When baseball season started this summer, Breakthrough had a new team of fifth and sixth graders – the Breakthrough Twins. Noel Ritter, team coach and Breakthrough's Community Health and Fitness Coordinator, planned on focusing his team's energy on more than just baseball. With fifteen girls and boys anxious to learn, Coach Ritter's emphasis was not as much on winning the games, as on developing winning attitudes among the team and its young players.

And how did the team do? The Breakthrough Twins had a fantastic season! The team played nine games, and they won two of them – which may not have been a winning season on the scoreboard, but their positive attitudes are what proved them to be winners.

This season, these fifteen kids learned to work together as a team, cooperating and communicating with one another. Coach Ritter said, "We had the 'winningest' season ever . . . no fights, no quits, and no one was asked to leave."

With the help of their coaches, this team learned more than how to win at baseball; they learned how to win at life. "Again and again, we saw God working in the kids' lives on the practice field and at the games," commented Coach Ritter. So congratulations to this year's Breakthrough Twins for hitting a homerun with their positive attitudes, teamwork, and cooperation!

If you are interested in learning more about the volunteer coaching opportunities Breakthrough has available to work with our boys and girls, please email Noel at nritter@breakthroughministries.com.

Seth El-Jamal, Academic Coordinator Nettie Bailey Student Achievement Program

Seth El-Jamal is one of the exceptional people God recently brought into our lives and ministry. Seth is Breakthrough's new Academic Coordinator, overseeing the kids in our after-school program known as the Nettie Bailey Student Achievement Program.

Seth is originally from Champaign, Illinois. There he grew up in the inner-city just as our kids do today so he can relate to their lives, challenges, and experiences. Seth has been on the job only a few weeks and already he is an incredible role model for our youth, keeping a positive attitude and encouraging and challenging our kids. He never fails to point out a job well done.

Several weeks ago, Seth took the older kids out to do a service project at the Renaissance Center where they could interact with the community's senior citizens. One young man was doing a particularly fine job of making the elderly feel comfortable, laugh and have a good time. Seth was watching and pulled the young man aside.

The young man returned to interacting with the elderly wearing a smile from ear to ear. Throughout the time of interaction, Seth referred to the young man as a model of how other teens can interact with older adults.

Seth is also educating the kids in the art of debate. Once a week, they are split into two teams, provided with a topic and a short research period. Then the two teams debate the evening's issue presenting whichever side they were assigned. This new program feature has had a tremendous impact not only on the communication skills of our kids, but on their outlook on conflict resolution.

This fall Seth will be helping the older kids in our academic program develop leadership skills and a positive self image by encouraging them to tutor the younger children in grades K-8. This experience allows the older kids to become role models for younger ones who are facing the same challenges that they faced. The interaction raises the self-esteem of the older kids and encourages them to push themselves to be positive examples while they are at Breakthrough and in their neighborhoods.

Seth El-Jamal is a welcome and wonderful addition to our family. We hope you will have the opportunity to meet him soon.

For more information, please call 773.722.1144 or email benefit@breakthroughministries.com.

BUILD (Breakthrough Urban Institute of Leadership Development)
BUILD is a transformative adult learning program fostering cross-cultural understanding and urban ministry effectiveness. BUILD brings together small groups of individuals from diverse backgrounds to read books and articles and discuss issues of race, class, justice, urban mission and theology. New classes are forming throughout the year. For more information, please contact Scott Ruth, at 773.722.1144 x271 or sruth@breakthroughministries.com.