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Posts published in “Children”

Temar Boggs: Teen Boys Help Find Abducted Girl Jocelyn Rojas

By goodblacknews on July 15, 2013

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_W7Bjd1ADg&w=560&h=315]
LANCASTER, Pa. — Police in Pennsylvania say a 5-year-old girl was abducted while playing in her yard, but found safe two hours later after two boys spotted her in a car. Investigators are seeking the suspect, who drove off.  It happened around 4:30 p.m. Thursday in Lancaster Township just outside the city of Lancaster. Police say that’s when Jocelyn Rojas was reported missing.

Teen Hero Temar Boggs
Teen Hero Temar Boggs

Two hours later, as police and fire crews scoured the area, police in nearby Manheim Township say two teenage boys, Temar Boggs (pictured) and his friend, Chris, spotted a girl matching Rojas’ description inside a car. They began following the vehicle on their bicycles and police say the male driver eventually stopped and let the girl out before driving off.
“As soon as the guy realized we were chasing him, he stopped at the light and he let her out,” said Boggs. “And she ran to me and said she needed her mom.”  The girl’s mother told ABC affiliate WPVI-TV that she’s happy her daughter was found safe. “I’m definitely grateful God was watching over her and brought her home,” said Jaimee Smeal.
Police said an assault occurred while the girl was with her abductor, but would not release information on the type of assault. They also said the suspect did take the victim to get ice cream. It may take some time for the girl to help law enforcement officials figure out what happened during her two hours of abduction because of her age. She was briefly hospitalized after being rescued and is now home with her family.
The small community where the abduction took place is praising the boys’ bravery for tracking down the vehicle. “I believe it took courage for them to follow the car,” said Manheim-Lancaster Township Police Chief Neil Harkins, referring to the teenage boys. “The girl is here with us today.”  The cops are speaking to a person of interest in connection to the abduction, but have not named a suspect or filed any charges.
article via newsone.com

First Lady Michelle Obama Hosts ‘State Dinner’ for Top Junior Chefs

By goodblacknews on July 11, 2013
President Barack Obama talks with Makenna Hurd of Mascot, Tenn., right, and Noah Koch, of Waterville, Maine, right, at the second annual White House Kids' "State Dinner" Tuesday, July 9, 2013, in the East Room of the White House in Washington. First lady Michelle Obama welcomed 54 children to the White House for creating winning recipes as part of a healthy lunch contest. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
President Barack Obama talks with Makenna Hurd of Mascot, Tenn., right, and Noah Koch, of Waterville, Maine, right, at the second annual White House Kids’ “State Dinner” Tuesday, July 9, 2013, in the East Room of the White House in Washington. First lady Michelle Obama welcomed 54 children to the White House for creating winning recipes as part of a healthy lunch contest. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

WASHINGTON (AP) — Michelle Obama says fifty-four kids who earned a trip to the White House by winning a nationwide recipe contest are showing how talented, creative and brilliant young people can be.  It’s the second year the first lady has hosted the kids’ “state dinner.”
The contest for 8-to 12-year-olds is sponsored by the Epicurious food website and the departments of Agriculture and Education. It drew a batch of more than 1,300 entries that were whittled to 54 winners — one from each of the 50 states, three territories and the District of Columbia.
Mrs. Obama singled out a few of the champion culinary creations during Tuesday’s meal, including Confetti Peanut Ginger Party Pasta from Missouri, Pan-seared Mississippi Catfish on a Bed of River Rice and Slam Dunk Veggie Burger from Texas.  President Barack Obama also made an unannounced appearance at the dinner in the White House East Room. He told the junior chefs they are showing that food can be both healthy and fun.
Copyright 2013 article by Darlene Superville, The Associated Press via thegrio.com

Chicago Boyz Acrobatic Team Wows on "America's Got Talent"

