NEIGHBORS' HOUSE

Snowstorm 1/12/12

2012-01-12T12:54:00.000-08:00

Due to hazardous road conditions, we are cancelling tonight's Homework Help Night at Neighbors' House! Enjoy the long weekend! See you Tuesday!

Don't forget that the NH5K Run is 4/21/12! Registration is open: www.NeighborsHouse5K.com

Winter Break

2011-12-07T09:23:00.001-08:00

Winter Break is almost upon us! The last night for 2011 Homework Help Nights will be Thursday, December 15th. We will re-open on Tuesday, January 3rd, 2012!

Fall Parent Symposium at CRMS

2011-10-24T10:41:00.000-07:00

Neighbors' House will be part of the Clinton Rosette Middle School Fall Parent Symposium on Tuesday, 10/25., 6-8:30 PM. Hope to see you there!

Our 9th School Year!

2011-09-08T07:10:00.000-07:00

Neighbors' House programs begin Tuesday, October 4th at NH (Corner of 5th & Pine, DeKalb). Homework Help Nights for 4th-12th graders. 6:30-8:00 PM Tuesdays & Thursdays. Free service. Please bring homework.

Please contact us about NH Reading & Homework Clubs at Gideon Court, Mason Manor, University Village, and Evergreen Village. neighborshouse@tbc.net or 815.787-0600

Serene

2011-07-21T08:12:00.000-07:00

Serene was our second blogger today.

Today at Neighbor's House we read some more of "Because of Winn Dixie" and then wrote downt the five senses on our sweet/sorrowful moments. Then we talked about the party on Friday and made ourselves invitations. Then on the invites we put what we will bring.

Serene

Veronica

2011-07-21T08:08:00.000-07:00

We had two bloggers today! Veronica was our first.

Today for breakfast we had an english muffin with jelly, a banana, and milk. We read one chapter of Because of Winn Dixie. I love reading and I am a fast reader. After that we read the chapter, we started talking about the Winn-Dixie party. Everybody is going to bring something. Also, we all made invitations and switched. Then we wrote in them saying what we were going to bring. Then we wrote stories about sweet and sorrowful things that happen in our lives.

Veronica

Angele

2011-07-21T08:06:00.001-07:00

Angele wrote about the Neigbor's House field trip to Feed My Starving Children on Monday.

We went to Feed My Starving Children. It was my first time going there. It was fun. We helped kids and their families. I was glad to go and help people. All of us laughed and had lots of fun.

Angele

Carlton

2011-07-19T07:40:00.000-07:00

Neighbor's House is fun when you do math because Rebecca and Jordan do games that are involved with math. The boring part but kind of fun is that you have work sheets but you can get help. When I first came I thought it was going to be boring like school but it isn't. Every night I can't wait to wake up and go. All of the other kids are nice and fun to play with. Kyle is nice and cool. Like I said, I love Neighbor's House it is so much fun!

Cory

2011-07-05T08:00:00.000-07:00

Cory was out blogger on Thursday!

Today we started out by cleaning up the room. Everybody wiped down their tables and then I vacuumed the floor. The vacuum cleaner was so small! Afterward, we played a game that Jordan, our math teacher, showed us. What we did was lay a bunch of cards with pictures on them across the floor. And what people did was pick pictures that help explain their lives. After the game we did the Problem of the Day. Today's problem was on probability. For math class today they split us up into 3 groups and played some math games. While they were playing games some separate students worked with some volunteers outside on math packets that they got from school to do over the summer. Then everybody packed up their stuff and they went home.

Keyshon

2011-06-29T07:32:00.000-07:00

Keyshon was our blogger yesterday, here's what he had to say.

One thing I like about Neighbor's House is that they teach me everything I need to learn. People never give up on anybody.

Mila

2011-06-28T07:48:00.001-07:00

Monday, June 27th started our Summer Refresher blog. Each day one of the students will blog about their day. Let's see what Mila had to say today.

Today we learned about fractions. We worked on a worksheet that asked us to solve the word problem. The best part of the day at Neighbor's House today was playing empires because I got to learn more about people and communicate. Our math teacher today was Jordan/Kathy(the nickname Mila came up with for Jordan today). I think she did a great job teaching us. She is so much fun which made me laugh. Ruth helped me on my worksheet and she made me think, but over all I had a pretty good morning at Neighbor's House today.

Love- Young Mi Mi (this is the nickname Jordan gave her today)

Summer Refresher 2011, week 1

2011-06-27T08:16:00.000-07:00

9th Annual Summer Refresher!

2011-05-20T11:48:00.000-07:00

NH will host it's 9th Summer Refresher. Math and language arts enrichment for middle school students! As well as community service and goal-setting.

Summer Refresher offers certified teachers, small numbers, veteran volunteers, transportation in DeKalb & Cortland, even breakfast! We work with any budget, and provide financial assistance for those who need it.

Begins June 20 and ends July 22. Closed the week of 4th of July. Call 815.787-0600 for a brochure, or e-mail: neighborshouse@tbc.net

NH is also offering Summer Reading Vacations at Gideon Court, Mason Manor, University Village, Genoa, Garden St. in DeKalb, and Evergreen Village in Sycamore. Contact us for more info!

NH5K #7: RUN or WALK!

2011-04-01T07:26:00.000-07:00

The 7th Annual Neighbors' House 5K takes place 4.16.11 @ Hopkin's Park in DeKalb! Your participation helps fund our summer literacy & academic enrichment programs in low-income housing in DeKalb County.

Our Sponsors:

Wildwood Agency Kishwaukee Community Hospital Edward Jones, Matt Myre, agent Daily Chronicle The Suter Company DeKalb Mechanical GO Self-Insured ATEC Ambulance Northern Rehab & Sports Medicine Road ID IROQUOIS Investments

And, Caribou Coffee, Geneva Running Outfitters, Panera Bread, North Central Cyclery, Dolce Vita, Blumen Gardens, Cardinal Fitness, Ollie's

NH Programs & NH5K#7

2011-02-09T08:20:00.000-08:00

Current Programs:

Free Homework Help Nights @ NH (5th & Pine, DeKalb); Tues. & Thurs., 6:30-8:00 PM
Reading & Homework Club @ Westminster Presbyterian (University Village); Tues. & Thurs., 4:30-6 PM
Reading & Homework Club @ Gideon Court; Tues., 6-7:30 PM
Reading & Homework Club @ Mason Manor; Tues., 5-6:30 PM

Call Kyle White, Director, for more info: 815.787.0600

Help support NH programs! Participate in the NH5K Run & Walk #7! 4.16.11 @ Hopkin's Park in DeKalb! Thanks to our sponsors: Kishwaukee Community Hospital; Edward Jones, Agent Matt Myre; The Daily Chronicle; RAC Adjustments; The Suter Co.; DeKalb Mechanical; Northern Rehab; ATEC Ambulance; Cardinal Fitness; Caribou Coffee; & more to come!

BLIZZARD 2011! NH Closed!

2011-02-01T08:27:00.000-08:00

NH programs will be closed, Thursday, Feb. 3 due to weather and school cancellations! Stay safe and warm! Practice your math facts!

Homework Help for the New Year!

