WE Day
What is WE Day?
It is a celebration of young people who have made a difference in their community! But you can't buy a ticket to WE Day....you have to EARN your way there! Our POWER students earned their tickets by planning, organizing, & executing at least one local community service project, and one other project with a global impact!
Here's what ATMS POWER had to say about their WE Day experience:
Almond Tree started a “WE Club." The students were responsible for planning their activities for the year to earn our tickets to WE Day. We did a food can collection, and the students wanted to continue their community service at Christmas by traveling to our local convalescent facility and caroling with our elderly citizens. We also took some gifts that the students created for them. When we came back to campus after the carling trip, I recall one student that was crying. When I asked her why, she said that one elderly person told her that the gift she gave her was "...the first gift I've received in a long time.” My student then realized that many of the residents in that facility do not get any visitors. It touched her heart.
Another highlight was when we created Easter baskets for the children at Valley Children Hospital in Madera. Our goal was to make at least 50 baskets but we ended up creating more than 100. These baskets included a book, coloring books, crayons or markers, a game, and a toy. They were super excited that they had exceeded their goal!
WE Day finally came and our students were very excited! It was a great show! The next day, the students shared with us that WE Day inspired them to continue making a difference in our community. They already have ideas for next year! They are proud to be part of WE. Together WE can make a difference!
CAMSA also shared some WE Day insights:
Participating in We Day this year taught students that even the smallest contributions can make a big difference. CAMS students collected change for goats in Kenya. And after watching the videos on how $50 can make a huge impact over there, the students were eager to keep raising more and actually exceeded their goal! I explained to them that we also collected canned corn to help make food baskets for local families and it opened their eyes to know that not everyone has the basic essentials to eat a family meal on Thanksgiving. Most of the students brought more than the required one can.
Attending the actual We Day event in Inglewood showed them that they are part of something bigger and they are appreciated and recognized for their efforts. Hearing other schools' stories about community service gave them ideas that they are willing to try for next year. These students are not even thinking that they MIGHT do community service for POWER. They have it in their minds that it’s just something they already do and they are excited to continue doing it! Leaving the event I had kids already share ideas for next school year, and to me that shows that at such a young age they are committed to making a difference no matter how big or small!
And finally, this reflection from Fremont Elementary:
Students were in awe when they realized that their participation with the homeless ministry was a huge deal. They highlighted another school during WE Day that was doing something similar that we do, and the students were saying things like “hey, we do that too!”
There were also some students that volunteered their Saturday during their Thanksgiving break to help Community Connections fill some care packages. The students were able to see where the canned food they collected during Lights On was going. They were able to see that their efforts were really making an impact both inside and outside of our community!
It is a celebration of young people who have made a difference in their community! But you can't buy a ticket to WE Day....you have to EARN your way there! Our POWER students earned their tickets by planning, organizing, & executing at least one local community service project, and one other project with a global impact!
Here's what ATMS POWER had to say about their WE Day experience:
Almond Tree started a “WE Club." The students were responsible for planning their activities for the year to earn our tickets to WE Day. We did a food can collection, and the students wanted to continue their community service at Christmas by traveling to our local convalescent facility and caroling with our elderly citizens. We also took some gifts that the students created for them. When we came back to campus after the carling trip, I recall one student that was crying. When I asked her why, she said that one elderly person told her that the gift she gave her was "...the first gift I've received in a long time.” My student then realized that many of the residents in that facility do not get any visitors. It touched her heart.
Another highlight was when we created Easter baskets for the children at Valley Children Hospital in Madera. Our goal was to make at least 50 baskets but we ended up creating more than 100. These baskets included a book, coloring books, crayons or markers, a game, and a toy. They were super excited that they had exceeded their goal!
WE Day finally came and our students were very excited! It was a great show! The next day, the students shared with us that WE Day inspired them to continue making a difference in our community. They already have ideas for next year! They are proud to be part of WE. Together WE can make a difference!
CAMSA also shared some WE Day insights:
Participating in We Day this year taught students that even the smallest contributions can make a big difference. CAMS students collected change for goats in Kenya. And after watching the videos on how $50 can make a huge impact over there, the students were eager to keep raising more and actually exceeded their goal! I explained to them that we also collected canned corn to help make food baskets for local families and it opened their eyes to know that not everyone has the basic essentials to eat a family meal on Thanksgiving. Most of the students brought more than the required one can.
Attending the actual We Day event in Inglewood showed them that they are part of something bigger and they are appreciated and recognized for their efforts. Hearing other schools' stories about community service gave them ideas that they are willing to try for next year. These students are not even thinking that they MIGHT do community service for POWER. They have it in their minds that it’s just something they already do and they are excited to continue doing it! Leaving the event I had kids already share ideas for next school year, and to me that shows that at such a young age they are committed to making a difference no matter how big or small!
And finally, this reflection from Fremont Elementary:
Students were in awe when they realized that their participation with the homeless ministry was a huge deal. They highlighted another school during WE Day that was doing something similar that we do, and the students were saying things like “hey, we do that too!”
