Progress isn't always immediately visible

It never fails. Just when I think we're not making any progress, I am proved wrong.

Danielle, our Teen U facilitator and Americorps member, has been working on planning this college trip for a couple of weeks now. She was determined to get a college trip in before the holidays. Because she was so determined, I cancelled my Saturday plans so I could drive the van.

Yet, this past Wednesday, Danielle called me to tell me once the teens found out what time we would be leaving, only one was still planning on attending. Absolutely unacceptable in my book. I told her to explain to them that it takes time and money to plan these trips. I told her to let her know that we all had other plans that we cancelled for them. I told her to threaten them...and I was only partially joking.

I'm not sure what approach Danielle took. I'm sure it was much nicer than mine. All I know is that Friday evening Danielle called me to say we had 12 teens going! I must admit I wasn't completely convinced. I asked her if she had talked to each of their parents. She said she didn't know she had to. My experience has told me the more you communicate with the parents (not how much they communicate with you), the more successful you will be in ensuring the kids follow through. So, although it was already about 7:00, Danielle and Veronica (our GO Center intern from UTD) immediately went to work calling parents and making home visits.

It all paid off!

Saturday morning, by 7:15 a.m., 5 teens, 7 middle schoolers, and the three of us adults who were chaperoning, were on the van ready to go. A completely full 15-passenger van! We've never had that happen before! I was so absolutely excited!

I don't know why I doubt. The reality is, our youth want to succeed in life. Sometimes they just need someone to push them as they move into the opportunities that are becoming available to them.

Tale of a Mouse, Part 2

I enjoyed Tale of a Mouse at the South Dallas Cultural Center so much last week that I couldn't help but take kids again (see above for actual scenes from the play).

Just like what happened last time, the kids were enthralled. We took Iesha (sister of Niesha and Tatiana, both of whom attended last time), Shamaria, and Xavier. I wish I could have captured the intent stares during the play. Iesha and Shamaria sat next to me. Since I had already seen the play, I stole glances at them to see if they were enjoying it. I ended up watching them more than the play. Iesha sat on the edge of her seat, back straight up so she could see over the person in front of her, watching intently and taking note of every move. Shamaria reacted in a similar way.

Of course, as usual, there were the you-gotta-love-kids stand out moments. This time it was about mid-way through during a scene that was popular with the first group. Iesha turned to Tameshia, "'Off with your head!' That's what he's going to say!" Then she went on (in a very loud whisper) to tell Tameshia the next lines and actions of the play for the next five minutes while Tameshia tried to get her to stop.(Iesha obviously hasn't learned the meaning of "spoiler alert." :) )

Just like last time, the play was interactive. And, just like last time even our shy ones (Shamaria) volunteered to participate in the tug of war.

Once again, Mr. Harold (the director) invited everyone to interact with the cast members and the props at the end of the play. Great strategy to get people (kids especially!) more interested instead of keeping people at a distance. Below are scenes from the play and the interactions after the play.

Scared of the talking skull

Sad mouse










Mouse bargains with elephant

Shamaria being Arumbaroo









Shamaria posing with Bird




















Iesha thinking like Arumbaroo

Discovering meaning in the health insurance debate

A few weeks ago I injured my knee while working out. I really enjoy working out so the injury has really frustrated me. While it's healing, I've had to slow down my workout and find alternative ways of exercising.

As I swam laps in my friends pool, I allowed myself to be frustrated with my situation. Yet, as I swam, each lap created a new thought in my head...

I'm swimming laps in my friend's pool. How many people have friends with pools they can go to when they need alternative exercise? How many people do I know who had swimming lessons as a kid and can even swim?? And then if they do have a friend with a pool, how many have gas and transportation to get to that pool?

Then I started thinking...

Truth is, I can afford to pay for a monthly gym membership to keep me healthy...which is how I got hurt in the first place. How many of my friends can afford a gym membership? Not many. Because I can afford that monthly cost, I am able to keep my stress level (and my weight) down. Exercising helps me feel better about myself...about life...about situations. Exercising makes me want to eat better to maintain that good feeling.

Then I started questioning the intelligence of my actions...

Is my knee really healing right? Maybe I should have gone to the doctor. No, that would've been a $30 co-pay and they would've probably sent me to another doctor for x-rays, which would've been another $30. That's too much money. But I guess the reality is, I have health insurance and I have the choice to go to a doctor. Though it's expensive, it's a WHOLE lot cheaper than the visit would be without insurance. Wow...how many people don't even have that option and opportunity?

