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Area II TTA Director Greetings! Greetings Teens, Advisors and Ladies of Area II,
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Greetings
I would like to take this opportunity t o welcome you to a rela xing, positive moment in reading “Teen Talk”, our Area II newsletter. This newsletter is dedicated to the Top Teens of Area II and their hard workin g Top Teen Advisors. It’s your way of communicating with all chapters of the Area and sharing the work you’re doing in the community. Thank you for sharing your talents and skills within your chapters. Thank you for the encouragin g moments you share with teens when they are not at their best. I look forward to reading articles about your chapters in “Teen Talk” in the future. Continue to ma ke a difference in your communities by part icipatin g in progra ms w ith the Top Ladies. Cont inue to prepare yourselves to take your place as leaders of tomorrow. I look forward to seeing each of you at our Area Leadership Conference in April.
Baltimore Chapter
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DC- Prince William
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County Chapter Hampton Roads Chapter
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Prince George’s County
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Chapter Southern Maryland
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Chapter Trenton Chapter
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Healthy Choices
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In Service,
Pat Cason Lady Pat Cason Area II TTA Advisor
Lady Drema Lee Woldman
Blessings in a Backpack! A non-profit organization that feeds school children in the United States who currently are fed during the week on the federally funded Free and Reduced Meal Program and are at risk of going hungry on the weekends. Items for the backpacks are: mac & cheese, ramen noodles, soup, raisins, apple sauce, granola bars, etc. Chapters are asked to bring items to fill 100 backpacks to our Area Conference for presentation to the entity chosen by the Area (we have acquired 100 from donation).
TLOD National President Lady Helena Dodson Area II Director Lady Pat “O.G.” Cason Area II TTA Director Lady Angela Carter-Thompson Area II Asst. TTA Director Lady Tamara D. Harris Newsletter Editor
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Baltimore Chapter The Top Teens of Baltimore are on fire and excited about this year’s activities: On July 25 and October 31st, the TTA – Bal timore chapter ventured to make the world a better and cleaner place by cleaning the new Adopt-aRoad area on Smith Avenue. The teens picked up debris and trash while bonding over the mile walk. The Balti more Chapter held its annual Leadership Retreat at Baltimore County Public Library – Arbutus Branch on Saturday, August 1 s t. The retreat included workshops on Parliamentary Procedures, Officer Duties & Responsibilities, Review of Governing Documents, and other important leadership training. In support of the national ini tiative and in the fight against Sickle Cell, Assi stant Advisor Lady Iri s Kutch and the teens raised money and joined the Top Ladies – Baltimore Chapter in the Sickle Cell Awareness Walk. The Top Teens hosted their Back to School Prayer Breakfast on Saturday, September 26, 2015. The Prayer Breakfast was held at the American Brewery Building (1701 N. Gay S t., Balti more, MD 21213). The guest speaker was Bishop Durant K. Harvin. Bishop Harvin spoke from the subject, “This is a Great Time to be Alive!” In observance of Prematurity Awareness Month, the Top Teens ran a campaign on their social media pages and posted a picture of themselves wearing purple on November 17 th in support of the national initiative. The Top Teens of America participated in the annual Chri stmas Program and Bingo at Future Care of Lochern. The Top Teens in conjunction with the Top Ladies sang Chri stmas Carols while Lady Sandra Davis read the birth of C hrist story and Teens Vaughn Allen and Brett- Ashley Hooper recited Chri stmas poems. Immediately following the Chri stmas program, the teens hosted Bingo for the residents. The teens, ladies and residences had a great time. The Top Teens of America – Balti more Chapter hosted their annual holiday celebration at the home of Lady Tamara D. Harris. The teens came together for food, fellowship and fun. After a brief business meeting, the teens enjoyed a holiday dinner prepared by Lady Tamara followed by an exciting game of Headbands and a secret gift exchange. This was a fun time for all teens, parents and advisors. The Top Teens of America – Baltimore Chapter stand against Bullying. At the January 2016 meeti ng, the teens made Anti-Bullying posters. The teens provided insi ght as to why they are against bullying. During the month of February, the Top Teens of America – Balti more Chapter will run an Anti-Bullying campaign on their social media pages in support of the national initiative.
