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Editor’s Message Hello Community, Were you aware that a child is abducted every 40 seconds in this country? Moreover, did you know that over 40% of these children are African American? If not, you are not alone because few people are aware of this epidemic. The truth is that African American children receive limited media coverage when they go missing. Sadly, without this exposure it is less likely that they will be safely found. The staff at Peas In Their Pods works diligently to spread awareness about this issue by alerting media outlets as needed when African American children are missing or abducted. Our mission is to make communities aware of the plight of these children, and to make them a national priority. Since its inception in March of 2007, Peas In Their Pods has garnered a lot of attention from radio shows, newspapers, and magazines. The momentum is definitely growing. However, your help is needed to help find these missing children. We ask everyone to help us in this crusade, because.... It's Everyone's Job To Save Our Children!!! As Editor of P.E.A.S magazine, my number one desire is to help this organization in every way possible by providing you with the necessary resources, tools, support for you, your families, communities near and beyond. P.E.A.S mission is to give our children and families every possible available avenue in meeting a need. Each month P.E.A.S will give you resourceful information from experts in their field of choice. The first edition of P.E.A.S was so well received from all who were asked to give their opinion about what this magazine desires in bringing to the world. Children, families are this magazines first and only priority at all times. Please join P.E.A.S and the entire organization in helping to change the conditions that exist for our children through prevention, education, assistance and support. So many of our children are still even to this day remain in harms way. The RILYA Alert is a tool that Peas In Their Pods use in alerting the world about the dangerous situation that our children are facing daily. One person can make a difference..!!! One person can help save a child‌!!!
Sincerely,
Denise Bethune Editor-In-Chief Whitesboro, New Jersey www.peasintheirpods.com hfmbc@hotmail.com
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Alexis A. Patterson 05/03/02—Milwaukee, WI Lamarst A. Porter 09/17/03—Severn, MD Jaquilla E. Scales 09/05/01—Wichita, KS D’Wan C. Sims 12/11/94—Livonia, MI Jewel M. Strong 0528/06—Panama City
Beach, FL
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A FATHER’S LOVE This year Father’s Day will be celebrated on June 21st. However, according to recent census reports, 24 million children (34%) live without their biological father. Various research studies involving child development indicate that children who live without their fathers are 2-3 times more likely to be poor, use drugs, experience health, educational, emotional and behavioral problems, to be victims of child abuse and to engage in criminal behavior than those who live with their fathers. However, when fathers are visible, children are likely to have higher self-esteem and are less likely to be depressed. Therefore, it’s clear that a father’s presence is critically important. One person who realized this long ago was a woman named Sonora Smart Dodd. Having been raised by her father, William Jackson Smart, after her mother died, Sonora wanted her father to know how special he was to her. She realized that her father had made sacrifices for her, all while making her feel like she was the most important thing in his life. The idea to honor fathers came to her while she listened to a Mother’s Day sermon in 1909. Since her father was born in June, she chose to hold the first Father's Day celebration in Spokane, Washington on the 19th of June, 1910. Now, 100 years later, we continue to honor our fathers! Even if you are one of the nearly 34% of families who do not have the benefit of having an active biological father involved day to day, you can still celebrate this day. Because Father's Day is not only a day to honor your biological father, but all men who have acted as a father figure in your life - whether as Stepfathers, Uncles, Grandfathers, or mentors. So take time to make June 21st special to that certain person who has made sacrifices for you, and has shown you the true power of a father’s love! Happy Parenting, Gaetane F. Borders, MA, ABD
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Lenoria E. Jones—Missing Since 07/20/95 Tacoma, Washington Age Progress—17 Years Old 5
