Wrapping Up our 7th Spring Season

All sorts of thoughts raced through my mind as we wrapped up another semester last night at Kids University.  .  .  I've been touched with nostalgia all day.  Seven years ago we began in February.  We have shared our vision and passion with 12 Facilitators who have stood with us for several years and partnered together with over 150 TCC interns.  We share a common passion of helping children at risk, we get close to our interns as we plan programs and watch the kids progress. In a very short time the semester is over and they move on, leaving their mark on us and the children.  Several return for other semesters and the kids are thrilled.

Our sixteen interns spent time hugging their kiddos and telling them goodbye. . .  This has been a superb intern group -- many of whom had returned for their 2nd semester.

Joshua, Jace, and Blair are the epitome of calm as they work with our kiddos in Carpentry

Projects were created and completed -  Thanks Josh and Jace for creatively improvising with the youngest, most active and largest group for their first and only time in carpentry.

Dylan has served as my personal assistant as he helped keep our groups in line, assisted Mrs. Lora and made certain that we were well maintained as we left for the night.

Sugaring up the kids with donuts from Mr. Tin and an ice cream party the kids had earned for following careful instructions on riding the van home.

Mrs. Janet and Laurel have creatively led art sessions for each of the children -- both women are artists in the truest sense of the word, and Mrs. Janet comes up with the best ideas and teaching!

We have seen the strength in dividing the KU students into teams with the two interns over each group.  The kids have grouped by grade in school and they have shown marked improvement!

Thank you Mrs. Paula, Kennedy, and Lucas for keeping our little ones involved and safe.  You make it easier for all of us by serving in our nursery.

Grant has been waiting all semester for his turn at Foods Lab.

 Foods lab is a favorite with all our kids!  Special thanks to Mrs Lora and Mr. Randy for making this such a fun time for our kids!

Jennifer and Codi connected from the first night and have been "best buds"

 SEW special!!!!   Leah McGlothlin, you're a rock!  With six kids all hollering "help me, help me" you quietly and patiently handle each child at a time.  There you are -- cornered with several all needing help and you made sure they ALL got to leave with finished projects.

Abe and Jennifer led our pre-session activities and planned some fun time outdoors for our interns to pair off with children and play.

These two get us checked in and keep us safe--

We're taking a sabbatical . . . not sure our next start-up time as Mr. Terry will need some time for healing his back and leg issues.  'Missing the kiddos already -- thinking of ways to resolve certain behavior issues -- how do we keep them from stealing each other's reward points????  --- how can we impress on them the importance of telling the truth ALWAYS? --- what are the best ways to keep them safe as we take them home?  What are ways to reach the entire family and help these kids navigate the teen years?

God knows - we're asking Him.

Seasons of Growth

This Month we are beginning our 7th year of Kids University.  We had a great Fall Semester running from Sept. 11- November 20.  Our semesters coordinate with the TCC calendar.  Our interns were dedicated and hard-working.  They fell in love with the kids and made certain that they were there each week.  A few pics from the fall:

 

We hear such things from our interns as - "this program has turned my life around"-- often they ask if they can return for a second semester.  We have had some interns drive for an hour to come and serve our kids.  Of course, that is a win-win for all of us.

We began our Spring Semester on Jan. 24 with 20 children ages K-5th grade and this week welcomed 26.  15 interns have asked to work with us this semester and are bringing lots of enthusiasm to the program.
The students all check in with Mr. John and Mr. Keith helps to keep them safe.

The students are divided up into age- appropriate teams this semester and are enjoying the competitve spirit of excelling as a group.  Every three weeks they will get to move to a new activity to experience all the labs.

This team of 4th graders are being introduced to their new interns during our first night.

The kids are getting to cook with Mr. Randy and very quickly they learn of his big heart!

Mrs. Janet always has the most thought out plans and this has been our biggest team yet -- 12  K-2nd graders painting!!!  Fall Intern Laurel has returned this semester and brought her sister Heather to help.

We have our most active 3rd grade boys starting in sewing . . . hmmmm kind of scary when they race their machines!

Leah McGlothlin is my helper and helps to hold it all together when it becomes like "Crazytown" in there.

Josh McGlothlin who is a cabinet-maker has devised a plan
for the students to make themselves desks. -- Totally donating all he supplies and prepping the desk.