The Power of Naming Our Days

The book of Proverbs says, “The tongue has the power of life and death…”

Susanne Parker, a 6th and 7th grade math teacher at Brookstone, knows a thing or two about the power of words to create life.

Last semester, Mrs. Parker began to notice a connection between the rash of negative words being spoken by her students and the powerful effect it was having on their attitudes.

“We started talking about the power of our tongues...I asked them, ‘How did God create the world?’ Well it says in Genesis: he spoke it. So we related that to how powerful and creative our words are. He breathed creation. And if he breathed his breath in us, we too can speak and create our world,” Parker said.  

After reading an article on the same subject, Mrs. Parker was inspired to start a new tradition in her homeroom class: every morning her students would name their days...positively.

Sometimes they named their day “hopeful,” sometimes “blessed,” sometimes “beautiful,” “joyful,” “creative,” “obedient,” or just plain “awesome.”

Rewind back to last December. The 6th and 7th grade are preparing for a field trip to see Miracle on 34th Street at ImaginOn. Mrs. Parker is gathering permission slips when she sees Za’Cariah Williams, one of her students, with tears streaming down her face. Za’Cariah’s grandmother had forgotten to sign her form. She would have to stay behind while all her classmates went on the field trip. Mrs. Parker’s heart broke for her student.

“I don’t know why I did this but I went out on a limb and said, ‘Let me tell you something. I promise you that if you cannot go to the play, something good will happen. God will turn it for good, even if you stay here.’”

Not long after, Mrs. Parker had an idea. She went to her homeroom class, briefed them on the situation, and asked them to name Za’Cariah’s day.

“We called it ‘gladness.’ That’s what they wanted to call her day.”

While a student searched to find Za’Cariah and tell her the news, Paul Major, another middle school teacher, walked into Mrs. Parker’s homeroom class.

“I want to know who named Za’Cariah’s day ‘gladness’?” he demanded.

Mrs. Parker’s students stared at each other in uncomfortable silence.

Major continued: “Because her grandmother just came in and signed her permission slip.”

The class erupted with cheers and shouts of joy. Their words had brought life!

“They were so excited because it was creative. I thought, ‘God, thank you.’ It was beautiful,” Parker said.

Shortly after that, Mrs. Parker caught up with Za’Cariah in the hall.

“We just stood there and hugged. It was an amazing event. We named her day, and it turned.”

A Mentor's Love

Deswon Thompson, Kristy Davis, and Jordan Gardener

Kristy Davis knew for a long time that God had called her to work with underprivileged children. Little did she know that it would entail serving them not only as director of a mentoring program called Faith, Hope & Love, but also as a host mom to four of her teenage mentees.

But Davis’ service to impoverished children began long before she became director of FH&L. During her 22-year career with Wachovia she sat on the original board of Brookstone Schools. Eventually, in 2005 she left her position as Vice President of Corporate Relations to become the director of a youth summer camp in Lancaster, South Carolina. Unfortunately, after three years the camp sold its property and folded, leaving Davis without a job.

Not to be denied from her life’s calling, Davis then decided to revitalize a mentoring program called Faith, Hope & Love. Originally the vision of Grace Covenant Church and its pastor Daren McGrew, the ministry had been dead for several years before Davis breathed new life into it.

Much like Brookstone itself, the mission of FH&L is to reach and serve children from underprivileged families through a comprehensive program of educational assistance, spiritual/character development, and parental involvement. Students come after school Monday–Thursday to receive one-on-one help with homework, emotional stability, and spiritual formation.

Moreover, since Davis had served on the original Brookstone board for a number of years, she knew the school would be a much better fit for her mentees than the public schools they previously attended.

“Because I was familiar with the school, I felt like the best thing for these children would be for them to [transfer] to Brookstone,” said Davis.

Thus began a wonderful partnership between FH&L and Brookstone Schools. According to Davis, by the grace of God, all 14 of FH&L’s mentees either currently attend or previously attended Brookstone. Thanks to the cooperative efforts of Brookstone’s teachers and FH&L’s mentors, the two organizations have made an immense impact on the lives of many underprivileged students.

But Davis’ love and service to her mentees goes far beyond the ordinary. After several of her mentees became entangled in a tough family situation last summer, Davis stepped up and took four teenage boys into her home. Three of them are brothers.

“It’s turned my life upside down,” she laughs.

While Davis admits that keeping up with four teenage boys can be difficult, she has seen a noticeable difference in their lives, especially in the youngest.

