Bobbi Bosch

Featured in: @ChristelHouse Fall 2013

"Family". . . . Visitors and students alike say they "feel like family" at Christel House. Creating a strong sense of belonging is an important component of our model, and that includes warmly welcoming guests from around the globe. In addition to experiencing the "Christel House magic" firsthand at our schools, visitors are also offered the opportunity to travel into the communities where our students live. Nothing can more clearly depict challenges that must be overcome than standing in our children's homes, talking to their parents or siblings.

Next year, Christel House supporters will be able to join us for visits to our schools. We also encourage anyone who is visiting a country with a Christel House (India, Mexico, South Africa and the U.S.) to spend part of a day with us. You will not soon forget your tour of the school and community, or your interaction with the kids and families.

 "When you visit a Christel House, it is then that you see the extraordinary effort the students must make to escape the poverty and despair into which they were born," said Don Knebel, Christel House International Board Member. "You see that Christel House really does work transformational magic in the lives of its students. Jen and I have visited Christel House schools around the world and have experienced that magic first hand. We hope you can have the same experience."

JOIN US IN 2014

We are organizing visits to Mexico in March, South Africa in May and India in November. Each trip requires a minimum number of participants, so please contact Bobbi Bosch at bbosch@christelhouse.org by December 1st if you are interested in learning more.

Heather Richey

Featured in: @ChristelHouse Fall 2013

 All aspiring artists hope their works will be displayed where they can be appreciated. For

16 upper-school students from Christel House India-Bangalore, this dream is becoming reality.

The Eaton Smart Hotel in Delhi commissioned 16 paintings to be created by Christel House students. The works, all of which depict the sun setting over the ocean, will be displayed in individual hotel suites.

Eaton Smart Hotels will donate more than $6,000 to Christel House in appreciation of the students' efforts. The project took six months to complete, and students worked both during their art classes and after school. The works are stunning, and reflect care, precision and creativity in every piece.

We are positive that these paintings will enrich the experience of Eaton Smart guests. And, the Christel House artists can take much pride in knowing that their efforts helped support the school they love.

"I have watched the setting sun spread on its canvas beautiful colours and hues. I tried to capture this brilliant spectacle in my small canvas. The beach and the ocean created a feeling of calmness in me. I felt that I am part of it all." – Gopal K., Grade 11, Christel House India - Bangalore

Citrix was at Christel House on the 5^th of July and the best way to describe our experience is 'awesome'.

Not only did we as a team get to know our fellow colleagues from cross functional groups, we also interacted with the enthusiastic teachers of this wonderfully run school and the amazing kids that make Christel House.

Our first item on the agenda was the facility tour. We were guided around by the kids and weren't they proud to show us around! Our interactions varied from assisting kids at the Library/Music room/Art & Craft and the very interactive career guidance session with the senior students. I see many budding artists here. We also had the opportunity of assisting with counting of votes for selecting the Head Girl and Head Boy and put together the results which were to be under wraps till the assembly the following Monday.

Personally, this was my second visit to Christel House and the one thing I admire is the excellent Library and the wonderful work in the area of art & craft. Our time concluded with a session of throw ball and not to mention that the kids showed us true sportsman spirit and not forgetting the rules of the sport.

We truly enjoyed our time spent at Christel House and look forward to many more such occasions where we can make a difference. Thanks for the opportunity!

-Roxanne Newcastle, Citrix Systems Inc.

Don and Jen Knebel

On a visit to Christel House in Bangalore, India, we watched as some students played a three-on-three basketball game on a court yard just outside the school building.  The equipment and the game looked just like they would in the United States.  But the players were not wearing traditional basketball outfits.  Instead, they were wearing the jumpers and blouses that constitute the Christel House India uniform.  The reason these students were not wearing athletic shorts and shirts is part of the Christel House story.

For people living in some parts of the world, it is immodest or even immoral for women to expose their legs or shoulders in the presence of men other than their husbands or brothers.  There is no exception for basketball games.  As a result, if students in India were required to don traditional uniforms in order to play basketball, at least some students would not be able to play.  And if they couldn't play, they would not learn the valuable lessons of team work and discipline that playing basketball or any other team sports can provide.  So Christel House students in India play basketball with all the vigor of their counterparts in the U.S., but with the modesty their culture requires.

The leaders of Christel House International understand that its schools in India, Mexico and South Africa include students whose cultural values can be different from those of students in the United States.  So local administrators, attuned to the morals and values of their communities, make sure that Christel House schools stay true to their educational missions while respecting the unique cultures in which they operate.  The results speak for themselves.  That is why we are proud to support Christel House.