Tag Archives: education

Shelley Callahan | April 19, 2020En Español

*Note: This blog was written prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Although much has changed regarding our sponsored children’s learning experience in the past months, our On the Road stories remain relevant in regards to our volunteer coordinator’s work and the impact of sponsorship on children in our program thanks to our sponsors. We are pleased to continue to share stories with you about our work.

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Located in rural and mountainous Letcher County, the community of Fleming-Neon, Kentucky, has deep roots in the coal mining industry.

The Elkhorn Coal Corporation moved into the area in 1913, establishing the mining town of Fleming and several satellite communities, including a town called Chip.

“They said that while students enrolled in our program waited to be sponsored, it meant the world to them to receive coats and warm clothes, as well as school supplies and other basic essentials,” expressed Renée.

Local tradition holds that when the train that hauled coal from the mine in Fleming made stops in nearby Chip, the conductor would holler instructions to people climbing aboard to “knee on,” and that this exclamation morphed into the town’s present name, Neon. Coal from this region once fueled factories, powered locomotives, and heated millions of homes.

However, with the sharp decline of the coal industry due to automation and the increased use of other fuels, the lack of employment opportunities has fueled widespread poverty and depopulation throughout the region.

Today, the Fleming-Neon community has a population of only about 650 people – roughly half of what it was in 1980. Moreover, the median household income here is lower than even the Letcher County average, and nearly half of this community’s population lives below the poverty line. Families here struggle to afford even basic needs.

Meeting with Candi and Anne

Our affiliated project, Fleming-Neon Middle School, serves children in grades 6^th through 8^th.

“Fleming-Neon Middle is the feeder school for our affiliated, Martha Jane Potter Elementary School. For our sponsors at these projects, they have the best continuity with their relationships with the kids, as they can follow them from elementary school through middle and on to Letcher County Central High School as well,” explained Renée.

Candi and Anne with one of our sponsored children at Fleming-Neon Middle School.

While recently visiting the school, our Director of U.S. Programs, Renée Kube, met with the school’s guidance counselor, Candi, as well as the Family Resource Youth Services Center Coordinator, Anne, who run our sponsorship program together.

“While meeting with Candi and Anne in Candi’s office, they expressed how thankful they were for not only Hope In Action Funds that we provided to the school but for Warm Clothing Funds as well.”

“They said that while students enrolled in our program waited to be sponsored, it meant the world to them to receive coats and warm clothes, as well as school supplies and other basic essentials,” expressed Renée.

Patiently waiting for a sponsor

After their meeting concluded, Renée met with a few unsponsored children who have benefited from our special funds.

Ben* is a sixth-grader who is full of humor and has an outsized personality. He loves to wear boots and camouflage clothing. Ben and his younger sister live with their parents, both of whom are disabled and unemployed.

“Ben is utterly confident in who he is. I asked him if he has begun thinking about his interests and what he might do with his future, and he said probably a coal miner or a diesel mechanic or a Marine,” said Renée.

Next, Renée met Crista.* Crista is in sixth grade. She enjoys science and solving puzzles, and she is interested in becoming a doctor because the idea of diagnosing illness sounds interesting to her. She has two older sisters and one younger brother. Crista’s mom is a homemaker. Her father is unemployed at this time, but he gives back to the community by serving as a volunteer firefighter.

After Crista returned to class, Candi and Anne told Renée that Crista’s parents are responsible and loving but are really struggling. They feel a sponsor will be a huge help and boost in confidence for Crista.

*Names changed to protect the children.

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How do I sponsor a child in Kentucky?

You can sponsor a child in Kentucky in one of two ways: call our office at 1-800-538-5381 and speak with one of our staff members or email us at sponsorship@children-inc.org.

SPONSOR A CHILD

Shelley Callahan | April 16, 2020

Dear Friends,

Today, as many as 800 million people worldwide are food insecure — and the effects are devastating. Lack of adequate nutrition can result in serious health complications, and children who are hungry often struggle to learn and thrive in educational settings. Their focus and ability to learn may be severely lessened due to poor nutrition, and even their physical growth may be stunted when they go without the food their bodies need.

Children Incorporated has been battling food insecurity and hunger since the inception of our organization in 1964. Providing families and children with access to food has been an essential part of what we do through both our child sponsorship program and various other means including our International Feeding Program. Over the last five decades, we have provided food to hungry children through our support of backpack feeding programs, the establishment and support of food banks, through financing community gardens, and even by providing livestock to families in rural areas. Witnessing the joy and appreciation the parents express as they receive nutritious food to feed their hungry children only motivates us to do more.

