The Crossing Blog

Haiti Trip Update

October 2, 2009 – 3:01 pm

Right before leaving to come to Haiti, a friend kept telling and reminding me to “go and be the light.” And I must admit, I wondered how can one person, or even a team of 18 “be the light” and make a real diffference in a foreign country.

I got the answer today. We began working at the school today and there is an obvious language barrier between the Americans and the Haitians. But some things are universal…things like a hug, a smile, a high-five, playing or even a pat on the back. Those small things are the way that we are “the light” in Haiti.

We do lots of stuff while here–see patients, build buildings and plant gardens; but the Haitians aren’t excited to see us because we do that. They’re excited because they remember “the light” that came because we spent time with them and because we loved them!

By Holly Nater | Posted in Missions Trips | Comments (0)

Chi-Town Photos!

October 1, 2009 – 8:08 pm

Make sure to check out our Flickr account for lots of fun photos from the Elkhart Crossing Chicago trip!

By Cami Brubaker | Posted in General | Comments (0)

Chicago Trip

October 1, 2009 – 8:06 pm

Pics at the Bean! Eight Elkhart Crossing ladies boarded the Crossing bus this morning at 9 AM for an exciting day in the Windy City! A pan of wonderful cinnamon rolls made for a delicious breakfast on the ride there. Upon arrival, we visited Moody Bible Institute, traveling the tunnels on campus and scanning the city from the roof. It was chilly, but a brisk walk to the Hershey store on Michigan Avenue warmed us all up. We bought a bucket of chocolate to share (it came down these tubes from the ceiling when the girls turned some levers…too cool!!) and enjoyed a snack while we made our way to Giordano’s for Chicago’s finest pizza. After a very filling lunch, we hopped on the el and toured the city on a new level! We made a stop at Millennium Park just as the rain became steady and the girls had a great time taking pictures around the famous “bean” and other interesting statues and fountains. Like pros we grabbed the el back to Chicago Avenue and ducked into Starbucks to escape the now heavy rain. After warming up with some much needed coffee we hustled back through the city in the rain to our bus. The bus ride home was eventful and fun, and a fantastic conclusion to our trip. Thanks to all who made this trip possible. The girls had an awesome time (teachers included!).
Waiting for the el train.

More pictures to come!

By Cami Brubaker | Posted in Students, Traveling | Comments (0)

Haiti Team – Day One

October 1, 2009 – 8:04 pm

Our Hait trip begins as the Crossing and Oak Creek group have made it to the Pierre house. They have made many accomodations to spoil us while we are here. Our air conditioned rooms and comfortable living space are great. Our first dinner in Haiti was beans and rice, fried plantains, and barbeque chicken. Even though it is not that late, we are tired from travel.

Our plan for tomorrow includes leaving around 7:00 to head to the school. Cannot wait to see the kids and teachers. thank you for you continued prayers. We have a lot to be thankful for: safety in travel, totes all arrived, good team unity, gracious hosts.

Prayer requests include: continued safety and team unity, Emilys luggage from Ohio did not arrive, pray that arrives quickly. Pray for our Indy group who should fly in tomorrow morning.
Thank you so much! Pictures hopefully coming soon.

By Kristie Cerling | Posted in Missions Trips, Students, Traveling | Comments (0)

True Story from the Butler Crossing

September 30, 2009 – 3:00 pm

There is so much to learn about and from every student. This is a true story from the Butler Crossing that covers the gamete from serious to hilarious and everything in between. We have had a full week of serious injuries at our school starting with Karen Miller crashing her motorcycle and road-rashing herself really good. Other injuries of the week included an arm in a cast, a finger tip nearly cut off, and a shoulder separation with clavicle damage and soft tissue damage. It got to the point of taking pictures of the injuries so I could punk this blog with information about new discipline procedures at the Butler Crossing. Some of these injuries were quite serious and required emergency room attention. The next injury to be logged was a young man, we’ll call him Brutus to protect his identity, who entered with a pinkie finger all carefully bandaged and protected by an impact cap. As the story unfolded, it seams Brutus was shot by his brother with a “high powered rifle.” Boys will be boys but really, let’s be careful now! It’s all fun and games “till someone looses an eye,” I know, right? We began to inquire. Did anyone else get hurt? Why would your own brother do such an evil thing? How can this be? Where were your parents and why was the gun even in the hands of someone with such poor judgment? The questions began to evolve to “but wait” could this really be happening in small town Butler? “Wake up America!” Search the greater truth. What kind of gun was this? A rifle you say? High Powered rifle, like an assault rifle, the tool of a terrorist! Where is the bullet? It was lodged in your pinkie finger? You must have a huge pinkie….or wait….perhaps the “bullet” was not sooo large. Perhaps it was a smaller bullet. Oh, it can’t be, no! Was it a BB? NO! It was a BB! From a high powered rifle? Can you shoot those from a high powered rifle? No? really, you can’t? A BB was in your finger, and not from a high powered rifle, it was shot from a BB gun! Wait, this was a BB assault! Why have terrorists not thought of this latest greatest venue of destruction! Man, they are really behind the eight ball, I know, right? READ BETWEEN THE LINES CHILDREN, ARE WE SO DULL?

