KiDs Beach Club® Partners with Cuurio
Meet Danny and Suzanne Davis, vital members of a non-profit organization called Cuurio.
Cuurio partners with organizations like KiDs Beach Club® to leverage technology, specifically the internet, to present Biblical answers to people searching for felt needs. Every single day there are at least 500 million Google searches for things like "Why am I depressed?" and "Is there any hope for me?" Felt-need themes in common searches include suicide, hope, purpose, family, marriage, divorce, and the list goes on.
KiDs Beach Club® is partnering with Cuurio to equip families and educators with resources to shape the character of today's preteens and give them an answer to life's questions.
"As it turns out in these last 10 or 15 years, the internet has actually flipped everything upside-down.
The world's biggest taxi company owns no vehicles.The world's biggest hotel company owns no buildings.
We live in a digital economy that has exploded and engulfed everything."
-- Danny Davis, Cuurio
Questions people used to bring to friends or their pastor are now being brought to Google. People are empty and searching for hope. As Christians, we have the answer, and it's found in Jesus!
How does Cuurio help people find Jesus in their darkest hour?
They create content that answers questions, and then they use their proprietary software to make sure it shows up well in search. When people Google "Is there any hope for me?" they can click through and find Cuurio. People who are searching for answers find Cuurio's page...and Jesus! Those searching can watch a video that presents the plan of salvation, connect to a local church, and even connect with a counselor at no charge. Cuurio's prayer is that God will let them be a part of building the body of Christ online, working together with other ministries to fulfill the Great Commission, just as God intended.
Here's some additional notable quotes from the podcast, just in case you don't have time to watch it for yourself!
This is the first time in history that millions and millions of people all come to the same place every day and they stand there and say, "Hey can someone help us?"
"When you reach the children, you reach the whole family. So, when you reach the children, you reach the older generation, but you also reach the future generations."
Be sure to check out Cuurio online and click the button below to watch the full podcast!
Published on Feb 28 @ 6:40 AM CDT
KiDs Beach Club® welcomes new staff members!
We are excited to welcome Beth Banfill and Holli McLendon to the People Engagement Team here at KiDs Beach Club®!
Beth has been working with us in a temporary role as Special Projects Director since last August. In January, she assumed the permanent role of People Engagement Director. She comes to us with nearly 30 years' People Operations management experience, most recently serving in prominent roles for global organizations. In her new role, Beth will lead the team at KBC that engages with others outside the organization. This includes overseeing all marketing, communications, and sales components of the organization.
Holli came to KBC after more than a decade serving in the public school system in Keller, TX. If you've noticed some changes with our social media lately, you're not the only one! This is all thanks to Holli! She leads the charge internally with our new social media strategy and brings to us mad skills in video production! She is an answer to prayer and fills the gaps we needed within the People Engagement Team.
You can read Beth and Holli's full bios here. Join us in welcoming them to the team!
Published on Feb 28 @ 6:39 AM CDT
At KiDs Beach Club®, we LOVE our volunteers! The deep scope of our ministry over the last nearly 20 years would not have existed without them. Currently, we have almost 3000 individuals who give up their time each week to serve in their local Beach Club®.
But did you know that we need volunteers OUTSIDE of local Clubs, too? That's where
BEACH PATROL comes in!
BEACH PATROL is our Volunteer Army OUTSIDE of local Clubs. We need Prayer Warriors, Photographers, Club Trainers, Event Planners, Story-Tellers, Logistics Specialists, Promoters (and the list goes on!)
First up on our recruiting goals: Prayer Warriors! We have a BIG goal: 1000 BEACH PATROL PRAYER WARRIORS! (Yes, that's a BIG goal, but we have an EVEN BIGGER GOD!)
Dr. Frank Banfill, KBC's Executive Vice President shares this:
"BEACH PATROL really isn't a new thing here at KBC. We launched it a few years ago, but with COVID hitting the same year, it just never gained traction. This year, Steve Brines has stepped into the role of Volunteers Director. He is committed to raising up this Volunteer Army. The late Rev. Jerry Falwell said, 'Nothing of eternal signficance ever happens apart from prayer.' Prayer is foundational to everything we do here at KiDs Beach Club®. At KBC, we desperately want to be in-step with God, not one step ahead, and not one step behind. It's why the initial focus of our recruitment process for BEACH PATROL is on recruiting Prayer Warriors!"
