Bham Family - August 2023

EDITOR’S NOTE

I truly can’t believe we’ve finally met the “end” of summer. Of course, we all know the heat is here to stay through October, but it is officially the month of lastminute before-back-to-school bucket lists! Over here, uniforms have been ironed, we have fresh crayons and markers in a bin ready for supply drop-off, and plans are well underway for our second-annual mother/daughter “fancy” pre-school dinner date. Last year, we girled it up at Chez Lulu; this year’s location is TBD. If you have an idea, email me with it!

We recently took a little field trip to secure that nostalgic summer staple—ice cream—and, as promised last month, we picked up a pint of Blue Belle’s Dr. Pepper Float flavor. After our trio sampled it, we came to this conclusion: It’s sweet and tastes just like a Dr. Pepper Float (with extra cherry!). We also celebrated the end of summer reading at our local library with a visit to the iScream treat truck. I’m afraid my daughter has gotten used to daily frozen desserts—and on our family trip to Michigan, she even managed to score ice cream for

breakfast!—so I am really glad dietician Holley Grainger is coming to our rescue with her healthy lunchbox ideas on page 20.

We’re also celebrating a few new beginnings in education this month: Teacher Valerie Agee secured a grant to help students at her school, Irondale Community, with their needs through an emotional resource room. Read about it on page 23—I know this space is going to bless the students there!

Wishing you all good report cards and zero elementary stomach viruses this 2023-2024 school year. In the words of Merlin in The Sword and The Stone: “It’s up to you how far you’ll go. If you don’t try, you’ll never know.”

Stephanie Gibson Lepore, Content Director and Mom, stephanie@jbmcmedia.com

To view this and previous issues in a digital flip version, scan the QR code with your phone’s camera.

ABOUT US

Bham Family is published monthly by JBMC Media, LLC, P.O. Box 26432, Birmingham AL 35260. 10,000 copies are printed and distributed at more than 650 locations throughout Jefferson and Shelby Counties.

DISTRIBUTION

If your business would like to make copies available to customers, please email matthew@jbmcmedia.com with your business name, address, point of contact, and number of copies you would like.

ADVERTISING

To reach the largest audience of parents in Birmingham each month, partner with us. Email michelle@jbmcmedia.com to get started with a partnership that will be a key part of your plan.

Read more on page 23.

OUR PEOPLE

Matthew Allen Publisher (205) 617-9609 matthew@jbmcmedia.com

Stephanie Gibson Lepore Content Director stephanie@jbmcmedia.com

Michelle Salem Haynes Marketing Consultant (205) 381-1311

michelle@jbmcmedia.com

Tony and Shweta Bratina Graphic Designers

Photo courtesy of Heidi’s Kids.

Teacher Valerie Agee’s sister, artist Marlena McBride, painted the beautiful mural in Irondale Community School’s new emotional resource room.

OUR ADVERTISING PARTNERS

These folks are the ones to thank for our magazine’s success — spend your money with them, and tell them you saw them in Bham Family!

