The Homewood Star August 2014 by Starnes Media

The Homewood Star Volume 4 | Issue 5 | August 2014

neighborly news & entertainment for Homewood

Back to fun

August brings the return of the annual Back to School Bash. Find the details on this and other events inside.

Community page A17

Something’s abuzz Beginning this fall, students in four grades will access digital textbooks through computers and other devices. Photo by Jessa Pease.

Not your mama’s textbook Homewood students to start using interactive “tech books” this year Learn about the honeybee production at two Edgewood families’ homes in this issue.

Feature page B1

INSIDE Sponsors ................. A4 City ........................... A5 Business .................. A7 Food ..........................A10 Community ............. A12 School House ......... B5 Sports ...................... B9 Calendar ................. B14 Opinion .................... B15

By MADOLINE MARKHAM Students will receive a username and password in place of a textbook in Cristy York’s geography class this month. This combination of letters and numbers will grant them entry into a new online “tech book.” Once logged in, these seventh-graders can study the relationship between population density and climate in a certain continent through an interactive world atlas. With a click, they can

uncover both primary and secondary sources or find an encyclopedia-like entry for a word. They can also highlight text, make a note, change the text into a different reading level or hear it read aloud in Spanish. Once a week, they can watch a new current events video that is posted to the “book.” “It provides a lot of types of sources and a lot more rich material than just a straight textbook page,” York said. All fifth- through eighth-grade students in Homewood City Schools will use these Discovery Education Tech Books for social studies starting this fall. In the past, gaps between new textbook adoptions have meant that students don’t have easy access to the latest maps and interpretation of

Why these tech books? Why now? Every year Alabama schools adopt a new curriculum for one subject and then adopt a new textbook for the subject the next year. With the recession in the past decade, adoption in some

See TEXTBOOK | page A19

Changing lanes Oxmoor Boulevard project moves forward By SYDNEY CROMWELL

facebook.com/thehomewoodstar

Pre-Sort Standard U.S. Postage PAID Birmingham, AL Permit #656

history. But with tech books, the text will be constantly updated. If a map is redrawn, students will have access to it in real time. HCS Director of Instructional Support Patrick Chappell believes it will make students want to click around and learn more. Chappell further explained the role these books will play in social studies classrooms starting this month.

Residents discuss the Oxmoor improvements project with representatives from the city, ALDOT and the engineering firm Gonzalez-Strength & Associates. Photo by Sydney Cromwell.

An improvement project on Oxmoor Boulevard is moving closer to becoming a reality, but some residents who live near the planned construction are hesitant about its benefits. The Homewood City Council has been at work for months on a traffic improvement project to span from the Oxmoor Boulevard/Green Springs

Highway intersection to Barber Court. At its June 23 meeting, the council authorized Mayor Scott McBrayer to execute right-of-way acquisition and construction and utility agreements with the State of Alabama for the project. The project will add new east and westbound lanes on Oxmoor

See PROJECT | page A19

A2 â&#x20AC;˘ August 2014

The Homewood Star

TheHomewoodStar.com

August 2014 • A3

You want the best for your family.

e best hospital and the best care.

Only one hospital is consistently rated best in the Birmingham region and the state for heart failure, heart attack, pneumonia, surgical care and overall care. So when you choose a hospital, choose the best.

Number One.

Trinity currently achieves the highest ratings among all hospitals in the Birmingham area in all ve major process of care categories reviewed by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Trinity is the only hospital in the state to achieve 100% scores in its overall performance, and one of only 21 hospitals nationwide. But don’t take our word for it. Visit HospitalCompare.com or WhyNot

Our Hospital Tomorrow.

eBest.org.

Listening to Our Patients.

W look forward We f rward to relocating fo relocat a ing to our new home on Highway at Highw h ay hw a 280 in early earl rly rl ly 2016. e new Grandview Gran a dv an dvi view Medical a Center will al w ll transform wi transfo f rm healthcare fo healt l hcare across the region: lt • Surgical suites out tted with minimally inv n asive equipment like robotic and nv invasive microscopic technologies • State-off the-art imaging allowing fState-of-the-art the highest levels of visibility and resolution av aavailable ailable • Patient rooms designed to maximize healing and minimize disturbances • Automated delivery systems that connect patient oors to laboratory and administrative areas to speed the transport of lab specimens, reports and paperwork paperwork.

Our greatest source of information – and inspiration – is you: the patients and families who entrust us with their healthcare. T make sure we’re To not only meeting your needs but exceeding your expectations, we reach out to patients discharged fr ffrom om our hospital to ensure they understand fo ffollow-up llow-up care we’ve and medication instructions. In the last fo ffour ur years, we’v called approximately 57,000 patients at home. By listening to patients, and acting on their fe ffeedback, edback, satisfaction increased our patient satisf sfa sf faction scores score r s have incre re r ased 27%. re

trinitymedicalonline.com * Information re ects data and rankings provided by HospitalCompare.com, the O cial U.S. Government Site for Medicare, and WhyNot

eBest.org.

The Homewood Star

A4 • August 2014

About Us

Photo of the Month

Please Support our Community Partners

Musicians gathered in Homewood Central Park last month for Pickin’ in the Park, an event held by the Homewood Arts Council. Photo by Julia Olsson.

Send your submissions for Photo of the Month to editor@thehomewoodstar.com

Editor’s Note By Madoline Markham People are often surprised that I can’t name the 24th president of the United States. Yes, I tell them, I have a degree in history, but no, earning it did not transform my brain into a Wikipedia of facts. Often, I confess, History Channel junkies can spout off more of the dates and names I memorized for tests in middle and high school than I can. Instead, poring over historical texts made me think and analyze critically in a way I could not have conceptualized as I answered questions at the end of a chapter and wrote out vocabulary definitions for so many years growing

up. I couldn’t approach my job in the same way I do today if my training simply involved memorizing the name Grover Cleveland, the number 24 and a list of three things he accomplished. Today, Homewood students don’t have to wait until college to learn more than facts, as fellow history major Dr. Patrick Chappell shared with me in his office in Homewood City Schools. Starting in elementary school, they are stepping beyond rote question answering and fact memorizing. Tools like the new social studies Tech Book the school system is adopting this year (see cover story) teach them to analyze,

to evaluate and to synthesize, and as Chappell explained, learning to think is what will prepare them for the jobs that we can’t even conceptualize today. That, I think, will excite even those of you whom I have bored with my diatribe on the study of history. I wish I could write personal essays on connections to all the stories in the rest of this issue too, but instead, I will let you discuss bees, a new milk bank, gardens, festivals and, of course, football, with your neighbors and friends. As always, we love to hear your feedback on Facebook or by emailing editor@ thehomewoodstar.com as well. Cheers to new chapters! Apparently you can open them on an iPad these days.

The Homewood Star

Publisher: Creative Director: Managing Editor: Sports Editor: Staff Writers:

Editorial Assistant: Graphic Designer: Advertising Manager: Sales and Distribution:

Copy Editor: Contributing Writer: Intern: Published by:

Dan Starnes Keith McCoy Madoline Markham David Knox Katie Turpen Jessa Pease Sydney Cromwell Madison Miller Emily VanderMey Matthew Allen Rhonda Smith Warren Caldwell Michelle Salem Haynes Nathan Pearman Morgan Robinson Louisa Jeffries Lauren Denton Olivia Burton Homewood Star LLC

Contact Information: The Homewood Star #3 Office Park Circle, Suite 316 Birmingham, AL 35223 313-1780 Dan@TheHomewoodStar.com

Please submit all articles, information and photos to: Editor@TheHomewoodStar.com P.O. Box 530341 Birmingham, AL 35253

For advertising contact: Dan@TheHomewoodStar.com Legals: The Homewood Star is published monthly. Reproduction or use of editorial or graphic content without prior permission is prohibited. The Homewood Star is designed to inform the Homewood community of area school, family and community events. Information in The Homewood Star is gathered from sources considered reliable but the accuracy cannot be guaranteed. All articles/photos submitted become the property of The Homewood Star. We reserve the right to edit articles/photos as deemed necessary and are under no obligation to publish or return photos submitted. Inaccuracies or errors should be brought to the attention of the publisher at (205) 313-1780 or by email.

Please recycle this paper.

Alabama Allergy & Asthma Center (A7) Alabama Outdoors (A17) Alabama Power (A14) Alabama Symphony Orchestra (A5) Batts’ Chimney Services (B2) Bedzzz Express (A20) Birmingham Speech and Hearing Associates (B3) Brighter Image Dentistry (B4) Children’s of Alabama (A13) Classic Gardens (A10) Construx (B14) Cryotherapy Birmingham (B2) Edgewood Fine Jewelry (A9) Fab’rik (A11) Fi-Plan Partners (B5) First Lenders Mortgage Corp. (A8) Fred Smith Group (A10) Home Care Associates (B11) Homewood Chamber of Commerce (A2) Homewood Family and Cosmetic Dentistry (B6) Homewood Parks and Rec (B12) Homewood Toy & Hobby (A7) Iz Cafe (A15) Johnny Montgomery Realtor (A18) Julie Ivy White (B9) Just Happy Hounds (B7) Kidz Closet Consignment (B8) Mary House Kessler, Ph.D (B13) My Ultimate Mattress (B9) Nancy Callahan Remax Advantage (B11) On Time Service (B13) Oxmoor Valley Orthodontics (A8) Premier Psychiatry (B8) RealtySouth Marketing (A9) Salem’s Diner (B13) Samford Academy of the Arts (B10) Sikes Childrens Shoes (B8) Simply Ponds (A12) The Maids (A12) The Wade Team (B3) Trinity Medical Center (A3) UAB Medicine (A19) UAB School of Public Health (A12) Vision Gymnastics (A18) Vitalogy Wellness Center (A6, B15) Watts Realty (A1) Weigh To Wellness (A16) Wendy Kanable (B9) YMCA of Greater Birmingham (B1)

TheHomewoodStar.com

August 2014 • A5

City City Council updates

Mi Pueblo received a beer and wine retail license for its new store and restaurant, which opened with a ribbon cutting last month. Photo by Nathan Pearman.

During its July meetings, the City Council: • Approved the mayor to enter into a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program Cooperation Agreement with Jefferson County. The CDBG will provide funds for new sidewalks in Rosedale. • Banned “Jake braking” within the city limits of Homewood. Jake braking is a way of slowing large diesel trucks with a compression release engine brake, which often produces excessive noise. Violating this ban, except in case of emergency, will result in a $500 fine or up to six months in jail. • Banned parking on Linden Avenue between 28th Avenue South and Reese Street. • Authorized the mayor to enter a contract with GOVT PORTAL, a company that will enable residents to make credit card payments to the municipal court online, by phone or in person. Chief Magistrate John Morgan said the court already offers this service, but is switching to GOVT PORTAL

because it charges a flat convenience fee. The company the court currently uses has a fluctuating fee, and this changing amount is passed on to residents when they pay the court. • Granted an off-premises beer and wine retail license to Mi Pueblo Supermarket and a restaurant retail liquor license to PT’s Grill and Pub. • Approved the closure of Village Lane at Brookwood Village to vehicle traffic on two different dates. On Thursday, July 31, the road will be closed from noon to 10 p.m. as the mall hosts a concert with 103.7 The Q. The concert will last from 6 to 8 p.m. and feature MKTO, the band made famous by the popular song “Classic.” The event is free and open to the public. The second closure date is Monday, Aug. 4, from 1 to 10 p.m. Author Paul Finebaum will be at Books-a-Million for a book signing from 6 to 8 p.m. The street will be closed because large crowds are expected for the signing and a tailgate-style party in the street.

Council representative resigns By SYDNEY CROMWELL Jenifer Champ Wallis, the Ward 4 Place 1 council member, resigned from her position at the July 14 City Council meeting. She has moved to Los Angeles to continue practicing law at a new firm. At the meeting, Mayor Scott McBrayer and city council members shared their appreciation of Wallis’ service on the council, support of the Homewood Arts Council and friendship. The council also presented her with Resolution 14-68, declaring their gratitude and best wishes for her future. “I’m going to miss everything about the council,” Wallis said. “They are the hardest-working group of people and the kindest and generous and most loyal. I’ve really been honored to serve on the council.” Wallis also said she would miss Homewood’s close community and public involvement in local government. She began serving on the city council in 2012, and her term was not set to end until 2016. The

Jennifer Champ Wallis stands in the City Council Chambers in SoHo at her last council meeting. Photo by Sydney Cromwell.

city council accepted applications through July 25 for someone to serve the rest of her term. Visit thehomewoodstar.com to find out who will be replacing Wallis.