How can we make more sense of this? Yes it is crazy funny but, wait, where is the message for us who know God is always teaching.

The conclusions of the matter:

1) Humans will go to great extremes to find acceptance, tell the greatest stories, smoke the longest joint, drink the nastiest liquor, or surrender their privacy to the pedophile.

2) If we don’t gather them into God’s embrace they will embrace anything to satisfy the need for affection.

3) If we only make sport of them we are contributing to the eventual destruction of their self-worth and we thrust them into the hands of the destroyer.

4) It is up to us to make the difference in this self-centered culture in which we live.

5) Find us faithful in gathering “ALL” students within our grasp into the family we call the Crossing and into God’s embrace.

Don Riley

By Don Riley | Posted in Education | Comments (1)

A day on the lake with Butler CEC students

September 4, 2009 – 5:57 pm

These kids are such fun to play with! We took the boat, a tube, a kneeboard, and two kids from the Butler Crossing to the lake last Friday and had a great time! Crossing kids are recklessly courageous and will try anything! We had those two doing the zaniest stuff on the tube! This cost about $30.00 for gas for the boat and Charlie bought about seven large pizzas from Little Caesars, but we just consider it part of our tithe to the church. So what did we get for a few bucks? I will be happy to tell you what we got.

We had an opportunity to influence two young American citizens. We got another installment in our knowledge of what makes a Crossing kid tick. We had an opportunity to share the things we have with kids who have less and help them make the connection between wealth and work and effort. We got a chance to develop a deeper legacy to our teaching efforts.

I have a great compassion for people who work mundane jobs producing nothing but an expendable income for the purchase of consumable goods that leave nothing for those who are to follow. If you find yourself in such a job, you have a great opportunity to enjoy the fruit of your labor. You can help support the Crossing with funds you are generating. You can volunteer to teach a special class with us in an area you have knowledge. You can volunteer to come in and read to a kid who is handicapped in that area. Pray for us.

By Don Riley | Posted in Students | Comments (1)

We Need Each Other

August 28, 2009 – 5:53 pm

Community is a HUGE part of everything we do at the Crossing. Oftentimes, we build community within our schools, yet we forget about our co-workers and friends at the other 6 schools.

The cool thing is that even though there is geographical distance between our schools, we have so many ways to connect and build community.

I’ve enjoyed spending random times at meetings with co-workers, but even better than that has been a co-worker dropping by my apartment at 10:30 on a Saturday night; the random text message to tell me something great that happened; the phone call to check up on me after a tough session; an afternoon drive to another campus to catch up, decompress and share ideas; the email that made you laugh out loud; or the early morning text message to share some encouragement.

In isolation, we flounder; but in community, we flourish!!

By Holly Nater | Posted in Staff | Comments (2)

Crossing Middle School

August 26, 2009 – 12:33 pm

What an amazing start to a new program, a new concept, a new venture!! We may be starting out small, but we have the biggest blessing with our kids! Three very outspoken, wonderful, smart, worthwhile students have blessed our new location. We have the most exciting classroom!! It is so much like home…..We are so excited that Penn schools have partnered with us…The kids have been able to see downtown Elkhart, experience the wonderful facilities of the Lifeline building, kick their teachers’ butts in most of the activities we planned for them so far!! We have been blessed by partnering with Elkhart Community Schools serving us lunches. Middle school….wow…These kids are “awesome, amazing, so full of potential, so full of energy!!” Their smiles are worth everything….The comments that we get from parents are uplifting…This is going to be a good year! We just can’t wait for more students to come and experience how “cool” school can be!