By goodblacknews on July 11, 2013

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5bI7TwZnM8&w=560&h=315]
Chicago_Boyz_Acrobatic_Team_Creative_Jum_105433971_thumbnailIn case you missed it, check out the amazing acrobatic team, Chicago Boyz, performing on NBC’s “America’s Got Talent” last week.  Their amazing talent and inspiring story made for great television — they made it to the next round in Las Vegas, and hopefully will go all the way to the finals to compete for the $1 million prize.
article by Lori Lakin Hutcherson

Sesame Street Creates Kit To Teach Kids How To Cope With Parents In Jail

By goodblacknews on June 29, 2013
sesamejailThe incarceration of a loved one can be very overwhelming for both children and caregivers. Sesame Street has jumped in to help. Called “Little Children, Big Challenges: Incarceration,” the program is distributing “tool kits’’ to schools, community centers and even jails in 10 states — including New York — starting today to help kids ages 3 to 8, organizers said.
Here are some of the kit’s tips for parents and/or caretakers who are not in prison:

  • Let your child know what to expect during everyday activities. Tell her who will take her to school and who will pick her up.
  • Provide your child with a comfort item to keep during the day, such as a paper heart or family photo.
  • Ask your child questions to help her open up. You might notice a negative behavior and say, “Did something happen today that made you feel sad?”

More tips: “Let your child know that the incarceration is not his fault….Let him know he’s not alone.” And here are tips for preserving a relationship between an incarcerated parent and child:

  • Phone calls are a great way to keep in touch. Help your child think of things to tell her parent. Give her a picture of the parent to hold during the call.
  • Use pen and paper to write letters. If your child can’t yet write, ask her to tell you what to write; she can draw pictures to go with the words.
  • Televisiting can be helpful for some children. Sharing an everyday routine such as storytime during your televisit is a great way to be together.

The kit also includes a video episode about a young muppet named Alex whose dad is in jail. Check out the entire kit here.
article by Oretha Winston via elev8.com

New Federal Rules Aim To Rid Schools Of Junk Foods

By goodblacknews on June 29, 2013

New Rules Aim To Rid Schools Of Junk Foods1
Schools across the United States will get a face-lift when it comes to their vending machine selections. When a kid is having a snack attack they won’t be able to find things like high-calorie sports drinks and candy bars. Gone are the days of Flaming Hot Cheetos. Those items will be replaced with diet drinks, granola bars and other healthier items.
The Agriculture Department said Thursday that for the first time it will make sure that all foods sold in the nation’s 100,000 schools are healthier by expanding fat, calorie, sugar and sodium limits to almost everything sold during the school day. Not only will this affect vending machine choices but as well as foods from the “a la carte” lines and bake sales.
The Associated Press reports that one of the biggest changes under the rules will be a near-ban on high-calorie sports drinks, which many beverage companies added to school vending machines to replace high-calorie sodas that they pulled in response to criticism from the public health community. Under the new rule, sodas and sports drink under 60 calories or less in a 12 ounce serving would be allowed in high schools. Elementary and middle schools could sell only water, carbonated water, 100 percent fruit or vegetable juice, and low fat and fat-free milk, including nonfat flavored milks.
Some schools in the U.S. have already adjusted their menus, but not everyone has been an advocate.
From Yahoo News:

Sandra Ford, president of the School Nutrition Association and director of food and nutrition services for a school district in Bradenton, Fla., said in prepared testimony that the healthier foods have been expensive and participation has declined since the standards went into effect. She also predicted that her school district could lose $975,000 a year under the new “a la carte” guidelines because they would have to eliminate many of the foods they currently sell.
“The new meal pattern requirements have significantly increased the expense of preparing school meals, at a time when food costs were already on the rise,” she said.
Ford called on the USDA to permanently do away with the limits on grains and proteins, saying they hampered her school district’s ability to serve sandwiches and salads with chicken on top that had proved popular with students.
The Government Accountability Office said it visited eight districts around the country and found that in most districts students were having trouble adjusting to some of the new foods, leading to increased food waste and decreased participation in the school lunch program.

