With Fall comes change. Upower has also changed, scaling back programming, remaining at Choice Academy, Echo Glen Children’s Center, King County Juvenile Detention, and Interagency-Queen Anne. We are taking this time to focus on curriculum development, Upower’s Train the Trainer, and bolstering staff training. We are excited for what lies ahead and are VERY excited to introduce our NEW Program Director, Marisa Patrick!
MEET MARISA!
Marisa (she/her) was born and raised in the Seattle area. She grew up participating in and teaching ice hockey, soccer, rugby, and swimming through school, league, and recreation programs.
She received her BA in Early Childhood and Family Studies from the University of Washington after completing her service-learning project on Challenging Behaviors & Behavioral Management Strategies. She then received her MS in Family and Consumer Sciences from the University of Idaho upon completion of her master’s research project on Recreational Training Techniques for At-Risk Staff Counseling At-Risk Youth.
Upower is a dream come true for Marisa, providing an opportunity to have a lasting impact in the lives of youth. Too often, Marisa felt she was the only warrior advocating play as a tool in healing trauma. She hand-tailored and designed both of her degrees and coursework to match her philosophy. When asked “What does Upower mean to you,” Marisa responded: “Recreational play is the gateway to fostering resiliency in our youth. Upower provides that opportunity.”
Marisa is a recreational and youth program specialist with 10 years of child development experience working with vulnerable and diverse populations. She specializes in developing inclusive, safe, nurturing environments that engage youth and foster community, collective efficacy, and responsibility. She is versed in challenging behavior management techniques and developing resilience and coping strategies for children of trauma. She has worked with the City of Tukwila’s youth programs, Seattle Children’s Hospital Gender Diversity Program, Head Start Early Learning programs, Childtime Learning Centers’ preschool programs, and served as a civilian Youth Programs Coordinator for the US Department of Defense for all age groups across Europe, Northern Africa, Turkey, and at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam.
Marisa is passionate about creating sustainable training and programming that nurture the resilience and social-emotional growth of youth in underserved communities. She also enjoys lifting weights, exploring new hiking trails with her dog AND cat (yes, the cat hikes — voluntarily!), spending time with her family, and discovering new cooking recipes.
Dodgeball 2021Once again this year we ducked COVID-19 by doing a virtual ask. We want to THANK everyone who donated to Upower, we are so grateful to have such a strong giving community. You all really showed out this year, busting our $70,000 goal by giving: $91,117.
We are very appreciative of our longtime partnership and the donation we received from Good Sports Inc. We were able to distribute 2,000 quality sports bras to members of our community partners, including:
Fitness Minutes Delivered
Youth Served
Program Locations
