The Gallery After School Program

During 2014, I had the wonderful chance to start an after school program.  We have been going since January of this year.  We started off with 11 students.  However this program is pretty strict and I ask a lot of the students, finish homework, to read at least 10 mins, etc, and it didn't work for some students.  I started with two schools, in two different school districts.  (If I had to start again, this would have been something to avoid).  The schools had different schedules and different guidelines on how to act.  For instance the school in Oklahoma City Public School District always gave homework, their teachers talked to me regularly and the students were better behaved.  Obviously they all like to have fun, but sometimes it isn't the right time.  The other school did not give homework all the time, they didn't like to read and it was really tough for me to get them to read.  Since then however, the students can read 20 mins (mostly) silently.  Two students have a hard time reading to themselves, so I have them partner read and read aloud.  This helps them work together and they can develop a better ear to hear words that do not sound quite right.  So far I have seen a slight difference in their ability to read, it is getting smoother and they read.  Some overall successes that have happened in the last few weeks is that we received a box of books from my home church near Seattle, Wa.  They all got to open it together, and you would have thought it was full of sweets and fun things not just books, by the way they got sooooooo excited!! =D  The students worked together to create a play and perform it for their families.  It was adorable and they all were really excited about the outcome.  We talked about holy week, shared in a love feast, made a canvas cross together, that was displayed in church on Easter.  The students have also helped me start a vegetable garden outside of the church, and plants are actually growing.  We talked about Mexican Independence Day (Cinco de Mayo) by creating little pinatas.  My supervisor came in a talked about what the meaning of a pinata is and how we can use the meaning in our lives.  On of the students when asked why they come to The Gallery said because it makes us brave.  Since January we have had 5 students become student of the month at school, many of them have had 100% homework turned in, 100% attendance, honor roll, and the best part is that most of them who had to take the third grade reading test passed! That was such a joy to see.  Looking to the future many people are excited that this is turning into a literacy program.  Our summer program is based off of literacy.  As we continue to plan for the future prayers are encouraged, for the students to continue to succeed and for volunteers to feel called to work with the students.

Below are some pictures from the past two sessions of The Gallery.

                                          Painting Class! (first session)

                                           Dance Class (first session)

                                              Art Project with Volunteer Shirley (second session)

                                                Finished art project with Shirley (Second Session)

                                                After smashing the pinatas, the destroyed pinatas!