“The most important thing [that’s happened] in Jordan’s life is that he has accepted Christ as his savior. That has changed his life.”  

According to Davis, introducing kids to Jesus is what Faith, Hope & Love is truly all about.

“That’s the most important thing we do.”

If you are interested in volunteering with Faith, Hope & Love in ANY capacity (mentoring,

marketing, fundraising, website development, cooking/crafts/music), please contact Kristy Davis at Kdavis132@carolina.rr.com

The Hard Work of a Humble Heart- Mark Hawkins' Story

For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.  -Matthew 16:25

In Matthew 16 Jesus promises that true life is found whenever we give our lives away for His sake. It is exactly this kind of self-giving that draws a wide community of volunteers to Brookstone Schools.

Every day, folks from all across the Charlotte community come and serve in a number of different ways–through the Lunch Buddy program, serving meals, after school tutoring, and serving in the library (just to name a few). Mark Hawkins, one of our most dedicated volunteers, shares his story:

“I was first introduced to Brookstone through a coworker. Initially, it was for financial support, and I was happy to help. I attended a Lunch and Learn a few months later and was overjoyed to see how much could be accomplished with so little funding.

However, I've always loved children, having worked in preschools during college as well as church Sunday schools. Two years ago I retired and met with Dr. Larson about volunteering in the classroom. What a blessing it has been!

Since then I have been working with 1st and 2nd grade students. I'm amazed at what God can accomplish through a Christ centered environment–namely through patient, caring, and loving teachers. It has been such an awesome experience to see some of children I work with grow not just in learning, but personal development as well. God has certainly shown me what a true  blessing it is to serve others in need.

I would highly encourage anyone who feels led to help this ministry, whether financially or by volunteering their time, to do so. Our investment in the lives of these children is greatly needed and is one of the best things we can do for both their future and ours. God has blessed all of us with special gifts that need to be shared for the sake of building his kingdom.

I hope to continue to serve at Brookstone and be a part of these students’ lives as long as the Lord allows.”

For more information on volunteer opportunities at Brookstone Schools, please check out the Volunteering tab on our website, www.brookstoneschools.org or contact Nancy Turbeville 704-392-6330, nancy.turbeville@brookstoneschools.org.

Chloe the Reading Dog brought Christmas Cheer to Brookstone

Chloe the Reading Dog made a special appearance yesterday for the students at Brookstone. The elementary school gathered in the gym to listen to several Christmas stories, read by Mrs. Montgomery, followed by a delicious treat of doughnuts!

Chloe and Mrs. Montgomery are a huge blessing to the students here. Every other week, they visit the students and Chloe listens to the students read without correction or judgment. Reading to Chloe gives the students more confidence in their reading abilities and as a result they make greater strides at becoming excellent readers.

Birthday Party for Jesus

On December 7, Uptown Church hosted a Birthday Party for Jesus at Brookstone School! It was a wonderful party filled with face painting, games, and celebrating the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. The students had a blast participating in all the Christmas activities. Check out some of the pictures from this amazing event:

Madelyn gets her face painted by Reverend Dave Kulp.

 

Joe joins in with the others and gets his face painted as well.

 

Reverend Tyler Dirks helps the kids do paper crafts.

The students enjoyed playing a variety of different games.

One of the favorite games was the sack race.

The Birthday Party for Jesus was such a blessing to our students and their families. We are thankful for all the hard work the volunteers did to make this party such a success!

Alumnus Floyd Mason

Meet Floyd Mason

Floyd is a junior honors student at Butler High School in Matthews. Currently, he is studying debate and law, and he also excels as a sprinter competing in 100m, 200m and relay races. He works part time as a claims administrator at LifeSkills Counseling & Consulting. In his spare time, he works in his studio creating rap music. Floyd hopes to apply for law school after he finishes college.

"When I think of Brookstone, I remember my partner, Mr. Sam, and his encouragement and support. I remember the time I spoke at a mansion on behalf of the school, and singing in the choir. Serving on the school's first student council as treasurer and being safety patrol helped me want to be a lawyer."

Alumnus JT Boyd

Meet JT Boyd 

 

Ja’Teruis Boyd graduated in June 2012 from Brookstone Schools. He is now enrolled in 7th grade at KIPP (Knowledge is Power Program) Charlotte School. JT is thankful for the reading tools that were given to him at Brookstone School. He just recently took a reading test showing that he’s reached a 9th grade reading level.

JT comes from a hard working family: his mother, Jackie Davis, just earned her associate’s degree in accounting from DeVry Univeristy. She graduated on the dean’s list in October 2011. His brother, Jonquez, 23, is also working hard as he attends ITT Technical Institute.

