Tag Archives: sponsor a child

Shelley Callahan | August 15, 2023En Español

Navajo Nation was hit especially hard by the pandemic, and our affiliated schools in Arizona have still been slow in getting students to return to in-class learning, without other problems that arise throughout the school year. Today we hear from our Director of U.S. Programs, Renée Kube, as she visits Red Rock Day School, where she hears from our volunteer coordinator about some of the other problems the school has faced while recovering from COVID-19.

Visiting with Patricia

“Red Rock Day School is in a very rural and isolated area. The Lukachukai Mountains can be a transportation barrier for families who want to go south to Lukachukai and Chinle. If they want to go north, the roads are even smaller and more poorly maintained. The closest small northern communities are Beclabito, New Mexico and Teec Nos Pos, Arizona, at which points a U.S. highway can be accessed,” said Renée.

“There are many children being raised by grandparents because their parents cannot do so – some are incapable, while others are working low wage jobs in Farmington, New Mexico or even in Colorado.”

“Our long-term volunteer coordinator, Patricia, contacted me in advance to warn that the school was experiencing water problems and had closed. The students were put back on virtual instruction. She was hoping things would be repaired by the time of our visit, but that was unfortunately not the case.”

“When I arrived, Patricia was there but the students were not. Regardless, she was happy to give me a tour of the school while we caught up about our sponsorship program,” said Renée.

Children Raised by grandparents

“As we walked, we talked. Patricia shared that the kindergarten through 8th grade school has the capacity for 110 students, but enrollment has fallen 46% since the pandemic started. Staffing has suffered, and those who remain are doing multiple jobs. The disruption and uncertainty have also had a negative impact on the children’s academics. The children’s overall math proficiency rate is less than 5%. (The Arizona state average is 45%.) Their proficiency in reading and language is at the 20-24% level. There are many children being raised by grandparents because their parents cannot do so – some are incapable, while others are working low wage jobs in Farmington, New Mexico or even in Colorado.”

“During the pandemic, much of our sponsorship funds were used for food. Staff bought dollar store laundry baskets and filled them with food. During the next round of drop offs, the empty baskets were turned in, and full baskets were given in return,” said Renée.

COVID-19 devastated Navajo Nation, making our affiliated schools in Arizona even more precautious about spreading the illness.

“Patricia said that this school year was the first time since the pandemic that the building was open to in-person instruction. Some families have chosen to remain virtual, as they have family members who are medically vulnerable. And while school was open in August and September, it was closed in October due to the water problems. This has been very disappointing for the children and the entire Red Rock Day School community.”

Getting help from our special funds

“Patricia showed us the school’s courtyard, which has a tree that was planted years ago by one of the teachers. The children love this space. Patricia said she may be interested in applying for a Hope In Action Program grant for a few more picnic tables, so that teachers could host outdoor lessons, especially for science classes,” said Renée.

“Then she took me to the library, which features a beautiful octagonal skylight. The school lost its librarian several years ago and has not had the funds to hire another. Patricia and a couple of teachers take turns helping the children to check out books, but library time had to be reduced. There’s no budget for new books. Patricia would like to ask for help with more books, but she hesitates to do so while they are so short-staffed.”

“Patricia hopes to work on enrolling more students once the water is repaired and the children have returned. After the pandemic forced virtual instruction, she is praying for a return to normalcy,” said Renée.

“This has been a long term and stable site for our organization, and Patricia has done a good job handling all our sponsorship programs, considering all the stress that she and other staff members are under.”

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How do I sponsor a child with Children Incorporated?

You can sponsor a child 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 that is available for sponsorship.

SPONSOR A CHILD

Shelley Callahan | August 14, 2023En Español

Our volunteer coordinators are the backbone of our organization, and we couldn’t do our work without them. Today we hear from our Director of U.S. Programs, Renée Kube, as she visits with Lucy at Dennehotso Boarding School in Arizona, who works hard to ensure children in our program are getting everything they need all year long.

Meeting with Lucy

“Dennehotso is a small community about 27 miles northeast of Kayenta, Arizona. It is close to the intersection of U.S. Hwy 160 (an east-west route) and U.S. Hwy 191 (a north-south route),” said Renée.

“Lucy said our organization is so important to the school, and they are grateful for our long-standing partnership,” said Renée.

