Pedagogical Institute of Los Angeles

Being Big In Tijuana’s Upper Nest Not long after a group of older girls were heard commenting on how they were too old to be playing house, Teacher Mel added some silk scarves and baby dolls to the outdoor play area. As Mel suspected, the girls quickly flocked to the new materials, creating a game with aunts and mothers. Soon the older boys joined the play, pretending to be Uber drivers, circling on their bikes and offering rides. When teachers pay careful attention to the c...hildren, something like this - "we’re too old for playing house" - can provoke an opportunity for children of any age to connect with what is most important - caring for each other, establishing a joyful, connected home, and being with family. To keep the Nests afloat during 2020 we must solicit ongoing donations. Please donate $10 today. https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr

Thank you World Central Kitchen! Daily, the children nourish themselves with nutritious, hot lunches provided to Canyon Nest Tijuana from World Central Kitchen. A not-for-profit organization devoted to providing meals in the wake of natural disasters and displacement, World Central Kitchen was founded in 2010 by celebrity chef José Andrés. The organization first prepared food in Haiti following its devastating earthquake and has continued to provide food worldwide where need...ed. We are so grateful that hot, yummy lunches are a part of Canyon Nest's experience!

Do you enjoy a little cilantro from the garden? The children at Canyon Nest do! Please help us to continually grow and enrich our Nests worldwide. Donate $10 today: https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr

Who's in our village? Sheri Easterly has been a friend of PILA’s since we opened our first Nest in Tijuana just over a year ago. In fact, she was among our first Nesters at the Border Nest. But her interest and desire to help didn’t stop there! Since then Sheri’s garage in La Mesa, close to the border, has become our mail order outpost. She and her husband Doug have shoved aside the contents of their garage to make room for the multitude of packages that we and our supporters... have ordered for the Canyon Nest. When things pile up, Cristina, our TJ Project Manager, crosses the border and makes the hand off. We’ve got it down to a science. PILA sends a BIG thank you to Sheri Reagan Easterly for her ongoing support and for letting us commandeer her space! If you would like to get in on the action of filling Sheri and Doug's garage with much needed Nest materials, please see our Amazon wishlist. https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/30339U0OBL0R9

The new findings highlight the lasting impact of a policy that first came to light with wrenching images of crying children being carried away from their parents at the border and detained hundreds or thousands of miles away. Hundreds of these families, the new filing makes clear, have now endured years of separation. https://www.nytimes.com///migrant-children-separated.html

Who am I in community? PLEASE SHARE THIS POST For children at Canyon Nest, developing a sense of identity as a valued member of a community is so important. This is vital work for every child, but when you're stuck in the in-between space of living in a shelter waiting for the next place to call home, it can be difficult to find value in the present moment. This is where the Nest comes in giving children a space to develop their identity, their minds and their hearts in saf...ety, beauty and connection. This work is important, but it’s not cheap. Every dollar counts, please donate to help keep our Nests running: https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr

Gardening Beautiful For the last month, the children at Canyon Nest have been learning about and caring for their new garden. The garden project is as much about learning earth science as it is about having something to take care of and adding the beauty of nature to the Nest space. We talk about beauty a lot at PILA. We believe that all children deserve the very best we can offer them. And that beauty begets both dignity and care. ... We want to ensure that Canyon Nest can continue being a place of inspiration, peace and beauty for the families that live in the canyon. Please donate $1, $5, $10 today - every dollar makes a difference. https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr

For Canyon Nest families - these decisions will have a huge impact... "The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to review two major Trump administration immigration initiatives: a program that has forced at least 60,000 asylum seekers to wait in Mexico while their requests are heard and the diversion of $2.5 billion in Pentagon money to build a barrier on the southwestern border."

"Reading gives us some place to go when we have to stay where we are" -- Mason Cooley. At Canyon Nest, children spend time each day reading to each other and on their own. They get lost in the stories and adventures that show us all the possibilities life holds. The children also exercise their voice as writers themselves, and share their stories and illustrations within their community. To help support the 55 children Canyon Nest serves daily and the teachers who guide the...m, PILA relies on donations. Please consider donating $5 today to help keep Canyon Nest operating: https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr

Want to get involved with PILA, but don't know how? Fill out this 2-minute survey and tell us about yourself. We've turned to our survey respondents time and time again when we need help with specific projects (sewing, building, collecting items, storing items, translations, etc.). ... It takes more than a village, it takes a whole world... https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/KZ2RRLP

Slow down and take a closer look. When we do, our lens to the world widens. Young children at the Canyon Nest remind us every day that there is opportunity for learning in the simplest of materials. We want every child stuck at a border, waiting for a permanent place to call home, to have the opportunity to learn. And we can't do this without your help. Every dollar counts. ... https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr

In Unison Imagine fleeing your home and being stuck at a shelter - not quite home, not quite permanent. Understandably, the children at Canyon Nest struggle to feel a sense of belonging and trust in their community. The teachers address this by helping the children find calmness and togetherness through mindfulness, yoga and choir practice. Bringing the community together in unison and saying overtly - "this may not be your permanent home, but you do belong and we are a com...munity" is vital for helping them through this difficult transition in their lives. Please DONATE $10 TODAY to keep our program running. We have 4 local teacher salaries to pay at the Canyon Nest. Without you, we have no teachers, and without teachers, we have no Nest. Watch for our stories today to see video of the children practicing mindfulness. https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr

No one can learn if they don't feel safe... As current US immigration policy continues to put children in harm's way, the Upper Nest students create alebrijes - fantastical Mexican folk art creatures designed to protect them from harm. Help PILA in our efforts to make Canyon Nest a place where children feel protected. Please DONATE $10 today. ... https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr

Who Needs Teachers? PLEASE SHARE THIS POST We know, people like giving directly to children. Understandable. But here's the thing - none of the programs we offer children are possible if we don't have teachers. PILA is currently covering 9 teacher salaries throughout our Nests worldwide. While food, art supplies and books are critical aspects of our program, the show cannot go on without local TEACHERS - and they need to be paid. Please help us keep our Nests open by donating... $10 toward a local teacher's salary. Every dollar helps! Action Kivu #congopeaceschool #migrantchildren #educationattheborder #constructivism