Hello Everyone,
This trimester went well with the students. We had 30 teens participate in the mentoring program. I am really happy about that. Tomorrow the kids, mentors, a few teachers and I will head into the city. The hope is that we will have a wonderful dinner together. Please keep the kids and The Cotchery Foundation in your prayers. If I do not write again before January please have a wonderful Holiday!
Blessings,
Mercedes
- Pride Academy Charter School
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cotchery- December 11th, 2009
- It's That Time Again
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- cotchery
- August 30th, 2009
Hello Everyone,
Tomorrow I will host my very first training session. This session will equip potential volunteers to serves as mentors to facilitate their own girls and boys clubs at Pride Academy Charter School. Needless to say, I am fired up. I am so excited and humbled by this opportunity.
The Program is scheduled to resume the week of October 5. Please check back to see how it is going.
God Bless You!
- Mrs. Cotchery's Girls Club-Week 10
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- cotchery
- May 12th, 2009
Hello Everyone,
It has been four weeks since my last entry. There have been so many changes with the girls. For one, we have moved in a new direction with the program. It is awesome the way that God works. Honestly, when I started out I did not know what was in store.
The first portion of the program gave the girls an opportunity to speak about specific emotional issues. This was awsome because the girls had an opportunity to get to know me and each other better. The second portion of the course is focused on getting the girls to consider a purpose for their lives. Thanks RESH 180!
Having the girls communicate a purpose for their lives was always apart of the plan for this course. However, once we started I was not too sure how I was going to end up at such point based on the direction the program was moving in. By God's grace, I was put into contact with Adam Ybarra. Over night, the program came full circle. The two halfs of the program merged. Now we have one cohesive plan that accomplishes the ideals that were originally envisioned.
Thanks for listening! I hope you all will enjoy a wonderful week!
Mercedes
- Mrs. Cotchery's Girls Club - Week 6
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- cotchery
- April 6th, 2009
After each meeting with the the girls, I reflect on our time together . I also discuss the sessions with my husband. Today he so brilliantly asked, "So what was the fruit from today. At the time I had to say, "I am not sure". Tonight I realized that I simply need to refer to my notes from weeks one and two. I need to remind myself not to expect anything from the girls and to constantly renew my spirit.
What continues to amaze me are the parallels God draws between what is actually going on in my life and what I am studying in scripture. Presently, I am reading scriptures about having a child-like faith. Naturally, I have read these scriptures before. In the past, the verses have inspired me to depend on God. Tonight I have realized for me these verses serve as a metaphor. When we are not proficient in a particular area we are like a child. However, eventually we will mature. The key is to mature while not losing the emotion of what it was like to be a child.
At about the same time, the disciples came to Jesus asking, "Who gets the highest rank in God's kingdom?" For an answer Jesus called over a child, whom he stood in the middle of the room, and said, "I'm telling you, once and for all, that unless you return to square one and start over like children, you're not even going to get a look at the kingdom, let alone get in. Whoever becomes simple and elemental again, like this child, will rank high in God's kingdom. What's more, when you receive the childlike on my account, it's the same as receiving me".-Matthew 18:1-5
- Mrs Cotchery's Girls Club - Week 5
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- cotchery
- March 31st, 2009
This week has proved to be interesting to say the least. I have learned that no matter how genuine your motives are in any given situation, the enemy can slither in under your nose. With that said, this is how the story goes:
The thought process going into working with these young ladies was honest and pure. The Holy Spirit worked in me in such a way, the pieces necessary to put this all together came rather quickly and easily. People began to notice and sing their praises to me. For this I am eternally grateful.
However, I am human. “Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin”- Romans 7:25. Naturally, I began to take ownership of this project and take help from others offensively. How sick is that! We all exist in this world together. As my pastor said, "The world is our neighbor." We are to work together to make life for all better.
I am not sure if the young ladies from the school will never know the impact they are having on me. Their presence in my life has given me the opportunity to work on something very difficult for me...humility. I am extremely excited to get better in this area of my life.
As for the girls, this week was business as usual. The topic was Relationships. It does not take a rocket scientist to know they were eager to share.
Acts of service can change your life in ways words are not poetic enough to describe.