“Upon my visit, I was greeted by our very long-serving volunteer coordinator, Lucy. Lucy showed me around the school grounds, and as we walked, she shared how things have been going for her at the school.”

“Lucy explained that the school has capacity for 150 students, but at present just 113 are enrolled. The dorm was closed in March 2020 due to the pandemic and has still not reopened. Lucy said families have reached out to the school administration and expressed their desire for the dorm reopening, but the administration is still not ready. The administration and board are concerned about the children living in such close proximity, but another big stumbling block is that they are currently very short staffed,” said Renée.

“The children here are really struggling academically, largely due to disruptions associated with the pandemic. Many have witnessed the serious illnesses or even deaths of family members. During the school years of virtual instruction, many lost ground in their studies. At present, the average math and reading proficiency rates are just 10%-14% (depending on the grade), which is lower than the Arizona state average of 45%.”

An important partnership

“Lucy said that since the pandemic started, she has been given extra duties around the school in addition to her full-time job as Parent/Family Liaison. Her regular job involves gaining more involvement from parents and guardians in the children’s education; working with them in identifying and achieving various goals for their students (e.g. attendance); accessing support services (e.g. speech); administering programs to bridge the gap between home and school; and assessing students’ needs in order to implement plans to remove barriers to the students’ academic success and overall well-being. The latter two duties are where Children Incorporated’s sponsorship program fits in. Lucy said our organization is so important to the school, and they are grateful for our long-standing partnership,” said Renée.

Lucy, our volunteer coordinator, is pictured with two of our sponsored children.

“Lucy explained to me that being able to buy appropriate clothing for rapidly growing children is a blessing, all thanks to our sponsors. The children are excited, and the parents are incredibly grateful. Lucy said that she will usually drive out of state and shop in Farmington, New Mexico. This is 100 miles east, or a 200 mile round trip. However, she’s thinking of broadening her options and may start shopping in Cortez, New Mexico as well which is 92 miles one way, but has both a Walmart Supercenter and a Hibbets Sports Shop that sells athletic shoes.”

Hope In Action Helping those in need

“Lucy said she uses the sponsorship program funds for ‘tops and bottoms,’ because that’s what the parents and children request most. Whenever she can, she will supplement with additional gifts to buy shoes, which are expensive. Lucy said she would love to have extra funds for shoes, and she needs funds to supply a clothes closet for accidents, containing underwear, socks, pants, and tees. She would also like to have funds in the springtime for lice medicine, and I let her know I would be working to get those requests fulfilled through our Hope In Action Program,” said Renée.

“Despite the staff shortage that’s creating an extra workload, Lucy is striving to do her best for the Children Incorporated sponsored children. Overall, she is doing well in challenging circumstances, and we are equally as proud to work with Dennehotso Boarding School as they are to work with us.”

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How do I sponsor a child with Children Incorporated?

SPONSOR A CHILD

Shelley Callahan | August 5, 2023En Español

There is nothing like getting to meet with our volunteer coordinators and hear their stories directly about how they are helping children in their communities, thanks to our sponsors and donors. Today we hear from Renée Kube, our Director of U.S. Programs, as she meets with four special coordinators who run our sponsorship program at Pinon Community School in Arizona, who explain the lengths they are willing to go to to help kids in need.

“On the tour, I had the chance to see some of the great projects that Children Incorporated funded over the years!”

about Pinon

“The small town of Pinon, Arizona is about 45 miles due west of Chinle on Indian Road 4. The population is sparse and spread out in this area, giving it a more remote feeling than some of the other towns where our affiliated sites are located,” said Renée.

“The Pinon Community School itself is a mix of newer buildings, as well as some of the original 1932 structures. This school is set up in a similar manner to our affiliated site, the Hanaadli Community School/Huerfano Dorm, in New Mexico, in which some children live on-site during the week and some return home after school each day.”

“Education starts with a FACE Program, which stands for Family and Child Education. This is a federal program that focuses on Native families, providing educational services from prenatal to five years of age by providing early childhood education, parenting education, and adult education. After FACE, the child can go on to kindergarten,” said Renée.

Students learn weaving skills at Pinon Community School, which is a big part of their culture and heritage.

“There are two options for kindergarten: a regular kindergarten, and a developmental kindergarten for children with late birthdays (from September through December). Kindergarten is instructed in both English and Navajo. After kindergarten, the children are educated at the local Pinon Unified School District. The dorm students either live at a greater distance than daily transportation allows, or their parents or guardians work out of town for extended periods of time. Pinon Community School also offers the 21st Century Learning Center for afterschool care. The dorm serves 1st through 12th grades.”