Applause Dancewear

Birmingham Children’s Theatre

Children’s of Alabama

Compact

Deo Gloria Wood Works

El Patron Mexican Restaurant

Jack n Jill Shop

Kasey Davis Dentistry

Kingdom Kids Consignment Sale

Painted Personalities

Pediatric Smiles

Shelby County Chamber of Commerce

Sike’s Children’s Shoes

Southlake Orthopaedics

Top Body Contouring

Vineyard Family Services

Vulcan Termite & Pest Control

Wrapsody

Just for Dads

Ward Williams gives advice p. 8

Holy Moly Motherhood

The first day of school p. 10

Education

News from local schools and college students p. 11

Sean of the South Sunrise and a good breakfast p. 12

Nonprofit

UAB partners to install free book vending machine p. 14

Faith

Samford honors alumnus with scholarship name p. 16

Schoolhouse

Update from the Hoover School District p. 18

Kids Who Shine

Trussville students present to NASA p. 30

FEATURE STORIES

Back-to-School Lunchbox Ideas

Tips and ideas for packing in veggies p. 20

A Safe Space for Students

Teacher uses grant to fund emotional resource room p. 23

Maximizing Dorm Room Space College prep for an organized “home” p. 26

Back-to-School Jitters

Meet-the-teacher is a day of excitement, nerves, and a mixture of emotions for most families with young children. I have learned from observing my wife, who is an early-elementary teacher, that teachers are feeling many of the same emotions. She, along with other teachers, administrators, and school support staff, are working hard to prepare for the upcoming school year. She is decorating, arranging her room, talking to her teacher friends, attending trainings, buying books and materials, wondering what kids are going to be in her class, and—most importantly—praying for the kids and families she will work with this year. Teachers, schools, and school districts work to have a defined mission, vision, and code of conduct to help guide what happens each school year. I strongly believe that almost every teacher loves kids and wants nothing but good things for the students in their classes. It might be a true statement to think that I never once thought to imagine school through the eyes of a teacher. As a kid and teenager, there were concerns and thoughts about teachers, but never any empathy or desire to have any empathy toward their jobs. When my kids started school, there was always

appreciation and care about teachers, but never a thought of what they had to do to prepare and what an actual class day entailed.

This year, I encourage you to be an ally of your kids’ teachers, to build them up and encourage them whenever possible. It is important to listen to observations that they might notice after being with your child on a daily basis and combined with years of serving other families. Remember: Teachers are humans with the same mixture of emotions that you might be feeling. They really do love your children and want what is best for them. Whether it is your first first day or your 40th first day, everyone is feeling “nervcited.” Here is a prayer for God’s protection over you, your children, and your teachers this year. This is a prayer my family prays on the first day of school from The Blessing Cup by Rock Travnikar. Feel free to do the same for your family.

“Be

with ___________, we pray.

Response: May your angels protect him/her. For ___________’s teachers and new friends, we pray.

Response: May your angels protect him/her. That the happiness that __________brings to our home may be shared with all his/her schoolmates, we pray.

Response: May your angels protect him/ her. That everyone in our family will listen and learn as Jesus did, we pray. Amen.”

Ward Williams is the founder and executive director of Vineyard Family Services. Contact him at ward@vfsdads.com.

Ward Williams

PHOTOGRAPH BY MONICA SEDRA ON UNSPLASH

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School Days

Somehow, the new school year is only a few short days away. Gosh, the summer just flies right on by, doesn’t it? It still feels like summer in this Alabama heat, but the easygoing nature of summer is coming to an end as fall and its schedules creep their way in.

I really love summertime with all of its holidays and trips and days by the pool, but fall is pretty easy to love, too, once you get into the swing of it. But, we have to get into the swing of it and that’s tough because, well, back-to-school is full of all things new. It’s hard to get into the swing of a whole new thing.

What will the teacher be like? Will they be kind and patient and encouraging? Will they be heavy on homework or more focused on working hard during the day?

Will there be friends in the classroom? Familiar faces to ease this transition into a new and more challenging grade?

What time do we need to start the day now? A new route, bus, or new school altogether really

changes the morning routine.

Pack a lunch or buy a lunch? Where to sit and what to wear?

New schedules, friends, clothes, shoes, bedtimes, and haircuts. Not only are kids embarking on a new school year, but they are likely starting the first practices of fall sports and extracurriculars, as well. New coaches, teams, practices, cleats, and plays. But, once we get past the first few weeks of August, we will ease into it. The new will become more routine. More natural. We will be able to anticipate and prepare more easily, and our days won’t feel as rushed. We will find our stride just as September and the comfort of fall begins to show itself. Once the wind begins to cool just a tad, we will be in the swing of it.

And it will feel so good.

Best of luck on a smooth and easy First Day of School!

Alana Smith is a boy mom (ages 8 and 3), nurse anesthetist, and writer in Birmingham. She shares her writing at Holy Moly Motherhood (on Facebook and Instagram), where she tackles all things motherhood and marriage.

Alana Smith

PHOTOGRAPH BY ELEMENT5 DIGITAL ON UNSPLASH

Hoover Superintendent Announces Retirement

Hoover City Schools Superintendent Dr. Dee O. Fowler officially announced his retirement to the Hoover Board of Education, effective September 30. The search for a new superintendent is underway.