The need for food assistance is ongoing. It never seems to diminish, and currently, with the onset and spread of COVID-19 to almost every corner of the world, that need is perhaps greater than ever before. So many jobs have been lost that numerous families are struggling to survive. They are forced to choose between paying their rent and buying food for their growing, hungry children.

Please consider making a financial contribution to our International Feeding Program. An amount you can give will be greatly appreciated.

It is in these situations that Children Incorporated steps in and truly makes a difference. Through the dedication of our network of volunteer coordinators, many who have continued to work and serve children in their centers and schools, in spite of the risks to their own health, we are providing food to supplement the meager portions on which families try to survive, and we are offering snacks and child-friendly food to those who would otherwise go without.

We are only able to do this with your help, and we – and the thousands upon thousands of children and families who rely upon us – need your help now.

Please consider making a financial contribution to our International Feeding Program. Any amount you can give will be greatly appreciated. Mother Theresa once said, “If you can’t feed a hundred people, then feed just one.”

Every dollar counts.

From the heart,

Ronald H Carter
President and Chief Executive Officer

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How you can help

$25 provides a child with food for one month. You can help children in need by donating to our International Feeding Program Fund. For a minimal amount of money, you can provide a child living in an underdeveloped country with meals and food that will ensure they are prepared to learn.

DONATE TODAY

Shelley Callahan | April 8, 2020En Español

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Amid the incredible desert beauty of northern Arizona, the remote community of Kayenta lies situated on the Navajo Indian Reservation, along the southern edge of the spectacularly beautiful Monument Valley.

Monument Valley is a major tourist attraction in the area, located only 25 miles from Kayenta and our affiliated project, Kayenta Community School. The town has several lodging options to accommodate tourists who are traveling to see the gorgeous scenery and dramatic rock formations, where some of the parents and guardians of children in our sponsorship program work seasonally.

Unfortunately, for these families, when the tourist season ends, so do many of the jobs at hotels and motels, and parents find themselves scrambling to find work — an annual routine that keeps them in abject poverty.

Unfortunately, for these families, when the tourist season ends, so do many of the jobs at hotels and motels, and parents find themselves scrambling to find work — an annual routine that keeps them in abject poverty.

Serving hundreds of children in need

The Kayenta Community School is funded by the Bureau of Indian Affairs and operated by the Navajo Nation through a BIA tribal grant. The school has a dedicated faculty that provides children with a quality education.

The school itself is large, serving 450 students from kindergarten through eighth grade. One hundred of those children live far away from Kayenta and reside in the school’s dorms throughout the year. The children go home during summer and winter break, as well as most weekends during the school year.

During a visit to Kayenta Community School, our U.S. Director of Programs, Renée Kube, and Children Incorporated President and CEO, Ronald Carter, met with our volunteer coordinator, Gloria.

Gloria is a teacher’s aide at the school. She met with Ron and Renée in the school’s library, where they talked about the community, the school, and how our sponsorship program is helping the community’s children.

“Although many visitors to this area of the U.S. get to see the incredible natural beauty that it has to offer, according to Gloria, they don’t often see the difficult poverty that families face,” said Renée.

Getting to visit with our sponsored children

After their meeting, Gloria invited a few of our sponsored children to the library to speak with Ron and Renée.

An exterior photo of the school

First, they met with Jenny.* Jenny is an outgoing fourth grader and the middle of three sisters who are being raised by their grandmother. The grandmother is a homemaker who struggles to provide for the household on a very limited amount of tribal public assistance. Jenny told Ron and Renée that she loves to draw, and she wants to be a teacher when she grows up. She also loves having a sponsor because it makes her feel good to get new clothes and shoes during the school year.

Next, they met Bethany. Bethany is a happy and active fourth-grader who likes volleyball and playing outside. She and her little sister live with their parents. Their dad is unemployed, and their mother has a low-paying job at a local fast-food restaurant. Bethany thinks being sponsored is very cool, and it makes her proud to know someone cares about her.

Luke’s special guest

Lastly, Renée and Ron met with Luke — who is Renée’s sponsored child!

