Every Friday read this post and find out WHY we are asking you to join in the Resolution to Give Campaign. We will post about one of our programs and just how impactful our monthly donors are to the success of each program.
Join 200+ monthly donors and help StudentReach in our biggest year yet! You can also Subscribe to our email and get it in your inbox | Scroll to the bottom of the page to subscribe.
Set your New Year’s Resolution to Give today & use our auto-monthly donor program to make it a success!
CONNECTED LIFE COACHING: More than a trend | 1/13/2017
Life Coaching is more than a trend it is a Life Resolution
When setting a New Year’s resolution we sometimes find that the resolution is much less optional than we would like it to be. It can be something as necessary as getting healthy to see more years or paying off debt so you can enjoy the years ahead. Many of the students we work with are realizing they need to make “the not so optional life resolution” to change.
Will you become a Monthly Donor to support this impactful program and change the lives of youth?
We are helping 300 youth annually – become healthy & set life resolutions.
This program is award winning and most importantly growing.
VOLUNTEER ABROAD PROGRAM: Karl Hus Tells ALL! | 1/6/2017
As we begin 2017, we asking you to become a monthly donor through our Resolution to Give Campaign. Find out how your monthly donation will make a local and global impact.
Read Karl’s interview and find out what BIG new project we have in Baja Mexico.
Raquel: How are you feeling about the move to Baja? What are you most looking forward to?
Karl: I am kind of excited and a little scared. Which I think is healthy. Since I have been down to Vicente so much, I know some things to expect and some I do not. I am most looking forward to spending time with the people we have already built houses for in the past. People that we have already made a connection with.
Raquel: How many American youth have you lead in volunteering abroad work over your career?
Karl: I believe about 2500 people.
Raquel: How will the StudentReach Baja base help the at-risk youth of America become better citizens?
Karl: It will give them a familiar place to come and do great things all year long. They will have a chance to work along side people and help someone else in need succeed.
Raquel: Tell me about the Orphanage. What will make it unique from other providers in the area?
Karl: Our model for the “Orphanage will be two fold. 1. A day care center. Where parents will be able to drop off their children each day and pick them up at the end of the day. The children will be able to get food, clothing, education and job training. 2. For those who don’t have parents they will be placed in family that have children already. The parents will be trained and educated on parental communication and parental skills. It will be more of a foster care then a typical orphanage. Keeping the family unit so each child gets the most one to one contact.
Raquel: How do you see the communities and Mexican youth changed in Vicente Guerrero Baja, Mexico from the permanent presence of StudentReach?
Karl: Since we have built 68 homes in the last 9 years we have seen a thriving communities with hope in their eyes. People realize they can actually get ahead in life. They can go to school and get a good job and provided for their families. What we bring besides money, housing and “things” is hope. Hope that they can have a safe, clean and warm house with a lockable door. That someone does care about them. They are not alone in this world. That some people are looking outside of themselves to help others. We see parents have hope that their children will have a better life and future than they had.
Raquel: What types of projects will the American families and Students participate in when they help on the base?
Karl: Primarily is the continuation of building homes for homeless families, however we will be building a summer camp, job training facilities and educational facility. Where people can come and get their education, job skills and enjoy life! American’s will be able to help in the building process, spending time with the orphan children, education, helping with job training and feeding and clothing those that have almost nothing.
Raquel: You have spent the past 8 years building homes in baja and know the needs of the community. What needs does the community have and why do you think StudentReach is the best organization to help?
Karl: The community needs hope. Most people believe that everyone has forgotten them. We come in and remind them that humanity is still basically good and we can help each other. Some of the basic needs are, education; 90% of 14 years stop their education and go to work in the fields. We want to provide educational classes at night and the weekends for those that have to work during the day. We want to provide job training skills for those that want to do something other than work in the fields for $6 a day 12 hours a day. We want to train people in carpentry, baking, masonry, teaching, nursing/medical, dentistry and much more.
StudentReach is best suited for this because of their network of people that desire to help people get the skills to work in different fields. Like teaching for instance, we have teachers who have committed to come and teach these skills. People area willing to spend 1-6 month working and training people to have these skills. StudentReach is committed to finding more people that are willing to help those who need help.
Raquel: What would you tell a Student from America to get them to come and help in Baja?
Karl: No matter what you don’t have here in America, people in Baja have so much less. It is time for you to give back. Come with us and start giving back.
