Friday, June 12, 2009
How can you expect me to care more about the ROC than Jay and Dam do?
Everyone knows that Jay and Dam are the face and two of the original founders of Roca Fella. That is their company! The way they want to run it is up to them. The same goes for all other establishments. We all care about various organizations and programs we are a part of. But we cannot care about it more than the people who are in power and the elders who have been in the game for some time. People ask me often to speak out about things that are not in the best interest of the people that it is suppose to be. Whether it is players on a team or students in a program, I can only be responsible for me and mine. A smart man once told me you cannot trust any program that is not your own, period! Have a problem with the powers to be, step out and start your own in love and unity! Need some support, get at me. I have your back with no strings attached!
Thursday, June 11, 2009
My LTW Experience - Draft I
The routine is not the same now; I no longer get in my first self purchased vehicle (Buick) and take my 10 minute commute to work in Frankford. I can no longer arrive when I want and leave when I want. I cannot take off days I do not feel like getting up or even days when things go wrong and I do not feel well. My life has changed and it will no longer be the same.
For my entire adult life, I have only had one full-time job before working LTW Overbrook. I worked for Carson Valley, which is the sponsor organization for Frankford Freedom School. This is a reading summer enrichment program that I worked for since the age of 14. I entered as a high school intern and then became a college intern once I graduated from High school. The elders of the program notice something special about me during my tenure with this program. I was given promotion after promotion until I was the supervisor of all youth programs. Where do I go from here? Is this what I want to do with my life?
Carson Valley was a great opportunity for me, but it was not something I could do for the rest of my life. I wanted more! So I applied for a position at Overbrook, with no intentions of getting the job. I eventually got hired. It was a tough decision for me but I decided to leave my comfort zone and try to explore something new.
Overbrook has been a great wake up call for me. It gave me a chance to work with Teens on a daily basis, outside of my comfort zone. It taught me that I do not know as much as I thought I did. I am not as good as I thought I was. The students here did not get the message that I wanted them to. There still do not understand the value and importance of education. Some students do realize that they need grades to move forward. Others do not care about moving forward. Most do not truly understand education and the fact that it is any and everywhere. You have to wake up today and know more than you did yesterday (period). Coming in, I wanted to stress the importance of education so in turn, students would begin to self educate. I tried to teach them that the education we get from our inner-city Philadelphia schools, in most cases, do not effectively prepare us for life after high school. It is up to us to help get that information ourselves and disperse it to one another. For most, they never truly got this message and do not care to get new information.
Each component I brought to LTW was presented with a purpose. Some of the material was things that I was not introduced to in school. I though there were several opportunities of material presented those students did not take advantage of. DEAR Time was supposed to help improve our ability to focus with distraction. How many students actually read each Tuesday and Thursday for 15 minutes with no distractions? I presented Ethic Notions as a film. How many students came to school that day, let alone watch the film and understood what was going on? We reviewed a budget on what the cost of living is right now if you were to live by yourself. How many people followed up on the project to see what profession they could attack that would make them enough money? I can go on with several projects we did that student did not truly understand the purpose. For that, I must look at myself as well and recognize that I must change my delivery for the different audience.
Most students feel like they know what's best and that is the final word. I understand our students have issues, but our students act is if they are the only students or the fist students to attend school with issues. People have had issues since schools have had walls. That is no reason to not get an education. We use any and everything as an excuse to not learn. Students act like they're incapable of functioning without their electronics as if they are going to miss out on an event. It is sad looking at some of the students but there is still hope.
I look forward to working with the students in the summer who were not as successful as I would have liked. I plan to come with different activities and concepts that I hope will in turn get the students to understand how serious their life is right now. I care about each student in LTW. I think they do not understand that. I tried so hard to dance the line between teaching those things they will need in life and not overbearing them with work which would have forced most of them to fail. It is heartbreaking watching a movie you have seen dozens of times and you already know how the story ends. Especially when the characters in the movie cannot see what's really going on even when you tell them they're headed down the wrong path.
