HOUSTON: Sewa Worldwide Houston celebrated the tenth anniversary of Sewa Dancing Stars (SDS), the flagship fundraising dance competitors that has introduced the neighborhood collectively by way of dance, service and philanthropy in the course of the previous decade. The occasion served because the official kickoff to a year-long recognition of SDS’s outstanding journey and honored the numerous people and organizations whose assist has made the competitors an indeniable success over the previous ten years.
“This milestone belongs to each volunteer, donor, sponsor, dancer, trainer, decide, and supporter who has been a part of our story,” stated Kavita Tewary, Government Director of Sewa Worldwide’s Houston Chapter. “For ten years, Sewa Dancing Stars has demonstrated how tradition and repair can come collectively to create significant affect. We’re deeply grateful to everybody who has helped us dance for a trigger and make a distinction in our neighborhood.”
SDS brings collectively dancers, volunteers, sponsors, and supporters to rejoice tradition whereas elevating consciousness and assist for humanitarian and neighborhood service initiatives. On the coronary heart of those efforts is the ASPIRE Program established by Sewa Worldwide to rework underserved communities by empowering their kids. The ASPIRE Out of College Time Program gives tutorial assist, mentoring, STEAM curriculum, Social Emotional Studying, and different enrichment actions for youngsters grades Okay by way of 5, with a brand new mentorship program for youngsters in center faculty starting this 12 months. By establishing studying facilities straight within the communities the place college students dwell, ASPIRE ensures that every one challenges to service are mitigated.
“Once I began at la escuelita, I used to be 8 and shy, and I used to be like an solely youngster as a result of my brother was 15 years older than me. I didn’t have loads of associates and in school I acquired bullied. At ASPIRE I made associates, I acquired to discovered a lot, and Miss C and Miss L taught me to be courageous and imagine in myself, and to give attention to faculty “ —Angie (At the moment she is a straight A pupil in eleventh grade at Alief Early Faculty Excessive College with long-term plans for a PhD in Schooling.
“In my nation, I couldn’t go to high school. Right here in Houston, I can go to 2 colleges and my favourite is the ASPIRE Middle. I can study math and science and studying and I can attend workshops about psychological well being. At ASPIRE, I can study, study, study.”-–Nazia (An lively participant in all actions who aspires to develop into an US Air Drive pilot or a police captain.
ASPIRE IMPACT
| Complete Variety of Kids Served | 1750 Kids Served |
| Elevated Attendance | 75% |
| Enganced Engagement | 71% |
| Improved Educational Efficiency | 74% |
During the last decade, SDS has develop into way more than a dance competitors. A particular spotlight of the night was the presence of Visitor of Honor, Arpana Manjunath, whose inspiring remarks on the symbiotic relationship between dance and schooling mirrored the values of service, compassion, and neighborhood which have guided SDS all through its journey.
“Dance is the purest type of embodied cognition the place data resides not solely within the thoughts but in addition within the physique,” stated Manjunath
Sewa Worldwide’s mission is to serve humanity in misery, assist native communities, run developmental tasks for underserved populations, and empower transformational change by way of the collective efforts of volunteers, donors, and companions. Its imaginative and prescient is to create a world the place all folks dwell in concord, free from struggling, whereas serving selflessly and with compassion.
The celebration acknowledged the invaluable contributions of previous and current donors, sponsors, dance lecturers, choreographers, volunteers, judges, emcees, photographers, media companions, and neighborhood supporters who’ve helped form SDS into one in every of Houston’s most impactful cultural fundraising occasions.
As SDS enters its subsequent decade, it stays dedicated to advancing Sewa’s guideline: “Serving Humanity is Serving Divinity.” Collectively, the SDS neighborhood seems ahead to persevering with its mission of service, compassion, and constructive affect for a few years to return.