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Dale City – Prince William County Chapter On December 16, 2015, the Top Teens of America (Dale City Prince William County Chapter) participated i n community service at All Saints C hurch. In order to spread a little holiday cheer, the teens helped to give back to the people of the community. First, the teens sang Chri stmas carols along with the All Saints C hurch praise choir. It was a beautiful sight to see, as well as a sound to hear; the combi ned melodic voices of the youth and the elderly. The songs definitely epitomized the true essence of having the holiday spiri t. After this, the teens greeted the homeless and di sadvantaged guests as they entered the dining area. Each individual was greeted with a warm smile to brighten their spiri ts. Alongside this, the teens also handed out information for job opportunities, which most were very appreciative of. After, restocking the buffet table, the teens served food & beverages to the guests. Oh, but the generosity didn’t stop there! The teens proceeded to distribute and donate gifts to the kids and their parents. The smiles that it brought to all of their faces was simply heart-warmi ng. As the evening progressed, the teens, alongside the Top Ladies, assisted families wi th their children. The 2015 Streetlight Mi ssion was a total success, as many of the guests thanked the teens for their kindness. The goodness of giving back through community service was embedded in the minds of the teens, as they were able to touch the lives & hearts of those in need.
• Tune in for the S t. Jude Walk webinar presented by St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital on February 8 at 12 noon CST or Wednesday, February 10 at 7:00 p.m. EST. www.SignUpGenius.com/go/70A0F4CAEAB22A20-topteens • Mr. & Miss Top Teen rehearsal is scheduled for February 28 th and April 3 rd at 2:30 pm at the Dance Depot, 3356 Gough Drive, Waldorf, MD. 20602. For additional information, please contact Lady Ernestine. •
Join us for a Area II C onference Registration webinar on Feb 09, 2016 at 8:00 PM EST. https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/3711760312732400898
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Teen Talk!
Hampton Roads Chapter
Donation of Hats and Gloves at Hunton YMCA
On the evening of December 29, 2015 the Top Teens, Hampton Roads Chapter donated hat’s and glove’s to the children at the Hunton YMCA in Norfolk, Virginia. On that day we gave out 30 sets of hats and gloves to the kids of that YMCA. Every year we go to the YMC A and donate hats and gloves, and every year we come out feeling like we’ve done a great deed for the community. We have to remember that not everyone can afford gloves for their child, so when they go outside to play their winter sports they stay nice and warm, so to see the way the kids face’s light up when we walk in the room with the hat’s and glove’s, just puts a smile on all the Top Teens face that attended the event. I think we all get excited to see the smaller kids face’s because when we walk in its like Christmas all over for them, or at least there facial expressions makes us feel like Christmas morning agai n for us and them. Each year the kids of Hunton YMCA, and the Top Teens of Hampton Roads l ook forward to thi s event all year long and it always puts a great topping to the end of the excellent holiday.
Let’s give a hearty welcome to our new Hampton Roads Chapter TTA Advisor, Lady S hirley Moone. She probably misses Shreveport, Loui siana where she spent the early years of her life. Lady Shirley has had a very interesting life being a wife, mother, grandmother and protector of this great country for 23 years. Included in that time were two deployments, leaving her family to fend for themselves. She served her duties well as a registered nurse overseeing the health of others. Her experiences included working in mental health, pediatrics and with post-surgeries. Her posi tion included being a staff nurse, a division officer, a department head, a program clinic manager.