For my entire adult life, I have only had one full-time job before working LTW Overbrook. I worked for Carson Valley, which is the sponsor organization for Frankford Freedom School. This is a reading summer enrichment program that I worked for since the age of 14. I entered as a high school intern and then became a college intern once I graduated from High school. The elders of the program notice something special about me during my tenure with this program. I was given promotion after promotion until I was the supervisor of all youth programs. Where do I go from here? Is this what I want to do with my life?
Carson Valley was a great opportunity for me, but it was not something I could do for the rest of my life. I wanted more! So I applied for a position at Overbrook, with no intentions of getting the job. I eventually got hired. It was a tough decision for me but I decided to leave my comfort zone and try to explore something new.
Overbrook has been a great wake up call for me. It gave me a chance to work with Teens on a daily basis, outside of my comfort zone. It taught me that I do not know as much as I thought I did. I am not as good as I thought I was. The students here did not get the message that I wanted them to. There still do not understand the value and importance of education. Some students do realize that they need grades to move forward. Others do not care about moving forward. Most do not truly understand education and the fact that it is any and everywhere. You have to wake up today and know more than you did yesterday (period). Coming in, I wanted to stress the importance of education so in turn, students would begin to self educate. I tried to teach them that the education we get from our inner-city Philadelphia schools, in most cases, do not effectively prepare us for life after high school. It is up to us to help get that information ourselves and disperse it to one another. For most, they never truly got this message and do not care to get new information.
Each component I brought to LTW was presented with a purpose. Some of the material was things that I was not introduced to in school. I though there were several opportunities of material presented those students did not take advantage of. DEAR Time was supposed to help improve our ability to focus with distraction. How many students actually read each Tuesday and Thursday for 15 minutes with no distractions? I presented Ethic Notions as a film. How many students came to school that day, let alone watch the film and understood what was going on? We reviewed a budget on what the cost of living is right now if you were to live by yourself. How many people followed up on the project to see what profession they could attack that would make them enough money? I can go on with several projects we did that student did not truly understand the purpose. For that, I must look at myself as well and recognize that I must change my delivery for the different audience.
Most students feel like they know what's best and that is the final word. I understand our students have issues, but our students act is if they are the only students or the fist students to attend school with issues. People have had issues since schools have had walls. That is no reason to not get an education. We use any and everything as an excuse to not learn. Students act like they're incapable of functioning without their electronics as if they are going to miss out on an event. It is sad looking at some of the students but there is still hope.
I look forward to working with the students in the summer who were not as successful as I would have liked. I plan to come with different activities and concepts that I hope will in turn get the students to understand how serious their life is right now. I care about each student in LTW. I think they do not understand that. I tried so hard to dance the line between teaching those things they will need in life and not overbearing them with work which would have forced most of them to fail. It is heartbreaking watching a movie you have seen dozens of times and you already know how the story ends. Especially when the characters in the movie cannot see what's really going on even when you tell them they're headed down the wrong path.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Kobe vs Lebron
If you had to pick one player right now, for one season, based on the skills they have right now... who would you take?
I am taking Kobe and I will explain why later...
I am taking Kobe and I will explain why later...
Monday, May 18, 2009
Friday, May 8, 2009
William Penn HS
There is an effort to try and save one of the oldest and historical rich high schools in Philadelphia. People are asked to try and take part in this effort whatever way their time allows them to. Some of the things that need to be done are:
- Continue to canvass the community and parents.
- Hold meetings every Tuesday at the Friends Neighborhood Guild at 6:00pm
- Working on a documentary for the issue
- Asking everyone to get 100 petition signatures each
- Writing articles to media contacts.
- Testifying at the SRC Meetings May 13th, May 20th, and June 10th at 2:00pm
- Establishing walk through(s) for investors and partners who can sponsor the redevelopment of the school into a 5 academy model featuring healthcare, communications/technology, arts/entertainment, vocational education, and a Parent University. Of course Out of School Time Programming and Community Development Programming.
One of the community leaders who is taking a leadership role in this project had the following to say:
" We can use all the support we can get in communicating the issue to everyone who is concerned regarding the change in our communities and the education of our children. This Tuesday we will be presenting a powerpoint on our progress and work around the issue and looking to involve more folks (May 12th at 6:00pm, Friends Neighborhood Guild)."
Thanks,
Bunmi Samuel
215-989-9809
- Continue to canvass the community and parents.
