“How I Spent My Summer Vacation”
It is hard to believe that summer break is coming to a close and that our students are headed back to school. I wanted to share with you about the incredible opportunity our students have had this summer at the MAP building. For many children in West Montgomery, summer is not the carefree season of swimming, picnics, family vacations and making memories. For children growing up in and around poverty, time away from school consists of long days spent at home, most without air conditioning, without a free breakfast and lunch and without the protection and supervision that the school setting brings. But when we see a need, we figure out how we can meet it. Summer is no exception to taking care of the children around Council street.
The MAP provided a program that was not only a safe haven but also a place for cognitive development, STEM projects, field trips, energetic and creative guests and an in depth study of God’s Word. Each week was filled with constant activities. They were kept up to speed with daily math, reading and writing practice. With this personalized instruction, the students are more likely to retain the skills they learned during the school year and will feel more confident returning to school. A lot of work was put into providing STEM activities for each age group. STEM is an incredible way for our students to really enjoy science, technology, engineering and math. When they weren’t experiencing more technology in the computer lab, they were enjoying each other and their leaders in the amazing new game room. Of course, the students enjoyed lunch each day on the MAP campus. This is so vital for our staff to provide this meal that they would normally receive at school. The students were transitioned from one activity to the next so there was no time to be bored but instead they were excited to see what was next. One of the children’s favorite times each day was the Bible study and activities. This summer’s focus was on the Fruits of the Spirit and the Creation Story from Genesis. I love how meaningful they made this for each age group. So many wonderful seeds have been planted and we are claiming God’s very best for these children. There were lots of other favorites also. We were so blessed to have Mrs. Austin come each week to have an interactive reading time with our students. She always brings renewed energy to the MAP center and the children love her creativity in the classroom. We also incorporated team building into most of our activities which is such an important life skill. Children worked on counting money with the opportunity to “purchase” items from a “store”. They learned pretty quickly how far money will go. There was a field trip each friday. A few of the favorites included the Mooseum where they learned about life on a farm. They also loved the Fine Arts Museum, the Prattville Pool and Splash Pad and the Peach Park.
As our children prepare to return to their schools, we are making sure they are able to get the supplies they need and of course clothes from our clothes closet. Our hope and prayer is that through all the work put into the MAP program, our students will return to their campuses with excitement and confidence, knowing that God is preparing them for a future full of purpose and blessings. And if they are given the “How I Spent My Summer Vacation” writing assignment, MAP has provided them with so many wonderful experiences that they too will have so much to share.
God Bless,
Pastor Ken Austin