March 2013 Groundviews: “A place where you can begin”

Groundviews is Solid Ground’s quarterly newsletter for our friends and supporters. Below is our March 2013 lead story; visit our website to read the entire issue online.

Johnnie Williams: Scholar, track star, coach, mentor (John Bolivar Photography)

A collegiate academic and athletic star, Johnnie Williams is a nationally-recognized track coach and mentor to thousands of at risk young people. But years ago, while he himself was at Eckstein Middle School, his mom was getting untangled from drugs and a violent relationship. Williams was close to failing out and getting sucked into the vortex of generational poverty. But when he moved with his mom and siblings to Broadview Emergency Shelter & Transitional Housing for women and their children – escaping her husband and the drugs – the family began to rebuild their lives.

A safe space for a new start
Williams says one of the most important aspects about Broadview was that “it was a women-only shelter, and there was no way my young brother’s dad could have any more impact on my family. For me, that was the turning point: the safety and security.

“It was a complete 180 for us. Our grades turned around. There weren’t as many distractions in the home. My mother wasn’t on drugs anymore. We had people down at the [Broadview] front office we could talk to. And all the staff knew; they seemed to care. I felt like I wasn’t the only kid who grew up in this type of situation. I had people that I could relate to, so I didn’t feel singled out.”

Declining a prep-school academic scholarship, Williams went to Nathan Hale High School. “It was where a lot of my friends were. And a couple of Hale students were living at Broadview at the time, so I wanted to keep the connection with them.” As a young boy, Williams had taken up recreational running. By high school, he was a local track star destined for a big-time collegiate career, maybe more.

Overcoming obstacles
Williams started college at Washington State University (WSU), far enough from his family to focus on his studies, but close enough to help if needed. Academics at WSU and then Eastern Washington University did not prove enough of a challenge, so he ultimately transferred to Columbia University, where he earned a degree in Forensic Anthropology in 2003.

After graduating, he ran professionally for two years, but then another enormous life challenge knocked him off track when he was diagnosed with leukemia. Yet he even took this in stride: “I think that all of the struggles we went through made me a stronger person in general. Dealing with what I had to deal with, I feel like, if I can overcome something like that, there is nothing in my life that I can’t overcome. Whatever I do, I don’t want to fail.” So Williams regained his health and turned his energy and skills to coaching.

Johnnie Williams trains with one of his students (John Bolivar Photography)

From mentee to mentor
While coaching at Garfield High School, the City of Seattle recruited him to work with their youth programs. He says, “I would only take it if I was working with youth who grew up in the same situation that I did. They placed me at Yesler Terrace Community Center. Ever since then, I’ve been working at all the low-income sites in Seattle Parks and Recreation.”

Thirteen years later, young athletes come from across the country to work with Williams’ High Voltage Amateur Athletic Union Track Club. “As a coach and as a person, I’ve become very protective of my kids. I am understanding of a lot of situations; I know what goes on in certain households.

“I’ve become a mentor to a lot of my kids and I have the same perspective as the Broadview Shelter staff: If there are issues – and there are – well you can come and talk about it and we can provide a safe environment for you. If you are looking for a turning point in your life, this is a place where you can begin.

“We work with a lot of kids that are homeless. We work with a lot of kids that are HIV positive, [or] that grew up in the same situation that I did, with their parents on drugs, with domestic violence,” he says. “If you save one kid, you have done your job. And I can name 14 kids right now that, under my coaching, are on Division One college scholarships. Two of them are running professional track and field; some of them are in Division One universities now. I have national champions in the high jump and long jump.”

What makes the greatest difference in their lives? Williams speaks from firsthand experience when he replies, “Just having somebody to talk to, someone that they know, that cares that they can make the best out of that situation. I think the kids appreciate that more than anything.”

For more information about Broadview Emergency Shelter & Transitional Housing, visit www.solid-ground.org/Programs/Housing/Broadview.

Solid Ground supports teaching youth about racism and social justice!

Solid Ground is lending support to the issue playing out at The Center School, where teacher Jon Greenberg was directed to discontinue the racism section of his Citizenship and Social Justice course.

