Aspiring Youth E-Newsletter

Once again it's time to start planning for this exciting event! Mark your calendars for February 17, 2007, and plan to have fun at our 8th annual “Reaching for the Stars” Gala at the Houston Country Club. Your attendance is just one of many small ways in which you can make a huge difference in the life of a less fortunate youth. You can lend a hand on our Silent Auction committee or consider a donation to our Silent Auction.

Asking around at businesses you frequent is surprisingly fruitful; people really do like to help!
If you or someone you know has an item or service to contribute, or if you would like to volunteer, please push the buttons below. Feel free to print out extra donation forms to distribute to businesses in your community.

2005-2006 School Year in Review

As we prepare for an exciting 2006 – 2007 school year, we thought this would be the perfect opportunity to showcase the highlights of last year’s Aspiring Youth After-School Program. Every year the Aspiring Youth After-School Program begins with a Staff Training at each site. The Aspiring Youth Programs Staff meets with the Aspiring Youth School Staff (which includes the teachers, coaches and assistants) to discuss the highlights of the program, brainstorm on new ideas, and plan for a successful school year. Schools that partnered with Aspiring Youth last year included: B.C. Elmore Middle School, Jackson Middle School, Jane Long Middle School, Kirby Middle School, Marshall Middle School, Oak Village Middle School and Target Hunger Organization. Described below is just a small portion of some of the most exciting events.

Please remember to click on each of the images to see our Aspiring Youth Slide Shows!

Celebrating Lights On! After-School

In October the Aspiring Youth After-School Program at Marshall Middle School celebrated National Lights On After-School by participating in a Pumpkin Carving Contest. Lights On! is a day set aside to show the community, city, state and the nation how important after-school programs are to our youth, their families and the future of our society. The Pumpkin Carving Contest was very exciting for the students. Many of the students had never carved a pumpkin before.

Once again Aspiring Youth added to the growth of our students' experiences. Our thanks to Emily Pipkin for first envisioning the pumpkin carving contest and to Vinson & Elkins for sponsoring the pumpkin carving contest.

On this day, a special guest, Mr. Jonathan Walton of KHOU - CBS, Channel 11, came and experienced the fun, yet challenging activities, that the Mobile Ropes Course offers. This event was shown on the KHOU TV Morning News. Thanks to Craig Moritz for sponsoring Mobile Ropes.

The TASTE Program is not only a great experience for the students and teachers, but the business professionals enjoy the time that they share with the future professionals. Please click on the image above to see more.

The 8th annual College for a Day focused on careers in which math and science are very important. Thanks to a fantastic partnership with the Missouri City Chapter of the Links (an international service organization of women of African heritage). The day began with an opening session. Several speakers talked to the students about how important it is to attend college and about the affordability of college. The day continued with math and science courses, general sessions, lunch and a tour of Texas Southern University’s campus.

The day ends with each student receiving a College for a Day diploma for completing all components of the event. Students from Jackson Middle School, Long Middle School and Marshall Middle School in Houston Independent School District and students from Kirby Middle School and Oak Village Middle School in North Forest I.S.D. participated in this event. Professionals from the math, science and technology industry were the guest professors during the College for a Day Program. The students also had the chance to meet, visit and hear a talk from Mistress of Ceremony, KTRK-ABC’s Gina Gaston and the Honorable Vanessa Gilmore.

Veronica Herrera from Leadership Houston and Rice Alum hosted 65 Aspiring Youth students at Rice University. The students were able to tour the campus and meet and mingle with college students. The college students talked with the Aspiring Youth participants about college life and ways to finance college. The students ended the day with pizza – "a true college meal."

Special thanks to Veronica Herrera, the Docketing, CLE and Recruiting Coordinator for Greenburg Traurig Law Firm, for organizing this first ever event at Rice University.

Students from the Aspiring Youth Program at Marshall Middle School attended an event hosted by Shreya Shukla and the U of H Law School. The students participated in a mock class lecture, and had the opportunity to hear from different people on their experiences leading up to law school. It was an amazing success, and we hope to continue it for next year as well. Iris Hernandez was given a special award and recognized as "best law student" for her keen insight during the mock class.

To prepare our Aspiring Youth students for the TAKS Test, Aspiring Youth hosts the Aspiring Youth TAKS Olympics. The TAKS Olympics is another method of teaching the students teamwork, and it allows the students to review the TAKS Objectives that have been studied throughout the school year. It also motivates the students to do their best on the test. The TAKS Olympics has been so successful that at most of our schools it is done twice a year.

To make a tax deductible donation, please click the link below.


		http://www.aspiringyouth.org/


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	Our 8th Annual “Reaching For the Stars” Gala

		Once again it's time to start planning for this exciting event! Mark your calendars for February 17, 2007, and plan to have fun at our 8th annual “Reaching for the Stars” Gala at the Houston Country Club. Your attendance is just one of many small ways in which you can make a huge difference in the life of a less fortunate youth. You can lend a hand on our Silent Auction committee or consider a donation to our Silent Auction.

	Asking around at businesses you frequent is surprisingly fruitful; people really do like to help! If you or someone you know has an item or service to contribute, or if you would like to volunteer, please push the buttons below. Feel free to print out extra donation forms to distribute to businesses in your community.





	2005-2006 School Year in Review

	As we prepare for an exciting 2006 – 2007 school year, we thought this would be the perfect opportunity to showcase the highlights of last year’s Aspiring Youth After-School Program. Every year the Aspiring Youth After-School Program begins with a Staff Training at each site. The Aspiring Youth Programs Staff meets with the Aspiring Youth School Staff (which includes the teachers, coaches and assistants) to discuss the highlights of the program, brainstorm on new ideas, and plan for a successful school year. Schools that partnered with Aspiring Youth last year included: B.C. Elmore Middle School, Jackson Middle School, Jane Long Middle School, Kirby Middle School, Marshall Middle School, Oak Village Middle School and Target Hunger Organization. Described below is just a small portion of some of the most exciting events.
	Please remember to click on each of the images to see our Aspiring Youth Slide Shows!