NEXT UP: How your local school can change your community. (Check back on 1/20/2017)
StudentReach Presents in 3D and leaves the audience in tears.
The Resolution to Give Campaign
Every Friday read this post and find out WHY we are asking you to join in the Resolution to Give Campaign. We will post about one of our programs and just how impactful our monthly donors are to the success of each program.
Join 200+ monthly donors and help StudentReach in our biggest year yet! You can also Subscribe to our email and get it in your inbox | Scroll to the bottom of the page to subscribe.
Set your New Year’s Resolution to Give today & use our auto-monthly donor program to make it a success!
CONNECTED LIFE COACHING: More than a trend | 1/13/2017
Life Coaching is more than a trend it is a Life Resolution
When setting a New Year’s resolution we sometimes find that the resolution is much less optional than we would like it to be. It can be something as necessary as getting healthy to see more years or paying off debt so you can enjoy the years ahead. Many of the students we work with are realizing they need to make “the not so optional life resolution” to change.
Will you become a Monthly Donor to support this impactful program and change the lives of youth?
We are helping 300 youth annually – become healthy & set life resolutions.
VOLUNTEER ABROAD PROGRAM: Karl Hus Tells ALL! | 1/6/2017
As we begin 2017, we asking you to become a monthly donor through our Resolution to Give Campaign. Find out how your monthly donation will make a local and global impact.
Read Karl’s interview and find out what BIG new project we have in Baja Mexico.
Raquel: How are you feeling about the move to Baja? What are you most looking forward to?
Karl: I am kind of excited and a little scared. Which I think is healthy. Since I have been down to Vicente so much, I know some things to expect and some I do not. I am most looking forward to spending time with the people we have already built houses for in the past. People that we have already made a connection with.
Raquel: How many American youth have you lead in volunteering abroad work over your career?
Karl: I believe about 2500 people.
Raquel: How will the StudentReach Baja base help the at-risk youth of America become better citizens?
Karl: It will give them a familiar place to come and do great things all year long. They will have a chance to work along side people and help someone else in need succeed.
Raquel: Tell me about the Orphanage. What will make it unique from other providers in the area?
Karl: Our model for the “Orphanage will be two fold. 1. A day care center. Where parents will be able to drop off their children each day and pick them up at the end of the day. The children will be able to get food, clothing, education and job training. 2. For those who don’t have parents they will be placed in family that have children already. The parents will be trained and educated on parental communication and parental skills. It will be more of a foster care then a typical orphanage. Keeping the family unit so each child gets the most one to one contact.
Raquel: How do you see the communities and Mexican youth changed in Vicente Guerrero Baja, Mexico from the permanent presence of StudentReach?
Karl: Since we have built 68 homes in the last 9 years we have seen a thriving communities with hope in their eyes. People realize they can actually get ahead in life. They can go to school and get a good job and provided for their families. What we bring besides money, housing and “things” is hope. Hope that they can have a safe, clean and warm house with a lockable door. That someone does care about them. They are not alone in this world. That some people are looking outside of themselves to help others. We see parents have hope that their children will have a better life and future than they had.
Raquel: What types of projects will the American families and Students participate in when they help on the base?
Karl: Primarily is the continuation of building homes for homeless families, however we will be building a summer camp, job training facilities and educational facility. Where people can come and get their education, job skills and enjoy life! American’s will be able to help in the building process, spending time with the orphan children, education, helping with job training and feeding and clothing those that have almost nothing.
Raquel: You have spent the past 8 years building homes in baja and know the needs of the community. What needs does the community have and why do you think StudentReach is the best organization to help?
Karl: The community needs hope. Most people believe that everyone has forgotten them. We come in and remind them that humanity is still basically good and we can help each other. Some of the basic needs are, education; 90% of 14 years stop their education and go to work in the fields. We want to provide educational classes at night and the weekends for those that have to work during the day. We want to provide job training skills for those that want to do something other than work in the fields for $6 a day 12 hours a day. We want to train people in carpentry, baking, masonry, teaching, nursing/medical, dentistry and much more.
StudentReach is best suited for this because of their network of people that desire to help people get the skills to work in different fields. Like teaching for instance, we have teachers who have committed to come and teach these skills. People area willing to spend 1-6 month working and training people to have these skills. StudentReach is committed to finding more people that are willing to help those who need help.
Raquel: What would you tell a Student from America to get them to come and help in Baja?