Greenberg is well-known to the Solid Ground community. He is a former Penny Harvest Coach, and his students have been powerful advocates for people living on low incomes, people of color, and others facing oppressive barriers to full participation in our community.

Below you will see a message from Gordon McHenry, Jr., Solid Ground’s President & CEO, to the Seattle Public Schools Superintendent, Assistant Superintendent and Ombudsman, calling on the district to keep race and social justice units in the curriculum. This statement reflects Solid Ground’s commitment to engage on these issues in the community. Thanks to everyone who brought information and perspective to our process.

Superintendent Banda, Assistant Superintendent Tolley, and Ombudsman McGlone:

Solid Ground is a King County based community action agency. Our mission is to eliminate poverty and undo racism and other forms of oppression that are the root causes of poverty. We provide direct services including several programs where we are a partner of the Seattle School District. We value and appreciate working with SPS to educate and develop our youth.

We support the teaching of a curriculum that engages students in discussions of race, gender and class, with a focus on understanding white privilege. There is a continued need for this kind of curriculum as students live in a more and more diverse community and as employers place a growing emphasis on students who can work well in a global marketplace. As you evaluate the situation at Center School, we urge the District to ensure that race and social justice remains a part of the curriculum. It is important to support those teachers who educate our youth on topics like race, gender and class that continue to be a source of struggle for our society. Thank you.

Best Regards,

Gordon A. McHenry, Jr.
President & CEO, Solid Ground

Growing change agents

Solid Ground’s September 2012 Groundviews newsletter highlights our Penny Harvest program through the experiences of program alums, and the Big Picture News insert introduces our new leadership. To read past issues of Groundviews, please visit our Publications webpage.

Penny Harvest students at Washington Middle School circa 2008

Solid Ground’s Penny Harvest doesn’t fit neatly into a thematic box – but this innovative program packs a powerful impact engaging young people (ages four to 18) in philanthropy and service learning. Youth collect tens of thousands of dollars in coins, then carefully review and make grants to causes they care about (such as housing for people experiencing homelessness, cleaning up Puget Sound, promoting animal welfare, and many other efforts).

Penny Harvest strives to nurture a new generation of caring and capable young people who strengthen their communities and create personal and social change. With a strong emphasis on social justice, the program gives students of all backgrounds the opportunity to come together and make a difference – creating a generation of leaders who think critically about community issues and take action.

To paint a picture of the long-term impact Penny Harvest can have, we spoke to three program alumni who served on a Penny Harvest Youth Board in 2005 – now young adults – to find out what their experiences with the program mean to their lives today.

Taken back in May 2005, Penny Harvest Youth Board members (l to r) Leah Heck, Ana Lucia Degel & Maddy Carroll-Novak

Leah Heck
When she first got involved with Penny Harvest, Leah says, “I don’t think I really had an understanding of philanthropy. I did have an understanding of community service,” but she adds, “Mostly I associated community service with something older people did.

“One of the main things it showed me was that I didn’t have to wait till I was rich or older, but that I could make an impact already. I could do something. That was very important for me. Penny Harvest helped open my eyes to many things which just aren’t really talked about or, since I hadn’t experienced, I didn’t know about. My involvement has impacted my life in a number of ways. I really enjoyed participating in the Youth Board and everything we did. It is one of the reasons I have become interested in the nonprofit sector and social injustice and how important it is to get involved.”

A recent university graduate living in the Netherlands, she says, “I just started interning at a nonprofit, which focuses on human rights and women. Penny Harvest in a way jumpstarted my career decision. It showed me what is possible and what I can do.”

Damon Arrao
Like Leah, philanthropy was a new concept for Damon prior to joining the Youth Board. “I dabbled in community service and didn’t have a great idea of what interested me. Penny Harvest really enlightened me to what it meant to give back. It wasn’t even necessarily money, but time and empathy towards other people. The idea to me then, and now, of allocating precious time (much less, money) towards good causes is the foundation of community and having a good life.”