New Principals for OMMS and Inverness

Shelby County Schools announced that Sandy Evers has been named principal of Oak Mountain Middle School. She has served as assistant principal of Oak Mountain High School since 2017 and brings 27 years of education experience. Evers holds a bachelor’s degree in sports science from the University of Kansas and a master’s degree in education and instructional leadership certification from the University of Montevallo. Brooke Dunham is the new principal of Inverness Elementary School. She attended Inverness Elementary beginning with second grade and is a member of the second graduating class of Oak Mountain High School. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Belmont University and a master’s degree in instructional leadership from Samford University. Prior to this position, Dunham taught for 16 years at Chelsea Park Elementary and served as assistant principal at Helena Elementary School.

Volleyball Team Earns Honors

The 2022-2023 Shades Valley High School Lady Mounties Volleyball Team received the prestigious USMC/AVCA Team Academic Award, as well as the honor roll distinction, ranking in the top 20% of team GPAs.

JeffCo Schools Announce Principals

Jefferson County Schools are welcoming three new principals this academic year.

Pam Dennis

Corner High School

Ryan Griffin

Mount Olive Elementary School

Jessica Hahn

Irondale Community School

New Principal at Hoover High School

The Hoover Board of Education approved the hiring of Hoover High School’s new principal, former Hoover High School Assistant Principal Jennifer Hogan. Hogan replaces John Montgomery, who retired. He was an administrator at Hoover High School for 12 years and spent the last four-and-a-half as principal. Hogan has spent 27 years in education as a teacher, coach, principal, and assistant principal at various local school districts. She was named the 2018 Alabama Secondary Assistant Principal of the Year and was selected as one of three finalists for NASSP 2018 National Assistant Principal of the Year. Hogan received her BS in Education from Samford University, her Master’s Degree in Education Administration from University of Montevallo, and a Ed.S. in Education Leadership from Samford University. She is currently a doctoral candidate at Samford.

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF HOOVER CITY SCHOOLS

SANDY EVERS

JENNIFER HOGAN

I’m warning you beforehand, what I’m about to say is going to seem utterly ridiculous: My mother once told me that I could conquer the world if I ate a decent breakfast. The whole world. All because of breakfast.

See? I tried to warn you.

Anyway, to this very day I’m still not sure how this meal can make conquering the world possible, but my mother never lies.

I remember the day she told me, I was having a devastating morning. I was about to take an entrance exam into the sixth grade. And this was a big deal because earlier that year, I’d failed fifthgrade—which drained my confidence and made me feel about as useful as a white crayon.

But getting back to breakfast.

Mama made the greasiest meal. Three eggs, cooked in fat from a Maxwell House can, bacon, potatoes, grits, and toast hearty enough to sand the hull of a battleship.

I passed my test. I made it to the next grade. And eventually, my confidence began to improve.

Thusly—and I’ve always wanted to use that word—I can only assume that breakfast played an important role in my sixth grade success.

Since then, I’ve always believed in the first daily meal. I ate a good breakfast the day I got married. A big one. That day, the waitress kept bringing me plates of pancakes.

“You must be starving, honey,” she said. I smiled. “Thusly,” said I.

But I was only nervous-eating. Truth told, they weren’t even good pancakes—the blueberries tasted like freeze-dried goat pellets. IHOP, I’m looking at you.

I also ate a big breakfast the day I got fired. My boss called me into his office and chewed me a new nose-hole. He said things so hateful I can still remember them. I quietly walked out of his office before he finished speaking.

I went to eat breakfast. I read the paper, I watched the sunrise. I had one of the best

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ILLUSTRATION COURTESY OF SEAN DIETRICH

mornings I’ve had in years.

So I don’t know why I’m telling you this. I suppose it’s because I come from country people, and rural people are full of homespun ideas that sound silly to city ears.

My ancestors believed in smearing thick butter on toast, and in farm eggs. And they believed in the sacredness of early hours. They believed in breakfasts.

My granddaddy ate brains and eggs for breakfast. My old man ate potted meat and leftover liverwurst. I eat Peanut Butter Captain Crunch and M&Ms. But it’s all the same.