Karl: No matter what you don’t have here in America, people in Baja have so much less. It is time for you to give back. Come with us and start giving back.
NEXT UP: How your local school can change your community. (Check back on 1/20/2017)
StudentReach Presents in 3D and leaves the audience in tears.
Making Changes
StudentReach has seen change this second half of the year and it’s all for the better! Below are a few new things happening at StudentReach.
SF Bay Area meets StudentReach. Great relationships with other youth advocates and workers in the SF Bay Area have led to SR gaining one of those remarkable people to our staff. Robert Rickett has joined us and is actively working on reaching the at-risk youth of the bay area through our programming. This week will be presenting our CONNECT3D assembly at Mclymonds High School in the heart of Oakland, a school that has experienced a great deal of tragedy and violence this past school year. Robert’s heart to help the students in the Bay Area is going to be instrumental in bringing our effective and life changing programs to more hurting youth.
Lake County youth receiving our award-winning programming. As we spread our reach beyond the border of Sacramento with our life coaching program, we are finding many more students in need. Under the direction of Rise Above Director Mason Gizard we have implemented our life coaching program in Lake County. Many of the students in Lake County are extremely vulnerable and are in desperate need of our programming. Through a partnership with the Wellness Coalition we have a weekly class running through the end of the year with great anticipation for future growth in the new year. We are grateful to be apart of developing youth there into outstanding and healthy citizens.
Refugee Youth gain a new Coach
Becoming accessible has been a huge goal of ours for the past year and half. We wanted to make our class easily available to our students so they don’t have to miss because of a transportation issue. This fall we achieved this goal! We are now on campus with our Refugee Life Coaching class every week. This is a huge change to our program and provides the ability for our students to
participate in multiple after school programs on campus, including our own. We also are welcoming a NEW Coach to the team – Emily Cortese! Her work at a local refugee resettlement agency brings to StudentReach a professional who not only cares, but understands the plights that many of our refugee students are facing. This addition will help us to more effectively build healthy relationships and meet the needs of refugee youth.
Baja Dreams become a REALITY! Some of our followers and supporters know about all the humanitarian work that we have been doing in Rural Baja Mexico for the past 8 years. We are now working towards building a permanent base of operations and orphanage for youth and families in need. Karl Hus is taking on the task of managing and developing this HUGE dream of Jeff and Tanya Devoll. Karl will be moving to Baja Mexico this upcoming January allowing StudentReach to have greater impact on the youth and families we serve there.
KFBK Hometown Hero Interview
On October 28th, 2016, we were honored to be featured as part of the KFBK “Hometown Hero” segment. Thanks to KFBK and all our supporters for believing in us and the students we serve.
www.studentreach.org/donate to help us reach more students
PAINFUL PROGRESS IN THE BAY AREA – Feb 11, 2016
My Soul is tired. Walking the streets of (Oakland and San Francisco) looking for girls we know have been forced into sex slavery is soul wrenching. As a dad of a daughter, I can’t image the anger and utter powerlessness that a situation like this causes. I feel my own gambit of
emotions rising up within me with each step. Hearing reports of at least 16 girls being rescued, just from the books we were passing out is the tip of the iceberg, however those girls are now in a safe place. They are getting the help the need.
Our time was spent, between, the assemblies during the day, passing out “missing” flyers at local hotels (which there are about 10,000 hotels, most of the places were really scary) and walking the streets till 2am. We made a difference and we couldn’t have done it without our partners.
At our last assembly, the principal got up after the assembly and told the students how serious this issue was because just last year the school had lost three girls to this issue. It brought the assembly to a whole new level of seriousness. This issue is everywhere.
Thank you for your help and support, we did this!
Karl Hus
Intern Director and Trip Leader
[email protected]
How Giving Changes Your Life – Nov 4, 2015
In October StudentReach recognized the best of our students, as Guests of Honor at a fundraising event we held for the Sacramento community. Our students told of how StudentReach has been apart of their life changing experience. One of those students was King.
King first started coming to Baja with StudentReach in 2012. He was one of our first life coaching students at a school that we’ve worked with for 4 years. King, decided to come on the advertised Baja trip to build a home for an impoverished family. His ability to speak Spanish and confidence to translate at such a young age was invaluable in Baja. After returning home he continued in our life coaching program and soon after graduated from high school. His work did not end there.
King has been apart of 8 house builds with StudentReach, and is now leading students at his former high school to success. He truly is, a shining example of why we push our students to give back.
