Root 2 Rise

Lori Williams has spent 36 years teaching people about money, and our Tutor-Mentors in Portland were lucky to be among them.

Lori is a Financial Education Specialist at Unitus Community Credit Union, and she ran two financial literacy workshops for R2R students at Reynolds Learning Academy this year. She also sat down with students one-on-one to help them with financial planning and to open their first savings accounts -- and Unitus generously waived fees!

Thank you, Lori. Thank you, Unitus. This is what a true Community Partnership looks like!

Read more about what Lori taught our students about money, credit, and where to turn when things go sideways:

How a Paid Leadership Program for High School Students in Oregon Builds Financial Independence — Root 2 Rise Root 2 Rise is a paid high school leadership program in Oregon and Wisconsin where students serve in K-5 classrooms and earn a real stipend for their work. The financial literacy education built into the program is designed to set them up for success long after graduation. Here's how that came to li

Meet Nehemiah Williams, a Tutor-Mentor in Ms. Anita Johnson's first-grade class at Salish Ponds Elementary School in Fairview, Oregon.

When asked what he likes about R2R, Nehemiah said, "I like feeling that I accomplished something when I see that the students learned something new. It makes me happy. I like that I get to teach kids."

Nehemiah's superpower is his patience and mild-mannered nature, especially when working with students who need the most support. His Partner Teacher Ms. Johnson says, "Nehemiah is very good at jumping in and helping students who need extra support. Students are very responsive to his calm demeanor. He works very well with our high-needs students. He is understanding and kind."

Though he'd hadn't thought about teaching before joining R2R, the program has him seriously considering pursuing it now.

If that is the path Nehemiah chooses, his future students are going to be very lucky -- way to go Nehemiah!