Hampton Roads Teens
2015 Spelling Bee
NAACP 2015
2015 Sickle Cell Walk
2015 March of Dimes
2015 Heart Walk
Hampton Roads Top Teens, Ladies and Lords also participated in two recycling events here in the Hampton Roads area. One was the Clean the Bay Day and the other was at recycling collection site in Chesapeake. The Teens are on the move here in Hampton Roads. They are completing the vision and becoming better individuals.
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Southern Maryland Kayla Bouknight - NROTC Midshipman Award Recipient Kayla Bou knight, a former Top Teen in Southern Maryland, attends Hampton University and is in the Naval Reserve Officers Trainin g Corps (NROTC) progra m. The name of her NROTC company is referred to as the Charlee Company. They are located at Hampt on University and consist of about 55 people. Kayla is currently the public affairs officer and a squad leader. She is in charge of all volunteer events and 5 members of her squad. With the support of her company, Kayla provided 3 families with Thanksgiving meals. Kayla earned a 3.9% grade point average (GPA), the highest in her company for 2 consecutive semesters. As a result of her grades and for volunteering 50 hours of her time to serve others, Kayla earned the best Midshipman award while sustaining academic excellence. All me mbers of the battalion are eligible to receive this award. The battalion is comprised of 250 people in the Hampton University, Norfolk State and Old Dominion. This is a great honor for our Kayla. Teen Kaitlyn suffers from Sickle Cell Anemia. She has been in and out of the hospital with indescribable pain crises. Her last visit released her from the hosp ital the day before her Southern Maryland Chapter inducted 5 new teens. Lady Angela (Chapter TTA Advisor) and her daughter, Kaila Thompson visited Teen Kaitlyn in her home after an earlier release from the hospital. Kaila, a Baltimore Ravens Cheerleader, was moved by Teen Kaitlynâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s courage and struggle. Ka ila asked the Baltimore Ravens Cheerleaders to invite Ka itlyn to attend their practice in an effort t o take her mind off the pain f or just a few hours. Th is proved to be a memorable opportunity. Teen Ka itlyn could not stay for the entire time because the pain slowly returned but the smile on her face is proof positive that this opportunity is just what the doctors ordered.
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Trenton Chapter On November 15th Top Teens attended the HBCU College Fair at the Trenton War Memorial. Top Teens assisted with disseminating i nformation to the attendees and visited with College Representatives. Top Teen Peter King applied and was accepted to four colleges. Top Teen Njeri Robinson (not pictured) attended the HBCU Fair held in Camden and was accepted at 20 Colleges.
Top Teens of America, Inc. Trenton, NJ Chapter participated in the TLOD, Inc. - National Day of Service by volunteering at the Samaritan Baptist Church Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Prayer Breakfast and Love Give Away. Although Samari tan Bapti st C hurch work s year-round to help many who live near Dr. Martin Luther King Boulevard, thi s breakfast attracts people from all over the City of Trenton. The Teens distributed food and can goods to those in need. On January 18th (MLK Day of Service) the Trenton Chapter Top Teens were on the move, after volunteering at Samari tan Bapti st Church, they participated in the NAACP and Trenton FAST P rogram at Joyce Kilmer School. The movie Selma was shown and a discussion about public education was held. Attendees were offered the opportunity to register to vote and to become a members of the NAACP. On January 30 th, the Top Ladies & Top Teens of America, Trenton Chapter spent their day with the elders of North 25. The Top Teens chatted and played games with the seniors. The Top Teens and Top Ladies visit the seniors every month.
