Tomorrow’s Stars Spring 2019 Highlights:
PAY IT FORWARD DAY BRINGS STARS BACK FROM UNIVERSITY TO CELEBRATE FRED’S LIFE AND SHARE THEIR ACHIEVEMENTS!!
JOLLY PHONICS TRAINING WITH A FLAIR HELPS CHILDREN LEARN TO READ!!
NSOROMA HAS HISTORY LESSON ON INDEPENDENCE DAY!!
SOLAR POWER PLANNED FOR COMPUTER LAB AND NSOROMA STUDY CENTER!
OUR STARS AND PAY IT FORWARD STUDENTS!!
Our Pay It Forward program is the core of what we do. The time students spend in service after HS helps them decide how to “become their dream”. The younger students also benefit through the libraries and computer labs and KG Resource Center as well as our reading and girls clubs.
Young women chasing their dreams!! 
Young men chasing their dreams!!
Tomorrow’s Stars now provides scholarships for 22 university students, five will be graduating this year. Joseph is a leader and top student running for class president at Ghana Institute of Journalism. Eric is finishing his final year in Chemical Engineering. Philomena completes her diploma in education as a science and math teacher. The list goes on. These are remarkable young men and women who are high achievers and have great potential.
Joseph from GIJ 
Philo telling her story 
Otabil, year 3 as Physician Assistant 
Leticia, year 2 in education 
George and Solo
Besides sharing their experiences and helping each other. Every one of them shared a memory of Fred Graham, our volunteer who passed away in November. They were moving stories, but all ended with smiles and love for Mr. Fred.
HEALTH AND SIGHT SCREENINGS PERFORMED BY OUR STARS!!
Our Star Rudolph is a doctor and Amazon author as you likely know. Francis has graduated as a Doctor in Optometry. In March they teamed up with help from Otabil and Emmanuel to perform FREE health and sight screenings at Christ Cares school. About 30-40 people came and had blood sugar checks, health queries and eye checks. Some glasses were dispensed (thanks to Mission-Vision) and recommendations made. It was fun to watch them in action.
Rudolph 
Otabil 
Emmanuel 
Emmanuel 
Francis 
Francis with Albert who needs help. 
The Screening team.
JOLLY PHONICS COMES TO ELMINA!!
Tomorrow’s Stars arranged and funded Jolly Phonics training in February. Jolly Phonics is an excellent method that combines letters, sounds and even motions and songs to help small children learn to read and speak in English. The two day training was great, led by Janet (see our blog). We had 23 teachers and PIFs attend, representing 5 local schools. Each team was expected to use it at their school prior to a lunch meeting in March.
We see that 3 of the schools are doing very well as can be seen in the photos and videos below. They will continue their efforts and report back each month, then show volunteer reading specialists Sue and Toni their progress in June. It is fun to watch.
Bantuma School with Mary and Helen with Grade 3 students.
Helen and Mary with Jolly Phonics “sound” guides for the course.
Abundant Grace school Reading Club with Faustie, Rebecca and Augustina
Christ Cares: Sharon, Kate and Ayisha in Resource Center use games also.
Ayisha with “game” sheet 
Kate 
Sharon with game sheet 
Sharon reading printed pdf book. 
Our 5 home made story books
Books!! Books!!! Books!!
JHS students are writing books and our PIFs are writing their own stories. The Girls Club is writing about their inspiring guest speakers. We (and friend Joseph Yawson) print our own books in small quantities. We can use local GN Printing for larger quantities.
We have students writing their own books as early as Grade 1. Below, these students (there were 24) drew objects and wrote “what they see” in both English and Fante for their book. We plan to compile them later.
We downloaded pdfs of selected books of good local content and had them printed, they look great.
And photos from our Jolly Phonics followup lunch.
The Christ Cares team 
The Abundant Grace team 
The Jolly Phonics trainees
NSOROMA CELEBRATES INDEPENDENCE DAY WITH HISTORY LESSONS AND MUSEUM EXCURSION!!