City considers design review board By SYDNEY CROMWELL The Homewood Planning and Development Committee began discussion of a design review board at its July 21 meeting. A design review board would regulate the appearance of residential and commercial buildings, including materials, size and design. A design review board was first proposed in 2009, but the idea has been renewed because of negative public response to a home planned on Sutherland Place. The home is a modern, twostory design, and some neighbors believe it does not belong on a street of historic bungalows. If Homewood had a design review board, all new construction and renovations would have to be approved by it. The board could choose

to reject a design if the members feel it does not fit the city’s design regulations or character. At its first discussion, the Planning and Development Committee heard from residents on both sides of the issue. Supporters said a design review board would preserve historic houses and maintain each neighborhood’s atmosphere. Opponents said regulating design would limit visual diversity and creativity in the city. The committee does not yet have an idea of how the design review board, if implemented, will operate. The discussion has been carried over to the next planning meeting, and committee members will be studying Mountain Brook and Birmingham’s design review boards in the meantime.

A6 • August 2014

Mayor’s Minute

Dear Friends and Neighbors, It’s hard to believe the summer is almost gone. I promised in an earlier Mayor’s Minute I would send the latest numbers on the membership status of the Homewood Community Center. As of July 15, the average daily attendance at the pool is 756. We have had 42,136 people use the pool since it opened, and the highest amount ever used by the previous pool was 32,188. We have had more than 10,000 use the weight room since it opened and averaged around 155 people per day, compared to the previous weight rooms’ average attendance at 70. In addition, we are averaging 246 people per day in the gym and game rooms compared to the previous average of 61 per day. That’s quite a difference. I think it is safe to say the new center has been a tremendous hit this summer and trust you have been one of the many enjoying the facilities. I know I say this every year, but with school starting, it is so important to watch out for the children. Most of them will be excited and walking to school, some for the first time. Please remember to slow down and look out for them just as you would your own. While on the subject of traffic, I would like to address some of the concerns my office has received over the past few weeks about the parking and traffic at Broadway Street and Carr Avenue. As you know, we have some popular businesses in the area, and parking seems to be at a premium. It has gotten to the point that this has become

a public safety issue, since my ﬁre trucks cannot come down Carr to Broadway when making a call in that direction. There are simply too many vehicles parked along Carr and Broadway. This also causes some sight distance issues when trying to turn left onto Broadway from Carr. Painting curbs yellow to restrict some of the parking has helped very little. In an effort to alleviate the dangers and the congestion, I have proposed to the council some recommendations in order to help with this public safety issue. I have asked council to prohibit parking at Carr and Broadway and utilize one of the lanes on short Saulter as an alternative. There is enough room to parallel park 27 cars in one of the unused lanes, which will make

that intersection easier to navigate. I have also asked them to consider putting in a sidewalk and some decorative lighting to enhance the area and allow parking for the businesses there as well as create parking for Tribute Park. I believe, if done correctly, we can adequately address the public safety issues and enhance the area at the same time. Continuing with the thought of public safety, I would like to also thank the Homewood Police Officers (in particular the Patrol Division) for their hard work this summer in helping to deter speeding within our neighborhoods and roadways. They traditionally patrol their beat and answer calls they receive when help is needed. A new request for them to increase the number of speeding stops can certainly take a toll on the officers and adds to their already high demand to answer service calls in a timely manner. One day alone yielded 116 service calls. Over the past year, patrol has increased their activity nearly 57 percent, and the number of stops and tickets has increased dramatically thanks to the efforts of Patrol. For this reason, I am seriously considering creating a new Traffic Division of the Homewood Police Department. This division would focus strictly on traffic and violations, thereby increasing the safety of our residents. We currently have a Motor Scout Unit, and they do a great job. There are just not enough of them. The Motor Scouts work traffic and respond to accidents. Most of you would be amazed at the amount of activity the Motor Scouts produce on any

The Homewood Star

given day. Of course money is always an issue when budgeting for these items, but I will give it serious consideration in this upcoming budget process, and I know you have always supported anything the council and I have proposed in the way of public safety. Our city remains strong and businesses continue to come to Homewood. Our two newest businesses to the SoHo district will be PT’s at SoHo and Chicken Salad Chick. I know you will welcome and support them as you have our current businesses in our great city. Revenues are up, and I am currently asking the council to assist me in maximizing our potential for our Economic Uncertainty Fund (Old Rainy Day). Cities are prohibited by law from investing money in certain plans unless it is in a program deemed safe. Our fund currently has around $10 million, and we have the potential for that money to grow at a better rate than we are currently receiving. There will be more to come about this important topic in the future, but I at least wanted you to know it is being discussed. Thank you for allowing me to serve as your mayor. Sincerely,

Scott McBrayer Mayor City of Homewood

TheHomewoodStar.com

August 2014 • A7

Business Spotlight

Planet Fitness

Read past Business Spotlight at TheHomewoodStar.com

kw eP r o

s ke La

By MADOLINE MARKHAM Scott Lyons is about making fitness realistic. His gyms offer fitness equipment appropriate for first time gym users — and for only $10 a month. “We don’t cater to body builders,” said the Planet Fitness owner and franchisee, “but are geared toward regular folks who want to get in shape. Anyone can come in and feel comfortable in our gym.” The Homewood Planet Fitness, located in Wildwood, hosts 91 pieces of Life Fitness and Cybex cardio equipment: treadmills, elliptical machines and bicycles. Even at 5:30 p.m., Lyson said there is enough equipment to accommodate everyone without anyone having to wait. The machines do not have time limits or sign-up sheets. “That’s why we put 80-100 pieces in each location, so that there is no waiting,” Lyons said. Twenty-four 60-inch TVs hang alongside the cardio equipment to keep members entertained while they work out, and a giant fan above each area ensures the air is cool and circulating. In addition to the use of cardio equipment, members have access to unlimited fitness training in small groups of no more than five people. Members can meet with a fitness instructor to design an individual program based on their needs. There are also 30-minute sessions each day that target individual muscle groups: chest, back, abs, arms, legs or shoulders. In back right Planet Fitness space is a 30-minute workout area. There, members can

Scott Lyons owns and operates Planet Fitness, which opened in Wildwood next to Restaurant Depot in May. Photo by Madoline Markham.

engage in a circuit workout rotating between different resistance machines and steps on a bench to raise heart rate. A special red light/ green light switches regularly to keep the time for each station. “You burn more calories doing circuit than

regular resistance because you are keeping your heart rate elevated the whole time,” Lyons said. A similar area in the back left provides equipment and red and green lights for a 12-minute ab workout. The gym also features tanning beds, locker

140 Wildwood Parkway 719-1722 Monday 5 a.m.-Friday 9 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, 7 a.m.-7 p.m.

rooms and areas for stretching. The Homewood Planet Fitness is one of more than 820 locations; the chain is the fastest growing franchiser of full-size fitness clubs in the country. Around 200 locations are on track to open in 2014 in total. But Lyons didn’t just acquire the business because of its success. “I got in it because I was working out a lot and wanted a certain type of place to work out,” he said, noting that he has more than 25 years experience in the fitness industry. That’s when he opened his first facility. “I have stayed in this business because it is a positive atmosphere,” he said. “People come in and they feel better.” The Wildwood Planet Fitness is Lyons’ fourth location to open in Birmingham, and he hopes to open at least one more a year for the next six years. Lyons’ tip for getting in shape is in keeping with the philosophy of Planet Fitness. “Start slow and build on that,” he said. “I’d rather someone workout two days a week the first month, then three days a week the next, and four days a week the next. It’s better than if you say you will come four days a week at first and then are not able to do it.” Memberships are $10 per month. The enrollment fee varies by time of year. A $19.99 Black Card membership includes unlimited guest privileges, reciprocal use at other Planet Fitness locations, unlimited tanning, use of the massage chairs and a hydromassage bed, and half price on cooler drinks.

The Homewood Star

A8 • August 2014 9 18 Street S.

Homewood Happenings

Rosedale Dr

280

1 28 Ave S th

8 280

r Rd

oo Oxm

ve yA 5 lle

Ind

epe

enc eD

149 S wy yH er

s ng pri

Hw y

or R

o Oxm

W Oxmoor Rd

D re

o esh Lak

149

s ke

kw eP r o

on tg o

nS ee Gr

ve yA e l l Va

THE HOME LOAN SPECIALIST

Jody Brant

Pam Smith

Joel Brant

Office: 205-942-9696 Cell: 205-305-4348

Office: 800-240-5626 Cell: 256-572-2530

Office: 256-891-0681 Cell: 205-613-7848

NMLS 189545

NMLS 189538

NMLS 189546

JRBrant@FirstLenders.com

pamela@firstlenders.com

joelbrant@FirstLenders.com

• CONVENTIONAL LOANS UP TO $417,000

This program allows up to 95% LTV for qualified borrowers

• FHA (HUD) 96.5/LOANS UP TO $271,050

This program allows all funds to close to come in the form of a gift or secured loan. Most flexible program on credit and debt ratios.

• VA 100% LOANS TO $417,000

This program is designed for qualified veterans/national guard.

• JUMBO LOANS From $417,000 to $1,000,000

This program will allow up to 90% loan to value.

• USDA

100% Loans for Moderate Income.

FIRST LENDERS MORTGAGE CORP. Since 1988 NMLS 189527 www.firstlenders.com

1-800-309-5585

FOR ALL AGES

TheHomewoodStar.com

Now Open 80 Pops truck is now serving frozen 1 treats made with recipes developed in partnership with Hot and Hot Fish Club chef Chris Hastings. The truck makes regular stops in front of Nadeau, 2738 18th St. S., and at the Homewood Farmer’s Market in SoHo. Updates on its stops are posted on its Facebook page. 80pops.com.

Coming Soon Fab’rik, an Atlanta-based clothing boutique, is opening its ﬁrst store in Alabama at 1817-B 29th Ave. 593-4146. fabrikstyle.com.

Relocations and Renovations MedHelp, 4600 U.S. 280 E., has announced the construction of a new 40,000-square-foot facility near its current clinic. The new building will house its corporate headquarters, which is moving from its Lakeshore ofﬁce, as well as a new clinic. 408-1231. medhelpclinics.com.

News and Accomplishments Saw’s BBQ, 1008 Oxmoor Road, 4 was listed as No. 1 on Paula Deen’s list of “The Best Barbecue Across America,” which was featured in the July-August issue of Cooking with Paula Deen. Saw’s beat out barbecue restaurants from San Francisco to New York City to earn the top spot. 879-1937. sawsbbq.com.

August 2014 • A9

Full Moon Bar-B-Que, 337 Valley Ave., was named The Ultimate Smokehouse in Ebony magazine’s July issue. It was the only Alabama barbecue restaurant to receive the honor. 945-9997. fullmoonbbq.com.

LIFE IS SHORT. MAKE GOOD DECISIONS.

Covenant Classical Schools & Daycare recently hosted a party at the Birmingham Zoo to show appreciation to students, their families and staff as well as to recognize its Parents’ Picks award given jointly by Alabama Baby & Child magazine and Birmingham magazine. Its new Homewood location will be located at 151 Covenant Way. 396-1250. ccslion.com.

GianMarco’s, 721 Broadway St., now has event space available for rent. The space will hold up to 75 people for a seated event, and more for a standing-only event. For more information on availability and rates, please call the restaurant. 871-9622.

Savage’s Bakery, 2916 18th St. S., is featured in the new Alabama Back Road Restaurant Recipes by Anita Musgrove. The book is available at greatamericanpublishers.com. 871-4901. savagebakery.com.

Ruth’s Chris Steak House, 2300 Woodcrest Place, received the Award of Excellence from Wine Spectator magazine. The award is based on an analysis of the quality of wine, food and service for a given restaurant. 879-9995. ruthschris.com.

Business news

to share? Now Open

Coming Soon

If you are in a brick and mortar business in Homewood and want to share your event with the community, let us know.

Anniversary

Email dan@thehomewoodstar.com

Relocation Expansion The Homewood Star

Last year, 7,280 buyers and sellers purchased or sold a home through RealtySouth. That’s 3.5 houses every business hour. LIST WITH THE BEST.