2011-01-04T12:06:00.001-08:00

Homework Help Nights take place at Neighbors' House (5th & Pine in DeKalb) on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6:30-8:00 pm. 4th-12th graders from any school. Neighbors' House Reading and Homework Clubs take place at Gideon Court in Dekalb, Mason Manor in Sycamore, and University Village in DeKalb. Please contact us for more info: neighborshouse@tbc.net

Homework Help Nights, etc.

2010-09-20T07:13:00.000-07:00

Tuesday, October 5th! Homework Help Nights begin! 6:30-8 pm. Tuesday & Thursdays. No cost service for 4th-12th grade students. Please bring homework!

Need math help? www.khanacademy.org

SAVE the DATE: Saturday, December 4th at Barnes & Noble in DeKalb. Noon 'til 8pm. Neighbors' House will be on hand with entertainment, homework help, gift-giving ideas, etc. Watch for vouchers and come be part of this NH fund raising event!

Summer Refresher Blogs!

2010-07-09T10:52:00.000-07:00

Our 8th Annual Summer Refresher for middle school students is half-way through! Here are some blog entries:

"Today was the first day of summer refresher. We have a math teacher named Greg Wheaton. For math today we made recipes for this drink and we wernt told what the real recipe was and we had to write down how much of what ingredient we put in it. At the end of it he made us the real one. Anyway it was super fun. Peace out." – Mila

"We packed snakes so we can give thime away [at Summer Reading Vacation]. We did math class and long division. Me and Dylan did a math shet and we wint outsid We Plad with the Ball and thin we wint home."-Jason

"We are talking about soils, also we got cards and got questions when were going to die and the person who gets spades has to lie [a game called Whopper]. My name is Alex and the embarrassing moment was in a skit I forgot my line. My line was "help I can’t get up". This is one of the questions we had at neighbors [house]. We ate today a muffin strawberry yogurt chocolate milk."-Alex

"Today we started off with some interesting questions from a book called If. One question was: If you had to watch only one movie for the rest of your life, what would it be? I answered "Happy Gilmore". These questions helped the kids expand their minds. After that we read a couple chapters from the novel The Tiger Rising, and talked about making observations. We finished the day with some FourSquare."-Jake

8th Annual Summer Refresher!

2010-06-04T17:51:00.000-07:00

Four weeks of math & language arts enrichment for middle school students! June 28-July 23. Certified teachers. Low-cost. Community service. Life skills. Goal-setting. Transportation available in DeKalb and Cortland. Contact neighborshouse@tbc.net for a brochure! Or, call: 815-787-0600

NH5K Results

2010-04-19T21:11:00.000-07:00

About 220 registrants participated in the sixth annual Neighbors' House 5K Run. The 3.1-mile run took place Saturday, April 17 at Hopkins Park in DeKalb. Participants ran north along Route 23, down the nature trail to First Street and then finished at the back of Hopkins Park.

Mark Stice of Sycamore was the overall male finisher with a time of 18:16. The top female finisher, Jackie Mayweather of Woodridge, Illinois, came in at 19:14. Jonah Minnihan of Sycamore was the top male finisher in the “15 Years Old & Younger” category at 20:17, and Emma Stice of Sycamore clocked in at 24:10 to be the top “15 Years Old & Younger” female finisher. Among runners who were 55-and-older, Joel Maurer of DeKalb was the top male with a time of 21:50. Heidi Gorajczyk, Sycamore, came in at 39:57 to be the top 55-and-over female finisher.

The rest of the results are posted at www.neighborshouse5k.com.

All proceeds benefited Neighbors' House, a nonprofit, community development organization in DeKalb. Neighbors' House features free Homework Help Nights; the Summer Refresher for middle school students; Homework & Reading Clubs, and Summer Reading Vacation programs, in income-eligible apartment complexes throughout DeKalb County.

Sponsors of the Neighbors' House 5K Run 2010 were the Daily Chronicle, Edward Jones Investments (Matthew Myre, agent), FundamentalRecords.com, A-Tec Ambulance, Northern Rehab, The Suter Co. Inc., Kishwaukee Community Hospital, DeKalb Mechanical, Cardinal Fitness, Family Podiatry, and more.
For more information about Neighbors' House, and summer or after-school programs, contact director Kyle White, Director at 815-787-0600 or e-mail: neighborshouse@tbc.net

NH Spring Break Schedule

2010-03-15T22:13:00.000-07:00

Tuesday, March 16th:OPEN for Homework Help Nights at NH, Gideon Court & Mason Manor

Thursday, March 18th: CLOSED for SPRING BREAK! ENJOY!

Tuesday, March 30th: RE-OPEN

Homework Help Nights

2009-08-25T07:01:00.000-07:00

The school year has begun! That means homework is not far behind. And neither are Homework Help Nights! HOMEWORK HELP NIGHTS BEGIN TUESDAY, OCTOBER 6th. 6:30-8PM at Neighbors' House (corner of 5th & Pine in DeKalb). Tuesday & Thursdays, 6:30-8pm. No cost. Bring your homework and have your parent sign you in, and we'll help you through your assignments! Plus, you'll have opportunities for math and language arts enrichment activities! Questions? neighborshouse@tbc.net or 815-787-0600

Reading & Homework Club starts at Mason Manor on Tuesday, Sept. 15th. Stay tuned for more locations...

Marketing Plan for NFPs

2009-08-10T09:36:00.000-07:00

CREATING A MARKETING PLAN (For Not-for-Profit Organizations)AUGUST 13, 2009 9am-12pm, Room A-225 $3.00 per participant; Kyle White & Marshall Dirks, Presenters

https://www.kish.cc.il.us/course_schedules/bid/ohsa.shtml

Blogger of the Day: Alex V

2009-07-15T08:41:00.000-07:00

"Warning! Short Note! Today at Neighbors' House a farmer came to teach us about corn. Guess what: Manure is poop. LOL. He talked about 'closed', 'crowded' and 'cultivated' plants, comparing [them] to [our relationship with] God. We got to learn about corn yesterday. It was the bomb. We played a little [multiplication game] of 'Alex V'. [For that game we did the multiplication tables of] six. Oops! I forgot farm boy's name was Mark. Sincerely, Alex. P.S.-He sang 'Old McDonald'. Just kidding."

Alex's True Facts

2009-07-14T06:40:00.001-07:00

There are some unique personalities here for the Summer Refresher. You'll read more about them when our additions to Seedfolks get posted. But, here are some quotes (with his permission) from the legendary NH character, Alex:

"I don't really like sports, 'cause people always get broken legs."

"Don't ever smoke. Take on another addiction, like fruit."

"Whatever you do, don't shut down Dairy Queen."

"I don't like lettuce, but I like the Lattice Method.*"

"Say my name. It's magical."

Blooger of the Day: Victoria

2009-07-10T11:48:00.000-07:00

"Today at Neighbors' House something funny happened. OK, this is what happened: Well, we were playing Fraction Bingo. And, after the two people won, the game was over. And those people got candy because they won the game. The candy was melted so th teacher put them in the freezer, and then, ten minutes later, the teacher said, 'Who wants their candy?' And, I said, 'I do!' She said, 'OK, I'll get it.' So, she went and got it and she was going to give it to me but she stopped and said, 'You didn't win!' And I said, 'I know!' And we laughed. And that's what happened today."-Victoria

Spinach Vs. Weeds Contest Opens Today!

