Community Voices-Summer 2011

Leroy “Satchel” Paige August 2, 6:00 pm Powell Branch Library 1000 W. Paterson St. See actor/playwright Cedric Liqueur perform his 90-minute one-man play about Satchel Paige, the greatest pitcher in the history of the Negro Leagues. Joe DiMaggio called Satchel “the best and fastest pitcher I’ve ever faced.”

The Baseball Hall of Fame inducted Paige in 1971, the first player honored from the Negro Leagues.

www.kpl.gov/satchel

This hands-on workshop will walk you through the Top 10 Steps toward self publishing.

Get that book out of you!

Cost for the workshop is $10.

Space is limited.

For more information or to register for the next workshop, call 269-365-4019

• Hear from other self published authors, • Share your story with others, • Learn how to secure copyright, ISBN numbers and other legalities, • Find out the best printing solutions for your project... and more!

From the Publisher MULTI-CULTURAL NEWS SOURCE

Going Back to School: A Lifelong Journey

As we gather for an adventurous family reunion, plan for that wedding walk down the isle, or scout treasures at area garage sales, school is the last thing on many of our minds. However, the days of school shopping are just around the corner. This Back to School edition will help get you pumped up for your next season of learning.

Don’t think “Back to School” is only for those rising early to catch the bright yellow bus. In the fall, we all are in the Back to School mode.

Learning is something we never stop doing, and it doesn’t just happen in a classroom.

In this issue we learn of Grand Master SunHwan Chung’s humble beginnings in Korea which led him to the United States. Today he owns Black Belt academies throughout Southwest Michigan. His lifelong lesson of determination and perseverance is accentuated in how he and his instructors work with youth.

Learning to step out on faith is another lesson shared in this issue.

As Adam Sterenberg listened to a calling from God to start a Christian school in the inner city of Kalamazoo, he didn’t know what to expect.

Without funding, a building or money to pay staff, the story of the Tree of Life school is one of learning to follow God’s plan for your life.

Louis Parker Jr. also has a lesson for us all to learn. As a child his mother would send him to the neighborhood grocer to purchase bologna. Decades later, his dream to open a coffee shop in his neighborhood would take him right back to where it all began. His lesson in daring to dream is inspiring.

When we see life as a school in which we are constantly learning, we understand the importance of our journey. Going Back to School means starting a new chapter in your life. Regardless of your age, or stage in life, we should always sharpen our pencils and take notes on what life is trying to teach us.

See you online!

Sonya Bernard-Hollins

Volume 01, Issue 02 Your Community, Your Voice

Founders Arlene & James Washington Publisher

Season Press LLC Editor-In-Chief

Sonya Bernard-Hollins

Graphic Design Fortitude Graphic Design Webmaster

Geoffrey Brege

Photographers

Sonya Bernard-Hollins

Sean Hollins

For more information visit us at: www.comvoicesonline.com or write: Community Voices P.O. Box 51042 Kalamazoo, MI 49005 269-365-4019 On the Cover: Jazmynn Sinclair a 2011 graduate of Kalamazoo Central High School and student of the Kalamazoo Promise. Photo by Sonya Bernard-Hollins Editorial Photo: Sonya BernardHollins and family take part in the Kalamazoo Public Library’s 1st Read Poster Contest. Photo courtesy Kalamazoo Public Library by John Lacko.

Editor-In-Chief

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Featured Contributors Kathleen Balke

Kathleen Balke is Education Coordinator of Community Homeworks. The nonprofit organization empowers homeowners to take control of their homes through free home repair and maintenance workshops.

Robert Helm

Robert Helm is COO of Accu Distributing, LLC based in Lansing, MI. This entreprenuer and inventor shares of a creation which will not only revolutionalize how we use everything from cell phones to ATM machines, but provide a germ-free way to use public technology.

Charita Quinn

Charita Quinn is a junior at Loy Norrix High School and a participant of Media Arts Academy. The MAA joined the Merze Tate Travel Club in creating a documentary film about Merze Tate. Charita shares how Merze Tate’s life inspired her.

Michael Rice Michael Rice Ph.D. is the superintendent of Kalamazoo Public Schools. He is a proponent of community involvement in education and stresses the importance of organizations working together for the education of youth. He contributes his Back to School column about the new Learning Network.

Eddie Simpson Eddie Simpson is founder of Sweet Nature hair care line based in Grand Rapids, MI. Her efforts to support U.S. troops has led to hundreds of women receiving free healthy hair care products not available to them during their tours of duty. She contributes tips on summer hair care to this issue.

Tori Zackery Tori Zackery will be a sophomore at Kalamazoo Central High School in the fall. She is an original member of the Merze Tate Travel Club founded in Kalamazoo, MI. in 2008 as an opportunity to expose inner-city girls to new people and places through travel.

She shares a local history lesson on Western Michigan University’s East Hall.

