Local educators form nonprofit to aid all Valley students
By Eric Valentine
Closing the achievement gap between students from high and low socioeconomic backgrounds is something most educators deal with daily. And that’s a big part of the reason why three local ones have formed a 501(c)(3) nonprofit to combat that challenge.
Calling it The Space, longtime educators Millie Reidy, Kate Ristow and Naomi Runkel have formed an “organization dedicated to providing high-quality academic support and college counseling to all students in the Wood River Valley,” so their mission statement goes. This week the trio launched a quad of workshops local students can attend at sliding-scale rates, rather than the regular market prices that can become pricey, especially for struggling or working-class families.
Specifically, the programs are:
- Scholarship essay help
- Drop-in SAT/ACT, scholarship essay help
- Class: How to use your calculator for the SAT and ACT
- Practice ACT at Wood River High
“It’s still a work in progress,” Runkel said. “We have about 20 kids now who are in the program, but by fall we hope to reach 200.”
In the meantime—and over the long haul—Runkel said what’s most important for the community to understand is that The Space is available for all students to drop in and utilize, regardless of whether a particular class or program is going on.
“I really want it to be a welcoming place for students to come in any time,” Runkel said. “It’s a quiet place to get work done, to use supplies, to have a snack. We may not have a tutor readily available at any given time, but there’s a space for you.”
For now, Room 300 in the Community Campus will be open weekday afternoons. The Space is sharing space with the Lee Pesky Learning Center.
Runkel added that as The Space grows, it hopes to accommodate not only all income types, but all educational types, too. The trio seeks to help students who have Ivy League aspirations, vocational school goals, community college needs, and more.
“Our education is a personal journey,” Runkel said.
Other near-term goals involve hiring more staff, especially a bilingual educator.
“I’d guess that will be one of our first hires,” Runkel said.
Meet The Team
Even in this fledgling iteration, The Space boasts an impressive group of experienced educators. Specifically, the staff is as follows:
- MILLIE REIDY—COLLEGE COUNSELOR
College counselor at Wood River High School, 2010-2019. Certification in College Counseling, Master’s in Counseling Psychology. Member NACAC and NCAN.
- KATE RISTOW—COLLEGE ESSAYS, ENGLISH TUTOR
High school English teacher, 2007-2019, private English tutor, published author, editor. MFA in Fiction Writing.
- NAOMI RUNKEL—SAT AND ACT PREP, MATH TUTOR
15 years private tutoring in math, science, English, and standardized test preparation. 8 years creating and delivering homeschool curricula. M.Ed. in Elementary and Special Education.
For more information about schedule of classes and programs offered, as well as how to donate, visit thespaceidaho.org.