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Complementary
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SUMMER EDITION 2010
Deena Whitwam
Chris Bomberg
Arthur Cameron
Stacey Bjorgaard
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MAM.ORG
WWW.
HUNGRY
KIDS ARE FOR ART. MAKE AN
ALLY
GATOR
FIND IT AT THE MILWAUKEE ART MUSEUM. We’ve teamed up with Kohl’s Department Stores to bring you a new program called Kohl’s Art Generation. It’s a gallery and a studio where children can explore sculpting, painting and other hands-on projects. So come to the Milwaukee Art Museum, because a creative kid is a happy kid. See it at the
Hey kids, get an adult’s help to glue this ad to a piece of construction paper and follow the 4 easy steps below.
1
Fold along center.
2
Cut along dotted lines.
3
Fold back triangles on spine.
4
Cut mouth & decorate.
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contents Summer 2010
22
20
features
ON
8 | INFANTS/TODDLERS
10 | ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
COVER
Teens and Vo lun
12 | TEENS
teering
special sections 9 | FOSTER CARE 10 | BENEFITS OF GETTING MESSY 11 | BOOSTING BRAIN POWER
Higher Educa tion Teen Vaccina tions Summer Phot os
20 | SUMMER VACATION PLANNING
resources 24 | FAMILY ACTIVITIES GUIDE 30 | CALENDAR
128 Cottonwood Ave. Hartland, WI 53029 Phone: 262.367.5303 www.twwmag.com
PLUS PUBLICATIONS PUBLISHERS Maureen & Tom Slattery MANAGING EDITOR Cyndi Strayer ADVERTISING SALES Jody Medinger Margo Lehmann
ART DIRECTOR Nicole Hesse GRAPHIC DESIGNER Shelley Bills OFFICE MANAGER Paulette Koeppen
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According to Volunteering in America, the teenage volunteer rate between 2006 and 2008 was 26.4% nationwide. During that same timeframe, the average teenage volunteer rate for Wisconsin was 33.4%. Volunteers come in all ages, but what they all have in common is the gift to give. Four local Wisconsin teenagers were recently honored because of their gifts. And while they were grateful to receive such accolades, Stacey Bjorgaard, Chris Bomberg, Arthur Cameron and Deena Whitwam were just as honored to learn that while they were giving of their time and talents, they also were receiving. They discovered they were making a difference in their community and beyond. By Amanda Marek
Stacey Bjorgaard, 18
Senior, Kettle Moraine High School Daughter of Pat and Wayne Bjorgaard How Stacey Bjorgaard fits volunteering into her busy schedule may boggle some people’s minds, but this star student who excels at tennis, violin and school leadership activities while also maintaining her status as No. 1 in her class makes it look quite easy. This active senior volunteers at Oconomowoc Memorial Hospital where she works in admitting and runs paperwork for nurses and doctors. She also helps at La Casa de Esperanza as a classroom assistant and plays violin with the church ensemble at All Saints Lutheran Church in Wales. Bjorgaard said she began volunteering in middle school simply because “I love helping people. It’s been my thing. I enjoy music, so that’s why I volunteer through my church. I have a passion for Spanish, so that’s why I help at La Casa de Esperanza and I’m interested in medicine, so that’s why I went to the hospital.” This fall, Brown University in Providence, R.I., will be welcoming Bjorgaard as an incoming freshman. She plans to pursue a pre-med degree while also concentrating on Spanish. She said after she completes her education, she one day would like to participate in the Doctors Without Borders program preferably in a Hispanic country.
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“It’s really satisfying helping people,” she said. “I read somewhere that the two greatest things that bring people happiness are volunteering and dancing. And it’s very true.” The Kettle Moraine High School guidance counselor didn’t want Bjorgaard’s passion for volunteering to go unnoticed and nominated her for the Young Woman of Tomorrow Award sponsored by the Waukesha County Community Foundation. She received a letter in the mail stating she was the recipient of the award in which she was given a $1,000 grant that could be donated to a non-profit organization of her choice. “My high school is building this fine arts academy, so I donated it the Kettle Moraine Fine Arts Fund.”
Chris Bomberg, 17
Junior, Arrowhead High School Son of Greg and Becky Bomberg Volunteering empowers and motivates Chris Bomberg. For the past five years, Bomberg’s mission has been to help the Association for the Rights of Citizens with handicaps (ARCh) in Waukesha to promote their message, which is to empower children and adults with disabilities to reach their full potential and to increase prevention and awareness in the community.
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“In seventh grade, I was getting bored and ARCh’s message is antibullying and accepting differences, so I wanted to get involved and see what they’re all about. After a bunch of meetings, I was hooked and made a lot of friends through that,” he said. Bomberg volunteers about 24 hours a month to the organization, where he attends meetings, plans public education events and also speaks to groups. “I’ve presented to about 11,000 kids over the last five years about anti-bullying and I just like to see the kids’ reactions. You can see them processing the information at the end of the skits or presentations,” he said. For Bomberg, he is passionate about his messages because he knows what it feels like to be bullied. “Throughout my underage, I’ve been overweight and kids have decided to bully me for it and I just want to get the message out there for it. We had an incident at our school just a few months ago where a kid took his own life because of bullying,” he said. “And if I can hit home to one person, I think my goal has been accomplished.” Bomberg’s passion and dedication has been evident in the 1,400plus hours he’s contributed during his tenure at ARCh. The organization nominated him for the Youth Volunteer of the Year Award, which he received through the United Way of Waukesha County. He received a plaque along with a $500 check to give to any non-profit of his choice. Bomberg chose to give that money to ARCh. “ARCh has been a huge part of my life,” he said.