Luke is in fifth grade, and he likes learning about Navajo culture and watching scary movies. He is the youngest of five siblings (two brothers and two sisters) who are being raised by their mother and grandmother. Their mother is out of work at this time, and the grandmother has a low-wage job in town.

“Luke was pretty surprised to learn that I, the lady from Children Incorporated who was visiting his school, was his sponsor,” laughed Renée.

“He took it very well after the shock wore off. I think he couldn’t believe he was meeting his sponsor. He is a great kid, and I really enjoyed getting to meet him in person.”

*Names changed to protect the children.

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Due to the generosity of our sponsors, all of our enrolled Native American children are currently matched. However, we have many other U.S. children who are in need of a sponsor’s encouragement and support. You may also wish to consider a donation to our Covid-19 Response Fund or one of our other special funds at this time. Please feel free to contact us for further information.

HOW DO I SPONSOR A CHILD?

You can sponsor a child with Children Incorporated 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 donation portal, create an account, and search for a child that is available for sponsorship.

SPONSOR A CHILD

Shelley Callahan | April 6, 2020En Español

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Located on the Navajo Indian Reservation in Arizona, the St. Michael’s Special Education School is a nonprofit educational institution that offers support to children and adults whose disabilities have made conventional schools impractical or impossible.

The school has been a Children Incorporated affiliated project since 1979. It consists of an Educational Division for disabled children (ages 6-22) and a Day Treatment Division for disabled adults (ages 22 and older). The school’s devoted and highly trained staff provides students, like those in our sponsorship program, and adults with the personal attention they need, as well as nutritious meals and encouragement.

As the only school on the Navajo Reservation that is dedicated to the care and education of moderate to severely disabled children and adults, the St. Michael’s Special Education School plays a crucial role in the community.

Nowhere else to receive help

As the only school on the Navajo Reservation that is dedicated to the care and education of moderate to severely disabled children and adults, the St. Michael’s Special Education School plays a crucial role in the community.

“In addition to the academic campus, there is also a group home at the school where some of the children and adults board. The dedicated administration strives to see that each person in attendance is given the chance to reach their best potential in a safe and caring environment,” explained Renée Kube, Children Incorporated Director of U.S. Programs.

“The institution itself runs on a skeleton budget and is able to accomplish miracles for the students and adult members thanks to a variety of partners and the administrators’ tireless advocacy.”

The Sidewalk Project

While visiting the St. Michael’s Special Education School, Renée and our President and CEO, Ronald Carter, met with the school’s Executive Director and our volunteer coordinator, Michelle.

“Michelle explained to me during our meeting that there is a constant, ongoing need for both maintenance of the structures of the school as well as improvements to how the school is able to provide for the physical and educational needs of the children and adults,” said Renée.

Renée and Ron also discussed with Michelle the progress of the Sidewalk Project, a special project funded by our Hope In Action Fund, thanks to a generous donation from our partner, International Student Exchange. The purpose of the Sidewalk Project is to allow wheelchair-bound children to access the school’s playground. Hope In Action Funds from Children Incorporated covered the required survey, site preparation, materials and supplies.

While at the school, Michelle showed Renée the areas around the playground where the survey had been conducted and the site preparation was underway. Next, the concrete will be poured, and then rails will be installed.

The Sidewalk Project under construction

“Michelle is so excited about this project and is so grateful to both Children Incorporated and International Student Exchange,” said Renée.

Support from the community

As they continued to talk, Michelle told Renée about how she, unfortunately, has had to downsize staff, as salaries use a large percent of the funds to operate the school. The gap is filled as much as possible by help from an organization that provides volunteers for three-year terms in teaching, nursing, and other caretaker roles.

But it all wasn’t bad news that Michelle had to share. She informed Renée that since her last visit in 2016, the Navajo Housing Authority awarded a tribal grant for the construction of three new group homes on the campus.

“Michelle feels this will make St. Michael’s more attractive to parents who live a greater distance away from the school and want a nice place for their children to stay from Sunday nights through Thursday nights,” said Renée.

“According to Michelle, another Navajo tribal grant also awarded funds for new buses to get the children to and from school.”

Meeting with our sponsored children

Before leaving the school, Renée had a chance to meet with a few of our sponsored children.

Clay* is a 16-year-old who is very happy and cheerful. He likes to watch football on television, especially the Arizona Cardinals. He also really likes the Disney DVDs of “Cars 1, 2, and 3.” He has one older brother. Their parents are divorced, and their mother has custody. Both parents work, but their jobs are very low paying. Thanks to his sponsor’s support, Clay has everything he needs to be comfortable and healthy at St. Michael’s and at home.