- Hold meetings every Tuesday at the Friends Neighborhood Guild at 6:00pm
- Working on a documentary for the issue
- Asking everyone to get 100 petition signatures each
- Writing articles to media contacts.
- Testifying at the SRC Meetings May 13th, May 20th, and June 10th at 2:00pm
- Establishing walk through(s) for investors and partners who can sponsor the redevelopment of the school into a 5 academy model featuring healthcare, communications/technology, arts/entertainment, vocational education, and a Parent University. Of course Out of School Time Programming and Community Development Programming.
One of the community leaders who is taking a leadership role in this project had the following to say:
" We can use all the support we can get in communicating the issue to everyone who is concerned regarding the change in our communities and the education of our children. This Tuesday we will be presenting a powerpoint on our progress and work around the issue and looking to involve more folks (May 12th at 6:00pm, Friends Neighborhood Guild)."
Thanks,
Bunmi Samuel
215-989-9809
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Zeke's Playoffs Picks-- Second Round
Last round was not to bad for me. I was 6 for 8 with my picks overall and hit 3 picks right on the nose. These are my picks for the second round of the NBA Playoffs. Should go 4 for 4 this round!
East
Cavs over Hawks in 6
Celtics over Magic in 7
West
Lakers over Rockets in 6
Nuggets over Mavs in 5
East
Cavs over Hawks in 6
Celtics over Magic in 7
West
Lakers over Rockets in 6
Nuggets over Mavs in 5
Friday, May 1, 2009
"I Care and I Am Willing to Serve"by Marian Wright Edelman
Lord I cannot preach like Martin Lurther King, Jr.
or turn a poetic phrase like Maya Angelou
but I care and am willing to serve.
I do not have Fred Shuttlesworth's and HarrietTubman's courage
or Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt's political skills
but I care and am willing to serve.
I cannot sing like Fannie Lou Hamer
or organize like Ella Baker and Bayard Rustin
but I care and am willing to serve.
I am not holy like Archbishop Tutu,
forgiving like Mandela, or disciplined like Gandhi
but I care and am willing to serve.
I am not brilliant like Dr. W.E.B. Du Bois or
Elizabeth Cady Stanton, or as eloquent as
Sojourner Truth and Booker T. Washington
but I care and am willing to serve.
I have not Mother Teresa's saintliness,
Dorothy Day's love or Cesar Chavez's
gentle tough spirit
but I care and am willing to serve.
God it is not as easy as it used to be
to frame an issue and forge a solution
but I care and am willing to serve.
My mind and body are not so swift as in youth
and my energy comes in spurts
but I care and am willing to serve.
I'm so young
nobody will listen
I'm not sure what to say or do
but I care and am willing to serve.
I can't see or hear well
speak good English, stutter sometimes, am afraid of criticism
and get real scared standing up before others
but I care and am willing to serve.
* This is a piece I like to refer to as a reminder that you do not have to posses some special talent to serve!
or turn a poetic phrase like Maya Angelou
but I care and am willing to serve.
I do not have Fred Shuttlesworth's and HarrietTubman's courage
or Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt's political skills
but I care and am willing to serve.
I cannot sing like Fannie Lou Hamer
or organize like Ella Baker and Bayard Rustin
but I care and am willing to serve.
I am not holy like Archbishop Tutu,
forgiving like Mandela, or disciplined like Gandhi
but I care and am willing to serve.
I am not brilliant like Dr. W.E.B. Du Bois or
Elizabeth Cady Stanton, or as eloquent as
Sojourner Truth and Booker T. Washington
but I care and am willing to serve.
I have not Mother Teresa's saintliness,
Dorothy Day's love or Cesar Chavez's
gentle tough spirit
but I care and am willing to serve.
God it is not as easy as it used to be
to frame an issue and forge a solution
but I care and am willing to serve.
My mind and body are not so swift as in youth
and my energy comes in spurts
but I care and am willing to serve.
I'm so young
nobody will listen
I'm not sure what to say or do
but I care and am willing to serve.
I can't see or hear well
speak good English, stutter sometimes, am afraid of criticism
and get real scared standing up before others
but I care and am willing to serve.
* This is a piece I like to refer to as a reminder that you do not have to posses some special talent to serve!
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