/Dec2011Newsletter

Bridges to Success Newsletter December 20, 2011

Thanksgiving Food Drive 2011

February

By Audrey Alexander

22

February

Soul Food Festival 10am - 3pm SSB Patio

22

Feb. - Mar.

Colors of Greatness African American Heritage Fashion Show

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The Bridges to Success Program sponsored its Annual Thanksgiving Food Drive on November 22, 2011 for the Head Start Program at the Lila Mitchell Comvvmunity Center. Twelve underprivileged families were able to enjoy a Thanksgiving feast. We would like to extend a special thanks to Gwen Siebert and the Lila Mitchell staff for allowing us to make a difference in the lives of Head Start families.

February is African American Heritage Month

By Audrey Alexander

The Bridges to Success Program will celebrate African American Heritage Month by hosting a Fashion Show on February 22, 2012 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the Health Sciences Building (HSB) 105. The theme for this celebration is “Colors of Greatness.�

Fashion Show Auditions A panel of judges selected over 10 participants to showcase various talents in the areas of dancing, modeling, singing, poetry and much more for the Fashion Show. In addition, during the audition sign-up event, the Bridges Program collected over $300 in donations, which were given toward the Annual Christmas Toy Drive.

Black Bound College Bound Conference

On December 5-6, 2011, the Bridges Program hosted an audition sign-up event in front of the Student Services Building (SSB) and the Student Lounge for the Fashion Show. The audition sign-up was a huge success with over 100 students signing up to participate in the auditions. On December 9, 2011, auditions were held in HSB 105.

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Thanks to the following individuals who graciously volunteered their time and talent to assist with one or more of these events: Audrey Alexander Abdoallah Ashour Abigail Bignall Dr. Audrey Brown Dr. Tanisha Carter Zilauleymi Hernandez

Brenda Gandy Rachel Gonzalez Latasha Graham Scotty Green Lyann Guillamo Kiawania Heard

Darline Jean Laterria Lampkin Alexia Mitchell Chase Pringle Dorshea Redhead Mr. John Stover

Nyla Stover Tracie Stover Loronjaye Teague Arnold Walker Markisha Williams Wilshonda Harvey

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Annual Christmas Toy Drive

On December 16, 2011, the Bridges to Success Program distributed toys at the Lila Mitchell Community Center to over 100 children (ages 4 to 5). The children were appreciative and it was a gratifying experience to deliver the toys to the children and see so many smiling faces.

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A Walk Of Remembrance: MLK Parade 2012

By: Lovelyne Toussaint

On January 14th 2012 Bridges to Success took time to give thanks to one of the most influential person to ever walk this earth. The annual Martin Luther King Parade took place in down town Orlando as hundreds of organizations came out in his honor to give thanks. The streets were crowed with onlookers who can to enjoy the food, music, and the parade.

Different organizations such as sorority’s and fraternities, Frito Lay, and Community Churches all came together to walk in remembrance. The air was filled with love and kindness as people of all races and genders walked together in harmony, living the dream Dr. King once had for this nation so long ago. It is understood that was through his courage, grace, and wisdom that we can actually all enjoy the privileges we enjoy today.

Dr. Martian Luther King embodies the type of person we should all strive to become, and exemplified how the power of words can be used to change the world in

a positive way.” Dr. King said it best “If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even as a Michael Angelo painted, or Beethoven composed music or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, ‘Here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well.” As humans it is imperative that we take every challenge and give it 110 percent, if we do this maybe one day we can change the world just like Dr. King. Onlooker Janice Renee Oman quotes “I come to the parade every year and I am amazed at the diversity, I am so proud of our country but I do believe it will continue to grow; Dr. King will forever live in my heart for all he has done for our country. Hopefully next year, I’ll see you there.

Bridges Participates in MLK Parade

Bridges to Success participated in the Southwest Orlando Jaycees and the City of Orlando’s Mayor Martin Luther King,

Jr. Holiday Commission annual MLK Holiday Parade. The Parade was held on Saturday, January 14, 2012 at 10:00 am in downtown Orlando. The theme for this year’s parade was “Remember, Celebrate, Act…A Mission Still To Fulfill” reminds us of the many marches for freedom, the bitter struggles and the selfless service to each other that was and is still needed to help us triumph over poverty, racism, war and violence.

This was a day of interracial and intercultural sharing and cooperation and was not

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limited to any one ethnicity, but was extended to include equality and justice for all mankind. The late Coretta Scott King wrote: “Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is not only for celebration and remembrance, education, and tribute, but above all a day of service.

The City of Ocoee hosted its 6th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Unity Parade and Celebration on Monday, January 16, 2012 at 10A. The event was sponsored by the Human Relations Diversity Board.