Michelle pointed out that both Clay and Kyle are two of the students who will benefit from the new sidewalk installed from the classroom building to the playground, thanks to the Sidewalk Project.

Next, Renée met Kyle*. Kyle is 12 years old. He is an only child, and he and his single mother live with Kyle’s maternal grandparents. Kyle’s favorite subject in school is physical therapy. He also enjoys painting, which is also therapeutic for him. Kyle loves to watch music videos, and he is crazy about country music. Michelle told Renée that when Kyle goes home on the weekends, his chore is to fold all the laundry. Kyle enjoys the task and his teachers told his mom it is good physical therapy for him.

After the children left, Michelle pointed out that both Clay and Kyle are two of the students who will benefit from the new sidewalk installed from the classroom building to the playground, thanks to the Sidewalk Project. Even if they cannot get on every piece of equipment, they still are looking forward to going to the playground. Before the sidewalk, the teachers could no longer carry them, and it was too difficult to push their wheelchairs through sandy or muddy soil. Now, thanks to the sidewalk, all of the wheelchair-bound students will have better access to the playground.

*Names changed to protect the children.

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HOW DO I SPONSOR A CHILD?

SPONSOR A CHILD

Shelley Callahan | March 31, 2020En Español

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The remote community of Shonto is situated on the rim of its namesake canyon, some 150 miles north of Flagstaff, amid the incredible desert beauty of the Navajo Indian Reservation.

Our affiliated project, the Shonto Preparatory School, was established in the 1960s as a cluster of “hogans” – traditional Navajo dwellings made of logs and mud, constructed in an octagonal shape. The hogan has only one opening – a doorway – which traditionally faces east.

“This school is incredibly important for families in an area where the child poverty rate is 22.3%. Parents rely heavily on the support that their children get from the school administration and Children Incorporated sponsors,” said Renée.

“Shonto has been affiliated with Children Incorporated since 1969. The school itself is well-respected. Many children are bused-in from communities that are 40 miles away because Shonto provides such a quality education to students,” said Renée Kube, our Director of U.S. Programs.

Helping kids throughout their school years

“This school is incredibly important for families in an area where the child poverty rate is 22.3%. Parents rely heavily on the support that their children get from the school administration and Children Incorporated sponsors,” said Renée.

Additionally, because the school serves children from kindergarten through high school, children in our program often have sponsors from elementary school to graduation.

Meeting with Marlita

Our Volunteer Coordinator at Shonto Preparatory is Marlita. While meeting with Marlita at Shonto Preparatory School, Renée got to hear more about how Marlita manages the Children Incorporated sponsorship program.

“Marlita is very dedicated to her students, and she devotes many hours of additional time to help children at the school as well as in our sponsorship program,” explained Renée.

“She knows the Children Incorporated program well. In fact, Marlita’s mother was a sponsor for many years. At one point, they both visited our office in Virginia and enjoyed meeting the staff and learning more about how we operate.”

Marlita brings sponsored children to the school’s library to meet with them regarding our program.

According to Renée, Marlita worked for many years as the school librarian. However, more recently, she was transferred to cover a vacancy as lead teacher for 3^rd through 5th graders.

“The library is still Marlita’s ‘home away from home.’ She has a great relationship with the library manager, Mrs. Kee, who lets Marlita use the library to meet with students,” said Renée.

“Marlita says that because she has use of the library, she has an easy time pulling children out of class and getting to spend a little time with them. While she meets with sponsored children in the library, she gives them gifts from their sponsors or has them write letters, and they can take their time in a quiet place where they feel comfortable and won’t be bothered.”

Getting to know our sponsored children

During her visit, Marlita called a few sponsored children into the library to meet Renée.

Renée first met Elise*, who is a confident and happy fourth grader. Elise told Renée that her favorite subjects are art and Navajo language and culture, and she likes to draw. She also loves kittens.

After Elise returned to class, Marlita explained to Renée that Elise comes from a large family of three brothers and four sisters. Her father is unemployed, and her mother has a low wage job for a small local company. The family lives in a house with no running water or electricity.

“Marlita is very dedicated to her students, and she devotes many hours of additional time to help children at the school as well as in our sponsorship program,” explained Renée.