The Homewood Star

A10 • August 2014

Restaurant Showcase e Av y e ll

r Rd

Broadway St

ad es B

lv d

Pa l is

La Bamba

Read past Restaurant Showcases at TheHomewoodStar.com

oo Oxm

By RACHAEL HEADLEY For La Bamba owners Peter Cooper and Misti Burnham, family is as much a part of their business as freshness. The inspiration for the menu at La Bamba is a hybrid of authentic Mexican recipes from several families of employees, with an American twist. A focus on fresh ingredients is what makes La Bamba’s food different from anything else in the Birmingham area, Cooper said. La Bamba also likes to use local produce in the dishes, often purchased at farmers markets. “We don’t have a freezer,” Cooper said. “Everything is prepared fresh daily.” Some of those local ingredients also go directly into the house specialty, Bamba Dip, a combination of ground beef, cheese and pico de gallo served with tortilla chips. Although Bamba Dip could be a meal in itself, La Bamba’s best-sellers are all things fajita. Whether it is steak fajitas or the fajita quesadilla, customers savor the ﬂavor of the meat because of the way it is marinated, Cooper said. Allowing the meat time to marinate, instead of seasoning it before putting it on the grill, keeps it from getting dry. In 2009, local business owner Carlos Pinto opened La Bamba after closing his Lakeshore Drive

La Bamba owner Peter Cooper and his ﬁancée, Misti Burnham, stand outside the restaurant that they have worked to build together. Photo by Rachael Headley.

restaurant, Cancun. Cooper visited La Bamba frequently and built a relationship with Pinto. When circumstances arose for Pinto to sell the restaurant in 2012, Cooper found it to be the perfect

opportunity to invest in Edgewood as well as continue the mission of one of his favorite eateries. From his ﬁrst visit, Cooper felt an immediate draw to the Edgewood

community because of the family atmosphere, as did his fiancée, Burnham. “In the spring when it’s nice out, you can just look down Broadway

1006 Oxmoor Road 637-7331 labambagrill.com Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m.

and see strollers, dogs and little red wagons,” Burnham said. “Everyone can sit out on the patio and eat together.” Soon, just running the business was no longer enough for Cooper as he considered other ways to connect with the community on a deeper level. With this, he and Burnham incorporated Edgewood Night Out into the routine of their business. “Edgewood Night Out is once a month during the school year,” Burnham said. “It’s when we get together as a community and encourage people to shop and eat in Edgewood. Through this we donate 10 percent of our sales back to the school.” La Bamba also has been a part of several other community activities, such as partnering with the Alzheimer’s Association, the Homewood City Schools Foundation and the Bell Center. “We feel that La Bamba has a lot to offer Homewood, and we just want to get our name out there,” Burnham said. “We exist and we are here for the community.” Cooper and Burnham also have big plans for the future. They are getting married this month, and they hope to open three more restaurants in the greater Birmingham area within the next ﬁve years.

TheHomewoodStar.com

August 2014 • A11

Chamber

Preview of

August

Luncheon

Natalie Smith, Rebecca Doss and Patti Lovoy at the Homewood Chamber Luncheon on Tuesday, June 17. Photo by Sydney Cromwell.

Alan Patel, Walter Brown and Homewood Police Chief Jim Roberson at the Homewood Chamber Luncheon on Tuesday, June 17. Photo by Sydney Cromwell.

Searcy speaks on economic development at Chamber luncheon By SYDNEY CROMWELL At the June Homewood Chamber of Commerce luncheon, the keynote speaker was Jim Searcy, executive director of the Economic Development Association of Alabama (EDAA). Xceligent, a real estate information service, sponsored the luncheon. Searcy spoke about the goals of the EDAA and his own beginning in the economic development business. He also listed the keys of success for drawing new business into the

state: a well-educated work force, existing infrastructure and competitive incentives. Searcy said Alabama has difﬁculties in providing these attractions, which is why it sometimes loses major businesses to other states. At the end of his speech, Searcy answered questions from the audience about economic development in Alabama. During the luncheon, the Chamber also recognized longtime members Rilla Foley, a former Chamber president who recently retired from Harmony Landing, and Dorothy

McDaniel, who is relocating her ﬂower shop to downtown Birmingham. Patti Lovoy and Jennifer Stevenson of the Lakeshore Foundation spoke about the upcoming Lakeshore’s Amazing Race fundraiser, and Steve Preston shared details of the Chamber golf tournament in October. The Chamber also gave away tickets to the golf tournament, a pass to the Hugh Kaul Beanstalk Forest at Red Mountain Park and a $100 gift card to Dorothy McDaniel’s Flower Market.

Mary Helmer

Tuesday, Aug. 19 Speaker: Mary Helmer President/State Coordinator Main Street Alabama Main Street is an economic revitalization program that leverages private investment and capitalizes on the unique appeal of historic downtowns across the state. The national model is designed to bring jobs, dollars and people to small towns and commercial districts. Helmer previously worked for 10 years as a local Main Street director in Emporia, Kan., where she forged a lifelong interest in downtown revitalization and community development. The luncheon will be held at The Club from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. For reservations, visit homewoodchamber.com.

The Homewood Star

A12 • August 2014

Community Community creates culture

Erickson to succeed Wolfe at Trinity

New Homewood Library Foundation to host Block Party By MADISON MILLER On Aug. 16, Homewood Public Library will begin its efforts to become Homewood’s center of culture. The newly formed Homewood Library Foundation Board will host its first event, a Block Party fundraiser. After attaining its nonprofit status last December, the Foundation Board set out on its mission to help the library raise funds for its future projects. “I wanted the library to become the cultural center of the community,” said Board Liaison Dr. Paul Doran, who came up with the idea to start the foundation. “You can’t do that on a meager budget.” With the recession, funds for the library had dropped, and the likelihood of completing future projects had become less of a reality. “Money is tight, and revenues aren’t as good as they used to be,” Foundation member Hunter Payne said. Considering the success of community events such as the Exceptional Foundation’s Chili Cook-off and the Kick’n Chick’n Wing Fest, the Board chose to organize a block party to get people from the community involved. They hope to be able to attract a wide audience of people who use the library and its resources, as well as those who do not regularly use the facility but see its importance in the community. The event will be held Aug. 16 from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Homewood Public Library, 1721 Oxmoor Road.

Rev. Brian Erickson

Members of the Homewood Library Foundation Board meet to plan the Aug. 16 event. Photo by Madison Miller.

Live music will be provided by the band Greg and Brian, and entertainment will be available for children. Admission to the event is free, but food and drink prices will vary. Hunter’s Cleaners will donate a pig roast from The Little Donkey. Tickets for the pig roast will be available for purchase before the event for $20. Hot dogs, grills and water bottles will be donated by Piggly Wiggly. The hot dogs will be $2 and available for cash purchase on the day of the event — with all proceeds going to the library, of course. With fundraising events such as the Block Party, the Foundation hopes to be

able to provide for the library’s patrons and community. Some of its goals include creating a theater for cultural and community events, refurbishing a meeting room to create a more comfortable environment, developing an information services area and lighting the library’s front sign and surrounding area with new lights. “We constantly want to uncover needs and wants of people in the community,” Payne said. For more information, visit homewoodpubliclibrary.org, call Fran Jones at 7907050 or email fransumnerjones@gmail.com.

IT’S TIME TO TAKE A vacation FROM CLEANING. Give yourself a break, call the cleaning service most recommended to family and friends.

Proudly keeping homes cleaner and healthier since 1987

205-871-9338 www.MAIDS.com

Referred for a reason.

Trinity United Methodist Church has welcomed Rev. Brian Erickson, 39, as senior pastor designate at the church starting June 15. He will succeed Dr. Andy Wolfe, 65, who will retire in June 2015. Wolfe has served Trinity since 1997 and is the church’s longest-serving pastor. Erickson is a graduate of Birmingham-Southern College and received his Master of Divinity degree from the Candler School of Theology at Emory University. He comes to Trinity after serving as senior pastor of the 900-member First United Methodist Church in Alabaster during the church’s period of significant growth in membership and mission outreach. Erickson coordinated the acquisition of a shopping center in Alabaster that hosts a contemporary worship service, a Hispanic ministry, a special needs ministry and a food bank that feeds 100 families on Saturdays. Wolfe has led Trinity during a time of dramatic growth of membership, outreach, and facilities. The church now has 3,300 members and the average age of new members is 36. -Submitted by Bill Hutto

TheHomewoodStar.com

August 2014 • A13

Community Fest coming to CDF

Children’s Dance Foundation welcomes families to Community Fest on Aug. 17 for a variety of free activities. Photo courtesy of Children’s Dance Foundation.

Fun for the family is returning for the fourth annual Children’s Dance Foundation, Community Fest. The event is scheduled for Sunday, Aug. 17 from 2-5 p.m. at Children’s Dance Foundation, 1715 27th Court South. Admission and all activities are free. Festivities include children’s crafts, a beach ball room, drumming, contests and prizes, dancing, dance performances, a photo booth, a bounce house and live music.

CDF offers comprehensive dance education for 2,000 students at its Homewood community arts center and more than 20 social service agencies, childcare centers and schools throughout Birmingham. Its dance classes and performances inspire all children, including those who are homeless, very young, disadvantaged or at-risk or have special needs. To learn more about its work, visit childrensdancefoundation.org or call 870-0073.

Dining deals return for Birmingham Restaurant Week There’s extra incentive to eat at JoJo’s on Broadway this month. As a part of the fifth annual Birmingham Restaurant Week, restaurants will offer special two and/or three-course prix-fixe lunch and/ or dinner menus in the $5, $10, $20 and $30 per person from Aug. 15-24. Several menus will also include beer and/or wine flight components, brunch offerings and other drink specials. Around 50 restaurants are expected to participate in this year’s event; 43 were a part of the event in 2013. In addition to JoJo’s, restaurants already committed to BRW include Asian Rim Sushi Company, Dixie Fish Company, Primeaux Cheese and Vino, Davenport’s Pizza

Palace, Chez Lulu, The Garden Cafe by Kathy G, The Pantry, VINO, FoodBar, Satterfield’s, Ocean, 26, Century Restaurant and Bar, Highlands Bar & Grill, Bottega, Chez Fonfon and Silvertron Café. Restaurant Week is organized by REV, which works to revitalize places and energize business to create vibrancy in the City of Birmingham. REV is an economic development organization that stimulates business growth and improves quality of life in Birmingham’s City Center and its Neighborhood Commercial Centers. For more visit bhamrestaurantweek.com, the BRW Mobile Site Dining Guide or revbirmingham.org.

Watch soccer, support pediatric cancer research Samford University women’s soccer players will kick more than soccer balls at an upcoming game. The team will host Kickin’ It for Kids with Cancer on Sept. 5 to benefit the Austin Hatcher Foundation for Pediatric Cancer, as part of its home game against Belmont University. The game is scheduled for 7 p.m. at the Samford Track and Soccer Stadium. Last year the second annual event raised more than $3,000 for the Chattanooga-based Foundation, which is headed by President Amy Jo Osborn, a Samford alumna. “We really can’t say enough about the involvement of Samford, and the entire Birmingham business community,” Osborn said.

“The Foundation has an important presence in the Birmingham area, as we support our Hope & Cope music-therapy program for patients at Children’s of Alabama. We look to expand our Birmingham presence and Samford soccer is helping us do just that.” The game will coincide with Childhood Cancer Awareness Month in September, and the team will be selling special Kickin’ It shirts in weeks leading up to the game. Shirts can also be purchased online at poshbirmingham. com. In addition, local businesses will participate in the “Hope Floats” pin-up campaign to enable patrons to make donations to the foundation. To learn more visit hatcherfoundation.org.

The Homewood Star

A14 • August 2014

Liquid gold Local mom initiates start of new milk bank

By MADOLINE MARKHAM The call came four days after her infant daughter died. “What do you want to do with your breast milk?” the bereavement nurse asked. Mary Michael Kelley had been pumping the milk for the 12 days of her daughter Kathryn’s short life, and now UAB needed to know what to do with the 700 ounces of milk. As the nurse explained there was no donor breast milk bank in Alabama, Kelley gave her the go-ahead to throw the milk away. Less than two years later, Kelley, an Edgewood resident, found herself in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) again, this time with son Micah, who was delivered by emergency C-section on Thanksgiving Day 2012. Doctors said he wouldn’t live, as he suffered from a condition that filled his lungs with fluid just as Kathryn had. During the eight months he was in the NICU, Micah drank the milk his mother pumped, and Kelley saw firsthand its importance while also learning that many mothers can’t provide milk for their infants in the NICU. “A lot of babies are so underdeveloped that giving them formula can be really scary for them because it increases their risk of developing life-threatening conditions,” Kelley said. Now 19 months old, Micah and his mom attend NICU reunions at Brookwood Medical Center, where doctors are now partnering with Kelley and others to create a milk bank program in Birmingham. “We have this liquid gold running through our body [as a mother],” Kelley said. “It’s even being used for cancer patients undergoing chemo now to help with their immunity. So many moms have such access that they want to be able to do something with it.” That’s where the milk bank comes in. Noting the parallels between a milk bank and the Community Food Bank of Central Alabama, where she serves as executive director, Kelley decided to approach

the board of directors about starting the Mothers’ Milk Bank in Alabama. The bank has received startup funding support through the Junior League of Birmingham and the Jefferson County Public Health Advised Fund and the Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham. The new Mothers’ Milk Bank of Alabama in West Homewood is now acting as a human milk depot. The bank collects breast milk donations from lactating women and ships them to the Mothers’ Milk Bank of North Texas for pasteurization before the donor human milk is distributed to NICUs in hospitals across the southern United States. The Mothers’ Milk Bank of North Texas has received such high demand for the breast milk that it can’t ship to places where it does not receive donations. Once milk comes in from donor moms in the Birmingham area, hospitals in Birmingham can start requesting milk. Over the next year, bank organizers plan to grow their donor base, engage mothers in the community and receive training on the pasteurization process, with hopes to open a processing facility by summer 2015.