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Contents What’s Inside Feature Story

A Perfect Record: Jazmynn Sinclair’s Road to a Personal Best Education Kalamazoo Promise Students Past and Future . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 6

Organizations Jeters Leaders Inspired in Tampa

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Sports

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Grand Master Chung’s Life an Inspiration to Others. . . . p.20

Business

Youth Junior Reporter Camp Writers .. . . . . p. 14

Faith The School that Faith Built. . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.26

Urban Blend adds Sweet Aroma to Community

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Education Section

Sierra Calvin was making a guy a sandwich while working at her after-school job at Subway when her friend rushed in. “We’re going to college for free!”

Her friend had just learned of the announcement to provide free college tuition to students of Kalamazoo Public Schools through a program called The Kalamazoo Promise.

“I just started crying,” Calvin remembered. “I told the guy I was making the sandwich for, ‘I’m sorry, but I’m going to college for free.”’

Calvin would be the first person in her family to attend college and in June, she became the family’s first college graduate. She earned a degree in English from the University of Michigan with a 3.4 GPA. “For me, the Kalamazoo Promise meant that I had the opportunity to make history in my family. It meant I could go to college and pursue whatever dreams I had. It was a chance for me to make something of myself that was greater than I could have even imagined,” said Calvin, 22.

Today she is fulfilling a two-year commitment with Teach For

“The Kalamazoo Promise allowed for me to go to college so that I could attain a future that would let me provide for not only myself, but for others.”

America. The program recruits recent college graduates to teach in low-income communities. Calvin teaches math at an elementary school in Crenshaw, Miss. Her goals are to pursue a master’s degree and teach middle school language arts.

“Without having to stress about finances...I had the capacity to focus on my studies, figure out what I wanted to do with my life, and pursue it. Now, I have the opportunity to educate kids who live in low-income areas and thus, face a staggering educational achievement gap,” she said.

Calvin encourages students to take advantage of The Kalamazoo Promise and find out what their passions are for their future. She entered Kalamazoo Public Schools in fifth grade and received 85% of the scholarship. With the help of part-time jobs, grants and other scholarships she was able to graduate from college debt free.

To future Promise candidates she gives her advice: “You can do so much with a college education. It would be ashame to have this and not take advantage of it. Just give it a try, you have nothing to lose.”

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Kalamazoo Promise student testimonies provided by the Upjohn Institute. www.comvoicesonline.com

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Education

Website helps parents teach teen driver safety driving situations such as: •Never play around with passengers, talk on a cell phone, mess with the radio or do anything else distracting.

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ummer is the most dangerous time of year for teen drivers, with nearly twice as many teens dying on America’s roads each day compared to the rest of the year. A new online program helps parents keep their teens safe as they gain experience driving without adult supervision.

The Checkpoints Program, presented by the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute and Michigan Department of Community Health, is a free, interactive web resource (http:// saferdrivingforteens.org) that establishes rules in a personal written agreement that ensures parents that their teens are clear about where and when they can drive.

•Always call home if for any reason it is not safe to drive or ride with someone else.

•Never drive after taking any drugs/alcohol or ride with a driver who has taken drugs/alcohol.

The agreement also allows families to establish common rules for parents, such as: •Provide safe ride home when asked (no questions at that time).

•Apply rules fairly and consistently.

•Point out and discuss safe and dangerous driving situations and practices.

behind the wheel.

Checkpoints, created by Bruce Simons-Morton of the National Institutes of Health, has been tested in several research studies.

Results show participating teens received fewer tickets and reported less risky driving behaviors (e.g., speeding, tailgating, turning fast, unsafe lane changes, cutting in front of other vehicles, going through yellow or red lights).

The site is available to parents for free through a grant to the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute and the Michigan Department of Community Health from the National Center for Injury Prevention Control, part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Visit Checkpoints on line at saferdrivingforteens.org

•Be a good role model

Checkpoints gives parents facts about teen driving safety and shows them things they can do to make their teen’s driving safer.

The agreement also allows parents to establish rules for teens to follow in all Checkpoints is a trademark of U.S. DHHS 8

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KALAMAZOO COLLEGE:

A Zoonique Community Voice

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Grilled Teriyaki Chicken Kebabs

Teriyaki is a favorite for all ages. Make it more interesting by skewering seasoned chicken with vegetables and fruit. Pineapple works great on the grill and echoes the sweetness of the sauce. Like a stir-fry, kebabs are a great way for vegetables to play a larger role in the main course, adding color and nutrients.

Try different teriyaki sauces to find one you like. Some are thicker with some texture; others are thinner with a soy sauce-like consistency. Garlic and ginger add brightness to the marinade, but skip them if time or ingredients are lacking.