By Lisa Zakowski | Posted in Change, Education | Comments (0)

Ligonier is Alive

August 25, 2009 – 4:34 pm

Where do I start? Do I talk about how our kids come early and get to work? Do I talk about how they hang out after school and we have to kick them out to go home? Or, should I talk about all the great activities we are doing: journalism, bowling, walks at the park, kayaking and camping, cookouts…How about that every computer is filled? Every family time kids are talking; students are praying for one another; students are praying for staff; students are calling and texting on the weekend wanting prayers; students are wanting to hang out. Now, this is crazy, students are earning credits! Yes. Believe it or not. For whatever reason public school just did not work, and here they are…blossoming. 10 students alone have basically finished their English credits and are just working on their novel. When you walk into Ligonier, you feel the Holy Spirit. You go upstairs to our classroom and you see learning taking place. You will see students at tables working on offline or US History. You will see students doing research on the internet. You will see students working on their novel work. You will see students working on their art projects. You might even see students taking notes on their science- AAGH! It is incredible. We are looking at 10 students on track to graduate, 4 more have a chance. To say I am proud of them is an understatement. Everyday we praise God for our kids. Everyday we lift them up in prayer. Everyday we feel so blessed to be given this opportunity to be “teachers.” Everyday God works miracles- everyday at the Crossing.

By Jamelle Godlewski | Posted in Change, Education | Comments (0)

Kind words promote instruction

August 25, 2009 – 2:22 pm

“Kind words promote instruction.” Solomon, the Old Testament author of the book of Proverbs, is so very correct. We can move a lot of people a long way in a definite direction if we are diligent in using this principal of wisdom. Build people up, speak of their preciousness, remind them they have a potential for greatness, compliment their work, compliment their “personal” appearance, give them a hug or a bump on the shoulder or pound fists with them, affirm them, embrace their individuality, creativity, humor…then you may…lead them in a direction and they will follow. Moreover, if we are diligent at the aforementioned, they will not only follow, they will lead. You will find yourself caught up in the wind as they blow by you, and you will be with companions in the movement to move a lot of people in a direction. “Kind words promote instruction.” Love them as your own; behold, they are!

By Don Riley | Posted in General | Comments (0)

A day in the life of a Campus Coordinator

August 21, 2009 – 8:33 am

6:00 am wake up. 6:15 am – COFFEE!!, devotionals and prayer. 6:45 am shower and more coffee. 7:20 am on the road, more coffee. text other CC to check in for the morning. 7:50 am arrive @ school, take out trash, turn on lights and AC. 8:00 pray other staff member shows up to make MORE COFFEE!! 8:05 am first student phone call, “Mrs. G, lots happened last night, can’t talk about it now; can’t come in until afternoon.” 8:10 am check emails, make “to do” list for day-staff meeting agenda, family time next week, GRADES 8:20 staff starts arriving. First student arrives to work early (yes, I said to get to work early). 8:30 am email from principal, seconds later a phone call from principal (gotta love crossing communication) – parent called her to tell her that her son was sick. Seconds later, sick student walks in (early)…hmmm….He WANTED to come. 8:40 am staff devotional time about God’s empowering love-amazing, our core value for the week. 9:00 “school” begins (crossing style) 5 working on art worksheets, 5 drawing for art, others working on miscellaneous assignments QUIETLY (crazy, I know). 9:15 1st parent call – my son has a dr appt at 10:30 but he does not know it; he had a big science test today and I did not want to make him nervous. 2nd parent phone call- did my son show up? Yes. ok. New student walks in starts. Helping student discover facts about Mycenaen culture and art. CC work. 10:30 family time. How do you know when its “the right one”? 11:00 7 Habits downstairs, “school” upstairs. “checking in” text from fellow CC and crossing teacher (we do that ya know). Student “Mrs. G, I never wanted to go to school before, but I love it here.” 16 yr old freshman. Phone call from student who could not come in – “Mrs. G, I can’t talk about it right now, but I am not good. I can’t come in. Can we talk tomorrow.” Can I pray for you? “yes, please.” Try calling another new student – no answer. call cell, does not speak english…keep trying. (Is it lunch time yet?) sick student from earlier decides to go home. 12:00 good job, schools out. BYE! salad and enter grades. 12:15 phone call “Mrs. G, I need a ride, can you come get me?” Of course. 12:20 parent calls, son got bit by a bat (this is not a joke). Keep working on grades. 12:40 leave to get student “Who is coming with me?” Another girl jumps in my car with me and off we go. 12:59 arrive back just in time. Help journalism students with article comparison, random emails and admin. work, principal from West Noble HS drops in, call another new student- mom coming in monday. 2:30 incredible family time. 3:10 call back from hispanic mom – new student to start tomorrow. 3:15 21 yr old student wants to clean the room because he does not want to do school work – I say get a job as a janitor after school, so he gets back to work. Go over weekly assignment sheets with students. 4:00 all is well, go home. Staff meeting. drive home, check in with other crossing CC and friends to see how day went. 5:30 pm daughter and husband go to soccer practice. Mommy takes a nap. 6:30 start supper, clean house, fold clothes, blah, blah, blah. 7:00 eat supper while vegging out watching my “bosses” favorite shows: ET and INSIDE EDITION. 7:30 pm check in with a couple of students. 8:00 mow yard – at same time texting Rob about computers and camping, texting another student about next weeks cook out and going to church. 9:00 pm all the family home and inside. 9:15 pm plan dinner with student for wednesday at my house. 9:30 pm phone call “Mrs. G…I need you to pray”…story about why…student yells in background “tell Mrs. G I love her.” my heart smiles-God smiles. 9:45 my family and I pray for students. 10:00 pm put kid and husband to bed. Now its time for me and God. I Love The Crossing!!!!

