The annual “With AlBaik you are the House Hero” training courses program concluded this week in which 550 students participated - comprising 250 boys and 150 girls in Jeddah and, for the first time, 150 boys in Makkah - all keen to benefit from their summer vacation by learning practical skills that will be of assistance to their families and help their personal development into socially-responsible citizens. Implemented under the supervision of the Vocational Industrial Institute and the Al-Faisaliah Women's Welfare Society, in collaboration with the Saudi Red Crescent and Jeddah Civil Defense, graduation ceremonies were held in Jeddah on Sunday with the boys' event taking place at the Vocational Industrial Institute, while the girls' ceremony was held at the Al-Faisaliah Women's Welfare Society. The Makkah boy students' graduation will be held today (Tuesday). “The House Hero program was first held seven years ago and we are very pleased that it has become such a popular annual summer vacation activity,” said Eng. Rami Abu Ghazaleh, CEO of AlBaik Food Systems. “Apart from being instructive, the program is character building, encourages team spirit, and teaches the value of time spent productively.” The six-week program consists of a series of instructional courses which teach useful and practical skills that the students can apply in their homes, schools and future workplaces. The training courses for boys aged between 12 - 18 years included: Introduction to Workshop Basics; Car Maintenance; Electrical Basics and Safety; First Aid Procedures; Fire Safety and Prevention; and House Maintenance and Painting. The program for girls aged 10 - 16 covered: Décor; Arts & Crafts; Basic House Care; Personal Grooming, which includes Etiquette; Cooking Basics; Physical Exercise; Safety and Prevention of Household Dangers; Fire Safety and Prevention; and First Aid Procedures. Abu Ghazaleh further said “learning useful practical skills such as these complements the students' academic education at school and helps to develop confidence and self esteem that will benefit them both at home and in their future careers.” Boys and girls who wish to benefit from the program's activities and become a “House Hero” enrolled in the AlBaik summer program by paying a refundable registration fee of SR500. As an incentive to excel, participants graduating with a final score of 90 percent will receive a full refund of the SR500 enrollment fee, while those with between 80 to 89 percent scores receive a SR400 refund, and participants with scores between 70 to 79 percent will be reimbursed SR300. Participants with scores lower than 70 percent will not be entitled to any reimbursement. This innovative motivational tool has being implemented to encourage students to utilize their potential to the maximum, while enjoying the benefits of learning new skill sets in a creative, competitive and enjoyable environment. The overall objective of the program is to support social development in the Kingdom by teaching each new generation of students the importance of accepting responsibility and carrying out their duties, in order to prepare them for their future role in society and assist their growth into adulthood as valued and respected members of the community. __