He speaks to the program’s equalizing affect and how it shatters the idea that only the wealthy can engage in philanthropy. “I think that’s probably one of the greatest things Penny Harvest does. On the Youth Board, I worked with students from many different socioeconomic backgrounds. Having moved from a low-income part of Portland, Oregon, I participated in philanthropy with students who lived in suburbs, went to private schools or who had the same background as me. The same goal brought us together, and the rest was trivial.”

He says, “During my time at Penny Harvest, I learned well my ability to make the hard decisions and come up with innovative ideas. I’ve been a role model for serving my community, and younger members of my family have followed in my footsteps. Career-wise, at this point I am still undecided, however whatever I aspire to, I know an underlying goal would be to support philanthropic causes and organizations that enrich our communities.”

Ana Lucia Degel
At the other end of the spectrum, Ana Lucia comes from a family that runs its own philanthropic foundation. She says her family’s social ideology taught her, “When you have, you must give.”

However she says, “It was through the experience of Penny Harvest that I really understood more about the process of philanthropy – the difference between advantages that I had, and things that I didn’t really have to consider or think about because it was a given for me. What stood out to me then was the social justice aspect of it.

“Along with that – being 17 years old and feeling angsty, like nobody listened to me – I felt taken seriously by adults. And that sense that you have the power to do something, that adults are going to listen to you – it’s HUGE. When a kid can have that experience, I think it sticks with you for a long time.”

Today, Ana Lucia teaches Special Ed through Teach for America and says that Penny Harvest strongly influenced how she approaches her role. She says, “It doesn’t work when you come in and think that you’re going to transform a community that isn’t your own.” She pushes herself and the organization to “mobilize families and people and students within that community to work together to create some changes” through “true connection and dialogue and listening.”

And creating opportunities to make lasting, positive change is exactly what Penny Harvest does best. ●

For more info on Penny Harvest, visit www.solid-ground.org/Programs/Legal/Penny or contact pennyharvestseattle@solid-ground.org.

Youth in action: Jackie’s Volunteer Network

Jackie contacted Solid Ground about adding us to her great website, Jackie’s Volunteer Network, which connects high school students with volunteer opportunities in the Seattle/Tacoma area. We think it’s great and wanted to help get the word out!

Hello! My name is Jackie and I’m in ninth grade. I began creating this website (http://jackiesvolunteernetwork.com/) because I wanted to find volunteer opportunities but found that difficult since most volunteer opportunities are only for adults. As a result, I decided to create this website to help other teens find volunteer opportunities as well.

Visit jackiesvolunteernetwork.com for youth volunteer opportunities in Seattle/Tacoma!

My parents kindly offered to pay for the website, and I have been building it ever since. My goal is to keep this project going and to always help teens find meaningful volunteer work. I have personally found that helping others find volunteer work is just as rewarding as volunteering myself.

Over time, I have also volunteered for a few of these organizations myself. These volunteer experiences have given me the goal to continue working with nonprofit organizations. For all the teens that use my website, I hope you find these opportunities exciting and meaningful. For all the organizations who have helped me build this site, I hope you find some wonderful volunteers!

If your organization has volunteer opportunities for youth, Jackie would love to hear from you! She can be contacted at jackiesvolunteernetwork@hotmail.com.

We need YOU: Join the Washington Reading Corps!

Want to make a long-term difference in kids’ lives? Consider a year of service with the Washington Reading Corps (WRC) of King County!

WRC is a statewide program that helps struggling preschool to elementary students improve their reading skills and succeed in school. WRC believes access to education and closing the achievement gap are key social justice issues with far ranging consequences directly related to our mission to end poverty and undo racism. Literacy is one of the most important factors in school success, and our goal is to ensure that all students can read by the end of 3rd grade. We also support family and community involvement in schools.

Solid Ground coordinates the WRC of King County, which serves over 1,600 students a year at more than 20 schools and community sites. Since 1997, WRC has boosted the literacy skills of close to 150,000 students statewide. Each year we place stipended AmeriCorps Members to tutor and coordinate family literacy events at WRC sites across King County.

