December 21, 2021 Maya finds her spark while eating sushi! Maya is adventurous as she tries new things to find what she likes. Last week Maya* went out for sushi with her Friend, Melanie. Maya loved trying something new and found the sushi really fun to eat. Melanie enjoyed eating sushi with Maya because it gave her an opportunity to practice literacy and mathematics. When Maya asked Melanie what was in each roll, Melanie encouraged her to read the menu and empowered her to figure out the ingredients on her own. Then once the rolls came Melanie challenged Maya to divide and multiply the number of pieces in each roll to decide how many pieces she and Melanie would each enjoy. Maya was adventurous and ordered a roll with raw Salmon on top. While this ended up being Maya’s least favorite roll, Melanie was proud of her for trying something unfamiliar. These are the ways Friends of the Children-Chicago opens new doors and new opportunities for our kids. It may seem like a small thing to most of us, but for children who face significant obstacles, finding their own spark – the things they like, the things they’re good at, the things they enjoy – is essential for building self-esteem. Maya and her Friend will continue to have many adventures and try new things as Maya finds and explores all her sparks!