Which led me to also appreciate the job I have...

Wow...what if I had a job where I had to stand all day...and didn't provide sick and vacation days either...like many of my friends in the service industry?

My knee isn't 100% yet and I'm still irritated that I can't workout at the level I'd like. But I also realize that many people don't have all of the opportunities and benefits I do. I think of this as I listen to people lament over the fact that a change in insurance my not allow they or their children the care they have had (which I don't believe will happen).

I wonder if they realize that so many people have never had the care that they and their children have. I wonder if they realize (or care) that while they're so adamant about maintaining privatized care for themselves, they are advocating that *some* people and *some* children don't deserve what they do. They are advocating to shut them out of that opportunity to be healthier...which ultimately affects all of us.

Because of my knee, the health insurance debate has a little more meaning these days.

On the cusp of greatness

In my mind, our nation and our world is at a definining moment. To this point, we have defined ourselves as individual countries within continents. We are are pitted with some and allied with others. We have decided who our friends and enemies are based on a few people within an entire nation.

We compete. We do our best to be at the head of the pack. We want the label of being the best and we want all of the blessings. "Buy USA!" "God Bless America!"

How does that language mesh with our spoken desire to help other nations? How does that language contribute to the good of people?

Our world today is different. Travel is easier, cheaper, quicker, and more possible. Speaking to someone overseas is as easy and costs as little as walking out our front door and talking to our neighbor (and we probably talk to more people overseas than we do to our next door neighbors!).

How can we use the tools we have to our benefit? How can we use our networking and connections in a way that brings us all together instead of pitting us against one another? How can we use our knowledge and technology to bring voices to the table across the globe so that people who are in situations of poverty, domination, and suffering can speak out about what they need to help them move forward? How can we bridge the gap to bring their knowledge of their space--whether in Meru, Kenya in Africa or South Dallas, Texas in the United States--together with others' knowledge of systems and politics?

I believe the possibilities are becoming more and more real. The real question is, will we do it? No...the real question is,

Do we want to do it?

Do we truly have the desire to be allies with people? Do we want to get to know the individuals behind the dictators? Do we want to hear the voices of the poor? Do we want to figure out ways to work together to make ALL of our countries stronger...or do we want to remain competitive and separate to see who's the BEST?

Right now our country is broken. But is because of that brokenness that I believe we are on the cusp of greatness.

But it all depends on what we decide to do with that greatness and how we choose to use the power that we still think we have.

Affirmative Action...from the voice of the children

High school graduates have been getting ready to enter the next stage of their development...college.

College can be scary and intimidating for just about any kid, but coming from an urban background, it often creates even more challenges.

It doesn't matter how comfortable you think you are in your own skin...it doesn't matter how much your parents have talked to you about treating everyone the same...the college atmosphere is a whole new lesson.

As one of the teenagers sat in my living room after his trip to Austin for UT's freshman orientation, unprompted, he first comment was, "It was strange. I was one of only about 5 other Hispanics there."

I knew what he was talking about...not because of experience...but because I've heard it before from other kids.

He started telling me about one of the talks they heard about Affirmative Action. Then he talked about a White kid who was, evidently, making comments about it to a smaller group of people, "It's not fair. Affirmative Action hurts kids and people like me who are smarter, but don't get in because of a quota."

As the teenager in my living room recounted the story, he expressed to me that he believed in Affirmative Action. "If we didn't have Affirmative Action, how could kids like me, who come from schools that aren't preparing them as well get opportunities to move forward and become better?"

I had to agree with him. I keep thinking of a comment someone made to a blog post on another site (wish I could find it) that said, in essence, that kids who aren't prepared enough could and should go to a trade school. I believe the commenter went on to say something about kids who try to attend college from schools where they are underprepared dumbs down the college education and brings down the other kids (his kids). He thought it would be best if they didn't even enter the college system.

Let me say this up front...I have no problem with trade school. However, more often than not many of our urban children are pushed into trade school because they are under-prepared and because they don't think there is any other choice for them...and many adults (teachers and counselors included) push them in that direction as well by telling them trade school is "probably your best option."