To my forbears, it was the moment before the day had been written. And nobody knows what kind of day it will be. It was a day without any mistakes in it.

There are lots of possibilities for today. Today could be boring. It could be mediocre. It could be crummy.

Or…

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It could be the sort of day that lives in your memory forever. It could be the day on which your whole life hinges. The day when you finally became you.

So it could fall either way.

You might meet a new friend. A lover. A kid. A feral dog. An angel. A derelict columnist.

See, while I write this, the sun is about to rise, and this seemingly normal morning might actually be a spectacular day in disguise. And if you ask me, you owe it to yourself to be ready. Because once this day happens to you, you’re going to look backward and realize that everything had meaning. Everything.

Your good moments were like swatches of fabric. Your painful moments were little pin pricks from a sewing needle, stitching you together like a quilt. And on your final day, you’ll see this quilt and think to yourself: “My God, wasn’t I beautiful?”

Thusly, you were. And thusly you are. Very, very thusly.

Free Books for Kids

UAB partners with Children’s Policy Council to provide a book vending machine.

BY ADAM POPE

The University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Education recently partnered with the Children’s Policy Cooperative of Jefferson County to provide the CPC’s first children’s book vending machine at Jefferson County Family Court.

The children’s book vending machine is located in the second-floor family waiting area and provides age-appropriate books at no cost to families. UAB professors and teacher candidates provide guidance on the selection of book titles, along with additional family resources to support reading.

“UAB preservice teachers applied what they were learning in the children’s literature course to help children and families in our community,” says Cora Causey, Ph.D., assistant professor of Early Childhood Education in the UAB School of Education. “In addition to helping curate a wide range of diverse ageappropriate literature, we provided resources to support families for young children’s literacy learning and development via accessible infographics and QR codes on the side of the machine.”

According to the United States Department of Education, many children from

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disadvantaged backgrounds enter school behind their peers in reading. This gap only widens over the summer, as these children are less likely to have access to books and other reading materials at home. As a result, they fall behind by an average of two months each summer.

“The children’s book vending machine is an excellent example of community collaboration to support grade-level reading,” says CPC Executive Director Shelly Mize. “Caregivers at Family Court can sign up for a free token, and children can use the token to select a book

from the vending machine to take home.”

This endeavor will help to build in-home libraries while increasing reading engagement and fighting summer learning loss.

“It is our desire that as a result the children and families will reap the benefits, which include lowered anxiety, a desire to read on their own and, most of all, overall enjoyment of reading,” Dr. Causey says.

The mission of the Children’s Policy Cooperative of Jefferson County is to provide support, information, and opportunities to collaborate and advocate for the well-being of Jefferson County’s Children. For more information, visit jeffersoncountychildren.org.

PHOTOGRAPH BY CHELSEA EYTEL

Scholarship Renamed for Alumnus

Samford honors the memory of Logan Deen with its risk management and insurance endowment

BY MORGAN BLACK

In May 2022, the Risk Management and Insurance (RMI) Advisory Board in Samford University Brock School of Business established the Risk Management and Insurance Advisory Board Endowed Scholarship. After losing one of the board’s founding members, Logan Deen ’12, to cancer in November 2022, a unanimous vote in May 2023 approved changing the name of the fund in his memory.

Logan, who was the owner of Logan Deen State Farm in Birmingham, was a dedicated member of the Birmingham business

community and was passionate about giving back to Samford students.

He and his wife, Katherine Moore Deen ’12, met while they were students at Samford. “Logan was not just a businessperson that wanted to be successful for himself. He wanted to mentor the next generation and loved being involved with Samford’s business school,” says Katherine.

Logan regularly hosted Samford interns in his office and made it a point to teach them that there was more to a sales career than just medical sales, driving more interest in the insurance industry. “He got

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PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF SAMFORD UNIVERSITY

Katherine and Logan Deen

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them interested in insurance when, at first, they didn’t think it was very flashy, and taught them how the industry was about helping people manage the risks of everyday life,” she explains.

The Logan Deen RMI Advisory Board Endowed Scholarship is awarded Samford business majors who are pursuing the Risk Management and Insurance concentration or a career in the industry.

