Ms. Mara Explains It All to You
As part of our celebration of Hispanic Awareness Month, we made Ecuadorian bread sculptures today. It takes bread, without the crusts, and lots and lots of glue. It’s very messy. The girls kept holding up their sticky hands and saying, Ms. Mara, I want to give you a hug!
Last week we did lessons on Mexican pottery and string art. That was cool because the girls know I am Mexican and it helped them to get to know me a little bit better. But today, we all learned about something new. Half of the girls didn’t know where Ecuador is. I showed them a map of Ecuador and I had a book about Ecuador to share with them. So it was exciting to celebrate this new thing together and this unique art form.
We had volunteers in the classroom from ConAgra Foods today. One gentleman got into quite a conversation about the finer points of bread sculpture with one of our members. Another one of the volunteers asked, “Where did this art form come from again?” I was so excited when Amaya yelled out, “Ecuador!” – Ms. Mara
BUBBLE PARTY today!
Kindergarten, 1st, 2nd and 3rd grade girls spent the morning participating in bubble-related literacy activities. The day began with a read-aloud of Bubble Trouble, written by Stephen Krensky. Girls then imagined themselves as bubbles and wrote stories about their own bubble adventures. Mali, age 6, wrote “If I were a bubble I would be floating everywhere!”
After lunch the real fun started. The girls went out to the Hitchcock Sports Field & Playground just east of the North facility and enjoyed a professional Bubble Party. Three “Bubble Masters” from Yola’s Bubble Solutions helped the girls create bubbles that were as big as the girls, themselves. Every girl got a turn with small bubble wands, big bubble wands and some girls even mastered the art of making bubbles with nothing but their own fingers. Azuree, six-years-old, said “All of the bubble were different shapes. I made one that was as big as an elephant!”
Following the Bubble Party, each girl received a miniature bottle of bubble soap and a bubble wand as a party favor to take home.The bubble-themed activities were offered in conjunction with the GIRLStart reading program at Girls Inc.
ConAgra Volunteers Rock!
ConAgra volunteers (from around the world!) helped with GIRLStart literacy programs, garden clean up for fall, homework help, Boutique organizing, and more! Some comments from our volunteers:
Bonnie Weaver from ConAgra Foods, Omaha “Loved the tour, great program!”
Melchor Rodriquez from ConAgra Foods, Mexico “It’s awesome. Great job!”
Sarah Armstrong from ConAgra Foods, Lincoln “Thanks. Very fun!”
Tom Thompsen from ConAgra Foods, Troy, OH “Wonderful program for the girls.”
Jim Martin, ConAgra Foods “It was fun meeting so many girls.”
Larry Erickson, ConAgra Foods Marshall, MO “Excellent program. Great kids. Enjoyed working with them – so exuberant!”
After they read the book…
The girls went to PINKALCIOUS at the Rose. Here they are on the set. “We didn’t get our picture taken with Pinkalicious, but we did get to go to her house.” – Taylor
Bubble Party
Video clips from the Bubble Party:
making a hand bubble: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4qP12iATRM making bubbles: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BUkF7_z-ruk
lathering up to make hand bubbles: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBE3HBUnh2E dipping the giant wand: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJGHXrX1fb0
a big tub of bubble soap: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YnBNH98WsU Girls Inc. members tries her hand at filming: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFMy72H3dks
spinning to make bubbles: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHJWPyNukAU dipping wands to make bubbles: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IyIMkgJmF30
After they went to the play…
The girls went to Doodle Cakes to decorate (& eat!) cupcakes of their own.
The girls meet the cupcake lady: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttrwnB1EdzE
The girls make chef hats (cause you’ve gotta have a chef hat…): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PuxRn6VCqCw
Getting the frosting flowing: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlwlAnmYWZk
Eating the cupcakes: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xR5IFwBYjNk and eating some more… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MlkcuKg2r9I
It’s Pink Week!
Ms. Mara reads Pinkalicious to kick off Pinkalicious Week for the GIRLStart girls.
1st: Ms. Mara reads the book.
2nd: the girls write advice letters to Pinkalicous
3rd: (tonight!!!) the girls go to see Pinkalicious on stage at The Rose
4th: Tomorrow (!!!) the girls go to Doodle Cakes for a cupcake party.
Be on the lookout for video clips from Pinkalicious Week. You know they’re coming…
Dollars, Sense & Me
Girls Inc. member Nautika had this to say about participating in Dollars, Sense, & Me: “I like being a leader. I listened to my group’s ideas and I wrote them on the flip chart.”
To read more about Girls Inc. financial literacy programs – follow this link: http://www.girlsincomaha.stagemydomain.com/NewsDetail.aspx?n=1c5f0e96-d8ff-4cf3-b90e-112f664fc149
Shardea Gallion – her story is our story!
Follow the link below to read about Girls Inc. of Omaha alum Shardea Gallion.
http://leoadambiga.wordpress.com/2010/08/29/strong-smart-and-bold-a-girls-inc-story/
$$ for grades – good incentive or inappropriate bribe? Girls weigh in.
From girls who received checks:
“A bribe???!!! Excuse me?!! No, seriously, I can see how some people might think that but to me, it just shows that someone appreciates what I am doing. If I work hard, someone notices. I plan on saving my money.” – Zhamontee
“I like getting money but I agree you shouldn’t get bribed to do something you are supposed to do anyway, like get good grades.” – Ebony
“It is easy money, like getting paid for going to school, but it’s not a bribe. It shows you that if you work hard, you will get rewarded. If you do what you are supposed to do, you might end up with some extra money in your pocket. I might buy somes shoes since you [Girls Inc.] already save some of it for me.” – D’Ashanique
From a girl who didn’t receive a check:
“Don’t put my name down because I don’t want someone to think I am stupid if I didn’t get a check. If it is a bribe, it might just work because I am thinking ‘How can I get in on that? Like maybe I could bring my grades up. I don’t know. And anyway, do you think people would go to work if they didn’t get a paycheck. I mean even if they like their job or think they are doing a good job they like to get money because who doesn’t? For real, Ms. Roberta, don’t tell me you don’t like your paycheck. You know you love that paycheck. Payday is a good day, right?” – anonymous