	Celebrating Lights On! After-School

		In October the Aspiring Youth After-School Program at Marshall Middle School celebrated National Lights On After-School by participating in a Pumpkin Carving Contest. Lights On! is a day set aside to show the community, city, state and the nation how important after-school programs are to our youth, their families and the future of our society. The Pumpkin Carving Contest was very exciting for the students. Many of the students had never carved a pumpkin before.

	Once again Aspiring Youth added to the growth of our students' experiences. Our thanks to Emily Pipkin for first envisioning the pumpkin carving contest and to Vinson & Elkins for sponsoring the pumpkin carving contest.

	Mobile Ropes Course appears live on Channel 11

		In November the Aspiring Youth students at Marshall Middle School woke up before the sunrise and experienced the Mobile Ropes Course in the cold, brisk morning air. The Mobile Ropes Course sets up on the school grounds and allows students to challenge themselves and one another in activities that are mentally and physically strengthening.

	On this day, a special guest, Mr. Jonathan Walton of KHOU - CBS, Channel 11, came and experienced the fun, yet challenging activities, that the Mobile Ropes Course offers. This event was shown on the KHOU TV Morning News. Thanks to Craig Moritz for sponsoring Mobile Ropes.

	Aspiring Youth 9th Annual Take A Student To your Employment (TASTE)

		The annual Take A Student To your Employment (TASTE) Program benefits our Aspiring Youth students by allowing them to meet and interact with some of the most successful professionals in the Houston metropolitan area. The students are also given a tour of the professionals’ workplace and a business luncheon. At the end of the day, the students come away with information that will broaden their horizons on careers as well as a “goodie” bag of prizes and gifts from the workplace.

	The TASTE Program is not only a great experience for the students and teachers, but the business professionals enjoy the time that they share with the future professionals. Please click on the image above to see more.

	Aspiring Youth 8th Annual College For A Day

		The 8th annual College for a Day focused on careers in which math and science are very important. Thanks to a fantastic partnership with the Missouri City Chapter of the Links (an international service organization of women of African heritage). The day began with an opening session. Several speakers talked to the students about how important it is to attend college and about the affordability of college. The day continued with math and science courses, general sessions, lunch and a tour of Texas Southern University’s campus.

	The day ends with each student receiving a College for a Day diploma for completing all components of the event. Students from Jackson Middle School, Long Middle School and Marshall Middle School in Houston Independent School District and students from Kirby Middle School and Oak Village Middle School in North Forest I.S.D. participated in this event. Professionals from the math, science and technology industry were the guest professors during the College for a Day Program. The students also had the chance to meet, visit and hear a talk from Mistress of Ceremony, KTRK-ABC’s Gina Gaston and the Honorable Vanessa Gilmore.

	1st Annual Aspiring Youth College For A Day at Rice University

		Veronica Herrera from Leadership Houston and Rice Alum hosted 65 Aspiring Youth students at Rice University. The students were able to tour the campus and meet and mingle with college students. The college students talked with the Aspiring Youth participants about college life and ways to finance college. The students ended the day with pizza – "a true college meal."

	Special thanks to Veronica Herrera, the Docketing, CLE and Recruiting Coordinator for Greenburg Traurig Law Firm, for organizing this first ever event at Rice University.

	Marshall Middle Students Visit the U of H Law School

		Students from the Aspiring Youth Program at Marshall Middle School attended an event hosted by Shreya Shukla and the U of H Law School. The students participated in a mock class lecture, and had the opportunity to hear from different people on their experiences leading up to law school. It was an amazing success, and we hope to continue it for next year as well. Iris Hernandez was given a special award and recognized as "best law student" for her keen insight during the mock class.

	Aspiring Youth 6th Annual TAKS Olympics

		To prepare our Aspiring Youth students for the TAKS Test, Aspiring Youth hosts the Aspiring Youth TAKS Olympics. The TAKS Olympics is another method of teaching the students teamwork, and it allows the students to review the TAKS Objectives that have been studied throughout the school year. It also motivates the students to do their best on the test. The TAKS Olympics has been so successful that at most of our schools it is done twice a year.



	Aspiring Youth's mission is to prepare at-risk youth to aspire to and attain their highest degree of success in school and in life. To fulfill our mission, Aspiring Youth focuses on the middle school years when children are transforming from childhood to teenagers. The choices made during the pre-teen years are the foundation for each student's future success. Aspiring Youth supports the following events:
	College for a Day TAKS Olympics Map to Success Contest Summer Program	Take A Student To Your Employment Program Trash Bash Public Service Houston Livestock & Rodeo Field Trip College Scholarship Essay Contest



	If you live in a city with a Randall's Food Store, Randall's will donate 1% of your grocery purchases if you enter the Aspiring Youth® number (number 5130) and use your Randall's card with your purchases. Kroger Food Stores will also donate 1% of your grocery purchases if you use the Aspiring Youth™ Kroger card with your purchases (please let us know if you would like for us to send you a card to use at Kroger). Donations to Aspiring Youth® are tax deductible to the extent allowed for 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations. Clothing and small home items donations can be made by contacting Central Donations at 713-948-2828. Thanks for being part of the solution!



	ASPIRING YOUTH OF HOUSTON 6250 Westpark Drive, Suite 217 Houston, Texas 77057 Phone: 713-334-3330 Fax: 713-334-3366 E-mail: office@aspiringyouth.org	To make a tax deductible donation, please click the link below.


	Copyright 2006 Aspiring Youth®, All rights reserved.