When listening to teens is the answer

“There are many reasons why students come to us,” says Isai Melgoza, Counselor/Mentor at Por Vida Academy Charter High School.  It doesn’t matter how they get here, whatever their circumstance, how complex their story, we open our doors and invite them in. We offer them support and guidance in a variety of ways--all to make sure these young people earn a high school diploma and plan for a successful future.”

Lead teacher Mrs. Ramones and Raven

Raven was 14 when her son Isaiah Jr. was born. She struggled with missingschool--taking days off to accompany Isaiah to doctors’ appointments and otherchild related responsibilities. “As a result, I ended up getting kicked out ofthe school district, not just the high school I was attending, but the wholedistrict,” Raven Ortegon-Hernandez states. “Thehigh school I was attending at the time didn't bother listening to mysituation, but Por Vida Academy did. So I enrolled at PVA and they understandwhat it is like to have certain situations going on at home.  In additionthey helped me to be able to graduate early at the age of 16 years old. Theyare the only school that has ever listened to my situation and they worked withme the whole way through. Por Vida Academy will not only change your attitudebut it will also change your life.”

Isaiah Jr.

"At Por Vida Academy I can go at my own pace,”say Isaiah Ramirez, Isaiah Jr.’s father, also a PVA student. “The student toteacher ratio is smaller so it’s easier to get help and understand thesubjects. I have struggled in school ever since I was little and here I ammoving up from freshman to sophomore and I’m only halfway through the schoolyear. Por Vida Academy is the best school I have ever gone to."

In addition to working on their academics, Raven and Isaiah participate in youth character development programs Xinachtli (for girls) and El Joven Nobles (for boy) and together in Raising Children with P.R.I.D.E. (Purpose, Responsibility, Interdependence, Development, Enthusiasm a program supporting teen parents.

For more than 23years, Por Vida Academy Charter High School (PVA) has helped thousands of young women andmen earn high school diplomas and prepare for college. This unique San Antoniocharter school continues to specifically and intentionally meet the varyingeducational and emotional needs of teens on the verge of permanently droppingout of school. Powerful, life-changing education is happening here.

Blessed Sacrament Academy Beneficiaries – Together We Can Dance

I like to call beneficiaries to our Blessed Sacrament Academy ministry by another name as well. Whether they contribute time, networking, finances or advice they further our Mission and have become Missionaries in our part of God’s Vineyard.

A generous time donator left me with a delightful story concerning one of her challenges which seems to me to relate to our challenge. “I can learn dance steps half body at a time. I learn the feet and leg movements, then the arm and torso movements and I’m ready to dance. Problem is that I can’t put them together to make my whole-body dance at the same time.” I laugh each time I think of how adept she has been at organizing my office and how puzzled and jerky is her dance.

Our Mission calls us to a ministry which requires us to learn how to reach out in compassion to children vulnerable to the poverty into which they were born. BSA personnel have the head and heart functioning to the Gospel directive of helping those in need. The feet and legs in this dancing comparison need assistance. To provide the education, training, mentoring and networking our children and their families need to move beyond the handicap of believing there is no way out, we ask our BSA Missionaries to assist us with the funding we need, in addition to volunteer time and in-kind resources.

To that effect March 28, 2019, the Big Give SA 24 hours of online giving is on the horizon. We need all of our BSA Missionaries to gather around us and make this one-day event successful in bringing hope to our children through funding needed to extend the hand of care, training, and education. This is an online event. However, our Big Give crew will facilitate other ways of giving. Call 210-532-4731 before or during the Big Give to find out how.

Together we can dance with joy and delight in God’s growing Vineyard. When God is the conductor amazing things happen for us, for you. Please join us in this dance and be amazed at the life of a BSA Missionary. Thank you.

Sister Odilia Korenek, IWBS, CEO

4 Star rating process worth the effort for our children

The Child Development Center, on the campus of Blessed Sacrament Academy, is pleased to announce achieving a 4 Star rating in Texas Rising Star--a rating and improvement system for Texas early childhood programs.

“We decided to overcome these challenges by changing our attitude and implementing other systems. Our equipment was old, and we needed to purchase new equipment and materials. I knew we must improve staff qualifications and morale to stop staff turnover. In addition, we wanted to establish community connections for services our families needed, but we couldn’t offer.” It was determined that a partnership with the administrators was necessary to achieve these improvements.

Regular meetings would establish better communication. It was concluded the best way to achieve our goals was by starting to work very closely with the Texas Rising Star Program (TRS). Since they had recently launched quality guidelines approved by the State. Administrators met with our mentor often, and followed through with her recommendations.

“Here at the Child Development Center, we believe offering the highest quality of services to our children and families, and we are always looking into ways to improve those services,” said Carol Silva, Director. “We had a lot of challenges throughout the years, but always our heart was in the services we should offer. At Blessed Sacrament Academy, when we entered the Texas Rising Star’s new system, we made the decision to start working toward our goal of better quality in the overall program.” Silva added.