As I talked to this young adult who had worked very hard to be prepared for college...but who knew his high school education simply didn't compare to many other students at UT...he was very discouraged by the White student's attitude about Affirmative Action. He went on to explain to me that his dad had always taught him to be better than he (his dad) is. He plans to teach his own kids that same lesson. But he feels like he's got to have the opportunity to do that. And sometimes that might come because of Affirmative Action.

I am not one to advocate for lowering standards. Quite the contrary, actually. I am not at all advocating that colleges lower their standards or dumb down their curriculum. I want our urban high school students to get the same rigorous education as everyone else. However, what I do realize is that kids who go to college...even if they struggle and barely make it through...will then have raised the bar for their own children.

The experience, knowledge, and resources that a college education offers is invaluable.

The interaction, experience, and connections that Affirmative Action cannot be underestimated.

Let's be honest. Many of us who grew up in White, middle or upper class backgrounds have our own type of Affirmative Action. We had parents and friends of our parents who were connected. We knew people who knew people who could get us into jobs that helped us gain experiences while we were still in high school. As adults we still maintain those types of connections. We know people who can put in a good word for us. There are power in those connections. We may not have been the best person for the job and may not have had the skills needed at first. But we were given a chance and had the opportunity to learn those skills and prove ourselves.

African-American and Hispanic kids from low-income schools and communities deserve that same opportunity.

Developing our future leaders

At the beginning of the summer, Marcus Martin, of Education is Freedom informed us at Central Dallas that we would be recipients of two interns through the Mayor's Intern Fellows program and let me know that I would get one of them.

My intern, Michael, was an extremely quiet guy when he first started working this summer. With our recent staff cutbacks, I was very excited to have been granted a free intern (sponsored by another corporation) but because of his quiet demeanor, I wasn't quite sure how to use him at first.

We started him on several administrative tasks then, as the summer progressed, he helped with our "Urban Experience" teen program. He seemed to open up as the summer went on. I admit, I felt a bit of pride and success when I saw a small grin creep across his face or heard a small chuckle from him. By involving him in our Urban Experience program, he also got to know other teens that I've worked with for many years and quickly became one of the group.

Yesterday was Michael's last day. We attended a lunch banquet sponsored by the city of Dallas, AT&T, and Education is Freedom. The banquet celebrated the first year of the mayor's vision of pairing kids from low-income schools with new opportunities and connections in order to "...produce a sense of aspiration, to give kids a chance to see what options can be later in life."

As I listened to the experiences of other teenagers participating in marketing analysis, law firms, and other corporate internships, I wondered if Michael missed out by not being at a company that could give him "bigger" career experiences than our non-profit.

Last night, however, I spoke with his grandmother. As she and I talked, she explained to me…sounding somewhat disappointed…that Michael has an overly quiet personality. She explained that she and his dad have really tried to get him out of his shell. She went on to talk about how this summer has really been good for him. She said he comes home happy and she has seen how much it has helped him. I assured her that he has now been sucked into the group of teens I call on to do different things--volunteering, college trips, and such--and that Michael's internship was only the start of a long-term access to opportunities. She seemed thrilled.

Though I often try to convince people that our education department needs more funding and needs to be allowed to grow, I don't think even I realize how important our work with kids and teens really is and how much impact it has on their development and their future.

I am very impressed with Mayor Leppert's vision and implementation of that vision. The Mayor's Intern Program provides students with the opportunity to interact with top of the line corporations and help them gain experiences that will more than likely influence their future careers.

Though I know that having high school students work at a company for the summer may sometimes seem like it could take more effort than provide benefit, I truly hope that more non-profits and corporations sign up so that next year becomes an even bigger program. I would love to see efforts like this begin in other cities and towns as well (that's a hint to all of you out there with connections!! :) ).

All of our children deserve the opportunity to "dream and envision who they can and will one day become."*

*(taken from the mission statement from our After-School Academy).

Give 'em an inch and they'll take a mile!

Opportunity.

That's all some people need.

They'll take it and run with it.

A few months ago I was asked to choose a teenager who could represent Dwaine Caraway's district 4 for the Dallas Youth Commision.

After thinking it through a while, I thought Chantel would be a good fit for the position. I don't think I could've made a better choice!

Thursday I took Chantel to the second meeting (the first one ended up being cancelled because there wasn't a quorum). As the students waited for a quorum and as I sat back in the corner reading while I waited, I heard Chantel ask the group, "Was I the only one excited to be here today?!"

