Bayshore Christian Ministries was established to serve the children and teens who live in East Palo Alto and East Menlo Park, California. Regardless of race, religion, ability, or ethnic origin, Bayshore strives to help them grow into healthy adults that will positively influence their families and community. This year, BCM hired seven local young adults to run the summer programs. The interns arrived in late June for training which was offered in partnership with another local nonprofit, Able Works. They ended their summer with a retreat where they reflected on their new abilities to work better on teams, solve problems more effectively and communicate clearly to their supervisors. We are prayerful that these job skills gained will serve them well into their future. Two other young summer leaders are of special note and are both alumnae of BCM programs. Sammetra Daniels returned from New York where she works with at risk youth, to be our Summer Bible Club Outreach Assistant. And, Jazmin Perez, a sophomore at Ohio University, returned as our Creative Arts Coordinator. We're so thankful for their support, and so proud of all they have accomplished so far. There were many highlights this year. One of our interns, Jorge Peraza learned he could be used to change a child's life in the classroom. The girl's name was Daniela. Jorge noticed she was extremely shy around new people, and didn't want to give answers when called on in class, even though she knew the answer. Her apprehension may have been caused by a lack of self-confidence developed when she was held back in the first grade. When Jorge discovered this, he thought about what he could do to make all of his students feel comfortable contributing in class. He began to research online, and found out if he arranged the seating in a certain way, it would minimize distractions in the classroom. After implementing that simple change, and intentionally working with Daniela, Jorge noticed a difference. Daniela understood much of the curriculum, and even raised her hand to answer the questions. Jorge was so excited to be affirmed as a teacher and mentor of the students he was entrusted with this summer. And, he learned a valuable lesson: if something isn't working, put in the effort to try to change it. You might just change the situation--and change someone's life! HIS Foundation is a registered non-profit in Hong Kong that provides continuous long term support to China. HIS Foundation high school scholarship program provides an unique opportunity for poor students from rural area to continue their education. The annual Youth Camp is part of the HIS Foundation education program that allows our scholarship students to attend and learn various life skills such as team building, sharing, planning and execution. It is very beneficial for character building. Most students have never attended similar activities before. The positive impact on students can be long lasting. The students attended the camp are high school students with good academic standing but from poor families in rural China. They are also current recipients of high school scholarships from HIS Foundation. This is the first time these students attended a youth camp. The camp provides an unique opportunity for character building. It also has many fun fitted indoor and outdoor activities. The program helps the students to plan for their future. Outing and field trips during the camp provide students with another opportunity to engage with their counselors and teachers. The activities also give students a chance to help one another. Group discussions under guidance of teachers give opportunities for exchange of ideas and sharing of experience. The positive impact on students can be long lasting. During these discussions we focus on making decisions, planning, and execution. Lecturers included college professors, engineers, and nurses. Besides providing scholarship, HIS Foundation organizes Youth Camp for the students to help in character building and development of life skills. Testimonials from students “I learnt that being thankful is very important in life. I am thankful for all our teachers came so far from different parts of the world to teach and share with us. Thank you." “In the beginning of the camp I was still troubled by the tension of study and life. However through the activities of the youth camp I felt relief and I could enjoy life again." “What we learnt in this five short days seems to be more than what we learnt in school for the past 10 years, much more. We really benefit a lot." "In this youth camp, we are like a family and the walls between us broke down. We talk and laugh together. We climb the mountain and labor together. We encourage each other. We watch the beautiful scenery together. We grow together in face of adversaries." Our 2014 Annual Report is here! For the third year in a row, we are providing our donors with a behind the scenes look at all TFISH programs. Visit www.report.tfishfund.org
We have had an incredible year of accomplishments here at Transparent Fish Fund, but we could not have done any of this without YOU. Check out our annual report for stories of inspiration and love from your acts of charity. Thank you for joining in our mission to alleviate poverty in Asia. We hope you continue to support us in 2015! |
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