New Crossing Guard Program in Albemarle County

After all of my posts about the crossing guard situation in Albemarle County, I was invited to attend a press conference this morning by both the Sheriff’s office and the Albemarle County school board.

I was of course, delighted to be present for the big announcement.

Sheriff Ed Robb greeted the small crowd gathered in front of Hollymead Elementary School to share the news that the Albemarle County Sheriff’s Office, the Albemarle County Police Department and the Albemarle County Public Schools have collaborated to develop a certified crossing guard training program — the first in the state.

The program, to be held Sept. 4 and 5 and Oct. 6 and 7 in Earlysville, consists of two full-day sessions focused on training volunteer crossing guards. The program has been “approved, sanctioned and certified” by the Commonwealth, said Sheriff Robb. Trainees will learn traffic direction techniques, emergency reporting skills and earn CPR and Automated External Defibrillator (AED) certification. The future crossing guards will be required to pass a written test and complete a practical exercise to graduate.

Diane Behrens, assistant superintendent, Albemarle County Schools said that the crossing guard problem began in February, 2007 when it was brought to their attention that according to state law, teachers cannot be crossing guards. Working together, the school administrators and law enforcement groups found a solution: train the teachers and other volunteers to meet the requirements and reinstate the crossing guards.

When asked, Behrens said that it was not clear whether bus service would be discontinued for the students designated as “walkers” in the district. “It’s hard to take something away once we’ve started it,” she said. Student walkers for the district did not have bus service prior to February 2007.

What took so long to get the crossing guard program up and running? I have wondered, as February was nearly seven months ago. Brian Wheeler, school board member and fellow blogger who was not present at the press conference but with whom I’ve communicated on this topic, said that the curriculum had to be developed and approved by the state. As any teacher or government employee knows, that kind of process takes time. It’s a miracle they got it done this quickly, in that case.

The program is actively recruiting crossing guard trainees. If you’re interested in learning more about providing safe routes to schools in Albemarle, contact Caroline Heins, program coordinator for the Alliance for Community Choice in Transporation.

Cross-posted to www.stlworkingmom.com

Del. Rob Bell in my Mailbox

Today, I received a hand-written note from Del. Rob Bell, congratulating me on my graduation from Leadership Charlottesville.

How cool is that?

Thanks Rob!

Voices of Poverty on WINA

Two of our team members, Becky Weybright and Joe Hughes were guests of Coy Barefoot last week on WINA.

Listen to the interview about the Voices of Poverty project.

We're excited about the exposure the project has gained. In the last couple of weeks, we've been invited to share the project with the United Way board at their annual retreat and this week, we'll be discussing options for a statewide initiative for the project.

One of the wonderful aspects of producing a podcast project is the flexibility of a Web-based initiative; it can grow, add layers and expand to accomodate any number of poverty awareness programs -- anywhere. Charlottesville becomes the pilot and model for other communities seeking to raise awareness of the issues in their communities.

Shoot me an e-mail to learn more about the Voices of Poverty project.

Graduating from Leadership Charlottesville

Tomorrow's the big day. It's sad that we've come to the end of this journey, but exciting to be moving ahead with new friends, projects and possibilities. I'm looking forward to seeing everyone in one place tomorrow. While many of us have gotten together, certainly with our project teams, it's been since November that the majority of us have had the opportunity to spend the day together.

We lost one member of our team -- Jimmy moved back to Miami toward the end of our project. I think most of the original 35 have made it to graduation and will be there for the ceremony.

Tomorrow's events include presentations of our projects to the class. It will be great to share Voices of Poverty with them in person. I'm also looking forward to hearing more about their projects, especially the First Mile project, a program developed for seventh graders in Charlottesville city schools, to get them running and setting goals. I was there the morning the First Mile project team came up with the idea. Their energy and excitement were infectious and it was fantastic to see them take off and "run" with it. Theirs is certainly a story of success.

People I know are starting to think about applying for the program -- some have already signed up -- partly from all my touting, but also because they know it's a great vehicle to learn more about Charlottesville and create connections among people in the community -- something I believe all leaders crave.

Voices of Poverty in C'ville Weekly

We received quite a bit of media coverage at the launch of www.voicesofpoverty.org

This week, we have a great mention in C'ville Weekly.

Have you listened to the voices yet?

Voices of Poverty to Launch Thursday

PODCAST SERIES FOCUSES ON POVERTY IN CHARLOTTESVILLE
Voices of Poverty Program to Launch this Week

CHARLOTTESVILLE (April 24, 2007) – A program designed to draw attention to the problem of poverty in Charlottesville will launch at a press conference Thursday April 26 at 10 a.m. in the Madison Room at the Jefferson Madison Regional Library, 201 E. Market Street in Charlottesville. Called Voices of Poverty, the program is a series of podcasts – audio interviews broadcast online – with those living in poverty or working to help those living in poverty, in the greater Charlottesville area.