2009-07-02T13:35:00.000-07:00

Know how to tell the difference between the weeds and spinach/lettuce, that are sprouting at Neighbors' House? The first one who can do so, wins a SeedFolks book and a Neighbors' House t-shirt! Hurry! The vegetables depend upon you!

Summer Refresher Interviews

2009-06-30T11:12:00.000-07:00

We interviewed each other the first week! Here are some of the questions and answers:
What summer movie do you wish you could star in?
"Up. I'd play the kid."-Alex
"Star Trek. I would be Captain Kirk."-Kyle
What was your favorite class last year? Why?
"Art. You get to draw and make things and it's really creative."-Alex
"Reading. 'Cause it wastes time."-Keion
"Math. I'm really good at it."-Victoria
"Science, 'cause there were many projects."-Serene
"Science. The experiments."-Mila
"Math class, beacuse we played lots of games..."-Marissa
"Social studies, because it is about history."-Anthony
What do you do to celebrate the 4th of July?
"Last year I went to Mexico and missed it, but I had fun in Mexico."-Alex
"Go to Hopkins, eat brats, & watch the fireworks."-Kyle
"Go to Hopkins, grill, & watch the fireworks."-Keion
"Go to my grandma's. My whole family watch's fireworks."-Victoria
"Go to Door County and celebrate with family and have a cookout."-Sarah
"I go to Chicago with my family to watch fireworks at navy Pier."-Marissa
If you had to give Neighbors' House a new name, what would you call it?
"I would call it 'Brain School'."-Alex
"School of Rock."-Kyle
"Community Casa."-Nicole
"Kyle's White House."-Sarah
"I think (NH) is a strange name."-Serene
"We Care Education."-Marissa
"Super Awesome Fun House."-Ruth

Summer Refresher: Marissa

2009-06-29T13:19:00.000-07:00

"Today at Neighbors' House we talked about nasty toothpaste flavors, and some of the the things we came up with were really funny and really gross (ed.-flavors that wouldn't make it on the store shelf, like: BBQ; tuna salad; sour cream & onion; garlic; strawberry milk; caviar; orange; etc.) . Then we started reading SeedFolks and it is OK. If I had the choice to keep reading it I would not because it just really is not that interesting to me. I like what we're doing in Neighbors' House. It is very interesting and fun to learn. I also like the people and how they are so nice and funny and how they help me so much and how I am so grateful."

-Marissa

Radishes & Stocking Shelves

2009-06-27T04:48:00.000-07:00

On Friday the Summer Refresher crew spent the day weeding the Salvation Army gardens & harvesting radishes! And then we toured the food pantry and stocked shelves. We will be there each Friday. The Salvation Army food pantry on Grove St in DeKalb is looking for volunteers right now! Tho't you might like to know.

"We went to the Salvation Army and helped with their garden and food pantry. We harvested the radishes and strawberries. And at the end we got to take home a box of candy."-Mila

Blogger of the Day: Alex

2009-06-24T11:15:00.001-07:00

"Today at Neighbors' House we talked about seeds, this quote about God*, and growing with him. We also did math--fractions. We had to [take] M&Ms candy and count each color. And [then] color each...in pie graphs**(which has more? what's the least?). When we did multiplication in the class we had to fill every square and count it. When we were doing answers I got one wrong of the previous number. Then the other kids got previous numbers wrong. LOL. Sincerely, Alex. Thanks for reading."
*editor-"Anyone can count the seeds in an apple, only God can count the apples in a seed." And, the Parable of the Four Soils. Which one are you: closed? careless? crowded? or, cultivated & ready to grow?
**ed.-M&Ms & pie together? Mmm.

We're Melting!

2009-06-24T06:52:00.001-07:00

The A/C is still out at NH! Was it 99 degrees yesterday? Drooping students kept up the good work of multiplication and fraction refresher. A couple popsicles helped! Today our good neighbors at the We Care Pregnancy Clinic are letting us meet in their space during the hours they are closed. They put the "We Care" in, well, We Care. Thanks, Katie and staff!

Summer Refresher 2009! Day 1!

2009-06-22T11:56:00.000-07:00

We started the 7th annual Summer Refresher on the hottest day of the year! And the air conditioning is broken at NH! That didn't stop us from getting some multiplication enrichment from our instructor Sarah H. Or, stop us from planting spinach, tomatoes, salad greens, cilantro, and some sunflowers (some can grow to 12' tall!). Salad at the end of July? Check back here for daily student blogs!

NH5K Run! 5th Annual!

2009-04-28T12:05:00.000-07:00

More than 160 registrants participated in the fifth annual Neighbors' House 5K Run. The 3.1-mile run took place April 18 at Hopkins Park in DeKalb. Participants ran north along Route 23, down the nature trail to First Street and then finished at the back of Hopkins Park. Matt McClelland of Quincy, Illinois was the overall male finisher with a time of 15:33. The top female finisher, Alicja Stannard of DeKalb, came in at 18:39. Crispin Brim of DeKalb was the top male finisher in the “15 Years Old & Younger” category at 19:46, and Paxton Hoffman-Howlett of Tremont, Illinois clocked in at 25:27 to be the top “15 Years Old & Younger” female finisher. Among runners who were 55 and older, Dave Grafton of Garden Prairie, Illinois was the top male with a time of 24:23. Bonnie Cain, Sycamore, came in at 33:52 to be the top 55 and over female finisher. The rest of the results are posted at http://www.neighborshouse5k.com/. All proceeds benefited Neighbors' House, a nonprofit, community development organization in DeKalb. Neighbors' House features Homework Help Nights; the Summer Refresher; and the Summer Reading Vacation throughout the county. Sponsors of the Neighbors' House 5K Run 2009 were Edward Jones Investments (Matthew Myre, agent), the Daily Chronicle, FundamentalRecords.com, A-Tec Ambulance, RAC Risk Services of Rockford, The Suter Co. Inc., Kishwaukee Community Hospital, DeKalb Mechanical, Cardinal Fitness, Northern Rehab, Prairie View Dental, and more.
For more information about Neighbors' House summer and after-school programs, contact director Kyle White at 815-787-0600 or e-mail: neighborshouse@tbc.net

HOMEWORK HELP NIGHTS

2008-10-16T07:04:00.000-07:00

Homework Help Nights take place Tuesday & Thursday Nights from 6:30-8:00 PM at Neighbors' House. Corner of 5th & Pine. This no-cost service is open to 4th-12th grade students. Bring your homework. We provide math and language arts enrichment activities, too. call: 815-787-0600 or e-mail: neighborshouse@tbc.net with questions.

The Reading Adventure/Homework Help Night at Mason Manor in Sycamore begins Tuesday, October 21. Gideon Court in DeKalb will begin when building refurbishing ends.

She's Gone... Snif!

2008-10-03T09:23:00.001-07:00

That's right, Old Red, the Neighbors' House van, has gone on to her reward. She was faithful in getting kids too and from Summer Refresher, and Next Step, and Magic Waters, even. And she never complained about the pile of stale french fries underneath the last seat. Or, the gum stuck in her side pocket. Never a peep about the spraypaint can we ran over on Lincoln Highway that forever marked her. And lots of good conversations and laughs were had within her cavernous borders. Godspeed, Old Red.

