MCH Family Outreach in Houston out in the community

Staff from MCH Family Outreach in Houston partnered with local organizations this summer at events supporting families.

Houston staff led nurture group activities for approximately 30 children during a two-week summer camp hosted by GrandParent Support (GPS), a local nonprofit advocating for grandparent caregivers. Camp activities focused on skill-building, development of self-confidence, leadership, teamwork, and communication.

MCH provided activities to help children become more self-aware, such as learning calming techniques, using a stress ball, doing an “engine check” to identify their feelings, and personal journaling. Children participated in nurture group activities such as giving and receiving care using Band-Aids, learning about the impact of negative words, and performing a hand-knot to demonstrate problem-solving.

“The children responded well and were excited to participate each day,” said Nicole Washington, case manager for MCH Family Outreach in Houston. “I feel they were enlightened and encouraged to really think about how they treat themselves and their peers, families and community. I enjoyed the experience!”

Staff members Washington, Monica Aguillon-LaFargue and Larysheia Harris participated in other back-to-school outreach events in the community. A back-to-school expo for Spring ISD featured a family resource fair, free immunizations and giveaways. During a back-to-school health fair organized by BakerRipley community centers, hundreds of Houston families were connected to health resources, screenings, school supplies, uniforms, and additional community resources.

Freshmen Fish Camp 2019

Incoming freshmen at the charter school on the campus of Methodist Children’s Home (MCH) learned what to expect as they enter high school during Fish Camp, a freshman orientation, on July 10. Sixteen students will begin their first year at the charter school operated in partnership with The University of Texas-University Charter School system.

Michelle Arocha, executive principal, gave the students an overview of the school, went over expectations and explained transcripts and grade point averages. Additionally, she informed them of changes this upcoming school year including new teachers, schedules and school policies.

After Arocha’s presentation, students were introduced to members of the MCH Transition Services (TS) staff. TS coordinators begin meeting with MCH students their junior year to help them prepare and develop post-graduation plans, including how to apply for college and scholarships, admissions testing, taking college visits, finding a place to live, and learning independent living skills.

TS staff explained to students about life after high school and gave examples regarding cost of living expenses such as rent and phone. They also provided information on additional MCH resources available to students and stressed the importance of doing well in school in order to increase their chance of success in advanced education or the workplace.

Freshmen were given information on dual credit and career development programs available to them as upperclassmen through partnerships with Waco ISD and local colleges. Through the Greater Waco Advanced Manufacturing Academy (GWAMA), students can choose a curriculum to learn welding, construction, electronics and robotics, or architecture. By taking classes with the Greater Waco Advanced Healthcare Academy (GWAHCA), students can earn certificates as a certified nurse assistant, pharmacy technician or EKG technician.

For the final activity of Fish Camp, the group participated in team building exercises with MCH recreation staff. They closed out the day discussing what they learned during the orientation.

“I learned that you need good grades and to be on your best behavior in order to earn scholarships,” said Devion, one of the students attending Fish Camp.

Charter school students will begin the 2019-2020 school year on Aug. 19.

MCH students excel during district fine arts competition

The hard work of students from Methodist Children’s Home charter school paid off during the recent Texas Christian Athletic Fellowship (TCAF) Fine Arts Competition and One Act Play competition, with two MCH students bringing home state honors.

Students prepared their fine arts projects during afterschool programs led by the MCH recreation department. Projects were submitted in instrumental, dance, photography, and theatre. Kellie Bennet, recreation coordinator, helped the students prepare dance routines this semester. She said her dance students worked for three months perfecting their routine for competition and received an “Excellent” rating for their efforts.

“I am so proud that I hung up their award in my office so I can look at it every day,” Bennett said.

She said her solo and duet dancers also impressed her, with one soloist, Camray, awarded second place in state for the second year in a row.

“As a coach, I could not be more proud of the group of kiddos I was blessed with this season, and I can’t wait to see what next season has in store for us,” Bennett said.

Faith, a photography student, also received state honors, placing first for her photograph of the Harrell Memorial Chapel on the MCH Waco campus.

