Love Is a Verb

Jul 14, 2011 | Community Impact

We say we love our neighbors and this summer we’re actually going to love our neighbors. We’re planning to paint an enormous mural at a local public school– just a simple gift of beauty to our community. We’ll also organize classrooms to benefit teachers who are making equal opportunity a reality, and offer some brush-up tutoring and fun activities over the summer to help students keep their academic edge.

We’re really excited to welcome Tim Parsley to design this mural. At right is an example of a mural he designed in Kenya.

Below is a schedule of opportunities we’re providing to make a difference in Upper Manhattan. You’re welcome to help any of these days, or for part of a day, or for all of these days! And if you aren’t interested in church, no worries– that’s not what these projects are about. We’re not pushing an agenda, just serving. If you share our commitment to the arts, education, students, and families, then come roll up your sleeves and prove it!

Here’s the schedule:

July 21 & 22, For the Schools: Organizing and cleaning classrooms at Muscota Elementary. Prepping and outlining the mural at Inwood Hill Academy.

July 23, Use Your Brain Saturdays: We’re offering two fun workshops (the second on 8/13), free of charge to neighborhood students. Students will brush up on academics through educational games, and also participate in special interest activities like Sports, Art, and Video Production.

July 27, 28, & 29, For the Schools: More service at the schools, and we’ll finish the mural by adding color– we’ll transform it from a black-on-white outline (sort of a giant coloring-book page) into a colorful work of art!

August 11, 12, 13, For the Schools: At Inwood Hill Academy, we’ll fix desks, move furniture, and prepare classrooms for a new year.

August 13, Use Your Brain Saturdays: Once again, we’ll provide fun and academics to help students get their minds warmed up for the school year.

To get involved: Contact Us.

More Math Please

May 11, 2011 | Community Impact

What 5th Grader asks for more math? We could hardly believe our ears when the kids we’ve been tutoring started asking for more.

“Can I come to the Monday group too?” asked a boy in our Saturday group.

“Since it’s Spring break next week, can we meet for longer?”

Really?!

Actually, its not that surprising. Children need attention from caring adults like they need food. Anyone can help a kid practice flashcards, but not everyone is willing to give the time. Everyday Church volunteers listened, encouraged, joked around, played, and actually taught some math too.

It doesn’t hurt if you try to make the math interesting and fun. Check out this silly short we made with some of the students to help teach some tips for, “Doing Our Best On the Test”:

We played that video at our final session before the NY State Math Exam, and then brought the kids with their parents into the cafeteria for cake to celebrate all their hard work. They walked into a room pulsing with African drum rhythms, performed by the Drum Cafe. There were dozens of djembes placed throughout the room– one for each person. Drum Cafe led us through a series of rhythms, culminating in jam session where a number of students got to show off their beats. Behind the music, there was a message to those kids, spoken by the presence of parents, teachers, and tutors, much louder than words: you matter, and there are a lot of adults who care about your success.

This won’t be the last time we do something like this. Stay tuned for ways that you can get involved in the future!