Not to rush through the grief process, but if you know of any other 15-passenger vans...

Homework Help Nights

2008-08-25T11:52:00.001-07:00

Homework Help Nights begin Tuesday, Oct. 7 at Neighbors' House. Corner of 5th & Pine. A free service featuring: one-on-one homework help from knowledgeable adults; enrichment; snacks. 6:30-8 PM. Tuesdays & Thursdays. 815.787.0600 or neighborshouse@tbc.net for more info!

Blogger of the Day: Angelina

2008-07-15T11:20:00.000-07:00

Today is July 14th. We have a new teacher. Today we played Empires. Nici won the game Empires. Greg played the song we wrote Friday. We were naming the names of characters in the book. We read the book today. I learned different things about the book.

NHTV, pt 2

2008-07-11T19:24:00.000-07:00

NHTV Music Videos

2008-07-11T19:15:00.000-07:00

Greg & Kim Wheaton, NH volunteers, shared their music talents and creative processes, as we talked about The Tiger Rising. Students then wrote lyrics to a song that summarizes the book. We'll see what Greg & Kim come up with for music next week!

Blogger of the Day: Nici

2008-07-11T12:43:00.001-07:00

In class today we were asked to answer one of the questions given. The questions were how the author writes, the character in the book, and how to read to understand. The questions were for the book we were reading called The Tiger Rising by Kate DiCamillo. Today Becky came back from Tanzania. Greg and Kimo brought their guitars and Greg played really really great it was so cool! Kimo also played one of her own songs. It was called I'll take the Cornfields. We made a song. Everyone added a line and Greg and Kimo are going to make it into a song. At the end we played Moon Ball. We finally got the pizza party.

Blogger of the Day: LaKesha

2008-07-11T12:34:00.000-07:00

Today at Neighbors' House we played a game called Alex Vargas and it was kind of like a multiplication game. Say the number is 3 you have to say Alex Vargas when you come across a multiple of 3 or a number that has 3 in it. We are also in the middle of this great book called The Tiger Rising. Also at NH we have a challenge. The challenge is Moon Bounce. Moon Bounce is a game where we have a ball and we have to keep hitting it in the air our goal is 50.

Blogger of the Day: Jake

2008-07-10T06:09:00.000-07:00

Today at Neighbors' House we played a game called Black Magic. It was a game where someone chooses an item and another person guesses it in like 5 guesses. There was a trick to the game that the item always had a black colored object before it.

Bloggers of the Day: Marissa, Lily, and Jermaine

2008-07-08T20:46:00.000-07:00

What I did today was I did worksheets on the story that we are reading this week and probably next week too. I am having so much fun here at Neighbors' House and also meeting new people and I like the story we are reading.
-Marissa

Today we colored bags and we put snacks in them for a reading program.
-Jermaine

Today is July 7th 2008. We all first got to know some of the new people who came. We colored food bags for the summer reading groups. After that we played this guessing game. It was pretty fun and keeps your mind guessing. After that we read a book called The Tiger Rising. We all sat down to listen to Barb reading the book The Tiger Rising.
-Lily

Daily Chronicle Feature

2008-07-02T08:54:00.000-07:00

Read it here.

Blogger of the Day: Katie

2008-06-26T15:11:00.000-07:00

I learned a lot of things today. Today, I joined the Pre-Algebra group in math. We reviewed some of the basic information concerning positive and negative numbers such as a negative number times a negative number equals a positive. Surprisingly, it was fun. After that I took come notes (we weren't required to but it helps me a lot because I'm terrible at remembering things) and we were given a few problems. It was all pretty easy because we had reviewed what to do in certain scenarios earlier. Afterwards, we all discussed how we got our (sometimes different) answers, and then we were shown the correct process. I normally don't like math, but it was nice being in a group that challenged me. It was enjoyable because we weren't labeled wrong or anything if we used the wrong method for the scenarios we were given, but we were shown the way it was supposed to be afterwards. Unlike school, the Neighbors' House Summer Refresher course combines academic learning with fun. Today was great!

-Katie

Summer Refresher "Getting to know you" Interviews

2008-06-17T11:54:00.001-07:00

Today the students were split into pairs and given the opportunity to learn more about their fellow Neighbors' House students. There were four simple questions that they could explore to get to know their partner a little more. They were then to create a short paragraph summarizing what they discovered. Here is what they wrote:

Angelina:
Lily's family is funny, crazy, and interesting. She would want to spend the entire day spending time with friends because they are awesome. Her favorite subject is Shop class because you can do whatever you want. Lily would want to meet Nick Jonas because he is totally awesome.

Lily:
Angelina is really cool, but she says her family is boring. She loves to sleep. Her favorite class is Science and sometimes she can't think.

Emily:
Today I met someone named Jermaine. He has 4 brothers and 5 sisters. Both his mom and grandmother work at day-cares and babysitters, and his grandfather is a security guard. He likes his family because they are cool. One activity he would spend an entire day doing is listening to music because he likes to. His favorite subject in school is Social Studies because he likes it, it's easy, and because you get to learn about our history. If he could meet any person in the world it would be Eminem because he's Jermaine's idol.

Jermaine:
Today I met a girl named Emily. I learned about what her mom and dad do for a living and that she likes Patricia McConick's psychology books. Her favorite subject is Yearbook because it's easy grading. She would also play the flute for an entire day.

Nici:
Elijah's family is absolutely crazy, at least one side. He has 3 siblings. His one activity that he could spend all day doing is play basketball because that's his sport. His favorite subject in school is P.E. because he's not doing work and he's having fun. The person he would want to meet is Dwayne Wade who is his favorite basketball player.

Elijah:
Nici's parents are divorced. She also has 4 siblings that are annoying. An activity she could spend doing an entire day is eating food because she likes food. Her favorite subject in school is English because she likes writing. A person she would want to meet in the world is Stephanie Meyer because she is the author of her favorite series.

Katie:
Alex has a very interesting family. He says that his family is loud when it comes to music, like putting the volume really high or singing loudly, but in general, they're just plain funny. He must like to swim because he said that if he could spend an entire day doing only one activity, that he would choose his activity to be playing in the pool. His favorite activity is playing in the pool but his favorite subject is science. Alex loves science because you get to do fun experiments in class. His favorite band must be the Jonas Brothers because he says that if he could meet anyone in the world, that he would like to meet the Jonas Brothers...that is all you need to know about Alex!

Alex:
Katie's parents are creepy and loud. Katie would spend a whole day reading because she likes reading. Katie's favorite subject in school is Language Arts because it's changing all the time. Katie's person to meet is George Bush to lower gas prices.

Marissa:
Jake has 2 sisters and 1 brother. He likes playing sports. His favorite subject in school is P.E. He would like to meet Tiger Woods because he's good at golf.

Jake:
Marissa has 2 brothers. Her family's weird. She likes to ride her bike. Her favorite subject is P.E. And she doesn't know who she would want to meet.

Jacob:
The person I interviewed was Jordan. She has 2 brothers who like music and sports. Her parents are both teachers. The activity she could spend a day doing is shopping because she likes to be creative. Her favorite subject in school is Art because there are no rules. And two people she would like to meet would be Donald Miller and Sufjan Stevens.