Rusty Yerkes, the Thomas J. Adams Sr./AutoTec endowed professor in risk management and insurance, regularly interacted with Logan through his involvement in the business school and its risk management and insurance program.

Rusty says, “Logan was always a consummate professional. He was a faithful and dedicated Christian, husband and father, and he loved Samford and the Brock School

How Chamber membership works for

“I

of Business and went out of his way to pay it forward for our students.”

“The renaming of this scholarship just goes to show you how much of an impact Logan had on people once he met them,” Katherine adds. “I’m excited that his son, Josiah Logan, will get to see that there’s a scholarship at Samford named after him—it plays an important role in furthering Logan’s legacy.”

Samford is a leading Christian university offering undergraduate programs grounded in the liberal arts with an array of nationally recognized graduate and professional schools. Founded in 1841, Samford is the 87th-oldest institution of higher learning in the United States. The Wall Street Journal ranks Samford 1st nationally for student engagement and U.S. News & World Report ranks Samford 66th in the nation for best undergraduate teaching and 104th nationally for best value.

SMS band to perform in Huntsville

The Simmons Middle School Honor Band has been selected to perform at the Alabama Music Educators Association Conference (AMEA) in January. The event is held January 18-20 at the Von Braun Center.

New assistant principal named at Shades Mountain Elementary

Leah Colley has been named the new assistant principal at Shades Mountain Elementary School. Mrs. Colley, a resident of Hoover, has spent 17 years in education in Chattanooga, TN, and Tuscaloosa County, AL.

Back-to-School Lunchbox Ideas

7 practical tips that are delicious and nutritious

BY HOLLEY GRAINGER, MS, RD

I’ve been packing lunchboxes for a long time, and the number one question that parents ask me is how to add vegetables. It’s taken quite a bit of creativity, and by no means have I perfected it (and even if I did, does that mean they’ll eat it?). However, I’ve compiled my top seven tips, along with lunchbox examples and recipe ideas for how to add more veggies at lunch.

Whether your children are eating lunch at school or at home, hopefully, you’ll be able to snag a few new ideas to help boost the

nutrition in their lunchbox. (I know chickpeas/ beans are technically a legume and tomatoes are technically a fruit, but I am throwing technicalities out the window.)

PACK DIPS FOR VEGETABLES

Don’t get discouraged if the raw baby carrots you pack for lunch day-in and day-out continue coming home untouched. Studies have found that children are more likely to eat their vegetables when offered with a dip (according to a 2013 study published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics). I think

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PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF HOLLEY GRAINGER

Veggie Snacks: For a fun, “dippable” after-school snack, serve veggie and hummus cups.

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of dip as a “vehicle food” to help my girls eat more vegetables. Consider this: Lone carrot stick—may or may not eat. Lone carrot stick dipped into ranch, guacamole, or hummus—all over it all day long!

Next time you pack a lunchbox, try pairing dippable vegetables such as carrot and celery sticks, grape tomatoes, broccoli florets, or cucumber rounds with a dip. You can make your own or use individually sized containers such as Litehouse Homestyle Ranch, Wholly Guacamole Classic Minis, or individual hummus containers.

USE CANNED FRUITS AND VEGETABLES

Whipping up a quick corn-and-black bean salsa (holleygrainger.com/simple-weeknightchicken-tostadas/) to add to a lunch takes no time when the ingredients are in the pantry and ready to go. Serve with tortilla chips for a yummy side. The same goes for canned green beans—a staple in my girls’ lunchboxes. Because they eat them straight from the can, I can add them to a lunchbox for quick packing the night before.

PREP FRUITS AND VEGETABLES AHEAD

Families are more likely to eat fresh produce when it is washed, prepped, and ready to eat. Designate a certain day (or days) to prep produce, and store in the fridge in airtight containers. Make sure the containers can easily be reached by the kids so that they can access them when they want a snack or when they’re helping prep lunchboxes. Exception: Refrain from washing berries more than a few hours ahead, as this will cause them to go bad faster!

USE A BENTO BOX

When prepping a lunch, use a Bento box and designate separate fruit and vegetable compartments. Fill those each time you pack a lunch to ensure at least one to two servings of produce. It’s an easy way to remember how to add vegetables to a lunchbox! Looking for fruit and vegetable ideas? Download my easy

lunchbox guide (holleygrainger.com/freebies) to help spark some packing creativity.