If you want to learn more, let us know your interest level! I'M INTERESTED!
Published on Feb 28 @ 6:26 AM CDT
Did you know all but 6 states in the US either mandate or strongly encourage that schools teach character to kids? Of course here at KiDs Beach Club®, we've been doing exactly that for nearly 20 years...but only in an after-school setting. A couple years ago KBC Corporate's home state of Texas joined other states to mandate character educadtion in schools.
...and the idea for CharacterLeads® was born!
In the coming months, you'll be hearing more about CharacterLeads®, but for now, we want to give you a quick overview by answering a few general questions.
What exactly is CharacterLeads®?
CharacterLeads® is a comprehensive, multi-disciplinary, fully downloadable character education curriculum. Developed by two PhD's, one with a PhD in Leadership and one with a PhD in Education, CharacterLeads® starts with the end in mind: transformational adult leaders. It then works backward to identify the character qualities children need to develop in order to become effective leaders as adults.
Is the CharacterLeads®curriculum religious in nature?
CharacterLeads® is not religious curriculum. It was written specifically to meet the character education standards for public schools. The curriculum does use the same character words and definitions that KBC has used in our Beach Clubs®, and it uses elements of character discussion from KiDs Beach Club® TV. However, all religious elements have been removed so that it focuses solely on character development.
My company does match-donations, but they won't do it for religious organizations. Do you think this might qualify?
Every organization's standards are different, but we've already had donors who have successfully designated gifts toward CharacterLeads® with a qualified match donation. This program was not inexpensive to develop, and we welcome any additional donations that are designated for CharacterLeads®, especially if they are matched!
If you have any questions or need additional documentation, simply click the orange CONTACT ME button below, and one of our team members will reach out to you right away!
I'm an educator in the public schools.
How do I bring CharacterLeads® to my school / district?
The first thing to do is to check out CharacterLeads.com. The curriculum consists of a full year of character education curriculum. There are 18 character units, with each unit recommended to be taught over the course of 2 weeks. While there, you can see a sample unit, along with some additional resources to build character. Each page has an option to click-through to discover the pricing options available. The entire curriculum is downloadable and comes with a one-year subscription access.
I'm part of a home-school Co-op.
Can we use CharacterLeads® in the Co-op?
Absolutely! The pricing module for CharacterLeads® varies based on the group size. You're going to fall in love with this curriculum! When you do, please help us spread the word about this resource!
Home School Parents (no Co-op)
I'm a parent / grandparent. Is there any way I can use the CharacterLeads® curriculum to teach character in my home?
Again, the answer is absolutely! Parents who home-school and are not part of a Co-op can purchase individual units as you need them or purchase the whole set! How many grandparents out there help watch their grandchildren throughout the week? Our research shows that there's a lot of you! What better way to invest in your grandchild than to have meaningful conversations around character, all while building their leadership skills! You will have so much fun together, they won't even realize it's educational!
Still need more information?
Just click the button below, and a team member will reach out to you!
Published on Feb 28 @ 6:11 AM CDT
To kick off the new year, we have some exciting news to share! Last fall, as part of their Multi-disciplinary Leadership Captstone Project, students from the University of Arizona conducted a study of the educational impact of KiDs Beach Club®. Their findings bring validation from an academic institution that the work being done in Beach Club® makes a difference! Of course, we have known this to be true, but now that knowledge has been independently validated.
Study of the Educational Impact of KiDs Beach Club® on Elementary Schools
The KiDs Beach Club® (KBC) after-school program plays an important role in the academic life of public elementary schools by meeting student social-emotional needs, improving student behaviors, and developing leadership among students, according to a study conducted by the University of Arizona.
The study found that, “KBC serves a valuable role as the supplemental support system that can act as an extension of school efforts to support their students and...fill the gap in the school’s ability to support their students and meet their needs.”
