Dr. Johnson Obamehinti|Dr. Feyi Obamehinti |Oasis Connection Ministries .|Founders|Equip

Giving Thanks

11/26/2014

There is something special about Thanksgiving holidays apart from the delicious food. There is a spirit of giving that encapsulates us; from little children to our elderly. Though this special holiday is mainly celebrated here in the U.S.; it has become a highlight of generosity that has permeated our culture. Thanksgiving time provides a great opportunity for making sweet memories with family and friends.

One of the things I cherish during our Thanksgiving celebration is the “giving thanks” time when everyone shares what he or she is thankful for and why. No matter how many people we have celebrating this time together; my husband goes around the room asking everyone to share. Once everyone has shared, we conclude the time with prayer of thanks to God. Hearing what each one is thankful for and why deepens our connections.

To make these Thanksgiving celebration conversations even richer is now a card-game from Central Carolina Community Foundation (CCCF). The card game is based on open-ended questions. The entire theme of the game is generosity from a broad variety of angles that children and adults can clearly understand. If you’re interested in learning more about the TALK About Giving card game, visit the CCCF website at (https://www.yourfoundation.org/).

Whatever your Thanksgiving traditions are; commit to making new memories that will enrich and strengthen your connections. As we celebrate this year, may each heart, home and family this season be filled with the aroma of God's sweet presence.
Happy Thanksgiving!

"O give thanks unto the LORD, for He is good: for His mercy endureth for ever." – Psa 107:1

The Hollyhock Fellowship

11/5/2014

The Intercultural Development Research Association (IDRA) just released the 2013-2014 Texas Public School Attrition study. This study shows one percentage point decline from the 25 % it was in 2012-2013 school year. According to the IDRA study, Texas will not reach universal high school education for another quarter of a century in 2035 (to read the entire study in full visit www.idra.org).

Translating this study into practice, it clearly tells us what we know so well: our greatest challenge is at the high school level. I still remember my days as a high school biology teacher with three different preps. That was a different challenge in itself. However, the bigger challenge was mapping out an individualized plan that met the needs of all my estimated 150 students. The needs were as diverse as my students; from linguistic and affective, to cognitive needs. What helped me in those years, were God’s blessings manifested through some amazing mentors who had been teaching high school much longer and had first hand experiences on how to implement those individualized plan for each of my 150 students. This past weekend, I had the opportunity to meet with five of the seven amazing educators God sent across my path for what we called “Mentor Reunion”. With over seven years out of the classroom, we had quite a lot to share together.

With all the many hats educators wear in the day-to-day affairs of school operations; finding the time to meet with a mentor consistently can be taxing. However, there are programs today that would have done similar things my God sent mentors did back then. One of such programs is the Hollyhock Fellowship. This program aims at encouraging, supporting and providing robust learning opportunities for high school teachers in the content areas (science, math, history or English). The program brings together 100 high school teachers from across the nation with low-income student populations to Stanford University for two weeks of residential workshops for two consecutive summers. Teachers receive teaching/mentoring from university scholars and expert practitioners, with follow-up online coaching for two school years.

The cool thing about this program is that it is free to participating teachers. Also, teachers are awarded a stipend, in addition to paid travel, room and boarding expenses. Application for this unique program is now available and due by January 15, 2015. With all the festivities coming up, it will take a dedicated effort to complete the application; but fully worth it in the long run. To apply visit https://cset.stanford.edu/fellowships/hollyhock/application and register. Once registered, you will receive instructions on how to proceed with the application.

Teachers- one of our world’s greatest treasures!

Giving Thanks

The Hollyhock Fellowship

Dr. Feyi Obamehinti

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