Impact Kids

IMPACT Kids

Our After-School and Summer Enrichment STEM-based Program at Hawthorne Elementary School.

Crossover Community Impact

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we pride ourselves on not only teaching and tutoring kids through S.T.E.M. (( (( Science, Technology Engineering, and Math ))) sports, and social and emotional skills development but also with showing them what a relationship with Christ looks like.

ment of social skills. While working with the students, I try to remember that we all come from different backgrounds and experiences and that we all do not receive the same level of support from home. If there is one thing these kids have definitely taught me about myself, it is that I actually have some patience and maybe just a “touch” of humility. Even when it seems like all the right words are pouring out of my mouth (at least in my mind), there will still be some 3 to 5 foot tall person, humbling me with a smirk so big I almost want to smack myself upside the head! I am learning often that I am not as wise as I believe I am, and though I have a lot to learn socially, I do not have to learn these lessons alone. I get to learn them as I am teaching them to the students through mentoring, and I am often learning just as much from our kids.

Last summer I greatly enjoyed seeing all of the returning faces of the students I love from the previous summer, and I adored all the

Crossover Community Impact

-Jonathan Rogers

My name is Jonathan Rogers, and I work for the Crossover IMPACT Kids program in north Tulsa at Hawthorne Elementary School as a College Intern. My experience so far working with Crossover has been riveting at every turn! I initially started as a StreetLeader, and after graduating from the StreetLeader Program and from High School, I returned as a College Intern. Mentoring the elementary age students, who all struggle in their own unique way, has caused me to learn a lot about myself, while I am simultaneously helping them evolve into the prosperous individuals they will someday be and are becoming!

At “the program,” we pride ourselves on not only teaching and tutoring kids through S.T.E.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math), sports, and social and emotional skills development but also with showing them what a relationship with Christ looks like. Closely connected to the IMPACT Kids Program is a program designed for high schoolers to take the next step of learning as they begin to teach our kids and get to wrestle with questions about faith and their next step in life. We call these high schoolers “StreetLeaders” because being from the “streets” does not mean that you are without amazing potential to influence others for good. After all, we are all created in the image of God. Having older students to look up to who look like them, serves as a powerful motivator for the kids in our program.

For me personally, the sports component of our programming is the most fun because I get to watch our kids compete and work hard with dreams and aspirations of being professional athletes. I am encouraged that we have the opportunity as StreetLeaders to help ensure that the kids succeed both on and off the field, by giving our kids the academic help that they need through the tutoring and homework help that are a huge part of the IMPACT Kids Program. I love it! We get to use the fun of sports to help the students enjoy learning as well, so that we can meet our goal of them becoming life-long learners! With the numerous sports teams and seasons Crossover Sports Association has, many of our young student-athletes come to me and say, “Mr. Jon I scored a touchdown!” or “Mr. Jon come see me play!” To be able to encourage them and even teach them the skills they need to continue doing what they love through sports is a feeling I am so grateful for, and I know that they feel supported and championed because of the big, earto-ear smiles on their faces.

Another critical aspect of working with both the kids and the StreetLeaders is the developnew

ones as well! With the summer enrichment program quickly approaching, I cannot wait to enjoy that level of engagement with the students and StreetLeaders again. This summer I had the pleasure of attending Kids Across America (KAA) with all the StreetLeaders, not as a camper, but as a Kaleo (or adult leader) for the first time. During this experience, I had to adjust to “adulting” and helping with the students rather than being the center of attention the way kids are at camp. While there, I gained a deeper understanding of why it is our job to mentor well and to help develop the next generation of future StreetLeaders by helping our kids grow from where they are to becoming the young men and women that God wants them to be. And if we’re faithful to do that, we can truly make an IMPACT in the lives of kids in the program now and in years to come.

Jon David is an introspective young man that as his name suggests, is a man after God’s own heart and a good friend. He seeks to grow and develop, so that he can help those around him do the exact same thing. He is the first college intern to live in Crossover’s Intern house, and his love for learning and writing has caused him to be one of the college students that is giving back to his community through mentoring. He continues his relationship with his mentors through Crossover, and his love for the students in both the IMPACT Kids Program and the StreetLeaders Program impact the way he leads them to use their talents and abilities for the development of the community.

If you would like to learn more about the IMPACT Kids program, please go to http:// crossoverimpact.org/impact-kids/.