Theatre students performed “Finders Keepers” during the One Act Play competition, a drama about a couple who finds a large sum of money that they later find out belongs to a neighbor. The couple grapples with the decision on whether to return or keep the money. The play earned the theatre group a B ranking. Two individuals also received honors with Shane earning All Star First Cast and Faith earning an Honorable Mention.

“I was really proud and impressed by them during the competition because they were really nervous and it was their first time perform in in large crowd,” said Gabe Garcez, theatre instructor. “But they really excelled in their performances, and I felt it was the best they’ve done all semester.”

Ashley Kendrick, student events coordinator, said competitions such as these are a great learning experience for the students.

“Our students have worked hard this semester to either surpass last year’s accomplishments, grow their talents, or challenge themselves to try something new,” Kendrick said. “The extracurricular activities our students participated in challenge them to step out of their comfort zone at times, teaches how to be a team player, builds their self-confidence, and shows them how to reach for a goal. We are so proud of them and all that they accomplished!”

Below is a list of results:

Instrumental:

Faith C. – Excellent

Dance Solo:

Camray – Superior and 2^nd in state

Natavia – Excellent

Andy – good

Natalie – Good

Dance Duet:

Nikkie and Christina – Good

Dance Team:

Team (Natavia, Aniya, Camray, Nikkie, Andy, Christina, Lacey, Natalie) – Excellent

Photography:

Lauren – Excellent

Faith W. – Superior and 1^st in state

Alexis – Good

Kiyona – Good

Victoria – Good

Monologue:

Lacey – Excellent

Abigial – Good

One Act Play:

B ranking overall

Faith – Honorable Mention

Shane – All Star First Cast

Congratulations to all our fine arts and one act play students!

Central Texas nonprofits seeking donations for tornado relief efforts in Franklin

Methodist Children’s Home (MCH) and Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) locations in Waco and Bryan, Texas, are collaborating to collect donations from the public to support children and families of Robertson County affected by the devastating storms and tornadic activity of April 13.

According to Moe Dozier, vice president for programs at MCH, “More than 55 homes were destroyed by the storms on April 13. In times of crisis such as this, we have a unique opportunity to come alongside affected families and children and offer compassion and assistance.”

Anjuli Renold, executive director of CASA of Brazos Valley, said donations of new toys, gift cards and diapers can be dropped off this week through Friday, May 3, at CASA in Bryan and MCH locations in Waco and Bryan.

Franklin United Methodist Church will facilitate distribution to families in the Robertson County community.

“We are so grateful to these two awesome organizations that are coming together to bring joy to some of Franklin’s most vulnerable victims of the tornado,” said Rev. Polly Standing, senior pastor of Franklin United Methodist Church. “These gifts are a light in an otherwise sorrowful and dark time. With each toy, hope is being restored.”

Donations can be made at the following locations:

In Waco:
MCH Family Outreach Center
524 W. Waco Dr.
Waco, TX  76701
(M-F, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sat. 1-4 p.m.)

In Bryan:
CASA of Brazos Valley
115 N. Main St.
Bryan, TX  77803
(M-F, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.)

MCH Family Outreach
4001 E. 29th St., Suite 108
Bryan, TX  77802
(M-F, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.)

Methodist Children’s Home receives 2019 Guidestar Gold Seal

Methodist Children’s Home (MCH) again received the Gold Seal of Transparency designation from Guidestar, the world’s largest source of information on nonprofit organizations.

More than 10 million visitors visit Guidestar.com each year to find information on nonprofit organizations for the purpose of research, community collaboration and charitable giving. Less than 1 percent of nonprofits listed on Guidestar have achieved the Gold level, noted MCH President/CEO Tim Brown.

“Receiving the Gold Seal designation from Guidestar shows that Methodist Children’s Home is committed to integrity and transparency as a top-rated nonprofit organization through the way we share our goals, strategies, capabilities, and vision,” Brown said.

“As we carry out our important work of offering hope to children, youth and families across Texas and New Mexico, this designation is another assurance to our supporters, benefactors and the public that MCH is worthy of their support and trust,” he said.