I smiled to myself. I thought about how sometimes it's just a matter of noticing something in someone and then nurturing that "something special." Sometimes it just takes an opportunity to get someone going.

As we were driving to the meeting, Chantel explained to me that she had finished her activities at the school and was sitting around talking to friends when one of her friends said, "It's 6:00! You've got to get to your city council meeting!" Knowing that she was going to have to catch the bus to get to Turner Courts, where she was supposed to meet me, her friend quickly offered to drive her so she could get there on time.

It reminded me of Akeelah and the Bee....though the community isn't necessarily noticed...and though they aren't the ones given the opportunity, they come together to ensure the success of the one with the opportunity and the most apparent ability to succeed.

During the meeting they talked about starting a recycling program in each of their representative schools, doing a Youth Service Day, and using meetings to discuss and help address some of the relevant issues they see in their communities and schools. I could see Chantel's wheels turning.

On the ride home she told me how her brain was clicking and how she wrote notes about her ideas during the entire meeting. She kept thinking about the different ways to engage the school and broader community to get involved in the recycling program so that Lincoln could be the "winner"...despite the fact that she is only one person and three of the other Youth Commission members all go to Greenhill.

She has also recently been chosen to be the intern for Radio One (94.5 and 97.9) as well as the Youth Intern for Atlantic records through her radio/tv cluster at school, which she thinks will give her ideas for publicizing the recycling program.

Chantel has ideas. When I first asked her to be on the committee, she said she went around the school telling people she was going to be on the Youth Commission and asked for ideas and thoughts about what they wanted her to address with the city.

Chantel can be a change agent. She just needs the opportunity and the venue. We need to recognize and nurture so many other kids in their skills and talents that they could develop if only given the opportunity.

Kids amaze me

It doesn't matter where you go, all kids are amazing!

I wish we all took more time to watch and listen to kids. They're so fascinating...and they have so much developing talent that goes unnoticed, is stifled by adults, or is prevented from developing due to limited opportunities and resources. When given the opportunity, it is amazing to watch their gears turn while their little brains work and their natural talent kicks in.

Eden, my friend's daughter, is 6 years old and an absolutely precious little girl. As most kids do, Eden asked if she could take a picture with my camera. I was completely fascinated as she took hold of the camera and immediately began positioning her brother and I as if we were in a studio.

"Put your head down a little. ...No, the other way. Good. No, you moved! Put your head like this (positioning her brother's head)." She then stepped back and looked through the viewfinder to ensure proper composition.

Not quite there yet.

"Put your arm around Miss Janet." (moving her brother's arm around me) "Now, Miss Janet, you put your arm like this." (moving my arm the way it needed to be). She stepped back again to check things out with her photographer's eye.

She went on to reposition us several times, tilting our heads, moving us so that we weren't too horizontally aligned, scolding her brother about squirming, and composing us in a way that seemed to rival many photographers I've known. Her mom said she'd never taught her any of those skills.

Eden ended up taking some great close-up shots that I will gladly keep in my photo library. She's only six. Fortunately for Eden, she is in a family that can and will help her develop whatever passions and talents she chooses.

Unfortunately, some kids have more opportunity than others to develop their amazing abilities. Directly or indirectly, we will benefit from whatever talent Eden chooses to develop. Directly or indirectly, we will benefit (or suffer) from whatever talents we choose (or don't choose) to help develop in our children who don't have the same resources as Eden.



All kids are equally amazing. They are ALL worth our time, money, and effort...no matter where they live or who their parents are.

For the benefit of all

Where do our selfish motives and our fears come from?

I read an article in the Washington Post about the current attempts White parents are making to sway desegregation orders so that their children can get put into the best schools and avoid the worst. The "best" schools have AP classes available, multiple opportunities, challenging coursework...and are made up of primarily White children. The "worst" schools have few, if any college-prep, rigorous classes, fewer extracurricular opportunities, and lower expectations for the kids...oh yeah...and are made up of primarily Black and Hispanic children.

Here's what I don't get. These parents who are working so hard to keep their children out of the "worst" schools...why don't they go ahead and put their child in the school and then work just as diligently to fight for the same quality of education and classes at that "bad" school so that all of the children involved can benefit?? Instead, they work overtime to make sure their child avoids the "bad" school...even to the point of enrolling their child illegally in a suburban district and lying to the school about their child's enrollment until their child gets moved up on the waiting list in their own district and is able to attend the school of their (or their parent's) choice.