Edgewood resident Mary Michael Kelley was inspired by her family’s experiences in the NICU to start a local breast milk bank. Here she is pictured with sons Micah and Thomas and her husband. Photo courtesy of Alabama Baby and Child.

How to get involved Breast-feeding moms Who: Women who are currently breast-feeding infants under one year old can be screened at no charge to become donors. Why: The Mothers’ Milk Bank of North Texas estimates it needs more than 805 donor mothers to meet this year’s projected demand from hospital NICUs. Another 650 or more volunteer milk donors are needed to meet the demand and fill all orders received from neonatologists.

How: The bank asks for donations of 100 ounces, and most moms donate this amount over several months or a year. Once screened, the donor simply brings frozen milk in to the bank. Where: Community Food Bank of Central Alabama, 107 Walter Davis Drive When: Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-noon What next: Call the Mothers’ Milk Bank of North Texas toll-free at 1-866-810-0071 or visit texasmilkbank.org.

Moms not currently breast-feeding A mom’s advisory council has formed for mothers who want to get involved in other ways besides milk donation. Wood said she believes it will be the most powerful part of what they do. To learn more, contact Katherine Wood at kwood@ mmbal.org or call 942-8911.

Anyone who wants to learn more Visit texasmilkbank.org.

TheHomewoodStar.com

August 2014 • A15

Buy local after dark at the West Homewood Night Market By SYDNEY CROMWELL When the sun sets over Shades Valley Community Church on Thursday, Aug. 21, the glow of string lights and the sounds of a live band will signal the beginning of the West Homewood Night Market. The night market will be held one Thursday a month through October and is a continuation of the West Homewood Farmer’s Markets held in June and July. Market manager Kenyon Ross said a group of 10 to 15 people, called “What is Good?,” organizes the markets to promote healthy food and community. The number of vendors is intentionally kept low to encourage a casual, friendly atmosphere. “We feel like by having a really small, intimate market, it’s easier for people to get to know each other,” Ross said. “We’re just trying to do something good for the neighborhood.” Ross described the night market as a “festival of sorts,” attended by anywhere from 500 to 1,000 people from across the city. Visitors enjoy live music, children’s activities and the Cantina on Wheels food truck as they shop for fall produce and homemade crafts. “We’ve just created a space where it’s easy to come and hang out,” Ross said. Now in its fourth year, the night market continues to add new features. This year, certain markets will include a film showing about healthy eating. The second annual Fresh Start 5K will also be held on Saturday, Oct. 18, two days after the final night market. While the night market is only one of many farmers markets in the Homewood area, Ross does not see it as a competition. He wants to see similar small markets pop up around the city so every community has a place to socialize and buy healthy foods.

West Homewood Night Market Aug. 21, Sept. 18 and Oct. 16 6-9 p.m. Shades Valley Community Church 160 Oxmoor Road westhomewood.com

The West Homewood Night Market season kicks off Aug. 21 at Shades Valley Communtiy Church. Photos courtesy of Kenyon Ross.

“We’re really big proponents of lots of markets happening. We feel that’s a movement that’s only positive,” Ross said. Ross enjoys the food and friendships fostered

at the night market. However, his favorite part is the simple pleasure of seeing the market light up for the first time. “When you turn [the lights] on, it’s just a

nostalgic feeling for me,” Ross said. “I just love it.” To learn more, call 427-5665 or email info@ westhomewood.com.

The Homewood Star

A16 • August 2014

Edgewood Night Out

Kicking off another year of fun and fundraising By RACHAEL HEADLEY

Edgewood Night Out

With the beginning of the school year approaching, the Edgewood community tradition, Edgewood Night Out, is returning to the business district. Edgewood Night Out occurs on the second Tuesday of each month during the school year from 3 p.m. to the close of business. From August to May, businesses along the Edgewood Business District give 10 percent of their revenues from the evening to the Edgewood PTO. These financial gifts go to various needs of Edgewood Elementary School, including teacher grant requests for school supplies. Although the charitable spirit of Edgewood businesses has been a tradition for a number of years, in the past there were different philanthropic nights for the individual restaurants. More recently, the PTO adopted the name “Edgewood Night Out” and began promoting the monthly event on a common evening. Edgewood Night Out participants include Saw’s BBQ, Edgewood Creamery, Sam’s, La Bamba and Escape Day Spa. The PTO also sells Edgewood gear such as Edgewood T-shirts and tumblers at the events. Last year’s PTO president, Catherine Owen, not only spent time organizing volunteer committees to put on their events and functions, but also kept the community aware about what was happening in the PTO. Owen did this with assistance from Amber Kelley, the social media chair for the PTO’s Facebook community connection page and Twitter account. Both Owen and Kelley credit the growth of Edgewood Night Out to the help and enthusiasm of La Bamba owners Misti Burnham and Peter Cooper. Burnham and her husband, Cooper, have taken on the roles of Edgewood Night Out

Benefits Edgewood Elementary

Tuesday, Aug. 12 Edgewood Business District

Edgewood Night Out welcomes families to dine at area businesses to support Edgewood Elementary. Photo by Rachael Headley.

“co-chairs,” Owen said. They are the ones who decorate and rally the community for the event. Burham said that La Bamba’s sales increase 50 percent on Edgewood Night Out dates. “It’s a lot of fun,” Kelley said. “You meet so many people when you go out. The children love it, and it’s really a community-wide thing.”

The monthly events serve as a bonding agent within the community, Owen and Kelley said. The children see their classmates, and parents often meet each other for the first time or have the opportunity to reconnect. As everyone gets busy throughout the school year, it gives families and friends a chance to spend time together while

supporting their school. “Every time you eat a meal with someone, you get to know them a little bit better,” Kelley said. The first Edgewood Night Out of the school year will be Tuesday, Aug. 12.

TheHomewoodStar.com

August 2014 • A17

Park festivities return to kick off new school year

Back to School Bash Homewood Central Park Aug. 23, 3-7 p.m.

The Back to School Bash will feature some rides similar to those at We Love Homewood Day, pictured, in addition to new rides. Photos by Brian Wallace.

By SYDNEY CROMWELL Before the kids start their first day of school, they will have the chance to climb a 26-foot rock wall or ride a swinging pirate ship. Homewood’s annual Back to School Bash will be held on Saturday, Aug. 23 at Homewood Central Park from 3 to 7 p.m. The bash will feature mechanical rides, inflatables, food vendors, a DJ and activities for children of all ages.

Rusty Holley, the Homewood Community Center director, said this year’s rides include a cyclone swing, a 24-foot slide, bounce houses and a spinning ride called the Mindwinder. There will also be specific areas for children under five years old, such as a ball pit with a small slide. Holley said many of the rides will be different from the ones at We Love Homewood Day, the Fourth of July celebrations or last year’s bash. There is no admission cost to enjoy the music

and vendors. A $10 wristband, however, gives unlimited access to every ride. The proceeds from the bash will benefit the Homewood Soccer Club and the Patriot Band, which will be volunteering during the event. Without their help manning the rides, the bash would not be possible. “It’s really just a teamwork project from the people that work here at the park and the volunteers who come,” Holley said. Holley’s favorite part of the bash is seeing his

own child and the children he teaches at summer camp having fun on the rides. However, there is something for everyone to enjoy at the Back to School Bash. “It’s neat to see the community come out, having a good time and enjoying the park,” Holley said. For more information, visit homewoodparks. com.

A18 â&#x20AC;˘ August 2014

Summer Fun Photo Contest Capture the fun of summer with your camera and send us your favorite shots of wherever you and your family are.

The Homewood Star

Prizes will be awarded to contest winners Category 1: Any summer fun photo Category 2: A summer fun photo displaying a copy of The Homewood Star wherever you are To enter, email your photos in a jpeg format to photos@thehomewoodstar.com. Please send high quality images and include a caption and photo credit. Only four photos are allowed per person.

Visit thehomewoodstar.com for more information.

Deadline has been extended to August 10, 2014

TheHomewoodStar.com

August 2014 • A19 This section of Oxmoor Boulevard, which includes the intersections of Scott Street, Oxmoor Road and Vulcan Road, will see heavy changes. These will include removing an Alabama Power transmission tower, lane additions, removal of two traffic signals and added turn lanes. Map courtesy of GonzalezStrength & Associates.

PROJECT

CONTINUED from page A1 Boulevard, remove the Alabama Power transmission tower on that street and make changes to the I-65 ramps. It will also add left turn lanes at Scott Street, two places on Vulcan Road, both sides of the Columbiana Road/Palisades Boulevard intersection and on Oxmoor Boulevard at the Green Springs/Oxmoor Road/Palisades intersection. City Senior Planner Vanessa McGrath said the improvements will simplify driving on Oxmoor Boulevard by reducing the number of lane shifts required to travel the street. Additionally, the city will remove two traffic signals on the east end of Oxmoor Road and at Cobb Street while also eliminating left turns from Cobb Street to Oxmoor Boulevard. The project will also add sidewalks to West Oxmoor Road. “Homewood is taking a really proactive role with sidewalks, and we’re trying to keep our reputation as being the best walkable city,” Ward 2 Council Member Fred Hawkins said. “So we’re going to put sidewalks on everything we do.” Residents in nearby neighborhoods, however, are worried that the changes will allow more traffic in the area, including large trucks. More than 65 Homewood residents attended a public involvement meeting on June 26 to view the project plans and discuss concerns with city officials and the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT). According to an ALDOT summary of written

public comments, the most common resident complaints were increased traffic quantity and speed, road noise and negative business impacts from modified intersections. The public also had the opportunity to suggest improvements to the project. These suggestions included diverting traffic to Lakeshore Drive, building sound barriers for I-65 and making Scott Street a one-way road. Hambaugh Avenue resident Fred Azbik’s main concern is traffic noise on Oxmoor Road, which he fears will increase with the project. Azbik’s father, Joe, was also at the meeting and said the current plans will increase noise and lower property values. He related the story of one of his neighbors on Edgeknoll Lane, who had to sell his home far under market value because the noise from Oxmoor Boulevard deterred buyers. The city, however, has performed a traffic and noise analysis, and Hawkins said the project will relieve traffic congestion and noise levels and air pollution by allowing traffic to flow more quickly through residential areas. “It should add less noise because the traffic can actually move instead of stopping,” Hawkins said. “When traffic stops, that’s when you get the noise and the air pollution.” The city is still finalizing its plans with engineering firm Gonzalez-Strength & Associates, and plans could change to accommodate significant resident concerns. Hawkins said the project is estimated to cost around $6 million, of which Homewood will pay 20 percent and ALDOT will pay 80 percent. Construction could begin in March 2015, but a definite timeline has not yet been set.

TEXTBOOK

CONTINUED from page A1 subject areas was delayed, so it’s been a decade since new social studies books arrived in classrooms. Chappell said HCS has long been interested in making the transition into digital textbooks and felt that social studies is a good subject with which to begin. Traditional textbook publishers’ digital products tend to be an adapted version of the print text that doesn’t change the way students learn, but Discovery produces its content to be digital from the outset. As it turned out, the subject levels the company had available were appropriate for fifth to eighth grades. “It’s an ideal time when kids are struggling with introduction to content and reading,” Chappell said. “This gives them something more engaging and inviting.” How will students use the tech book? Students will access the tech book from computers, iPads and other digital devices. In the classroom, they can use devices supplied by the school or one they bring with them, and at home they will use whatever computer or device they have access to. Chappell noted that teachers will need to be sensitive to availability of devices students have at home. Are there are any other advantages to the tech books? Another advantage is its cost. Textbooks run $80-100, but the six-year subscription to the tech book runs about half that cost. Plus, the subscription is based on current student population, but even if the number of students grows, the system will not have to pay an additional per-student fee. “[With the tech books,] you feel like you are being a better steward of money

and provide better quality of instruction,” Chappell said. Chappell further noted that HCS will invest extra funds in devices but that the schools would plan to use the devices regardless of the tech book adoption, and funds have already been marked for devices. How is the tech book part of a broader evolution in education? Teachers are increasingly using textbooks as only one of their instructional materials. Tech books are a natural complement to that teaching technique. Tech books also allow for a departure from the traditional fact-learning, question-answering textbook interaction. According to Chappell, there is a certain baseline of factual information and skills (such as times tables) kids need to learn, but beyond that, they need to acquire skills that will stay with them. “Questions [with the tech book] might ask you to evaluate and synthesize information, which makes you think more like a historian,” Chappell said. “The variety of information promotes a deeper level of investigation and conversation.” This interaction also invites students to solve problems — a skill that the business community is telling educators they would like to see in future workers. “These are the kind of learners we need to produce for the jobs that don’t yet exist,” Chappell said. What’s next in the textbook adoption process? The next content area up for a new textbook is science. Although Chappell said it is unclear what year it will be adopted, he believes the subject will similarly lend itself to tech book learning. “I hope it’s just the first tip of the iceberg,” he said of this year’s tech book adoption.