During your year of service as a stipended, full-time AmeriCorps Member with WRC, you’ll receive extensive para-educator reading training to:

• Tutor struggling readers, both one-to-one and in small groups.
• Coordinate Family Literacy Nights to engage families in their children’s schools.
• Develop analyses of institutionalized racism and low literacy, and their connection to poverty.
• Recruit, train and support community volunteers.

Solid Ground’s WRC program is unique in the level of training Members receive in understanding and developing the skill set to be an active member of the anti-racism and social justice communities. In turn, AmeriCorps Members help recruit and train community volunteers and provide one-to-one and small-group tutoring for students.

Former WRC Member Quentin D. Ergane Johnson describes the Reading Corps experience for people considering a year of service:

I would tell them that it would be challenging, but it would be the best challenge they’ve ever had of their lives. I would tell them the reward of a child’s smile is immeasurable, and you can’t even understand unless you get one. I would tell them that there’s something really magical when your students start to really understand words and language – when they really start to get it. Oh, there’s nothing like it!”

How to become a Washington Reading Corps (WRC) Member:

WRC of King County is currently seeking full-time Members for the 2012/13 school year. Benefits include:

• bi-weekly living allowance totalling $1,050/month
• $5,550 education award at the end of your year of service
• health coverage

To apply, go to the My AmeriCorps website and use the Seattle WRC Listing ID #: 5006, and visit the WRC ‘s webpage for more information.

Summer [food] is here!

Summer doesn’t just mean great weather. 
Summer also means that some crops are finally coming in season, and these foods are popping up in farmers markets and grocery stores (often on sale). Strawberries are now especially affordable and delicious. They are a great source of fiber, Vitamin C and manganese. Manganese is a trace mineral that’s used in many of our body’s reactions. Strawberries simply look stunning and taste just as good. You can eat them whole and fresh, cut up in fruit salads, or frozen in smoothies or parfaits. There are so many options that it’s hard to choose one!

Broccoli is a vegetable that is also in season. It’s a cruciferous vegetable which many scientists believe have the potential to prevent cancers due to the antioxidants and nutrients found in cruciferous vegetables. For non-dairy eaters, broccoli is a great source of calcium. It is fabulous steamed, stir fried or puréed. Below you’ll find a recipe for Broccoli Soup from the Cooking Matters curriculum. Enjoy!

BROCCOLI SOUP
Chef Alicia McCabe • Boston
Serves 8, 1½ cups per serving
Ingredients
•1 large onion
•1 medium potato
•1 medium carrot
•1 stalk celery
•3 broccoli crowns
•1½ teaspoons olive oil
•1 bay leaf
•2 cups non-fat milk
•1 (14½ ounce) can low-sodium chicken broth
•1 teaspoon salt
•¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions
1. Rinse and peel onion, potato and carrot. Rinse celery.
2. Dice celery and onion. Slice potato and carrot into thin slices.
3. Rinse broccoli. Cut the florets of the broccoli away from the stem.
4. Slice the broccoli stems thinly.
5. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add celery and onion and cook until soft, about 4 minutes.
6. Add potato, carrot, broccoli stems, bay leaf, milk and broth. Bring to a boil.
7. Reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are soft, about 15 minutes.
8. Remove and discard the bay leaf. If desired, purée part or all of soup in a blender.
9. Return blended soup to pot.
10. Add broccoli florets, salt and pepper, and simmer until just tender, about 5 to 7 minutes.

Chef’s Notes
•Try cauliflower instead of broccoli.
•Serve over rice or pasta if you like.
•Top with shredded low-fat cheddar cheese or low-fat sour cream, if desired.
•Blend hot soup carefully! Only fill the blender half full and blend in batches. If your blender lid has a removable cap, remove the small cap and then cover the lid completely with a kitchen towel for safer blending. This will allow hot steam to escape.

Nutrition Facts (amount per serving)
•Calories 60
•Calories from Fat 10
•Total Fat 1 g
•Saturated Fat 0 g
•Cholesterol 0 mg
•Sodium 470 mg
•Total Carbohydrate 10 g
•Dietary Fiber 1 g
•Sugars 5 g
•Protein 4 g

Tyree Scott Freedom School seeking applicants

The Tyree Scott Freedom School is an amazing way for young people ages 15-21 to learn about racism and how to organize to undo it. A joint project of the American Friends Service Committee and People’s Institute Northwest, it brings together the best anti-racism organizers in our community and offers a profound opportunity for the next generation of leaders. Details are on the flyer (below), or email Dustin Washington to learn more, or to apply. Applications due July 15!

