Fall 2024 @ RAS-BLM Campus: According to the Numbers… ⭐️200+ Student and Family Orientations ⭐️24 OSHA Certifications earned by students ⭐️14 Food Handler Certifications earned by students ⭐️50+ ISU Preservice Teachers completed clinical hours at our campus (TCH & EAF) ⭐️1 Student Teacher ⭐️1 Full-Time Social Work Intern ⭐️2 Part-Time Social Work Interns ⭐️4 Vocational Field Trips (2xHCC, CornBelt, MWFB) ⭐️12 Weeks of Boys & Girls Club Thursday activities with our Middle School students ⭐️12 Guest Speakers (Tricoci, 2xISAC, 2xArmy National Guard, Army, Marines, MTI, OSF Community Resource Center, StaffQuick, Laborers Local 362, Project Oz) ⭐️3 AMAZING local church partnerships (FCC, Eastview, St. Mark) ⭐️2 REMARKABLE partnerships with local food banks (MWFB & EIF) to stock the RAS School Market ⭐️300+ people served each month through the RAS School Market ⭐️14 weeks worth of VR opportunities to work on vocational skill building (mechanic, HVAC, small engine, farm hand, etc) ⭐️5 trips to the RAS Community Garden ⭐️50+ future educators from Unit 5 visited our campus ⭐️16 weeks of visits from outside counselors (Project Oz, CHS, Court Services) ⭐️1 irreplaceable partnership with CareerLink leading to a part-time student custodian ⭐️20 local schools served to meet the needs of their students ⭐️11 local school districts providing transportation for their students to our campus ⭐️24 high school graduates ⭐️20 dedicated and caring staff (19 humans, 1 dog)
🎓⭐️🎉 🤗RAS-BLM Campus provided educational opportunities for 24 local students this semester who were able to complete their graduation requirements. These students came to us from six different high schools in our region, and because of our amazing staff and programming, we also made sure they completed post-secondary tasks to send them off into the real world with employability and life skills! Help us in congratulating them! 🤗🎉⭐️🎓
Happy Holidays!
As we 🎁 WRAP UP 🎁 first semester, the RAS Staff would like to thank the students, families, home schools, community partners, and ROE #17 for a great start to the 2024-25 school year! Our future looks bright 😎 and we cannot wait to continue to grow and serve more youth in our community in the spring semester and beyond! Happy Holidays from all the hardworking elves at RAS! 💚❤️
**THANK YOU** St. Mark Lutheran Church continues to provide Christmas gifts for our students with children!!! Each child received diapers, clothes, and a toy! We continue to be humbled by your generosity!!
We ❤️ our friends at First Christian Church! Our students will stay warm thanks to your kindness and donation of cold weather items!
RAS is grateful to be a recipient of the Personal Impact Initiative through Eastview Christian Church. Many hands make for light work, community support is integral to achieving our collective mission of educating and engaging youth in meaningful ways. Sincere gratitude to our friends at Eastview who are enriching the lives of students and families at RAS.
December Newsletter
Giving Shed and Giving Rack
MCCA continues to provide for the community with its Giving Shed and Giving Rack. The Giving shed is located on the west side of the MCCA building and is open and free to everyone in the community. The shed contains food items, some personal care items and books.
The giving rack is in the entrance area of MCCA and contains clothing items in very fine condition, which anyone may take as they wish and need.
RAS was fortunate to host Zoey G as a student teacher this semester in our high school classrooms. Zoey demonstrated all of the key characteristics that make a successful student teacher: positive relationships with students, thoughtful planning, collaboration with RAS Staff, and the ability to accept feedback and reflect. We will miss Zoey at RAS and wish her nothing but the best as she wraps up her college career and begins her professional career at Bridge Academy!
Sending well wishes to you and yours! 🦃🍗🍠🥧🍁
Homelessness affects us all and prevention is key. Supporting homeless prevention programs means investing in resources, services and solutions that help individuals and families stay housed, ensuring stability, dignity and a stronger community for everyone. RAS staff wore green in support of National Runaway Prevention Day.
💙💛 Thank you to the members of the Gamma Rho Chapter of Sigma Gamma Rho for donating baby items and blankets to RAS! Our students who are parents will benefit from your generous support! Special shout out to Kyai, our Social Work Intern from ISU, for facilitating this! 💛💙
🔴⚪️🔵🗳️✅ Reminder: No School tomorrow, Tuesday, November 5th! ✅🗳️🔵⚪️🔴
Attached is our November Newsletter!
FREE Youth/Family Behavioral Health Resource Fair. McLean County is encouraging area families to connect with more than a dozen Bloomington-Normal behavioral health providers at its Youth/Family Resource Fair from 4 to 6 p.m. this Wednesday (11-6) at Western Avenue Community Center in Bloomington.
Stations will discuss resources for topics, including behavioral health, physical health, education, and at-home care.
Requests for registration appointments for the 2024 Christmas Food Box have begun at the Salvation Army. Clients looking for assistance should call (309) 829-9476 ext 299 and leave a message with name and contact telephone number. The scheduler will return the call as soon as possible to schedule the in-person registration in November.
Domestic violence is often called the silent epidemic. RAS staff wore purple to bring attention to National Domestic Violence Awareness Day. If you or someone you know is in an unsafe relationship, please contact 1-800-799-7233 or text BEGIN to 88788.
Are you or someone you know facing an eviction? There is help! The Illinois Housing Development Authority has restarted its rental assistance program for tenants facing an eviction due to nonpayment. You can contact the state housing authority's call center at
866-454-3571 to connect with an agent.
As we wrap up our Fall Student-Led Conferences, we would like to thank First Christian Church for providing dinner and breakfast. We enjoyed a taco bar and a nice breakfast spread! Our partnership with FCC is strong and we look forward to continuing to expand our reciprocal support for one another.
🗣️Attention RAS Students and Families! 🗣️
Please check your emails for important information regarding Skyward Family Access + Parent Academy videos.
Thank you!