MCH is also rated as a four-star charity by Charity Navigator, the highest rating available from the nation’s largest charity evaluator. MCH is accredited through the Council on Accreditation (COA), an independent, nonprofit accreditor of the full continuum of community-based behavioral health care and social service organizations in the United States and Canada.

MCH youth soar during recent field trip

Students from the Methodist Children’s Home (MCH) charter school in Waco flew through the air and faced their fears during a field trip they will never forget. Juniors and seniors from Leisa Patterson’s financial math class learned lessons in velocity and engineering during their visit on April 3 to iFly, an indoor flying experience in Austin. The charter school is operated in partnership with The University of Texas-University Charter School system and is located on the Waco campus of MCH.

Patterson planned the field trip with the help of her student Roger who initially suggested the trip. Patterson said Roger and his classmates were very excited for the opportunity to “fly.”

At the iFly center, students first attended a class to learn about the science and math behind being able to float, having to calculate the area of their body and then use that, as well as other scientific measurements, to estimate the amount of wind speed necessary to keep them afloat. After the lesson, they learned hand signals they would use to communicate during their flight. Finally, each student suited up in a flight suit, helmet and goggles to take their turn with a flight instructor in the wind tunnel.

“Most of the students did very well and all the students at least tried it,” Patterson said. “This was very big for them because many were hesitant and scared to try, but they all did. Overcoming their fear was a huge milestone for many.”

At the conclusion of the trip, the students received a goodie bag with a shirt and other items to remember their experience.

   

“I am very thankful for being allowed to take my financial math classes on this field trip,” Patterson said. “It not only gave each student a new experience to remember, but it helped them face and conquer their fears. More importantly though, they were also able to see how the math and science are applied in the real world which is something we are always striving to impress on the kids.”

School registrar named Staff of the Year

Congratulations to Shannon Fleming, school registrar with The University of Texas-University Charter School System (UT-UCS) district, for receiving the Staff of the Year Award! Fleming is in charge of two campuses in the district including the Methodist Children’s Home charter school where her office is located. The MCH charter school is on the Waco campus and operated in partnership with UT-UCS.

Fleming was chosen out of all staff members from 23 schools in the district which serves over 3,000 students. Recipients are chosen after nominations are received through a district-wide survey. Although several people were nominated this year, Fleming received numerous nominations from staff.

She was surprised in her office on March 25 by district superintendent Dr. Melissa Chavez and Fleming’s supervisor and PEIMS Coordinator Audrea Carmack with a certificate and bouquet of orange flowers.

“I was in complete shock to receive the staff of the year award for the district,” Fleming said. “It had me completely in tears. I work with so many amazing people and they are all deserving of this honor.  It just never crossed my mind that I would be nominated. It’s heartwarming to hear the things that my peers have said about me and how they feel about me as a co-worker and a person.”

Fleming has worked on the MCH campus for almost 21 years, first as an employee of MCH and then as a UT-UCS employee for the last seven years. In her current position as campus registrar, she is in charge of student records and transcripts. Michelle Arocha, executive principal at the charter school, said Fleming’s duties are crucial for the students and the school, and she does a great job at making sure they are all taken care of.

“Shannon really is the go-to person in getting student’s records,” Arocha said. “There are times when students have been in multiple schools before arriving at MCH.  Shannon tracks down those records from all schools so that we can make sure kids have accurate records. She is very precise and works hard to make sure that her schools are run accurately.”

Carmack said she appreciates Fleming’s dedication in doing her work.

“As her supervisor I just want to say Shannon is a great registrar and we love her here at UT-UCS,” Carmack said. “I’m so happy she received this award. She is always serving students and staff. She cares about the quality of her work and it shows in everything she does. I love calling Shannon because keeps a great attitude and her sense of humor always has me giggling!”

“I love what I do and honestly I just come to work and try to do my job the best I can every day and just take care of what needs to be done,” Fleming said. “That’s what we do. But with the great teams that I work with at UT-UCS and my campuses MCH and UHS each and every day, it’s not hard. We all work together to do what’s best for these kiddos and their education. That’s what it’s all about. I am so appreciative and thankful to be awarded 2018-2019 District Staff of the Year for UT-UCS.”