SECTION

The Homewood Star B

School House B5 Sports B9 Calendar B14

Bees in the

backyard By SYDNEY CROMWELL On a quiet, dead-end street in Edgewood, there’s a buzz in the air. It’s the sound of hundreds of bees ﬂying to and from their homes, a row of white boxes in George and Brittany Stegall’s yard. The Stegalls are part of a growing number of backyard beekeepers. From their six hives, four in their yard and two at Sims Ecoscape, they produce their own honey and beeswax lip balm and candles. Some lackluster tomatoes started the Stegalls on the path to beekeeping. George wanted to produce food from his own garden, but his tomato plants were not getting enough pollination to grow properly. When he saw a cousin take up beekeeping in California, George was intrigued. After a few months of research, he presented the idea to his wife, who was “100 percent on board from word one.” They attended a symposium on the subject in Auburn, and then bought their ﬁrst set of bees in spring 2010. “We’ve been hooked since,” George said. Four years in, the Stegalls have been surprised by the fun of beekeeping and are expanding their number of hives. In 2013, they also sold honey at farmers markets as Edgewood Bee Company because they had a “rock star” hive that produced around 150 pounds of honey. That hive died over the unusually harsh winter, so the Stegalls have not sold honey this year. They do, however, plan to be back in business in summer 2015.

Suzanne Clisby removes a frame from one of her beehives. The frame is loaded with honey that Clisby can extract and bottle. Photo by Sydney Cromwell.

The Stegalls’ neighbor, Suzanne Clisby, has also taken up beekeeping. Clisby is a retired mail carrier and began keeping bees in 2011 as a hobby. She is also a master gardener and has planted camellias and other plants that bees love in her yard. With plenty of ﬂowers and a creek

running between their homes, the Stegalls and Clisby have an ideal environment for honeybees. George said he is still learning about the best ways to care for his hives. From understanding the bees’ moods to combating pests and fungi that can kill a hive, there

is no typical day in beekeeping. “Every time I go into a hive there’s something, some new angle or they’ve done something different that I’ve never seen before,” George said. Keeping bees has also made the Stegalls

See BEES | page B2

The Homewood Star

B2 • August 2014

The Stegalls sold their excess honey in 2013 as the Edgewood Bee Company. They plan to return to Homewood’s farmers markets in 2015. Photo by Sydney Cromwell.

BEES

CONTINUED from page B1 more ecologically aware. “It ties you into the environment, the seasons,” George said. “I’m looking at it and thinking ‘This is good for the bees, this is not good for the bees.’” Twice a year, George gets to experience his favorite part of beekeeping: the honey

George Stegall and his wife, Brittany, have been keeping bees in their yard for four years. Photo by Sydney Cromwell.

harvest. In June and September, the Stegalls and Clisby get into their beekeeping suits and spend around four hours removing frames full of honeycomb from the hives and extracting the sweet liquid that will make its way into the homes of their family and friends. “It’s fun labor,” George said. “It’s so awesome when you uncap it and you see this plethora of honey just pouring out. It’s like a faucet of honey.” Neighbors have had both positive and negative reactions to their backyard bees.

Some are intrigued and want to see the hives in person, while others are terriﬁed of bees stinging them or their children. Clisby said this reaction is often because people do not know the distinction between honeybees and the more aggressive wasps and yellow jackets, and many people fear rare but deadly allergic reactions to a sting. “There’s just a fear that sometimes you can’t explain away to people,” Clisby said. However, the Stegalls and Clisby have met a handful of other beekeepers in Homewood

through the Jefferson County Beekeepers Association, and the hobby seems to be growing. George said in his four years as a beekeeper, he has seen plenty of people join the “weird, quirky beekeeping world.” He and Clisby hope they will see many more. “I just encourage people to give it a shot,” Clisby said. To learn more about the Stegalls’ hives and honey, visit facebook.com/EdgewoodBeeCompany. To learn more about beekeeping, visit jeffcobees.org.

TheHomewoodStar.com

August 2014 • B3

A new generation of home ec By SYDNEY CROMWELL Briana Morton’s Homewood Middle School classroom may have the standard kitchen and rows of sewing machines, but it is far from a normal home economics class. In Morton’s family and consumer sciences (FACS) class, students get to raise worms, harvest produce from the community garden and run their own juice business. “I’ve never been traditional,” Morton said. “I’m about promoting all students, showing them how to become college- and career-ready. I’m not a ‘Susie Homemaker’ class, and not that there’s anything wrong with that, but I don’t think that the kids of today need to be prepared for that. They need to be well-rounded and prepared for all facets of life.” Last year was Morton’s first at HMS, but she has lived in the community for more than 10 years. She previously worked at North Jefferson Middle School for six years, but decided to move to HMS to be more involved in her community and spend more time with her family. Morton said she has been “embraced” by the community, and her unconventional approach has earned support from the school and her students. Her teaching style also earned her the 2014 Outstanding New Career and Technical Teacher award from the Association for Career and Technical Education. The focus of Morton’s FACS class is on learning financial literacy, entrepreneurship and employable skills. As students feed the worms or plan their small business, they’re also learning about investments, business plans and teamwork. Morton teaches the students basic cooking and sewing skills, too, but spices it up with contests and practical uses for these talents. Next year she will also teach fashion design, and students can enter their creations in Birmingham Fashion Week. The big hit in Morton’s eighth-grade classes, though, is undoubtedly the Magic City Juice Bar.

Briana Morton’s eighth-grade family and consumer sciences classes ran their own small business called the Magic City Juice Bar. They used this customized bicycle to blend juices using their own pedaling power. Little Donkey donated the blender, and Cahaba Cycles helped set up the bike. Photo by Sydney Cromwell.

Morton’s students learn about entrepreneurship through running their own business, and the nearby Homewood Community Garden provided both inspiration and supplies for a juice business.

From this idea, the eighth-graders created a business plan, pricing strategy and a logo for their business, and researched ingredients for each juice recipe. The students even created the energy to blend their drinks with the help

of a specially rigged bicycle blender set up by Cahaba Cycles. “These kids are remarkable, and I can honestly say they’ve done everything on their own,” Morton said. Morton said her students were passionate about tasting and creating the juices, as well as seeing the profits continue to fund their venture. The students only sold to teachers, but Morton hopes to expand the Magic City Juice Bar and sell to students in the cafeteria next year. The community garden also provided inspiration for Seed to Plate, a new joint project with eighth-grade science teacher Molly Knudsen, whom Morton called her “partner in crime.” Seed to Plate is a four-day summer program for upcoming sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders to learn about sustainability, gardening and cooking. It’s free to students because of donations from the HMS Parent Teacher Organization and the Homewood City Schools Foundation. Fifteen students participated in the first program in June. The students learned about soil health and how to test soil for pH balance and minerals. They also visited pollinator gardens at Sims Ecoscape and cooked their own lunches every day from produce harvested from the community garden. The students also made a commitment to help tend the garden throughout the year. Morton wants to see Seed to Plate expand to other grades within a few years. From the juicing bicycle to the sewing machines, Morton wants everyone in her classes to walk away with life skills and the confidence that they can succeed in whatever their future holds. “I hope that when they leave this class they realize they do have potential and they can pretty much do anything they want to if they put their mind to it,” Morton said. “I don’t care if they know how to make a quiche or if they know how to make an apron. I care that they know accountability, they know responsibility, they know how to work with other people.”

The Homewood Star

B4 • August 2014

State of the school system Assistant Superintendent for Instruction Betty Winches shares how state and national education issues affect Homewood

By SYDNEY CROMWELL

Q A

What programs do you think are the most important to focus on in the upcoming school year? We will continue to do our curriculum work, to be heavily involved with our curriculum work because that’s ongoing. It changes from year to year. We have different documents to look at, different assessments to look at, different best practices to look at. So, it really is a never-ending review, if you will.

Q A

How is the school system changing and growing? From the standpoint of curriculum and instruction, the undertaking that has been going on for about seven years now has been the creation of our own district-level learning targets, which define what we expect students to know and be able to do at each grade level and at each subject... In doing that, we set common expectations so that we all have an understanding of what mastery looks like and what’s expected to be learned.

Q A

How is eliminating the graduation test and replacing it with the ACT going to affect schools? You don’t have a high-stakes test for the student anymore. You have the end-ofcourse test, of course... Passing the course is what matters now, and the end-of-course test is embedded in passing the course. So, there is no separate assessment that one has to pass

outside of course work in order to graduate.

pay very close attention to that.

Q A

What differences can parents expect to see in the curriculum with Common Core? I think what they’re going to see is more emphasis on process in the mathematical realm and more emphasis on nonfiction texts in the English/Language Arts realm. But, you know, the Common Core does emphasize those two things. Here in Homewood, we’ve been emphasizing that for a Dr. Betty Winches long time anyway, so I Under the new don’t think there will be a system, how are lot of noticeable change. schools going to be ranked, and how are teachers going to be assessed? How will the new College and Career We’re not changing our evaluation Ready Standards prepare students for instrument. We’ve always analyzed data the future? and looked at every piece of data that we can I think that having an assessment in the get our hands on in order to ensure that we’re Aspire [test], which is linked directly to all maximizing our own potential and also the the ACT, will be helpful in that you’ll be able potential of the students. So, that piece of it is to see very soon if a student is on the proper not going to change for us. We’ve been into data analysis for a long time. And while it’s not trajectory to be college- and career-ready. It’s a barometer, if you will, as to what students directly tied to the evaluation process, we all Will parents see lower average ACT test scores? Yes, they will because for the first time everyone is taking it. And in years past, only those students whose parents wanted them to take it or whose aspirations and goals were that they were college-bound...took the test. So you have a pool of students who are entering the ACT arena who in the past were not there.

Q A

will score down the line, and as ACT defines college- and career-ready, you’ll be able to have a little window into that world.

Q A

How can parents help their students adapt to the Common Core curriculum? I think doing the things that parents have always done. Particularly for us, to look at the learning targets. Our learning targets are scaffolded with ‘I can’ statements, and when you read those ‘I can’ statements, it becomes very clear what students have to be able to do and the skills they have to be able to know and be able to do in order to master the learning target. So, being familiar with that and knowing what’s expected, as has always been the case, is a great help. That’s really the reason we’ve tried to make the language so clear and free from educational jargon...so that parents could be partners with us and partners with their students in understanding what the expectations are.

What are the differences between the ACT Aspire test versus the Alabama Reading and Mathematics test for grades 3-8? The primary difference is the level of rigor. The Alabama Reading and Math test was a basic competency test. It was minimal grade-level standards. The Aspire, because it is a precursor to the ACT and this whole college- and career-readiness arena, has more rigor in terms of a testing instrument.

TheHomewoodStar.com

August 2014 • B5

School House Homewood High launches new ambassador organization

Front row: Mackenzie Yelton, Grace Bertram, Joy Korley, Ellie Wood, Caroline Sims, Lily Dendy, Savannah Wright, Anna Lee Nabors. Back row: Anthony Waller, Duncan McDuff, Dixon Simmons, Ax Otamias, Will Hunt, Aidan Cavanah, Peyton Bembry, Jackson Wood.

By SAVANNAH WRIGHT The Patriot Pride is a new organization at Homewood High School. “The Pride,” as they call themselves, is comprised of 16 boys and girls who serve as official ambassadors, representatives, and hosts of Homewood High School and the Homewood community. Michele Cooley, an AP English teacher at the high school, started this organization based on the Hoover Ambassadors at Hoover High School, which she sponsored during her years there. The group will give tours to new students, new teachers or school visitors and will host various school events such as freshmen

orientation and school registration. The Pride recently worked at Homewood’s senior awards day, baccalaureate service and graduation ceremony. The program hopes to spread its name and mission throughout the community and lend a helping hand wherever they are needed. The Patriot Pride ambassadors were chosen through a rigorous selection process involving an application, a minimum GPA requirement, teacher recommendations and an interview. Former Hoover Ambassadors conducted the interviews two at a time. The judges were looking for students who were poised, well spoken, enthusiastic and interested in wanting to make a difference in

Homewood High School through the Patriot Pride organization. The top eight girls and top eight boys were chosen to serve as the first members of The Patriot Pride Ambassador group at Homewood High School. The members met in early May to discuss the mission and general “dos and don’ts” of a Patriot Pride member. The meeting included a ratification of The Patriot Pride constitution as well as the election of the group’s officers: President Caroline Sims; Vice President Ax Otamias; Activity Chairperson Mackenzie Yelton; and Historians Grace Bertram, Lily Dendy and Anna Lee Nabors.