Cyber Snooping by Affrodrite The story of 13 year old Megan Meier's suicide from O'Fallon, Missouri as the result of cyber bullying by 3 main conspirators (a parent, her 13 year old daughter and a 19 year old female coworker) who befriended Megan on MySpace under the fictitious identity of a 16 year old boy named Josh Evans raises more questions than answers. As parents, how far is too far when snooping on your children and their friends? How should these cases be handled in the judicial system? Who owns the culpability in these cases? Just the conspirators? MySpace? Both? Neither? While the notion of bullying has been around since the beginning of time and gained a lot of media attention lately with the suicides (also hanged themselves) of 11 year olds Carl Joseph Walker-Hoover from Massachusetts and Jaheem Herrera from Georgia, cyber bullying is fairly new. As such, many states do not have adequate legislation to prosecute cases such as Megan's. WHAT HAPPENED... The Drew family lived down the street from the Meier family. Lori Drew's daughter Sarah was friends with Megan Meier for a period of time, and then they had a falling out that ultimately ended their friendship. For reasons that I could not find documented, Lori grew curious about what Megan was saying about her daughter. One day at the Drew home, Lori, her daughter Sarah, and a co-worker named Ashley Grills began to plot how to connect with Megan anonymously in order to learn what she was saying about her former friend Sarah. Grills was in the kitchen with Drew and Sarah, Lori Drew’s then-13-year-old daughter, when she proposed creating a fake MySpace account to get information on Megan. Drew applauded the plan, and thought it was funny, but did not herself conceive it, Grills said. The three of them crowded around Drew’s computer as Grills set up the account. None of the three read MySpace’s terms-of-service first, said Grills. As Grills began, Lori and Sarah Drew left for soccer practice, urging Grills to finish up in their absence. "I made him out to be, I guess, a skater-kid with a bad attitude," Grills said. She described him on his profile as homeschooled, "so nobody could dig up any information on him or go to the school where he was supposedly from." She obtained a photo of a boy from a Google search. When Lori and Sarah Drew returned, "Lori commented that the kid was pretty good-looking, and that I basically did a good job," said Grills. The Drews then urged Grills to send Megan a friend request as Josh. Over the course of about a month, "Josh" struck up a flirtatious relationship with Meier, primarily under the control of Grills and Drew’s daughter, with Drew present for about 6 50% of the communications the first week. Both Sarah
Drew and Grills began to get cold feet — "we thought we would get in trouble because it’s illegal to make up fake MySpace [accounts]" — but Drew told them not to worry. "It was fine, and people do it all the time," Grills recalled Drew saying. (source: Wired.com Government's Star Witness Stumbles...) You should read the full account from the link above on Wired.com, but essentially in the end, the ladies decided to back out of this charade by having "Josh Evans" become disinterested in Megan. As any 13 year teen would react, Megan was heartbroken by the exchange of harsh words that were something to the effect that the world would be better off without her. Shortly thereafter, Megan made a irreversible decision to end her life and hanged herself at her home just down the street from the Drew family. REFLECTION... Megan was likely already suffering from depression unbeknownst to the "Josh Evans" collective and perhaps even her own family. I did not read any statements that she was seeing a therapist and/or taking any prescription antidepressants. For so many reasons, Megan Meier did not have to leave this earth. I hope you read this story as another reminder to not only talk to your children but more importantly listen, listen, listen! It's especially hard to connect with adolescent teenagers, but it's still very important. What could Megan's parents have done differently? Do you monitor your children's internet activity? To what extent? How far is too far? After reading this, who is to blame? Do you feel this story is truly cyber bullying? I was wondering why Ashley Grills, the co-worker, was not being prosecuted but I read in that same article quoted earlier that she was given immunity in order to get her testimony. To some extent, I understand that decision, but I'm also saddened because it seems like Ashley played a huge role in this case. The legal proceedings in itself have been complicated. Missouri, like many states, did not have legislation that would specifically apply to cyber bullying. In order to prosecute Lori Drew, she was charged with a misdemeanor offense. "Drew is charged with one count of conspiracy and three counts of unauthorized computer access for allegedly violating MySpace’s terms of service..." (source: Wired.com article Lori Drew Jury Nears Verdict...). Actually, the case names MySpace as the "victim" rather than Megan. Missouri Governor Blunt is working to approve legislation to better handle these types of cases in the future and make them felonies. In closing, remember that bullying and harassment takes on many different forms and is not reserved to just children. As a parent, think before you retaliate and teach your children the same. It could save a life. FOR MORE INFORMATION: I found that Wired.com had a wealth of articles on this particular case. Here are a few other links that I did not already mention: Blog Readers Out Anonymous Adults that Newspaper Refused to Identify. Cyberbullying Suicide Stokes the Internet Fury Machine Here are some articles from other publications: St. Louis Today- Judge to Sentence Lori Drew Today in Cyber-Bullying Case CBS News- Woman Indicted in Cyber-Bullying Case—MSNBC (video)- Neighbor Faces Jail for MySpace Hoax
ADJI DESIR
•Missing• Jan. 10, 2009 •Missing from• Immokalee, Florida » Age: 6 » Sex: Male » Race: Black » Hair: Black » Eyes: Brown » Height: 3' 0" » Weight: 45 lbs. » Note: Adji was last seen wearing a blue and yellow t-shirt, blue and yellow shorts, and black and gray sneakers.