Youth utilize life skills during Escape Room challenge

Methodist Children’s Home residents are enjoying a new “escape room” activity challenge at the MCH Boys Ranch designed with clues that reinforce MCH Life Skills in an entertaining way.

Maegan Molnar, home life manager at the Boys Ranch, and Sarah Pitman, social work graduate intern from Baylor University, have been working since January to convert the Fern Cone building at the Ranch into the intricate escape room game consisting of Western props, activities and riddles that youth must work together to solve.

Escape rooms are popular team-building venues offering problem-solving challenges built around a story or a theme. Participants test their wits against challenging clues, puzzles and mysteries embedded in the room or series of rooms. Solving a challenge allows the participants to “escape” to the next challenge that progresses through the room. Molnar said she came up with the idea and wanted to put it together to give residents an experience where they could work on life skills as well as team building and problem solving.

 

“The kids we serve have such a wide range of interests; I really wanted to include a little something for everyone,” Molnar said. “There is an area where they have to be very observant and use critical thinking skills, an area where they go ‘fishing,’ an activity where they must use their hands and dig for a clue, and several opportunities to decode cheesy puns!”

MCH’s 10 Life Skills are: Use good words to communicate; be gentle and kind; show respect; listen and learn; understand who is in charge; accept decisions of authority; make good choices; focus and finish your work; negotiate and compromise; and build trusting relationships. Molnar said teams end up using these life skills during the challenge without even realizing it.

“The kids bounce ideas off of each other, root each other on, take turns reading clues aloud, build off each other’s notions, and essentially teach each other things,” Molnar said. “The kids are also inadvertently having a calming sensory experience so that they are not overstimulated while trying to solve puzzles. In each room there is ambient lighting, a cool fan, low background noise, and many opportunities to touch different textures through the clues and tasks they must complete.”

Participants are timed as they work to complete the escape room and discover the treasure. Molnar said it is open to Boys Ranch residents as well as MCH youth from the Waco campus. The teams from each campus with the fastest time are awarded a gift card to Sonic.

“We have set up a backdrop with props at the end of the game where participants can take their photo and add their time to the leaderboard,” she said. “We also invite any staff members from every team to participate! So far the adults have had just as much fun as the kids.”

Maegan Molnar (left) came up with the idea for the Escape Room challenge. She, along with
Sarah Pitman (right), graduate intern, created the escape room at the Boys Ranch.

  

February events at the MCH charter school

Throughout the month of February, students at the Methodist Children’s Home charter school celebrated Black History Month and participated in their first schoolwide fundraiser for cancer research.

Students were educated about famous African-American leaders, including civil rights activists, musicians, political figures, and authors, during homeroom announcements and circle discussions. During lunch periods, staff played music from famous musicians.

Some classrooms also focused lessons in honor of Black History Month. Ms. Alex Warnken’s ART I, II, and III students worked on a group project to create a mural of Martin Luther King, Jr., that was displayed in the cafeteria. English classes discussed African-American authors.

 

During the month, students also worked together as a school to raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society through its Pennies for Patients program. The fundraising began during the first week of February, correlating to cancer awareness week.

“We felt it was a good cause to get involved in for our first school fundraiser,” said Michelle Arocha, principal of the school. “The kids did great!”

As a whole, the charter school collected $500 during the first three weeks of February. Each homeroom was challenged to collect and donate their change during homeroom with the winning class receiving a catered lunch from The Olive Garden. Ms. Warnken’s homeroom won by collecting $261.11. The middle school classes competed separately with Ms. Morghan Jones’ class winning a pizza party from Arocha.

Homeroom meets during fifth period to hear announcements, reminders and have group circle discussions about the week’s theme. Arocha said this semester, they have had challenges for homeroom classes in an effort to build a teamwork philosophy. Next month, students will have an attendance challenge.

“I think it builds cohesiveness and it gives kids something to look forward to in the middle of the day,” she said.

MCH Family Outreach offices get a new look

Staff from MCH Family Outreach in Houston are now settling into their renovated office space after construction was completed over the Christmas holiday. Their location recently incorporated a new design implemented to accommodate the growth of MCH Family Outreach programs.

