HOMELIFE UPDATE
September was full of exciting updates from Kenya. Canopy Life’s counseling department followed up with each of our students to hear about their break from school. This was a great opportunity for our staff to get some insight on each student’s well-being, as well as shed light on any issues that may have emerged while at home on break. We’ve been having individual sessions with the children to address each of their specific needs effectively.
During group counseling sessions, we’ve been following the Social Emotional Learning (SEL) model, which has been a great tool for teaching the kids about various issues. This month we focused mainly on social media engagement and looked at how social media can greatly affect our mental health.
This area of focus has given them tools they can use to protect not only their own mental health, but the mental health of those around them as they use social media. Watching videos on cyberbullying and ways of managing social media use has been a great way to reinforce the lessons taught. This area of focus has helped the students identify ways they can apply values such as empathy, conscience, and kindness to those around them even in the social media space.
SPIRITUAL UPDATES FROM KENYA
In our mentorship sessions, we’ve been diving into the theme of God’s Call on our lives. We’ve covered key topics such as discovering one’s calling, embracing the purpose of serving, and remaining faithful to our calling, even in times of adversity.
Our morning devotions with the students have been centered around teachings on love and guiding them on how to navigate life as young adults in Kenya. These sessions provide valuable insights for our students. They learn about leading a purposeful life in alignment with faith and love. Ultimately, the hope is to shape them into responsible and compassionate individuals!
ACADEMIC UPDATES FROM KENYA
In the Academic Department, we’ve been focusing on syllabus coverage and revision to prepare our students for their end of term examinations! This is a very important time for them. We’ve been taking time during preps in the evening to polish our students’ reading and writing skills. Additionally, the school organized a football match for the two classes incorporating the staff who wished to play as a way to stay healthy and step away from the pressure of the exams for a little while. Our grade 6 team won! It was a nice change of pace from studying the whole day.
INNOVATION UPDATES: Capstone Projects and Digital Photography
Grade 6
This month, our grade 6 class has been working on a capstone project. This is a final project that allows students to showcase the knowledge and skills they have gained throughout their academic program and apply them to real-world problems and issues.
The project encompasses all that they have been doing since grade 4! These capstone projects give the students a chance to identify problems and develop entrepreneurial opportunities through solving the problem.
Grade 7
Our grade 7 students have just finished up a digital photography class! The class gives them an understanding of the basics of digital photography. This allowed them to learn about the possibilities of becoming a professional photographer…
They explored photograph products, portraits, and other realms of photography. We had an external facilitator who came to inspire the kids with his own artwork. This left quite an impression on the students!
PRAYER REQUESTS
Our staff in Kenya have asked for prayer!
●Pray for our students as they prepare for their end term exams.