About RISE
What We Do
RISE partners with children and families in East Palo Alto from birth through high school, helping them access the opportunities and support they deserve. We offer early learning, after-school programming, mentorship, and family engagement rooted in trust and long-term relationships. By staying closely connected to families, we provide consistent, high-touch support that strengthens confidence, learning, and community.
Our Mission
RISE: From Birth to High School, Rooted in East Palo Alto
RISE partners with families from infancy to adolescence, ensuring that children in East Palo Alto have a strong academic foundation, confidence, and continuous support throughout their educational journey.
We start early, stay long, and build lifelong relationships with families — creating a true community of care.
Serving 150 students annually
Supporting 350+ families through the Little Blue House Collaborative
100% of our children and families identify as BIPOC.
Early Risers Program
Birth to three
Early RISErs is RISE’s signature early learning program for infants and toddlers and their caregivers. Each week, families gather at the Little Blue House for interactive classes designed to nurture early literacy, spark healthy development, and build confidence in caregivers as their child’s first teacher.
Our sessions focus on:
Early literacy through songs, books, talking, and play
Motor, social-emotional, and cognitive development
Parent–child bonding through hands-on activities
Connecting families to resources, including health, early intervention, and community support
Building community among caregivers, reducing isolation and strengthening informal networks of support
In partnership with AbilityPath/Help Me Grow, all Early RISErs families receive ASQ screenings and individualized guidance to support their child’s developmental milestones. Families leave the program feeling informed, connected, and confident as their children begin their learning journey.
Little Blue House Community Hub
Birth to five
The Little Blue House is a physical community hub in East Palo Alto managed by RISE. It is a welcoming space where families with young children can access free programs, parent support, and early learning resources.
Through our Birth-to-Five Collaborative, trusted partners offer on-site programming each week, including:
Family Connections (Babies in Bloom, Daddy & Me)
Speech Goals (weekly speech therapy)
AbilityPath / Help Me Grow (ASQ developmental screenings)
EPA Library (storytime, literacy, and movement activities)
Families come to the Little Blue House to learn, play, connect with community, and access early childhood services—all under one roof.
After School Program
Kindergarten - 5th grade
The RISE Elementary After-School Program provides a warm, structured, and supportive environment where children receive daily academic help, social-emotional guidance, and enriching experiences that spark curiosity and joy.
The program includes:
After-school tutoring and mentoring
Daily social-emotional learning through routines, journaling, and reflection
Project-based and hands-on enrichment, think art, science, cooking, outdoor play, dance, and more!
Confidence- and skills-building activities that nurture leadership and self-esteem
Close collaboration with families and teachers to support each child holistically
Many children join us in kindergarten or 1st grade and remain part of RISE for years, creating long-lasting relationships and a sense of belonging that carries them into middle school.
Middle & High School Program
6th grade - 12th grade
As students transition into middle and high school, RISE provides ongoing guidance and connection through academic support, mentorship, and leadership opportunities. This continuation from our Elementary Program ensures that students stay rooted in a trusted community as they navigate adolescence and increasing academic demands.
Our program offers:
One-on-one homework help and academic support
Opportunities to pursue special-interest enrichment
Leadership development, including planning and co-leading activities for younger students
Junior mentorship opportunities where older students support the elementary cohort
Community service and giving-back opportunities
This stage strengthens the long-term relationships that define RISE—supporting students academically, socially, and emotionally through middle school and into high school.
Eastside Mentorship Program
9th - 12th grade Eastside students & RISE ELEMENTARY
The Eastside Mentorship Program pairs our RISE elementary students with high school mentors from Eastside College Preparatory School. These weekly sessions provide academic guidance, encouragement, and positive peer role models who share similar experiences and community ties.
The mentorship includes:
One-on-one tutoring and academic support
Life skills, team building, and mindfulness activities
Mentor-designed enrichment lessons and projects
Opportunities to form lasting, supportive relationships
A structured way for older students to give back to the RISE community
This program strengthens confidence and connection during the high school years and helps prepare students for their next steps.
Get Involved!
We are always looking for passionate individuals who want to make a difference. Our mentors work with students one-on-one and in small groups to improve their academic skills.
Our Team
Who We Are
RISE is staffed and guided by caring people who believe in the strength, resilience, and brilliance of East Palo Alto families. We partner with children and caregivers to navigate challenges, access opportunities, and build on the talents already present in the community. Together, we help create spaces where children feel supported, curious, and proud of who they are and who they are becoming.