TRY SKEWER RECIPES

We love sandwiches, and it is easy to get creative stacking sandwiches with veggies beyond the traditional lettuce (such as cucumbers, peppers, alfalfa sprouts, etc.), but I’ve found that skewers are a favorite for my girls. BLT Skewers (holleygrainger.com/bltskewers) always go over well, as do Pancake Skewers (holleygrainger.com/mini-pancakeskewer-stacks), Peanut Butter and Jelly Skewers (holleygrainger.com/peanut-butter-and-jellyskewers-3), and Pineapple Teriyaki Chicken Skewers (holleygrainger.com/pineappleteriyaki-chicken-skewers).

GET CREATIVE!

• Don’t “hide” vegetables in food—find creative ways to add them Have you ever thought about:

• Serving Crispy Chickpeas instead of chips? (holleygrainger.com/basicroasted-chickpeas-3-ways)

• Using lentils in banana muffins? (theleangreenbean.com/lentil-bananamuffins)

• Adding chickpeas to dessert? (See the edible chocolate chip cookie dough recipe below!)

• Shredding carrots into meatloaf muffins? (holleygrainger.com/italian-

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mini-meatloaf-muffins)

• Adding beets to pancakes? (thenaturalnurturer.com/pink-beetpancakes)

There are so many resources out there to help you learn how to add more vegetables to your child’s lunchbox. Don’t be afraid to explore something new and bring your child into the kitchen to help you do it!

SERVE OUTSIDE-THE-BOX VEGGIES

Have you ever sent corn on the cob to school? What about a baked sweet potato sprinkled with cinnamon? Oven-baked potato chips? Try something new! Recipes like Cauliflower Fried Rice (dinneratthezoo.com/ cauliflower-fried-rice), Beefy Burrito Bowls (holleygrainger.com/beefy-burrito-bowlseasy-lunchbox-recipe), Black Bean Empanadas (healthyfamilyproject.com/recipes/ black-bean-empanadas), or Homemade

Hot Pockets (holleygrainger.com/healthyhomemade-hot-pockets-freezer-friendly) may just become a new favorite.

THE BEST EDIBLE HEALTHY CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE DOUGH

You can serve the dough as a dip with graham crackers, or roll it into balls and freeze for energy bites.

1 can chickpeas, rinsed, drained, and patted dry

1 cup fine graham cracker crumbs

¼ cup peanut butter or other nut butter

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

¼ cup brown sugar

Mix all ingredients together in a food processor. Add a splash of milk if necessary to get a dippable consistency. Transfer cookie dough to a bowl, and cover with plastic wrap, pressing onto dough to prevent drying out. Chill 1 hour before serving.

All For The Kids

BY STEPHANIE GIBSON LEPORE

When Valerie Agee’s fourth-grade students first returned to school full-time after Covid, for the 2021-2022 academic year, she noticed something. “Many of my students were lacking social and emotional skills and also access to basic needs— hygiene products, food, etc. It was a rough year,” she says. Around the same time, she received an email from the JeffCoEd Foundation, which is sent to staff members each year so they can apply for grants to fund classroom needs. “I applied for a Basic Needs Grant,” says Valerie. “I wanted to

cover hygiene products, snacks, and even social/ emotional lessons for kids to learn to deal with their feelings in a healthy way.” She envisioned a calm, happy space for students to learn and also quietly pick up any items they may need at home. Then, Valerie got back to teaching. It was the following April in 2022 when she learned she had received her grant, with $500 awarded for creation of an emotional resource room at Irondale Community School .

“I had to wait to implement my ideas until

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One teacher, a vision born of compassion for her students, and a community willing to help provide a new safe space at this elementary school.

PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF HEIDI’S KIDS

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the next school year,” she says. In the meantime, Heidi Marimberga of Heidi’s Kids came to Valerie’s school to conduct a program. “I showed her the room I had in mind, which is next to my classroom, and I shared my vision for the space and the grant money.” As Valerie explained the need for a space where kids could self-regulate, sort out conflicts, and privately visit a “care closet,” Heidi’s wheels started spinning, too. “I set up an Amazon list and shared it with Heidi. I figured I would get the room going and add to it as I could, thinking it would be a long process. But Heidi ran with it!”