- Mrs Cotchery's Girls Club - Week 4
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- cotchery
- March 20th, 2009
I am really excited about our team (J, R and myself). These ladies are extremely caring. I am so blessed to have crossed paths with them.Yesterday's session was great! It was a little less formal than previous sessions. The girls were permitted to discuss whatever came to mind. We talked about snakes, rats, cats and death just to name a few topics.We started the session with the girls writing in their journals. Each student was asked to write their fears and also a topic of discussion. N wrote, "I don't like someone in this class". It was no secret who she was referring to. Once again R was willing to apologize to her. The two were able to discuss the matter without getting too out of control. They were not ready to hug but they did touch one another.M has really been on my heart. She illustrates such promise. I am going to begin praying about spending more time with her or at least getting additional resources for her.Lastly, the girls are really excited about the trip. I would really like to go to a nice restaurant. However, I am beginning to realize their idea of nice is Fast Food. I truly want this to be about them and not me.
"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vein conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves" ( Phil 2:3-NIV).
Mercedes
- Mrs Cotchery's Girls Club - Week 3
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- cotchery
- March 20th, 2009
Today the girls were well behaved. Each young lady was invited to sit in front of their peers and discuss their family dynamics. My hope was that the young ladies would see a connection between their lives at home and their behaviors. I soon realized that this is not something that they are capable of doing yet.Nonetheless, it still proved to be a very productive session. K, shared a bit about her family with us. The girls grew a bit emotional listening to her story.I am really growing increasingly excited about these young ladies. The best part about today for me was when T made some outburst that moved as all to laugh despite having tears in our eyes. It was absolutely inappropriate, but her comment had perfect timing.I have come to a place where my role is to serve as a listener. I am very happy with that. These young ladies are showing me that I do not have all of the answers. I enjoy initiating conversation with them, but I am not with them to solve all of their problems.I was wondering if it would be possible to take the ladies to a nice dinner? We would meet at the school on a Saturday and ride together in one vehicle. Parents or guardians would pick the kids up upon our return. I am also hoping that one of the teachers could go along with us
Mercedes Cotchery
- Mrs Cotchery's Girls Club - Week 2
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- cotchery
- March 20th, 2009
Today started a little uneasy. I did not have the full attention of the girls. By the end, I felt we all reached an emotional breakthrough. It was exciting.
As a result of today's occurrences, I began to think about two things. One, God asks us several times in his word to be renewed. "Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him" (Colossians 3:10). Because of this, I am committed to renewing my mind each and every time I am faced with each young lady. I think it is also important if we ask the teachers to do the same with all of the students in the school. It became so apparent to me that these girls feel like everything about their lives follows everywhere they go. This is why they do not particularly like it when people look at them. The assumption is that you can see their baggage.
Secondly, I realized that I should not expect anything from the girls. I tried to think of a time were a single person was able to influence me to change instantly. The only person I could think of was Jesus. Right away I said to the Lord, "I surrender all." I began to smile. Many wonderful people have been a part of my life. All left me with a pearl, but never a pearl necklace. It takes several pearls to make a necklace. Therefore, there were many people before me and many to follow, who have and will impact the lives of these girls. It is going to take us all together.
Mercedes Cotchery
- Mrs Cotchery's Girls Club - Week 1
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- cotchery
- March 20th, 2009
Mrs Cotchery's Girls Club is program designed to enhance a young lady's vision of herself. The hope is to inspire girls to excel to a level, where they can articulate a dream or plan for their lives. After reaching such point individuals will be guided in creating a course of action to achieve this goal, plan or dream.
Four weeks ago, I began visiting a middle school in West Orange, NJ. During the visits I am blessed to meet with a few junior high girls during their lunch period. Since we meet during their lunch, I have decided to bring a healthy appetizing meal for them to enjoy.During our time together we discuss different topics believed to equip the girls with various life skills. Each week there is a different subject. All of which I select.
This initiative is in a trial period. I am taking notes and gathering information as I go. I have developed a preliminary course description. At the end of the year I will compile all of my information and revise the program. Our hope at The Cotchery Foundation is that this will be a program that can be duplicated and implemented in other schools.
Week 1:
I do think the day went well. Three of the girls did not have a positive relationship together (T, N and M). By the end of our session they all hugged and said nice things about another. The idea of the session was to show love to others in order to be the person you want to be. Essentially who we are “is love”.
I cannot tell you what this does for me. They are so willing and receptive. N said, "I don't know why, but I don't want to leave".
I did not have an opportunity to connect with R. I can tell she needs to be noticed. I will be sure to love on her during our next meeting.
This week we grouped the girls into pairs. The goal is to say something nice to their partner every day. I am also trying to challenge the girls to use what they learn with their teachers.
Please join me in praying that each young lady can open their minds beyond this room. This will allow them to connect the dots and be able to use the experiences we share in every area of their lives.
As a result, they were all astounded and gave glory to God, saying "We have never seen anything like this!"-Mark 2:12
Mercedes Cotchery