I suppose I'd be naive to say that I don't know why urban schools don't have more rigor, more AP classes, and other programs that middle and upper-middle class parents want for their children. On the surface, kids in those schools appear to not care...about themselves, their community, or their academic achievements. However, I know that many of these kids, with the right expectations and the right challenge, can far exceed what the schools are currently expecting of them (I've witnessed it!). Think about it, though, that's exactly why many White, middle class parents are working so hard to get their kids in other schools. They recognize that if you put a child in a situation where there is little or no opportunity to grow, they won't! The difference in these White, middle class parents than many of the parents in the area around these "bad" schools is that the White, middle class parents have the money, time, resources, connections, and knowledge of the system to make sure their child gets what they want/need.

If parents who ultimately end up with successful, academically prepared students are making sure they secure those opportunities for their own children, shouldn't we think about what they are seeking out and figure out how to offer it in all of our schools for all of our children?? I have been around kids and "systems" long enough to know that putting a few AP classes into a school is not going to draw the masses of our urban kids. It's going to take time and it's going to take an effort by everyone involved to make sure the kids know about the wealth of opportunities available, can access them (financially and physically), and are prepared for them. This cannot be done by making the opportunities available and then lowering expectations. Our kids deserve so much better than that. We need to make the opportunities available and then work to make sure our kids are prepared for the intensity of those higher expectations.

Look below the surface of what you see in urban neighborhoods and urban schools. The problems aren't the unruly and out of control kids. It's not just the parents or lack thereof of the unruly and out of control kids. The problems run so much deeper. Look at the way the system is set up. Decide if you would want your child to be in those situations. If not, help us figure out how to solve those problems at a systemic level so that every child has an opportunity to be successful.

And realize that the ones who do come out of that system successful are way more extraordinary than we ever give them credit for.

Photo Shoot at Fair Park

Recently I met a guy, Dave Herman, who has co-founded an organization called Preservation Link where the goal is, "documenting culture through the arts." I had the awesome opportunity to be involved in one of his initiatives when he asked our After-School Academy (ASA) to be involved in documenting the fair.

As nine kids from our ASA gathered at the African-American Museum, he asked the kids, "What's fun at the fair?"

That was their mission.

Each child was given a digital camera. Each child was sent out to look from the eyes of young and old alike and figure out what is fun for different people.

As we walked around, the future photographers in the ASA asked young kids, older adults, and everyone in between if they could take their picture. If people agreed, they documented their photo by asking them, "What's fun at the fair?"

Kashia Jones, a 3rd grader and a precocious child, absolutely loved the assignment! Dave talks about her in the email below:

Greetings, Janet here are just a few images from our excursion on last Thursday. I will bring all the images by the center this week so the kids can complete writing their captions and then we will put all their work on the web. I had a lot of fun and enjoyed working with your group of young folks...the little sista "Ms. Jones" was just an incredible inspiration for me and the work that I do. We have to continue creating a solid system of support for these young folks as
they matriculate through their community.

Thanks again,

David Herman, Jr.
Executive Director
Preservation LINK, Inc.
214.293-5352 office
214.337-3684 fax
www.preservationlink.org
www.thevisionbeyond.com

This link (http://www.thevisionbeyond.com/Fair_Turner) has some great photos from the day (taken by Dave). Once I get the ones that the kids took, I will post them.

I love knowing people who recognize the immense talents our kids have to offer if only they are given the chance to develop them.

Leadership

How do we find leaders? Are they born or are they developed?

Although there are born leaders, I believe there are leaders around us that many people do not see as leaders because they haven't discovered their own ability yet. I love watching people blossom. I think that's why I like Central Dallas so much. Most places look for leaders who have already demonstrated the ability to lead and whose skills are already refined. Central Dallas is different. Central Dallas takes us where we are and helps us become something we never knew we could be.

We have a small praise team at church. At church yesterday one of the ladies who normally blends in with the rest of the praise team sung the lead. She seemed to be a little nervous and somewhat timid. But if the past is any predictor of what will happen, I would say with a little time and a few more opportunities to be in the spotlight, her timidity will begin to disappear, her confidence will grow, and being in the lead will become old hat.