“When I arrived to the school, I checked in at the main office, and soon was taken to the conference room. I was greeted by our primary coordinator, Carol, who then introduced me to the other three staff members who serve on the ‘Children Incorporated Committee’: Cassandra, Chyanne, and Rainey,” said Renée.

Readjusting after the pandemic

“While we met, the four ladies shared how challenging things were for them during the pandemic. While the children were participating in fully virtual instruction, the sponsorship funds were being used mostly for food. They are grateful there is a grocery store in the community, although Bashas is small and has limited selection. The ladies explained that the nearest Walmarts are located in Winslow, Arizona (94 miles south) or Gallup, New Mexico (120 miles southeast). It is very humbling to realize how far they travel – using their own vehicles – to shop for the children in our sponsorship program.”

“The school did not re-open for in-person instruction until March 2022. Before the pandemic, 86 children were enrolled. In March, just 30 students returned. Now the number has risen, slowly but steadily, to 70,” said Renée.

“The dorm has not yet re-opened. The old HVAC system was on its last legs, and a new system [with the goal of improving ventilation and preventing respiratory infections] will cost $4 million dollars. This is partly due to the age of some of the buildings; the oldest were built in the 1930s.”

There is nothing like getting to meet with our volunteer coordinators and hear their stories directly about how they are helping children in their communities, thanks to our sponsors and donors.

“We then began our tour of the buildings and grounds. Our coordinators explain that it’s considered bad form and manners to walk directly across the courtyard; instead, one is supposed to walk around, unless one is specifically using the middle structure. They’re always having to remind the children.”

seeing our projects in person

“On the tour, I had the chance to see some of the great projects that Children Incorporated funded over the years! The Reading Pavilion Project in the courtyard was an area with benches where the children really enjoy sitting with their books. An annual vine is trained over the top each spring to provide shade. I also got to see the School Garden Project. We provided funds to purchase materials for the raised beds and fencing, and supplies including soil, fertilizer, seeds, and hand tools. Crops have been planted every spring, and it is used by the science teacher as well as the dormitory staff for instruction and enrichment activities for the children,” said Renée.

“Then we went inside. We went to a classroom and were shown samples from the Weaving Project, whose materials and supplies were provided thanks to our Hope In Action Program. Beginners learn on simple cardboard looms with inexpensive yarns. The small, medium, and large wooden looms are used as the children gain experience and proficiency. They’ll move over time from loom to loom. They use fewer yarn colors on the smaller looms, and add more yarn colors as they progress.

The advanced learners are using the largest looms, the highest quality yarns, and the most colors,” said Renée.

***

How do I sponsor a child with Children Incorporated?

SPONSOR A CHILD

Shelley Callahan | July 26, 2023En Español

As she continues with her first visits to our affiliated sites in Navajo Nation since the pandemic, our Director of U.S. Programs, Renée Kube, tells us about her trip to Kayenta Community School, where she met with our former volunteer coordinator, Lora, and a special student who took the time to show her and our U.S. Programs Specialist, Kris, around the school.

“Kendrick had done a wonderful job in putting a smile on my face,” said Renée.

Visiting Kayenta

“Kayenta Community School is located in the town of Kayenta, which is about 43 miles northeast of Shonto, Arizona, and serves approximately 258 children in grades kindergarten through 8th grade. Its student population declined during the pandemic due to family migrations, but its count is now rising faster than other schools in the region. It was one of the first schools to return to in-person instruction after the pandemic, and parents appreciated that,” said Renée.

“Kayenta Community School is renowned for its athletic department. The children like all of the sports offerings – and all of the winning seasons. When we visited our other affiliated site in the area, Shonto Preparatory School, our volunteer coordinators said that the school bus for Kayenta drives right up to the Shonto school grounds, and children who live in the Shonto community climb on and are taken to Kayenta to participate in their well-known sports program.”

Our former volunteer coordinator, Lora, (left) poses for a photo with Kendrick and Kris.

“As I entered the front door, I was stopped by a woman named Lora who told me that she was the Children Incorporated coordinator before our current coordinator, Mae. I remembered working with Lora, and I greeted her warmly, happy to see a familiar face,” said Renée.