Baja isn’t always about the people we are building homes for, many times it is for ourselves. Maybe you have been changed by a trip to Baja, like many of the students we work with have.Giving changes us to do more and be better in life.
These Shocking Results Were No Surprise To Us – Sept 21, 2015
“When we first saw these effects, we thought, wow, can this be right?” said Sara Heller, a University of Chicago researcher. She was speaking on the Freakonomics Podcast on September 9th.
”In the first year, we saw a 44% drop in violent crime arrests and a 36% decrease in non-violent crime arrests and an increased school involvement that is predicted will lead to a possible 22% increase in graduation rates.”
In 2013, the state and city governments asked the University of Chicago to conduct randomized, double-bind research into what, if any, of their crime reduction and success promotion programs in the Chicago public school system were actually working. Some of those programs included mentoring, job training and even direct payments for scholastic achievement.
The results: almost no measurable reduction in arrests and no measurable increase in scholastic achievement.
No measurable results from any approach except one: group coaching.
The kind of coaching that sought to do something previously thought to be almost impossible – changing behavioral patterns through cognitive process assessment. In other words, setting up scenarios and getting students to discuss and evaluate their automatic response and other possible responses that might result in better outcomes. The groups almost bear a resemblance to cognitive behavioral therapy – an approach to therapy that focusses on behavioral change through self-examination and discussion. CBT has been shown to be successful with treating depression, addiction and other difficult problems, but that a version of this approach by non-therapists could be that effective was a result that was unexpected.
It wasn’t unexpected to our team of coaches. For over 3 years, StudentReach has been using that approach with groups as varied as leadership students, continuation school students, gang-affiliated young men, Afghan and Somali refugees, and homeless students. Combining weekly group discussions and coaching with other relational activities has been an amazing way to reach some of the most difficult and seemingly unreachable students.
One of the most surprising results of the study was that with programs ranging in cost as high as $15,000 per student per year, the group coaching/CBT model was the cheapest by far – about $1100 per student.
StudentReach has presented school assemblies to over 1,000,000 students and taken over 5,000 on summer volunteering trips, but when we decided to start coaching students in small settings of 5-10, we were surprised at how effective it really was and how rewarding seeing real change in the lives of these students really was.
To listen to the Freakonomics podcast, go to freakonomics.com
To learn more about ALIVE coaching on our Student Coaching page.
These Adults Were Acting Like Teenagers So We Taught Them A Lesson – Sept 14, 2015
“Why would students sit in a class after sitting all day in class at school?” – Matt James
Matt attended our A.L.I.V.E. Life Coaching seminar this weekend to get that exact question answered. During Session 1 of the A.L.I.V.E. Seminar we were able to bridge the gap between students and adults as we had the adults sit in our week 1 coaching session. We didn’t change a thing – we spoke to them just the same as our students to help them see exactly what would be experienced and see the level of communication we try to achieve. “We want to be as genuine as possible” said Coach Mason Gizard to his class of adults.
During Session 2, as the attendees moved from participant to coach, it became clear that the curriculum is intended to be much more of a conversation between the coach and their students then a lecture. “I would rather have a student interrupt me then no one be talking” said Coach Raquel Shipp during training.
The Life Coaching material is intended to keep the facts interesting and the stories applicable. One of the adult leaders blurted out “Oh this is fascinating!” as she was reading through her coaching section in front of the group.
The A.L.I.V.E. seminar was designed to build relationships with administrators, teachers and adult volunteers and hopefully create new Life Coaches. We accomplished this goal through the exact same process we use to build relationships with our students. Stories were shared, there was lots of laughter, and people became vulnerable which together helped build relationships quickly.
This is why students are willing to come sit in a group, in a circle of chairs even after hours in the classroom. We don’t sit in rows staring at the front; we circle up, engage and build relationships in order to speak truth into the lives of students. Matt and many other adults left the A.L.I.V.E. Seminar with the tools they need to succeed as coaches; just as students leave Life Coaching with the tools they need to succeed in their life and future.
For more information on how you can implement this program at a school in your community contact us today!
9 YEAR OLD IN DISTRESS AND THEY CHOSE TO WALK AWAY
Mark described Ellison saying, “She was so bad she was wonderful, she had a really vulgar mouth, she was brilliant.” Mark added: “I was something of a problem kid. I was emotional, wild, rebellious at school. I’m very touched by kids who don’t have advantages; they are much more interesting than kids who have everything. They have a lot of passion and emotion, such a strong will.” She was so moved by Ellison’s strong will that she made her the focus of her piece. She highlighted, for a moment, this little girl’s story on a national stage.
