Family Outreach staff completes Family Solutions Training in Dallas

Family Outreach offices in Abilene, Dallas, Houston, Lufkin and Waco will implement Family Solutions in the coming months. In preparation, staff recently completed Family Solutions Foundational Training from these offices as well as new staff in our other six locations already using the model. 

Foundational training is intended to give staff the philosophical principles of the program, evidence that supports the specific type of work with families, and internal tools so that their work through the program is constructive and meets the fidelity criteria for the model.  Family Solutions is intended to help families strengthen relationships, form community connections for support, and increase protective factors against and reduce risk factors for child maltreatment. 

A team of Family Outreach staff already implementing the program (Alicia Carter and Becky James - Albuquerque, Marisol Gomez - Corpus Christi, Jorge Soto - El Paso, Dana Bearden and Jessica Ham - Lubbock, Jessica Butters and Crystal Motok-Salinas - San Antonio, and Suzy King and Jessica Johnson - Tyler) shared training responsibilities with Dr. Diane DePanfilis, the author of the model and a partner to MCH in its implementation process. The three-day training offered staff time to learn new skills and share in casting a vision for our continued work with families at risk for child maltreatment.  It was also a great time for staff from different locations to spend time together in the DFW metroplex.  Thanks also are due to Dallas, Tyler, and Lubbock staff for helping with preparations for the training time!

Core Award for Service - Josie Rendon

Josie Rendon, administrative assistant, received the Core Award for Service. Josie goes above and beyond in her daily duties. She not only handles her own work load but is always thinking ahead and keeps staff updated on meetings and trainings. Josie is very dependable and will drop what she is doing to help out where ever needed. Josie is our Spanish translator also and has proven very valuable in translating between parents and unit managers insuring all information is correct. She is eager to help with special projects like making mums for homecoming, wrapping Christmas gifts and planning birthday celebrations for staff.  Her colleagues really appreciate all she does and her great service to our youth at MCH.

Core Award for Relationships –Steve and Debbie Callison

Steve and Debbie Callison, home parents, received the Core Values Award for Relationships.  The Callisons work diligently to build a trusting relationship with youth by making each one feel loved, special, and accepted for who they are. The Callisons are very nurturing and spend a great deal of time just “hanging out” with the girls in their home unit. This may include watching movies, playing games, crafts, painting nails or just laughing and joking around. Mrs. Callison goes to each girls' room nightly before bed to offer goodnight hugs. They are available even in the late night hours if a girl is struggling. Building healthy relationships is what the Callisons are all about.

Prom 2014

Seniors from the Waco campus and Boys Ranch attended their prom on Saturday, April 5.  The theme this year was “Black Tie Affair.”  The day began early for 26 young ladies who had their make-up done by volunteers.

“Spending time with these precious girls and helping them get ready for prom filled my heart with joy,” shared Karrie Smith, Mary Kay consultant.  “My favorite moment was when one of the girls looked in the mirror after we finished and said, ‘Is that really me?’  I would love to spend more time volunteering at Methodist Children’s Home.”

Michelle Roy, Mary Kay consultant said, “The opportunity to touch these girls’ lives blessed and touched my heart more than I could have ever imagined!”

 As seniors arrived that evening they had their pictures taken.  They enjoyed pizza, hot wings, red velvet cupcakes and a candy bar along with great music and dancing.  New this year was a photo booth where they could use props and take pictures with their friends. 

 “It is an amazing experience to see our seniors absolutely beautiful and handsome for the evening,” commented Denise Ondrey, student events coordinator. “Not only does it seem to transform their appearances, but also seems to transform their self confidence and how they present themselves for the evening.”

Special thanks to the seniors, MCH staff, volunteers and vendors who helped makes this year’s prom a success:

Seniors:  Cameron, Wilmaniece, Savannah, Dominique, McKenzi, Lloyd, and Emily

MCH staff:  Denise Ondrey – student events coordinator, Leisa Patterson – charter school instructional aide, Ahmad Washington – spiritual development minister, Debbie Callison – home parent, and Nancy Teagardner – dietician services director

Volunteers:  Julie Diem – donor, Hannah Crawford – student, and Mary Kay consultants Karrie Smith, Olivia & Oliver Terrell, Lana Alexander, Michelle Roy, Jessica Puryear, Nancy McNeely, and Stacy Baldwin

Vendors: Pendley Productions, Pat’s Gowns, Squires, Rosetree Florist, Ben’s Dry Cleaners, Belk, Sephora, Mary Kay and Advanced Audio Productions

To view our photo gallery of the prom, click here to visit our website.

