Waco Transit Scavenger Hunt

Our staff and homeparents are always looking for fun and innovative ways to prepare our youth for the real world. One of our Waco campus home units recently planned an outing to teach their girls how to use the Waco Transit Bus system. The staff knew that learning how to ride the bus and find the correct route is an important skill. So, on a warm Saturday morning the staff and girls woke up early and headed outside to wait at the bus stop for the Waco Transit to arrive and pick them up for a scavenger hunt across the city.

One thing that made this scavenger hunt unique was that all of the stops were useful places that the girls would need to know how to find. Some of the stops included the grocery store, hospital emergency room, shopping mall and even a car dealership. At each of the stops the girls were given a practical assignment to complete before moving on. For example, at the car dealership, the girls had to learn more about buying a first car and all the expenses it involves.

Here are some photos from the Waco Transit Scavenger Hunt.







The trip provided a great way for our youth to learn more about life outside of Methodist Children's Home. In fact, the girls had so much fun they even suggested taking the bus for future outings instead of the MCH van! Way to go Perkins Home! Special thanks to Erica Reyes-Rosas for this story and photos.

News Release: MCH Elects New President

Tim Brown, a veteran child care administrator, was elected president and chief executive officer of Methodist Children’s Home June 18 during a meeting of the Home’s Board of Directors. Brown is pictured above with his wife, Susan.

The announcement was made by Dr. Clayton Oliphint, chairperson of the Board of Directors.

Brown has held various leadership roles during 26 years of service at MCH, most recently as vice president for community services. He was named interim president at MCH April 1 following the retirement of Bobby Gilliam, who served seven years as president. Brown becomes the 10th president in the Home’s 120-year history.

“The Board is confident that Tim Brown has the experience, knowledge and vision to lead Methodist Children’s Home into the future,” Oliphint said. “He is a person of deep faith and has great compassion for at-risk kids. He has a proven ability to unite people for a common purpose.”

Brown leads an agency that serves 1,400 children and youth through residential group care, foster care and a variety of family and community services. In addition to residential programs in Waco, the Boys Ranch and Waxahachie, MCH provides services through 13 outreach offices in Texas and New Mexico.

“I am humbled by the confidence of the Board of Directors and look forward to the challenges and opportunities that will come through this new role,” Brown said. “Our mission is to offer hope to children and families through our nurturing, Christian community. I am enthusiastic about the potential we have to help meet the needs of hurting children and families who find themselves in difficult situations.”

Brown will draw from his vast knowledge and expertise in child care to lead MCH. In addition to serving in various roles in direct child care and administration at MCH throughout his career, Brown served as president and chief executive officer of Lee and Beulah Moor Children’s Home in El Paso from 1991-2000. He then returned home to Central Texas to serve as vice president of child care at MCH.

Brown has been a strong advocate of services to children in Waco and throughout the state. He has served on the Baylor University Social Work Advisory Board, the McLennan Community College Curriculum Advisory Boards for Child Care and Mental Health, and the Texas Association of Licensed Children’s Services, among others. He has been a member of the Child Fatality Review Teams of El Paso County and McLennan County the past 15 years.

A resident of Crawford, Brown earned degrees from Baylor University and Tarleton State University. He and his wife, Susan, have three children – Remi, Matt and K.C.




Above: Tim Brown is pictured with Dr. Clayton Oliphint (left), chairperson of the MCH Board of Directors, and Judge Henry A. Santana, vice chairperson of the Board.

MCH Charter School Graduation

This June, we had 13 high school graduates walk across the stage at our Methodist Children's Home University of Texas Charter School graduation ceremony. The ceremony was held at Austin Avenue United Methodist Church in downtown Waco. The individual photos of our graduate speakers are of Valedictorian Alex Shaw and Salutatorian Chris Gonzalez.









The Class of 2010 at Methodist Children's Home consists of more than these 13 charter school graduates, it also includes five graduates from Waco ISD schools, five from the Home's residential program in Waxahachie, and one from foster care. To all of our graduates, we celebrate your achievements and look forward to the many ways God will work in your future!

MCH Hosts Boys Basketball Clinic

Over Memorial Day weekend, MCH Athletics hosted a boys basketball clinic for youth in our residential care and after school programs. More than 35 youth from the Waco campus, Boys Ranch, Waxahachie campus and Crockett after school program attended. The clinic divided the boys into positions based on their athletic strengths and then had them work with coaches to further develop their skills by working on drills, ball handling, shooting, passing and defense.

After a morning of practice, coaches divided the young men into three teams so they could play real games with a real referee in real MCH uniforms! The teams were so evenly matched, one of the games even went into overtime.

Way to go, MCH Athletics for helping some of our young men develop their passion for basketball! Here are some photos from the basketball clinic.











Our thanks goes to Athletic Director Kevin Henry for the details and photos from this event.

MCH Choir Concert

The MCH Charter School Mixed Choir gave a wonderful concert last week for students and staff on the Waco campus and Boys Ranch. They sang Ubi Caritas, A Long Way From Home, Aura Lee, Cohan's Big Three, Sanctus, Gaudeamus Hodie and Let Everything that Hath Breath, Praise the Lord. Trey, one of our young men participating in the UIL State Solo Contest, also sang a solo piece. In addition to the concert, students were presented with their choir awards.

Here are some photos from the beautiful afternoon concert.









Thank you to Choir Director Lorye Carter-Reed for her work developing these talented young voices!

San Antonio Office Celebrates Foster Parents

May was Foster Care Awareness month and the San Antonio outreach office honored foster parents by having a dinner celebration. Here are some photos from their evening of food and fun.









Celebrations like this remind us how thankful we are for the wonderful foster families and staff working with Methodist Children's Home. Thank you for making a difference in the lives of children all across the region! We appreciate you!

Special thanks to Brenda Gonzalez for giving us the info about this great event for our San Antonio foster families!