Collier County Sheriff's Office (Florida)
1-239-793-9300
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A Mother’s Loss & Reward Ph. Barbara Mathews— ( Mother ) “ A devoted mother tells her story about how James, (her son) life was taken by the hand of his friend and how losing her son almost cost her everything including her will to except that James was gone. Her love and faithfulness to God was able to help her in dealing with her loss but also relying on God’s Mercy for strength during her time of grief, she knew that without God their was no way she could move on.”
My heart can feel what yours feel, my love, com passion comes to you. All I can say is I've made it this far, I love James, I miss James, I’ll see him again. If it had not been for the Lord on my side I would have lost my mind we would have lost it all, and to this very day, the missing, emotional pain is still so real to me. Sometimes I really do forget he is gone, I find myself hoping he would come home, call. My life will never be the same; it is even harder as you may know during the seasons of family gatherings. I live this pain daily. It was late and My son had not come home with his 5 year old son.( James 3rd) it was about 9:45 when the Spirit said to me get up and go look for him. I finally found them a block away from our home, he was still talking to him his friend, after finding them up the street, I removed my grandson from the car, which wasn't pleasing to him, for he cried and yelled “I don't want to leave my daddy " No Nana, I don't want to leave daddy”', I told him to come on we would follow your daddy as he takes Ricky home. My last words were James “I’m right behind you take Ricky home, I'll be right behind you.” I was right behind James in the car, when I heard shots ringing out, three of them, Ricky his best friend was getting out of the car as I called for James and he said to me James is dead, " I just shot him”, (James was shot 3 times in the back of the head) my grandson began to cry as I did, so confused at that point I called my husband to come so we could pray, Ricky walked away, it happen right behind my home on Ohio Street and my husband came and we called 911. We prayed and wondered why there was a pistol in the car, was it because his friend had gotten jumped on by somebody Friday night and he had made up in his mind he was going to kill the person that he had a fight with. James had tried all that Sunday to talk him out of it.In 2003, James had dreamed of his death even to the left side of the bullet coming out of his neck, and now James was laying there dead, blood was pouring out of the back of his head my husband and I began to pray to the Lord, and we began to say; “We speak Life not death over and over”, before we knew it the power of God came down and Blew the Breath of Life back into James and he became a living soul, there was No pain or hurt to be seen upon his face, his breathing was fine. The medical team came and removed James from out of his car, and as they were rolling him into the ambulance, I was telling Him, what the Holy Spirit was saying to me, this is the fork in the road, James you know the word and you know Jesus, keep your mind on the Lord, and answer whatever He ask of you the Truth, don't worry about here,
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Behold the Lamb of God, for forty-five moments he did so, and the power of the Lord came into the hospital room, and filled it with His Glory, and the Hand of the Lord reached for James and his spirit when up with the Lord at 11:15 on a Sunay night. Being a women of God, that Sunday afternoon I had told James what the spirit had said to me, death was upon him, and he said " Ma don't you know No Man takes my life, except the Lord” his will. James is with Jesus now, and I know all things work together for good to them that love the Lord, who are called according to His Purpose. James ministry was in the streets with gangs and drugs, and so on. His wife, she misses James so deeply. James has four children the oldest is nine, eight, six, and five. God has given me love unconditional, and a heart after Him, I’m here because the Lord motion for me to be here to help others. My other son that is 25 now, his mind has not been right since James death, but we will never give up as long as there is breath in us, I shall look to the hill whence comet my help, I love you all, I'm blessed to be here. My husband is an Evangelist; we are so in love with Jesus, his mission is ours. The Lord is head of our Lives in Truth. I Love you, Jesus loves you too. I can't take the pain away; I can love you and go through this pain with you in love, trust God to give you the desires of your heart for your love ones, my prayers are with you. I am here for you and yours, do pray for us thank you.
I am stronger because of Jesus, my life is His, I have learned to Love Ricky for I shall not let hate take me from the Lord. I must see Jesus for my self, He is the Comforter, it took three years to get to where I am now, by God’s Grace for not leaving
us. My husband is an Evangelist; we are so in love with Jesus, his mission is ours. The Lord is head of our Lives in Truth. I Love you, Jesus loves you too.