Jordan:
Jacob is a sports fanatic! He has amazing basketball and golfing skills and loves learning about history in Social Studies class. His family is a big part of his life with a devil sister, teaching mother, and aircraft mechanic dad. He has 2 cats Binky and Scooter and 1 guinea pig. Two people that he would love to meet would be his great aunt who would be the leader of England if the king died and the violinist from the Dave Matthews Band.

Kyle:
Becky's family is crazy and they are small farm people. Her mom likes to walk around and pick up sticks in the yard and her dad likes to yell at her. If she could spend an entire day doing anything, she would want to have beach time swimming and fishing. She once caught a ten pound catfish! Her favorite subject in school is Science because she likes to know how things work. If she could meet any person in the world it would be Kyle White.

Becky:
Kyle's family is very diverse and very funny. He would love to go camping for an entire day while reading, writing, and laying in a hammock. His favorite subject in school would have to Journalism because he likes to write yeah... If he could meet any person in the world he would want to meet Kyle White because he's cool.

NH VISTA Press Release

2008-05-22T09:34:00.000-07:00

Neighbors’ House, a not-for-profit organization in DeKalb, will be host to Jordan Eggleson, an AmeriCorps VISTA worker, this summer.

“AmeriCorps VISTA is the national service program designed specifically to fight poverty. Founded as Volunteers in Service to America in 1965…VISTA has been on the front lines in the fight against poverty in America for more than 40 years,” states the AmeriCorps.org website. Summer VISTA workers commit to full-time service with a not-for-profit organization to benefit its services and programs in the community. This federal volunteer program provides an education award at the end of the worker’s service.

Jordan Eggleson, a Sycamore resident, is a student at the University of Illinois-Chicago majoring in Elementary Education. This past year at UIC, Eggleson partnered with thenot-for-profit organization Gads Hill Center in the Pilsen community. While there, she completed writing projects to aid in the welfare of the community and the organization. Providing one-on-one tutoring and mentoring in the Chicago Public School system, she volunteered at Metro Achievement Center. And Eggleson was a member of the Student Leadership Development and Volunteer Services at UIC, which provided service activities to local organizations in Chicago.

Eggleson will spend her summer helping to support and expand the programs and services of Neighbors’ House. She will assist with the Summer Refresher enrichment program for middle school students, the Summer Reading Vacation literacy program at Gideon Court in DeKalb, and new satellite programs. Other projects will include communicating the Neighbors’ House vision to the community, and seeking grants to expand services.

Neighbors' House is a not-for-profit, faith based, community development organization partnering with DeKalb students and families to help them fulfill their God-given potential for academic and relational success. Neighbors' House features: Homework Help Nights; the Summer Refresher; the Summer Reading Vacation at Gideon's Court; and the Reading Adventure & Homework Help Night at Gideon's Court. For more information about Neighbors’ House summer and after-school programs visit http://www.neighborshouse.org/. Or, contact Kyle White, director, at 815-787-0600 or e-mail: neighborshouse@tbc.net

TUESDAY, MAY 20 LAST HH NIGHT for YEAR

2008-05-20T08:01:00.000-07:00

Thanks for a great year of Homework Help Nights! Tuesday, May 20th will be our last night for the school year. Enjoy Memorial Day Weekend & the end of the school year!

Summer Refresher begins June 16. Math, language arts, goal-setting, etc. SR is open to Fall of 2008 middle schoolers.

contact us: neighborshouse@tbc.net or 815.787.0600

SUMMER REFRESHER #6

2008-04-24T16:26:00.000-07:00

Our sixth Summer Refresher! Five weeks of math and language arts refresher for middle school students! Low-cost! Certified teachers! Life skills and goal-setting! Contact us for a brochure! Starts June 16. Space is limited!

NH5K

2008-04-24T16:23:00.000-07:00

Our 4th NH5K! Rainy but fun morning!

126 registrants. Here's Michael Arnold Jr. of Elmhurst coming in 1st place with a time of 16:35! Thanks all for running!

Results: www.neighborshouse5k.com

NH BUZZ

2008-04-15T17:15:00.000-07:00

Homework Help Nights! Tuesdays & Thursdays. 6:30-8:30 PM @ Neighbors' House. Corner of 5th & Pine in DeKalb. Bring your homework! Enrichment activities. Free.

4th Annual NH5K Run 4/19/08: www.neighborshouse5k.com

Summer Refresher. 6th Annual. Math & Language Arts enrichment for students who will be in middle school in the Fall. 5 week program. Certified teachers. Free transportation within DeKalb. Includes: purpose & goal setting; community service; life skills; etc.

Call or e-mail for a brochure: 815.787.0600 or neighborshouse@tbc.net

Homework Help Nights

2008-04-01T12:50:00.000-07:00

Homework Help Nights is open Tuesday, April 1st. We will be closed Thursday, April 3rd, however. Sorry for any inconvenience.

Spring is here! Run the 4th Annual NH5K! www.neighborshouse5k.com

For more info about the 5K, Homework Help Nights, Summer Refresher, etc., contact us:
dial: 815.787.0600
e-mail: neighborshouse@tbc.net
web: www.neighborshouse.org

Spring Break Hours

2008-03-14T09:08:00.000-07:00

NH will be OPEN Tuesday, March 18th.

We will be CLOSED Thursday, March 20th, and for the rest of spring break. Happy Easter.

We will RE-OPEN Tuesday, April 1st for all programs.

4th Annual NH5K Run!

2008-03-14T09:04:00.000-07:00

NeighborsHouse5k.com Sign up today! 3.1 mile flat course. T-shirts and raffle entry for all participants. Medals and gift cards for top finishers! All proceeds benefit Neighbors' House programs!

Big Thanks!

2008-02-21T17:43:00.001-08:00

Thanks to Christ Community Church of DeKalb for donating water, snacks and gift cards to Neighbors' House! A granola bar and a bottle of water go along way towards helping a middle school guy finish his homework! Thanks!

Bring Your Homework!

2008-01-17T10:31:00.000-08:00

Neighbors’ House is again providing free Homework Help Nights for DeKalb students. 4th graders through high school are welcome, Tuesday and Thursday nights from 6:30-8pm. Neighbors’ House is located at the corner of 5th and Pine. For more info: 787.0600 or neighborshouse@tbc.net

Gideon Court Reading Adventure & Homework Help takes place Tuesday nights from 6-7 pm.

Homework Help Nights

2007-12-13T08:53:00.001-08:00

Last night of Homework Help Nights & Gideon Court programs before Winter Break will be Tuesday, December 18th.

Questions about our programs? 815-787-0600 or neighborshouse@tbc.net

NH CLOSED DUE TO ICE STORM 12/11 Tuesday.

2007-12-11T08:24:00.000-08:00

Neighbors' House programs at NH & Gideon Court will be closed Tuesday, Dec. 11 due to the ice storm and school closings! See you Thursday, Dec. 13.

Homework Help Night Interviews: Student vs. Volunteer!

2007-12-07T07:09:00.000-08:00

This was Matt's last night as a volunteer at Neighbors' House. We'll miss him!

Chazz found out about Matt...

Matt is getting married in April.