University of Arizona researchers studied elementary schools that have a KiDs Beach Club® program. Principals at these schools noted several challenges that their schools faced and how KBC assisted in meeting those challenges. Student social, emotional, and behavioral issues were all concerns. The COVID-19 pandemic was seen as causing deterioration in student interpersonal skills and reducing their ability to empathize and demonstrate kindness toward others. Principals noted the lack of time and resources available within the school day to address the needs for emotional and behavioral maturity, making the KBC after-school program especially important. Schools, especially those designated as Title I, also faced a lack of parental support at home.
Principals noted that an integral part of the supplemental support KBC provides schools are KBC’s adult volunteers and the “benefit of having adults other than their school’s faculty contribute toward instilling positive behavior in students.” One principal was quoted as saying “KBC taught students how to be a friend, what it is like to stand up for someone, and how to become leaders.” The study found that KBC’s use of Biblical stories, parables, and lessons were uniquely valuable in instilling values in ways the school could not because of their religious basis. Students responded with excitement about religion.
The study found a correlation between KiDs Beach Club® attendance and student behavior improvement. One principal noted that there are not behavior concerns for students who attend KiDs Beach Club®. This principal stated that if more students were involved with KBC, the school would see a greater increase in positive behavior. Another principal noted an increase in students participating in school-wide community projects because of KiDs Beach Club®.
All principals who participated in the research rated the program highly. “KBC was able to support the schools in their goals to help students with improving soft skills and character development,” the study concluded. The program provided additional opportunity for students to “learn, grow, and be supported beyond the classroom.” KiDs Beach Club® helps “students develop their behavioral and emotional maturity by teaching students good values and how to be better people.”
The study found that the primary educational benefit of KiDs Beach Club® was the development of student soft skills and character, which contributed to overall learning.
Methodology
Researchers used qualitative methodology to conduct four case studies of public elementary schools. Schools were randomly selected from a pool of 44 schools that had the KiDs Beach Club® program for at least three years and that had the same principal during that period. Researchers conducted phone interviews with principals during fall of 2022. The principal’s responses were recorded and turned into data for analysis.
Published on Jan 23 @ 4:21 PM CDT
At KiDs Beach Club®, our mission is to give every preteen boy and girl a Jesus experience. When we come across like-minded individuals whose heart beats for the same thing, we want to share them with you.
Meet Kassy Cooper, a 22 year old college senior from Plano, TX. Kassy fell in love with Jesus as a preteen and has a heart for reaching the next generation. She is on a mission to empower and equip young people with the what, why, and how to wholeheartedly follow Jesus Now, Not Later.
Kassy stopped by our KBC Corporate office a few weeks ago to share why God called her to write this book and what she hopes young people will learn by reading it. Grab your preteen and listen to the podcast together. Money-back guarantee: you will both be challenged and encouraged! Keep reading for a few profound quotes from this young adult who is on fire for Jesus. She is a living example of why we are so passionate about reaching preteens.
"I believe one of satan's favorite words is later. I don't think he goes around telling unbelievers or believers to never follow Jesus. He doesn't whisper in a Christian's ear, 'Never go to church. Never read your Bible.' Instead, he just says, 'Read your Bible later. Pray later. Trust Jesus later. Keep Christ at the center later. Start sharing the Gospel later.' It's always later."
"Later really means never. It's just disguised as something more innocent."
Wholehearted devotion to God Now, Not Later is the calling God has placed on all of us, yet so few really understand what that means. Kassy somehow understands what so many of us struggle to grasp. The enemy comes to steal, kill, and destroy. We aren't promised later. Later may never come, and if it does, it may be filled with missed opportunities of living for what matters: Loving God, making Him known, and loving others.
Now Not Later is available on Amazon and is 300 pages full of golden nuggets for preteens and young adults. Go get your copy today. Join Kassy and KiDs Beach Club® in being sold out for God Now, Not Later!
Grab your preteen and listen to the full podcast together.
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Published on Jan 23 @ 4:21 PM CDT
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