In Remembrance of You James F. Matthews II Sept 12,1979 - July 17, 2005 Rev. James Matthew Devoted Father CD Honoring James Matthew II To purchase a copy : http://www.tatepublishing.com/bookstore/book.php? w=812517011307
"Just Stand" "When you feel there's nothing left...you just stand"~ Donnie McClurkin We can never escape the feelings that we feel when we are going thorugh storms...not because we are weak, but because a storm wouldn't be a storm if you didn't hear the thunder, see the flickering from the lightning, or even see rain as it falls. Sometimes we have that feeling that we have exhausted all options that there could possibly be, and once we have that feeling we don't know where to go from there. The solution to that doesn't always come easy, and the fact of it is, is that sometimes a solution can roll off of the lips so much easier than doing it. This is where I really have to share a piece of myself with all of you...I am a young woman who has gone through more storms than few, and they haven't been easy, but He never said that they would be. I sometimes thought that many of my storms I brought on myself, but I know that this thought was nothing but the enemy trying to tear me down where God was trying to build me up. Even now, at this very moment I am going through a storm, a battle that many couldn't begin to imagine, and there are days that I feel like giving up, but the saying replays in my head from one of my previous encouragement letters..."if I give up than that allows the enemy to come in and take anything and everything that I have, and that is something that I can not and will not let happen." ...Wow, encouragement that I can even give to myself. There are so many things that people have told me in the past that I never would have thought to be so, but they were. Look at the story of Job, he went through more than one person could ever imagine going through. Job was the richest man, rich in material things and rich in blessing from God. One day the devil went God and told Him that he could make Job turn away from Him. God said that there was no way that Job would lose his faith. The devil begin to laugh and told God that he was afraid to let him have a go at Job. God then stepped aside and told the devil that he could do whatever he wanted to Job, but take his life. The devil did just that, Job lost all of his riches, his land, every child that was born to him, his home, his health and strength, he lost it all. The devil constantly came to Job to ask him would he renounce his faith in God, but Job being the man of God that he was, he constantly refused. One day Job's wife came to him and told him that he was a fool and that he could make it all stop if he would just renounce his faith in God, Job refused again. In losing everything, Job still stood tall and continued to trust in God and remained faithful and because of this the devil fleed from him knowing that Job was truly God's servant. In the end of that whole ordeal, God blessed Job ten times over, having more than what he had before. The whole moral to this encouragment letter is that regardless of what happens in your life, when you feel as though you have done everything that you possibly can do, when you feel that you have nothing left...God is right there with you, every step of the way, so..."Just Stand".
Much Love & God Bless, Paula Whitebear-Burton—Warrior's for Christ (W.F.C) Founder, Coordinator, & Organization Manager
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Bobbie Rose SkinCare Who I am? I'm not a celebrity who can throw a product together overnight because I have millions to play with. I took the time to research what is best for my sensitive skin and others like me because I had problems with my skin. Products on the market then and now contain harsh chemicals and an imbalance of the wrong combination of ingredients that irritate my skin. The only way to use something that agrees with me was to create it myself. I am small town girl wanting success in my life. I was 1 of 4 siblings. Three older siblings and one younger. We didn't have much at all but we had each other. We raised chickens and had plenty eggs. We had plentiful vegetables from our garden. We were poor in most eyes but we never went hungry. We lived on the outskirts of the city in a very rural community. Our mailman drove his own car. Our address begin with Rt. 1 LOL! Once my mother begin working multiple jobs, she no longer made my clothes. I got clothing handed down to me from my sisters. From a little girl I remember having what is now known as allergies. This is what makes my holistic skincare line so special. I understand allergy prone, sensitive skin and what it feels like and how it reacts. I know what soothes and heals it. I'm all about business and success. I devote my time to Bobbie Rose Holistic Skincare & Mineral Cosmetics. I created my line of products 8 years ago. I begin mixing shower gel, body lotion and body spray in my kitchen. It took 5 years of research to learn about the ingredients that are healthy and nourishing for the skin. I introduced my products to friends, family and coworkers in 1999. From there I developed my line of skincare followed by cosmetics. I provide skincare products for high school cosmetology classes and I look forward to spreading my products in private beauty schools, salons and spas. Purchase products online @ www.myspace.com/ bobbieroseskincare www.youtube.com/bobbieroseskincare REMEMBER YOU ARE WORTH IT!! Bobbie Rose Skincare P O Box 27542 Tampa, Florida 33623 Direct line: 813.325.2696