“Lora explained that, unfortunately, Mae was out for the day — there had been an outbreak of COVID-19 in the Kayenta dormitory where Mae worked, and as Lora was speaking with us, the dorm was in the process of closing in an effort to halt the spread of the infection. Parents, guardians, and relatives in distant areas were being instructed to come to the dorm and take their students home. Lora was not sure how long things would be closed.”

Meeting Kendrick

“Additionally, the school was in disruption due to renovations that had begun during summer break, but were still not finished. The desks for those in the main office (the principal, secretary, etc.) had been temporarily moved to the library. Nonetheless, Lora invited me to come inside to have a tour of the building and grounds. For my arrival, Lora and Mae had previously chosen a student to be our tour guide, and I was very excited to meet him,” said Renée.

“Kendrick was one of the most well-spoken children I’ve ever met. He was not fazed in the least at meeting and escorting two strangers around the school, and he was unintentionally hilarious because he took his job so seriously. At each area, he would calmly pause and say, “Yes, as you see…”

“After the tour, we thanked Kendrick for being such an excellent guide, and we said goodbye to Lora — although I didn’t have the opportunity to meet with the other students at the school, Kendrick had done a wonderful job in putting a smile on my face,” said Renée.

***

How do I sponsor a child with Children Incorporated?

SPONSOR A CHILD

Shelley Callahan | July 9, 2023En Español

In this edition of our Stories of Hope blog series, our Director of U.S. Programs, Renée Kube continues her visits to our affiliated sites in Arizona, where she meets with administrators at Greyhills Academy to talk about how the school is helping children prepare for the future and how our sponsorship goes a long way in supporting those efforts.

“If parents choose Greyhills, then their children could maintain their sponsors’ support and encouragement through high school graduation.”

Getting to know Greyhills

“Greyhills Academy High School is located in Tuba City, a busy and bustling place on the Navajo reservation. When I first contacted our volunteer coordinator, Roger, about the proposed site visit in late 2022, he said the school’s pandemic policy does not allow visitors on school grounds at this time. I proposed that Roger and I have an off-site meeting at a local restaurant, and he readily agreed.”

“Despite the different surroundings and my disappointment at not seeing any of the students, we had an excellent meeting. Roger explained that their Governing Board had voted to go on lockdown back in March 2020 and had not lifted that order until this 2022-2023 school year. Greyhills was not only fully virtual during the rest of the 2019-2020 school year, but remained virtual through the 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 school years as well. There was no hybrid option.”

Adjusting after the pandemic

Students at Greyhills Academy are benefiting thanks to theirs sponsors.

“Roger said in-person instruction returned on August 9, 2022. The school has daily temperature checks, maintains social distancing, and does vigorous contact tracing. So far there have been no outbreaks of COVID-19, although they were concerned at the time about rising influenza and RSV.”

“Roger says two other staff help him with our sponsorship program: Lee, the school’s Special Education teacher and Zelda, the Homeliving Manager. He’s grateful for their support to run our program smoothly.”

“The school’s enrollment is currently 197 students in grades 9th through 12th. The student to teacher ratio is 10:1. Roger was very proud to share that the graduation rate is over 90%, and he attributes this to the high level of attention and instruction. Yet, Roger still expressed his concern about the impact of the pandemic on their students and families – enrollment has declined 23% over the past five years.”

A wonderful partnership

“One of the developments Roger was happy to share was a partnership between the high school and Arizona State University. Juniors and seniors can take engineering classes through a portal called ASU Prep Digital. The students get a taste of how a college course feels while earning college credits. Roger said the students are hungry to learn and are so appreciative of the opportunity.”

“Native American students are underrepresented on college campuses. Demographic data shows that only 3.5% of people who live on Arizona’s reservations have earned a bachelor’s degree or higher. Programs like ASU’s can make high school students more confident and ready.”

“Roger also shared that this year the school is beginning an initiative to recruit more students in an organized and purposeful way. In the past, the administration would usually sit back and let parents come to them, and they had plenty of students. But with the pandemic and sharply declining enrollment, they must work to spread the word of the benefits that Greyhills Academy High School has to offer. In addition to the personal attention from faculty and staff, the school offers student learning opportunities, STEM programs, and the Miss Greyhills Pageant.”