School Board member completes term

Patti Atkinson

Patti Atkinson recently completed her term on the Homewood City Board of Education. Atkinson served on the board as a member from 2004 to 2014, as vice president from 2008 to 2009 and as president from 2007 to 2008 and from 2011 to 2012. Atkinson has played a part in the planning process of Homewood City Schools. Throughout her years of involvement, she has helped with the building of a new Homewood Middle School, Pathways School and a new central office. She has also helped the school to achieve several recognitions including Best High School in Alabama from U.S. News and World Report and the Washington Post.

The Homewood Star

B6 • August 2014

Seed to Plate celebrates first year with cookout By SYDNEY CROMWELL After four days learning about gardening, soil health and cooking, the middle school students in the Seed to Plate summer program got the chance to share their knowledge at a cookout on June 26. The cookout at the Homewood City Schools Community Garden featured mint “sun” tea, fresh blackberries, roasted vegetables and tacos made by Little Donkey with garden ingredients. The students had picked all the vegetables and berries that morning. As soft reggae music played, parents and children munched on salads and roasted peppers while discussing what they had learned through the program.

The program focused on the science of gardening, so students learned about soil testing, composting, juicing, pollination and the importance of worms. They also had the chance to prepare food from the garden in dishes such as vegetable pizzas, a roasted potato bar and vegetable quiche. “We’ve just gotten to spend a lot of time outside, and it’s just been great because we’ve gotten to interact with other people and learn all about cooking and gardening,” said Rebekah Bates, a rising sixth-grader whose favorite food from the garden is blackberries. “It gives me a way to take action and do something. And it’s just been fun.” Homewood Middle School teachers Briana Morton and Molly Knudsen

created the Seed to Plate program to connect children with the food they eat. The inaugural class was 15 rising sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders who have also made a one-year commitment to volunteer in the garden in conjunction with the Homewood Middle School Environmental Club. The students’ passion for the program was obvious at the cookout. They led parents through the pollination garden to explain the importance of bees and encouraged everyone to try the food they helped to prepare. Morton said both the teachers and students had a lot of fun through the week, and Seed to Plate’s first year was a big hit. “It’s just been a great week, a whirlwind week,” Morton said.

Kimbrell to serve on Board of Education Jill Kimbrell was recently appointed to serve on the Homewood Board of Education. The 20-year Homewood resident will represent Ward 2. “My love of our schools and our community, and my commitment to Homewood, is why I desire to serve our ward and our community in this role,” Kimbrell said. Kimbrell has a wide-range of volunteer and leadership experience in the schools and the community. She has served on the Homewood

City Schools Foundation Board for six years and is currently its president. She also has 12 years of service at HallKent Elementary School, where she has served as PTO president, treasurer and Fall Festival Silent Auction chair. At Homewood Middle School, she has volunteered her time for five years as PTO room parent communication chair and PTO president elect, and helped in the planning and implementation of the new HMS fundraiser, HMS Fest. At Homewood

Seed to Plate participants Avery Johnson and Anna Harbin serve tacos at the program’s cookout. Photo by Sydney Cromwell.

High School, she has been involved with the PTO in various capacities and is involved in the band program. Kimbrell has also served on the system’s five year strategic planning committee, which provides the mission and future vision for the school system, and she was a part of the 2010 district accreditation committee. “It was an incredible and impressive process, which I am very grateful to have been involved in,” she said. “It also validated and reinforced my belief in our school system, its commitment to excellence, and its commitment to its fundamental mission statement of helping each student reach his or her unique potential.” Jill Kimbrell

TheHomewoodStar.com

August 2014 • B7

Characters on the mind

Students pose with second grade teachers Amy Anderson (far left) and Elizabeth Pruitt (far right), art teacher Brooklyn Peterson and reading coach Dominique Prince.

Second graders at Hall-Kent Elementary School celebrated Read Across America day by creating hats about their favorite books.

Music ties Shades Cahaba together

A first-grade class wears ties on “Music Ties Us Together” Day.

Shades Cahaba Elementary School students and teachers celebrated Music in Our Schools Month with music scavenger hunts and dress-up days. Students also documented

their musical experiences on the music bulletin board outside of music teacher Hailey Pepper’s classroom.

Pen pals across town Amy Anderson and Faith Whitlock’s second-grade classes at Hall-Kent Elementary School wrote letters to Samford University pen pals throughout the school year. The students recently met their pals, who were juniors taking a literacy block. Hall-Kent student Bryan Olmos-Ramos meets his Samford pen pal.

Bidding farewell

Homewood elementary schools celebrated their fifth-graders during fifth-grade recognition programs to celebrate their elementary school years and wish them luck at Homewood Middle School next year. Photo courtesy of Merrick Wilson.

The Homewood Star

B8 • August 2014

A new kind of fit

HHS students participate in Alabama Governor’s School

Teachers work with new grants for schools By SYDNEY CROMWELL This fall, Homewood Middle School will be focused on giving students a lifetime of fitness. HMS received a $9,470 grant from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama to fund programs that will prevent or reduce childhood obesity. In Homewood Homewood City Schools Wellness Coordinator Nivada Spurlock wrote the grant with the help of HMS physical education teachers and Prevention and Development Coordinator Carissa Anthony. Spurlock said they decided to focus the grant on sixth grade because it is the first time students from different elementary schools are all together. “We’ll further several of our schools by focusing on that one grade level,” Spurlock said. Starting this fall, the new sixth grade PE curriculum will focus on “making fitness fun” and helping students understand the importance of different exercises. This will include an online program for students to learn at home and class time devoted to getting everyone active. “Those kids can come in and hit the gym and immediately start training and get it,” Spurlock said. “We want to best use every minute we have with those kids to get their heart rate up.” With the grant money, the middle school will buy new equipment such as kettlebells, free weights, pull-up stations, stability balls and plyometric boxes. Spurlock said this equipment will provide a variety of exercises and will be easy to set up and remove from the gym. By encouraging fitness and helping middle school students understand why they do each activity, Spurlock hopes to see long-term improvements in Homewood’s obesity levels and overall fitness. “We want to get those kids moving. We want to get them active and we want them to enjoy fitness,” Spurlock said.

Students try out fitness equipment that will be used as a part of a new fitness program at Homewood Middle School.

Beyond Homewood Homewood resident Irish Horton also received a grant to help his work as a physical education teacher at Hemphill Elementary in downtown Birmingham. Horton’s grant of $8,400 will go toward buying new equipment for his K-5 classes, including a model skeleton to teach children about the body and tools for flexibility, cardio and upper-body workouts. Horton also said he has been working all summer to develop new fitness curriculum which will teach sportsmanship, nutrition, discipline and easy ways to stay fit. “In today’s society, a lot of people are overweight, a lot of kids are overweight or obese, and I feel like I can make a difference,” Horton said. “I want to be able to get our kids in tip top shape for middle school.” Blue Cross and Blue Shield gave out 28 grants, totaling $249,513, to schools across the state for the 20142015 school year. Each school receives 50 percent of the money in the fall and receives the rest in January after providing proof that new health programs are in place. The grants are given to schools with health programs that emphasize exercise, nutrition and parent involvement.

Amica Rapadas, Aaron Houston Wingo, Anna Lee Nabors and Kailyn Gibbs. Photo courtesy of Mary Wimberley.

Four students from Homewood High School were chosen to attend Alabama Governor’s School at Samford University June 15-27. They were among 91 outstanding rising high school seniors from 24 counties who were selected for the two-week honors program. AGS participants are nominated by their schools on the basis of academic ability, leadership qualities, creativity, community service and a written essay. -Submitted by Mary Wimberley

Time to rise and run For the second year, a group of rising seventh graders at Homewood Middle School participated in the Rise and Run Summer Camp. The one-week camp, funded by Homewood City Schools Foundation’s donors, gave students the chance to hone their skills in certain pre-algebra concepts and math vocabulary, preparing them for the challenge of seventh grade math. Sally Bryan led this camp and made it fun for students to study math over the summer. Speakers helped students see how math is used in everyday life. Homewood Middle School’s own Pam White talked to the students about technology.

HOV

TheHomewoodStar.com

August 2014 • B9

Sports Joy League Baseball crowns 2014 champions Joy League baseball recently wrapped up its 57th consecutive season of daytime baseball. Commissioners Perry Akins and Ted Hagler awarded trophies to the teams that won their division championship. The 2014 champions are: `` A –Bucs, coached by John David Owen and Jim McMillan `` AA –Bucs, coached by Britt Vibber `` AAA –Sox, coached by John Cucinotta. Each division champ played a game against an All-Star team composed of 12 players from its division. In addition, All-Stars

from the Bucs and Cards played All-Stars from the Sox and Yanks in a T-Ball Rookie AllStar game. Following those games, the coaches, players and their families enjoyed a traditional watermelon picnic. Each year, Joy League games are played on Saturday mornings on the two diamonds at Edgewood Elementary School. A total of nearly 200 boys and girls played in the league this year. Established in 1958 by the late John J. Smith Sr., the Joy League provides its third generation of players a fun place to learn how to play baseball. -Submitted by Ashley Matteo

A day at tennis camp Birmingham Tennis Academy junior tennis camp participants dressed in white for the annual Breakfast at Wimbledon Day at Lakeshore Foundation. After completing a series of circuits, they enjoyed strawberries and ice cream before competing against one another in a round robin format singles tournament. Photo courtesy of Birmingham Tennis Academy.

2014 Rookie Cards Nicholas Roitman, Sean Stanton, Kai Sorge, Luke Matteo and Nathan Matteo are among a third generation of players who have learned how to play baseball in the Joy League.

The Homewood Star

B10 • August 2014

Homewood Patriots 2014 Season Preview

Homewood junior quarterback Carson Grifﬁs throws a pass to Alec Marsch during spring practice. Photo courtesy of Scott Butler.

2014SCHEDULE Date 8/22 8/29 9/5 9/12 9/19 10/3 10/10 10/17 10/24 10/31

Opponent Decatur Vestavia Hills Pelham* Briarwood* John Carroll* Minor* Walker* Hueytown* Jockson-Olin* Tuscaloosa County *Region game

Location Away Away Away Home Away Home Home Away Home Home

Time 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m.

That kid Every team needs “that kid,” a player who displays heart, leadership or other intangibles — not only under the Friday night lights but also during the sweltering heat of August practices. Kaelan Henry is the vocal leader of the defense. He’s only 5-6, 205. He probably would be better at linebacker, but he’s so good at nose. He’s the vocal leader on the team that everybody respects. He’s the hardest worker in the weight room. I don’t know what you’d do without a kid like that. -Coach Ben Berguson

TheHomewoodStar.com

August 2014 • B11

Patriots’ philosophy:

Break opponents’ will By DAVID KNOX Homewood High has a new head football coach, but he’s a familiar face. This season the Patriots step up in class under the new seven-class format and into a more competitive region, but they believe they’re going to contend for the region championship – and plan on a deep run in the playoffs. It may sound confusing, but new head coach Ben Berguson knows his Patriots are capable of defending as a region champion. Coming off a 9-3 season and a 7-0 record in Class 5A, Region 4, Homewood is now in Class 6A, Region 5. The Patriots are joined in that region by Briarwood Christian, John Carroll, Minor, Hueytown, Walker, Jackson-Olin and Pelham. Berguson, who had been an assistant coach for three seasons, replaced Doug Goodwin. Goodwin took the Pats to the playoffs but was dismissed by the Homewood administration after being deemed no longer a good fit. Berguson wore the interim head coach tag during an interview process before he was named head coach. Berguson has one year of experience as a head coach – ironically, as an interim head coach at Spain Park when he replaced David Shores. With six starters back on offense, including the quarterback and three offensive linemen, Berguson is clear

feet.” Griffis runs a 4.5 40, and Berguson said they’ll definitely have some designed runs for him this season. Senior Maurice Mayo (5-8, 170) will start at tailback, and the coaching staff has high expectations for him. Alec Marsch and Lawton Dorough return at wide receiver. Dorough, who is also getting some looks from colleges, also runs a 4.5 40.

Nose guard Kaelan Henry (42) is a leader on defense for the Patriots. Photo courtesy of Scott Butler.

about the Patriots’ philosophy: “If you can run the ball, you can break somebody’s will. That’s kind of our philosophy, and with this O-line, we should be able to do that.” The Patriots have 20 seniors. Leadership, experience and chemistry shouldn’t be a problem. Staying healthy is key.