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A Taken Pea‌. Chanel Petro Nixon—Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn New York Sixteen year-old Chanel Petro Nixon was murdered in June of 2006. Friends and family call Chanel Petro-Nixon the "perfect" kid. She got straight A's, went to church every Sunday, and lit up a room with her smile. The question detectives now have is, who would want to see her dead? The last time anybody would see her alive was on Father's Day weekend 2006, Chanel left her home in the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn to walk down the street to meet a friend, and then go to a job interview at Applebees. The startling and downright scary part for investigators: no one is telling them anything. Chanel went missing on an extremely busy stretch of road in Brooklyn in broad daylight. Dozens of people were most likely sitting on stoops in front of their homes or shopping across the street at a line of stores. But so far, no witnesses can be found. And it's not for lack of trying. Detectives have put in thousands of hours searching for whoever killed Chanel. Police haven't been able to find a motive for the crime. They haven't even been able to find anyone who disliked Chanel. Mystery: Three Days, No Chanel Chanel Petro-Nixon was found stuffed inside of this garbage bag. Another puzzling part for detectives: the timeline of this case. Chanel left her home around 6:00 pm on Sunday June 18, 2006. Her body was found on June 22, 2006 around 8:30am. The Medical Examiner puts her time of death at less than 24 hours before she was found. But where was she between the time she left her home and the time she was killed? That's more than 48 hours unaccounted for. Was Chanel kidnapped and taken somewhere and tortured? The torture part is unlikely because when Chanel was found she wasn't sexually assaulted and had no marks on her body. Was she taken somewhere and locked in a room for two days before she was killed? And, where was she strangled? These are all questions NYPD detectives are struggling to answer. You can't go anywhere in Brooklyn without seeing posters that scream "Somebody Knows Something." But so far, people are silent. If you know anything about the case, call our hotline at 1-800-CRIME-TV. You can remain anonymous. *Taken from American Most Wanted*
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Summertime… and the livin’ is easy… Isn’t that how the song goes? Pattie Fitzgerald has been successfully teaching Child Safety Awareness since 2001. She is the founder and creator of Safely Ever After, Inc. and provides effective, non-fearful safety workshops, seminars, and keynote speeches for children and adults at schools, community organizations, and corporations throughout the United States. She has been featured on Good Morning America, CNN Headline News and MSNBC, as well as KCBS-2, KNBC-4 and KABC-7. Her written works have been published in numerous parenting magazines, trade journals, and newspapers throughout the United States. For more information or to book a seminar, visit www.safelyeverafter.com Yet with the vacations, camps, swim parties, and assorted daytime outings, it may seem like summer time is even more hectic than our regular school year! With all this running around, travel and daytrips how do we make sure our kids stay safe – especially when we aren’t always with them, keeping a watchful eye? At several of my workshops last month, parents often had the same concerns and questions as they geared up for their summer holidays. “What if my child gets lost at Disneyland?” “How
can my kids protect themselves if we’re not on every outing with them?” Let’s face it, we aren’t always going to be right there next to our kids as they venture out this summer. That’s why it’s so important that we empower them with some important safety skills and reminders this season. For starters, don’t rely simply on the outdated & ineffective “don’t talk to strangers!”. That just doesn’t cut it anymore. In fact, it can be misleading to a child. Reality check #1: Kids don’t have the same concept as we do when it comes to “who’s a stranger” … which means that any smiling person who introduces himself to a child, offering an enticing lure or interesting premise, may be able to trick a child into leaving with him. Reality check #2: The truth is that sometimes, in an emergency, children may need to ask a “safe-stranger” like a Mom With Kids for help. Here are some good safety tips for parents and kids this summer -- whether you’re at Disneyland, camp, or even your local beach! .
