Newsletter ~ March 2010SERVING INNER-CITY YOUTH & FAMILIES IN

THE DOWNTOWN ATLANTA AREA

SummerhillSummerhillSummerhillCommunity MinistriesCommunity MinistriesCommunity Ministries

This school year we have really put a lot of emphasis on reading. We want our kids starting Middle School reading “on grade level”.

Our volunteers have been reading with the After School Program kids year after year. Sally Doster, one of our faithful volunteers for over 7 years now, asked a question one Thursday, “Who wants to read?!” I heard several little voices say at one time, “I do! I do!” They raced to the bookshelf to pick out books and sat on the floor, ready to read to Ms. Sally.

This year, middle and high school students have also taken on the challenge to read with our lower grade level kids. Please pray for the students as they prepare for the CRCT testing, which will require lots of reading.

Reading

Congratulations - First Semester Honor Students!We are so proud of you!

Principals List: Joshua, Jermaine, Niqua, & Janaiah.

Perfect Attendance: Myleondre, Dre'Leon, Donta, Joshua, Niqua, Jermaine & Casey

A/B Honor Roll: Myleondre, Donta, Malika, Nushar, & Gemeka

Summerhill Community Ministries, Inc.March 2010 ~ Page 2

P. O. Box 160294 • Atlanta, Georgia 30316 • 404-964-4604 • justinascm@juno.com • http:\\www.summerhillcm.com

Tyquantis, Christian and Niqua hold up sheet music, so that Ms. Sally can read the words also, and sing “Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord God Almighty, Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord” (A song they sing during our Monday worship time with Ms. Anna).

Working in a class room next door with 10 high school and middle school students, we hear the little voices preciously singing this worship song and everyone stops to listen in amazement at how sincere and sweet these voices were. It was a priceless moment.

Tykyia is a 9 year old girl who has been a part of our afterschool program and summer day camp for the past 4 years. She has suffered with migraine headaches for a couple of years now. This school year, we have had to take her home several days because the headaches were so unbearable. Most children medications did not give her relief. She was finally diagnosed with migraines. Lately the headaches have been severe. After an MRI and other tests were done, her mother was told that Tykyia has fluid on her brain. Surgery is planned for mid April. Mom is understandably afraid for this type of surgery for her daughter. We are asking for special prayers.

Pray for Justina’s husband (Emanuel), as he has agreed to enter a rehab program.

Our “Old Faithful” blue van is on its last leg. Please pray that it will make it through the summer. We are also praying for another new or used van for the future.

Special Moments

Prayer Requests

Our kids look forward to the first Thursday in each month, because that is when the McColgan & Company will bring them a sack full of goodies for snack time. Mike Hunter, owner of McColgan & Company, and his staff have helped in the past during Christmas season. This year they have come and spent even more time with the Summerhill kids. They not only bring a hardy snack, but they tutor, read and play with the kids. It's always a treat to see them enter the doors. The kids usually welcome them with a huge hurray!

Ms Marcia came to us through a wonderful organization called Operation Front Line. After the six week cooking class ended, we realized how much Ms. Marcia had bonded with quite a few of our kids and she continued to hang out with us. We pretty much adopted her as our community grandmother. She graciously bakes homemade cakes for our monthly birthday celebrations. She takes the requests of the children for birthday cake themes. This month, was “SpongeBob.” Jamario, a 10 year old boy in our ASP yells out, “that lady sho can bake cakes!!” another child says, “They tastes good too!” She is now called “The Cake Angel” of Summerhill.

The Cake Angel

March 2010 ~ Page 3

P. O. Box 160294 • Atlanta, Georgia 30316 • 404-964-4604 • justinascm@juno.com • http:\\www.summerhillcm.com

____ YES, I want to volunteer this summer ____________________________________ (area of interest)

Name _____________________________________________________________________

Address: __________________________________________________________________

City: ________________________ State: __________ Zip: _________________

Phone: ____________________________ _____ YES, please mail me the newsletter

_____ YES, save postage and EMAIL the newsletter to me at:

Email: ____________________________________________________________

Sponsor a Child/Job Trainer/Camp Teacher forSummerhill Community Ministries, Inc. - Camp 2010

With summer quickly approaching, children in Summerhill, Peoplestown, Mechanicsville, and Grant Park will be in need of constructive activities. With your help these children can participate in SCM’s Inc. Summer Camp.

Our camp is a quality, God centered camp where the young people can learn the Bible, receive love and encouragement from staff and caring volunteers, and participate in enrichment activities and trips. In the past years, many children have prayed

to receive Christ into their lives. Please consider giving a special gift to one of our urban youth this summer by sponsoring them for camp.

While we ask the parents to contribute $25.00 to send their child to camp, the actual cost is $390.00 per child for the seven weeks. You can sponsor a child for one week for $65.00, for the whole summer for $390.00, or with any amount you wish to give.

Volunteers are also needed to provide meals, snacks, chaperone trips, and teach enrichment activities.

_____ Yes, I want to sponsor a Child/Job Trainer/Camp Teacher for Camp!

____ $ 65.00 One Week ____ $1,850.00 Job Trainer

____ $ 390.00 All Summer ____ $2,250.00 Camp Teacher ____ $ ___________________ Other

Checks should be made out to “Summerhill Community Ministries” with “Summer Camp” specified in the memo line. All donations are tax deductible

One day in the after school program, the boys decided to go outside to play basketball for their free time. The middle school girls chose to stay inside and started a conversation with Justina about a girl in the school who tried to commit suicide.

This was a person they were fairly close to. Tearfully, they shared how she had sent a picture of herself to her boyfriend. He sent it to his friends and it quickly passed like wildfire to almost everyone in the school and on to several other schools. The backlash was so devastating that she felt she could not bear it. She unsuccessfully, tried to kill herself by cutting her wrists.

We all know this terrible growing trend as “sexting.” It is going on among all age groups more than we can imagine! Justina went on to tell these girls to love and protect themselves enough not to ever take inappropriate pictures of themselves and send them to ANYONE. Let’s pray for our kids and our parents that they will openly talk to their kids about this dangerous, growing problem.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

This conversation led to one of the girls, age 12, sharing an incident that happened to her. She was raped by a family member. She told her mother and the situation was dealt with, but naturally she is still going through some psychological issues. She has been diagnosed with being bipolar. She expressed that she doesn’t want to be on medication for the rest of her life or live a promiscuous life. Please pray for her.

Middle School Girls Teen Talk

Please consider a camp sponsorship.

As of the printing of this newsletter

we have $0 for summer camp.

Summerhill Community Ministries, Inc.March 2010 ~ Page 4

P. O. Box 160294 • Atlanta, Georgia 30316 • 404-964-4604 • justinascm@juno.com • http:\\www.summerhillcm.com

Snaps of Special Moments

Anna, Taniya and Joshua read clues as they search to find the Pot of Gold

Creating Valentine ginger bread houses

Ms Marcia treats kids toUniversoul Circus

Annual Easter egg decorating

Wrapping presents that the kids have earned by doing chores at home and serving in their community. A BIG Thanks to all of our Christmas Sponsors!

Laura, from Desire Street Ministries, Alexis and Christain, find the Pot of Gold!