The parade began at Citrus Elementary and ended at West Oaks Mall.

Behind the Sisterhood By: Lovelyne Toussaint

“A sisterhood is many things. It’s a warm smile on a cold and rainy day, a friendly hug, a cheerful hello... It’s all that a good and lasting friendship is, only better.

It’s treasured. It’s sacred. It’s knowing that there will always be someone there for you. It’s dreams shared, and goals achieved. It’s counting on others and being counted on. It is real.”

The ladies of REGAL (Remarkably, Elegant, Gifted, Ambitious, Ladies) truly embody this quote. They are indeed remarkable in so many ways; from community service, to academic study groups these ladies embrace the true meaning of hard work and sisterhood. Last Semester the ladies participated and volunteered in so many on campus events as well events around the community. REGAL has landed a helping hand to incorporations such as the Ronald Mc. Donald houses, The American Cancer society, Breast Cancer Society, and Hanna House INC; all of which thanked Regal for a job well done.

While the ladies were not volunteering they spent their time working on their academic skills in their personal study groups with topics such as science, humanities, and math. The ladies met once a week to

review homework, help each other, and even tutor each other so they can keep up their good grades; first year member Jennifer Hamilton quotes: “education is essential to our well being and growth, that’s why we work as hard as we do.” The ladies vow to be true to their name which in itself holds high standards; however they never fall short.

Member Ariel Golden says “I have a chance to connect with my sisters on an emotional and intellectual level. We also help each other in our academic studies and we know that we are there for each other no matter what; honestly it’s a chance for me to meet new people as well as being evolved in school. As a member of this program I must say, I am so proud to be a part of something so positive and rewarding; essentially I believe that our sisterhood is not a destination, it’s a journey.

REGAL Hosts Mentor Appreciation Breakfast

On Monday, January 23rd the Ladies of REGAL hosted a Mentor Appreciation Breakfast in the Special Events Center to celebrate their mentors. The ladies wanted to express their appreciation for the hard work, time and dedication that mentors have put forth this semester.

The mentors were very grateful for the

recognition: Thanks for my goody bag. I will make good use of the contents. - Dr. Simpson The breakfast was nice! Love the gift bag!

Looking forward to the next mentoring session! - Gerri Morrison I would like to express my appreciation and gratitude for the breakfast and beautiful gift bag. Thank you R.E.G.A.L. - Mrs. Redhead Thank you for the nice gift bag! I appreciate all your hard work and commitment you’ve shown towards these girls. I applaud you! - Fontella Jones Hello REGAL, Monday mornings for are always hectic, especially yesterday morning!

However, when I walked in the department office and retrieved my mail, a huge smile came upon my face! It was wonderful token of appreciation from my mentee and the REGAL family. I thank you for that and appreciate what your program represents. It was a great way to begin my week. Thank you. - Professor Bentham If you are interested in becoming a mentor for REGAL please contact Ms. Roberta Brown at rbrown75@valenciacollege.edu

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ENTERTAINTMENT Hot Fashions in the Winter By: Chacoryia Burns “Cece”

During winter, some expect harsh cold days and long sleeve shirts with a bunch of layers under the main long sleeve and long jeans. However this January Mother Nature given us a turnaround from cold weather to hot warm weather like its July.

It’s sizzling hot with the different fashions here at Valencia College for the warm weather in January.

Movie Reviews By: Nicole Abodo

Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol

Just when some people thought Tom Cruise and his acting career were over, the 49 year old actor comes out with a movie filled with stunts, action packed drama, and humor. Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol debuted in theaters on Dec. 16, ranking in over $29 million worldwide within its first week.

Students have been dressing comfortably with fashions from short one pieces and pattern pencil skirts. Male students wore the regular Levi skinnies with a nice short sleeve shirt and a snapback and hot Air Max to match. Most of these hot styles can be found in stores for ladies in Forever 21 and Urban Outfitters for nice pencil skirts and other vintages looks as well.

If you are looking for a hot outfit to wear when going out at night, places like Wet Seal or Body Central, and not only does Body Central have good sales but also hot new clothes such as Cheetah Parachute Pants for only $16-$20. For men places like Man Alive or Urban Outfitters is a good place to get the hottest clothes.

Even local stores such as Men’s Closet where they have a variety of clothes, snapbacks, and shoes for reasonable prices.

Even in the cold months, you can dress in the hottest styles with the coolest prices.

Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol is part of a movie sequel in which Tom Cruise’s character, Ethan Hunt and his investigative team must go undercover in order to clear their company’s name after implications linger of being part of a global terrorist plot. Other actors that star in the movie are Paula Patton, Jeremy Renner, and Vladimir Mashkov. Make sure you all check it out Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol; I guarantee it is the best one yet out of the four movie sequel.

Who knows, there just might be fifth movie to soon be added into the bunch.

Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked

Like singing? Like dancing? Like chipmunks? If so, check out Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked, which made its debut in theaters on Dec. 16, 2011. Some of the noteworthy names that starred in this sequel are Justin Long, Christina Applegate, and Amy Poehler.

The movie takes place on a cruise ship where the whole chipmunk gang; Alvin, Theodore, and Simon, and their music “girl-group” friends, and their manager Ian (played by David Cross) gets shipwrecked on an island far away from home.

There they meet Zoe (played by Jenny Slate from “Saturday Night Live”), who has been stranded on the island as well.

Together they go through various events, happy and sad, have moments where everyone gets along, and moments where singing and dancing is involved. All in all, Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked is a movie that the whole family can see.

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Colombiana

If you like movies filled with action, suspense and a pinch of romance then you have to watch “Colombiana”. “Colombiana” stars Zoe Saldana, who plays a young woman who seeks revenge by becoming a professional assassin after witnessing her parents being killed as a child.

Prior to watching this movie I had strong opinions about Zoe Saldana. I never thought Saldana was a very good actress.

Yes, growing up she was a beautiful dancer who studied at one of the best dance performance academies in Dominic Republic, but I never thought she could be such a great actress. Over the years, I am glad to say that she has certainly proved me wrong, especially with her performance in “Colombiana.”

VGA (Video Game Awards) 2011 By: Roberto Gonzalez

Video games. Those two words could mean nothing to a single person, or mean everything to half of the American public.

Video games have been around for close to 40 years now, and as the years go by, the games become more advanced. At least three of every five Americans play video games, so I feel that it’s time we show our appreciation. In December 2011, that is what happened.

On December 10, 2011, Spike TV showed the live coverage of the 2011 Video Game Awards (VGA). Hosted by Zachary Levi, the Awards started off strong with multiple live action game sequences from some of the year’s best games like Portal 2, and Assassin’s Creed: Revelations. The show was hilarious from the moment Zackary got on stage and explained the rules. Just like any true gamer would want it, the VGAs are nothing like other Award Shows. One of the first rules was simple: “If you go over your time limit during your thank you speech, you will be T-bagged.”

Throughout the night, multiple awards were given out and brand new trailers made their world premieres for the world

to see. The character of the year award was given to the only character out there crazy enough to dress his minions as clowns. The character winner of the year was The Joker from Batman: Arkham City. Batman: Arkhan City was also awarded as the best Xbox 360 game for the year 2011. Along with awards such as that, the viewers in the audience had the option to vote on who would have the cover photo for the new NFL: Blitz game that will be coming out this year.

Some games are fun to play, while others are just disappointments. Then there are the games that are legends. On the night of the VGAs, one game was given the honor of becoming the first inductee to the Video Games Hall of Fame. It is with the greatest honor that I say that the Legend of Zelda has officially become a true legend!

Out of all the possible nominees for the game of the year, I was shocked at the results. I had expected MW3 to win by a landslide victory, or maybe even Batman: Arkham City. But alas, it was neither of these two games. The winner of the 2011 Game of the Year award went to Skyrim.

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HEALTH Decoding Color Blindness

Learn the fact and fiction behind this vision deficiency. www.imakenews.com

Color vision deficiency, often referred to as color blindness, is often a misunderstood condition. This is partially because there are several different causes of color blindness, as well as a variety of ways the condition develops. Is it true that only males are at risk? Are people born with color blindness? Read on to find out what is fact and what is fiction:

The Awards were amazing and I had a great time watching them. I hope more of you will join me in waiting for the awards for 2012. Before I go, check out the trailers from the show if you want to: Rainbow Six: Patriots, Transformers: Fall of Cybertron, BioShock Infinite, Alan Wake’s American Nightmare, Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater HD, The Amazing Spider-Man, Fortnite, Diablo 3, Mass Effect 2, The Last of Us and more!

According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH), color blindness occurs when there is a problem with the color-sensing pigments in certain nerve cells, or cones, within the eye. The cones are found in the retina, the light-sensitive layer of tissue that lines the back of the eye. Even if just one pigment is missing, you may have trouble telling the difference between certain colors or shades.

Symptoms include not only an inability to identify colors, but also trouble seeing the difference between shades and brightness.

Red-green deficiency is the most common type of color blindness, followed by blue-yellow. People with blue-yellow color blindness usually have problems identifying reds and greens, too. The NLM and NIH also report that the most severe form of color blindness is achromatopsia.