Serves 4

Prep Time: 30 minutes or less, including marinating Total Time: 45 minutes or less 1/4 cup teriyaki sauce 3 garlic cloves, minced 2 tsp finely chopped fresh ginger 1 cup peeled and cored pineapple, cut into 1-inch pieces, juices reserved 3/4 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces 1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces 1 red onion, cut into 1-inch pieces Preheat a lightly oiled grill to medium-high.

In a bowl, combine teriyaki sauce, garlic, ginger, and reserved pineapple juice.

Remove and reserve 1 tablespoon of the mixture. Add chicken to bowl and marinate for 20 minutes.

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Cooking Alert!

Summer time means food, friends and barbecues. Whatever you do, don’t invite cancer to your barbecue!

Some research suggests that cooking meats at very high temperatures – as grills often do – creates chemicals that may pieces of chicken, pineapple, potentially increase cancer risk. The bell pepper, and onion.

American Cancer Society offers these grilling guidelines to help you Grill kebabs for 5 minutes, brush with reserved marinade, re duce your cancer r isk: turn and baste again. Cook • Choose lean cuts of meat and for 3 to 5 minutes, or until trim excess fat. Fat dripping cooked through. onto hot coals causes smoke that contains particles that can If using wooden skewers, potentially raise your cancer soak them in water while the risk. chicken marinates to prevent Tightly seal food inside a foil them from burning. They still • packet before cooking it on the get a little charred, just more grill. The food steams in its slowly. own juices so there’s no need Per Serving for heavy sauces, and the foil Calories: 150 limits the food’s exposure to Calories from Fat: 20 grill smoke.

Total Fat: 2.5 g • Avoid charring meat or eating Saturated Fat: 0.6 g parts that are especially burned Trans Fat: 0.0 g Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.6 g and black – they have the highest Monounsaturated Fat: 0.7 g concentrations of potentially Cholesterol: 50 mg harmful particles.

Sodium: 275 mg • Add colorful vegetables and Total Carbohydrate: 13 g fruit to the grill. Many of the Dietary Fiber: 2 g chemicals created when meat Sugars: 8 g is grilled are not formed when Protein: 19 g grilling vegetables or fruits.

From The Great American Eat-Right Cookbook, © 2007

by American Cancer Society.

Reprinted by permission.

www.comvoicesonline.com

Contributed by Evelyn Barella, American Cancer Society Media Relations specialist- Flint, Mich.

Healthy Summer Hair Tips

Health

after your day in the sun to prevent build up.

By: Eddie Simpson 3. Stay away from flat-iron, hot combs, or curling irons. If you MUST use them, be sure to use a heat protectant and use them on the lowest Biking, long walks, swimming, or spending all setting. day at amusement parks are great activities for 4. Use cool water to wash your hair as hot water my mind body and soul, but may wreak havoc will dry out the hair. on delicate tresses.

5. Avoid using products containing alcohol, mineral oil, paraffin gel and other ingredients Sun rays can be just as damaging to the hair as that lead to dry brittle hair, and/or other hair care the harsh winter weather. Overexposure to UV concerns. rays can cause dryness, excessive split ends, and 6. Moisturize your hair daily. Use a light misting general weakening of the hair. The best way to spray or natural moisturizer regularly to keep avoid damage is to protect the hair from hair hydrated. excessive heat by covering it with a hat or scarf.

7. Use a moisturizing shampoo that does not contain sodium lauryl/laureth sulfate.

It’s also a good idea to make sure that hair is 8. Deep condition your hair after each shampoo. moisturized and strengthened regularly. If you This will strengthen the hair, helping to combat follow these simple rules you will be able to that possible weakening of the exposure to enjoy the sun and enjoy beautiful, healthier hair! the sun.

9. Drink plenty of water to help keep you and your hair hydrated.

10. If your hair is natural, moisturize your hair at 1. Don’t like hats? Wear scarves, keep your hair night and sleep with a plastic cap under your protected by wearing buns, extensions, or scarf. This will allow the moisture to penetrate twists to avoid total exposure to sun; your hair and give your hair a hydration boost.

2. Use a protective sunscreen on your hair before 11. Before plunging into a pool, be sure to coat the stepping out for long periods of time. hair with either a moisturizer and/or a Dilute the sunscreen and then conditioner if possible. Wear a swim cap, and add a heavy moisturizer to wash the hair with a moisturizing it to protect and shampoo as soon as possible. hydrate the hair. Be CV sure to wash the hair really well

Top Tips

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Feature Section

The traditional Senior Skip Day is the one day that many teachers realize, high school seniors take advantange of as their massive their last rebellious act before graduation.

Gangs of students plan a special hang-out day at the beach, or a backyard cookout.

For Jazmynn Sinclair, 17, the temptation was not on her mind. She had come too far.

While other students were out sick or had other issues, Jazmynn had a personal goal---to never miss a day of school.