Next, Renée met Marcus* who is a sweet and rather shy second-grader.

Marcus loves math and wants to be a doctor when he grows up. According to Marlita, every day is a struggle for his family. He and his four siblings live with their parents. The mother is a homemaker. The father has a very low-paying job and has a tough time providing basic necessities for his children. They live in a small house with no running water. Like many homes on the reservation, water is hauled to the property in an assortment of bottles and buckets or is delivered and poured into a barrel. Marlita said that even though the family is very poor, the children are always neat and have clean clothes.

Lastly, Renée met Alexandra*. Alexandra is in seventh grade this school year. She is a bright and rather quiet girl who is the youngest of eight children. Alexandra’s mother is a homemaker, and her father is unemployed. They live in a traditional Navajo hogan without running water. Alexandra told Renée that when she grows up, she would like to join the Air Force.

*Names changed to protect the children.

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HOW DO I SPONSOR A CHILD?

SPONSOR A CHILD

Shelley Callahan | March 22, 2020En Español

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Greyhills Academy High School, located in Tuba City, Arizona, has been affiliated with Children Incorporated since 2006.

This unique school focuses on nurturing students who have the potential for higher levels of academic success but might struggle in other areas such as behavior or attendance — often due to the circumstances involving the impoverished households from which they come.

Helping students on a path towards success

Renée met with some of our sponsored children during her visit.

To encourage students to want to do well in school, Greyhills offers programs and activities in Navajo culture and language that foster pride in their heritage. Additionally, the school also provides a highly structured program called the Freshman Academy, where efforts are made to ease the transition from middle to high school for incoming ninth graders.

According to the Greyhills Academy website, “To help incoming freshmen ease into the rigors and expectation of our school, we have the Freshman Academy. This is a transitional program to give our incoming freshmen the support they need to be successful.”

Part of helping students transition into high school is also offering a residential program for those children who are coming from faraway areas. These students live in the Academy’s dormitories during the week and then go home on weekends and school breaks. During their stay, they enjoy athletics, clubs, and family engagement activities that help them get acclimated to their new environment, make friends and learn new skills and hobbies.

This unique school focuses on nurturing students who have the potential for higher levels of academic success but might struggle in other areas such as behavior or attendance.

It takes a village

While visiting Greyhills Academy last year, our Director of U.S. Programs, Renée Kube, met with our volunteer coordinator at the school, Roger, as well as some other staff members who are vital to the success of our sponsorship program at the school.

“Roger had set up a committee specifically to manage the Children Incorporated program at the school,” explained Renée.

“With this system, he and three other administrators take turns going on shopping trips for our sponsored children. Many of the families meet them at local stores, or they will shop personally for those who cannot make the trip.”

“Thanks to the committee members’ support, Roger can handle the workload involved with providing for sponsored children regularly as well as ensuring that the children are given opportunities to communicate with their sponsors through letters,” said Renée.

Greyhills Academy is home of the Knights.

After meeting with Roger and the other committee members, Renée had the chance to meet a few of the students in our program.

Meeting Maria and Bradley

Maria* is in 11th grade and was enrolled in the Children Incorporated Program in the 3^rd grade when she attended our other affiliated project, Tuba City Boarding School. She loved volleyball then, and she still loves it now. She lives with her mother, grandmother, and three younger siblings and wants to be a nurse when she gets older. Maria’s sponsor lives in Switzerland and has been part of our organization since 1975. Maria told Renée how appreciative she was for having her sponsor for so many years, especially as she transitioned from school to school while growing up.

Bradley enrolled in our program in 2016 when he was a new 9^th grader. He is now a bright and funny 12th grader who jokes that he is always tired from the many activities and sports he participates in. His favorite sport is baseball. Bradley has taken welding courses in school, and he is also interested in auto mechanics. He is also thinking about becoming a carpenter or construction technician when he graduates. In his downtime, he enjoys drawing and listening to music. Bradley is the middle of three children who live with their single father. His father hauls and sells wood for a living, and he earns a meager income. Having a sponsor has helped Bradley to focus on his passions and interests instead of worrying about having clothes, shoes, and school supplies over the years.

*Names changed to protect the children.

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How do I sponsor a child in Arizona?

You can sponsor a child in Arizona in one of two ways: call our office at 1-800-538-5381 and speak with one of our staff members or email us at sponsorship@children-inc.org.

SPONSOR A CHILD