Congratulations to The Leaven’s own Mark Lillis on the special Valentine he and his wife, Melinda, received – baby Hudson Lillis!  Welcome, Hudson, to our Leaven family.

Psalm 127:3 tells us that “Children are a heritage from the LORD, offspring a reward from him.”  That’s certainly how we view each of our Leaven students.  Some days they are tired and crabby, some days they are cuddly, and some days they are active—but every day, they are a blessing!

With spring just around the corner, our students are preparing for state testing.  After several months of tutoring and a focus on reading, it’s a bit exciting for us (and maybe for the boys and girls, too).  How much improvement will they show?  Some of our students improve two or three grade levels in a year, which is a huge encouragement to them.

The countless hours our volunteers give make such a difference for our children.  Thank you for reading, encouraging, listening and just being there.  You are the backbone of our Leaven work!

Enjoy your week, and if you see Baby Hudson around Fairfield, stop and welcome him to this wonderful world we live in!

Long, long ago, in a snow-covered region far away (OK, Chicago, but that’s nowhere near as dramatic), I saw a movie called “Hans Christian Anderson.”  One of my favorite songs from that movie was “Inchworm.”  The chorus went like this:

Two and two are four

Four and four are eight

Eight and eight are sixteen

Sixteen and sixteen are thirty-two

That song reminds me of The Leaven.  Of course, we are helping our students learn math so they will be able to add, subtract, multiply and divide.

But there’s also another kind of “math” going on at the Leaven.   That’s the “multiplication” that happens when you help a child succeed in school.  First, he or she often then helps the rest of the family, and parents begin to become more confident.  Younger siblings have a great example to look up to, and someone who can encourage them in school.  And, our students tell their friends how much fun learning can be, and they encourage others to succeed in school, too.

One of the most important “math solutions” we have at The Leaven is how we multiply your gifts.  Our volunteers help us stretch every donated dollar, and the donors who provide books, snacks and other things for our centers means we can stretch your contributions even further.

These are exciting days for The Leaven.  We’re privileged to work with the children of Fairfield and Rialto, and we’re honored that you have joined with us on this journey.  Thank you for being a Very Important Partner in our Leaven program.

I grew up in Illinois, and one of our claims to fame (other than a lot of former governors landing in jail) is Abraham Lincoln.  The other presidents are fine, but when I was in school, Lincoln was special.  He was “ours.”

Among Lincoln’s famous quotes we read, “Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other.”  That’s such an important message for our Leaven students.  When you think you will fail, you’re probably right!

Lincoln also said, “Success is going from failure to failure without losing your enthusiasm.”  It’s so much easier to handle a failure when you have the support of someone else, helping you dust off and start over.  That’s one of the many wonderful things our volunteers do at The Leaven.  When a student has had a bad day in school, the encouraging word, the extra help, the smile can rekindle enthusiasm for learning.

Saturday is the 213^th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln’s birth.  Those of us with Illinois blood remember the day (we used to get it off from school!).  But more important than his birthday, remember his words.  For all of us who support The Leaven, it’s encouraging to know that Lincoln once said, “I’m a success today because I had a friend who believed in me and I didn’t have the heart to let him down.”

Isn’t it great to be that friend to our Leaven kids?

Wow!  It’s already February.  That means the Valentine’s cards are getting pretty picked over and the price of roses is soaring.

Valentine’s Day is just one of those “events” – you either love it or you don’t.  For some, it brings back memories of grammar school (which in and of themselves may be less than pleasant!).  I remember learning a song when I was in school that went something like this:

“When you send a Valentine, that’s the time for fun.

Stick it underneath the door, ring the bell and run, run, run, run.

Ring the bell and run.”

I don’t remember ever getting a Valentine shoved under my door, but I remember getting a heart-shaped box of candy (from my grandparents).

For out Leaven students, one of the great things they learn through our program is that they are loved.  Our volunteers shower time and attention on them, and that sends a loud message – “You matter!”

Maybe the best valentine we can give to anyone is our time.

Thanks to all our volunteers who give so generously, day after day, so our students can succeed in school.  And thanks to all of you who take the time to attend Leaven events, sponsor a child or support us other ways.

In this month of “valentines,” we’re sending a message to you:  Thank you!  We love what we do—and you help make it possible.

Next week we’ll launch our first-ever “Leaven Gives Back” activity at our Rialto (Southern California) center.  Our students will be hosting a food drive to benefit City Mission Ministries.