Chazz beat Matt in chess.

Matt's favorite sport is ultimate frisbee.

Next week Matt is graduating.

Matt will be moving home after college is done.

Matt found out about Chazz...

Favorite vid game: Halo 2

Favorite TV show: Family Guy

Favorite Food: Chazz's Homemade Chicken

What you want to be when you are older: SWAT team member

Favorite car: Ford GT or Ferrari

Questions About NH Programs? E-mail: neighborshouse@tbc.net

Happy Holidays from NH!

2007-11-29T10:36:00.000-08:00

Homework Help Nights are in full swing this semester! This is a free service on Tuesday & Thursday Nights at Neighbors' House (located at the corner of 5th & Pine in DeKalb) from 6:30-8pm. 4th-12th grades. Students can bring their homework, sit down with a volunteer and complete their work, plus participate in enrichment activities. Please call 815.787.0600 if you have questions. Or, e-mail: neighborshouse@tbc.net

OUR LAST HH NIGHT BEFORE WINTER BREAK will be December 18th, Tuesday. We will re-open Tuesday, January 8! Enjoy the break!

But wait, there's more...

2007-07-20T11:40:00.000-07:00

"This past week we made cake and pizza. It was delicious. Ruth came back from China and gave us candy. And, for math, we made a cake and pizza. It was good. We did other stuff like that thing where you have to find the circumference and diameter. We did these mango things. It was fun. Kyle drew a funny picture of a king."-Isaac

"This week I saw tunnels dug by Japanese soldiers in WWII. We had to put on big heavy coats because it was really cold underground. I saw a traditional Chinese home in Beijing and rode in a rickshaw. I saw Tienamin Square and flew a kite over it and got told by a Chinese woman that I was too big to buy her clothes. I saw the Great Wall and took the tobogan sleds down. And, I saw a pearl factory and went shopping at the Pearl Market, and there all the salespeople yell, "Hey lady! Hey lady!" I went to the forbidden city and then I got on a plane at 4 in the afternoon, Wed., and got off the plane at 3 in the afternoon, Wednesday. Think about that. I slept for 12 hours straight and then ate a whole box of Scooby Doo mac & cheese. The next day I rode my bike to Neighbors' House and shared Chinese candy with the kids. I learned nothing about math."-Ruth

Multiplication and Red Velvet Cake

2007-07-20T09:26:00.000-07:00

What we remembered this week, and what we learned about math:

"I remembered all the food and how to do multiplication. I learned in math nothing really, but I was reminded about a lot of stuff like long division and multiplication."-Yacoob

"I learned about in the past week is math. Also we learned a bout how to make a cake with limited resources. And about a great person, Debbie Baumgartner. I learned math, the diameter, radius, fractions..."-Heather

"I remember that we did fun stuff like bake a cake on Wednesday. I learned that math can be fun sometimes when you want it to be."-Angelina

"All I remember this week is math and more math, but it was not so bad learning about it. What I learned in math was percent and proportion. It was fun because I never learned that before."-Mollie

"This past week was a lot of fun. We talked a ton about math and watched School House Rock videos. The "eights" was the worst of all. Isaac liked it probably because the girls complained when he picked it. This week I also learned that Isaac is hillarious to watch eat. When we made cakes on Wednesday, Jake got red cake mix all over the shoulder of Isaac's shirt, but then Isaac spilled butter and cake mix over the rest of it, so it really didn't matter. The boys' cake looked terrible, but it tasted pretty good. The girls' cake was beautiful and they were pretty proud of it. But, back to Isaac eating...I can't even describe it well enough to do it justice, but let's just say it is a mess...Cake on the shirt, on the floor, on the face, garlic sauce from the pizza on his pants...I think he could make a mess with just anout anything, but we all got a good laugh. Kyle and I thought there should be a reality TV show on Isaac because it would be hillarious and we would definitely watch. Oh yeah, the math was pretty good, too. Fractions, multiplication, and division were up this week. I learned the lattice method. I don't like it and will never use it. I'm too old school for this new fangled something."-Becky

"I recall Isaac's nice, clean, white shirt on Wednesday. I recall it didn't last long. We made red velvet cake to showcase our fraction skills. Isaac proceeded to spill 1/3 cup of butter down the front of that shirt. And, while pouring batter, Jacob preseed 1/2 of the beaters into Isaac's right shoulder. 3/4 of Isaac's shirt was covered in butter and deep red cake batter. On the way home, Isaac spilled 1/4 of his Rock Star energy drink on his pants. Isaac's mom was 5/5 mad when he got home. PS-The next day, 7/27, Isaac spilled garlic butter on the front of his shorts. Poor Isaac."-Kyle

Not What I Thought...

2007-07-13T13:23:00.000-07:00

Beautiful day today! 78-degrees and Sunny! Lots of basic math review and Starbursts today, too. Some students blogged on these two thoughts:

1.) "I thought Summer Refresher would be..."; and, 2.) "But, this is what Summer Refresher really was..."

"I thought is was going to be work, no fun, boring, silly in the first place not even worth going. It has been nothing like that. It is fun, not boring and not silly. I actually learned something, it is not bad. My favorite thing is four square because it is fun."-Mollie

"I though Neighbors' House would be fun and give me something to do. But when I got there it was terrible. Last summer was a lot better. My favorite thing was when I was in the hospital and missed one day. No I’m kidding. I like playing games and doing fun stuff."-Jake (Toots)

"I thought that Summer Refresher would be boring, but it is fun. My favorite thing that we did was four square."-Angelina

"I thought it will be fun, but now it is really fun!! It’s awesome here. My favorite thing is math."-Jacob

"I thought summer refresher would be a time of math review, practice in skills, some games, snacks and fun. Also, that it would be a time of getting to know some pretty cool kids a little better. What it’s really been is all the above. The math review of percent was great – it showed me how much I’ve forgotten over many years. Being able to calculate percent as well as estimate are great skills to have, especially if you shop ever! (and without technology in your pocket.)My favorite thing about SR is seeing the students interact with each other in a positive way, as well as respond to the teaching. My hope is that they will retain what they’ve learned here, and take it with them into the next school year.Blessings, y’all."-Lyndia

"Originally I thought Neighbors' House would be lots of homework type activities with lots of kids. In the whole four days I have been at Summer Refresher, I have found it to be much different, but in good ways. While there are lots of learning activities, the staff finds ways to make learning more enjoyable through fun games. Our group is smaller than I expected but everyone is a lot of fun to hang out with. Getting to know everyone and playing games are my favorite things about Summer Refresher. Overall, Summer Refresher has been a blast and I would recommend it anyone."-Becky

We're SeedFolks, Too!

2007-06-26T11:21:00.000-07:00

After reading SeedFolks, we're writing autobiographies in response! If you haven't read SeedFolks, despite our nagging, you should do so now. Here is a taste of our work. Just one sentence from each:

"I am like a watermelon, because I grow everyday..."
"But, back home, in the same way, I will take baby steps towards life. These kids and these lima beans will take baby steps towards their lives."
"My parents are foster parents which means they take in kids from homes which some parents can't take care of them. So we do."
"Unfortunately, living in my fifth generation, over 100-year old money pit, has added many a sleppless night to my life."
"Then, out of nowhere, came Kyle...with a Tazer."
"I'm Jacob. I like playing baseball."
"I feel happy, excited now because I get to go to Kiddie Land tomorrow."
"My name is Heather...I love to hang out with friends and I love the pool. Also, I love scary and funny movies."
"This is summer number five."

