Ve’ahavta Street Academy: Our 10 Students Graduate. Mazel tov!

Theresa and Avrum at VSA graduation

The Ve’ahavta Street Academy (VSA) wrapped up today. Our students graduated.

VSA, is a school for those who are homeless or near homeless. Ve’ahavta (www.vehavta.org) launched it at the end of June and it has been running until today (August 19th). Essentially VSA is an environment where we taught life skills (writing, finances, health and nourishment etc.), academia and hosted fascinating speakers for our 10 students, so that they could learn and create a better life.

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VSA was founded by Theresa Schrader, the winner of our 2005 Creative Writing Contest for the Homeless. www.thestar.com/news/gta/article/837267–ex-addict-puts-poverty-behind-her

She is magnificent. Theresa is a former prostitute and crack addict. She has turned her life around, after stints in jail and other such difficult times, to become a full-time student, a mommy of a beautiful little boy, a teacher, businesswoman and designer.

Designer? Yes, Theresa designed VSA and creatively nurtured it. As I said she was responsible for getting 10 students through this semester of VSA, keeping them interested and ensuring a decent education. Well she did all of that and more.

Today VSA ended. We held a graduation and gave out framed certificates and gifts. We also let our students know that they have a place in continuing education should they want it. And they do.

While I will stay away from mentioning names I will tell you that one of our students, a wonderful person who has been out of school for years will be starting at a local college in September. He began VSA with little confidence and the belief he wouldn’t make it through.

He did and while doing so brought great joy and laughter to our school.

This person I speak of was abandoned as a little boy by his mother, then his father. Abandonment at that level, at that age, can be debilitating. And in many ways his terrible fate slowed him down. We are so delighted however to state with much joy that VSA offered him the opportunity to fly – and HE DID.

Be free. Be Free.

Congratulations to all 10 students. You did it. You stuck it out, learned, asked some great questions, made silly and ensured that VSA from your end, was awesome. I so enjoyed coming down to VSA and sitting through classes and hearing your questions. As I said today at the graduation, what ever old voices you have in your head telling you are not bright or worthwhile, wish them shalom (goodbye).

I was witness to your learning and you inspired me and compelled me to study harder. Well done!! Well done and thank you.

We are thankful to all of our teachers and speakers and know that VSA would not have been the success it was without them. We are grateful to Karen Ehrlich and Paul Lindzon, board members of Ve’ahavta for their encouragement and constant presence. Thanks to our board for supporting VSA and to all of our staff who got behind it very quickly and just loved it. And of course we extend a great big hug to our donors.

There is so much more to say about VSA but I will let you read about it over time, because in September we’re going to our board to see if we might extend this program throughout the year so that we can play a role in assisting more of our community members to get off the street and into the shelter of their souls and minds. That is what education is. That is VSA.

Posted by Vanessa |