People with this rare condition cannot distinguish any color and see everything in shades of gray. Achromatopsia can be associated with a number of different conditions such as lazy eye and nystagmus (jerky eye movements).

The Mayo Clinic lists multiple causes of color blindness: Genetics: Approximately one in 12 males of Northern European descent is born

with some degree of red-green color deficiency. Most females possess genes that counteract the deficiency, so less than one percent of females of Northern European descent have this type of color deficiency.

In other populations, the prevalence of red-green color deficiency is lower. Blueyellow color deficiency is inherited by fewer than one in 10,000 people worldwide. Individuals can inherit a mild, moderate or severe degree of the disorder, and the severity doesn’t change over a person’s lifetime if the cause is inherited.

Diseases: Diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, leukemia and sickle cell anemia can all contribute to color vision deficiency. Other eye diseases, such as glaucoma and macular degeneration, can impact the ability to see color as well.

Medications: Certain drugs that are used to treat conditions like high blood pressure and psychological disorders can cause color blindness.

Chemicals: Exposure to chemicals like carbon disulfide and fertilizers can cause loss of color vision.

Aging: The ability to see colors can deteriorate slowly as a part of aging.

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Although there is no direct treatment for color blindness, specially designed glasses and contact lenses can often help. Many people, especially those with mild color blindness, are able to adjust without much difficulty.

Whether or not you think you may be having problems with color, it’s always good to have regular eye exams with an optometrist or ophthalmologist. They can test color vision quickly and easily, as well as ask questions about your family history, current medical conditions and medications to help identify any possible issues.

For more information about color blindness from the National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health and the Mayo Clinic, visit www.nlm.nih.gov.

READER SUBMISSIONS Fun and Learning in Florida

Enjoy sports, art, music and more on a college campus near you. www.imakenews.com

Florida’s colleges and universities offer a variety of culturally enriching and entertaining activities that people of all ages can enjoy.

Head out to have fun at a local school and who knows - you might learn something.

The University of Florida in Gainesville is home to more than the fearsome Gators. The school also boasts a highly respected performing arts center that often hosts illustrious guests for limited-engagement performances that are open to the public. There’s almost always something happening, but there are some amazing can’t-miss opportunities coming your way this month. On January 15, experience the internationally renowned sound of The Ritz Chamber Players, steeped in Florida tradition, yet dedicated to developing new works and sounds in the world of classical music. For the more pop-minded, singersongwriter Karla Bonoff is appearing on January 27, 2012. With songs recorded by the likes of Linda Ronstadt and Wynonna Judd, Bonoff ’s skill as a songwriter is perhaps more familiar to you than her name or her voice, but one night watching

her live in concert will change that. For ticket information and the full schedule of performances, visit www.performingarts.ufl.edu.

A very different exploration of the politics of difference is presented by the University of Central Florida Theatre Department’s production of the Tony Award-winning play The Last Night of Ballyhoo, a comedy by Alfred Uhry, the author of Driving Miss Daisy. Running the weekends of January 19 through 21 and 26 through 29, 2012, there are plenty of chances to catch this engaging and powerful story of assimilation and identity in 1939 Southern society. Find more information at www.events.ucf. edu/?upcoming=upcoming.

With several art galleries located throughout the University of Miami campus, there is never a bad time to visit and peruse the offerings of both the campus and the city.

Try to make it out Friday, January 27, 2012 when the University’s Lowe Art Museum will preview a new exhibition looking back at its 60-year history of collecting. A lecture by the museum’s director opens the preview, making this an especially enriching sneak peek into the thought and care that goes into preserving and presenting art from Miami and around the world.

Florida’s schools have plenty to offer.

With such a diverse state and such a dedicated higher education community, you’ll find something to appreciate no matter what your taste.

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He had a Dream…

It Became a Reality By: Roberto Gonzalez

If I were to ask you who Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was, would you be able to tell me anything I didn’t know? The most common answer for college students is simple: “He was the civil rights leader that gave the ‘I Have a Dream’ speech.” Do any of you have a clue of what he really did? Do any of you know how he ended up as the great man he became? I hope this will help out.

Dr. King was born on January 15, 1929 in Atlanta, Georgia. He was a middle child of Martin Luther King Sr. and Alberta Williams King. King sang with his church choir at the premiere of Gone with the Wind in 1939. At the age of thirteen, King began to doubt the resurrection of Jesus in Christianity. However, he agreed that the bible has “many profound truths which one cannot escape.” Later on in life, he would join the seminary.

King went to Booker T. Washington High School as a teenager, but due to his advanced intelligence, he skipped both 9th and 12th grade. He started attending Morehouse College by the age of 15.

