This year many Aspiring Youth of Houston After-School students were accompanied by their parents to the annual Angels of Light Program sponsored by Second Baptist Church. It was, as always, a great success. Parents were able to see the kinds of opportunities that Aspiring Youth provides for their children. Second Baptist Church was wonderfully decorated, and everyone enjoyed a complete dinner along with a spectacular show celebrating Christmas.

Talented youth performed, danced and sung Christmas carols, and the comedian was hilarious. At the end of the evening the students were eager to see what Santa had put on their seat on the bus, and each student was surprised with a gift and a bible. Words cannot explain how much the children love this inspiring event, and we give our special thanks to Second Baptist Church for sponsoring this annual program.

Each year TASTE or “Take A Student To your Employment” allows area corporations, businesses and law firms the opportunity to host Aspiring Youth students for a business lunch. This year the second round of TASTE events was held on November 20th when groups of Aspiring Youth students toured the firms of: Browne, Penland, & McGregor Architects, Baker & Hostetler LLP, DMJM Aviation, Hughes Watters Askanase LLP, Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP, and Yetter Warden & Coleman LLP.

The host sites treated the students like royalty, each with different activities, food and treats to take home. The students were excited to see the impressive offices and meet and talk with the employees who enabled them to envision their own future working as an architect or lawyer. Each host site should take pride at the influence they made on the students.

Each year the Madres a Madres Food Drive program provides Aspiring Youth students with an opportunity to make an impact in their own community. Starting the week before Thanksgiving, the National Junior Honor Society Members decorate hundreds of brown bags with markers, crayons and glitter. The students, teachers, parents and others are asked to fill the decorated bags with canned goods. The Leadership Group keeps a count of all cans turned in, and the advocacy class with the most collected items wins a pizza party!

Due to the holiday season the Madres a Madres Center does not receive substantial provisions from its sources, and the mothers who live in shelters are often without food. This is why the food drive is so important. Our Aspiring Youth students would like to thank you and all of their own Aspiring Youth donors for the spirit of Christmas giving.

The Missouri City Chapter of The Links’ partnered with Aspiring Youth on December 6th to bring students to the Ensemble Theatre. The students enjoyed a catered luncheon and then entered into the inner-workings of the world of theater. In three mini-workshops students participated in techniques of design, sound and lighting for stage theatrical productions. After a rare pre-performance dialogue with the director and actors, the students were able to see the techniques they learned utilized in the musical "Twelve Ways of Christmas".

You can find the Catamount Cheerleaders at football, volleyball, and basketball games. The girls are there to pump up the crowd and put smiles on everyone’s face. As Aspiring Youth students, the cheerleaders are also role models for the rest of the student body. They have to keep up their grades and have exceptional conduct.

Cheerleading is a national sport that requires gymnastics, weightlifting, jumps, running, core strength, and stunting. This December the cheerleaders participated in the city’s METRO Safety Education Program Awards Ceremony and did an excellent job.

On Wednesday evening December 10th, Aspiring Youth students played a major role in the first Ryan Middle School Winter Art Festival showcasing the students’ art work. The night was filled with dance, music and student theatrical performances; and a silent auction assembling original art work, jewelry, hand painted brooches, gift baskets and holiday cards started the evening. Everyone had a wonderful time, and all the proceeds from the Festival went to purchase books to fill the empty shelves in Ryan’s new library.

Olubimpe "Bimpe" Aibinuomo is a senior Sociology student at the University of Houston and is currently pursuing her Nonprofit Management Certificate in the American Humanics program. As an avid public service participant, Bimpe has chosen Aspiring Youth as her place for volunteering. Welcomed by all of the staff, Bimpe has spearheaded the database update process for following the progress of Aspiring Youth middle school students into university, and we acknowledge Bimpe as an immense asset to the organization!

Aspiring Youth of Houston would like to give a heartfelt thank you to our many volunteers during the school year of 2007-2008. We recognize that our volunteers allow more and more children to benefit from the Aspiring Youth After-School Program, and we believe that knowing that you are helping others brings joy into everyone’s life. This corner celebrates the contributions and dedications of many of you. Please visit the link at left and give yourself a congratulatory pat on the back.

Aspiring Youth of Houston would like to thank our many donors in 2007 for giving to our organization for the present so that we may prepare our youth for the future. We believe that a helping hand at the right time can make a lifetime of difference, and it is our many donors that make the Aspiring Youth After-School Program possible.