Intrigued? We are!

Corn, Spelling & Dinosaurs

2007-06-25T13:14:00.000-07:00

"...We finished the book SeedFolks. After that we learned about corn.

We listened to some awesome music, and then we talked about spelling...then we read some weird dinosaur story and we talked about it."-Jacob K. (Blogger-of-the-Day)

Isaac's Opinion

2007-06-22T06:47:00.001-07:00

"Today we read about three more people. (Kyle made a joke*. It wasn't funny. Note to everybody: Kyle is not funny.) We learned about Maricela. She was sixteen and she was pregnant and she wanted to die. And, we learned about Nora. She was British and she was hesitant."--Isaac P. (Blogger-of-the-Day)

*Q: What did one dehydrated French Poodle say to the other dehydrated French Poodle? A: "What shall we do now, Pierre?"

Get it?

Wet Tail, SeedFolks & Rocks to the Head

2007-06-20T11:43:00.000-07:00

"The funny thing today was about our animal names* and the wet tail**. We did some reading today and we met some new people in the book [SeedFolks]. Kyle told us the "rock story" so we all know not to throw rocks at each other! We all learned more about each other."-Mollie D. (Blogger-of-the-Day)

*we got on the subject of pets and the names we give them; Binky, Scooter & Happy on the one hand; Toad, Fish, Lizard on the other hand
**hamster diarrhea, essentially, Jacob informed us

Moonball High Score of 28

2007-06-19T13:28:00.000-07:00

We scored 28 in MoonBall today? Can we break 30?

Summer Refresher 2007 Begins!

2007-06-19T13:00:00.000-07:00

"Today we started off by having interviews with each other. I interviewed Mark. Then we read more of the book SeedFolks. We have met six characters already. Then, we went outside and watered our lima beans and our flowers. That was our day today."--Jacob M (Blogger of the Day)

NH Summer Refresher 2007!

2007-05-10T19:55:00.000-07:00

Hey all! This is our 5th summer of the Refresher! See you June 18th! Remember this is a "cicada summer"!

Summer Reading Vacation Photos

2006-08-15T15:15:00.000-07:00

Summer Reading Vacation

2006-08-15T14:40:00.000-07:00

Summer Refresher students decorated snack bags for the inaugural Neighbors' House literacy program. They gave encouraging notes and pictures about the importance of reading.

The Summer Reading Vacation took place July 17-21 at Gideon Court, an apartment complex on west Lincoln Highway, in DeKalb. Our first night--100 degree temps--sixteen kids showed up. And, we had 12-16 kids each day the whole week. Two hours each night. Our education coordinator for the program, Tracy M. read the entire Sign of the Beaver to them through the week and kids participated in activities, art projects and discussions based on that book. We also gave kids a choice of taking Because of Winn-Dixie or Freckle Juice home to read. All kids took the books to keep and 98% of them read their entire book, along with completing written responses each night on their own. That’s two books in a week! The Border’s manager provided all the Freckle Juice books out of her own pocket. And, Ollie’s provided gift certificates for each kid who read the book outside of the program. Students loved it. Pics coming soon!

Week 4-After the Crash!

2006-08-14T13:27:00.000-07:00

Well, the Neighbors' House laptop crashed during our fourth week, making it a little difficult to keep up the Blog. Here's a recap of week 4!

Eric E., a fine English teacher from Sycamore High School, came and continued the language arts session into our 4th week. Students worked on developing questions for interviews, and then interviewed themselves. This culminated in informative presentations! Some more than others. But it was a good opportunity to develop conversational skills and to present in front of a large group.

Later in the week we read The Monkey's Paw by W.W. Jacobs. Students wrote alternate endings to this mysterious story from 1906:

"...then Mrs. White started yelling and screaming at him, then he looked outside and it was Herbert. [So] for his last wish, he asked for two more wishes...One wish was for Herbert to come back alive and the second wish was that they don't remember what happened. And, they lived happily everafter. Or, not..."-Haley

"[He] walked from his grave and knocked on the door. And, the dad wished the thing at the door dead...Then she opened the door and it was not Herbert. It was his co-worker, and he was dead. Then Herbert came and haunted them for the rest fo their lives. The End."-Isaac

"I wish this never happened. It was granted. The end."-Matt

"Mr. White went to comfort his wife at the opened door. Before them stood a one-handed monkey. Mrs. White, in her delirium, shouted, "Herbert!" They lived happily everafter. The end."-Anonymous

Week 3, Day 13

2006-07-12T11:49:00.000-07:00

After an all-time high score (60 hits!) with Moon Ball, we continued to discuss the short story, All Summer in a Day. What did you think of the ending?

Today, students wrote alternate endings to the story. Here are a few:

"When Margot found out that she was not going to see the sun she started to cry. After awhile she looked around the closet and found a door in the roof, and got to see the sun for a short time. When the class opened the door, they saw her on the roof, but they still said they were sorry and everyone was OK. The End."-Isaac

"They unlocked the door, even more slowly, and let Margot out. Then Margot ran into the room and looked out the window. All she saw was lightning and rain. All she heard was thunder. Margot felt tears go down her face. All she wanted was to see the sun one more time. All the kids in the class felt so bad for locking her in the closet. Especially William. All of them saw Margot cry. They apologized. But Margot would not accept it, because this would probably be the last time she would be able to see the sun again. All she did was sit at the window and wish for the sun to come out. She keeps talking to herself describing what the sun looked like and how it felt outside. It seemed that Margot would be in sorrow forever."-Brooke

"Margot said, 'I told ya.' She laughed but cried. The class apologized with a lot of 'sorries'. Margot said, 'It's OK. I've seen it for a whole year.'"-Matt

"She punched William in the face, then went to earth. The earth exploded and everybody dies, because of aliens from Venus."-Korey

"She got up very slowly, and with a blank stare. She walked over to the window, then went back to her seat until it was time to go home. She ran the whole way. She told her parents what happened, and they took her to earth the next day, and saw the sun."-Emily

We then discussed this quote: "Wherever you go, there you are." And, the parable of the good Samaritan. Then students created snack bags for the Neighbors' House Summer Reading Vacation at Gideon Court.

Week 3, Day 12

2006-07-11T10:34:00.000-07:00

Today we read Ray Bradbury's short story All Summer in a Day. What do you think of the ending? What do you think happens next?

Students discussed the story, identified direct and indirect characterization, drew pictures of what stood out to them, and then completed the following prompts:

Respect is...
"...to respect others' thoughts."
"...to treat people how they want to be treated."
"...to respect others' feelings."
Hope is...
"...when you want something to happen."
"...a break in the rain."
"...a wish."
Kindness is...
"...being nice to someone."
"...helping others."
"...listening to people."
"...sharing."
"Examples: volunteering; helping your mom with housework; letting your little sister/brother have the last cookie or candy bar."
Responsibility is...
"...doing a job."
Self-discipline is...
"...self control. Someone who would work hard and learn from their mistakes."
Good judgment is...
"...thinking ahead."