Over the last 11 years, I have watched Central Dallas grow...a lot! In the past, we sought out talent wherever we could find it. We each took on roles because we had to. Through that, we discovered a lot of hidden talents. As we get bigger at Central Dallas, it gets easier and easier to find already developed talent. I don't want to fall into that trap, though. I think it is important to have various degrees of talent; however, I hope we don't ever lose our focus of discovering undiscovered leaders.

Lowering expectations?? Pt. 2

One of the proposals for the South Dallas area is to make one or two of the high schools into a Police Academy and a Nursing Academy. The word "Academy" makes this sound like a very prestigious opportunity...just like the word "magnet school."

Magnet programs were set up in the late '60's and early 70's because of White Flight. As White people scattered to the suburbs to avoid integration, schools attempted forming specialized programs that would make White parents want to transport their kids back into the city to attend the higher quality magnet schools. This was never accomplished. Magnet schools, along with all urban public schools, are more segregated now than in the 70's (Jonathan Kozol, The Shame of the Nation, 2005).

Despite the eloquent ring and the good intentions of "magnets" and "academies," I have always been bothered by the actual concept of these types of schools. Two things bother me. 1) Kids are asked to decide on a career before they have any experience with life. 2) Academy and magnet schools are not necessarily higher level schools, but often glorified trade schools.

Point 1:
In order to get into an "academy" or a "magnet," students receive applications in the 8th grade. At that point, they fill out their application and choose what specialty school they would like to attend. There are several options--performing arts, humanities and communication, law, travel and tourism, etc. At 13 years old they are asked to choose their career! Whatever they choose is what they will focus on for the next four years. Those courses will be their electives. They do not have the options to choose a variety of electives to figure out if they have other interests.

Point 2:
Jay Mathews addresses the negative aspects of magnet schools in his Washington Post article, "In College Admissions, Magnets Are Negative" (November 12, 2001, A1). He points out that magnet programs often result in lower GPA's, less challenging courses, and less of a focus on academics.

So why the focus on magnet and academy schools? The reasoning I have heard for the Police and Nursing Academies are so that more kids in South Dallas will graduate from high school. To me, however, these glorified trade schools are only lowering the expectations for our South Dallas (and other urban area) students. Because we expect that they won't achieve more, we are lowering the expectations and providing more trade schools in hopes that they will have at least minimal skills. That, to me, is unacceptable.

How about instead of lowering the expecations and providing lower-academic trade schools, we provide schools that have interesting curriculum and quality teachers that challenge kids? How about we get them the help that they need to get them up to grade level in their reading, writing, and math skills? How about instead of lowering our expectations for the kids, we raise the expectations for our schools?

I'm an educator. I've seen education done in ways that could engage any child. Unfortunately, interesting education is not the norm in our lower-income schools. Instead, there is a huge focus on testing and passing those tests. There are baseline tests, practice tests, and actual tests year-round. Because the schools are so busy focusing on tests, they don't have time to focus on learning. And then we wonder why kids disengage.

The kids in South Dallas are just as intelligent as kids in the suburbs. Unfortunately for them, they are at the mercy of adults who make the decisions--adults who feel like low-level, low-income students need lower-level skill opportunities to help them get through. I disagree. I think we need to raise the level of expectations for the students, for the teachers, and for the administrators. We need to offer the students high quality, interesting learning opportunities.

Let's not put extra money into forming more academies and magnets. How about, instead, we invest our extra money in providing kids with opportunities, giving them a variety of experiences, and preparing them academically so that if they change their mind they have the option and the skills to do something different?

Art Showcase

Friday night we had the 3rd annual Art Show for our After-School Academy. I love our Art Showcase.

From about January until May, Mr. Emmanuel Gillespie is loaned to us by the South Dallas Cultural Center. He teaches the kids techniques such as using shapes and shading, then he switches up the mediums from ebony pencil to watercolors.

The Art Showcase is the culminating event for our After-School Academy. We set it up like a professional art show. The kids' pieces are framed and displayed in a gallery. Courtney Rainwater is wonderful enough to cater the event every year so that we can serve typical art show finger foods like "wine" (sparkling cider in the elegant flute glasses), cheese, fruit and finger sandwiches. Visitors bid on the kids' art through a silent auction style with all proceeds benefiting our After-School Academy.

This year our Children's Education Coordinator, Rachel Embry, expanded the Art Show from just an "art show" to an "art showcase." So not only did our painters get to display their talent, but our ballet and hip-hop classes displayed their artistic talent as well. One of my favorite parts of the art showcase is watching the apparent pride on the faces of the children.

