As a part of our 2022 “Virtual Visit” series, our Director of U.S. Programs, Renée Kube, takes us to Floyd Central High School on a visit to hear about our sponsorship program and other outreach services conducted by our volunteer coordinator, Teresa.
Renée Virtual Visit
“Floyd Central High is a relatively new school located in the community of Eastern. It was built in 2017 as a consolidation of the old Allen Central High and South Floyd High Schools. It offers the standard state-approved curriculum, and also offers dual enrollment, AP, and online college courses. The sports teams compete in football, baseball, volleyball, softball, and cheerleading. There are also competitive teams for golf, archery — and bass fishing!”
“Teresa is devoted to her students and families. Most are loving and hardworking, but generations of poverty and lack of education have caused a lot of hardship and struggle.”
“The high school is also a ‘feeder’ school for two other Children Incorporated affiliated sites — Duff-Allen Central and May Valley Elementary schools, which is fantastic because our sponsors can follow their sponsored children from elementary to high school with ease thanks to these partnerships.”
“Floyd Central serves about 638 students in grades 9-12. Everyone at the school is very proud of the 93% graduation rate, considering that the students and families face a lot of challenges — 75% of students live in poverty and lack access to basic resources.”
Teresa’s programs
“Our volunteer coordinator at the school is Teresa. She is an involved coordinator who has created a Youth Services Center Student Outreach Group. They host activities and raise funds for special events throughout the year, ranging from purchasing suitcases for foster children to pet food donations for the local animal shelter. This is a wonderful opportunity for the students to feel connected and give back to their community.”
Family Game Nights were a hit with Teresa’s students and their parents.
“Since the pandemic, in addition to our sponsorship program, Children Incorporated helped Teresa with three other programs. The first program was a series of family fun nights where the students and families turned off their screens and bonded over playing board games and making snacks together. Teresa collaborated with the other coordinators, and it was a county-wide event. The families sent pictures to Teresa and said they were surprised at how much this meant to them.”
“The second program was mixing physical activity and positive mental outlooks to support educational outcomes. The last program was a health and fun fair for expectant and new mothers, which was also a collaborative, county-wide event. The fair included packets of important information and diaper bags filled with small baby care items. Participants could register for one of three grand prizes: a baby bouncer, rocker, or stroller.”
Getting the support they need
“Teresa is devoted to her students and families. Most are loving and hardworking, but generations of poverty and lack of education have caused a lot of hardship and struggle. Teresa shared that one of her students is being raised by a single father. Due to some unexpected expenses, he got behind on rent. In order to get caught up, the dad and his son were paid a little money by neighbors to clear brush out of their creek beds. The boy sells eggs to help. Teresa said that our sponsorship program is a big help with this boy’s school clothing. He (and the other program-enrolled children) fit in with their peers with the new clothes they receive which really helps their self-esteem, and they are dressed appropriately for the weather.”
***
How do I sponsor a child in Kentucky?
You can sponsor a child in Kentucky in one of three ways: call our office at 1-800-538-5381 and speak with one of our staff members; email us at sponsorship@children-inc.org; or go online to our sponsorship portal, create an account, and search for a child in Kentucky that is available for sponsorship.