Previous Activities

Child’s Gate to Learning develops, implements and initiates programs that foster character development, responsibility and self-esteem in the young people through the use of directed discussions and role-playing, games, art projects, and plays.

1998 - 2000

Child’s Gate to Learning became formalized as a non-profit organization, defining its mission, establishing contact with the centers in Lithuania that it would ultimately support. Fund-raising drives were held and packages of school supplies were sent to the centers in Lithuania.

Spring 2002 - Summer 2002

The first program, Character Building Program was developed. It focuses on moral, ethical, and social values such as honesty, responsibility, citizenship, trust, self-esteem, respect, justice, courtesy, charity, and empathy for others. The program was piloted in the 2000-2001 academic year at two centers, implemented and is still in use at some centers. The coordinators of the character-building program traveled to Child’s Gate to Learning supported centers in Lithuania and conducted training seminars for the volunteers. The program was eventually implemented at our supported centers in Lithuania. Spring 2002: the Character Building Program’s manual was requested by instructors at Vytautas Magnus University in Kaunas so that their education and social work students could become familiar with the program and evaluate its methodology. Summer 2002: A number of Lithuanian-language speaking teen-aged volunteers from the United States spent a month, some at centers in Vilnius, some in Marijampolė, working and playing with the children.

Spring 2002 - Summer 2003

The second program, D.R.A.S.A. (Dare Resist Alcohol and Substance Abuse), is a substance abuse prevention and education program specifically designed for children and youths. Development of the program was made possible in part through the financial support of the Lithuanian Foundation (Lietuvių Fondas) and Seneca House. Spring 2002: The D.R.A.S.A. program was introduced to all of the centers’ directors, staff, and volunteers during a specially organized seminar in Kaunas.

Summer 2003: 1) More Lithuanian-speaking teenaged volunteers from the United States worked at centers in Vilnius and the small town of Kazlų Rūda. 2) At its World Congress in Vilnius, Lithuania, the World Lithuanian Community bestowed the Child’s Gate to Learning D.R.A.S.A. prevention program with the Bishop Motiejus Valancius Award. The D.R.A.S.A. program was recognized for honoring the revered Samogitian Lithuanian Bishop’s temperance ideals. The award, funded by the Lithuanian Foundation, was established in honor of the 200th anniversary of the birth of Bishop Valančius (1801-1875).

Spring 2004 - Fall 2004

A third program, S.A.U. (Self Awareness and Understanding), designed to foster self-concept, self-esteem and self-realization, was developed. The Child’s Gate to Learning program coordinators spent several months in spring and fall, visiting and working at the Child’s Gate to Learning supported centers in Lithuania. Spring 2004: The S.A.U. Program was presented to center directors and workers at a seminar in Kaunas and implementation was begun soon afterwards at the centers. Fall 2004: A commitment was made to support a ninth after-school center, located in Vilnius.

Fall 2004 – end of 2005

"Child’s Gate to Learning" added its 9th and 10th supported centers. After careful deliberation, the Board of Directors approved the recommendation to support two additional centers: the sv. Kryziaus (Holy Cross) Center in Vilnius, added in late 2004, and the Žaliakalnis Center in Kaunas, added in late 2005. In order to receive continuing financial support, centers must all agree to follow "Child’s Gate to Learning" guidelines which require submission of: financial reports documenting fund expenditures, and progress reports on the utilization of "Child’s Gate to Learning" developed character building programs in the work with the youth attending the centers. Spring 2005: About 40 center directors, staff, and volunteers came to Kaunas for the third annual "Child’s Gate to Learning" seminar, which featured lectures, case studies, and discussions about volunteerism and respect for children. Invited speakers were all professionals in their fields—music education, social work, theology, sociology. Participants actively participated in discussions and skits of both a serious and lighthearted nature. Summer 2005: A fund-raising drive was conducted, featuring blank notecards, illustrated by a Lithuanian artist. Fall 2005: A special committee began work on the development of the next planned program called "Žingsniai į prasmingą gyvenimą" (Steps Towards a Meaningful Life), completed in Spring 2006. The commissioned documentary film, "Dievo vaikai" (Children of God), by Agnė Marcinkevičiūtė, featuring about half of the supported centers, was completed.

2006

• Complete the latest character building program (begun in late 2005) and present it to Lithuanian center directors, staff, and volunteers, at the annual seminar, for implementation in the second half of 2006.
• Select and prepare young Lithuanian-speaking volunteers from the United States who wish to spend a month or more working in Lithuania.
• Continue to promote local volunteerism in the supported centers.
• Continue to organize fund-raising events in Chicago and other chapters.
   

Fall 2005 – end of 2006

Financial support for special projects was sought and received from various associations: Lietuvių Fondas (Lithuanian Foundation); Seneca House; Lietuvos Dukterys (Daughters of Lithuania, Seattle chapter); Kanados Lietuvių Katalikių Moterų draugija (Canadian Catholic Women’s Society). Individual benefactors were also very generous.

Fall 2005 – Winter 2006: An editorial committee completed the fourth character building program, Steps Towards a Meaningful Life (Žingsniai į prasmingą gyvenimą).

Spring 2006: A seminar was sponsored again in Kaunas for supported center directors, staff, and volunteers. A new film was made by documentary filmmaker Agnė Marcinkevičiūtė to show highlights from the seminar and features short interviews with some of the organizers and attendees.

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