The five-week renovation took place in sections of the office while staff shared spaces that were not under construction in order to maintain uninterrupted service to families. The office transitioned from separate offices to collaborative workspaces, a larger conference room and a secure entrance that includes remote locks, keypads and a reinforced door. Case managers, who spend the majority of their time in the field, now have workstations, and use “huddle rooms” as needed for private calls or visits with families. The Houston office also features a playroom for foster care visits.

“I think it is a great concept,” said Veronica Whalon-Peters, director of MCH Family Outreach in Houston. “Everyone is getting used to it and it is going well.”

“I like the flow of it,” said Nicole Washington, a Houston case manager. “I like that we are able to communicate with each other easily. So far it has been good.”

Whalon-Peters said they were able to donate several pieces of furniture to a school and daycare that was hit hard by Hurricane Harvey. They also gave several pieces to a client they were serving, a single mom who was starting over and had no furniture.

MCH Family Outreach offices in Houston and Albuquerque are the latest locations to incorporate a similar new office design. The Dallas outreach office is scheduled to receive renovations next year. Becky James, case manager at MCH Family Outreach in Albuquerque admits the transition has had its challenges, but that is also provided opportunities to learn and grow professionally.

“I have enjoyed and benefitted from hearing or witnessing how other people work,” James said. “This could be anything from the way in which they relate or encourage their families, or how they talk to other service providers. I have gained a deeper understanding of other’s talents which gives me a better appreciation for my team. With that I have gained insight into new effective and creative ways of doing things – I just love that.”

Traci Wagner, program administrator for the Eastern region of MCH Family Outreach, said developing this new concept took a lot of thoughtful consideration. Many locations were locked into leases; however, their workforce continued to grow to meet the needs of their communities. MCH leadership consulted with commercial floorplan experts, space planners and like-minded organizations and learned that collaborative workspaces would be the most cost-efficient option, allowing for more resources to be designated to clients and programs, while also offering many benefits to an office environment.

“The open office can foster collaboration, promote shared learning, and nurture a strong culture,” Wagner said. “For us, it also allowed us to create consistency among our 13 locations.”

Wagner said they have been able to tailor the plans to match each location since adopting the collaborative workspace in 2014. The concept was piloted first in the Corpus Christi office, and as leases have expired or offices have needed to relocate, the new model has been incorporated in other locations.

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MCH Family Outreach offers foster care (in some locations) and family preservation services through its community services program. Offices are located in 13 cities across Texas and New Mexico. To find a location near you, visit our website at MCH.org.

Entrance

Lobby

Playroom

Boardroom

Director's office

Huddle Room

Case managers' collaborative work space

McLennan County Junior Livestock Show 2019

Methodist Children’s Home charter school had 10 animal projects move on to the Sale of Champions and one student receive a scholarship for his ag mechanics project during the 2019 McLennan County Junior Livestock Show. Students from the agricultural sciences classes led by teachers Steve Kruse and Kevin Gibbs competed in the show at the Extraco Events Center from Jan. 29 through Feb. 1.

“In my entire tenure at MCH this is the most animals we have ever had make the sale,” Kruse said. “The kids that showed in the 2019 county fair seemed to be more competitive than the ones in the past.”

Kruse said the hog crew set a goal for themselves before the show to have six swine proceed to the Sale of Champions and exceeded their goal with seven.

“These kids worked together and had a true sense of what teamwork is all about,” he said. “They challenged me to learn more about pigs and with the help from some breeders and friends, we had a record year. The success can be attributed to the fact that the students, school, teachers, homes, and all MCH staff came together to make sure the animals got fed and were cared for properly.”