“At first I didn’t even know I was doing it,” said Jazmynn, a 2011 graduate of Kalamazoo Central High School. “In elementary school (King-Westwood Elementary)I received a certificate from Gov. Jennifer Granholm and Kalamazoo Mayor, Robert Jones, for never missing a day of school.

After that I made a personal goal to never miss a day of school through 12th grade.”

It wasn’t an easy feat, however. When her family went away for funerals, graduations, or even the family trip to Cedar Point which spilled over into a school day, she stayed behind.

Keeping active in school also helped her keep focused.

She was a member of the Delta Gems (a program of Delta Sigma Theta, Inc. Sorority), a volunteer at Friendship Village Nursing home as activities director, and held her own as an honor student.

She also was a member of the 21st Century Scholars after-school program and took all advance classes.

The road toward perfect attendance didn’t come easy however. While an absence or two may be normal for many students, whenever an absence appeared on her report card, it was a challenge having it removed.

never missed a day of school

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“We would have to go through so many people just to have the absence corrected,” said her mother Doris Sinclair. “Some didn’t see one or two absences as a big deal, but it was for Jazmynn.”

The perfect attendance model is a first for the Sinclair family. Her parents Marshall and Doris were high school sweethearts in Cassopolis, MI. While they had intentions to attend college it never happened.

Jazmynn’s older brother is attending junior college, however did not strive for perfect attendance.

“Jazmynn will be one of the first students in our family, on both sides, to graduate from college,” Doris said. “We are so proud of her.”

Through it all, Sinclair said striving for perfect attendance was worth the extra effort. During the Senior Appreciation Breakfast at Kalamazoo Central High School, her principal, Von Washington Jr., presented her with a certificate for her achievement.

This fall she will attend Western Michigan University with the help of a scholarship through her church association, Chicago Avenue Church of Christ in Kalamazoo. She also will receive assistance from the Gear Up Program at Western Michigan University. Most of all however, the Kalamazoo Promise is helping her college dreams comes true.

After years of watching the television show CSI, she has become inspired to study medicine in hopes of being a doctor. While pursuing that dream she has set a new goal for herself---perfect attendance through college. *Jazymnn poses here with her mother, Doris.

“It will be harder through college because I am the only one really keeping track, but it’s something I want to do for myself.”

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Junior

Youth

C

ommunity Voices Junior Reporter Camps are created for youth interested in learning more about the media. Students are taught how to write a variety of news stories, and interview subjects related to happenings in their organizations, neighborhoods and schools. For more information on how to get your students involved e-mail: editor@comvoicesonline.com or call 269-365-4019.

Discover Your

City’s Past

I

’ve lived in Kalamazoo, Michigan all my life, yet I had never discovered East Hall, the old building on Western University’s campus. I wasn’t aware of the artifacts and information it held about my community. I also had known nothing about its history or secrets.

Then again, before three years ago, I wasn’t a part of the Merze Tate Travel Club.

I remember being extremely excited to attend the Merze Tate Travel Club’s first meeting. I had learned about the group from my sixth grade teacher and I knew it would be a great opportunity for exposure. However, finding the meeting place proved to be a challenge.

My mother had no clue where East Hall was as we drove around. Fortunately, we arrived on time at the building that looked forsaken compared to the rest of the campus.

As I made my way inside I made a mental note of how creepy and old it looked.

The library, where we met, didn’t seem to be much of an

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improvement. Thankfully it was livelier with other travel club students and staff. The library actually stroked me as unusual.

I would learn the reason for that later on that day.

The university was established in 1903 and East Hall its first building. During our tour with Sharon Carlson, director of the Archives and Regional History Collections, I learned that the present day library was originally a gymnasium; explaining the weird structure of the area.

You could still see the above ground track, and records were in the pool that once belonged

there. You could also imagine how gym class was for Merze Tate, who graduated from the school in 1927 and had the highest academic record at the time.

It’s amazing to see how an environment can evolve over time. East Hall is an important landmark in the community simply for the stories it can tell.

From Dr. Waldo’s ashes being buried in the building to the endless records. There’s so many things to find in our community if you just take the time to look for it.

By Tori Zackery

Tori Zackery is a sophomore at Kalamazoo Central High School and original member of the merze Tate Travel Club formed in 2008. She poses in WMU’s East Hall.

www.comvoicesonline.com

Reporter Camp

Graduates

A Role Model Example for Life

By Charita Quinn

A

a a member of the AllGirl production of the documentary “Life Through the Lens of Merze Tate,” I learned that giving up is something that Merze Tate didn’t do. cam on board the project as a student of Media Arts Academy and learned this is something I can relate to in so many ways.