There were also some students that volunteered their Saturday during their Thanksgiving break to help Community Connections fill some care packages. The students were able to see where the canned food they collected during Lights On was going. They were able to see that their efforts were really making an impact both inside and outside of our community!
Easter Basket Project
From Maria Maldonado, Site Manager for Pioneer School, and the Easter Basket Project Coordinator:
"We started with the Easter Basket donation to the Valley Children Hospital in Madera CA in the year of 2018. POWER had become involved with the WE Program, which is a program that focuses on community service, and I thought the Easter basket project would be a perfect fit. That year only four POWER sites were able to participate: Almond Tree Middle School, Pioneer, Princeton and Terrace School. We were able to make about 120 baskets.
The following year, in 2019, all the POWER Program school sites participated. Each site was in charge of collecting certain items for the basket: puzzles, crayons, coloring books, play dough etc. That year we tripled our baskets and made over 300 baskets. Once Easter gets closer my family takes a trip to the Children's Hospital to deliver the baskets.
In 2020, we began collecting items again for the baskets, but because of the pandemic we were not able to donate the baskets to Valley Children Hospital. Thankfully, our amazing POWER team came up with a solution. We donated those baskets to children from our Delano community who were in need. The children were very happy, and parents were thankful that their children were chosen. I believe that these baskets brought some sort of comfort for many families to know that although these were tough times we were all still thinking of them.
I have seen the impact that this project brought to our community, and how much it has grown in the last 3 years. The first year I had a handful of students helping out, the following year I had more than 25 students and parents volunteering! The donations of the baskets to the hospital brings so much joy to the children and their families. Through this project, our POWER students learn about empathy, gratitude and the joy of giving.
"We started with the Easter Basket donation to the Valley Children Hospital in Madera CA in the year of 2018. POWER had become involved with the WE Program, which is a program that focuses on community service, and I thought the Easter basket project would be a perfect fit. That year only four POWER sites were able to participate: Almond Tree Middle School, Pioneer, Princeton and Terrace School. We were able to make about 120 baskets.
The following year, in 2019, all the POWER Program school sites participated. Each site was in charge of collecting certain items for the basket: puzzles, crayons, coloring books, play dough etc. That year we tripled our baskets and made over 300 baskets. Once Easter gets closer my family takes a trip to the Children's Hospital to deliver the baskets.
In 2020, we began collecting items again for the baskets, but because of the pandemic we were not able to donate the baskets to Valley Children Hospital. Thankfully, our amazing POWER team came up with a solution. We donated those baskets to children from our Delano community who were in need. The children were very happy, and parents were thankful that their children were chosen. I believe that these baskets brought some sort of comfort for many families to know that although these were tough times we were all still thinking of them.
I have seen the impact that this project brought to our community, and how much it has grown in the last 3 years. The first year I had a handful of students helping out, the following year I had more than 25 students and parents volunteering! The donations of the baskets to the hospital brings so much joy to the children and their families. Through this project, our POWER students learn about empathy, gratitude and the joy of giving.
Christmas Caroling
From Elena Moreno, Site Manager for Fremont and Nueva Vista Language Academy, and the Caroling Project Coordinator:
"Christmas Caroling during the Winter season is something that was rooted in me by teachers growing up in Delano. I was a student at Cecil Avenue Middle School and Delano High School where my choir teachers Mrs. Reed and Mr. Gutierrez both taught me that the atmosphere can shift in a place with music. Through these experiences, I was able to see joy on people's faces and spirits lifted through the songs we sang along the hallways. These were the experiences that changed me as a child because they helped shape my "heartset" to one that was more open to empathy and love for all people. I wanted to recreate this same experience with the children of Delano that I now serve through POWER. And our Annual Christmas Caroling Event was born! POWER students from every site can join together and sing the same carols and share the same joy with the elderly in our community.
Throughout the years of serving our community in this way, students have commented on how moving their experience was while singing to our elderly community. Some students didn't know how to react to the tears being shed, but they knew that they were doing something right, something of value that would impact both themselves and the ones listening to their melodies. The workers at the care facilities were thrilled to have young students singing in their hallways! Staff even requested that we learn more songs so that we can stay a little longer! The impact of Christmas Caroling goes beyond just that week of singing, it stays in the memories of the participants. Our goal is to not only lift spirits and spread holiday cheer with songs. It is to broaden the horizons of the children of Delano and show them that they can make a difference in the lives of others through selfless acts of service driven by love and empathy. "
"Christmas Caroling during the Winter season is something that was rooted in me by teachers growing up in Delano. I was a student at Cecil Avenue Middle School and Delano High School where my choir teachers Mrs. Reed and Mr. Gutierrez both taught me that the atmosphere can shift in a place with music. Through these experiences, I was able to see joy on people's faces and spirits lifted through the songs we sang along the hallways. These were the experiences that changed me as a child because they helped shape my "heartset" to one that was more open to empathy and love for all people. I wanted to recreate this same experience with the children of Delano that I now serve through POWER. And our Annual Christmas Caroling Event was born! POWER students from every site can join together and sing the same carols and share the same joy with the elderly in our community.