One of my favorite parts of the art showcase is watching the apparent pride on the faces of the children.

I watched the ballet class practice in their street clothes before their performance. They did pretty good, though a little distracted and somewhat off-task. I had never seen them perform so I didn't know what to expect. Thirty minutes later I saw some transformed young ladies as they gracefully walked out in their beautiful ballet attire. I watched Jazmine, 5 years old, as she walked out much more composed, with a HUGE grin on her face. She knew she was beautiful and she was ready to perform! I was impressed with Tionna, Daijha, and Kashia's focus and poise. It was a beautiful performance that nearly drew tears.

Meanwhile, back in the gallery, DeMarcus, 9 years old, was soliciting potential bidders for his pieces. I heard several people comment on his very professional behavior as he greeted them, introduced himself, shook their hand, and then proceeded to explain each of the colors how he blended them together to make his landscape watercolor painting. I believe his piece eventually sold for $25 dollars or more, thanks to his presentations. (If you only knew the heartaches that DeMarcus used to give us about 3 years ago, you would be even more impressed with that scenario! :) )

Then, of course, there were the wonderfully supportive parents who were vying for their child's artwork. You know a child has to feel special when his mother is trying to outbid someone else to the tune of $50 for a single piece!

Our kids aren't any different than most, but they have been blessed with opportunities that allow their God-given talents to blossom. I wish our society could recognize that all kids have talent. All we have to do is figure out how to uncover that talent!

Illiteracy

A while back a lady called me at our offices. She explained to me that she needed some help. I believe she said she was around 50 years old. She had graduated from high school, but she couldn't read. She felt like people were taking advantage of her as they helped her decipher her bills. She wanted to be able to pay her own bills, to read her own statements. She said she had attended a literacy school for a while, but she wasn't catching on and I believe she ultimately quit. Her reading level was supposedly somewhere below first grade...yet she graduated from high school!! How does that happen??

After 11 years of working at Central Dallas, what I've found is that her situation isn't as far-fetched as I once thought it was. I remember when I first started working with kids here in Dallas. An 10-year old boy used to visit my apartment frequently. We tried to work on his reading skills. I was volunteering at his elementary school at the time. I'll never forget my conversation with the Assistant Principal at the time as we discussed "John's" inability to read in 4th grade. Her statement floored me. "Maybe he's reached his prime."

His prime????!!!!

At 10 years old???!!!!

You can imagine my incredulity! This child was not mentally challenged. Yet the school had decided he had reached his "prime."

Let me give yet another example:
Several years ago when I was running our University of Values summer program, I expected the teen workers to turn in journals every day. I couldn't believe the lack of writing skills of one of the 16-year old male teachers. I showed it to one of my teacher friends. As she looked at it, she commented that his skill levels were lower than some of the 3rd graders in her special ed classes!

Unfortunately, there are depressing stories after depressing stories of children not knowing how to read.

Yes, oftentimes there are reasons.

• Parents aren't always involved. Some are and some aren't--yet whether involved or not, some still end up with the same result of a having a child who struggles.
• I notice that many times parents recognize their own inability to educate their child and expect the school (the "experts") to educate their child. Some parents were in the same type of school district as a child and didn't get a great education themselves. It's not an excuse, but I think that when they don't know what to do, they expect someone who does know to do it.
• Some parents work long hours and aren't available to advocate for their child; some parents are dealing with addictions; and some parents ...well, I don't know...maybe they don't see the importance of advocating for their child.

Here's the thing, though. Regardless of what a parent does or doesn't do, a child deserves to be educated. They deserve to have that chance in life. We can sit around and talk about the parents and lament the fact that they don't do their job....OR we can begin to work toward a creative solution. I vote for the latter.

The bottom line is that children deserve to have an opportunity. And we need to be a society that makes sure that happens!

School Finance

I have to admit I am not educated enough about the politics of the school finance law that keeps coming up here in Texas. I do know that our state legislature is taxed with coming up with a solution by June. I seriously wonder if that will happen.

Basically, what I know (someone correct me if I'm wrong) is that wealthy districts had something like a cap on the amount of money they could keep for their local school out of their taxes. Any money above that amount went into a fund that then was distributed to poor schools who had a much lower tax base. Thus, the bill was appropriately called "Robin Hood."

