After-school program offering two children’s classes and a junior youth group

Two children’s classes, in addition to a junior youth spiritual empowerment program, began as an after-school program at a public elementary school in Austin at the beginning of the 2021 school year. The teachers of the children’s classes include a parent and a first grade teacher at the school, who are accompanied by three Bahá’is who are also serving as teachers. A Book 3 study circle was started at the inception of the after-school program to train those who were or wanted to serve as children’s class teachers. This after-school children’s class program, “Peace Pack”, was started by a Bahá’í parent whose two children attend the elementary school. The program was advertised as a community of parents and volunteers who see the urgent need for peace in the world today and would like a space where commonalities of race, religion, belief, spirituality, etc. can be explored and celebrated and intellectual and spiritual capacities to be of service to humanity are developed. After each class, the teacher sends out emails letting the parents know what the children did in their class, sharing quotes they memorized and asking the parents to talk with their children about the lesson. Parents of the children also assist by providing snacks for the children.

Families Developing Friendship Through the Framework

Love and friendship have been steadily growing among families on one street in Austin Texas since 2013. On this street there are currently three children’s classes, two Book 1’s, and four devotionals, with a history of a junior youth group and a Book 1 and Book 3 with moms. For almost nine years there have consistently been core activities, with one of the children’s class teachers being part of the classes since the beginning. A children’s devotional resulted in two families, formerly at odds, becoming close friends. When planning to invite neighbors to their children’s devotional, one of the children said “I can’t invite my neighbor. He’s so mean and he hates us!” When the children began delivering their invitations, somehow, we ended up at this feared neighbor’s home. The neighbor answered and was so welcoming and appreciative of the children’s invitation! This neighbor couple came to that children’s devotional and the two families have been friends ever since. They go to family celebrations, helped each other during the pandemic, and they visit with each other regularly. There are youth on that street who completed children’s classes, progressed through the junior youth program, and are now taking Book 1, whose mothers have participated in study circles. Families have participated in planning holy day celebrations and a children’s camp. Some families have turned to friends serving there during particularly difficult family times, indicating a level of love and trust that has developed over time. Extended families and friends chat after classes, as well as often being present during the children’s classes and their devotionals.