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Stairway Foundation welcomes ten new kids for the residential program year 2009 to 2010 Beaming with smiles and eager expectations, ten kids from the streets and detention centers, whose ages range from 11 to 14 years old, graced the Stairway Foundation campus on the 12th of June 2009. To follow a residential program of one year, the kids will participate in various sessions on personality development, child rights, reading and writing, mathematics, visual arts, music, theater, team-building and recreational sports.
A Brand New Day for New Kids at Stairway
Stairway Foundation welcomes ten new kids for the residential program year 2009 to 2010 Beaming with smiles and eager expectations, ten kids from the streets and detention centers, whose ages range from 11 to 14 years old, graced the Stairway Foundation campus in Barangay Aninuan, Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro, Philippines on the 12th of June 2009. To follow a residential program of one year, the kids will participate in various sessions on personality development, child rights, reading and writing, mathematics, visual arts, music, theater, team-building and recreational sports.
Healthy body, healthy mind
All Stairway kids receive a full nutrition and holistic health program. In cooperation with the Puerto Galera local government medical center, each kid undergoes a thorough general medical- dental check up and medication. Stairway’s residential staff closely monitors each kid’s physical, mental and emotional progress. Kids affected by tuberculosis undergo the Directly Observed Therapy for the Treatment of Tuberculosis (DOTS), under the guidance of a medical doctor. ‘This is the way you brush your teeth.’ The residential program includes regular dental checkups.
-------------------------- ‘I like watermelons!’ -----------------------------------------
Every human has rights and responsibilities:
“I want us to respect each other,” said Mark.
“Yes! No bad language please,” John Paul seconded.
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Kid rules, Kids’ rule Within the early days of their arrival, through the guidance of Stairway’s residential staff, the kids began defining their own rules. Respect for each one’s privacy, non-violence, open and honest communication, cooperation and helpfulness, active involvement, courage to admit and correct one’s mistakes, and caring for one another top the list of behaviors they consider admirable for a Stairway kid. At the end of each day, Stairway kids evaluate how they fare in following their rules and may set or redefine new rules for the next day. The kids also participated in introductory sessions that gathered their expectations from the residential program and staff, and gave lessons on how to ensure personal hygiene and maintain orderliness and cleanliness in living quarters and surroundings.
To learn to love one’s self
Above all the introductory sessions on admirable behaviors and agreement to treat each other with kindness, the kids understand that the ultimate goal to achieve is for each one to strengthen self-awareness and self-esteem by continuously motivating one’s self to learn and transforming one’s life for the better. The Stairway family looks forward to one more fruitful and inspiring residential program year ahead. ------------------------------------------- “I need to learn skills and follow our rules to make myself do things better.” --------------------------------------------------- |