The rest of Ellison’s story is what you would probably expect. At age 11 she was taken into foster care, lived in group homes for years, became addicted to hardcore drugs at age 16 and ended up incarcerated as an adult. She admits, she is still surrounded by drugs and crazy people to this day.
How is it possible that no one did anything? The truth behind this photo is shocking. It is clear that this little girl is in turmoil. It is clear the trajectory of her life is in a spiral toward disaster. How did no one intervene? Her story was highlighted. National awareness was brought to her situation. The problem was clear. Mary Ellen Mark was moved by this kid that didn’t have advantages but not driven to actually do anything about it. Ellison hoped someone would do something. She said, “When she came along and took those photos, I thought, ‘Well, hey, people will see me and this may get me the attention that I want; it may change things for me,’ ” Ellison says. She thought someone would see the images and come rescue her. “I had thought that that might have been the way out. But it wasn’t.”
Bringing Awareness does not bring change. It does not matter how much we talk about the issues that our youth are facing. Well-meaning, contributing citizens being moved by the plight of disadvantaged kids does nothing if they aren’t moved to action. You can’t go back in time to save this 9 year old but you can do something now to help students just like her…
StudentReach is not just talking about the issues. We are actively reaching into the lives of students just like Ellison and creating opportunities for real change. We are attempting to look past the images our students portray to see the truth in the candid moments they allow us to experience.
We mobilize hundreds of volunteers each year to reach out to the youth of our nation and have a positive impact on their future and ours. Contact us today to find out how you can get involved!
REFUGEES IN THE WOODS – Aug 31, 2015
Last month something life changing happened. Something that will undoubtedly change the projection of Joseph’s life. He stepped off a plane like many have before and arrived in the land of the free. Joseph is a teenage refugee.
For years Joseph and his family have been fleeing from the dangers of war. Ethnically Afghan his family has gone from Iran to Turkey and now to Sacramento. He has for the first time in years started school and is now trying to navigate much more than the halls of high school. He is trying to learn English, find friends and enjoy life as a free person.
This past weekend Joseph, his younger brother and a few friends joined StudentReach on a trip to the mountains where we enjoyed the classic American past time of camping.
Hiking, roasting marshmallows, kayaking and swimming filled 2 1\2 days. During our down time we had English lessons designed to provide insight about who everyone was and what they plan to do with their new life in America. Learning about who your fellow campers are is essential to long lasting friendships.
We may not have linguistically understood one another as we worked to overcome language barriers but we do understand that this camping trip was more than a past time. It was a start of a new way of thinking. It was the start of being apart of a community of people who will succeed together. StudentReach is helping students to define their lives, become contributing citizens of the communities near & far and to overcome obstacles – like fleeing from home to find safety in a new and unknown land.
WORKING WITH REFUGEE YOUTH IN SACRAMENTO – Aug 4, 2015
For the past 4 months Adam and I have been able to be a part of the lives of some pretty incredible refugee students. The students who we have had the pleasure of presenting our American Life Coaching program to, are recent arrivals from places such as Turkey and Afghanistan. They all have unique and sometimes tragic stories, but most importantly BIG dreams. Through a Life Coaching program developed by StudentReach, we are able to be a part of turning those dreams into GOALS. Some of our students are striving to get to college, others are learning English and are on their way into the workforce.
In addition to going over critical areas of career and college development we try our hardest to create a healthy community for our students to thrive in. To do this we also offer extra-curricular activities. A few weeks ago we decided to take everyone bowling. A few had some experience with the sport while others showed off their “natural talent”. It was amazing to see our students laughing, making friends and enjoying time outside of their apartments. There were a few students who nearly took the lane out beside us. Next time we may get them the bumpers!
StudentReach is an organization that helps students accomplish their goals regardless of the circumstances they may be coming out of or facing. As with all refugees, the students we work with often have stories that would be debilitating to most. Through our life coaching program we are fostering a mindset in our students, of accomplishment and citizenship in their new homeland.
Adam and Raquel Shipp have been working with students for the past 9 years, their work with refugees began 3 years ago. They work with StudentReach and are involved with student mentoring, school assemblies and volunteering abroad.