“The goal of this project is to humanize the 25 percent of our population living at or below the Federal Poverty Level right here in Charlottesville,” said Joe Hughes, captain, Charlottesville Fire Department and a spokesperson for the project. “We want to give that population a voice so our community might understand, identify with, take heed of and be inspired to make a difference.”
The podcast series, featuring interviews with a mother living in transitional housing, homeless individuals and others dependent on local resources to stay alive, as well as those working to solve the poverty problem, will be distributed via the Web site www.voicesofpoverty.org beginning April 26. The series will continue over the next four weeks, with new podcasts released every few days. Thursday’s conference will highlight the premiere of the podcast series and provide an opportunity to discuss Charlottesville’s poverty issues with participants in the program.

“The Voices of Poverty project helps bring awareness to the fact that there are many impoverished people living in our community and there are many ways we can help,” said Shaele Wood, volunteer center director at United Way – Thomas Jefferson Area. “Through volunteerism, we believe we can all make Charlottesville a better place to live – for everyone.”
The project team partnered with United Way’s Volunteer Center, which provides opportunities for individuals and groups throughout the Charlottesville area to lend a hand in time, talent and labor. Visit www.BeAVolunteer.info for volunteering resources in Charlottesville.

The project was developed by a team from the 2006 class of Leadership Charlottesville, a civic and community-building program offered by the Charlottesville Regional Chamber of Commerce.

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Gathering at C'ville Coffee Tomorrow, March 16

If you're a member of the Leadership Charlottesville Class of 2006, start your day off right and head to C'ville Coffee 8a.m. tomorrow for project and leadership discussion. Oh, and coffee.

Maybe you're an LC alum, looking for a way to reconnect. We'd like to get to know you.

Just interested in learning more about Leadership Charlottesville? Stop by and say hello. We'll be happy to tell you about the program and how to apply.

On Poverty

The project I'm working on with a team of other leaders for Leadership Charlotteville centers on poverty. The reason for this is that over 25 percent of our population is living at or below the federal poverty level. We're trying to define it, raise awareness and present opportunities for those interested in volunteering or contributing to organizations that can help.

Poverty, therefore, is a topic that has been on my mind quite a bit.

What it isn't: poverty is not merely being poor. A person living in poverty is not one who has missed a few car payments or who is barely making enough to make ends meet. Poverty is without hope. It is a state of not even being able to conceptualize a way to pull oneself out of a dire situation. It is generational; it has its own culture. Poverty is a state of barely being able to live, and living is precarious. People who are impoverished may not even know it. Why? Because their state of living is all they've ever known and the daily struggle to keep body and soul together is all consuming, a real-live Survivor without the payoff at the end.

I found this wonderful, moving piece "What is Poverty" today. It was originally published in America's Other Children: Public Schools Outside Suburbs, by George Henderson in 1971 by the University of Oklahoma Press. This is what poverty is, and it's right here, among us.

Generational Lessons on Diversity

Diversity is a topic that takes some explanation; children, those raised in colorblind schools with special needs kids mainstreamed alongside them, may not immediately understand the bigger generational issues that the word and concept of diversity conjure.

Diversity is, as I've heard it defined, anything or anybody that is different than you. For me, that's anybody who's not white, Catholic, a woman, a mom, someone who works at home, people who were born in 1970, etc. The not me.

I've noted in recent weeks those in generations before mine who still openly display intolerance for others who are different. It's tolerated by others, particularly when our parents' or grandparents' generational groups utter slurs we wouldn't dream of using ourselves. We don't because, somewhere along the line we realized, even though those raising us used these terms, they were not terms we wanted to add to our vocabularies. We heard them though; we know what they are. Once in awhile I will be exposed to a new epithet. I am always shocked at its use, feel naive and upset (often I don't immediately understand it so there's a combination of confusion, ignorance and dismay that describes my reaction.) I don't want to hear any new names for "the others;" I have far too many in the back of my head as it is.

There are names, of course, for what I am: breeder, cracker, redneck, hoosier . . . and so many more I won't utter or share. You know them too and like me, bury them in a subconscious that won't use them. Or maybe you do, freely and joyfully intermingle slurs and epithets throughout your colorful language, devil may care, he had so many names, too.

It's an unconscious effort on my part. I'm devoted to sensitivity. For others who haven't grasped the importance, who do not understand the concept, I wonder if they're passing along these words, the language of a lack of diversity, a lack of cultural, gender, racial, religious and other understanding, to their children, the ones who only look at one anther and see people.