One recommendation was to target each Texas Rising Star category individually—one at a time. As the Director, Silva started by improving her knowledge about leadership and management. Learning about systems and program policies implementation, attending directors’ trainings and other professional development opportunities, she enhanced her skills as an administrator. The office management team also took advantage of opportunities to enhance their abilities to grow professionally.

Silva and her team confirmed all changes were worth the effort for the children in their care. “We are willing to take risks to improve program performance and offered quality services for our families. For the past three years we have seen a tremendous growth, we have been able to enhance our program services and quality.

CDC Staff and Management

The TRS mentor provided information to staff and administration about Child Development Associate trainings and conferences to attend. In the last three years, 80% of Blessed Sacrament Academy teachers have obtained their CDA credentials through different TRS opportunities. A teacher resource area/ lounge was created for staff use during breaks to build staff morale. At the present time, Blessed Sacrament Academy has achieved staff stability with very little turnover. Continued meetings with the TRS mentor allowed us to learn how to develop, implement and score lesson plans, which are part of the curriculum category.

Our program has grown by leaps and bounds with the mentorship and tools TRS had provided to our program during that timeframe. It is with the mentoring services, materials/equipment grants, professional development opportunities that our center has grown and evolved into a better program with top quality services and performance for the benefit of our families and children.”

Powerful, life-changing education is happening at Por Vida Academy

1135 Mission Road is the home to three successful education-based programs: Por Vida Academy Charter High School, Child Development Center and Parents’ Academy.Por Vida Academy supports success through education by providing students an innovative educational experience, preparing students for life beyond high school.In recent years, the number of Por Vida Academy students who applied for and attended college has doubled. Encouraged by dedicated faculty and staff, seniors are offered help in filling out college applications and financial aid forms. Field trips to college and university campuses in and around San Antonio are a big motivator for students to see the possibilities for themselves.After attending two years of community college, Por Vida Academy graduate Enrique Salinas enrolled at Texas State University in San Marcos. In 2018 Salinas graduated TSU with a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work, where he was in the top 10% of his class, a member of the National Honor Society, and the Most Distinguished graduate of the Social Work program. Salinas is now working on his Master’s in Social Work at UTSA.Blue Flores graduated from Por Vida Academy at the age of 16, knocked out a two year degree as a distinguished graduate from Palo Alto College in one year. All the while, Flores interned at a nonprofit, continued volunteering in campus Student Leadership, was part of National Honor Society, and held two part-time jobs. He is not done yet, as he began classes as a UTSA Roadrunner in the fall of 2018.For more than 23 years, Por Vida Academy Charter High School (PVA) has helped thousands of young women and men earn high school diplomas and prepare for college. This unique San Antonio charter school continues to specifically and intentionally meet the varying educational and emotional needs of teens on the verge of permanently dropping out of school. Powerful, life-changing education is happening here.Blessed Sacrament Academy programs participate annually in The Big Give--San Antonio’s 24 hour online giving day. Por Vida Academy uses their share of the donations to underwrite field trips to colleges/universities for graduating students.

The next Big Give is March 28, 2019,

Por Vida Academy--when education matters

When motivated teens realize education matters, Por Vida Academy teachers and staff can create a flexible combination of courses to earn a high school diploma and in preparation for college.As a middle school student, Elizabeth Idar experienced some family and emotional concerns which led to an interruption in her school attendance. After more than a year’s absence, she realized a high school diploma would be a necessary step towards any aspirations she had for her future. Idar began searching for a way to earn that diploma.Idar found that because she dropped out at the middle school level, no district school in San Antonio was willing to work with her—but Por Vida Academy was. “I am so grateful to have found Por Vida Academy,” Idar states. “They allowed me to catch up on my courses and to complete all the classwork necessary to graduate.” In fact, Idar was the Valedictorian of her 2015 class.Interested in continuing her education, Idar enrolled at Palo Alto College and received her Associate’s degree in Applied Sciences from the Cosmetology program. "When the college guidance counselor mentioned the cosmetology program, I tried a few courses," Idar says. “I realized I liked working in beauty services, and was interested in a career in this field." Idar is currently working as a stylist at Super Cuts while continuing to advance her professional experience.While Idar was in school and now on the job, her daughter Isabella has been cared for by the staff at the Child Development Center on the Blessed Sacrament Academy campus.Over the past 23 years, Por Vida Academy Charter High School (PVA) has helped several thousand teens earn a high school diploma and prepare for college. This unique San Antonio charter school located on the campus of Blessed Sacrament Academy specifically and intentionally meets the varying educational and emotional needs of teens on the verge of permanently dropping out of school.For more information about Por Vida Academy Charter High School call Principal Loren Franckowiak  +1 (210) 775-1132