Spirit Day Oct. 20: Wear purple to honor victims of homophobic abuse

(Editor’s note: The bulk of this post is taken from an email we received that originated with Maggie Olsen, Community Outreach Program Manager with the Seattle Police Department.)

On October 20th, 2010, folks are wearing purple in remembrance of the 6 young gay men who committed suicide in recent weeks/months due to homophobic abuse in their homes and at their schools.

Purple represents spirit on the LGBTQ flag, and that is exactly what we’d like all of you to have with you: spirit. Please know that times will get better, and you will meet people who will love and respect you for who you are, no matter what your sexuality. Please wear purple on October 20th. Tell your family, friends, co-workers, neighbors and schools.

R.I.P.:

• Tyler Clementi
• Seth Walsh
• Justin Aaberg
• Raymond Chase
• Asher Brown
• Billy Lucas

Send this message to as many people as you can, to spread the message of love, unity and peace. This is not JUST for these six young men, but for all teenagers who have lost their lives due to bullying and abuse.

If you or someone you know is contemplating suicide, please visit Suicide.org or American Foundation for Suicide Prevention to get resources, perspective and help.

Spirit Day has been organized by folks who connected through a Facebook memorial page for Tyler Clementi. You can find out more here.

Why giving the rich a tax break will not work as a strategy to fight poverty!

The New York Times magazine ran a story about ‘the Charitable Giving Divide’ this weekend, validating what those of us who raise money for social causes know to be true — that the wealthy give a smaller percentage of their total income to charitable giving than do the poor. In fact, households making less than $25,000 a year gave 4.7% of their income to charity, while households making $75,000 a year or more gave away just 2.7% of their income! So while that 2.7% of a higher income might mean more actual dollars than the 4.7% of a lower income, it also means that as a percentage of their income, wealthy households give less than low-income households. At a time when poverty rates are rising, we need more resources to meet the great needs of our community.

So while I applaud Bill Gates’ commitment to give half his wealth away, I hope that this will not be used as proof or evidence in support of extending tax cuts for the wealthy. Giving the wealthy tax cuts clearly does not mean that they will turn around and donate these funds. And when they do donate, we also know that it often does not go to those in the most need:  ”instead it was mostly directed to other causes — cultural institutions, for example, or their alma maters…”.

Why do the wealthy give less and the poor give more (as a percentage of their overall income)? Paul Kiff from the University of California at Berkeley found in a study that he conducted “that if higher-income people were instructed to imagine themselves as lower class, they became more charitable. If they were primed by, say, watching a sympathy-eliciting video, they became more helpful to others — so much so, in fact, that the difference between their behavior and that of the low-income subjects disappeared. And fascinatingly, the inverse was true as well: when lower-income people were led to think of themselves as upper class, they actually became less altruistic.”

Hmm? So we all should go out and make ‘sympathy-eliciting’ videos in order to fight poverty? Sure let’s do that, but I would also encourage a few more actions as we head into this next school year!

1) Advocate for NOT extending the tax cuts for the wealthy. It’s clear that these tax cuts do not mean that there will be more resources for those living in poverty.

2) Give more yourself! If folks making less than $25,00o a year are giving 4.7% of their income to charity, clearly those of us making more than that can at the very least match that! For example, I have made a personal commitment to give at least 5% of my income to charity each year (I usually give about 8% but commit to no less than 5%).

3) Teach young people about giving and the importance of giving. Check out the program I direct, Penny Harvest. Your child’s school can participate in this youth philanthropy and service learning program.

4) Volunteering is much more powerful than ‘sympathy-eliciting’ videos. Check out volunteer opportunities with Solid Ground, or get your workplace involved in United Way’s Day of Caring.

5) Share this article with friends and family, and encourage them to commit 5% of their income to charity!

