Sincere thanks to United Airlines for an incredible Holiday Wishes Party!!
On December 4th, 100 excited MIB kids got the party of their lives as United Airlines treated them to a Holiday Wishes party at the Tellepson YMCA!
Students from Askew, Bruce, Kashmere Gardens and Walnut Bend Elementary Schools participated in face painting, holiday arts and crafts, cookie decorating, dinner and, of course, a visit from Santa!
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MIB Welcomes New Board Member,
Tricia Zieben
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MIB Guild...
a longtime dream becomes a reality!!
On January 25th, a longtime dream of MIB will take its first baby step towards becoming a reality! Under the leadership of new Board Member, Tricia Zieben, the MIB Guild will host its first introductory meeting. The mission of this group is to support Making It Better by developing a group of passionate, dedicated women who will assist with program activities and events, help raise program funds and spread awareness of the organization. If YOU are interested in becoming involved, please e-mail Jacque Daughtry.
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MIB
Young Professionals Happy Hour
Thursday, February 7th
5pm - 8pm
The Marque at CityCentre
The mission of our MIBYP group is to create a platform for our young professionals' members, ages 22-35, to build relationships, develop professionally, and contribute to Making It Better by recruiting new members and participating in volunteer activities.
Membership is $50/year which may be paid in full or in $5/month increments.
If you or someone you know would like more information or would like to receive an invitation please e-mail
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SAVE THE DATE!!
Magnums Make a Difference 2013
Saturday, September 28
The Wynden
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DONATE NOW
Your generosity has the power to make a lasting difference in the life of a child!
We are grateful for contributions of any amount and, in return, offer our commitment to be excellent stewards of the funds you have entrusted to us. Each gift is important!
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Happy New Year from all of us at Making It Better! It seems like our fall semester just began and here we are, sharing our successes with you already! We are so proud of all of our kids and know you will be as well! Take a moment to reflect on some of the highlights of the past 4 months!
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Literacy: Developing a foundation for academic success through intensive reading tutorials!
A total of 227 1st, 2nd & 3rd grade students attending Askew, Bruce, Red, Robinson, Shearn and Walnut Bend Elementary schools participated in our twice weekly Literacy Tutorials which ran from October 8th to December 6th.
1st semester results are encouraging with 80% of students showing progress! 42% showed improvement of at least 1 reading grade level.
 The highlight for longtime MIB tutor, Ruth Carrasco, was a 3rd grade Askew Elementary student named George who entered our program in 1st grade unable to read even the easiest word. Now a 3rd grader, George raced up to Ruth, book clasped to his chest and exclaimed, "Look! I'm reading a CHAPTER BOOK! MIB really did Make It Better!" George exemplifies one of the primary reasons we do what we do...giving kids opportunities that will change lives! |
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Leadership: Inspiring personal excellence through the development of positive character traits and leadership qualities!
Developing leadership and life skills is a part of everything we do and is woven throughout the curriculum of our Steps 2 Success and Lunch Bunch programs.
 Students attending our Steps 2 Success programs at Askew, Robinson and Shadowbriar Elementary were treated to an exciting field trip to City Hall where they had the opportunity to meet Mayor Parker and our own Council Member Jerry Davis, as well as get a behind the scenes glimpse of the workings of City Hall. Among other things they learned the meaning of the City Seal and historical facts about our city. Shadowbriar Elementary students put into action what they had learned about community service by visiting a local nursing home where they sang and acted out Goldilocks and The 3 Bears to the residents.  Anthony (Shadowbriar student pictured) credits MIB with "helping me learn not to be so shy."  The "creativity" aspect of our Steps 2 Success program exposes students to fine arts through on-site programming and field trips to local museums, art galleries and performing arts locations. Thanks to a collaboration with Urge Works, Askew students had the opportunity to experience Hip Hop. Not only did they learn new dance moves, but more importantly, learned the importance of working as a team and self discipline! |
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Life Skills: Empowering students with positive relationship and self-management skills!
In collaboration with Change Happens!, Making It Better delivers several research-based programs that are designed to empower children to make healthy decisions that will result in positive outcomes throughout their lives. One of those programs uses the "Making a Difference" curriculum and is delivered to 5th - 8th grade students. In addition to helping the students look toward the future by setting goals and seeing the positive in themselves; this abstinence program teaches medically accurate information about puberty, life-skills and healthy decision making. Abstinence from sexual activity is taught as the only certain way to prevent teenage pregnancy and as the expected standard for school-aged children.
 A community service component enables students to serve others while bonding with the small group with whom he/she attended the curriculum sessions.
Students at Bruce Elementary School made warm blankets and donated them to 1000 Hills Church just in time for the cold weather to hit! This same group of 20 boys also helped assemble benches to beautify their school playground!
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As always, we are grateful to all of you for your continued support of our mission to provide literacy, leadership and life skills to under-served elementary students.
Sincerely,
Jerry V. Davis
Making It Better
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