Merze Tate’s school in Blanchard, Mich., burned down when she was in the 10th grade. That didn’t stop her. She moved to Battle Creek to finish high school. She moved away from her family and friends to live as a maid to pay for her room and board to get an education. I can only imagine how she felt, or what she went through. hile my school didn’t burn down physically in my heart it did. I had the same feelings having to leave my high school in Three Rivers at the beginning of my junior year, and move to Kalamazoo, a new city and a new school, Loy Norrix High School. With so many different faces, I felt so out of place. I didn’t know anyone. So imagine the change trying to adjust to this new school and at

I

the same time having problems with some of the kids being mean, and doing evil things to me. felt like I wasn’t getting the education that I deserved to get like all the rest of the students.

This caused me to think that school wasn’t a place for me to be! But I thank God, my family and friends who stayed there and encouraged me to hang on and that everything was going to work out the way God wanted it to. I realize that the best is yet to come. And as long as I have those people I will make

I

it! And As Merze Tate had set in her mind and actions there was nothing that was going to get in her way that was going to keep her from doing what she wanted or needed to do for herself.

*

Merze Tate, a native of Blanchard, MI, was a 1927 graduate of Western Michigan University. She became the first African American to graduate from Oxford University along with many other “firsts.”

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W

Charita Quinn served as one of the camera operators for the student documentary, “Who in the World is Merze Tate?”

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organizations

K

alamazoo native Derek Jeter motivates, educates youth during Youth Summit event in Florida.

On Saturday, July 9, 2011 Derek Jeter hit his historic 3,000 hits, spiraling him into baseball history. The 37-year-old graduate of Kalamazoo Central High School became the 28th player in baseball history and the first New York Yankee to conquer such as feat.

However, less than two weeks later, while basking in the glow of his achivement and the faint roar of his five-minute standing ovation from the crowd in Yankee Stadium he was doing what he loved most, inspiring youth.

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By Kathy Lynn turn 2 foundation New york, ny

www.comvoicesonline.com

Jeters Leaders from the Kalamazoo chapter of the Turn 2 Foundation were among the more than 250 high school students who had the opportunity to be further inspired by Jeter during his recent three-day Youth Summit in Tampa, Fla. The mission of the event is to promote social change and healthy lifestyles which are emphasized at Jeter’s Turn 2 Foundation’s 2011 Jeter’s Leaders Leadership Conference at the University of Tampa.

The bi-annual conference,

themed “Social Change: Today’s Challenges, Tomorrow’s Solutions,.

The event was kicked off in style with a Welcoming Ceremony featuring Tino Martinez, a recent graduate of the University of Tampa and the University’s President, Dr. Ronald L. Vaughn.

Jeter was joined by former New York Yankees Tino Martinez and Gerald Williams; Super Bowl Champion Green Bay Packer, Greg Jennings; Kalamazoo Mayor Bobby Hopewell; and best selling author and activist Sister Souljah. The panel Above: Derek Jeter poses with Kalamazoo Mayor Bobby Hopewell, addressed adversity and tenacity in left and football great Greg achieving social, academic, and career Jennings also Kalamazoo native. goals.

Students who attended shared a common goal to make a positive change in their schools and communities.

In addition to the panel discussion the event featured eight workshops created and presented by the New York and Kalamazoo Jeter’s Leaders based on topics they feel are most affecting teens in today’s ever-changing society.

They also participated in a variety of team building activities and special events that were educational, motivational, and entertaining for the students as they continue through high school and prepare to enter college.

Over the course of the week, the students experienced college life by staying in dorms on campus, eating in the cafeteria, and simulated the academic side of college life by attending workshops.

A highlight that truly exemplifies the spirit of the conference was the community service project at St. Peter Claver Catholic School, the oldest African American Catholic school in the state of Florida. The Turn 2 Foundation worked with a local organization, Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful, to till soil, plant flowers, shrubs and trees, install garden fixtures and benches and stain picnic tables. The effort helped to motivate the elementary school’s participation in continuing to refurbish the property.

The project included a mentoring component: the high school students paired up with the elementary school students from St. Peter Claver to foster a spirit of sharing and community spirit. Each attending group painted a flower pot with motivational messages to inspire incoming students.

The Jeter’s Leaders Program was designed to promote healthy lifestyles, academic achievement, leadership development, and social change activism among high school students. The Jeter’s Leaders serve as ambassadors for Derek Jeter in their communities.

The Turn 2 Foundation, established in 1996, has awarded more than $12 million in grants to create and support signature programs and activities that motivate young people to choose healthy lifestyles. Through these ventures, the Foundation strives to create outlets for children to achieve academic excellence, develop leadership skills and remain drug and alcohol free. These programs all share the same goal of helping today’s youth become the leaders of tomorrow.

To learn more about the Turn 2 Foundation, please visit us at WWW.TURN2FOUNDATION.ORG CV www.comvoicesonline.com

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community

By kathleen balke

H

ave you heard of a honey –do list? It’s a list of household chores that need to be done by your honey.

What if you don’t have a honey? Or, what if your honey doesn’t know how to do any of the things on the list? Be your own honey.

