MCH Awards 2017

Methodist Children’s Home celebrated student achievements for the 2016-17 school year during an awards ceremony on May 22 at the Johnson Student Center. During the ceremony, students from the MCH charter school, operated in partnership with the University of Texas – University Charter School system, were recognized for academic honors and extracurricular activities. Students received certificates, plaques, letter jackets and patches based on their individual achievements.

Below is a list of awards: 

Senior Awards

Relationship Award: Chrislynn, Sky, Xavier

Growth Award: Edwina, Joseph, Keondra, Jacob

Service Award: Iyahnna, Xavier

Hope Award: Diego, Ja’Vianne, Devin, Jakenzie

Responsibility Award: Tameka, Ja’Vianne, Athina, Zakaree

Courage Award: Kel, Tameka

The Charles W. and Mariam Hawes Academic Excellence Award (top seniors with highest GPAs):  Athina, Nick

Outstanding Senior Award: Stephen, Sky

Charter School Awards

Academic Honor Roll: Noah, Xaivier, Iona, Selena, Rainn, Jaelyne, Marisa, Galen, Dina, Stephen, Ladarian, Ladarrius, Athina, Soleana, Jakenzie, Arianna

Bulldog Pride:  Nikkie, Iona, Emily, Faith, Lucas, Selena, Dathan, Marisa, Galen, Dina, Quentrell, Kaitlyn, Stephen, Benjamin, Alexis, Athina, Soleana, Christina, Arianna

Art Awards: Edwina, Jaelyne, Daniel, Joshua 

FFA: 

(The Agricultural Proficiency Awards honor FFA members who, through their learning experiences, have developed specialized skills that they can apply toward their future careers)

Ag Mechanics Design and Fabrication: Nick

Ag Mechanical Repair and Maintenance: Galen

Diversified Livestock: Marisa

Vegetable Production: Jaelyne

Chapter Star Creed speaker: Rainn

Star Discovery Award: Danny

Star Greenhand Award: Chris

Chapter Star in Agriscience: Nick

Belt Buckles: Beef production – Kel; Swine production – Julio; Sheep production – Iona; Goat production - Selena

Recreation/Afterschool Programs

Choir/Vocal Performance: Most Improved - Luther, Kiayani; Most Outstanding - Layla, Iona

Drumline: Most Outstanding - Faith

Cheerleading: Most Improved - Tremya; Most Outstanding – Adrianna

Theatre: Benjamin, Nicole

Dance: Rainn, Marisa

Athletics

Volleyball: Most Improved Player (MIP) - Soleana; Most Valuable Player (MVP) - Amashia

JV Football: MIP- Dathan; MVP - Dremon

Varsity Football: MIP - Reggie; MVP - Xaivier

Girls Basketball: MIP - Justine; MVP - Jamion

JV Boys Basketball: MIP - Johnathan; MVP - Dremon

Varsity Boys Basketball: MIP - Eli; MVP – Jakenzie

Girls Track: MIP – Alexis; MVP – Justine

Boys Track: MIP – Christian; MVP – SirDautrel

Golf: MIP – Dina; MVP - Emily

Bobby Gilliam Leadership through Athletics Award: Justine, Stephen

Congratulations to our students and staff on a successful school year!

Core Value Award for Relationships - Jo Ann Evans

Methodist Children’s Home (MCH) annually recognizes staff who exemplify our Core Values. Staff are nominated by their peers and recognized at an all-staff meeting.

The Core Values for MCH are:

Christian Principles
Relationships
Responsibility
Growth
Service
Hope

Jo Ann Evans, case manager for the MCH Family Outreach office in Abilene, received the 2017 Core Award for Relationships at the All-Staff meeting in March. The recipient for the Core Value Award for Relationships is someone who builds healthy relationships through communication, respect, trust, and love.

Jo Ann exemplifies this Core Value through the way she always strives to build trusting and meaningful relationships with everyone she encounters because she knows it is the foundation of what we do.

Jo Ann often goes above and beyond despite her busy schedule. Recently when a co-worker was having car troubles, she offered to drive them to and from visits as needed.

According to her supervisor Megan Harbin, Jo Ann didn’t hesitate to take on a larger case load and more parenting classes when the Abilene office experienced staff transition.

Jo Ann plays a significant role in training new Family Solutions case managers to ensure they understand the program and are 100 percent ready to start taking on cases of their own. This had resulted in many life-changing relationships being created.

Jo Ann is known by her peers as having a passion for the work she does and the families she serves.

Megan also stated, “It is truly a privilege and blessing to get to work alongside Jo Ann and have her as part of the Abilene team.”

Kelly Smith, administrator for the Western region of MCH Family Outreach, said, “Jo Ann understands the value of relationships and she facilitates coalitions and partnerships that help develop resources for both clients and team members. Her skills in this area are vital to the work we do at MCH.” 

MCH Music Workshop 2017

A group of budding musicians at Methodist Children’s Home were able to get lessons and tips from some of Baylor’s best performers during the MCH Music Workshop on April 29. The workshop, which took place on the Waco campus, was set up by MCH recreation staff.

“This workshop is purposed to boost musical ability, confidence and stage presence, particularly for our students participating in choir, drumline and praise team,” said Jill Sims, recreation coordinator. “It is also designed to give the students a chance to interact with college students who are dedicated to their studies in music.”

MCH had 22 students participate in the workshop led by members of Baylor’s VirtuOSO acapella group, as well as undergraduate and graduate music students. Sims said the workshop was also meant to prepare the students for the upcoming “Collaborate Concert” on May 11 where students from choir, drumline, praise band, praise dance and the cheer team will perform as a group on the Waco campus.

“Collaborate is a concert that was birthed out of the idea of creating a space of community and support among the performing arts students at MCH,” Sims said. “Rather than have competition between the groups, we wanted to provide a space where the students could come together and create art built by the whole community.  At the beginning of the semester, songs were chosen and distributed among each of the groups.”

The workshop was organized into individual tracks for vocal, percussion and guitar. Each group met for three session to hone their skills. In the vocal track, students worked on vocal basics, harmony and blending, and stage presence and performance. Percussion students first focused on drums used in drumline, then were introduced to other percussion instruments such as cymbals, chimes, rain sticks and the triangle. In the third session they worked on their contribution to songs for the Collaborate concert. Guitar students first learned about basics in guitar, then moved to reading and playing with chord charts, followed by lessons on performance and worship leadership.

At the end of the sessions, the groups came together for closing “jam session” where teachers and students, totaling 29 people, performed their Collaborate concert songs together.

“The workshop was a tremendous success!” Sims said. “Students from all tracks were excitedly telling me throughout the day the things that they were learning in their classes. We were also able to open the workshop up to a limited number of students outside of our programs and these students asked to join our programs at the end of the workshop.”