Star Solo’s Nsoroma Foundation continues to help 45 students from various schools and grades with a study center in the evenings. During Ghana’s Independence Day, (62 yrs on March 6), he did a history class for them. After that, they toured the local “Java Museum” which has history displays from earlier times of Dutch colonization.
After the lesson Solo asks each to tell about something they learned.
MAKING EDUCATION POSSIBLE
LIBRARIES, COMPUTER LAB, SCIENCE LAB, GIRLS CLUBS, READING CLUBS, NSOROMA.
To achieve our mission of “changing lives through education”, Tomorrow’s Stars seeks serious and capable students who will love to learn and want to help others by “Paying It Forward”. We get to know them and support them through our many education opportunities at various schools in the area. All of our students will attend local Edinaman High School.
CHRIST CARES SCHOOL
We have worked with Christ Cares school since the beginning. We have a library, computer lab, reading club, girls club, KG Resource Center and Nsoroma Study Center here. School management recently painted the school, a beautiful job!! Pics include PTA meeting with HM Mr. Kwofie and Madam Hetty (proprietress) with KG teacher Christina, teacher Osborn and classroom pictures.
COMPUTER (ICT) LAB AND SCIENCE LAB
Our computer lab is likely the best in Elmina (including High Schools), we have 16 working laptops and a projector and voltage suppression equipment. We have internet available. PIF Rolland runs the lab and teaches, Solo is overall director.
SOLAR POWER COMING TO COMPUTER LAB
We have a quote for solar power for the lab and Nsoroma Study Center. We hope to install the equipment this summer. We hope this will reduce electricity costs and reduce “lights out” frequency. More on this next time.
Mock exam with students writing document 
Assignment projected on wall.
Justice, Joseph and Rolland (ICT lab man) 
Emmanuel and Bruce in Science Lab
OUR STUDENTS AND PIFS
OUR PAY IT FORWARD STUDENTS RUN OUR FACILITIES AS THEY MATURE AND DECIDE ABOUT THEIR “DREAM”. TOMORROW’S STARS REQUIRES TWO YEARS OF PAYING IT FORWARD BEFORE THEY CAN APPLY FOR UNIVERSITY SCHOLARSHIPS.
Mark Hawkson-Yr 1 at EHS 
Kate and Solo at computer lab 
EHS students: Francis Yawson on Right #4/840 
Ayisha absorbing equations
GIRLS CLUB
Our Girls Club at Christ Cares meets twice a week with supervision of 3-4 PIFs and teachers. Recently Kate’s university lecturer Victoria came to speak about her path to a successful career. The girls enjoyed the stories and inspiration. (Victoria did too).
Victoria sharing her advice for success. 
Victoria with GC leaders 
FUN THINGS WE GET TO DO!
One of the great things about the 18 years of traveling to Ghana, is making friends and watching our “Stars” grow up. We have known Osei, a teacher at Edinaman ten years, always helping students (a national teacher of year finalist). Some time ago, Osei had a severe stroke and blood pressure issues. About 4 months ago, a diagnosis of a faulty heart valve led to successful surgery to stabilize pressure, now therapy is helping him with his left side. He has returned to work and is walking better. Seeing Osei and his family at PIF day and the Hotel event was my highlight of the trip. God has blessed you my friend.
Osei’s family Henrietta with Abena, Osei Jr, Nana Aba 
Osei counseling the Stars like always! 
Osei with daughters and Leticia 
Osei at Hotel picnic
More FUN STUFF: Visiting with Ben, first HM at Christ Cares and builder of the beautiful building. A visit from Eric (now to graduate college in Chem E with honors) who has made me smile since grade 4. Playing table tennis with Otabil and ALMOST winning. Meeting Elizabeth, girlfriend of Francis our Star Optometrist. Playing pool with the hotel staff. Trash talking and a running race with Aggie, PIF and grade 1 teacher.
Francis and Elizabeth 
Otabil after his 24-22 victory in game 3. 
Otabil, Rolland, Rebecca and Solo at Hotel picnic 
Elizabeth with her new baby. 
Rudolph and Richard with mom and grandmum. 
This lady appreciated her Target bag.
Tomorrow's Stars 