That is exactly what Kalamazoo residents are learning by attending weekly home maintenance and repair workshops given by Community Homeworks.

Community Homeworks is a nonprofit that provides emergency home repair services and home repair and maintenance workshops to low income residents of Kalamazoo County.

The workshops are offered every Tuesday evening at Community Homeworks at 808 S. Westnedge in Kalamazoo.

The workshops start at 6:00 PM and usually end by 9:00 PM. The economy is impacting all of our budgets and resources.

Learning to maintain your home, may be your greatest asset as a proactive step in saving on repair costs and maximizing your home’s value.

The workshops provide hands on learning experiences that address a wide variety of subjects that include plumbing systems, electrical systems, energy conservation techniques, and how to use power tools and change the oil in a lawn mower.

Currently, there is a series of nine workshops.

The emergency home repairs that are provided by Community Homeworks are as varied as the residents of Kalamazoo. One person may need their furnace fixed or a leaking ceiling patched.

Another person, such as Amy, was trying to maintain her home herself. Her concrete staircase had sunk in the ground and was leaning away from the house and crumbling. Amy was working on repairing the stairs when she lost her job. Unable

to afford to complete it herself, she applied for assistance from Community Homeworks. Her new stairs were built with help from Community Homeworks and she could not be more proud of her home and the city of Kalamazoo.

Home maintenance skills do not come with home ownership.

Community Homeworks, through its workshops and emergency repair program, empowers residents to learn and develop valuable skills that optimize their living conditions as well as help with efforts to build sustainable neighborhoods and a stronger Kalamazoo.

Kathleen Balke is Education Coordjnator with Community Homeworks through LISC AmeriCorps.

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Community Homeworks was founded

by Shaun Wright, executive director and former volunteer and site coordinator for Kalamazoo Valley Habitat for Humanity.

Wright along with Habitat and Kalamazoo Neighborhood Housing Services, Inc., help equip low income homeowners with skills, resources, and financial assistance to empower them to maintain their property, build equity and engage with their communities through mentorships and collaborations to build healthy neighborhoods. For more information call 269-998-3275 or visit: www.communityhomeworks.org

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Learning Network Engaging Community

By Michael Rice

Learning Network Offers New Opportunity to Engage Community On June 14 at the downtown Kalamazoo Public Library, the Learning Network of Greater Kalamazoo announced receipt of grants totaling $11 million over the next five years.

The Kellogg Foundation will provide the Learning Network with $6 million over three years, for the purpose of funding several initiatives related to literacy (early language development, reading, and writing). These initiatives include parent education for the parents of newborns, parent education for the parents of 3-4 year olds, family literacy, and literacy for struggling readers.

The Kellogg funds will also support a two-year pilot of KC Ready 4s, an initiative to improve the quality of pre-school and to increase the number of children in pre-school in the county. The Kellogg dollars will also fund some work in children’s health

and significant community engagement.

Olivarez well and thank him for his community leadership.

The Kalamazoo Community Foundation (KCF) grant funds $5 million, $1 million a year for five years. Roughly a third of the $1 million annually goes to support the network, the writing of other grants, and all fiscal and reporting responsibilities associated with the Kellogg and KCF grants. The other funds annually will be used to further the goals of the network.

With funds from a previous Kellogg grant, KPS has begun family literacy pilot programs this summer at four sites in the community: Open Door Ministries on the east side, New Genesis on the north side, and the Boys and Girls Club and the Hispanic-American Council on the south side. We have begun parent education pilots for the parents of newborns and the parents of 3-4 year olds at three of these four sites. Work from these pilots will inform the shape and development of these programs in the future.

The Learning Network has five goals: (1) literacy, (2) college readiness, (3) children’s health, (4) urban vitality, and (5) economic development.

At present, six other partners serve with me on the Learning Network: Dr. Juan Olivarez, CEO of the Kalamazoo Community Foundation; Dr. Charles Warfield, president of the Metropolitan Kalamazoo NAACP; Dr. Randy Eberts, CEO of the W.E. Upjohn Institute; City of Kalamazoo Mayor Bobby Hopewell; Dr. Janice Brown, executive director of the Kalamazoo Promise; and Sheri Welsh, former chair of the Greater Kalamazoo Chamber of Commerce.

In the coming months and years, the network’s activities will grow and mature. What will remain constant will be a focus on improving the lives of children, particularly those who are most vulnerable, both as an end in and of itself and as a means to creating a stronger community. *Michael Rice, Ph.D. is the superintendent of Kalamazoo Public Schools. He congratulates a member of the Kalamazoo Junior Girls after a Blue Line to Success awards event.

Dr. Olivarez has accepted the presidency of Aquinas College and will be replaced by Carrie Pickett-Erway, vice president of the Kalamazoo Community Foundation. We wish Dr. www.comvoicesonline.com

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Section sports

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Had they been given enough warning? Just three days before on Aug. 6, 1945, the United States had dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan.