Ay Matey! The Pirates & Pipsqueaks Carnival returns to raise money for homeless kids

Pirates & Pipsqueaks Carnival 2010 poster

Join us on Sunday, August 22, 2010 from noon to 5pm for the 2nd annual Pirates & Pipsqueaks, an old fashioned carnival with old fashioned prices for kids of all ages! This fun event benefits services for homeless kids staying at Solid Ground’s Broadview Shelter.

Enjoy a lovely summer afternoon with the Seafair Pirates, the Seattle Derby Brats, carnival games and live music! The festivities will take place in the Solid Ground Headquarters Building parking lot at 1501 N 45th St, Seattle, WA 98103 in Seattle’s Wallingford neighborhood.
 
Vintage carnival games will include Dunk the Pirate, a Pirate Bounce House, Walk the Plank, Cupcake Walk, Pirate Wiffle Ball, Ducks in the Pond, Balloon Darts, Bottle Ring Toss, and lots more.
 
Kids can enter the Pirate Costume Contest and pose for photos with the Seafair Pirates. The Seattle Derby Brats will perform roller skating demos! See a real pirate ship, win fabulous prizes, enjoy live music, face painting, food and fun!
 
This exciting community event is sponsored by Not A Number Cards & Gifts, the Seafair Pirates, Seattle’s Child, Starbucks, Trophy Cupcakes, the Wallingford Chamber of Commerce, and the Wallingford Community Council. All proceeds will benefit services for homeless children at Broadview Shelter & Transitional Housing, a program of Solid Ground.

Can’t make the event but want to support Broadview kids? Click through Broadview’s webpage to make a secure online donation.
 
For more information about the event, contact Eileen Bidwell at eileenb@solid-ground.org or 206.299.2500.

A pirate walks the plank at the 2009 Pirates & Pipsqueaks event

JustServe AmeriCorps recruiting for a year of service and a lifetime of change

JustServe Heroes Wanted!

JustServe AmeriCorps Members are on the frontlines of anti-violence work in our community. Whether serving in neighborhood-based nonprofits, inside the criminal justice system, or with faith-based organizations, JustServe Members make a profound difference in the communities they serve. And their year of service makes a profound impact in each Member’s life.

JustServe is hiring for the 2010-2011 term. For more info about the program and how to apply go to the JustServe webspage.

What I learned at the Youth Philanthropy Summit

Cedar Valley Community School was lucky to have the opportunity to attend the Second Annual Youth Philanthropy Summit last Thursday.  This Penny Harvest event was a chance for students from all over the greater Seattle area to come together and collectively share and learn more about philanthropy and social justice work.  Ten student leaders from Cedar Valley attended the conference.  I would like to take a little bit of time to share some of what I learned last week about the students with whom I work.

Ana Lucia Degel, former Penny Harvest Youth leader

I learned that they are dedicated:  Each of them knew that it would take two or three public buses (and a bit of a walk) to reach the Seattle Center, and an hour and a half of travel time each way.  They all signed up regardless, knowing that this opportunity was important to them.  I didn’t hear one single complaint on the buses.  What I did hear were discussions about what would happen, about which cities and counties we were passing through, about how their day went, and what they learned from the different organizations.

I learned that they are collaborative: During the morning portion of the event, Cedar Valley participated in a “scavenger hunt,” learning information about dozens of community organizations.  All ten of our students worked together harmoniously.  They shared resources, helped each other find clues, and encouraged each other the whole time.

I learned that they are confident: During Lulu Carpenter’s keynote speech, our student leaders joined over a hundred other students in shouting out affirmations.  With smiles on their faces, they declared that they believed in themselves, and that they could change the world.

I learned that they aware and inquisitive: After the keynote address, there were four choices of caucus groups to attend:  youth leadership, animal welfare, the environment, and homelessness.  Our students split up fairly evenly between the latter three issues.  I joined one group in the homelessness caucus.  They were quiet, respectful, and engaged while the panel introduced many difficult concepts.  Fourth grader Allan even bravely raised his hand to ask a few theoretical questions throughout the day.  They all paid attention, and were able to share many new things that they had learned during the conference.