I know no one wants to have money taken away from their schools or their children. I know that parents want the best for their children. But what about those families who do work hard and pay their taxes, yet because their job doesn't pay as well as someone else's, their child's school gets less funding? Or, here's another reality, what about the families that don't work or maybe those who are addicts and they don't put money into the system, should their child be doomed to the same type of lifestyle because his/her parent made some bad choices in life?

I am very much against charity. Probably to a fault, in some instances. However, I see education as the great equalizer...well, at least it has the potential to be. In order to be that great equalizer, we must have an equitable system. Equitable doesn't always mean the same for everybody. Many of our low-income schools and children need more just to get caught up (see tomorrow's post for a discussion on how far behind some of our children are).

Many people will say, "It's not about money." If it's not, then why are the wealthy fighting so hard to make sure that they keep all of their money?? A quote from an article by Laurie Fox in the Dallas Morning News on Sunday caught my eye:

"School districts now are more alike than different," said Cathy Bryce, the Highland Park superintendent. "But we're all in the same inadequate circumstances. Equity and adequacy has not served our children well."

I think anyone in my neighborhood would be happy if they had Highland Park's "inadequate circumstances." If "equity and adequacy" hasn't served their children well, then how are their kids still scoring at the top on tests and getting into selective schools? And what could their same "inadequate circumstances" do for those in lower-income neighborhoods who are dealing with much more inequitable and inadequate circumstances than Highland Park?

I'm sure if I were a parent in a wealthier neighborhood, I would want my child to have what I had the opportunity to give them. But, if "adequate" funding is only given to those who have money, then what happens to the districts that don't have the high tax base? Do we just have to face the fact that wealthier schools and neighborhoods get what they need and want while poorer schools just don't?? Do people in low-income neighborhoods have to keep dreaming that one of these days they'll somehow be able to afford to move out to some suburb where their children can get a better education? There's got to be a better solution.

It does amaze me that despite paying all of their taxes that ended up sending millions of dollars to lower income districts, the parents in Highland Park were still able to raise $2.5 million to pay for things like computers and teacher salaries and such. In my experience, fundraisers in my neighborhood, have brought in maybe $150-$300.

I'm not trying to put down Highland Park. Those are just figures that stood out to me in the article. Click the heading of this blog for the full article.

I don't know of a solution myself. I wish I did. I just hope as people make these decisions, they realize that kids of all economic levels have potential and deserve the opportunity of the best education possible.

"Less Fortunate"

I received an email from a college student last night...no one I've ever met or heard of before. She asked me some questions for a paper she is writing. A couple of her questions stood out to me...

What are your thoughts about public schools and how they should focus their attention on less fortunate children?

I always shudder when I hear the term "less fortunate." I sensed that this young lady was attempting to understand how to best help children in low-income situations, so I explained to her my position on the "less fortunate." My answer to her question follows:

To be quite honest, I think that they [the schools] can't think of the kids as "less fortunate." I think the schools, the teachers, and the principals have to begin noticing what the kids *do* have to offer instead of focusing on the kids' deficits. I think teachers need to have high expectations of the kids. I think as they hold these high expectations, they also need to hold the kids accountable and expect the best. In our after-school program the kids often write sloppy or may not complete their homework to their best ability. They always comment, "It's ok. The teacher doesn't care if we do it like this." By not having high expectations, I think we set the kids up for failure later. That's not fair to the kids. I also think it's very important that the teachers get to know the kids and their families as much as possible. I think that teaching has to be more than a job. Although I am very much in favor of the public schools, I think Dallas is extremely segregated--racially and economically. I think this creates extremely inequitable situations that leave poor and minority children behind.

I also encouraged her to attend our Central Dallas Book Club on May 4. Jonathan Kozol's book is about the segregated schooling that exists all across our nation and explains that our schools are more segregated now than they were right after the civil rights movement. At the book club, there will also be a parent and a teenager on a panel who will talk about the schools in south and east Dallas. Anyone is welcome.

She also asked if I thought there should be more organizations providing educational programs for children in poverty. Of course I do! However, maybe more importantly, I think there needs to be more advocacy from organizations and individuals with and for parents, kids, and families in low-income neighborhoods. After-school programs are great. Education programs are great. I don't doubt that we will always need them. But in order to work toward long-term solutions instead of temporary fixes, we've got to listen to the people in the community and work with people in the community to advocate for a better system for children in low-income neighborhoods. Everyone at least deserves the opportunity for a quality education.