After meeting with her board, who loved and immediately approved the project, Heidi called on her community connections to come in and get

the emotional resource room ready this past July in time for the start of the 2023-2024 school year this month. “Funding for the project was raised at the First Responders Cornhole Tournament hosted by the Irondale Police Department,” says Heidi. “SouthEastern Construction Partners in Pelham donated the labor and supplies, including paint, for the build-out, and Grants Mill Family Dentistry donated 100 toothbrushes, toothpaste, and floss.” In addition, The Church at Grants Mill provided snacks and other items to stock the food closet, and the Graham family supplied clothes for the closet, as well.

Now, says Heidi, “This room allows children direct daily access to necessary resources, like clothes and shoes, food, school supplies, and hygiene items.” Children will also have the

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opportunity to feel safe, heard, and comfortable at school, says Valerie. “If they need to talk, they know there’s a place for them and that the school cares.” She also notes there are no exclusions: “All the teachers can use the space. It’s so beautiful—I can’t explain how soothing the bright yellow-orange walls are, but it’s just a happy, welcoming, calming atmosphere.” Valerie’s sister, Marlena McBride, is a local artist who painted the mural in the classroom. “Hopefully the space is somewhere where anxiety can lesson, students can speak affirmations in the mirror, cool off as needed, and it can also serve as an extended space

for our school counselor, who hosts small groups each school year.”

“Valerie really advocated for this room for her school,” says Heidi. “We will work in partnership with mentors and counselors at school to assess the resource needs for the students and restock bi-monthly.” Heidi also facilitated the opening of a similar space at Robinson Elementary within the Birmingham City Schools system, and hopefully there are more to come.

Valerie’s ideas are still brewing, too. “I started joking that kids might misbehave just so they can go to the resource room,” she says. “We might need to create a reward room now!”

Dorm Room Peace

BY COLLEEN DIXON

If you’re the parent of a college-age kid, you’re likely in the thick of dorm room prep and wondering, “Do we actually need this thing?” or “What am I forgetting?” While we at House Peace are not here to give you an exhaustive list of what your college student is going to need in their dorm rooms, we can offer some basic organizing tips that might guide you in your purchases for his upcoming milestone. Let’s get into it!

#1 - UTILIZE VERTICAL SPACE

An often-overlooked aspect of small-space living is the amount of vertical space we have available to us. Items like shelf risers can be helpful on a built-in bookshelf or closet shelf to create additional shelving. Shoe organizers can be stacked to add more storage without taking up extra floor space. Over-the-door towel racks are great for towels and washcloths waiting to be reused (because we know these students aren’t doing laundry frequently enough), and over-the-

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It’s back-to-school season, which, for some of you, means your kiddo is headed off to college.

Here’s how to keep their dorm rooms organized.

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door coat hooks can be handy for coats and jackets that need to be grabbed quickly (because we know these students aren’t getting up in time to make it to that 8 a.m. class without rushing out the door). And, while we ordinarily think “up” when we’re talking about vertical space, don’t forget about the unused floor space beneath beds or futons. These under-bed storage bins are great for items that don’t need to be accessed regularly, like off-season clothing.

#2 CREATE A DROP ZONE

Everyone likes to have a place to set their things when they first walk in the door. Classes can be exhausting, and when your college student gets back to their dorm room after a long day, putting

things away immediately might not be a priority. Why not help them establish a small drop zone to keep things from ending up in a big pile, helping to keep the room tidy at all times. Something as simple as a few sturdy hooks for backpacks and purses, and some smaller hooks for keys and fobs can be a simple and affordable option. Depending on space, you could even get a small shoe rack or shoe cabinet for your student to remove their shoes right away if that’s their vibe (that’s my vibe).