The children have decorated advertisements for the food drive and will be putting them up around their neighborhood this week, encouraging their neighbors to donate food to help others in need.  Having just enjoyed receiving wonderful gifts for Christmas, this is a great way to teach the children to be givers as well as receivers.

Our Rialto staff is also excited about some new volunteers who have made it possible for us to involve more children in our Leaven center.  These committed volunteers are bringing creativity and commitment to the center, supporting Site Director Josh Ortega.

It’s exciting to see The Leaven “replicate” in Southern California, even while growing stronger in Northern California.  Each site is unique, but one thing is unchanging:  our commitment to give kids help for today and hope for tomorrow.

On Monday, our PACE center was filled with the sound of workers, honoring Dr. Martin Luther King’s legacy by serving.  We’re so grateful to the volunteers from Rebuilding Together Solano County, Kaiser Permanente and the community who painted, scrubbed and cleaned.  What a treat for our children—and what a wonderful example of sacrificing to help others.  Thank you!

We now have five Leaven centers—four in Fairfield and one in Rialto (Southern California).  This means we have dozens of volunteers helping our children learn to read, understand their homework and get on the road to success.  To everyone of our volunteers—thank you!

Our financial supporters are another reason we can continue to bring the Leaven program to children whose parents struggle to make ends meet.  You are making a huge difference for our Leaven kids.  Thank you!

Did you see our ad in the Daily Republic a few days ago?  So many people came together at Christmas to make sure our children had a wonderful holiday.  We can’t stop saying “thank you!”

Just by reading this blog, you’re showing you are interested in our community’s children.  Thanks for that—and for inviting others to check out The Leaven.

You know, I think every day at The Leaven is “Thanksgiving” day!  Hmmm. . . .  Pumpkin pie, anyone?!

Did you know that 55 million students are enrolled in America’s pre-kindergarten through high schools, and another 22 million adults are students in our colleges?

So how did this whole education movement get started?  Well, it’s a story that goes all the way back to April 23, 1635.  That’s when Boston Latin School, the oldest public school in America, was founded.

A little closer to home, California’s first public school was founded before California even became American territory!  In December 1846, Mrs. Olive M. Isbell opened the first school for American children in California, housed in an old adobe near Santa Clara Mission.

Robert Semple was the delegate from Solano County (birthplace of our Leaven program) at the first Constitutional Convention of California in 1849.  When he addressed the convention, he said in part, “I regard education as a subject of particular importance here in California, from our location and the circumstances under which we are placed, the immense value of our lands and the extent and wealth of the country. . . .”

In case you’re wondering, Margarethe Meyer Schurz founded the first kindergarten in the United States.  The year was 1856 and the town was Watertown, Wisconsin.  (I don’t have an obsession for trivia; I actually attended Carl Schurz High School – named after her husband – which is where I learned this tidbit.)

So, what’s with this history lesson?  Well, our Leaven students went back to school this week.  We’ve been able to add five new students in our Quail Ridge center, thanks to some new and excited volunteers.  We’re got dozens of eager students in our four Solano County centers, all looking forward to seeing how much then can progress in school this year.

And we’re excited about The Leaven’s opportunity to help these boys and girls succeed in school and see the love of Christ in action.  Thanks for being part of The Leaven – by volunteering, by giving money and supplies, and even by reading this blog and telling others about The Leaven.

We’re planning some great things in 2012 for our students, and we may add an additional center or two come fall.  But one thing will never change:  The Leaven will always be totally grateful for you and your partnership with us.

Oh, and about that test?  Don’t worry – you got an A+ just for being you!

A new year means new resolutions for many, but for our students at our PACE Center (the very first Leaven center!), it’s going to mean “new paint,” as well.  Yes, our old farmhouse will be spruced up, thanks to a work team from Kaiser Permanente.

We’re excited that The Leaven will be a recipient of the volunteer efforts of employees, giving up their President’s Day to do manual labor to benefit our community.  What a wonderful example this is to our students.

Danny Kaye, an actor best known for movies in the 1940’s and 1950’s like “Hans Christian Anderson” and “The Inspector General” once said, “Life is a great big canvas, and you should throw all the paint you can on it.”  The Leaven is helping children from our neediest communities do just that.  Instead of hearing what they can’t do, we help our children see what they can accomplish—by working hard in school and being responsible citizens.

Staying on the theme of paint, did you know you can buy paint in colors such as “Dog’s Ear,” “Secret Rendezvous,” “Hamster,” “Golly Tamale” and “Grandma’s Refrigerator”?  (Hmmm. . . .  That could be an interesting job—naming paint colors!)