2013-14 Athletic Awards

Ty, Kiyanna, CJ, Dominique, and DeAndre were TCAL All State players this season. Not pictured: Jordan

The Texas Christian Athletic League recognized ten MCH athletes this year for their outstanding performances in their sport in 2013-14 at the TCAL Awards Banquet last weekend. Four of our basketball stars, CJ, DeAndre, Ty and Jordan, were invited to play in the TCAL All State Basketball game with CJ and DeAndre able to participate last weekend.  CJ was named the TCAL All Star game MVP.

Here is a full list of TCAL awards received by our MCH Bulldogs:

TCAL First Team All State Football – Stanley, Tyrone, Moises, Roland

TCAL Second Team All State Football - Ty

TCAL Honorable Mention All State Football – Jordan

TCAL First Team All State Basketball – CJ, Jordan

TCAL Second Team All State Basketball – Ty, DeAndre

TCAL First Team All State Girls Basketball - Kiyanna

TCAL Honorable Mention All State Girls Basketball - Dominique

TCAL Football Coach of the Year - Matt Rodgers

TCAL Performance of the Year - MCH Football 4th quarter comeback win over Live Oak

TCAL All Star Basketball Game MVP - CJ

For basketball, Jordan was also a Texas Shootout All Star Game Nominee and Super Centex Honorable Mention for the Waco Tribune-Herald. CJ was also a Texas Shootout All Star Game Nominee, Super Centex 2nd Team, Good Grades Hoops All Star Game Nominee and the TCAL 3A Boys Player of the Year.

Congratulations to all our Bulldogs for these outstanding achievements! 

Pictured with Coach Kevin Henry, CJ and DeAndre participated in the TCAL All Star Game. CJ was named the TCAL All Star Basketball Game MVP. 

ReCreation Weekend 2014

Youth spent the weekend reflecting on their spirituality and sense of self during ReCreation Weekend 2014 hosted by the Spiritual Development department March 28-30.

This year, youth heard the story of the Prodigal Son and were challenged to relate it to their own life and their search for identity and acceptance. Throughout the weekend, youth were guided to find their identity through Christ. At the start of the weekend, they were given booklets created by Pastor Ron Britton that included the schedule, story of the Prodigal Son, illustrations and an area for notes.

The spiritual weekend kicked off with a concert from Christian musical groups including rapper Saul Paul, rapper and singer B. Sloan and Christian group Bus Seven.

 “Worshipping Christ and living a life for Him does not look and sound one particular way,” said Kim Clark, spiritual development director. “We bring in people who use their variety of gifts to glorify God. We expose our students to people that have come from a variety of backgrounds but who all have given their lives to Christ and the furthering of the Kingdom. We hope that the weekend serves as a time for students to reflect, question and wrestle with faith, figuring out what it looks like for them and their journey to becoming who God created them to be.”

During the concert, Waco residents worked behind the scenes including Dusty, who served as DJ, and Aman, who ran the sound board.  Also, Waco resident Caleb took the stage to perform a powerful poem set to music.

 

The following day, youth were separated into boys and girls groups for breakout sessions in order “to create an atmosphere of honesty, reality and truth” according to Clark. The girls group was led by Lady Light (Felicia Craig) and Stephanie Howell. The theme of the discussion was to examine their sense of self and calling through God and how their circumstances will only affect their purpose if they let them. They also discussed claiming their identity through God rather than through love and acceptance from unhealthy relationships. The boys groups were led by Minister Slugger and Corey Anderson who shared lessons on how to be a man, not through a spirit of defiance and conquest, but by rising up and being godly.

The weekend came to a close with a Sunday morning worship service. Rev. Tonya Burton of the Perkins Youth School of Theology shared a sermon keeping in line with the weekend’s theme by discussing the story of the Prodigal Son and how although he went out searching for identity and affirmation, he ended up finding it in the house of his father.

Waco resident Dusty served as DJ during the concert.

Saul Paul encouraged audience participation during his performance.

Between sets, the recreation coordinators led 60-second games.

Waco resident Caleb performed a song during the concert.

Singer and rapper B. Sloan performed her songs with a Christian message.

Bus Seven closed out the concert.