LOOKING FORWARD
- Sunday 4/3 at 2pm - Dr. Angie Wheelus: Wellness Workshop
- Friday 4/8 - Meet the Surgeon: Pediatric Orthopedic Live Surgery
- Saturday 4/9 at 3pm - Marz Bishop: Empowerment Workshop
- Sunday 4/10 at 4pm - UB Hiram Alumni Jillian Rodriguez: College Readiness Workshop
- Saturday 4/16 - ACT/SAT Prep Class
- Saturday 4/23 - ACT/SAT Prep Class
- Sunday 4/24 at 2pm - Dr. Angie Wheelus: Wellness Workshop
- Saturday 4/30 - ACT/SAT Prep Class
- Saturday 4/30 at 12-4pm - Senior Summer Luau & Summer Orientation
- **Students can make an appointment with Dr. Wheelus to talk about their mental health and any questions relating to their personal wellness. Make an appointment for any Monday/Tuesday 5pm-6pm at angie@battlefieldministries.org. Please let your Advisor know if you have any questions!
HIRAM UPWARD BOUND
- Thursday 4/14 at 5pm – Group Advising: Earth Day
- Thursday 4/21 at 5pm – Academic Saturday: World Health Day
POLK UPWARD BOUND
- Friday 4/8 at 4pm – Friday Movie Night
- Monday 4/11 at 5pm – Paradigm Shift Workshop
- Friday 4/15 at 5pm – Game Night
- Monday 4/25 at 5pm – Paradigm Shift Workshop
- Game Night winners receive prizes!!!
EAST PAULDING UBMS
- Thursday 4/21 at 5pm – Group Advising (In-Person, after school)
April PHOTO CHALLENGE
Happy April, KSU TRIO Family!
We hope that you guys enjoy your spring breaks and come back refreshed and ready for all the awesome stuff we have planned here at KSU TRIO this spring!
For the month of April, we want to see you create something for spring! Students can pick one of the following activities:
- Write a poem for spring - what does the return of life mean to you?
- Submit a visual art piece for spring - this can be a drawing, painting, sculpture, collage, video, or photograph. Just be creative!
- Create a playlist of five songs that reminds you of spring. These will be featured on next month's playlist, so try to be unique!
We can't wait to see what you all come up with!
There is no planet b: Earth day
We live in such an awesome place! The Earth is full of diversity of life and can accommodate so much, from the phytoplankton in the sea to the most influential mammals that walk its land - humans. However, human influence on the Earth has not all been good; we must be aware of the legacy we leave behind us, both in memory and reality. That’s why each year on April 22, more than a billion people celebrate Earth Day to do their part in protecting our planet.
While the majority of waste is not created through individual households, the number of garbage trucks Americans fill each year would stretch halfway to the moon. Our plastic waste is an even bigger problem... A single plastic bottle sticks around way longer than our individual life span, taking over 450 years to break down. This month, we would like to take this time to examine the footprint we leave behind for future generations to deal with.
“A TRUE CONSERVATIONIST IS A MAN WHO KNOWS THAT THE WORLD IS NOT GIVEN BY HIS FATHERS, BUT BORROWED FROM HIS CHILDREN.” — JOHN JAMES AUDUBON
How can we help? Here's a list to help us get started.
- Limit Plastic Usage - try to minimize your plastic usage. This can refer to the containers we use, the products themselves, and even our clothes. Many modern products contain microplastics that can wash out into our oceans and rivers, like face wash beads, winter coats, and more. Make sure to read your labels!
- Limit Energy and Water Consumption - while water and energy may seem infinite given their availability in this part of the world, they actually take so many resources to produce.
- Plant Cool Plants - Grass is one of the most wasteful plants out there; it takes so much water to stay alive but produces relatively small amount of oxygen. Consider planting moss, native flowers, and more in your gardens and yards to make a good use of your space!
Lastly, spread the message! Help educate others when appropriate and talk to your friends about keeping our Earth safe and habitable. While there are some scary headlines in the news, it's not too late yet! We can still save our planet and preserve our home.
The Month of Rebirth
As Spring unfolds all around the northern hemisphere, cultures around the world prepare to celebrate the return of life to the natural world and the spiritual one.
"THE BEAUTIFUL SPRING CAME, AND WHEN NATURE RESUMES HER LOVELINESS, THE HUMAN SOUL IS APT TO REVIVE ALSO." - HARRIET ANN JACOBS
Here's a list of some of the holidays and cultural practices this spring around the world.
- The Qingming Festival - The Qingming Festival (清明节 or Qīngmíngjié) is also called Tomb Sweeping Day or Pure Brightness Festival, and it is an important traditional Chinese holiday that focuses on cleaning the tombs of their ancestors for spring. The festival is celebrated both in China and among members of Chinese communities around the world. Celebrated on April 5th this year, this day is dedicated to cleaning their ancestors’ tombs, making offerings to the dead, going on outings to enjoy Spring, flying kites and eating special foods. Source
- Ramadan - Ramadan is considered one of the holiest months of the year for Muslims. In Ramadan, Muslims commemorate the revelation of the Qur’an, and those who are able fast from food and drink during the sunlit hours to build self-control, gratitude, and compassion for those less fortunate. In addition to building character inwardly, many Muslims use this time to help better their communities with acts of kindness and charity, ushering in the life of Spring. Source
- Passover - The eight-day Jewish holiday of Passover is celebrated in the early spring, and commemorates the story of the emancipation of Israelites from slavery. Called Pesach in Hebrew, this spring holiday is observed by avoiding leaven, special meals called Seders that include symbolic foods that are used to retell the story of the Exodus. This usually involves a full-out spring-cleaning of the house to get rid of all food containing leaven. Source
- Easter - This Christian holiday is what most practitioners consider to be the principal festival of the Christian church, which celebrates the Resurrection of Jesus Christ on the third day after his Crucifixion. The Resurrection coincides with the return of Spring, and modern day celebrations of Easter usually include baskets that are filled with treats the night before the holiday. Source
- Ram Navami - Ram Navami is a Hindu festival that celebrates the birth of the hero of the Ramyana, Lord Rama. To celebrate this holiday, Hindu houses are given a thorough spring-cleaning and a family shrine may be decorated with small statues of Rama. Offerings of flowers and fruit are placed on the shrine and prayers are recited after an early bath. Source
April Birthdays
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, APRIL BABIES!
- 4/2: James Brown-Wisham
- 4/5: Evelyn Gonzalez-Sandoval
- 4/7: Shanell Mckinnon
- 4/8: Pricila Perez Tornez
- 4/8: Omar Rodriguez Segura
- 4/8: Ismael Jones
- 4/17: Aaron Blount
- 4/19: Vially Saint-Louis
- 4/21: Kayla Wachiuri
- 4/24: Presleigh Kimbrell
- 4/26: Anahjah Booker
- 4/30: Joshua Heyliger