The other day Wensday March 17, 2010 we had a group of teenagers come in from another place. We played a game called The Game of Life. It is basically learning how to live life as some regular people do every day around the world. We had to learn how to write checks, deposit them to the bank, work and get our paychecks, pay tickets, and we had to waste money for our necessities. Each one of us playing the game had a different life role. Some of us had a part time job that didn't cover all of our bills, some of us didn't have cars so we had to ride the bus, and some of us had kids which meant even more expenses. You had to write down your expenses or else you would go broke. This was a real life experience for me. At the end of the game it was an eye opener. I realized I had just done most of the things I would have to do when I got older and grown up. Its as if I had just grown in 20 minutes and payed bills and worked and all that stuff. It is a big important thing to have a life plan as you get older. And its really important to have a job and an education because that will get you in a good job and in a good position later on in life. With a good education and good determination I think anybody can achieve anything they set their mind to. That was my lesson learned in The Game of Life! :)
On March 18,2010, we took a field trip to Janimation Studios. Where we uncovered the process of making videos and much more. We were able to get a first hand look at were the process takes place and how. We also got to meet very inflentiual people in the animation world. One peron in pactiular was Claude Locke the Executive Producer of Janimation. Mr.Locke has been working in the animation world for the past 40 years. He is the driving force behind all the production at the Janimation Studios. Their work space was very cool and they seem to be a family. Their work is tedious and very detail orientated. JANIMATION STUDIOS ROCKS!!!!
Our mission, to spread joy to all we encounter. First stop, Roseland Gardens where the seniors live. In this picture, we are containing our excitement and energy for our mission.
Meet our new friend Novella Roberts.
Trinity, Ta'Kyra, & Novella Roberts
Meet another new friend, Margie Macky
Trinity, Titana, Iesha, & Margie Macky
Getting Down to business with some arts and crafts
I was sitting in our Parent Academy when Tameshia came up behind me, tapped me on the shoulder and said she needed to talk to me. Thinking the worst, I walked to the back with her. Once we got to the back, she explained to me, "Michael just got a $200,000 scholarship!"
I was speechless! $200,000...to SMU! Oh my goodness!
I first met Michael a few years ago when the great people at Education is Freedom provided us with a summer intern. Michael helped us get things organized that summer. Michael attends North Dallas High School. This year, when we started our Digital Connectors program out of Roseland, we recruited from North Dallas. Though we hadn't seen Michael in a couple of years, he remembered us and was one of the first people to sign up.
Though we can't take credit for all of Michael's hard work and persistence in being involved in many different programs and writing and following through on college applications and such, we can say that Michael will be more prepared technologically when he finishes Digital Connectors in May.
By May, Michael will be equipped with a Cisco IT Essentials certification that will provide him with the skills and knowledge of rebuilding computers from scratch. He will know how to create a mobile app. He will have completed a leadership skills module as well as a financial literacy module...all of which will be extremely important in college--especially at such a competitive school like SMU...and especially as an engineering major!
When Tameshia told me, I immediately went downstairs to congratulate him and do a quick interview. He reads this blog so help me in congratulating him on his amazing achievement of receiving one of only four Dedman Scholarships offered each year at SMU!
Our VP, Gerald Britt, came to my office for our meeting today. Not five minutes into our meeting, Danielle (who runs our After-School Academy) quickly came into the office apologizing for breaking in. Joshua stood around the corner as Danielle explained. Joshua had interviewed Rev. Britt during the Jr. Reporters interviews they did about two weeks ago.
Joshua saw Gerald walk in the door and immediately got excited and wanted to say hi. So, while Danielle asked permission to interrupt our meeting for a few minutes, Joshua stood around the corner. As soon as Gerald stood up to greet Joshua, I saw Joshua come around the corner with a big, somewhat shy, grin on his face. I loved the connection I saw.
The original intent of Jr. Reporters was to teach kids professional skills and interviewing techniques in hopes of encouraging a possible career in journalism and/or just developing skills that could help them in ways that could prepare them for their future. We are definitely achieving that, but an added benefit is seeing the kids excited about seeing the instant connection with the adults they interviewed.
I didn't think to capture the interaction until it was almost over so this is really short...
There's nothing like having great parents. Though I believe all parents want the best for their children, I also realize that some parents take advantage of opportunities more than others.
Brigett and Phillip Casey are two parents who are soaking up every opportunity that comes their way. They enrolled their oldest boy, LaMarcus, in our After-School Academy at the beginning of last year. It was our first year so we had an orientation to sign people up. Bridgett and Phillip were one of the first couples there.
Throughout the first year of our program, they were very supportive. They loved that we had a checkbook system where kids earned and lost "dollars" according to behavior. They had to write their gains and losses in their checkbook to keep track. Bridgett and Phillip wanted to implement the system at home so we gave them extra check registers.