A total of 27 students participated in the show this year, with nine presenting swine, three goat, five steer, eight sheep. Several students who showed animals and an additional two students presented projects in the ag mechanics show.  Out of 12 schools who competed in the ag mechanics show, MCH charter school placed third in Sweepstakes. Below is a list of results from the show:

Livestock Show

Swine - York: Triston – 1^st, Edric – 7^th; BOPB:  Aniya – 3^rd, John – 4^th; Hampshire: Luis – 4^th; Cross:  Jose – 5^th, Tianna – 6^th; WOPB:  Roger – 8^th; Duroc: Malachi – participated

Steers - Class 1:  Juliana – 8^th, Danny – 10^th; Class 2:  Dathan – 6^th; Class 3:  Lucas – 10^th; Class 4:  Dustin – 9^th

Goats – Class 1:  Alyssa – 5^th; Class 3:  Bobby – participated, Faith – participated

Sheep - Hair Sheep – Class 1:  Lacy – 1^st; Southdown Sheep – Class 1:  Brittany – 2^nd, McKenzie – 3^rd, Emma – 4^th; Class 2:  D’Najia – 3^rd, Daxie – 5^th, Natavia – 7^th; Class 3:  Abigail – 4^th

10 animals went to Sale of Champions

Ag Mechanics Show

Livestock Division: Deer gate made by Roger – 2^nd place gates; Pickup carrier made by Dustin – 2^nd place equipment; Mineral feeder made by 8th grade students – 1^st place feeders, Reserve Champion.

Electrical Division: Deer lamp made by KK – 2^nd place indoor lamps; Boot nightstand made by Juliana – 3^rd place indoor lamps; Clipper stand made by KK – 1^st place shop electrical.

Furniture Division: Coffee table made by Juliana – 3^rd place small indoor; Reclaimed bar made by Faith – 3^rd place outside small; Swing made by Danny – 3^rd place yard convinces.

Wildlife Division: Deer feeder made by Danny – 1^st place feeder, Division Champion.

Out of 12 schools, MCH Ag Mechanics classes placed 3^rd in Sweepstakes; Danny received $500 scholarship to Texas State Technical College for his Division Champion award.  

Congratulations to our Ag students on their great work this year!

Empowering caregivers through supportive groups

MCH Family Outreach brings caregivers from the community together for a time of support and connection during Caregiver Empowerment groups. Groups can consist of parents, grandparents, relatives or fictive kinship caregivers and are led by an MCH team member.

The groups are intended to provide support to all caregivers in their roles by enhancing their knowledge, helping them to build skill, providing them with access to community resources, and providing a space where they can receive support and encouragement from peers. Topics discussed in these groups include financial issues, legal matters, children’s behavior, caring for oneself, advocacy, family bonding and making a difference.

MCH Family Outreach in Waco currently facilitates a Caregiver Empowerment Group for Spanish-speaking families. The group has been running for over a year and meets twice a month.

“We started it because we felt Spanish speaking moms in our community could benefit from having a space where they could build friendship and share experiences, especially but not limited to parenting,” said Ana Chatham, case manager at the Waco office. “Late last year an agency here in town that used to serve Spanish speaking families closed down, and we thought we could help fill in the gap for a space such as this.”

Chatham leads the group along with fellow case manager Sara Beth Stoltzfus. They recently hosted a special meeting to celebrate Christmas where the participants brought their children together to play, sang holiday songs in Spanish, and shared a pot luck lunch. The suggestion of the party came from the participants themselves and provided an additional opportunity for bonding. They also suggested topics that have been discussed during group meetings such as sibling rivalry, online safety, communication and how to increase their family’s connection.

“Our main role is to hold the space, providing some structure, but the richness of the experience really comes from each woman opening up and sharing of themselves. As we asked the participants to reflect on what has been most impactful to them, several of them mentioned how they experience our time together as self-care, an opportunity to pause, even if it’s just for an hour every couple of weeks, and think about how they are going about both their parenting role as well as other areas of their life.”

Other examples of groups include a monthly group for adoptive parents in Waco, a long-standing group in Corpus Christi that has separate spaces for caregivers and children, and a group in a maternity home in Bryan for homeless women. Caregiver Empowerment Groups are open to any caregiver in the community, regardless of whether or not that caregiver is a client of MCH. Attendance is free of charge and all MCH Family Outreach offices are able to facilitate these groups. If you are interested in joining a Caregiver Empowerment Group, please visit MCH.org, click on the “Locations” tab, and contact the family outreach office nearest to you.