AUSTIN BANK & LORETTO HOSPITAL PRESENT ELEVEN SCHOLARSHIPS

            For the 22nd consecutive year, Austin Bank of Chicago awarded six $1,200 scholarships to outstanding local high school graduates accepted to colleges and universities in the fall. This expands the total amount of money given by Austin Bank to more than $100,000 over the more than two decades of the program. This was the seventh year that ABC Bank was joined by Loretto Hospital and its sponsoring corporation, Renaissance Hospital Management, Inc., in awarding five additional $1,000 scholarships to students planning to pursue careers in healthcare and medicine. This brings the total combined dollar amount of scholarships awarded this year by ABC Bank and Loretto Hospital to $12,200. Recipients of Austin Bank scholarships this year are: 

 • Teara Johnson, graduate of Austin Career Education Center, attending Malcolm X College to study Nursing. 

 • Imani Marshall, graduate of Whitney Young High School, attending Amherst College, with her career goals undetermined. 

 • Kameron Kimbrough, graduate of Providence-St. Mel High School, attending Alabama State University to study Business Management. 

 • Felicia Shaw, graduate of Providence-St. Mel High School, attending Vanderbilt University to study Political Science to pursue a career in Law. 

• Precious Worsham, graduate of North Lawndale College Prep, attending Northern Illinois University to study Nursing. 

• Jamal Warren, graduate of Roberto Clemente High School, attending Northern Illinois University to study Business with a career goal of becoming an Accountant. Recipients of $1,000 scholarships from Loretto Hospital are: 

• Ragine Gibbs, graduate of Michele Clark High School, attending Concordia University to study Nursing. 

• Carnell P. McCoy, graduate of Michele Clark High School, attending Morehouse College to study Biology with a goal of becoming a Pediatrician. 

 • Latosha Hogan, graduate of Michele Clark High School, attending North Park University to major in Pre-Med with a goal of becoming an Emergency Room Physician. 

• Iesha Wright, graduate of Michele Clark High School, attending Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville to major in Nursing. 

• Dessiree Malone, graduate of Michele Clark High School, attending the University of Illinois-Urbana to major in Anthropology/Pre-Med with a goal of becoming a Physician.

CHICAGO WEST COMMUNITY HONORED AT COMMUNITY-BUILDERS AWARDS

Week Of June 20th, 2012

6.13.12

This Tuesday! Join Us at our 3rd Annual Awards Lunch

Congressman Danny K. Davis, Alderman Emma Mitts & State Representative La Shawn K. Ford Invite You to 

The 3rd Annual 

Community-Builders Awards Luncheon 

Presented by 

the VOICE newspapers 

 Tuesday, June 26, 2012 

11:00 AM Reception & Cash Bar 

12:30 PM Luncheon & Program 

 SARANECKI BROS. GARDEN MANOR 4722 West Armitage Avenue, Chicago Tickets: $35 per person, $300 per table of 10 (Building a Fund for Hiring Neighborhood Youth) To Make Reservations, Call 773/889-0880

6.6.12

Community Christian Alternative Academy!

Community Christian Alternative Academy, 1231 South Pulaski Road, has become a green laboratory linking components of the food chain in an ecological project promoting new commercial opportunities, developing local food sources, and encouraging environmental sustainability. The school’s Executive Director, Dr. Myra Sampson, explains that the ideas developed when a law firm in the Loop donated a 525-gallon aquarium to the school. Instead of stocking it with tropical fish, she decided to raise yellow perch, a species of fish native to Lake Michigan, but almost extinct in the wild today. She gets the fish from a farm in Wisconsin, but was warned that they do not breed well in captivity. The school also has a 150-gallon tank and two 40-gallon tanks used for raising Tilapia, a popular food fish that mates prolifically in captivity, and pacu, a fish in the piranha family.
    Connected to the large aquarium is a feeder tank where aquatic plants are raised as food for the fish. Students and teachers care for the fish and the component fish food tanks and connected crop beds. Because this aspect of green science is so new, there are few experts or instructional manuals to reference for guidance. In fact, Rosemarie Markopoulos, the school’s Environmental Coordinator, says, “This is all still a new art rather than a pure science.”
    Part of the experimentation is maintaining the optimum climate for the fish. Tilapia like the water warm, but perch like it cold. The pH of the water needs to be balanced as well between acid and alkali. The students test the water and keep it regulated between 6.5 and 8.5 in the neutral range.
    But, the staff and student hydroponic and aquaponic farmers are working green. Instead of regulating pH with chemicals and fertilizing crops with chemical treatments, everything is being adjusted naturally at the approximate level of two plants per pound of fish.
    As the fish and plant waste are filtered out of the aquariums, they are used to feed and fertilize the crop beds of lettuce and basil, instead of using commercial fertilizer. The plant beds are watered and fed from the aquariums and grow under special lighting. Waste from the vegetable beds are fed to the fish and used for compost and mulch to grow the next generations of vegetables.
    Community Christian Academy operates the CSW Career Academy with a culinary arts program next door, so the food chain continues with the fish being cooked and served by students, along with the vegetables, herbs, and spices being raised in the school. Outdoor grow beds have been built behind the school to raise additional crops. Alderman Michael Chandler arranged for the city to give the school ten vacant lots in North Lawndale to be developed for aquaponic and hydroponic urban gardens. The city of Chicago is conducting soil tests to ensure the safety of raising food crops for people to eat. The city is also interested in partnering with Community Christian Academy in developing solutions to urban food deserts. Extra produce raised on the urban farm plots will be given to the community, according to Dr. Sampson. She says the school’s next project is launching vermiculture – worm farms to enrich and aerate the soil for the crops.
    CCA students recently participated in the city’s Green Festival at Navy Pier, letting people everywhere know that North Lawndale is leading the way in going green!