He became Pastor at the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama when he was 25 years old.

Many of King’s influences turned him into the man we know. Howard Thurman was a mentor to King as well as a civil rights leader. King gained a deeper understanding of non-violent resistance when he traveled to India in 1959 and visited Gandhi’s birthplace. Bayard Rustin also studied Gandhi’s teachings and in turn helped the young King learn even more about the principles of non-violence.

From there, the gears of history started to turn in favor of him. The Montgomery Bus Boycott was a huge step for Dr. King.

With his help, the boycott lasted for a little over a year. The courts were found in his favor and ruled Browder v. Gayle. From then on, King was a beacon of light for anti-segregation. Many people threatened him, and some were outright with their violence, like when his home was bombed. However, that did not deter him from his path. On August 28, 1963, he gave his famous “I Have a Dream” speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, asking for the end of racial discrimination.

It became a reality.

Today is the present time period. Racial discrimination has all but vanished from America. Some people out there are still holding onto the tension of the past as an excuse to dislike someone different.

None of that matters. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. taught us that the color of our skin does not make us different. Black or

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white, Spanish or Indian, none of those are really a race. Thanks to Dr. King’s teaching, I know that there is only one race we all are: the human race.

Play with Your Food

Eco-friendly, veggie-based products. http://www.imakenews.com/ Your mother may have told you not to play with your vegetables, but if she had known you could build an entire car out of them, perhaps she would have reconsidered her stance. Vegetable-based products are certainly not new; however, with green technology stepping up its game, these products are better and more decomposable than ever.

If you’re looking to replace plastic and Styrofoam with a more environmentally conscious option, try corn. Well, not on the cob, of course, but PLA, or poly-lactic acid, a decomposable plastic made from corn.

PLA is made by converting corn into starch and then converting that starch into sugar.

Microorganisms are then used to turn the sugar into poly-lactic acid, at which point the PLA is mixed with different starches and formed into Styrofoam-like food containers, cups and even “plastic” bags. PLA is freezer safe, allergen free and, best of all, compostable in just 30 to 45 days. Mike Centers, Executive Director of Biocor, a post-consumer products company, states, “Greater sustainability in plastic packaging depends on decreasing the carbon footprint of the plastics used and on recapturing and reusing a greater percentage of postconsumer packaging. Plastics made from renewable plant sources such as PLA, which is 100 percent bio-based, offer a means to achieve these goals.”

Similarly, potatoes can be synthesized into plastic-like materials as well. The process for creating Plant Starch Material (PSM), as it is known, starts much like making your favorite mashed potato recipe.

Manufacturers start by washing, slicing and smashing the potatoes into a slurry

of sorts. They then take that substance and separate it, dry it and cook the starch down, rendering it rigid and thus strong enough to create things like plates, forks, knives and spoons. PSM is better able to tolerate heat, but it does take longer than PLA, 90 to 120 days in a commercial composting facility, to break down. Interestingly, there is some waste produced when manufacturers are processing the potatoes. However, the pulpy side product is given to pig farmers to use as feed, thus rendering PSM an entirely green product.

Looking to green up your office? Start by using soy- or vegetable-based inks in your printer cartridges. These inks, while still not 100 percent biodegradable, are superior to those that are petroleum based.

In a biodegradability study, researchers at the American Oil Chemists’ Society found that soy ink degrades four times more completely than the ink in more traditional ink cartridges. Although these inks are not ideal for home printers (partly because they take longer to dry), larger scale commercial printers will actually find that soy ink delivers sharper images and more vibrant color.

And now for the pièce de résistance:Dr. Kerry Kirwan, a researcher at Warwick Manufacturing Group, and Ben King, a student at Warwick University, combined forces to create the Eco One, a one-seat sports car made almost entirely of vegetable products. Ninety-five percent of the materials used to build Eco One are biodegradable or recyclable including potatoes, cashew shells, rape seed oil and hemp. Eco One even runs on wheat and sugar beets.

The steering wheel, seat, electrics and chassis are made from conventional materials, accounting for the five percent non-recyclable elements. The $41,000 sports car can hit speeds of up to 150 mph.

Vegetable-based products are great renewable resources that can benefit the environment and your quality of life. By making

the switch to one vegetable-based product a month – cleaning supplies, cosmetics, storage containers and even water bottles are all good places to start - we can significantly reduce fossil fuel consumption.

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The Bridge Team

Roberto Gonzalez

Chacoryia Burns

Lovelyne Toussaint

Nicole Abodo

Jonathan Tenjo-Palacios

Abdoallah Ashour