 

Like his family members, JT aspires to go to college and thanks Brookstone for the many skills he gained as a student. Reading and communication skills are such important tools to succeed and JT is on the right track with his advanced level reading skills. We are excited to see JT grow and look forward to hearing what’s next for him!
 

Dr. Ben Carson Visits Brookstone Schools

On March 21 Brookstone had the privilege of hearing from Dr. Ben Carson at our annual Fund & Friend Raiser.

Dr. Don Larson, Dr. Ben Carson, Candy Carson and Suzanne Wilson

In the afternoon, Dr. Carson and his wife, Candy, made a visit to the school to speak with the children and learn more about the founding of Brookstone. During that time, Dr. Carson talked to students about his own life's struggles and encouraged them to strive for excellence. Our gymnasium was packed with students, parents and staff, plus special guests from Charlotte Christian School and Reid Park Academy. All assembled to hear from Dr. Carson.

That evening, Dr. Carson's uplifting address at the Fund & Friend Raiser dinner helped raise over $150,000 (and another $120,000 in pledges).
 

Brookstone parents, Seth and Nah Darkwa, volunteer at the evening fundraiser event

Elisah, a 5th grader at Brookstone, said Dr. Carson's speech inspired her to become a doctor. "I see how many ambulances go by every day and how many people get hurt. It makes me start to worry and it inspires me to cure them." 

 

"Working hard gives me joy and makes me feel good about what I did," Elisha said. "It makes me feel confident about doing better things in life."

"He came from being a dumby to being the smartest in the class," Nygell, one of our 5th grade students said. "It is good to work hard and not give up. I think about what Dr. Carson said when I feel dumb. I start working harder and studying harder."

We encourage each of our students to strive for excellence, making the most of their God-given talents, just as Dr. Ben Carson has done in his own life.

Kicks 4 Kids Hits the Ground Running!

Kicks 4 Kids helps Brookstone students learn about fitness and healthy habits. 

Kicks 4 Kids Organizers, Ansley Rikard and Emily Wakeman

 

Emily Wakeman and Ansley Rikard, sophomores at Southlake Christian Academy, organized Kicks 4 Kids, a 5k run on April 20th, to support Brookstone School. Their goal is to promote healthy lifestyles by giving children running shoes and PE equipment and sharing their love of running and fitness with the younger students.

 

Brookstone supporters Kamilah Peebles (pictured above), John Stamas, Denise Smith, Susan Goode and Jill, Rafic and Alex Dahan came out to run in the race and volunteer.

It was a chilly sunny Saturday morning at Jetton Park in Cornelius, but such a great way to come out and support the children of Brookstone!

Thanks to their great efforts, on May 30th Emily and Ansley will present Brookstone's students with new pairs of running shoes and new PE equipment. We hope this blessing will inspire our students in their own fitness endeavors.

Sheila Wakeman, Emily's mom

 

Another great way to combine your interest in fitness with supporting Brookstone is to participate in Wakeman Charities' Jetton Park Sprint Triathlon on May 11. They will be donating half the proceeds of the triathlon to Brookstone!

Be a part of this amazing experience and sign up to be an athlete, sponsor or volunteer. Brookstone will be providing a crew of volunteers to help with the triathalon. Contact Nancy at nancy.turbeville@brookstoneschools.org to learn more about volunteering.

Or visit the Jetton Triathlon website at www.jettontri.com.

The Arts Corner: A new musical experience

The Brookstone Fine Arts Program welcomed Sue Schmidt, from JAARS, to the school on April 9^th, where she gave a presentation entitled, “Musical instruments from around the world.”

There were about 30 instruments on display from Africa, Asia and South America, which Ms. Schmidt explained how they should be played and for what purpose they might be used. The students also watched video clips of people from the instruments’ countries of origin playing them.

We thank Sue Schmidt for coming to Brookstone Schools for this fascinating presentation and experience for our students! 

At the end of the presentation the students gathered in circles to pass the instruments and play them. They had a blast! We were thrilled that the students got this experience!!

 

JAARS is a non-profit organization that helps organizations around the world get practical, day-to-day support for Bible translation. As of November 2012, JAARS focuses on five main types of practical support: aviation, land transportation, water transportation, information technology, and media.

If you would like to learn more about how you can support our Fine Arts Program, please contact our Fine Arts Director, Carey Kuznar, at carey.kuznar@brookestoneschools.org.