Library to Create 'Oasis' on City's South Side

Natalie Draper, the library director, invites you to the new library oasis location in the NCRC

Angelica Linder loves to make people feel welcome at the Northfield Public Library. But she’s learned during the past five years as the library’s outreach coordinator, and her twenty years of living in Northfield, that the downtown location does not meet the needs of everyone in the community.

Getting to the library when it’s open can be challenging for people who work multiple jobs or lack transportation. And although the library has added staff who are bilingual in English and Spanish – including Linder – language can be a barrier to understanding all that the library has to offer. So when Library Director Natalie Draper proposed creating a “Library Oasis” within the city-owned Northfield Community Resource Center (NCRC), Linder was on board.

“The library is not just about books; we have technology services, printing and computers, space to hang out, and programming,” Linder said. “The Oasis spot was picked intentionally, and I see it as an access point for the library to become truly accessible.”

The Library Oasis will be located on the first floor of the NCRC in a frequently used pass-through space that connects the Community Action Center lobby with the Head Start wing. It’s down the hall or down the stairs from other community services and organizations in the building, including FiftyNorth, Healthy Community Initiative, and the Northfield Community

College Collaborative (NCCC). It’s also within walking distance of Bridgewater Elementary School, Northfield High School, and Northfield Middle School, and the surrounding neighborhoods.

YMCA Adds Programs for Middle

and High School Students

AmeriCorps Promise Fellow Izzy Hessian shows the possibilities for

homework help at the YMCA!

Izzy Hessian remembers what it’s like to be a busy teen juggling homework, after-school activities, and social time with friends. As a 2019 graduate of Northfield High School and a recent graduate of the University of Minnesota, she’s drawn upon her not-too-distant memories of high school life as she’s helped create a new hangout space for young people at the Northfield

Area Family YMCA.

Homework Help is located in the Y’s community room, which is furnished with tables and chairs and a cozy fireplace. It’s open every Wednesday from 3:30–8 p.m. and is free for any students in grades 6–12 — for YMCA members and non-members alike.

“The idea was to create a space where students can go, regardless of membership, and whether they need direct tutoring or not, that is welcoming,” said Hessian, who is serving as the Y’s first-ever AmeriCorps Promise Fellow. “I wanted it to be a drop-in experience, and not have students feel like they had to be here for a specific time.”

Hessian has stocked the Homework Help site with everything she could think of that students might need – including school supplies, a keyboard to plug into an iPad, cardstock for group projects, and snacks. She hopes the Y will become a convenient place for students to meet, including those who regularly stop in after school to shoot hoops or work out. She speaks

Spanish and is available to help both Spanish-speaking students and their families, and English-speaking students studying Spanish.

For more information on what's happening at the YMCA, visit their website.

EMT Pathway Attracts Students

NCCC EMT students demonstrate their skills at the YMCA’s Healthy Kids Day in August

The Northfield Community College Collaborative (NCCC) launched a new pathway this fall for people interested in becoming emergency medical technicians. The EMT program is offered in partnership with Northfield Hospital + Clinics. Students can become certified as EMTs in one year, after completing two courses and passing a national exam.

“The program is unique compared to other EMT programs because it’s hands-on and scenario-based,” said NCCC Project Manager Greg Gianopoulos.

The courses are taught by instructors from the hospital at the Emergency Medical Services facility at 1600 Riverview Lane. Some students may have the chance to work for the hospital and gain experience while they are in the program, or they may be hired after they pass the exam. The EMT students are also eligible for all the services available at the NCCC, which is located on the second floor of the Northfield Community Resource Center, 1651 Jefferson Parkway. These services include one-on-one advising, tutoring, free childcare provided during evening classes, and free evening meals.

NCCC student Jose Flores said he became interested in the program because of his experience working with clients at Laura Baker Services Association, and because of a family tragedy: his brother died in a car accident.

Report to the Community Available Now!

The 2022 Northfield Promise Report to the Community was recently mailed to all households within the Northfield Public Schools district boundaries. Look for it in your mailbox! You can also access the online version here, in English and Spanish.

Northfield Promise has been recognized as a Systems Change community by the national StriveTogether network. StriveTogether is a national movement with a clear purpose: help every child succeed in school and in life from cradle to career, regardless of race, ethnicity, zip code or circumstance. In partnership with nearly 70 communities across the country, StriveTogether provides resources, best practices and processes to give every child every chance for success. The StriveTogether Cradle to Career Network reaches more than 14 million students, including more than 8 million children of color and over 6 million children experiencing poverty. The network spans 30 states and Washington, D.C.