I learned that they are full of joy: A highlight of the day was when a seagull took off with Paola’s pizza at lunchtime.  It was totally unexpected and funny, and nobody laughed louder than Paola, even after she got a new piece.  It was refreshing to see that in the middle of a day dealing with heavy, heavy issues, they could fully experience the humor and lightness of that moment.

I learned that they will all do amazing things in their lives. It’s true.  It’s cheesy, but it’s true.  How do I know this?  They’ve already come together to accomplish some pretty amazing things.

“The Revolution will not be Adultist!”

“The Revolution will not be Adultist!” is the quote printed on the most recent popular Seattle Young People’s Project bowl-a-thon t-shirt. I find myself thinking about this quote often. Often when I wear the t-shirt, people read the quote and I see a confused look on their face or the look of faking understanding. I think underneath that confused look is the question, “What is Adultism?” In the Seattle progressive, liberal, even radical scene we talk a lot of good talk and even take some good action around issues of racism, sexism, and classism, but too often the discussion about how adultism intersects with these other oppressions is missing. 

Today I ran across a Facebook status update by my friend, Adam Fletcher, on “re-defining adultism.”  On his blog he defines “adultism” this way:

Adultism is the addiction to the attitudes, ideas, beliefs, and actions of adults. It is a major concept in the organization of society: Adultism prevails in every sector, including government, education, social services, and families. Its defeat is often seen as a bad thing, as adults are mostly capable only of seeing their own abilities as those that are truly needed to the function and well-being of our world.

The problem with adultism is that it ignores, silences, neglects, and punishes children and youth simply because they are not adults. Every young person experiences adultism from the day they are born until the day the world around them recognizes them as an adult.

I like how Adam frames adultism as an “addiction.” Addictions take active effort to overcome. The first step in overcoming addiction is awareness of the problem that we have, right? So I encourage you to ask the question: How are you and the groups that you are a part of ignoring, silencing, neglecting and even punishing children and youth? Have you written a grant “about and for” young people in your community without seeking youth input into that grant application? Do you have any youth involved in the decision making of your group? Have you found yourself saying recently, “Well they (a young person)  just aren’t ready for that responsibility yet?” Have you been part of either creating or enforcing arbitrary age limits that young people can or cannot participate in an activity or program?

How can you and the groups you are involved in start sharing your adult power with young people? How can you engage young people in decision making? How can you as an adult (if you are one) start following the lead of young people instead of leading young people? How are you overcoming your addiction to the attitudes, ideas, beliefs, and actions of adults?

A life-changing experience

Maria Marshall has had a life-changing experience through her national service year with the Washington Reading Corps. Here’s what she has to say:

A lesson in ageism

Cedar Valley Penny Harvest Student Leaders felt it was important to give out their $1,000 grant to organizations that took the time to speak with them on the phone.

This morning, we called organizations dealing with the top issues that the student leaders identified. Every student was clear, loud, and courageous. On speakerphone, they explained that they were representing Cedar Valley, the grant that they were responsible for, and then asked interview questions that we had prepared the week before.

Penny Harvest Student Leaders put a lot of thought into the kind of places they wanted to donate to, and treated the organizations with a lot of respect.

They learned quickly that respect does not always go both ways.

First, a shout out to Northwest Harvest! The woman answering the phone was enthusiastic, friendly, and treated all of their questions with enormous respect. We learned that they provide nutritious food for anyone who is hungry, without requiring any form of proof. We also learned all about who Northwest Harvest is and what the organization does. I could see the group nodding when she said it felt good to look outside and see the difference that she makes every day.

The second organization we called was a complete change in attitude. She gave condescending and overly simplistic answers to their questions. Every answer was curt, and she was obviously trying to get off the phone. At the end, she demanded to be asked the questions by an adult, even though she knew I was in the room the whole time.

When we hung up, the atmosphere was much heavier than after the first call. I asked the group what they thought about the difference in the two calls. Immediately, Vicente and Chris commented on how much nicer the first person was to them, and how much more she shared. This sparked a discussion about the amount of respect youth receive from adults. In the middle of a potentially discouraging experience, the student leaders realized that they still had power in this situation. They get to choose which organizations to support. It’s nice knowing that this time, youth can demand respect.