Throughout the years of serving our community in this way, students have commented on how moving their experience was while singing to our elderly community. Some students didn't know how to react to the tears being shed, but they knew that they were doing something right, something of value that would impact both themselves and the ones listening to their melodies. The workers at the care facilities were thrilled to have young students singing in their hallways! Staff even requested that we learn more songs so that we can stay a little longer! The impact of Christmas Caroling goes beyond just that week of singing, it stays in the memories of the participants. Our goal is to not only lift spirits and spread holiday cheer with songs. It is to broaden the horizons of the children of Delano and show them that they can make a difference in the lives of others through selfless acts of service driven by love and empathy. "
Operation Christmas Child
From Angelica Zamarripa, Site Manager for Albany Park and Del Vista Math & Science Academy, and the Operation Christmas Child Coordinator:
"Operation Christmas Child is a project of Samaritans Purse. The project consists of building a shoebox for a child anywhere around the world. The supplies consist of small toys, hygiene items, and school supplies.
When we first started this project with POWER in 2012, it was with Morningside and Harvest Elementary school. A couple years after that , it became a program-wide operation for global community service, and an invaluable opportunity for our students to be involved with the WE Organization. Each POWER site collected school supplies, hygiene products, and toys. One of the amazing gifts we also included was handwritten letters and drawings that our students personalized for the children receiving these shoeboxes.
With this project, POWER brings awareness to our students on a global scale. I have shown students videos of kids opening shoeboxes in different areas of poverty from around the world and they are very moved by what they see. We discuss afterwards how this project is impactful and important .
I remember several of our students commenting that they always ask for the most expensive toys and devices for Christmas, but kids in other parts of the world are overjoyed to receive a toothbrush. They would talk about how much more they wanted to do for other kids and how they are now rethinking their own wants and needs.
Across all POWER sites, we have collected over 500 shoeboxes annually, filled and ready to go. And every year we still have hundreds of items left over that need to be shipped to make more shoeboxes. This project not only filled our students' hearts, but also shaped our students' minds. They realize that through this project, they are a part of something that is bigger than themselves. And they are so proud that through their efforts, they make the world a better place.
"Operation Christmas Child is a project of Samaritans Purse. The project consists of building a shoebox for a child anywhere around the world. The supplies consist of small toys, hygiene items, and school supplies.
When we first started this project with POWER in 2012, it was with Morningside and Harvest Elementary school. A couple years after that , it became a program-wide operation for global community service, and an invaluable opportunity for our students to be involved with the WE Organization. Each POWER site collected school supplies, hygiene products, and toys. One of the amazing gifts we also included was handwritten letters and drawings that our students personalized for the children receiving these shoeboxes.
With this project, POWER brings awareness to our students on a global scale. I have shown students videos of kids opening shoeboxes in different areas of poverty from around the world and they are very moved by what they see. We discuss afterwards how this project is impactful and important .
I remember several of our students commenting that they always ask for the most expensive toys and devices for Christmas, but kids in other parts of the world are overjoyed to receive a toothbrush. They would talk about how much more they wanted to do for other kids and how they are now rethinking their own wants and needs.
Across all POWER sites, we have collected over 500 shoeboxes annually, filled and ready to go. And every year we still have hundreds of items left over that need to be shipped to make more shoeboxes. This project not only filled our students' hearts, but also shaped our students' minds. They realize that through this project, they are a part of something that is bigger than themselves. And they are so proud that through their efforts, they make the world a better place.
Teddy Bear Drive
From Patty Torres, Academic Instructor for Fremont, and the Teddy Bear Project Coordinator:
The Teddy Bear Project started last school year. I met Delano Police Officer Rivera, and he started coming around talking to my Service Club. I heard about the bear drive, through social media. So my service club decided to surprise Officer Rivera and start a teddy bear drive of our own.
The process began with Officer Silva, Officer Ochoa, and me, handing out flyers to my students and parents. I also got support from my administration and staff. The parents and students loved the idea. We had a lot of parent involvement! We collected the bears over a 2-week period. It was such a positive experience, that our POWER Service Club decided to make it a yearly event with the Delano Police Department!
My goal for getting involved in this project was not just to give back, but to build relationships and trust with police officers, parents, students and the community. It was really important for all of us. Communication plays a big role in trust. I know that the students' positive interaction with police will serve them well in the years to come.
The Teddy Bear Project started last school year. I met Delano Police Officer Rivera, and he started coming around talking to my Service Club. I heard about the bear drive, through social media. So my service club decided to surprise Officer Rivera and start a teddy bear drive of our own.
The process began with Officer Silva, Officer Ochoa, and me, handing out flyers to my students and parents. I also got support from my administration and staff. The parents and students loved the idea. We had a lot of parent involvement! We collected the bears over a 2-week period. It was such a positive experience, that our POWER Service Club decided to make it a yearly event with the Delano Police Department!
My goal for getting involved in this project was not just to give back, but to build relationships and trust with police officers, parents, students and the community. It was really important for all of us. Communication plays a big role in trust. I know that the students' positive interaction with police will serve them well in the years to come.