This year, they signed LaMarcus up for the program and added his younger brother, Joshua. The two boys are quickly becoming experts at greeting every person who walks in the door...just like we teach--firm handshake, good eye contact, and a strong voice.
Bridgett (and sometimes Phillip) participate in our parenting LOL (Ladies Oxygen Luncheon), faithfully attends the monthly Parent Academy, and started the 10-week Play Connection I blogged about here.
Yesterday, when I talked to Miss Katrina to find out who is buying books at the Library/Bookstore, she said Bridgett and Phillip went in to buy adult books for themselves and also bought a book a piece for their two boys and their older daughter.
Though we recognize that families have other things to do and can't attend every single workshop, meeting, and event we set up, I think Bridgett and Phillip have figured out they can attend everything, gather good information, and, in the process, be a participant in their child's education and experiences.
Thanks, Bridgett and Phillip! You guys are awesome!
What do you do when the rain has gone away and the weather is beautiful? Go outside, of course! ...which is exactly what Ms. Katrina decided to do with her kids who came to the Library/Bookstore today. What a way to combine the greatest things ever...great weather and a good book!
I look at these eager readers and smile. Less than six months ago, children accessed books through their school library...maybe on a weekly basis. Today, the kids can visit the library/bookstore on a daily basis...and they do!
I was asking Katrina how the library was coming along. She handed me $11.50 in sales just from last week! I asked her who was buying the books. She explained to me that two new boys, Jerry and Rome, have started coming to the library. Both are about 10 years old. They're best buddies and they can't get enough of the library. They come right after school, grab a book, sit off to themselves and read silently. When they're finished reading their book, they scrounge up money and buy it. Since they've been coming, they buy about a book a day.
I had to chuckle. Katrina said she has to warn them to swallow their food. Not sure what she was talking about, she explained that since they library is open until 7:30, their parents come to get them for dinner. The boys say that they will be right back as they sprint to the house and get back as fast as they can...just so they can read some more.
The great thing is...they're not the only ones enjoying the library/bookstore services. I'll post about that later...
My to-do list never seems to end. Sometimes I have to realize my workload will never go away no matter how hard I try and recognize visiting the programs are sometimes the best thing I can do.
At lunchtime, I decided to check out our LOL (Ladies Oxygen Luncheon) led by Dr. Rhonda, a pediatrician in our clinic. LOL is an opportunity for current, future, and seasoned parents to come together and talk about different parenting and relationship issues. The number and variety of women at the luncheon were impressive--a young mother, pregnant with her 3rd...a couple of mother/daughter pairs...grandparents. Some parents came on their lunch breaks. I was encouraged by the attendance. Our CEO once told me, "people vote with their feet." It seems to me the parents in our community are voting.
Play Connection, an interactive support group on play for parents and children, met this evening. Though a smaller number of parents came, their engagement was energizing! When I arrived, Joshua was saying his "cloud" was when he didn't get to play with his daddy. His "sun" was when he did. At Play Connection, the kids get to play and interact with their parents. Parents and kids work together to create activities together out of very easily accessible materials. The energy in the room was contagious!
When one person said, "Great job!" to a child, other parents followed. Clapping, compliments, and celebrations were in abundance. I heard more "excuse me's" and "I'm sorry" from the kids when talking to each other. The smiles tell the story.
The homework assignment given to the parents when they left? "Play with your kids for 30 minutes this week." After this evening, I don't think that will be a problem.
Every first Saturday of the month, Home Depot has a Kids’ Workshop. Kids’ Workshop is so awesome! This month the kids got to build rain gauges.
Off to work we go!!! Jaden, Hakim, and Aviant went to Home Depot for Kids’ Workshop. They brought along their friend Kanye, Jaden’s little brother, Jayvion, and Hakim’s little brother, Izayha. What a day!!!
Getting down to business…
Tools, tools, and more tools... We like this : )
Brothers working together, Hakim & Izayha...
All in a days work….
The man in the middle, he is our new friend, Paul.
In case you just couldn't roll out of bed...or forgot to...this morning, here is our WFAA Channel 8 segment on the Roseland After School Academy and Dallas South News Jr. Reporters.
Last Thursday, WFAA (Channel 8) came out to visit the After School Academy and video a piece that will air on their After the Bell segment. As was expected, we prepared for their visit and chose two of the kids in the Jr. Reporters program and Shawn Williams, President and founder of Dallas South News (also the founder of our Jr. Reporters program) to speak to Chris Flanagan, the reporter for the event.
However, before they left, our Jr. Reporters turned the tables on them. Ishmael asked to sit down with Chris in order to conduct his own interview. You can see the preview of the segment in the video above.
Watch the entire segment tomorrow morning at 6:20 a.m. on WFAA Channel 8.