I suspect we won’t have quite as unique a color name for the paint at the PACE Center, but I know our children will be excited to see bright new walls and a cleaner, shinier place to study for school.  Thank you, Kaiser Permanente, for being part of the Leaven team and donating your time to help make our Leaven center even better!

Can’t you hear the clock ticking?  The hours until the end of 2011 are now numbering in the low double digits. . . .

(Actually, in my house, the ticking of the clocks is a yearlong phenomenon.  My grandfather and father collected antique clocks, so I inherited a few clocks and a love for the rhythm of the ticking.  But I digress. . . .)

So, in just a few days, we’ll be singing all about “Auld Lang Syne” – a Scottish phrase for “times gone by.”  So, let’s remember a few of the “times gone by” for The Leaven in 2011.

Of course, there was the excitement of the “Valentines for the Troop” program, when our children made valentines and presented them to representatives of Travis Air Force Base.  We also held our first Valentine’s gala at the Adair Estate and Vineyards.

In March Solano County’s UC Cooperative Extension and the local 4H students presented an exciting, hands-on  science lesson, “Learning Science with Snails,” to our Phoenix Drive boys and girls.

In May, the Leadership Today class from the Fairfield-Suisun Chamber of Commerce presented the “Solano Great Race” and raised more than $18,600 for The Leaven.

June was our first golf classic, hosted by COPART.  And all our sites provided a Summer Success program that included a soccer program from the soccer team at Vacaville Christian High School, and a trip to the Fairfield-Suisun wastewater treatment plant.

And let’s not forget that The Leaven’s own Mark Lillis was the “Hometown Hero,” honored at the Travis Air Force Base air show in July.  And, we brought “Farm to Families” to our communities, thanks in part to Kaiser Permanente’s sponsorship.

In October, we celebrated the grand opening of two new Leaven sites—one on Grande Circle and one in Rialto, California, The Leaven’s first site in Southern California.  We also enjoyed our annual Wine and Cheese Auction Social, sponsored this year by Potrero Hills Landfill.

In late November, we launched our second “Catalog for the Children.”  We received an award for the 2010 catalog, which was a wonderful national recognition of this catalog.  We also received a HEAL grant from Kaiser Permanente to address the “food desert” in the area.

Several of our students painted a fence at The Groves as part of a community service project.  Tom Sawyer has nothing on our students!

December brought parties for the children and wonderful Christmas gifts, thanks to donations from several churches, businesses and individuals.

This list is not complete—but it gives you an idea of all the wonderful people who came alongside The Leaven to make sure our children learns how to succeed in school, and had fun at the same time.  Thank you for giving us these  wonderful “times gone by,” and for giving our Leaven kids the opportunity to build a bright future.

Happy New Year!  We at The Leaven wish you all peace, health, happiness and lots of love for 2012!

It’s Christmas Eve, and all through the homes of our Leaven students, boys and girls are excited.  They are succeeding in school, and that makes them proud.  They have special friends from The Leaven center, and that makes them happy.  And many have gifts to open on Christmas morning—something that wouldn’t be possible without The Leaven’s generous friends and supporters.

I had the privilege of delivering gifts to the Leaven students at our Quail Ridge center in Rialto.  First, they all received a stocking full of gifts from a local church.  Their eyes lit up as they discovered Matchbox cars, stuffed toys and school supplies.

Then, we took special gifts, wrapped up with a bow, for them to have on Christmas Day.  These gifts were purchased because of a donation to make sure each student had a few gifts for Christmas.  Some of the gifts were toys, but other parents asked for bed sheets, pajamas, jackets, backpacks, flashlights and school supplies.  We made sure every child got a toy, even if his or her list only had these essentials on it.

The photo (above) shows the wonder on one boy’s face as he received his gift.  Most of the time, we were met by the parents or guardians; often they told us, “Thank you!  Without you, there would be no Christmas gifts this year.”  How wonderful to give children some of the happiness that I remember from Christmas when I was young.

My parents didn’t always have much money, but my mom could sew—and she created wonderful Barbie clothes in her basement “workshop!”  I remember getting special “nurse” pajamas one year after Mom had been sick, and I still have the three-foot tall stuffed dog my dad, a plumber, got for me by bartering a plumbing repair with an elderly woman who had gotten “Cuddly Dudley” as a gift for subscribing to the local newspaper.

Thanks for helping us give at-risk children their own special Christmas memories.  Without you, The Leaven wouldn’t be able to do as much for these precious little ones.

Have a blessed Christmas.  Let’s celebrate the Child who is the reason for the season!