RISE
Karen Hoopes
Founding Co-Director
karen@rise-nonprofit.org
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Karen Hoopes brings more than two decades of experience in education, child development, and community engagement. Before co-founding RISE, she spent 15 years serving in classrooms and school communities in Palo Alto and Sunnyvale, supporting students across grades and learning needs. Her work as a math specialist, substitute teacher, and instructional aide showed her how much curiosity and strength students and families carry, and how supportive systems can magnify those strengths in meaningful ways.
Karen also volunteered for four years as a Court-Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) for foster youth, grounding her approach in trauma-informed, relationship-centered care. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science/Computer Graphics from Chico State University and completed graduate coursework in Counseling Psychology at JFK University.
Karen’s leadership reflects her steady commitment to creating welcoming learning environments and building lasting relationships with families. She helps shape programs that are thoughtful, supportive, and grounded in the strengths of the community.
Sheryl Humble
Founding Co-Director
sheryl@rise-nonprofit.org
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Sheryl Humble is an experienced educator with more than 20 years supporting children, families, and school communities in Palo Alto and East Palo Alto. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Human Development with an Early Childhood Education emphasis from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, and her work has consistently focused on creating learning environments where children feel a deep sense of belonging and are supported in building strong academic foundations.
Before co-founding RISE, Sheryl spent over a decade as an instructional aide and substitute teacher, working closely with students from early childhood through upper elementary grades. Her classroom experience, combined with years of collaboration with teachers and administrators, shaped her skill in designing developmentally appropriate, engaging, and effective academic programming that helps students grow with confidence.
Sheryl’s leadership blends care, clarity, and instructional expertise. She helps guide RISE’s programming with a commitment to meaningful relationships and well-crafted learning experiences that support children and families throughout their educational journey.
Staff
Shirley Poitier
Program Management Officer
shirley@rise-nonprofit.org
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Shirley Poitier has been part of the East Palo Alto community since 1990 and has dedicated her life to supporting families and strengthening community ties. She holds a BS in Counseling Psychology from William Jessup University and continues her studies in the Enneagram through The Narrative, reflecting her commitment to lifelong learning.
Over the years, Shirley has worked with several nonprofit organizations, offering steady guidance and practical support to caregivers. She is a recipient of the Addison Carlson Award, which honors community service and a dedication to continued growth.
As a longtime resident and parent whose child attended school in Palo Alto through the VTP program, Shirley understands the local educational landscape from multiple angles. She joined RISE because she believes in the power of supportive, welcoming spaces for children and families.
As Program Manager, Shirley brings together her counseling background, community relationships, and early childhood experience to lead the Early RISErs program and the Little Blue House Collaborative. Her mantra — “Get in where you fit in and help” — reflects her hands-on approach and deep commitment to the community she calls home.
Casandra Navarro
Eastside Mentorship Coordinator
casandra@rise-nonprofit.org
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Casandra Navarro joined RISE in 2016 and brings a strong commitment to supporting young people in East Palo Alto. She believes a meaningful life is built through the positive impact we have on others, and she carries that mindset into her work each day.
Growing up in the community herself, Casandra understands the importance of mentors who lead with integrity and encouragement. This perspective guides her work as the Eastside Mentorship Program Coordinator, where she supports students and mentors in building genuine, lasting relationships.
Alongside her work at RISE, Casandra is building her own professional path as an entrepreneur and real estate professional. Her experience navigating different industries and creating opportunities for herself informs the guidance and encouragement she offers the young people she works with.
Her commitment to growth, community, and possibility is at the center of everything she does.
Blanca Prado
Community Outreach Coordinator
blanca@rise-nonprofit.org
Sandra Molina
Early Risers Lead teacher
sandra@rise-nonprofit.org
Board of Directors
Board President
Ann Waterman Roy
Treasuerer
Judy Rin-Barker
Secretary
Kimmy Minase
Board Members
Leslie White Loren Brown
Simon Root
Lynn Clark-Sweeney Karen Hoopes Sheryl Humble
Donate to RISE
RISE thrives because of people who believe in the strength and potential of East Palo Alto families. Your support helps us sustain our programs and extend them to more children and caregivers each year. If you believe in creating welcoming, nurturing spaces for learning and growth, we invite you to make a gift today.