Week 3, Day 11

2006-07-10T10:42:00.000-07:00

After a week off for 4th of July, today we began our language arts portion of the Summer Refresher. Our teacher this week is Barb W., who teaches speech and English at Sycamore High School. Today she talked about direct and indirect characterization in literature. Students wrote with this in mind after they each received a random photograph. Here is Hank's writing exercise:

"I see an eskimo in a hot tub. He has his arms crossed and propped up on the side of the pool. he has his eyes closed and a relaxed...face on. He is in Alaska. He is a eskimo.

"He's in a hot tub and he's in Alaska. He listens to his horoscope. He has friends and valuable connections. He works as a model for a cologne company. He enjoys shishkabobs but not barbeques. He goes to watch the Iditarod every year.

"He is glad to have a friend with a hot tub. He is kind of passively searching for a bigger meanin to his life. He wants to settle down at about 30, and have a wife, 3 kids, and a steady job. He enjoys Alaska, and wouldn't even think of moving elsewhere."

Week 2, Day 10

2006-06-30T14:05:00.000-07:00

"Today at Neighbors' House, we planted flowers in patriotic pots. We designed them ourselves! We took them over to Barb City Manor, the local retirement home, and had planned to hand them out to the residents. The lounge was mostly empty, but we gave one lady a flower which she appreciated very much. Mrs. Wilderman told us that she was very excited to put it with her other flowers in her square west window. She told us about herself, her children in Texas & Downers Grove. She told us about how she and her husband met; he was a director [of a play] and she was an actress. She said that she loved visitors, and after a picture with dear Mrs. Wilderman, and a tearful goodbye, we came back to Neighbors' House to write letters to [her] and eat real fruit popsicles. THE END."-by Ruth

Week 2, Day 9

2006-06-29T11:12:00.000-07:00

"Today we started off by answering 'If...' questions and that led to a discussion of television shows. Then we went outside and played a game with a tarp. We pretty much rocked that game. Then we played Moonball which seems to be our favorite game. We met our goal [32!]and came inside. Laurie C. had set up a fake grocery store and the kids went around comparing products to find what was the best value."-by Lisa

And, today, Hank interviewed one of our amazing math teachers, Laurie C.!

H: What are 3 things we should know about you?
L: I have 7 children. I homeschool them. I don't like pepperoni pizza.

H: Why do you work with Neighbors' House?
L: Being here and watching kids' eyes light up when they finally get it!

H: What else are you doing this summer?
L: Had visitors from China and England and will take a class for my nursing degree.

H: How long have you been working at Neighbors' House?
L: Since 2003.
-interview by Hank

Week 2, Day 8

2006-06-28T10:47:00.000-07:00

"Kyle started us off today by asking the following question: If you had to be exiled [from this country] what three things would you take with you? Some of the answers were: a lighter, a VISA card, a Bible, a PSP, food, clothing, and family (in no particular order).

Next, we prayed, then went outside to play Moon Ball and tried to best our score of 17 [hits in a row] from last week. Our goal was 30, but we only made it to 21. The key to keeping the ball up, we decided, was to hit it high and softly. Next time...

Laurie taught us about positive and negative integers, and we played some games to reinforce the concepts of adding both types. We used number lines and dice to figure out the problems.

We forgot to mention yesterday that Matt & Korey turned 12, and we can all tell that they have matured greatly since last wek, when they were 11."-by Lyndia

Week 2, Day 7

2006-06-27T10:52:00.000-07:00

Today, Korey interviewed one of our faithful volunteers, Lyndia!
K: What are three things we should know about you?
L: I love to read. I have a granddaughter, and I've been married for 36 years.

K: Why do you work with Neighbors' House?
L: I enjoy helping kids learn to learn.

K: What else are you doing this summer?
L: Babysitting and travelling.

K: What is your husband's name?
L: Gary!
-interview by Korey

Week 2, Day 6

2006-06-26T10:41:00.000-07:00

Jacob interviewed Linda, one of the fine NH volunteers, today:
J: What are three things we should know about you?
L: I speak Chinese, my parents own a restaurant, and I'm going to Boston for college.

J: Why do you work with Neighbors' House?
L: I like to volunteer with the kids and it's nice to be in a good place.

J: What else are you doing this summer?
L: Tomorrow I'm going to Taiwan for a month.

J: Were you born in the US?
L: Yes, I was born in DeKalb.
-Interview by Jacob

Week 1, Day 5

2006-06-23T12:31:00.000-07:00

"What we did today:
Barb W. talked to us about team building. Then we did team building exercises. The boys won. It was a lot of fun. Then, we went around the neighborhood collecting canned goods [for the Salvation Army]. My team only got 4 cans. But, anything helps!"-Emily

Math with Debbie B.

2006-06-22T11:25:00.000-07:00

Thanks, Debbie (seventh from left), for teaching math at Neighbors' House this week! Debbie lives and teaches math in Uptown Chicago.

Week 1, Day 4

2006-06-22T11:10:00.000-07:00

"Today we told our most terrifying moments. Then we played 'Matt Gumbo' [a multiplication facts game]. The highest we got was about 92 or higher. The lowest we got was 40-something. Then we watched a movie about scientific notation. And we did 2 worksheets on scientific notation. Then we ate [Mrs. Ross' homemade apple] pie. Then we played a whirligig game.

When I first came to Neighbors' House, it was funny when me and Haley saw Korey under the table, curled up, eating an apple [and then] Kyle said: 'Don't worry, you'll have a good time.'"-Haley & Brooke

Happy First Day of Summer

2006-06-21T20:23:00.000-07:00

Photos from the first day of Summer Refresher & flower planting.

Week 1, Day 3

2006-06-21T10:49:00.000-07:00

"Getting out of my house is like getting out of prison...an awesome prison with video games. We were learning SuDoKu and as always Kyle is being annoying and helpful...Help me! Please! PS-School's over now. Also learned proportions and ratios (ra-tee-oh)."-Matt

Summer Refresher Week 1, Day 2

2006-06-20T10:56:00.000-07:00

Moonball: Did we meet our goal as a team?

Fractions & Ice Cream Making

"The four main parts of math is add, subtract, multiply and divide. 1/2 is = 2/4 and 3/6. [The word] 'of'=multiplication. Like 2/3 of 9=6. When you multiply [fractions] you get a smaller number. When you divide you get a bigger number."-Holly

Summer Refresher-Week 1, Day 1

2006-06-19T10:44:00.000-07:00

"We started off the day with Kyle Lyle introducing himself and praying. Then we went outside and planted some flowers into the mini-barrels. Kyle read some scripture and related it to us. When we went inside, Debbie showed us our 'Math Anxiety Bill of Rights'. Interesting. We went over it, then read a book (Math Curse by Jon Scieszka + Lane Smith). That book gets better every time I hear it. We went over a whole bunch of math tricks. I learned about the neat 'divisibility with 7s' trick. It was bizzarre. Good stuff today."-Hank

T-Minus 3 Days!

2006-06-16T12:25:00.000-07:00

Only 3 days 'til Summer Refresher! Ya-hoo!

Summer is Coming Soon!

2006-04-30T14:35:00.000-07:00

See you in June! Summer Refresher begins June 19!