By Niki Kraska | Child Development Coordinator
A Very Merry Maria!
Soaring through her ICSE education with flying colors, Maria graduated from 10th grade this February! We could not be prouder, since she joined New Home within the first months of our opening. At the very young age of 2 and a half, Maria had already lost her father and was being taken care of by her single-mother. Unfortunately, her mother did not have the resources to take care of her daughter, and made the hard decision to leave her in our care for her wellbeing.
Over the past 14 years, Maria has truly blossomed into an intelligent, talented, and kind young lady! She completed her entire education at St. Michael’s High School, participating in Marching Band, Athletics, and multiple Dance Performances over the years. Always among one of the toppers in her class, she graduated with Excellence in Commercial Studies and Home Science. She is currently preparing to complete the ICSE exams and move onto Pre-University College. While she still has time to make a career choice, she has been considering teaching or getting into the airline industry. No matter what she chooses, her natural ability to succeed and her personable nature will definitely lead her far. Congrats Maria!
New Journeys Begin
Every family is proud to watch their children complete their education and move on to bigger things - and that is exactly how we at New Home feel about our 7 graduating seniors! Our annual graduation ceremony was held in February to honor all that our seniors have achieved over the years. It has been amazing to watch them grow and develop in New Home, especially since many came at the very young age of 3 or 4 and have been with us for the past 13 or 14 years. Each senior gave a heartfelt speech about their time in New Home and gratitude for the opportunities provided. Our chairman also “sent them off” with good wishes, fortune, and hope for the future.
While the Covid lockdown has caused their final months in New Home to look different than planned, they are keeping their eyes on their goals. All have plans to continue studying or training for their desired field. Among the 7 we have an aspiring chartered accountant, chef, psychologist, educator, social worker, and IT professional! We cannot celebrate these graduates without thanking you, our donors, sponsors, and guests, who have been encouraging them throughout. Please continue to keep them in your thoughts!
Campus Life During a Pandemic…
No one could have expected what these last months have brought. Our 37 Lighthouse Academy students had to end their school year early, our 10th and 12th grade students’ exams have been postponed, our 10th and 11th grade students are attending online classes, and despite a very few staff members who go out to buy necessities, no one has been leaving campus. But it is at these hard times when we can remember our blessings.
We are thankful to have a large campus for our children to live and play safely in an enclosed and protected area. The campus is also full of fruit-bearing trees and vegetable-bearing gardens. The children get to learn about farming and gardening while also adding to our healthy meals.
We are thankful for the donated computers and tablets that have made online classes easier for our students. And of course, we are thankful to those who have donated provisions and financial support to help us through the lockdown!
While the changes have not been easy, we’ve made it as best as we can for the children through different activities – educational opportunities, values learning, skills learning, arts, music, dance, and of course, play. Even our older children have taken initiative to make grand celebrations with music, dance, games, and fun for Mother’s Day, birthdays, and a special anniversary.
We hope every one of you has also been able to stay safe and healthy during this time, and we are keeping you in our thoughts, too. We thank you for your support and we look forward to welcoming you again to our campus as soon as possible!
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