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Stories of change is the newsletter for Monroe Youth Challenge Program.
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Stories of Change
August
2008
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Adults make profound impact | |
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. . .on next generation at Challenge Day
 If
there were ever a day you would wake up ready to shout, "I
feel great, oh, I feel so great!" your day as an adult
volunteer at Challenge Day would be the day. If you don't
wake up saying that the leaders will have you chanting it
with dozens of anxious teenagers around you covertly looking
to you for leadership in this game called life.While some volunteer to be generous of their time and talent, others find they receive more than they gave in the insight to life and improved ability to communicate from the heart. This day can't happen without the support of curious, respectful adults.
Please follow this link
http://www.monroe.k12.fl.us/
Volunteers are needed:
Monday, Sept. 8 at Marathon High School Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Sept. 9 - 11 at Key West High School Monday and Tuesday, Sept. 15-16 at Coral Shores High School
For more information contact the MYCP representative for
each school: In the Upper Keys - Michele Sutter at (305)
852-1664 or
jade21@bellsouth.net; Middle Keys - Katrina Wiatt at
(305) 743-3684 or
wiatts@terranova.net; Lower Keys and Key West - Mindy
Vinson at (305) 293-1549 x422 or
mindy.vinson@keysschools.com.
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Along came a snook | |
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Before you sit, take a look
 Part
of a State Farm grant allowed MYCP to work with high school
students, elementary students, and the Village of Islamorada to
create mosaic benches at Plantation Hammocks Preserve. Damaged
by hurricanes in years past, the park has benefited from the
mitigation efforts of students who re-planted the park with
native shrubs and trees.
This year, with the help of Treasure Village Montessori
Teacher Diana McGuirk-Hille, students in the 4th-, 5th-, and
6th-Grade drew pictures of scenes familiar to the Keys with
sunsets, sailboats, and fish. Then they turned them into a
cut-glass mosaic park bench for the public to enjoy. The
heavy concrete bases were made my high school students at
Coral Shores. In all, the park located next to Founder's
Park has six new benches.
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Windows a big 'hit' | |
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at TVM Earth Day
Of course the students could not break the windows. They became
cracked but they never broke through. Iit was the most popular
activity of the day. "Even our staff stayed to watch because it
was so much fun," Kellie Pardo said.
Afterwards the Pardo's gave a talk about code plus and the construction of the windows as well as the importance of being ready for a storm. |
Joe
and Kellie Pardo' of Keys Tropical Windows brought sets of hurricane
windows and set them up on the deck. The kids lined up and took
turns trying to bust the windows with a baseball bat. It was a HUGE
hit - no pun intended. |
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Where are they now? Javier Arbolaez. | |
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From self starter to starting line up
 The
four years Arbolaez spent at Coral Shores he was "the big man on
campus." Wherever he went a charisma filled the room. Known for
raising himself, he held his peers' respect as much then as he does
today.
Challenge Day helped Javi open up and talk to people. He says,
"It helped me make myself feel comfortable around other people -
especially going to Ohio."
After graduating in 2004 he went to Kenyon College in Ohio and
played running back on the starting line up for the Lords foot
ball team. After three years and a foot injury, he's back in
South Florida for foot surgery and plans to return for his
senior year.
Lords' Head Coach Ted Stanley said, "Javi is a strong leader for
us - he led by example and worked hard on his academics." Javi
averaged 6.9 yards a carry. "Most people don't average 4. What
he could get done was something pretty spectacular," Stanley
said.
Richie Russell, athletic director at Coral Shores adds, "First
and foremost Javier is a great kid with a wonderful work ethic
and gifted athletically. We feel real good about the things he's
accomplished," Russell said.
MYCP Director Sunny Booker remembers Javi at the first Challenge
Day held in combination with Coral Shores and arch rival
Marathon, "Javi made a commitment to not let football be about
rivals."
Over the years, she watched him hug opponents because he
remembered them from that Challenge Day. "He would even
physically step in to stop fights on campus. He kept his
promise," she adds.
As a major in history and sociology with consideration of going
on to law school, Javi says, "Challenge Day definitely had an
impact on me. I was pretty closed minded. There were only
certain things I agreed with but at Challenge Day I met so many
different people. Now I understand different cultures and listen
to see how I can help them with their problems."
He stays in touch with some of his former teachers with personal
visits or comments on his MySpace page. Even his coach at Lords
says "He is a guy that has a big heart."
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* * *
School is back in session -- the perfect time to address
bullying and other prevention issues for a safer school
year. Please join us at Challenge Day and meet an amazing
freshman class.
Sincerely,
Sunny Booker
phone: (305) 293-1400 ext. 53319 |
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We
are grateful to honor