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Timeka D. Pridgen 05/12/01—LaGrange, NC Aleacia D. Stancil 12/11/94—Phoenix, AZ Marrieonna C.T. Valentine 11/13/05—Gardena, CA Fred Wrrght 12/06/98—Tuskegee, AL Brittany R. Williams 08/18/00—Richmond, VA 13
S.T.R.I.D.E. Youth Initiative S.T.R.I.D.E. is dedicated to reaching at-risk, homeless youth. Our mission is to get homeless youth off the streets, help them avoid prison, teen pregnancy, drug abuse and suicide by getting them into a safe, positive atmosphere. Project personnel all came to the project with a unique professional ethic based on the philosophy of ‘whatever it takes.’ They were willing to be available 24/7 for anyone needing to talk; they are not above doing the mundane tasks needed to make things happen for teens, such as transportation to events, going to meetings at odd times and places, etc.http://www.strideteens.org/index.html
Jacquie Brown-Hadnot Author, Teacher & Psalmist, S.T.R.I.D.E (Co-Creator) Dr. Jacquelyn Brown-Hadnot is an author and teacher whose passion is to teach the bible in a way that changes lives. It is her great love for the Body of Christ that prompted Jacquie to birth It Is Written Ministries, Inc. It Is Written Ministries is a unique non-profit ministry that endeavors to encourage, motivate, and educate individuals to walk in wisdom, character, and holiness. It Is Written feeds the triune man; mind, body and spirit through outreaches such as food and clothing pantries, nursing home outreaches, meals to the homeless and several teaching ministries on foundations for victorious Christian living, biblical financial principles, prayer and Project personnel all have unique qualifications that enabled them to establish strong bonds of intimacy and trust with teens. All project personnel have prior experience with the special needs of children and have prior training with issues involved in older teens. All have developed a deep empathy and understanding of the mindset as well as concerns surrounding troubled teens. This experience has prepared them for connecting with teens in an intimate way and for establishing relationships of trust and openness with them. Project personnel are trained in being forthright, honest, realistic, and empathetic in their dealings with all project clients. Project personnel all have particularly strong interpersonal skills that serve to facilitate the development of strong, intimate, and trusting bonds between project personnel and teens. In a system rifled with mistrust and broken promises, project staff are viewed by all with deep respect, affection, and trust. Project personnel all came to the project with a unique professional ethic based on the philosophy of ‘whatever it takes.’ They were willing to be available 24/7 for anyone needing to talk; they are not above doing the mundane tasks needed to make things happen for teens, such as transportation to events, going to meetings at odd times and places, etc.
http://www.jacquiehadnot.com/
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Monthly Tasty Treat—by Pat Holmes Coconut-pineapple loaf cake 1 ½ cups sweetened shredded coconut ½ teaspoon salt ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature 1 cup sugar 1 ½ cups flour 3 eggs ½ teaspoon baking soda 1 cup sour cream 1 can (20 oz) pineapple chunks in juice, drained well
1. Preheat oven 305. Spread coconut on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until lightly toasted, tossing occasionally, 6-10 minutes; set aside. Prepare 9 by 5 inch loaf pan; set aside. In medium bowl, which together flour baking soda and salt; set aside. 2. Using mixer on high speed, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Reduce speed to low and alternately add flour mixture in three parts and sour cream in two.\, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Mix just until combined (do not over mix). Fold pineapple and 1 cup of coconut into batter. Spoon into pans\ and smooth top; sprinkle with remaining ½ cup coconut. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center come out clean (65-70 minutes. Cover pan with foil halfway through. Cool in pan 15 minutes.
The Magic Castle
by
Anaya
“Once upon a time there was a magic castle. A witch cast a spell and made everything brown. The world was covered in brown. The good princess fairy turned the city back to colors again. The witch couldn’t stand all the colors. So she ran away on her broom.” Besides reading, drawing, singing, Anaya is quite a wiz on the computer along with her little brother (Amir). The Magic Castle is the first book of a series that Anaya hopes to continue. Anaya says:
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PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION Cheryl Boyd- Butler was born and raised in Cape May County. She attended Middle Township Public Schools and upon graduating from high school she attended Seton Hall University where she obtained her Bachelor of Science degree in Education. She then went on to obtain her Master of Arts degree in Counseling and Human Development from Montclair State University. She most recently obtained her Principal and School Administrator Certificates from the NJ Expedited Certification for Educational Leadership Program (NJEXCEL). Cheryl Boyd-Butler has always had a passion and desire for children, helping and inspiring them to be the best that they can be. She has spent 15 plus years as a teacher at the high school level. She served 4 years as a guidance counselor, 3 years as a Supervisor of Guidance, and is currently serving in the role as Director of Guidance and Counseling. Cheryl also mentors and instructs inspiring administrators. She is a life long learner and likes to inspire others to be the same. As an administrator in a school district at any level my goal is to develop effective communication while consistently implementing program goals, and creative staff development opportunities. I desire to maintain a safe, respectful, and positive