“Roger and I both agreed that Children Incorporated’s sponsorship program is one of those benefits and advantages that the school has to offer. Several of the elementary schools that feed into Greyhills are also affiliated with our organization. Thus, if parents choose Greyhills, then their children could maintain their sponsors’ support and encouragement through high school graduation.”

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How do I sponsor a child with Children Incorporated?

SPONSOR A CHILD

Shelley Callahan | July 4, 2023En Español

In late 2022, when our Director of U.S. Programs, Renée Kube, was getting the chance to visit our affiliated sites again after two years, she found that many of them, especially in the Navajo Nation region of the country, were still adjusting since the pandemic. Although for Renée it meant restrictions on seeing children in the schools, it didn’t deter her from having much-anticipated meetings with our volunteer coordinators, and getting to see the schools in person after a few years of not traveling.

Today, we hear from Renée about her trip to Tuba Boarding School in Arizona, where she got a better idea of how administrators and students are adjusting to new rules and regulations regarding the handling of COVID-19.

Today, we hear from Renée about her trip to Tuba Boarding School in Arizona, where she got a better idea of how administrators and students are adjusting to new rules and regulations regarding the handling of COVID-19.

Hearing from Renée

“Tuba City Boarding School is named after the city in which it is located, which is a hub for business and connections across the reservation. As I approached the main office, I could see colorful Halloween decorations, which I’m sure the children enjoyed. A banner hung on the fence announced Red Ribbon Week. This is the largest drug and alcohol awareness and prevention program in the country, sponsored by the National Family Partnership. The children wear red ribbons and distribute them to family members, and also participate in activities ranging from essay and poster contests, to decorating school doors, to fun runs and more,” said Renée.

“After I signed in, the receptionist ushered me into a meeting room. I was shortly joined by our volunteer coordinator, Valli; her assistant, Elvira, and the principal, Mr. Coffland.”

Tuba Boarding School exterior view

“Tuba City Boarding School has a very old and established affiliation with Children Incorporated. The boarding school was established in 1898. It was moved twice before finding its permanent site in 1901. From its beginnings through the 1940s, the boarding school was operated by the U.S. Army. After that, it came under the direction of the Department of the Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA). Some of the old buildings are still in use. There is a growing awareness of the abuses and injustices that many Native American children experienced in the BIA boarding school system, but this is not addressed on the school’s web site. The community may recognize that the boarding schools did harm in the past, but at present, they also serve a purpose that many parents need and value for their children’s education and welfare,” explained Renée.

Home of the Thunderbirds

“This is also one of the largest schools we serve in the United States. The enrollment is about 1,135 children in grades DK (developmental kindergarten for ‘young five year olds,’ with birthdays from June through December) through 8th grade. The DK offers structured learning opportunities, but at a slower pace that includes more play and rest times than regular kindergarten. The school’s demographics are 100% Native American from 100% low income families. The school is divided into ‘educational thirds’: Little Thunderbird Academy for pre-kindergarten to 2nd grade; Rising Thunderbird Academy for 3rd to 5th grades; and Thunderbird Academy for 6th through 8th graders.”

“At present, the majority of the children are day students. In part due to the pandemic and worries about spreading the virus in close proximity, the residential hall’s enrollment has declined to just 20 children. Mr. Coffland was able to use some of the federal pandemic grants to implement some badly needed improvements in the dorms, primarily to the HVAC and the bathrooms. There is also a new playground. And the athletic fields were improved with new sod and a sprinkler system. He feels these improvements will make the residential hall a more attractive option for parents who are deciding where to enroll their children who need a residential facility during the week as well as schooling,” said Renée.

Thanks to their sponsors, children at Tuba Boarding School are receiving much-needed support throughout the year.

“Our meeting opened with the principal stating the school’s pandemic policy included no visitors beyond the reception area. In their ongoing efforts to stop transmission of the virus, visitors could not have contact with students, nor could they go into the classrooms or dorms. Mr. Coffland explained he is being extremely cautious and is trying to keep the children in school and healthy, as well as protect their families.”

“During our meeting, Valli also shared that Elvira, who had formerly helped only with shopping trips, is now doing more. Mr. Coffland then said that Elvira will be a big help to Valli in the upcoming school year, and that the two of them should be able to begin enrolling more children. All three expressed their appreciation for our organization and all of our sponsors,” explained Renée.

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How do I sponsor a child with Children Incorporated?

SPONSOR A CHILD