We found out yesterday that Channel 8 liked the segment so much, they put it at the end of their "sweeps" period (for those of you who are journalists, I'm assuming you know what that means. For those of us who aren't, I've been told it's a really good thing! :) )
Prior to Miss Janet leaving to Guatemala, the students in Ms. Katrina's and Ms. Tameshia's classes read "Flat Stanley". After the reading, the kids were challenged to write their own stories of how they became flat and create their very on "Flat Friend". The snow days trumped our flat friend creations, so Ms. Katrina and I created two flat friends in the images of two our students (Lamarcus and Tytiana) to travel to Guatemala with Ms. Janet.
Enjoy some of their stories below....
"I was fighting with my brother and he sat on me to make me flat."--Lamarcus
According to Niesha, our class has become flat on many occasions....
"Once we were at the NBA Jam Session playing basketball against Dirk and the Mavs. He fell on our entire team while trying to dunk and smashed us all flat."
"Another time... we were walking to the After School Academy after school when a very STRONG wind blew us into the side of a building and smashed us. In order to get normal, we rode through the wind on a giant leaf to the nearest gas station. At the gas station, we used the tire air pump to get back to normal."
----
Soon, we will be sending out the rest of our "Flat Friends" to other places around the world. If you're interested, in hosting our "Flat Friends", please email: roselandasa@gmail.com. (Please include "Flat Friends" in the subject line)
Iesha is our thinker. Every time it takes her a minute to remember something, she puts her finger up to her temple. Somehow, I guess that finger has magical powers because she soon remembers. I love it! :)
You can see her thinking in progress in this video below:
Lamarcus was complaining about his knee hurting, so our very own "Dr." Iesha took a moment to share some of what she learned at physical therapy with Miss Janet. She gave his knee a massage and shortly after he exclaimed "My knee is better now!"
In March, both Digital Connectors and Teen University, will be engaging in a series of financia literacy activities. Their first assignment was to purchase enough snacks for 25 people with a budget of $125 for our trip to Huston-Tillotson and University of Texas. It was not an easy task to accommodate the taste buds of some many people but Shannon, Chisa, and Alexcia did a wonderful job working together and staying in budget. Their bill was $124.88!
"Shine" on them for staying after the program hours to make a brown bag of snacks for each person and for accepting the challenge.
Lamarcus, Joshua, and Hakim attended the "Kids Workshop" series at Home Depot with Mr. Phillip and Mr. Casey. For the first workshop the boys made a car display rack. Check out the pictures below. Next month, they will be creating rain gauges.
I haven't seen it, but when I took the tour, they talked about the Mayan calendar and how 2012 was what the Mayans have always said would be the end of a cycle. The movie is based on the Mayans' theory.
Visiting Tikal taught me a lot about the sophistication of the Mayan people. They made temples with exact precision...had elaborate structure and jobs/responsibilities for each person...and created an amazing calendar system.
On my last night in Guatemala, Natalia, Laura, and Esteban asked if they could make their own Flat Stanley's. So...here is the result.
Natalia is a doctor and was crossing the street while attending Harvard University and a car ran over her...making her flat.
Esteban is a Saints football player. He was walking through Price Smart (the Guatemalan Sam's Club) when, all of a sudden, one of the large boxes on the very top fell and flattened him.
Laura is a princess. There are many volcanoes around Guatemala City. The volcano erupted and a piece of volcanic rock fell on her and made her flat.
Janet (me) had just come back from the beach. We were all relaxing on the bed when Laura and Juan Luis dogpiled me. I was completely flattened.
Being flat has it's advantages. The flat people have gotten to explore a whole new world...and make new friends. Here are our new friends from Guatemala:
If you'd like to be a flat friend with us, here is a way to get started:
Let us know how you became flat and send your photo of your flat person to roselandasa@gmail.com so we can post it along with your story. We'd love to be your friend, too!
The other day Wensday March 17, 2010 we had a group of teenagers come in from another place. We played a game called The Game of Life. It is basically learning how to live life as some regular people do every day around the world. We had to learn how to write checks, deposit them to the bank, work and get our paychecks, pay tickets, and we had to waste money for our necessities. Each one of us playing the game had a different life role. Some of us had a part time job that didn't cover all of our bills, some of us didn't have cars so we had to ride the bus, and some of us had kids which meant even more expenses. You had to write down your expenses or else you would go broke. This was a real life experience for me. At the end of the game it was an eye opener. I realized I had just done most of the things I would have to do when I got older and grown up. Its as if I had just grown in 20 minutes and payed bills and worked and all that stuff. It is a big important thing to have a life plan as you get older. And its really important to have a job and an education because that will get you in a good job and in a good position later on in life. With a good education and good determination I think anybody can achieve anything they set their mind to. That was my lesson learned in The Game of Life! :)
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