#3 ESTABLISH CHAOS RESILIENCE

The concept of “chaos resilience” is the ability to quickly recover from a chaotic moment or season. The idea is that we can get a space exactly how we like it, but life can get in the way of maintenance,

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so we need to set up systems that allow us to recover when things get a little disheveled. The best way to establish chaos resilience in a space is to have a home for things and to label that home so there’s no guessing about where anything should go. We often use drawer organizers, bins, and baskets to contain like items, and then label with a label maker or clip labels. You’ll need to get an idea of the space and maybe even take measurements to get the right items for your child’s space.

Hopefully these tips help frame your mindset as you begin/continue to shop for your college student. We’re always here to help! We have some fun ideas for additional items your college student might enjoy, so be sure to follow the House Peace page on the LTK app to get those links!

Colleen Dixon is a wife and mom of four who helps people maximize their spaces. For more information, visit housepeace.net.

VIAWALMART

KIDS WHO SHINE BEN CAPPS, JACOB LEE, AND WES ELLISON

Ben Capps, Jacob Lee, and Wes Ellison, who recently graduated from Hewitt-Trussville High School and were enrolled in the school’s Engineering Academy, presented their project to engineers at NASA this past spring.

In their PLTW Engineering Design and Development course, the students followed the engineering design process to produce a solution to an open-ended problem. “They work through the steps to produce a workable prototype that will solve the problem,” says teacher Jason Dooley who, along with Tom Moulton, mentors the more than 200 engineering students each year. Jason, the first engineering instructor at HewittTrussville, is a former engineer who worked at U.S. Steel for 10 years before making the switch to education. The program uses Project Lead the Way curriculum, a nationally recognized high school engineering program.

Students spend a few weeks brainstorming problems and then pick their 15 top problems and present them to classmates on a large sticky note. After presentations, students choose the problem they want to solve during the school year. They can work as individuals or in teams of two or three.

Ben, Jacob, and Wes formed a team and got to work on their chosen issue: How will NASA clean the solar panels on the moon? Their solution involved a prototype of a system that utilized a row of electromagnets to attract and remove dust from the panels. The team monitors the voltage on the panel. When it drops, the magnets sweep across the panel and pick up the debris, then deposit it in a bin. Their unique approach—a contactless removal system—prevents the abrasive moon dust from scratching the panel.

“NASA representative Bob Zeek presented our students with opportunities to design for them,” says Jason. “He is one of the leaders of High Schools United with NASA to Create Hardware (HUNCH) outreach programs. A common theme to the problems this year was establishing a lunar base. Three of our teams chose to work with NASA on different projects.”

NASA requires students to follow their design procedures. After submitting a preliminary design review in November 2022, Ben, Jacob, and Wes presented a critical design review to a NASA representative in February 2023. Following this second presentation, HUNCH officials chose

teams to present their projects at the final design review at the Johnson Space Center in Houston.

“The students were outstanding representatives of our school and engineering program,” says Jason, while noting this same team earned third place for the same design in UAB’s Science and Engineering Fair in the Energy and Transportation category. “They detailed their project to several NASA engineers and other visitors to the space center. The trip was definitely part of the experience—we made the 11-hour drive in a minivan with the students and their project. We enjoyed having the time to talk about their experiences and future goals.”

Jason Dooley, Ben, Jacob, and Wes are shown at Johnson Space Center in Houston. The three students formed a team and worked on problemsolving leading up to their NASA presentation.

journey to mend his The

heart led

Qua was born with tricuspid atresia that required a series of open heart surgeries as an infant. But as a teen, his health took a dramatic turn. Qua’s pediatrician and cardiologist recognized something wasn’t right with his heart and sent him to Children’s of Alabama. Our team was standing by when he arrived by helicopter, and within two weeks he received a new heart. He rebounded quickly and was back at home a few weeks later, thanks to the expert heart team here at Children’s of Alabama.

WHAT WE DO:

Identify juveniles who are either at high risk for or already involved in substance misuse and provide them resources to make better choices for a healthy lifestyle while promoting mental wellness.

PREVENTION:

Compact’s Community Coalitions educate, engage, and empower their communities at the local level to prevent substance misuse and provide resources to those impacted.

INTERVENTION: Our Intervention Team works to educate parents and students as well as locate youth who are at risk of, or involved in substance misuse or addiction, and provide them help and resources.