Sirens blared, warning residents of Nagasaki that another bomb was headed towards them.

Sun Hwan Chung was two years old and his father gathered the family for shelter. When the bomb hit, they were just 150 kilometers (about 93 miles) away. More than 73,000 people were killed and 30 percent of the town was destroyed.

“Many people in my family died.

Others died later from cancer

from the radiation. The Japanese government gave free treatment,” remembers Chung. “My sisters went back to visit and saw the school they (attended) that was destroyed. Most everything now has been rebuilt.”

Today, Chung is a 9th Dan Grand Master in Tae Kwon Do and owner of Chung’s Black Belt Academies. Four locations of the academies are located in Kalamazoo, Portage, Richland and Lawton, Mich. As he reminisces about the hard times growing up poor in Korea, his sisters visit him in his 12th Street location during their first visit to the United States. Although

they do not speak or understand English, their expressions of joy are clear as they see their little brother’s success in America.

They know his success came from hard work and determination.

His path toward being one of the best Tae Kwon Do instructors in the world was made possible because of a childhood bully.

“When I was 7 years old, one of my friends beat me up,” Chung said. “I cried. My neighbor found out and he started teaching me Tae Kwon Do. Three months later, my friend tried to beat me up again. I knock him out this time. He never bothered me again.”

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Chung started enjoying training, however remained humble in his trained skill. His family, who had moved back to Korean after the war, was very poor.

He remembers the rations of corn, sugar and rice provided by American soldiers. His family could not afford to send the girls to school, and Chung received help for his education from a cousin.

After high school he would attend two years of college in addition to being an instructor for Korean Military Personnel and soldiers in Vietnam. In 1970 he decided to move to America; what Koreans called, “Mee Kook” beautiful country.

“Everybody believed, you come to America, you can have the American Dream,” Chung said.

Chung came to the United States on June 18, 1970 and worked in Detroit training police academy cadets in self defense. He would later moved to California and complete his B.A. in Physical Education from Pacific Western University. In 1971, he moved to Kalamazoo and opened his own academy with one student.

In 2010, he celebrated 40 years of teaching. More than 300 former and current students came to the celebration, including Paul Van Schoyck. Van Schoyck began training with Chung at age 15.

Today, at age 23, he owns his own franchise of Chung’s Black Belt Academy in Lawton.

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“When I started Tae Kwon Do, I didn’t do any other physical activities in school. None of the conventional sports fit me,” said Van Schoyck. “Tae Kwon Do pushed me out of my comfort zone and helped me develop confidence in different ways.”

Van Schoyck, a 2007 graduate of L aw t o n High School, now has earned his Black belt a l ong w it h medals and has participated in dozens of competitions under Chung’s tutelage.

Chung hosts the Michigan Cup Championship each year through his International Academy of Martial Arts Association, Inc.; the largest Tae Kwon Do championships in the Great Lakes. He also trains students for the Junior Olympics, teaches at various colleges and schools, and is the author the instructional textbook, “Dong Yang Moo Sool Do.” Teaching students a skill along with discipline which will help them in life, is what Chung and his wife, Terese (a 7th Dan Senior Master) aim to do. As he reflects on his own life, he realizes it was the respect he had for his family and the desire to make a better

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Top: Master Chung demonstrates techniques with Paul VanSchoyck.

Bottom: Master Chung poses with his sisters who are visiting from Korea.

life for himself that pushed him toward success.

“Tae Kwon Do teaches discipline, knowledge, skills and helps students apply respect to their teachers and parents in their daily life,” Chung said.

To learn more, visit:

www.chungsunhwan.com CV

Business

Urban Blend: A Unique Flavor for the Community

A

nostalgic atmosphere of the past mixed with WiFi is a perfect blend---an Urban Blend. In February 2011, Gloria Louis Parker Jr. opened the first coffee house on the north side of Kalamazoo. Those who enter get a taste of old-fashioned hand-made sandwiches served with genuine hospitality and chips on the side.

The business has been a dream of the Parkers for years. Louis always wanted to open a place in the community where he could provide good food and friendly service. When the opportunity came to purchase the location at 714 N. Burdick St., he was elated.

The store had special memories for him reaching back into his childhood. “When I was a child my mother would send me here, it was a grocer then. When we began to fix up the place and take old paneling off the wall, that (bologna) sign from when I was a chilld was still there, 44 years later. I just cried when I saw that.

It was like an assignment from God for me to reopen this place.�

During his three year quest to remodel the grocer into a restaurant, he received help from many in the community who would contribute furniture, building supplies, funds and one anonymous donor paid for their membership fee into the Kalamazoo Area Chamber of Commerce.

In addition to the memories of the grocer, the location also has significant history for the

African American community of Kalamazoo. Above the then, grocery store were businesses operated by Judge Charles A. Pratt, the first African American judge in Kalamazoo County.