learning environment in which both students and staff are provided with encouragement to reach their individual goals and objectives. I look forward to remaining a positive impact on others, cultivating and stimulating learning that encourages all to trust their own opinions while fostering confidence in order for all to realize their full potential. Schools artfully combine inspiring, dedicated teachers, curious, creative students, a program that sparks the imagination, facilities that capture the sense of place, and an administration that has vision to look ahead while keeping an eye on the past. It captures the spirit of the people, the subject, and the place. Teachers know their subject and can talk about it with passion. They are mentors and coaches. Teachers continue to develop their practice so that they never become stale, and they come back to school every year excited to try something new. Schools have teachers who “go the extra mile” and who see the potential in each child. Teachers see who you are and who you can become. They are patient, creative people who reinvent themselves every year. Because re-invention is exhausting work and inspiration requires fuel, great teachers require excellent professional development, which might include travel, workshops and conferences but also includes time to share with colleagues and permission to experiment with new pedagogy and topics. Of course, to do this requires a willingness to be open to trying new things—exactly what we expect of our students but
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hard to achieve unless the culture of the school invites teachers and students to become learners together. Teachers need time to reflect, share and create in order to continue to grow in their practice. A great education teaches the whole child. It nurtures the intellect by asking the student to think deeply while engaging with complex material; it touches the heart and uses the hands to do meaningful work, which could be in service to others, or to create a piece of art, or to climb a mountain, or to do all of these things. Truly exceptional education is interdisciplinary – that is, it asks students to make connections across disciplines so that they come to understand that everything is “hitched to everything else in the universe.” (John Muir) An excellent education is inclusive and respectful of difference. Most of these qualities would be what is meant by a progressive or liberal education. Schools find ways to broaden student horizons even when it is not possible, due to location or other reasons, to enroll a diverse student body. In a school, every effort is made to help students expand their worldviews and develop an understanding and respect for other cultures. Students, who they are and what they bring with them, are important. In great schools, students are open-minded and inquisitive. They may or may not have arrived this way, but soon they are caught up in the excitement and want to be part of this community of learners. In great schools, the culture is contagious. You can tell when you are in a great school because the students speak of it with pride. Students are respectful of themselves and of all of the members of the community. Administration is the glue that holds everything together and also provides the vision. This seemingly impossible marriage of details and operations with lofty ideals and vision requires real teamwork between administration and faculty. Schools have administrative teams characterized by collegiality, respect, and genuine sharing. The ideal scenario would be administrators who are skilled facilitators who can lead a group dialog to a successful conclusion therefore practicing and modeling a way of living in community that we would wish our students to emulate. There is perhaps nothing as powerful for students to observe as a community of adults who model living and learning well together. As an educator, administrator, parent, friend, I often ask others to reflect on who they admire, who inspires them. First and foremost that person to me is my mother. Maya Angelou is another person that comes to my mind. I often reflect on the words of Maya Angelou. Maya Angelou is someone I admire for her sense of humor, her wise, honest, giving, brilliant self yet a simple woman the very same characteristics that I admired in my mother. Maya Angelou is someone who lives her life as she professes. “ My mission and passion in life is to make people feel good about themselves. My advise to all is to discover, to learn, and to aspire. Surround yourself with people who have positive outlooks on life. Good people get great results. I implore all to be a good person with a positive outlook, always seeking to help someone else feel good about himself or her-
Sweet Nature (HairCare) —By Eddie Your Diet Is Important To Your Hair Hair growth really depends on your hair growth cycle’s life span which can be anywhere from 2 to 6 years; genetics; and your overall health and diet. Unless a person is suffering from an excessive amount of stress for a prolonged period; illness, or maybe taking medication that either stunts the hair growth or makes the hair fall out, we are all experiencing hair growth at all times. Hair grows an average of .5” per month, give or take. When I say this, I don’t mean White people’s hair, but all types of hair. Yes, Black women have the potential to grow our hair as long as or longer than our White counterparts. Although a person can do nothing about their heredity or the life span of their hair, we can all do something about our diets. It is very important to watch what we take into our bodies for our bodies’ health, as well as the health of our hair. Before I embarked on my journey to mid-back length hair, I was a total sugar addict. I ate cookies for breakfast, ice cream for lunch, threw a few candy bars and licorice in for daily snacks and washed it all down with a tall cup of juice. I was a fast food queen and loved the