Tutors needed for STARS After-School Program

Did you know that one of the leading indicators of whether a child will be involved in the court system as an adult is their third grade reading level?

Because we believe that part of helping kids grow to mature, responsible Christian adulthood is helping them value their education and succeed academically, we are working on a new initiative in our STARS tutoring times to help kids improve their reading skills. We're excited at helping these kids hone a skill that will enrich their entire lives.

But - we need help! We're aiming to get one tutor for each of the 40 children currently enrolled in our STARS programs. From high school age on up - if you can read and you can show up, then we believe you can help a kid. Training begins in late November.

Tutors can come on Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday afternoons for just 45 minutes. Times vary slightly but fall between 2:30-4:30 each week. Why not join us and impact a kid's life forever? Email us at scyministries@gmail.com, or call our office at (937)325-6183.

OX Roast Pics!

The OX Roast was a blast. The kids enjoyed the jumpers, Buckeye Hunt, and making bracelets.

God gave us a beautiful day, and lots of hungry SCYM fans.

Jeff Nelson comments; OX ROAST 2009 a big success!

Well, this is my first official post to our ministry blog.  After a fruitful ministry with the Projeto Resgate street childrens ministry in Brazil, my wife Tiffany and I, along with our four kids Caleb (12), Michaela (10), Joshua (8) and Samuel (6) have settled back here in Springfield.  You can check out our family blog to learn more about that.

I am really blessed to be a part of SCYM, and see the exciting things that God is doing and has done in this ministry.  I run the STARS after school program, as well as Wise Guys mentoring groups for Jr. High boys, and Kid Can! Summer Day camp.  We have some exciting things planned for this year.  Next week STARS will  begin at Westside Christian Community and at High Street Church of the Nazarene.  We hope to have about 25 kids coming from Snyder Park Elementary to Westside, and about 32 coming from Kenwood Elementary to High Street.

Today we had an answer to prayer regarding transportation for High Street.  The church bus only has seats for 21, and I have been trying to figure out how we were going to get the remaining 11 or so students to the program.  After checking into a few options, I talked to my friend Captain Steve Carroll at The Salvation Army, and he said they would be happy to partner with us and let us use one of their 11 passenger vans on Wednesdays.  God is good!   

Our annual OX Roast is now history, and was a big success.  We had about 300 donors and other friends from the community join us at Faith in Christ Lutheran Church for some great food, good music, a cool Buckeye Hunt and other activities.  Thank you to all who participated and gave to help us this year.  Look for OX Roast pictures in my next post.

Jeff Nelson

Associate Director SCYM

One hand at a time

A few weeks back at Kids Can! Summer Day Camp, I helped some kids learn how to make candles. Hot wax + no air conditioning + active little kids = as much excitement as you'd expect. (The kids did a great job, and their business, Downtown Candle Co., made a great product.)

On one of our first days of business, I took the kids to a craft store to buy candle supplies. This involved the necessary “research” of smelling every scent of candle to the point of possibly permanent wax buildup on their noses. Also, a lot of touching everything on every shelf. But, on with the story.

A five-year-old boy I’ll call Donny, a sweet, funny, and dare I say Extremely Active little guy, was part of my candle-shopping group. Donny was one of our kids from Interfaith Hospitality Network, whose family had hit hard times and was homeless. As I called Donny’s name – often – to rein him in from destroying anything valuable in the store, he caught my director’s heart off guard when, at one point, he reached his five-year-old hand up and put it in mine.

Reaching for a hand. It was a very simple, unexpected gesture. I do it with my three-year-old daughter often, but rarely with kids from the ministry. It said to me that Donny was hungry for attention and affection, even when he was being reined in and under a little scrutiny.

It struck me that Donny and every kid will outgrow the desire to have their hand held – but that they won’t outgrow the need to have their hand held. Not literally, of course – they quickly become too big, too cool, and too independent for that. But holding a hand symbolizes a lot of things – things that kids both younger and older still need, and that the staff at SCYM, both paid and volunteer, are there to give.

Guidance. That hand they hold helps keep a kid from going down the wrong aisle, from darting out in a parking lot, and from heading down a dangerous path.

Balance. My three-year-old is a great walker, but her knees are just a mess in the summertime from spills and scrapes on the sidewalk. If I hold her hand, I won’t keep her from tripping, but I can help catch her before she really gets hurt. Adults who walk alongside kids are there to help kids before they get into really disastrous, hurtful situations and provide some balance in their lives.

Reassurance. We all need the freedom to explore, but the reassurance of knowing we’re not alone. Kids need to have a consistent, caring adult presence. Someone safe to talk to, who will be there over the long haul. Period.

Safety. Presence. Fun. Correction. Encouragement. There are so many others. What’s more, each of us, no matter how big, strong or independent, needs to hold a hand that’s bigger than ours – the Father’s.

How can you grab a kid’s hand? How can you come alongside and give reassurance, balance, or guidance? Never underestimate the importance of a hand.

Faith Bosland
Executive Director

Ox Roast 2009!

On Saturday, September 12th from 5:00-7:00 pm at Faith in Christ Lutheran Church, SCYM will be hosting our 12th annual Ox Roast! Come out to Northridge and eat delicious food before the big OSU game! There will be delicious roast beef and sides; live music provided by Rick L. James (www.rickjamesmusic.net); activities for kids; and a silent auction including YMCA family membership and many other items.

The Ox Roast is a terrific opportunity to help support SCYM and the kids we serve! If you would like to contribute to this year's event, click here and write "Ox Roast" in the message field.

Kids Can! Summer Day Camp 2009 Article

"Small" Business Owners Combine Faith and Entrepreneurship

Looking like typical 7- and 9-year-old brothers, Anthony and Alex (names changed) came to Kids Can! Summer Day Camp excited to have fun, make new friends, and become entrepreneurs in their own small businesses. Not so typical is the fact that Anthony and Alex's family is struggling with homelessness and recently came to stay at Interfaith Hospitality Network. Asked what their favorite part of Summer Day Camp is, they said "I liked making and selling our products" and "I liked learning about God and Jesus."

This year SCYM provided 27 children from Springfield City Schools, about one -third from IHN, with four weeks - twenty-five hours a week - of fun, faith-building activities, opportunities to learn about business and make and sell their own products, and most of all relationships with caring adults and older youth who show them the love of Christ. Unique aspects of the entrepreneurship camp included testimonies from local business people about how their faith impacts their business; teaching times about faith, honesty, and using money wisely; lessons from Junior Achievement; micro-loans from Fifth Third Bank (where the kids enjoyed sending drive-thru tubes!); and a camp store at City Hall Plaza on July 14-15.

Praise the Lord for four weeks that Alex and Anthony (and others) will never forget. They have glimpsed God's love and promise for them, and have seeds of hope planted for their futures!

Earlier this week

Pastor Iz led in worship. He taught us some fun camp songs and about greed vs. generosity. Then the students divided into their businesses to complete their products, package, price and put the finishing touches on their posters for advertising. The also went to the playground and played football, elbow tag and four square. They ended the day by eating popsicles!

Angie