OFFENSE The Patriots run a multiple spread offense, but they’ll likely run it more than throw it. Berguson considers the offensive line his team’s strength. Big John Yarbrough (6-5, 280) has offers from Arkansas State, South Alabama and Samford already. Senior Morris Scott (6-2, 290) is also being looked at

for Saturday football. Junior Cameron Moody is returning starter at center. Junior Carson Griffis (5-11, 170) is back at quarterback, and Berguson points out that he won nine games and a region championship as a sophomore, so much is expected of him again. “We’re excited about him. He’s fast, so he can beat you with his

DEFENSE Homewood only brings three starters back on defense. Trip Moss (5-11, 205) is returning at Mike linebacker in the Pats’ 3-4 defense. “He’s a vocal guy and will be the leader on our defense,” Berguson said. Junior Griffin Gentry (6-2, 245) was injured early last season, but he is a college talent at defensive end. Safety Griffin Rivers (6-1, 170) is a key man in the secondary. “He’s great athlete and can do just about anything.” The junior will also return kicks. Senior nose guard Kaelan Henry (5-6, 205) is a vocal leader and though perhaps undersized is quick. “He can blow through a gap in a second,” Berguson said. SPECIAL TEAMS Griffis returns as punter, and he’s a good one. Sam Kyle will handle the place-kicking. Berguson would like to find a kickoff man who can start the opponent on the 20, but he hasn’t found him yet. Mayo, Rivers and Derrick Underwood will return kicks.

The Homewood Star

B12 • August 2014

HOMEWOOD PARKS & RECREATION Homewood Community Center

Zumba

Young Rembrandts

ZUMBA is Latin inspired aerobic dance and every class feels like a party. ZUMBA is for all ages, and both sexes! You can burn 500 to 1000 calories in one fun hour! Instructor: Camille Scruggs Contact Info: 256-452-2500 or camillescruggs@ gmail.com Days & Times: Homewood Community Center – Fitness Studio 2 Tuesday & Thursday: 5:30-6:30pm Saturday: 9:00-10:00am

Draw amazing things with Young Rembrandts!

Royce Head Personal Training Everyone benefits from weight training!!! Affordable small group training sessions are available to members in the new community center weight room with Royce Head, a certified personal trainer with 15 year’s experience. Each 30 min workout is fast, fun, safe, and effective and each person is started with a program to fit their fitness level. Each workout is a different circuit training routine which keeps heart rate in the fat burning zone while stretching and strengthening all the muscles in the body with extra emphasis on the CORE for a strong back and flat belly. Royce will be available for small group training sessions: Monday - Thursday: 6:30am - 7:30am / 10:00am - 11:00am / 5:30pm - 6:30pm $25 Per Session (or) 12 Sessions for $250 One on one training is available; please call for times and pricing Call Royce for more information: (205) 945-1665

Michelle Keel Yoga

Young Rembrandts classes are both fun and educational, and our step-by-step curriculum is developed to teach fundamental art skills in a nurturing environment that gives children an academic advantage. Our classes are for boys and girls 5 to 12 years of age. Please contact Chris Roberson at (205) 9431923 for more information and to register or visit www.youngrembrandts.com to enroll anytime.

Karate Classes are held at various times based on age and level of experience. Monthly tuition is $55 $65. Classes are for children and teenagers ages 4 and up. For more information please contact Master Joe at 966-4244

My main teaching style is an athletic vinyasa ﬂow class which follows the alignment of Iyengar with the heart opening of Anusara combined with the movement of Ashtanga. I have training and teach Pre/Post Natal classes, Yoga for Fertility and children’s yoga. I teach my students to move at their own pace in class and to allow the body and mind to open gradually and that yoga is a practice and that every day is diﬀerent. Thursday 6:00pm-7:00pm Homewood Community Center Fitness Studio 1 For additional information contact: Michelle Keel at sweetomyoga@hotmail. com www.sweetomyoga.org

Tango Argentino Fundamentals and Practice

Belly Dancing with Aziza Class Location: Homewood Community Center Class Fee: $60 cash only For more information contact Aziza at 879-0701 or azizaofbirmingham@att.net Learn the ancient art of Middle Eastern belly dance (classic Egyptian style) with Aziza, award winning dancer, with 36 years of experience in performance and instruction. Women only, ages 13 and up are welcome; with no dance experience necessary to enroll. Each session is 5-weeks long on: Tuesday night for beginners, Wednesday night for intermediates and Thursday night for advanced. www.azizaofbirmingham.com

Homewood Senior Center

Creative Expression

Mondays, 1:00pm – Sunshiners Senior Chorus, with professional direction and live, professional accompaniment. The chorus occasionally performs at a facility or venue oﬀ-site or for peers at the Senior Center. For fun and visual variety, props and minimal costuming are sometimes used. Free to members. Mondays, 2:15pm – Clay Class, taught by JoAnn Brown, recently retired from Homewood School System. Participants may choose the project introduced by the instructor or ‘do their own thing.’ Clay, glazes, and kiln ﬁring are provided. Free to members.

Fitness Classes Tai Chi – Taught by Galina Waites. Chairs and adapted movements are provided for participants with balance/stamina challenges. Thursdays, 2:00pm. Free to members. Zumba Gold (designed for seniors) w/Tai Chi ‘cool down’ – Tuesdays, 2:15. 45 minutes of Zumba followed by 15 minutes of Tai Chi to ‘cool down’. The last 15 minutes can also serve as an introduction/review for those interested in the Thursday full-hour Tai Chi class. Free to Senior Center Members. $5 for nonmembers.

@homewoodparks

Introductory lessons and guided practice the 1st & 3rd Wednesday of each month. New students are taught basic Tango technique and experienced “milongueros” are encouraged to practice and exchange tips to improve their dancing. Couples and individuals of all ages are welcome. Leather soled shoes recommended; avoid ﬂip-ﬂops, sandals, high platforms or open toe shoes. 1st & 3rd Wednesday of each Month 7:00pm-8:30pm Homewood Community Center Fitness Studio 2

YoLIMBER Vinyasa yoga classes in an energetic environment using upbeat music, synchronizing one’s breath to a ﬂowing series of postures. Devote, detach, and destress for 60 minutes and walk away ready for anything life has to oﬀer. All levels welcome. Private sessions available. Instructor: Marla Hodges Contact info: 205-223-8564 or mac@yolimber.com Days &Times: Monday & Friday 8:30am-9:30am; Saturday 8:30am & 10:00am

Dance 4U – Line Dance Class LINE DANCE FOR A HEALTHIER YOU! “A program designed to encourage movement” Homewood Community Center Fitness Studio 2 Tuesday 7pm-9pm / Saturday 10:15am-12:15pm $7/Drop-in - $5/Seniors 65+ - First class is free For additional Info: Rosa Fisher (205) 910-8896 / rosaﬁsher@yahoo.com

Kindermusik As the world’s recognized leader in early childhood music and movement, Kindermusik oﬀers a musical learning adventure that will impact your child now and for years to come! This is accomplished through our extraordinary classroom experience and unsurpassed At Home materials. There’s simply no better way to foster your child’s love of music and love of learning. Classes are available for ages 0 to 5 years. For more information call or email Kelly at: 205-552-6129 (or) Kelly.alligood@charter.net www.kellyalligood.com

Athletics Homewood Patriot Youth Baseball

Homewood Soccer Club

The Homewood Patriot Youth Baseball League is a youth recreational baseball league for the citizens of Homewood, as well as, surrounding communities. The HPYBL board works with the Homewood Parks and Recreation Board in scheduling games/practices. Please visit our website for more information about the upcoming fall season. www.homewoodyouthbaseball.com

Patriot league sign-ups continue until midAugust: Patriots: For age groups U-4 through U-8. Players play once a week with a practice followed by a game. U-8 players have a one time a week practice and play a game on Saturday each week. For all Patriot ages it is an intramural program without any travel. Detailed information about levels of play, including deadlines, fees and Club philosophy is available on our web site at www. HomewoodSoccer.com

Fall Girl’s Softball Information Registration Period: August 1st – 21st Register at: Online at www.homewoodparks.com (or) Homewood Community Center Business Oﬃce (Monday – Friday 8:30am – 5:30pm) Costs: $30 Homewood Residents / $40 NonHomewood Residents Age Divisions: 6 and Under / 8 and Under / 10 and Under / 12 and Under *Fall Ball playing age uses the age group you will play in the spring of 2014.* New Player Evaluations: Saturday, August 23rd Field 6 @ 10am – West Homewood Park Alissa Thurmond at 332-6715 (or) Alissa. thurmond@homewoodal.org

Fall Adult Softball

Coed and Men’s Leagues Registration begins July 15th – registration will close August 8th or as night’s reach there max number of teams. Games will begin week of September 8th. League Days & Types ~ West Homewood Field #2 Monday Co-Ed Recreation – 6 Team Max Tuesday Men’s League – 6 Team Max Wednesday Men’s League – 6 Team Max Thursday Co-Ed Recreation – 6 Team Max For additional information about the league please visit: www.homewoodparks.com

Summer Pool Hours Pool hours will reduce Tuesday, August 12th Central Pool at Homewood Community Center Pool Hours Monday – Friday: 3:00pm – 7:00pm Saturday: 10:00am – 7:00pm Sunday: 1:00pm – 6:00pm Pool Oﬃce Phone: (205) 332-6710 West Homewood Pool at West Homewood Park Will close at the end of business; Monday, August 11th

Special Events & Programs Back to School Bash at Homewood Central Park Saturday, August 23rd, 2014 3:00pm-7:00pm The Back to School Bash will be held August 23rd from 3:00pm – 7:00pm at Homewood Central Park. The event will kick oﬀ the new school year with an array of rides, inﬂatables, food and entertainment. Unlimited rides wristband $10. Proceeds from the event go to Homewood High School Band & Homewood Soccer Club.

www.Homewoodparks.com

TheHomewoodStar.com

August 2014 • B13

New coach, new class for Homewood Patriots By DAVID KNOX Homewood High played in Class 5A last season. The Patriots will play in Class 6A this season. That’s a step up, but it’s not the dreaded big step up to Class 7A. Class 7A? This season finds Alabama high school football undergoing its biggest change in 30 years. The Alabama High School Athletic Association, by unanimous vote of its central board, has added a seventh class for the largest 32 schools in the state. This creates entirely new regional and class alignments and affects rivalries, travel and, most importantly, whether your school will make the playoffs. Homewood, under new coach Ben Berguson, is coming off a 9-3 season and a Class 5A, Region 4 championship. In Class 6A, Region 5, the Patriots will tangle with Briarwood Christian and John Carroll Catholic among the Over the Mountain schools. Other schools in their region include Pelham, Minor, Jackson-Olin, Hueytown and Walker. It’s unclear at this juncture just how much of an effect the step up will have on the Pats. As far as school size goes, Homewood is 24th-largest among the 60 schools in 6A. But Jeffco schools Shades Valley and Clay-Chalkville have some 200 more students — and they are still in Class 6A and are among the favorites in the “new” 6A. This is the first major classification change the AHSAA has adopted since 1984, when the governing body increased from four classes to six. The remaining six classes were divided as equally as possible with 60 schools in 6A, 61 in 5A, 60 in 4A, 60 in 3A, 58 in 2A and 58 making

HOMEWOOD

•

6A Region 5 2013 Records

All

Playoffs

Briarwood

9-3

1-1

Homewood

9-3

1-1

Hueytown

3-7

0-0

Jackson-Olin

2-8

0-0

John Carroll

2-8

0-0

Minor

4-6

0-0

Pelham

6-5

0-1

Walker

8-2

0-0

Region Totals

43-42

2-3

up Class 1A. “The seven-classiﬁcation system will allow more student-athletes to participate in championship events, and more will experience ﬁrsthand what it means to play in some of the best venues in our state,” Central Board President Lamar Brooks said. “With the addition of an extra championship game, revenues should increase, which will mean much-needed additional money for all schools through the AHSAA revenue sharing program.” In the Over the Mountain area, the so-called “Region of Doom” returns in a slightly different

ALABAMA

877-8797

Wayne Salem, Owner

2913 18th Street S. www.salemsdiner.com Monday - Friday: 6:30 am - 2:00 pm Saturday: 6:30 am - 3:00 pm

The Tilapia Greek Mary House Kessler, Ph.D Clinical Hypnosis Trained in EMDR

Specializes in working with:

Lessening chronic pain • Lowering anxiety Reprocessing trauma • Getting rid of phobias Habit cessation • Regression therapy Gateway to Change, 2305 Arlington Avenue Birmingham, Al 35205 Phone 205-602-8329 • 205-933-9276 Email: 2610mhkphd@gmail.com

form in highly competitive Class 7A, Region 3. Back-to-back Class 6A state champ Hoover — rated by some preseason sources as a national championship favorite — is grouped with sister Hoover school Spain Park along with Vestavia Hills, Mountain Brook, Thompson, Oak Mountain, Tuscaloosa County and Hewitt-Trussville. Six of those eight made the 2013 Class 6A playoffs; three were region champions. But only four of these teams will make the 16-ﬁeld 7A playoff bracket in 2014. No other Metro Birmingham schools are in Class 7A. Removing Hoover — which has won

eight 6A state titles since 2000 — cracks the door open for some other very good programs to make a run at a state crown. AHSAA Executive Director Steve Savarese said the seven-class system allows the organization to group schools more closely in enrollment, reduces the need for nine-team regions in football and has created fewer five-team areas in sports such as basketball, volleyball, baseball and softball. “It also will allow more schools to make the state playoffs and will crown more state champions than at any other time in the history of our organization,” he said. Some members of the media have taken to calling Class 7A a “super class,” but 6A may be even more competitive. Class 6A is comprised of 60 schools in eight regions, and Metro Birmingham schools landed across four of those regions. Ron Ingram, AHSAA director of communications, said that the regions within the classes were aligned by using a complex GPS system that has been in use since 2007. In all classes except 7A, 32 schools will make the playoffs. The Super 6 Championships now become the Super 7. The championships alternate between Tuscaloosa and Auburn, and this year it’s Auburn’s turn. The Class 7A final will be played Wednesday, Dec. 3. Classes 1A, 3A and 5A will play on Thursday, and 2A, 4A and 6A will play their finals on Friday. The playoffs for all classes will begin the same week, the first weekend of November. But after the third round, the two Class 7A finalists will take a week off while the other classes play their semifinal games.