Arthur Cameron, 17
Senior, Marquette University High School Son of Robert and Ylonda Glover Arthur Cameron may be a natural at running and dancing, but he’s also a natural at lending his time to those in need. The Marquette University High School track star and dance team member does volunteer work through the House of Peace Teen Leaders program, where he said he teaches middle school and high school youth peaceful conflict resolution skills. Cameron also tutors middle school students and does outside service work with organizations such as the Special Olympics. It was at the age of seven or eight when Cameron’s mother, Ylonda Glover, began to encourage her son to volunteer. “If she heard someone needed help with something, she’d say, ‘Oh, Arthur can help you with that,’” he said. “And as I got older, lending a helping hand came natural.” Cameron said he recalls going to work with his mother and doing little things around the office such as delivering papers for people, shredding or sorting. “The feeling of gratification and knowing someone is benefiting from my help fueled me to continue to volunteer,” he said. “I think volunteering is my way of thanking God for allowing me to be healthy and have the ability of my limbs. Most of all, I enjoy the feeling I get of knowing that I've helped someone and my help has had a positive impact on them.”
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The House of Peace knowing just how much of an impact Cameron was making nominated him for the Youth Volunteer of the Year Award, which he received from the Volunteer Center of Milwaukee. “My very initial reaction was, ‘Me? Really? Why am I receiving this award? I’m sure there is someone else who doing way more work than me who deserves this award,” he said. “Later as I was writing my acceptance speech, I came to the realization that not many youth my age volunteer because they don't know the importance.” Luckily for Cameron, and thanks to his mother, he knows just how important it is.
Deena Whitwam, 13
Seventh Grade, New Richmond Middle School Daughter of Kelly Curtis and Wayne Whitwam On any given Wednesday, Deena Whitwam can be found at home with her nose to the books. However, these books aren’t your typical schoolbooks. They’re storybooks for all ages that she pulls from her alphabetized library and uses to inspire others to read. Three years ago, Whitwam started Bookworm Wednesday, a book club where kids in the neighborhood gather together at Whitwam’s home to read a book, create a craft related to the story and enjoy a snack.
The Volunteer Center of Greater Milwaukee Are you looking to volunteer, but aren’t sure where to start? Contact The Volunteer Center of Greater Milwaukee. It’s mission, which is a program of the Nonprofit Center of Milwaukee, Inc., is to promote the interests and effectiveness of the nonprofit sector through strengthening organizational capacity, expanding volunteerism and encouraging collaboration. Anyone can volunteer. There are literally hundreds of opportunities available and The Volunteer Center of Greater Milwaukee can help you find something that interests you. You can do anything from playing board games and visiting seniors to mentoring children or serving on a nonprofit board. There is an opportunity for everyone. Why not join the other 36 percent of the Wisconsin population that already volunteers today? You can contact the center at 2819 W. Highland Blvd., Milwaukee, WI or call 414-344-7071. The Volunteer Center of Greater Milwaukee is also an associate of the Points of Light Foundation and Hands on Network and are a participating United Way of Greater Milwaukee agency.
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“I’d always really wanted to start a book club, but we lived on a lake where there were no kids anywhere,” Whitwam said. “So when we moved to New Richmond three years ago, there were a lot of kids and I told my mom when she was unpacking a box that I wanted to start one.” To get the word out about the book club, Whitwam and a neighbor printed fliers and delivered them to children in the neighborhood. Within no time, Bookworm Wednesday began to unfold. The first day of book club, Whitwam said about four children attended, and each week it continued to grow, averaging about 10 kids per week. “When we do Christmas programs or Easter egg hunts we get about 20,” she said. Whitwam said she is passionate about reading and wants to share it with others. “It’s a hobby to me. I don’t consider it volunteering,” she said. “It’s an after-school thing like student counsel or forensics. It’s worth it.” So worth it that this middle school student recently started speaking at conferences about her program, educating others on how they, too, can start their own book clubs. Whitwam hopes to start other clubs in her community and can now do so with the $1,000 cash she was awarded in May while in Washington, D.C. receiving the Prudential Spirit of Community Award.
Building a Passion For Community Service Participating in charitable service and volunteering locally not only benefits and strengthens your community, it can also strengthen your family ties. Volunteering is a great way for your family to get active, meet new people and spend quality time together—all while instilling the value of community involvement. Here are some great ideas for finding your family’s niche for community service: • Take inventory of your family’s special skills. If you have an artist in the group, offer painting classes at a local senior center. If you have a musician, plan a charity concert. • Rummage sales are plentiful this time of year. Offer to transport unsold items to a local donation center. • Turn a family hike into a good deed. Bring trash bags and clean up a local park or trail. • Organize a group car wash and donate the proceeds to your favorite local charity. Have cookies, lemonade and other treats on hand to boost your fundraising efforts. Part of the fun of volunteering is coming up with an idea that’s perfect for your family. Use family dinnertime to brainstorm ways to give back. This helps everyone get excited and engaged from the very beginning.
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We serve families and providers who care for children and young adults with special health care needs through: Information, assistance and referrals. • Problem-solving. • Diagnosis-specific information. • Parent-to-parent connections. • Access to training opportunities. • Health benefits assistance. • Limited service coordination. •
Located on the first floor of Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin. Call (414) 266-NEED (6333) or toll-free (800) 234-KIDS (5437). The Southeast Regional Center for Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs (CYSHCN) is funded by the Wisconsin CYSHCN Program, Division of Public Health, Department of Health Services with funds from the Maternal Child Health Title V Services Block Grant, MCH Bureau, Health Resources and Services Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Children's Hospital of Wisconsin and The Daniel M. Soref Charitable Trust.
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