fries at the golden arches and the double cheeseburgers too. Not only was this damaging to my body but it was also wreaking havoc on my hair. Our hair needs nutrition from the inside out. Suitable nutrition is imperative for growth of hair follicles and healthy hair fiber. If your dietary intake is lacking in hair-friendly foods, all the expensive shampoos, conditioners and products you are spending your hard earned money on will produce minimal results. If you are anything like me, changing your diet will be extremely difficult. I gradually became conscious of labels, counting the grams of sugar; then the fat and sodium content (all which can affect your hair’s health). There was no way that I was going to give up all of my junk food cold turkey, so I either eliminated or decreased the bad ingredients gradually. Fortunately, the longer I did this the easier it was for me. My taste buds changed and my body could no longer withstand the continuous sugar assaults. During my transition to better eating habits, which I am still undergoing after 10 years, I decided to take vitamins to supplement the nutrients I was missing in my diet. I started out taking a multi-vitamin and within a month or two, I began to notice my fingernails were healthier and stronger and I had a lot more energy. While shopping for my multi-vitamin, I came across vitamins that were specifically tailored towards growing healthy hair. I bought them and noticed results after taking the first bottle. My hair seemed thicker and my nails grew stronger and longer. Over the years, I have changed to and from several different brands of hair vitamins. I do believe some are superior over others as some have fillers, are missing key vitamins, or have key vitamins in a very low dosage. Some of the hair vitamins also exclude minerals that aid in hair growth and health. I have included an easy chart at the end of my book (www.fabulousblackwoman.com/TheBook.html) to reference which vitamins and minerals aid in healthy hair growth as well as which foods contain these vitamins and minerals. For hair vitamins go to: www.fabulousblackwoman.com/HairVitamins.html http://www.fabulousblackwoman.com/SweetNaturebyEddie.html eddie@fabulousblackwoman.com Next edition: More on how Eddie transformed
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Aiken County Sheriff's Office (South Carolina) Missing Persons Unit 1-803-642-1761
Age Progression
TILAWNA DENISE CHEATHAM Case Type
Endangered Missing
DOB: Dec 4, 1980
Sex: Female
Missing Date: Aug 11, 1989
Race: Black
Age Now: 28
Height: 4'1" (124 cm)
Missing City: AIKEN
Weight: 70 lbs (32 kg)
Missing State : SC
Hair Color: Black
Missing Country: United States
Eye Color: Brown
Circumstances: Tilawna's photo is shown age progressed to 27 years. She was last
seen at a convenience store near her home. At the time of her disappearance, Tilawna was wearing a white top, red flower print shorts and tennis shoes. Her hair was in braids. 18
Parenting Corner The Family That Reads Together...Exceeds Together Summer time is just around the corner, and in some parts of the country children have already celebrated their last day of school. They’ve worked hard this school year, and have earned high grades, certificates of achievement, and pizza parties for perfect attendance. So now they deserve a break! Let them watch television all summer, or ride their bikes from dawn to dusk! Just kidding…. The single most important thing that a parent can do over the summer months is to ensure that their children continue to be challenged academically. As someone who works in the field of education, I am keenly aware that children return to school in the fall having lost roughly two months of grade level equivalency. Research has shown that children with low-income backgrounds lose well over two months. However, it is possible to curtail this by doing simple things: 1.
Read, read, read, read…..READ to and with your kids every day. Allow them to chose age and grade level appropriate books to read at least 15 minutes a day. Then…ask them questions about what they read (Who is the main character? What happened in the end? What do you think will happen next? Etc…).
2.
Visit your local Public Library with your child. They typically have free programs for children like day camps that are very educational.
3.
Make everyday tasks and chores fun and also educational. Having children help you cook meals is a great way to achieve this. They can read the instructions on boxes, and help you to accurately measure the ingredients. Grocery shopping with your children is a great opportunity to practice math. Have them calculate the total bill amount and determine how much money they will need, and how much change they will receive.
Ask your friends if their middle or high school children would be interested in tutoring your elementarschool age child. Often times, they will be willing to do so for a nominal fee just to gain experience and to build their references. If you travel, abroad or more locally, take time to give your child a history lesson about the region. Pick out a book about the area, and learn about new interesting fact together! With just a little creativity and resourcefulness, every parent can become a stellar educator over the summer. So choose activities that are fun and find ways to infuse academic concepts so that your child will return to school even smarter than they left! Happy Parenting, Gaétane F. Borders, MA, ABD Gaétane is a certified School Psychologist who works closely with the inner-city youth and their parents. She is an advocate of children’s rights and strives to help parent achieve healthy, harmonious, and emotionally stable environments for their children. She is a sought after media consultant, and often featured in print, radio, and television.
Have a parenting question for Gaétane? Email her at psychologist4you@gmail.com and have your question or concern featured in our next issue! 19
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