The Homewood Star

B14 • August 2014

Calendar Homewood Events Aug. 2 & 9: Homewood Farmer’s Market. 8 a.m.–noon. 2850 19th Street South. Visit urbancookhouse.com/farmers-markets. Aug. 3-Sept. 2: Nancy Christie Art Exhibit. The Joy Gallery, 513 Columbiana Road. Visit thejoygallery.org. Aug. 4: Paul Finebaum Book Signing and Tailgate Party. 6 p.m. Books-A-Million, Brookwood Village. Finebaum’s has co-written My Conference Can Beat Your Conference: Why the SEC Still Rules College Football with ESPN.com’s Gene Wojciechowski. Aug. 6: The Latest in ADD/ADHD. 6 p.m. Dawson Family of Faith Social Hall. Dr. Robert Pitts of Pitts & Associates Mental Health Professionals will speak. Aug. 9: Homewood Farmer’s Market. 8 a.m.–noon. 2850 19th Street South. Visit urbancookhouse.com/farmers-markets. Aug. 12: Homewood Community Garden Work Day. 9 a.m. Old Homewood Middle School Site. Email hcsgarden@gmail. com. Aug. 17: CDF Community Fest. 2-5 p.m. Children’s Dance Foundation Community Arts Center. Free admission. Call 870-0073 or visit childrensdancefoundation.org. Aug. 16: Block Party Fundraiser. 4-7 p.m. Homewood Public Library. Hosted by the Library Foundation Board. Food and drinks will be available. Call 332-3325. Aug. 19: Homewood Chamber of Commerce Luncheon with guest speaker Mary Helmer. 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. The Club. Guest speaker Mary Helmer is the president/ state coordinator for Main Street Alabama. Call 871-5631. Aug. 21: West Homewood Farmer’s Market. 6-9 p.m. 160 West Oxmoor road. Live music and a variety of vendors. Visit westhomewood.com. Aug. 23: Back to School Bash. 3-7 p.m. Homewood Central Park. Rides, inflatables, food, music and entertainment. $10 wristband to ride and play on attractions. Visit homewoodparks.com. Aug. 29: Homewood High School Football vs. Vestavia Hills. 7 p.m. Vestavia Hills High School.

Homewood Public Library For more information, contact Leslie West at lwest@bham.lib.al.us or 332-6620. Aug. 4: Seven Threats to Your Family’s Security with Attorney Jay Greene. 6 p.m. Lower Level. Join lawyer Jay Greene as he explains the best ways to protect your assets and your loved ones. Visit alassetprotection.com or call 746-2465. Aug. 5: Technology Tuesdays: Get the Most Out of Your iPad and iPhone. 2 p.m. Boardroom. Consultants network answers your questions on how to best use your Apple device. Aug. 5: Pet Loss Support Group Sponsored by the Greater Birmingham Humane Society. 5:30 p.m. Room 110, Lower Level. Free, but registration requested. Email mawilson@gbhs. org or call 942-1211. Aug. 7: Radio Hero: The Story of Paul “Tall Paul” White with Bob Friedman. 6:30 p.m. Large Auditorium. Join us for Bob Friedman’s dynamic presentation on black-oriented radio in Birmingham. Aug. 12: Oxmoor Page Turner’s Book Club. 6:30 p.m. Lucretia M. Somers Boardroom. Discussing The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon. Aug. 15: The History of Coffee & Free Coffee Tasting with Floyd Brown. 12 p.m. Large Auditorium. To learn more about this plant, join Floyd Brown for an interesting program and a free coffee tasting.

Aug. 19: The A, B, C’s of Medicare. Noon and 6 p.m. Room 116, Lower Level. Karen Haiflich will discuss Medicare and answer questions. Aug. 21: Vitamins Supplements: What Works and What Doesn’t with Dr. Krystal. 6:30 p.m. Large Auditorium. Join us as Dr. Krystal from Homewood Friends and Family Chiropractic gives you the lowdown on vitamins. Aug. 23: Self-Defense for Women. 9:30 a.m. Large Auditorium. Detective Juan Rodriquez of the Homewood Police Department teaches you how to size up a situation and what you should do. Free, but reservations required. Aug. 26: Small Business Seminar: Credit Preparation and Brown Bag Luncheon. 12 p.m. Large Auditorium. Bring you brown bag lunch, the Library and the Homewood Chamber will provide drinks and desserts. Aug. 27: The Better Than Therapy Book Club. 2 p.m. Boardroom. Discussing The Paris Wife by Paula McLain. Aug. 28: Friends of the Homewood Public Library Members-Only Book Sale. 6:30-8:30 p.m. Friends Bookstore, Lower Level. Books half off. Wine, cheese and other refreshments will be served. You may renew or become a member on the night of the sale.

Area Events Aug. 1-29: Celebrate America! 10 a.m. American Village. Enjoy red, white and blue family fun for all ages this summer. Adults $10, Kids 5-17 and Seniors 60 and up $9, Veterans, active military and children 4 and under free. Visit americanvillage.org. Aug. 1-2: Secret Stages. Downtown Loft District. For two nights, a diverse group of music enthusiasts will be treated to over 80 bands performing on up to 11 different stages. Visit secretstages.net. Aug. 1: Summer Film Series: Mamma Mia! 7 p.m. Alabama Theatre, 1817 Third Ave. North. The story of a bride-to-be trying to find her real father told using hit songs by the popular ’70s group ABBA. 108 min. PG-13. There will be a sing-along and Mighty Wurlitzer performance before the film. $8. Call 252-2262. Aug. 2: Otey’s Fest. 5 p.m. Otey’s Tavern, 224 Country Club Park, Mountain Brook. Live music, hamburgers and hotdogs and beer tent on site. Call 871-8435. Aug. 3: Summer Film Series: Blue Hawaii. 2 p.m. Alabama Theatre, 1817 Third Ave. North. Chad Gates has just gotten out of the Army, and is happy to be back in Hawaii with his surfboard, his beach buddies and his girlfriend. 102 minutes. PG. There will be a sing-along and Mighty Wurlitzer performance before the film.

TheHomewoodStar.com

August 2014 • B15

Calendar Area Events (continued) $8. Call 252-2262. Aug. 7: Fenders and Fireflies. 6-10 p.m. Old Car Heaven. Benefits Easter Seals of Birmingham. Catering by Cocina Superior. Live music, silent auction and more. Buy tickets at instagift.com/eastersealsofbirmingham. Call 314-2187. Aug. 8: Summer Film Series: The Godfather. 7 p.m. Alabama Theatre, 1817 Third Ave. North. The aging patriarch of an organized crime dynasty transfers control of his clandestine empire to his reluctant son. 175 minutes. R. There will be a sing-along and Mighty Wurlitzer performance before the film. $8. Call 252-2262. Aug. 10: Summer Film Series: The Wizard of Oz. 2 p.m. Alabama Theatre, 1817 Third Ave. North. Dorothy Gale is swept away to a magical land in a tornado and embarks on a quest to see the Wizard who can help her return home. 102 min. PG. There will be a sing-along and Mighty Wurlitzer performance before each film. $8. Call 252-2262. Aug. 14: Meet Authors Frank Page and Lavon Gray. 10 a.m.-12 p.m. WMU National Headquarters. 100 Missionary Ridge. Discussion of challenges facing today’s churches. Visit newhopedigital.com. Aug. 14: Birmingham Food Allergy Symposium. Registration at 5:30 p.m. Program 6:30-9 p.m. Vestavia Hills Library. Food Allergy Research and Education will host an evening of education and support on food

allergies. Call Bonnie Robbins at 404-990-3555 to RSVP. Aug. 14: Mother Plug Music Presents “An Evening with Anders Osborne.” 7 p.m. Avondale Brewing Company. Advanced general admission $20, Day-of-event general admission $25. Visit motherplugmusic.com Aug. 15-24: Birmingham Restaurant Week. Time and location varies. Birmingham’s premier dining out event organized by REV Birmingham. Visit bhamrestaurantweek.com or call 595-0562. Aug. 16: Boiling N’ Bragging. 6-9 p.m. Otey’s Tavern. 244 Country Club Park, Mountain Brook. Football season kick-off party. Benefits Critical Care Transport at Children’s of Alabama. Visit boilingnbragging.org. Aug. 22: Sips for CF Wine Tasting Competition. 1901 Sixth Ave. N Downtown Birmingham. Fifteenth floor. Hosted by and benefitting Laps for Cystic Fibrosis. Tickets $20 in advance, $25 day of event. Visit LapsForCF. org. Aug. 22-24: 16th Annual Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival. Theatre District of Downtown Birmingham. Visit sidewalkfest.com or call 324-0888. Aug. 24: L’Chaim. 2:30-4 p.m. Temple Emanu-El, 2100 Highland Ave. The Birmingham Holocaust Education Center will honor local businessman and developer Jeffrey Bayer. $50. Visit bhamholocausteducation.org.

Ordinary Days By Lauren Denton

Thinking like a man A quote by missionary Jim I’m a little jealous of his abilElliot floats around the Internet ity to be so single-minded. I from time to time: “Wherever often wish I could focus solely you are, be all there.” I saw on the one thing at hand, be it it the other day, and it was a playing with the girls, sitting good reminder to try to focus in church or reading a book. on the matter at hand rather Instead, my mind tends to drift than thinking about all the to how much writing I need to other things I should be doing get done the next morning, or that I need to do later. In this what needs to go on my grorespect, I think men have an cery list or the fact that my car Denton advantage over women. is 3,000 miles overdue for an A Sunday comic strip said it best when oil change. it showed a picture of a waffle next to a Recently, I even forgot whether or plate of spaghetti with the caption: “Men not I took a shower. Imagine that — the are like waffles, women are like spa- shower is virtually the one time the entire ghetti.” Men can compartmentalize dif- day when I’m completely alone, and later ferent areas of their lives so that when they that night, I couldn’t even remember if I’d are busy with one compartment, the others taken one! Turns out I had, but my mind remain totally separate and don’t fight for was so occupied with other thoughts, I brain space. On the other hand, women didn’t even take the time to enjoy those are like spaghetti — all our needs, wants, minutes of alone time. to-do lists and “do not forgets” are tangled I need to take Jim Elliot’s words to up in one big knot. Thinking about one heart and be fully present in whatever I’m single thing for any length of time with- doing because you never know when God out other thoughts intruding can be nearly is going to show you something amazing, impossible! even in the mundane activities of the day. My sweet husband, Matt, can come When I have a few minutes alone, I’ll try home to a house strewn with toys, put his to sit and put my feet up instead of scurrykeys down, and begin playing hide and ing to unload the dishwasher while thinkseek with the girls. He’s not oblivious to ing about loading the washing machine. the condition of the house or the state of When I’m putting a puzzle together or the dinner in the works in the kitchen, but pushing the girls on the swings, the grothis is his time with the girls and that’s cery list can wait. While my brain might what he focuses on. After dinner, he can not reorganize itself into convenient little turn some music on, clean the kitchen compartments, maybe I can at least enjoy top to bottom, and not be bothered by the my hot showers again. pleas of, “I’m still hungry” or “Sela took Lauren can be reached at LaurenKmy toy!” It’s his time to clean, and that’s Denton@gmail.com. You can also find what he focuses on. her tweeting writerly things on Twitter @ I am not complaining about this. In fact, LaurenKDenton.