Penny Harvest student leaders learn “what love feels like.”

A circle of nervous and excited faces stared back at me as I explained with our school’s Dean, Devon McColley-Hopkins, that they were there to represent the school.  Cedar Valley Community School officially started our Penny Harvest Roundtable a few weeks ago.  Penny Harvest students knew it was their large responsibility to decide how to donate the $1,000 the student group was allocated to grant to area non-profits, and everyone was eager to get to work.

Washington Reading Corps team members Andrea and Kevin display the Rainbow of Caring

While Penny Harvest student leaders make all the big decisions, every student’s voice was heard.  All classes were given the opportunity to discuss important issues in their community. They then picked the issue they cared the most about and Penny Harvest student leaders assembled the classes’ picks into a “Rainbow of Caring.”

After discussing philanthropy, community, and the issues that the school picked, Penny Harvest student leaders narrowed their list down to four key issues:  animal welfare, Haiti relief, hunger, and homelessness.

Penny Harvest student leaders were sent to learn more about the issues and what they could do to fix them.  This sparked something important  in a few students.  Falicity Benson originally joined Penny Harvest because she was passionate about animals and wanted to help.

“I think it’s not O.K. – they don’t deserve to get abused or be hungry.  Lots of animals are left at shelters, sometimes hurt, sometimes they need surgery.  They need money to help them,” she advocated

So, Falicity’s way of helping has gone from advocating for animals in Penny Harvest meetings to doing research on her own.   She is now independently working on packets of information to pass out in order to raise awareness of issues that animals face.

Falicity displays her information packets

She’s not the only one inspired to make a difference.  Fourth grade Leader Chris also made fliers about Haiti and animal welfare to share with his class.  Students outside of Penny Harvest have also started paying attention.  One student offered to print Falicity’s materials with her color printer at home.  Additionally, students gather in the morning to look at the fliers and packets and discuss issues.  This is Falicity’s goal.

“[I want to] help them understand that animals are important too.  If they pay attention and help, then they will actually know what love feels like,” she said.

And how does love feel? “It feels really good.”

Can children really make a difference?

It’s the kind of thing we like to talk about. We make vague, general statements about how children can change the world. How often, though, are they given the chance to do so – how often are they given the chance to lead?      

Thanks to Penny Harvest, students at Cedar Valley Community School in Lynnwood are getting a real opportunity to become youth leaders and community change makers. The yearlong program starts in the fall, when student leaders bring the school together to gather pennies.      

Students at a Penny Harvest School (not Cedar Valley) show off their coins

Cedar Valley sits in the center of a low-income community, with 80% of students qualifying for free/reduced lunch. That didn’t stop students from collecting pennies. They found creative ways to reach their goal. ”We took our time and my mom helped me find pennies on the street,” said fifth grade Penny Harvest leader Jessyia. When asked why she donated her time to gather pennies, Jessyia answered, “Some people are struggling with different stuff and they need our help.”       

 

All together, Cedar Valley students raised over $800 in pennies, and received a scholarship to reach $1,000. So where does all the money go? Diego, a fifth grade leader, responded: “We can help people – help organizations so that they can do something good where they’re at and help somebody.”        

Twenty student representatives from fourth to sixth grade are quickly discovering that the easy part is over. Now they must begin the long process of making responsible decisions on how to best help the community with the money they raised. The program generated enthusiasm in Cedar Valley students, eager to help their community. ”It helps other people,” said smiling fourth grade leader, Paola. ”By working together we can fix stuff up.”        

During the next few months, Kathleen will be reporting to us on the Cedar Valley youth Roundtable’s process and progress as they turn  from fundraisers into community grant makers and problem solvers. To get email reminders about her posts, please use the box on the upper left side of the blog and sign up!

Every penny counts…when you are building a new generation of philanthropists!

The United Way posted a great bit about our Penny Harvest Program on their blog. Here’s a link.

Penny Harvest builds excitement for philanthropy!