalstudent capacity

As Small Steps serves 118 students, demand continues to grow each year. Over the last three years, we have averaged 113 applications (for 32-34 openings) during our open application period from mid January to the end of February. After the application period ends, we receive many inquiries about enrollment in our program, including a significant burst of activity each August.

THE SOLUTIONBuild four more classrooms toserve more students

The Board of Directors has developed a long-term strategic plan to help address the needs of the community and to fulfill Small Steps’ mission. Because of the high demand we face, Small Steps will build an additional four classrooms at the Jensen Drive campus, bringing the total number of children served to 180 by 2015. The current Jensen Drive (Fifth Ward) campus serves 60 children and its kitchen and library were built large enough for a campus of 120 children, with the eventual expansion in mind. The DePelchin Street (First Ward) campus will continue to serve 60 children.

InvestmentThe total investment required for our expansion plan is approximately $2,600,000.

Small Steps Nurturing Center Capital Campaign BudgetDirect Construction Costs $950,000 Professional Fees $100,000 Furnishings and Equipment $150,000 Administrative Costs $95,000 Two new vans $70,000 Total Construction Costs $1,365,000

Construction Costs $1,365,000 Expansion Operating Costs to 12/13 $700,000 Increase in Continuity Fund $535,000 Total Capital Campaign $2,600,000

SUPPORT OUR GROWTH Thank you to those who have pledged their commitment to support Small Steps through this expansion! We have commitments totaling $1,379,528 as of November 1, 2011, and we have many of you to thank for your support. Small Steps’ Board of Directors have pledged their commitment to the expansion, with 100% of our 24 members pledging financial support to the campaign. If you would like to make a pledge to Small Steps Nurturing Center’s expansion of its Jensen Drive (Fifth Ward) facility, please return the enclosed commitment form to Small Steps

today, or call our development office at 713-236-0330. Your support is critical in order for Small Steps to provide an exemplary early childhood education program to more children. Please consider an investment in the lives of Houston’s children and families in poverty. Through helping us build classroom space for sixty more children, you are changing the trajectory of these students’ lives, and the lives of many more children for years to come.

Help us Grow Hope for the Future!Naming opportunities are available upon request. Please contact Small Steps’ development office at 713-236-033 to find out more.

TIMELINEWinter 2011/2012: Break ground on expansion.

Fall 2012: Open (2) two- and three-year-old classrooms (28 students) as the beginning of a phased expansion opening. Open additional meeting space for collaborative partners and rooms for student evaluation and therapy.

Fall 2013: Open 1 additional classroom (16 Pre-K students) in new expansion.

Fall 2014: Open the last classroom (16 Kindergarten students) in new expansion.Small Steps will now be serving 180 children in total.

Expansion Plan

crocodile. After painting, they put “googly” eyes on their painting, and then they described their artwork to their teacher. Children used their fine motor skills while holding and controlling the paintbrush, and also used language skills to communicate the art to their teacher.

Dramatic Play: Another aspect of learning is dramatic play! Our students wore animal masks and pretended to be animals. But before everyone put on animal masks, we (teachers) talked about respecting one another’s feelings when we have masks on, as sometimes our friends in the class may be afraid and be scared, and we needed to recognize that. The children then looked at the emotion poster and we discussed understanding emotions.

Science: Our 2-and-3-year-old students found an “alligator’s nest” and “mommy alligator” [stuffed animal alligators] protecting it. The children then discovered an egg in the nest and found a baby alligator inside, and then they put the baby alligator in the water for safety. During this activity, students learned that the mother alligator makes a nest, lays eggs, and protects babies when they hatch.

Small Steps Pre-K StudentsEnjoy Arboretum Partnership Small Steps Nurturing Center has joined up with the Houston Arboretum and Nature Center for a weekly field trip filled with learning and activities for Small Steps’ Pre-Kindergarten students. Each week, a class from either the Depelchin or Jensen campus visits the Arboretum, learning new things about nature and the living world around them. It is an amazing learning opportunity for our children!Photos courtesy of Houston Arboretum & Nature Center

Classroom Updates

We peeked into Masami and Anna’s Red Apple classroom and were delighted to see all of the wonderful things that are going on in their classroom! This month, our two- and three- year-olds are studying all about alligators and crocodiles, through a variety of subjects. Masami tells us what his students did throughout the unit:

Math: Our students put a baby “alligator” [a stuffed animal!] in an aquarium and observed it every day. Children then measured the alligator and recorded their findings on a notepad. Using a ruler and magnifying glass, our 2- and 3-year-olds learned that they can use a ruler to measure the length of alligator! Children used their math skills, language skills and fine motor skills for observation.

Art: Students chose to paint either an alligator or a

Dad’s Day!Fathers, grandfathers, brothers, uncles, or other important men in a Small Steps student’s life were invited to come to Small Steps with their Small Steps student for a special afternoon filled with food, games, and activities. Dad’s Day was a big hit, with dads or other male figures participating in fun indoor and outdoor activities, including reading together, doing an art project together, building sand castles, blowing bubbles, and drawing with sidewalk chalk.