LIVING A LIFE FULL OF HONESTY AND INTEGRITY - THIS PLEASES THE LORD

Our Heavenly Father expects us to be honest and have integrity in all we do - at all time.  The enemy wants us to lie, cheat, steal, etc.  Father God nor the accuser of our brethren (Satan) does not miss anything. God watches over us and how we handle situations, so he can bless us more.  The enemy (Satan) on the other hands watches us so he can steal from us (steal our blessings).  An example of dishonesty - has a cashier accidentally ever given us back more money than we were due? Did we inform them of the mistake?  If we did not, that is being dishonest.  Another example - have we ever found a purse or wallet with money in it and not returned everything (especially the money) to its rightful owner?  If we did not return it - this is also being dishonest, just to mention a few.  Did we somehow think in these situations that God was somehow blessing us when we got more money back than was due us?  If this is what we thought, we are indeed mistaken.  This was not a blessing, but a test.  Sometimes things are put in our path to see if we will remain honest and full of integrity. (Reference Proverb 20:7).
     We have to be honest at all time.  Our heavenly Father expects no less from us.  There are many other ways that we could be dishonest.  For example, do we purposefully tell someone we are going to do something – knowing quite well we have no intentions of keeping that promise.  For instance, saying we would stop bye and visit when we know that we would not or that we would give them some money – knowing that we could not.  These are indeed lies and not white lies.  There are no white lies in God’s book.  Lying is lying per God’s Holy book (the Bible).
     We expect God to be true to His word and He expects no less from us.  We have to say what we mean and mean what we say.  It does not have to be said in a bad  way.  For example, if we cannot make an appointment – just apologize and say, I would love to but sorry I can not attend.  Rather than saying, of course I will be there – knowing that you have no intentions of being there.  Other areas of dishonesty are when someone tells you a secret and you promise not to tell anyone.  And then before that person gets around the corner – you are telling someone what they just told you.  This is very wrong.  If someone tells you something and tells you not to tell anyone, please don’t tell anyone.  To tell someone will lack integrity and God expects His children to be full of integrity.
     Also, other examples of dishonesty are being unfaithful to a spouse.  God expects us to honor our marriage vows completely at all times – no cheating at all (no excuses).  The enemy sets us up for failure – putting temptations in our path.  But God expects us to resist temptations and stay true to Him and our spouse.  He is always true to us. All sins that we commit are against God. When we treat our brethren ungodly – we are also sinning against Almighty God. 
     We can lose or compromise our blessings when we are unloyal and dishonest. And these blessings that we can lose come in so many ways - for example good health, long life, financial blessings, good jobs, promotions, etc.  Please don’t compromise what God is trying to give us - by being dishonest.  Sometimes, people wonder why they have been praying for something for some long, but have not received it.  Ask God in prayer is there something that you could be doing or not doing that is blocking or prolonging your blessings?   Be true to Him and ourselves – always walk a life of integrity and honesty and good things will follow us.  God blesses those that honor His word and refuse to compromise the truth.  Be Honest and full of integrity at all time. 
Thanks and God bless. 

For Prayer support, please call (630) 615-1693.  Jesus loves you and so do I.  In the vineyard for Christ, Apostle/Prophet E. Dada

CHILDSERV OFFERING PARENT EMPOWERMENT & PRESCHOOL READINESS PROGRAMS

ChildServ is offering a Parent Empowerment Program (PEP) to parents of children aged 0-2 in the Austin, Lawndale, Humboldt Park, Englewood, and Washington Park communities. A home-based early intervention and prevention service, PEP helps children become better prepared for preschool and teaches parents how to be better advocates for their children in the areas of education, health, and social services.
    Through individual home visits and group activities, educators teach families how to develop their children’s physical, mental, social, emotional, language development and problem solving skills.
    According to the U.S. Census Bureau, children living in major urban areas like Chicago face dramatically higher risk factors than other children and require more attention and support from their parents in order to succeed. The PEP program connects parents and children to community resources and helps create a support system through monthly events, group meetings, and field trips.
    To learn more about the HIPPY program or additional program offerings, call ChildServ at 773/693-0300.
Preschool Readiness Program for At-Risk Chicago Families
    ChildServ is pleased to offer Chicagoland parents of at-risk children an early school readiness program geared to help children succeed in school. Serving children ages 3-5, Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youth (HIPPY) provides parents with the tools, skills, and confidence needed to serve as their child’s primary educator. Assisting the families of Austin, Humboldt Park, and Englewood, HIPPY provides families with the in-home services of professional educators trained in teaching parents how to help their children succeed in school and beyond.
    With 90% of parents enrolled in last year’s program reporting they learned new ways to become a better parent, the HIPPY program is looking to assist more families in at-risk Chicago communities for the 2012 year. Parents will receive free books and educational materials to complete lessons. To learn more about the HIPPY program or additional program offerings, call ChildServ at 773/867-7305.

Frederick Douglass High School Teacher Of the Year Award

Mrs. Zeinab Abubakee is presented the Frederick Douglass High School Teacher of the year Award by Catherine Jones, President of the Douglass PTSA, and Joan Leach, PTSA Membership Chairperson. (Photo by Brad)

Officers & Members of the Frederick Douglass High School Parent Teacher Student Association holds its annual Teacher of the Year Awards Luncheon. Shown are: Catherine Jones, Pres.; Roberta Wilson; Tierra Clark; Hillery Young; Joan Leach; and Larrella Scaggs. (Photo by Brad)