Jamelle Godlewski
Campus Coordinator at Ligonier

By Jamelle Godlewski | Posted in Staff | Comments (0)

The Crossing Starts the School Year

August 20, 2009 – 3:44 am

Wow! I thought the first year at the Crossing was great! We are off and running this fall with a truly unbelievably strong start!

I remember last year Jen (our trainer) said that eventually daily life at the Crossing will “flow”. A rhythm will surface from the busyness and the STEEP learning curve we experienced as older citizens learning new technology but we had a hard time believing this innitially. Jen, as always, was right!

This year we had all of our kids assigned to classes, perminant records updated and a “plan” in place before we ever saw the students. The first day came off withoiut a hitch and today (day two) our kids are on the computers and digging hard for their three credits in the first nine weeks.

In Family Time today I simply presented a different approach to teacher student relationships, the Crossing approach, which makes for a friendly, respectful, caring and properly defined and guarded relationship. It was well received. A true relationship takes a long time to believe in when you have lived a life of deceptation and dissapointment but the love of Christ represented through our staff is truly irresistable.

We anticipate that this year at the Crossing will knock the ball out of the park! We love what we do! This is so much more than a job. This is a ministry with immediate and long-term effect changing the entire direction of lives and families, and it is an effect for the betterment of individuals and the entire community of mankind! This is a royal appointment and a priveledge to be a part of.

Thank you to all of you readers who support us in the many ways that you do. I absolutely assure you that your help is making an immesurable difference in the lives of untold numbers considering the ripple effect of this great work!

By Don Riley | Posted in Change, Education | Comments (0)

The Crossing to get P-H-M middle school students

August 11, 2009 – 10:29 am

School will provide middle school alternative

By SUE LOWE
Tribune Staff Writer

MISHAWAKA — As many as 12 Penn-Harris-Madison middle school students will be able to go to The Crossing alternative school in Elkhart this year.

Members of the P-H-M board approved the contract Monday night.

Under the contract, the 12 students can attend the alternative school for $31 a day. Nancy Nimtz, assistant superintendent for instruction, said the state aid the district gets for the students will cover that cost.

The contract was on the board agenda for discussion Monday with a vote schedules for the board’s Aug. 24 meeting. But several board members wanted to approve the contract in time for two students already identified by Nimtz to start school at The Crossing.

The Crossing alternative school in South Bend was closed when the South Bend Community School Corp. board voted to discontinue its partnership with the school. The Crossing administrators had asked for more money than the school board was willing to contribute.

The Crossing schools in other locations, including Elkhart, remain open.

Nimtz told board members the P-H-M district has Pennway alternative high school and spots at Byrkit, another alternative high school.

“But we do not have a place to send carefully selected middle school students,” Nimtz said. “We don’t have the funds or the expertise to develop an alternative school for them.”