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Healthy Choices Top tips to promote healthy childhood eating • Focus on overall diet rather than specific foods. To promote a lifelong healthy relationshi p with food, kids should be eating whole, minimally processed, nutritious food—food that i s as close to i ts natural form as possible. • Have regular family meals. Knowing dinner is served at approximately the same time every ni ght and that the entire family will be sitting down together is comforting and enhances appetite. Breakfast is another great time for a family meal. • Cook more meals at home. Eating home cooked meals is healthier for the whole family. It sets a great example for kids about the importance of food and can bring a family together—even moody teenagers love to eat tasty, home-cooked meals! Restaurant and takeout meals tend to have a lot more unhealthy fat, sugar, and sal t so cooking at home can have a huge impact on your kids’ health. And if you make large batches, cooking just once or twice can be enough to feed your family for the whole week. • Get kids involved. Children enjoy helping adul ts to shop for groceries, selecting what goes in their lunch box, and preparing dinner. It's also a chance for you to teach them about the nutri tional values of different foods, and (for older children) how to read food labels. • Make a variety of heal thy snacks available instead of empty calorie snacks. Keep plenty of frui t, vegetables, whole grain snacks, and healthy beverages (water, milk, pure fruit juice) around and easily accessi ble so kids become used to reaching for healthy snacks instead of empty calorie snacks like soda, chips, or cookies. • Limit portion sizes. Don’t insist your child cleans the plate, and never use food as a reward or bribe.
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Teen Taela Jones Taela Brooke Jones was born severely premature, 16 weeks before her due date. She weighed just 1 pound 10 ounces. Taela spent the first 93 days of her life in the neonatal intensive care unit, fi ghting to survive. She fought hard with Bradycardia and went on to fight and win one medical battle after another -anemia, abnormal blood flow from the heart, and Jaundice. Even after she went home, Taela faced several medical challenges. Sixteen years later, my miracle baby is thriving and surviving! She is a intelli gent high school junior studying In the Cosmotology magnet at Milford Mill Academy.
Please support the MOD by participating in a local walk. ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
Baltimore – April 23 Bucks County – April 24 Essex County – May 1 Hampton Roads – April 30 Manhattan – April 24 Mercer County – May 1 Philadelphia – April 24 Prince George’s County – April 30 Prince William County – April 24 Southerm, MD –May 1 Washington, DC – May 7
Teen Kayla Clark Hi my name is Kayla A Clark and my bi rthday is December 3, 2001. I was born 3 months early at 29 weeks. Also, I wei ghed 2lbs 12oz. Due to underdeveloped lungs & esophagus I had to stay in the NICU for 3 months. The diagnosis was Trachea Esophageal Fi stula and I was placed on a ventilator to help breathe. I had two lung surgeries as well as surgeries on my esophagus because it didn't form correctly & attach into the stomach. For this reason I had to eat thru a Gtube placed i n the stomach. When I was ready to eat a tube would be hooked up to the Gtube button to deliver the milk. I had the Gtube until age three (3). Also, there was some delay with my walking & talking. In the weeks after my birth, the doctors said I would need brain surgery to get a shunt because the cerebral spinal fluid wasn't circulating properly. But my mom and dad prayed & asked God to fix that i ssue because they truly couldn't handle brain surgery along wi th my other health challenges. God answered prayers and over the nex t couple of day and weeks following the doctors said no need for immediate surgery as it looked like the fluid was slowly beginning to circulate. God definitely blessed & healed me. Thank you for reading my story.
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National Diabetes Month Type 2 diabetes is on the rise in American kids, especially Native Americans, Latinos, and African Americans. Your child is at risk if he or she is inactive, or has a family history of diabetes. There are things you can do to help prevent Type 2 Diabetes Think before you eat Eat more slowly Make your life more active Eat less Turn off the TV Save special foods for special time Cut the Sugar Watch how much fat you eat To Learn More about Diabetes 1-800DIABETES (342-2383) or log on to www.diabetes.org
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Heart Healthy Recipe Strawberry Kiwi Smoothie
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Ingredients !1 banana !6 strawberries !1 kiwi !! cup vanilla frozen yogurt !" cup pineapple & orange juice blend
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Prep: 5 mins Ready in: 5 mins
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Directions Place the banana, strawberries, kiwi, vanilla frozen yogurt, and pineapple and orange juice blend in a blender. Blend until Smooth.
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