Programs

Some Special Programs for the Kids

 

Originally posted on Sunday, November 30, 2014

 
Now I had been at Proyecto de Vida for two weeks.  On the first page, I gave a tour of the facility.  The second page was about the kids and their day-to-day routines.  Now, I’ll tell you about some special programs that I had the pleasure of participating in.
            
I was asked by readers to share some success stories.  Proyecto de Vida was only started about 6 years ago, and none of the kids have reached the age of 18 yet.  Still, the successes come, one small success at a time, contributing to future possibilities as expressed by founder Eduardo:

At Proyecto de Vida, education is very important, and several of the kids are on the honor role.  However, the success of the whole person is more than just learning in school.  It’s also about encouraging growth in the confidence and character of each of these children, and about exploring and developing individual talent.  To do this with 27 children means trying a lot of new things together as a family, and having special programs helps them do that.

Of course, none of this would be possible without the loving support of the office coordinators, the workers here in the house, and volunteers who come from near and far to help the kids achieve success in many little ways.  As I go through some of the special programs here, I’ll also introduce you to some people who really love the kids and who took very good care of me during my stay here at Proyecto de Vida.

I’ll begin with the tutoring program, helping the kids to be successful in school.  I participated in this program by helping the kids with their English homework and providing extra practice in English using technology.
Weekend coordinator Gustavo is a caring tutor
Practicing English with one of the girls
The kids love vocabulary games!
Spiritual development is also important.  On the weekends, we take the kids to church.
One of the beautiful local churches
In addition to the weekly soccer program, there are groups that visit regularly when the kids are out of school, bringing other children to play soccer and other games here with the kids.
Fabulous cook Naty looks out to see the cars of arriving visitors
Playing a board game
Playing soccer with other children

Adult visitors and volunteers provide additional and much-loved parental figures for the kids:


 There are activities in the library, which has volunteers who organize the books and read stories:
Wonderful library volunteer
The library is also where the kids can express themselves through art projects:
Talented worker Carmelita helps boys with painting
Clay sculptures created by the kids
In our computer lab, a percussionist comes to work with the kids, too:
The kids develop rhythm using plastic cups

The joy of music is encouraged in the house, too.
One of the girls plays piano
The little ones enjoy music practice, too
I’d like to introduce Julio, from Cuba, a high-energy young man who works with the older boys on the weekends.  He’s playing guitar on the left with two volunteers who graciously share their time and musical talents with the kids.

Here, one of the other talented volunteer musicians plays and sings with the younger boys.

Last week, lots of music practice was needed, because the kids were on centre stage at a Christmas tree lighting ceremony at a large hotel in the city of Queretaro.
I'd like to stay in this hotel one day!
"Carols with the Kids from the Proyecto de Vida House"
The evening began like this:
In the hotel dining room
With weekday coordinator Asucena, Carmelita, Naty, and Director Albertina, who facilitated my volunteer time here
Writing letters to Santa
Older children help the younger ones write to Santa
Then there was a visit from Santa:
Boys with Santa
Girls with Santa
After that, the kids nervously prepared to go on stage.
One of the girls gets an encouraging hug from Asucena
"Now where do I go?"
Ready!
Finally, the kids began their performance!
The Christmas tree waits to be lit
Here, the older boys play recorders:

Singing Christmas songs
The rotating light colors caused differently colored photos, but it also hid faces well as required by Mexican law
Here, you can hear the voices of the kids as the hotel plays a projection of Christmas scenes:

Which each performance, the applause grew louder.  It was a special night, and another success for the kids of Proyecto de Vida.

On the next page is my final blog entry for Proyecto de Vida,  I wrote more about the current needs of the project and about how the good people of Queretaro, Mexico are helping the kids on their way to the future.

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