She said she and district principals visited The Crossing schools last year in their search for an alternative school for middle school students.

They were pleased with what they saw.

P-H-M does have to provide transportation for these students. Nimtz said The Crossing has a bus that will pick up the two students who will start the school year there.

If P-H-M eventually sends more students than will fit on the bus, it will work out some other transportation arrangement.

Board member Jamie Woods said he would like to see the district ask parents of students to provide transportation. He said maybe that would make them more involved in their children’s educations.

Nimtz said the school also has weekend and after-school activities for students but they are paid for by sponsors.

She plans to meet with teachers at The Crossing monthly to keep track of the progress of the P-h-M students.

Staff writer Sue Lowe:
slowe@sbtinfo.com
(574) 247-7758

By South Bend Tribune | Posted in News | Comments (0)

Alternative school begins busing South Bend students to Elkhart

July 27, 2009 – 4:20 pm

Students of The Crossing, an alternative high school, are now being bused from South Bend to Elkhart after the South Bend location was forced to close.

By Dustin Grove (grove@wsbt.com)

Story Created: Jul 27, 2009 at 5:41 PM EDT
Story Updated: Jul 27, 2009 at 5:46 PM EDT

SOUTH BEND — It’s back to class for dozens of local students enrolled in an alternative school in South Bend. But this year, they’ll have to cross the county line.

The Crossing is a school for students who aren’t succeeding in the traditional classroom. It’s designed for students who “work better in a small, self-paced environment with individual assistance from state-certified teachers,” according to the program’s informational concept brochure.

In the last six years, The Crossing has expanded to seven locations across Northern Indiana and partnered with 11 school districts. This summer, its South Bend school had to close because the city’s school corporation voted not to partner with the program.

So Monday morning, administrators picked up students in South Bend and bused them to The Crossing in Elkhart. Administrators say they’re counting on public support to help fund tuition and transportation costs.

“There are too many kids dropping out of the traditional school environment,” said Executive Director Rob Staley. “The dropout rate in this city (South Bend) is scary to say the least, and we think somebody needs to take up the cause.”

Staley said leaving the South Bend campus freed up $100,000, but additional support will be needed.

At the bus stop Monday morning, as Bill Ciszszon watched his daughter board the bus, he said he’s thankful for the alternative school’s commitment to its students.

“It was difficult. I know they’ve been scrambling ever since the school board vote to find a place,” he said. “But this is an alternative for this year then they hope to get back into the South Bend area as early as next year.”

By WSBT22 | Posted in News | Comments (0)

Crossing put troubled teen on right course

July 18, 2009 – 6:56 am

By JOSEPH DITS
Tribune Staff Writer

SOUTH BEND — The suicide note that Andrea Gyokeres wrote came after a good sixth grade, then progressively worse pressure from bullies in the seventh and eighth grade.

A’s and B’s plummeted to F’s. Bruises. Missed classes. She turned to black hair and clothing, going Goth.

“I just wanted to be an outsider,” she recalls. “If I wore black, I thought they’d be afraid to mess with me.”

Her mom, Ilona Forstinger, says she pressed officials at Jefferson Intermediate Center to transfer her daughter. Forstinger says her two other children had graduated from South Bend schools without a problem.

The transfer didn’t come until that suicide note four months before the end of eighth grade. A stint at Edison didn’t help. She tried Adams, then Riley high schools — same bullies, same problems.

Then Andrea came to The Crossing alternative school, where she says, “I made a friend in the first minute.”

What made a difference, she says, is that the school had a totally different environment, one where no one made fun of her.

“There was a big thing lifted off of my chest,” says Andrea, now 16 and still a student at The Crossing. “They listen before they judge. It’s more like family.”

She’d never experienced a school where she could just sit and talk about her life.

The faith-based part of it drew her closer to God, too, she says.

She gradually let all of her black clothing go. And with more individual attention from teachers and the ability to learn at her own pace, she’s back to A’s and B’s. She holds the same dream that she cultivated years ago: to be a chef.

“My daughter — she’s back,” Forstinger says.

Forstinger says it shows that alternative schools aren’t just for bad kids — kids can just end up in bad situations.

Staff writer Joseph Dits:
jdits@sbtinfo.com
(574) 235-6158

By South Bend Tribune | Posted in News | Comments (0)