Also holding space in the upstairs offices was Dr. Cornelius Alexander, an African American physician who became the first African American surgeon in Kalamazoo.

The Parkers serve up more than just food at their establishment.

They open their doors to jazz, poetry and other entertainers throughout the week for special performances. Bible studies also are held at the location on Sunday afternoons.

Their desire to bring something freshly brewed to the community is commendable. Moreover, the Parkers hold a bit of nostalgia for the neighborhood in their business by bringing back to life a building with rich local history.

And, the ice cream and food are an added bonus.

Louis and Gloria Parker are the owners of Urban Blend.

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Faith

During a City of Kalamazoo Planning Commission meeting in July, Adam Sterenberg concentrated in prayer as the members of the committee were called upon to vote.

Then, he and the more than a dozen family, friends, students and teachers of Tree of Life Christian School erupted in applause at the unanimous APPROVED reading.

Now, the little school that started out as a vision from God would have its own building.

The approval for Tree of Life to begin building a K-5th grade Christian school in the city’s Edison neighborhood had been an answered prayer. Just one year ago, he began knocking on doors of residents in the neighborhood to invite them to send their children to the affordable Christian school.

Only 5 percent of a family’s income would be needed.

Students in grades K-3 would attend school

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on the upper level of the former St. Joseph Catholic Elementary School building on 936 Lake St. His journey to the doors of the neighborhood had been a long time coming. He attended Christian schools his entire life and when he graduated from Kalamazoo Christian in 1990 he went on to pursue a career in architecture.

However, during his freshman year he said doors were closing on his opportunities and he didn’t understand why.

When he prayed to God for guidance, he received the answer; while not one he expected or even accepted at first.

“God told me to become a teacher,” he laughed. “

He graduated from Western Michigan University in 1994 with a degree in Education and went on to teach for Kalamazoo Christian Schools.

Seven years ago he received a nudging from God to start a Christian school in the inner city, in his neighborhood with support of his church Vanguard Ministries.

Without any funding, he solicited Michigan certified teachers who would be willing to work as he walked in prayer and faith for funding.

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Blessings began to pour into the school, allowing the $120,000 budget to be met.

God opened doors for land, donation of building efforts and more. A fundraising dinner helped raise more than $60,000 toward the building.

Today, as Sterenberg prepares for the next phase of the school’s ministry, he can’t help but thank the one who made it all possible.

“Glory be to God,” he said.

“He is opening doors and doing things I could never do alone.”

For more information regarding the school or to donate to its efforts, call 269-718-7428, or visit: www.tolschool.org

CV

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Techie alert When Robert Helm purchased a new cellular phone it was a challenge getting the small buttons to do what his large fingers told it to. There just had to be a device that would allow him to quickly push these keys.

After searching the internet and cellular phone stores, he found no solution.

So, he decided to create one himself.

Today, the Lansing resident is the patent holder for the Accu-Text text messaging accessory. The device has been purchased by hospitals and other clients whose employees use public computer devices daily.

Accu-Text allows for easy maneuver of small keys and added protection against germs

which linger along publicly used devices.

Once I sketched out what would become the Accu-Text, it took one year to file patent forms, conduct market research and create a prototype.

I asked as many questions as I could come up with for everyone I spoke to.

One thing for sure I wish someone would have shared with me is that this (process) really is easy! More specifically by asking questions I now know how to work with patent attorneys, how to prototype, how to create packaging, international business, packaging processes and enough to help others improve their chances for become a success.

My biggest challenge however was finding the capital to fund the

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venture. Visualizing is the most important part of making any idea come to life.

Attending trade shows was another learning experience. Accu Distributing, LLC was part of the inventor showcase at the 2011 SPREE Trade Show in Las Vegas.

This trade show was focused on small retailers and kiosk. The Accu-Text Touch Screen Pro won Most Innovative Product which was presented by Mark Reyland of the UIA. Our biggest learning experience was always have product on hand!

We now sell our product through our website www.textaccessory. com in addition to one-on-one and business contract sales. Our first customer was Sparrow Health Systems and we are so honored to work with an organization that supports community, and local businesses.

My goal is to get at least one pair of Accu-Text in to the hands of every person around the globe!

CV

s l o o h c S c i l b u P o o z a m a l a K ! r e h g i h g n i are reach t n e m ll o r n e g in • 5 years of ris ary t n e m le e g in is • 4 years of r hool test scores and middle sc ols o h c s d e t c u r t s • 2 newly con ts n e d u t s f o r e b um • Double the n ed Placement taking Advanc st 3 years la courses in the tal n e m n o ir v n E • LEED Gold ge id R ie ir a r P t a Certification Elementary

ise® m o r P o o z a m • The Kala www.kalamazoopublicschools.com www.comvoicesonline.com

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