Food for Hungry Minds Newsletter

July, 2009

Food for Hungry Minds Honduras Holds Founding Assembly
In mid-June, educators gathered in San Pedro Sula with business, social service and community leaders to complete founding documents for Food for Hungry Minds Honduras. The local Cargill Meats business has committed major support for a launch class of FHM students. Cargill’s international Citizenship Committee’s matching contribution completes the 3-year funding for the first students. Special appreciation goes to economist Rosario Cobar for mobilizing local support and chairing the initial Food for Hungry Minds board.

Honduran Founding Assemby Completes Constitution

Initial Dialogue in Villanueva Community

In this Issue:

Food for Hungry Minds Honduras Holds Founding Assembly
Upcoming Graduates Need Your Help
Cargill Employees Celebrate Green Day Giving Away Prizes
New Malolos Graduates
Do You Hate Poetry?
Parents Talk About the FHM Impact on Their Children

Upcoming Graduates Need Your Help
Each year, more kids start the 3-year FHM program. If all are to attend the appropriate private schools, the number of monthly donors needs to go up! When you make monthly direct donations for high school, your entire contribution goes to scholarships for FHM graduates. Could you be contributing? One year of contributing $25 a month pays half the average annual tuition for a child to attend good private school in the Philippines. To set up your giving schedule, click here.

Cargill Employees Celebrate Green Day by Giving Away Their Prizes
More than 200 Cargill Animal Nutrition (CAN) Philippines joined the 47 other CAN locations worldwide in the first Green Day Celebration on June 24, 2009. After the games and the awarding ceremonies, something very special happened. An employee recounted, “It started with the Red Team. Then one by one, each team donated their gift certificates and cash tokens to the Food for the Hungry Minds kids. Everybody felt the warmth of the simple gesture.” Straight from the heart, to change kids lives!

New Malolos Graduates
When this year’s first Malolos graduates applied at local private high schools , people took notice. What was FHM? Who were these kids from families with few resources? The head of one school was so struck by the test scores of a FHM student. She called Lead Teacher Rea Seludo and explained. Incoming 1st year and 2nd year students are given the same exam. A FHM student had scores one might expect of someone who had already finished a year of high school. Holding high standards works! .

Do You Hate Poetry?
Lots of people do! But you might want to meet the children who wrote these poems. As kids are learning English — and working toward the emotional intelligence they will need to navigate high school among children of different backgrounds — writing poetry helps them reflect and develop self-understanding. What do you think of these 10-12 year olds’ thoughts about themselves?

Joanavine, age 10, Grade 4
I am

I am responsible
I wonder how one becomes a superhero
I hear the voice of music
I see birds flying in the air
I wonder if animals feel happy, too
I am responsible.

I pretend that I can fly
I feel happy when others are happy
I touch a rainbow
I worry if I fail my exams
I cry when I make a mistake
I am responsible.

I understand that we are not perfect
I say that I am beautiful
I dream that I will fulfill my obligations
I try to dance even if I can’t
I hope that I can teach others
I am responsible.

Katheleen, age 11, Grade 5
Who Am I?

I am a private person
I see who I am
I hear the voice inside my heart
I want to know more about others
I am a private person

I pretend to smile in my heart
I feel you wanting to be friends with me
I touch your inner being
I worry that your heart will harden
I cry about my personality
I am a private person

I understand that I can change myself
I say I have one more chance to do so
I dream that you would understand me
Though…
I am a private person

Danica, age 12, Grade 6
Who Am I?

I am thoughtful and courageous
I wonder how puffy clouds are formed
I hear laughter all around me
I see the smile on your face
I am thoughtful and courageous.

I pretend to know everything
I feel people leaning on me
I worry about broken families
I cry when I lose my confidence
I am thoughtful and courageous.

I understand that our leaders
try to do their best in running our country
I say let’s help them and be responsible
I dream of a wonderful place to live in
I want to change for the better
I am thoughtful and courageous.

Parents Talk about the FHM Impact on Their Children
Parents contribute to their child’s education what no one else can: they see their child like no one else. Recently a group of parents talked about changes they have seen in their children.

Before, in public school, it didn’t matter if she went to school or not. Now it’s totally different. The value of education is ingrained in her.
The difference I have seen is that she is more responsible, not just in school, but also in taking care of my daughter and household chores.
I took a job living in as household help. But his grades started to go down. Now that I stopped, his grades are going up again.
He used to come home from school and play far from the house. Now he comes home and studies. He loves reading books he borrows from school.

FHM Parents

Parent-Led Teams on Makati FHM Family Day

Learn more about the Food for Hungry Minds community at http://www.foodforhungryminds.org.

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