Casa Chirilagua

Kids Club exists to strengthen our children’s academic skills while at the same time instilling in them a knowledge of and love for Jesus Christ.  We strive to create a safe, stable, and loving environment where children can receive the academic support they need.  At the same time, our goal is for them to grow in the the truth, care, and love of Jesus through Bible-based lessons and the life and love of the volunteers.

During the 2011-2012 school year, Kids Club meets Monday – Friday at a local church in the neighborhood, Beverley Hills Community United Methodist Church.  Thanks to generosity of this church, we were able to expand the Kids Club program to include 1st-5th grade as well as triple our numbers from previous years. From the hours of 3pm – 5:30pm, the students are fed a nutritious snack (with produce donations from a local organic market), engage in an applicable Bible lesson, receive tutoring and homework assistance, participate in reading or literacy enrichment activities, and have time for recreation.  We also integrate music and art into our time together on a regular basis.

Mentoring
Also during the week, our in-home mentor volunteers go into the homes of the students for one-on-one tutoring, reading and relationship building.  Besides giving each student more individualized attention, this structure helps increase the parents’ involvement in their children’s education.  It also help us be better attuned to the needs of our families.  Currently we have 37 in-home tutors that meet with children in the neighborhood for at least one hour every week.

Field Trips
Kids Club also provides opportunities for the children to go on special field trips.  For the 2011-2012 school year, we plan on going to the pumpkin patch, the bowling alley, ice-skating, mini-golfing, Great Country Farms, hiking, a Nats Game,  Smithsonian museums and to several other places of interest.  These are trips that the students look forward to and are often a reward for consistent attendance, good behavior, and meeting reading goals.

Bible
During the 2010-2011 school year  we studied what it means to make peace God’s way.  While there are many ways to respond to conflict, we taught the children how to respond in a way that brings peace and glorifies God, instead of attacking or running away.  The children enjoyed learning through discussions, role-playing, Bible study, and application to real life situations.  For the 2011-2012 school year we are diving into the “Jesus Storybook Bible” and providing the children a fresh (or first time!) glimpse of who Jesus is, both as the center of God’s great redemption story, and also as the center of their own story.

Community Service
Another desire of Kids Club is teaching the kids what it means to be a servant.  As we look to Christ’s example to serve, we too should do the same. Kids Club students are participating in monthly community service activities (canned food drive, nursing home visits, etc.) during Kids Club hours and are encouraged to look for ways to serve the community on their own time.

Leaders In Training (LIT)
In order to develop and equip a rising class of leaders before they enter middle school, we piloted the LIT program during the 2010-2011 school year.  The progra offers opportunities to develop the leadership skills of higher achieving 5^th grade Kids Club students. Students fill out an application to be in the program and commit to a certain level of responsibility. This year we are further developing the program to include structured monthly trainings, T-shirts and team-building excursions (i.e. ropes course, weekend retreat, end of the year reward trip). For the 2011-2012 school year we have choosen 5 qualified students who will help the 1^st-3^rd graders in Kids Club with reading and homework, help set up snack, and even help teach lessons.

There are currently 37 children attending Kids Club for the 2011-2012 school year; however, there is still a growing waiting list.  Because our goal is to have a one-to-one ratio of volunteers to students during the homework and reading time, our ability to meet the needs of the children is dependent on the number of volunteers that we have.  Please consider partnering with us and impacting the life of a child by emailing emily@casachirilagua.org.

wishlist

• Transportation Roster!

  With more kids comes transportation growing pains! Please offer to be either a driver or loan your vehicle or both to help make field-trips possible.

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• Kids Club Choir and Drama has begun!

  It’s been over a month since we started Choir and Drama groups, and it’s been a fantastic start. Here’s what our teachers have to say… Kids Club Choir This Spring in Alexandria you will hear more than birds singing.  You can hear the voices of children joined together in song.  The kids are learning about [...]

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• Mentors and Small Group Assistants Needed

  Fall ’11 and will need: 21 new mentors for incoming elementary school students and Assistants for small groups. Commitment Mentoring: One-on-one  for 1 hour per week. Small Group Assistant: 1-2 hours per week plus time preparing for small group meetings and connecting with kids during the week. (For 4th, 5th, and Middle School groups)

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• Flexible, 1hr per week, ongoing

  In-Home Mentors

  Mentors needed to impact the life of a child through relationship building and academic support.

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• Weekdays, Mon-Fri, 3pm-5:30pm, Ongoing

  Kids Club Volunteers

  Homework help and reading buddies needed

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