January 2020 Newsletter

Student Spotlight: Yomerly: Brooklyn School for Social Justice, New York

 

Meet Yomerly, a sophomore student from our new JKL program at the Brooklyn School for Social Justice in New York.
Yomerly, a once shy girl that lacked confidence and friends, has found her safe haven within the JKL program. She is an inspiring poet and avid journaler. Yomerly reports that socializing is a bit easier with the help of the gratitude circle and peer-to-peer support during fitness activities.
“Yomerly is a respectful and highly motivated young woman. She has attended every JKL meeting and represents the result of a student who truly immerses themselves in the JKL program.”- Ms Chu. We are excited to see Yomerly thrive with our JKL program for years to come.
 


 

One Voice

 

 
This Holiday season, our Los Angeles JKL programs brought over 100 students to volunteer for the One Voice Holiday Food Program.
This was our 10th year partnering with One Voice at the Barker Hanger in Santa Monica. While there, we sorted and packaged food for 2,500 families living in poverty in the Los Angeles area. Our students had a great time listening to holiday music, sweating with smiles and working in teams to get everything done.
We are so grateful for this partnership and love providing such a powerful community service opportunity for our JKL students. We are looking forward to next year’s event!
 


 

Let’s All Go To The Movies

 

 
On Monday, December 16th, 75 of our JKL students were lucky enough to attend a pre-release screening of the powerful movie, Just Mercy.
This must-see film tells the true story of Walter McMillian (played by Jamie Foxx), who with the help of young defense attorney Bryan Stevenson (Michael B. Jordan) appeals his murder conviction. At the conclusion of the movie, students got the opportunity to hear the inspiring life story of Adnan Khan who is Executive Director of Re:Store Justice, an organization that aims to reform the justice system. We are so grateful to AMC, film producer Scott Budnick, and Warner Bros Studios for making this happen and giving our students a night to remember!
 


 

ELSA Ranch Cleanup

 

 
Our Huntington Park JKL program experienced a community service event “ranch style”!
On November 16th, 20 students from HP assisted in beautifying the ELSA ranch in Agoura Hills, CA. ELSA (Experience Learning Support with Animals) is a nonprofit organization that serves individuals with special needs and at-risk youth through the benefits of equine-assisted activities in a ranch setting.
They opened up their ranch for our students to enhance a few areas on their grounds. We spruced up the chicken coop, demolished the fence surrounding the horse coral, and weeded and cleaned out the garden area. Students and staff worked hand and hand seamlessly together to accomplish a much appreciated ranch cleanup with smiles and laughter.
The event was a huge success and ended with a picnic and making homemade lemonade. We are looking forward to collaborating with ELSA in the near future to provide more community service opportunities for our JKL students.
 


 

Beller Nutrition Recipe of the Month

After School Snacks!

Rachel Beller MS, RDN
Take your after school snacks to another level, by upgrading your plain crackers with these cracker combos.
Not only will you be adding flavor to your snack, but you’ll also be adding additional nutritional value with each ingredient— nut butters add protein, cacao nibs and cinnamon add antioxidants, red pepper flakes add beta carotene and vitamin A, and parsley adds even more vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.
Can you believe all the nutrition packed into an easy after school snack?! Best thing is they are easy to assemble and require very little clean up! 
 
Go ahead and smear the following toppings onto whole grain bread or crackers:
 
• 1 tablespoon peanut butter + generous shakes of Ceylon cinnamon 
• 1  tablespoon teaspoons peanut butter + 1 teaspoon raw cacao nibs + cinnamon 
• ½  avocado, mashed + drizzle of balsamic vinegar + pinch of red pepper flakes 
• 2 tablespoons hummus + few kalamata olives, chopped + sprinkle of fresh parsley, chopped 
•  1 tablespoon pesto sauce +  cherry or grape tomatoes, halved 
 


 

Camila’s Tips

 

 
Classic Roasted Brussels Sprouts
If you’re looking for a foolproof holiday side dish then look no further than this go-to: Classic Roasted Brussel Sprouts.
You see them on many holiday tables, and there is a good reason why! They are healthy, hearty, delicious … And easy to make! We love this classic recipe for them because it is so easy to do, and tastes good every single time. They also taste (almost) just as good re-heated the next day.
This is NOT a hard dish to try and make, so it’s a great one for beginner chefs, or if you are having the kids help you cook!
Ingredients
• 2 lbs frozen Brussels sprouts
• 3 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tps fresh ground pepper
• 1 large lemon, cut into 8 wedges
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
2. Combine all ingredients and spread on a dark cookie sheet or baking pan
3. Turn every 10 minutes or as needed
4. Roast for 45-60 minutes until browned and tender
5. Plate in a serving dish and garnish with lemon wedges
6. This can be served immediately or made ahead and reheated
View the Recipe on Womenoftoday.com
 


 

Swag of the Month:


Meet the newest addition to our apparel family — the custom lace-up hooded sweatshirt. Includes 1 white lace and – wait for it – 1 custom printed just keep livin lace.

Shop Now!

 

Support Just keep livin foundation

When you shop at smile.amazon.com, Amazon donates.