Ms. Anna and Mr. Masami with their two-and three-year-old students!

Thank you to our 16th Annual Small Steps Energy Classic Sponsors! Thanks to your support, the 16th Annual SSEC raised over $785,000 for Small Steps Nurturing Center!

Gold SponsorsAlta Mesa Holdings, LP.Amegy Bank of Texas Amegy Bank of Texas Avista Capital Partners Bank of Texas BBVA Compass Black Stone Minerals Company, L.P. BMO Capital Markets Bold Energy II, LLC BP Energy Company Branta II Cabot Oil & Gas Corporation Capital One Bank Carey of Houston Citation Oil & Gas Corp. Comerica Bank Complete Production Services, Inc. Cordillera Energy Partners III, LLC Diverse Energy Management Co. & Merrick Capital Eagle Energy Trust Eclipse Resources, LP Empresa Energy, LLC EnerVest, Ltd. Forest Oil Corporation Forum Energy Technologies Guggenheim Partners GulfTex Energy, LLC Halliburton Hercules Offshore, Inc. Hilcorp Energy Company Jones Energy Ltd. Kayne Anderson Energy Funds Korn/Ferry International Lantana Oil & Gas Partners Lantana Oil & Gas Partners Laredo Energy Legado Resources Legado Resources Liberty Mutual Group Lime Rock Partners Linn Energy, LLC LLOG Exploration Company, LLC Locke Lord Bissell & Liddell LLP

Macquarie Energy Capital Macquarie Tristone Mediterranean Resources, LLC Meritage Midstream, LLC Milagro Exploration Mizuho Corporate Bank (USA) Nabors Drilling USA, LP National Oilwell Varco Netherland, Sewell & Assoc., Inc. Oasis Petroleum Inc. The Oil & Gas Asset Clearinghouse Parkman Whaling LLC Peregrine Oil & Gas II, LLC PetroEdge Energy LLC Petrohawk Energy Corporation Phillips Energy Partners LLC. Plains Exploration & Prod Co (PXP) Plantation Petroleum Companies Protégé Energy II, LLC Quantum Resources Energy Rangeland Energy, LLC RBC Capital Markets Renaissance Petroleum Company, LLC Sabco Oil & Gas Corporation SCF Partners Seneca Resources Corp. Sheridan Production Company Sierra Buckeye, LLC Silver Oak Energy, LLC Simmons & Co. International SM Energy Company T.J. Smith & Company, Inc. Swift Energy Company Texas Petroleum Investment Company Texon Crude Oil LLC / Sunoco Logistics Partners LP Tradition Midstream Vaalco Energy Inc. Vanguard Natural Resources, LLC Vinson & Elkins, L.L.P. Wells Fargo Securities Wortham Insurance & Risk Management

Silver SponsorsArena Energy, LLC Bracewell & Giuliani LLP Cargill Common Resources Ron and Lisa Dierker GM Southeast Energy Ventures IndemCo, LP Charles Kingswell-Smith Laramie Energy II, LLC OGX Resources LLC

DonationsAmeriCo Energy Resources Cushman & Wakefield of Texas, Inc. Fossil Creek Resources, LLC Grenadier Energy Partners Jackson Walker, LLP Rea & Associates Southwestern Production Corp. Tema Oil & Gas CompanyTriad Energy Corporation

Special Thanks To:EnCap Investments Golfsmith Gary Karter Masami Mizukami Charlie Nelson Phillips-Van Heusen Emily Robinson Peter Roussel United Airlines

Our Title Sponsors

Platinum Sponsors

From left to right: Rich Gould, SVP Oil & Gas, Wells Fargo Bank, Jeff Wood, CFO, Eagle Rock, Kyle Hranicky, EVP & Head of Energy, Wells Fargo Bank, Richard Robert, CFO, Vanguard Natural Resources

Small Steps Nurturing Center2902 JensenHouston, TX 77026

NONpROFit ORgu.s. pOstage

paiDpeRmit NO. 1948

HOustON tXaddress service Requested

Fred BrazeltonPresident and Board Chair

Doug Swanson, Jr.Vice President

Greg StirmanSecretary

Chuck Kingswell-SmithTreasurer

Patrick ConnellyJerry CrewsJonathan GregoryJohn HowieNancy KornegayLucy LeonardJustin LowethRyan MossHardy MurchisonMichael PierceTownes PresslerKolja Rockov

Small StepsExecutive Director

Small StepsBoard of Directors

Evan Harrel

Robert RubeyMari SalazarBrad SandersOswald ScottWynne SnootsJohn StilwellKate WaltersReverend John Worthy

The mission of Small Steps Nurturing Center is to provide an exemplary early childhood program to instill and fosterthe social, emotional, physical, intellectual, and spiritual growth of economically at-risk children and their families.