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Future Leaders Take The Challenge
Metro New York -- Kids playing baseball games, promising not to take drugs and stay in school, getting free school supplies, and writing essays during the summer -- it's all a part of The New York Christian Resource Center and Operation Blessing's Metro New York Outreach Center's Back-To-School program. More than 6,490 school-aged boys and girls participated in this program last August!
Not long after New York Yankee relief pitcher Mariano Rivera won his 200th save, approximately 175 young fans participating in the Operation Blessing Metro New York's Back-To-School Challenge watched him pitch and beat Toronto in an extra inning last August. Contestants had to submit a 100-word essay with the topic, "If Jesus Walked Into My School" and show academic improvement through their previous school year's final report card. Each challenger received tickets to the baseball game, as well as a $50 Kmart certificate for school clothes and supplies . The top three essays were also published in The Love Express, Metro New York's longest running and largest Christian periodical.
Challenge winners included children from single parent families, foster care homes, as well as many in need who had never been to a baseball game before. Waiting for his teary-eyed mother to finish thanking the event coordinator, Derek, an eight-year-old winner, summed it all up by saying, "Don't worry Mom. We'll be back next year!"
In addition to the Back-To-School Challenge, center director Rev. Jim Esposito has incorporated the Back-To-School Promise. Every child receiving school supplies or clothes signs a promise card promising to stay in school and not take drugs. "This commitment is their statement of purpose," comments Rev. Esposito. "They promise to excel for the glory of God with integrity."
That's not all going on during this Back-To-School program. Through Heart To Heart, Rev. Esposito also works with ministries targeting single parent households and families dealing with AIDS for specialized winter Back-To-School assistance.
Whew... And now he's in the thick of Back-To-School 2002. As Operation Blessing centers across the country continue to execute their Back-To-School programs, you can help.
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