One advocate in healthier eating in schools has always been Michelle Obama. She believes parents can’t always police what their children consume when they’re in school, so healthier options should be mandatory.
“That’s why as a mom myself, I am so excited that schools will now be offering healthier choices to students and reinforcing the work we do at home to help our kids stay healthy,” Mrs. Obama said in a statement.
article by Yesha Callahan via clutchmagonline.com

'Fatherhood Is…' Social Media Campaign By Sabrina Thompson Invites Users to Upload Pictures of Great Black Dads

By goodblacknews on June 14, 2013

[vimeo http://www.vimeo.com/68049176 w=500&h=281]
father with daughterTHE SOCIAL SERIES PROJECT is a series of online campaigns that promotes positive images in society through imagery. In a world filled with negative images, KUU photography wants to take responsibility and create balance through amazing visual arts. They present the first edition titled: “Fatherhood Is…”
The project includes a video and a Facebook page.
Sabrina Thompson, who created “Fatherhood Is…”, has the simple goal to photograph and share photos of black fathers interacting with their children. She herself compiled images of more than fifty fathers into the above video and encourages viewers to share and upload photographs of themselves with their African-American fathers via social media during the week leading up to Father’s Day.
To learn more about this project, click here.
article by Lori Lakin Hutcherson

MUST WATCH VIDEO: Their Instruments May Be Garbage, But the Music of This Children's Orchestra Will Bring Tears to Your Eyes

By goodblacknews on June 13, 2013
Members of the Landfill Harmonic Orchestra. Courtesy Landfill Harmonic

Close your eyes and listen to Juan Manuel Chavez launch into the Prelude of Bach’s Cello Suite No. 1, and you would never guess that, instead of spruce and maple, his instrument is crafted from an old oil can, a beef tenderizing tool, and a discarded pasta making device—all of it scavenged from the landfill that surrounds his home in Paraguay.

Chavez is a cellist in the Landfill Harmonic Orchestra in Cateura, an Asunción slum where bottle caps, door keys, and paint cans have been given new purpose. Under the supervision of local musician Favio Chávez, these utterly impoverished kids make beautiful music on instruments constructed almost entirely out of materials reclaimed from the dump.
Filmmaker and Asunción native Alejandra Nash first heard about the phenomenon back in 2009, and decided to produce a documentary about the kids—she and her co-producers are aiming for a 2014 release. She’ll have plenty of support. The teaser she posted online last November quickly went viral, with 2 million views on Vimeo, and nearly 1 million on Youtube. It’s inspiring. Check it out…
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXynrsrTKbI&w=560&h=315]
Now her project’s Facebook page has more than 125,000 likes. And a Kickstarter campaign Nash launched in April to help fund the film’s completion has raised almost $200,000, well over the $175,000 she’d asked for. Beyond funding post-production work, the additional money will help finance a world tour for the orchestra, and an expansion of what has come to be known as the Landfill Harmonic Movement.

The idea for the orchestra first came about after Chávez brought a youth orchestra from the neighboring town of Carapeguá to perform in Cateura. The Cateura kids wanted to learn, too, but as Chávez points out in the teaser, “A community like Cateura is not a place to have a violin. In fact, a violin is worth more than a house here.”
So he and local garbage picker Nicolás Gómez began experimenting with instruments they constructed from trash: Tin water pipes, buttons, bottle caps, and spoon and fork handles make up the body and keys of the saxophones. Oil or paint cans and recycled wood are used for the string section.

California's Greene Scholars Program Seeks to Place Black Youth in STEM Jobs

By goodblacknews on June 9, 2013
The 6th Annual Atlanta STEM Career Fair organized by the Science, Engineering and Mathematics Link Inc. (Photo by Ojo)
The 6th Annual Atlanta STEM Career Fair organized by the Science, Engineering and Mathematics Link Inc. (Photo by Ojo)

Over the next few days, 95 academically gifted African-American children with an aptitude in math and science will attend a highly-competitive summer camp in California’s Silicon Valley. The Greene Scholars Program, established in 2001, works with 3rd to 12th graders to cultivate academic abilities in science, technology, engineering and math.
“What’s unique about the program is that we’ve a long-term initiative to help stimulate the intellectual capacity of our kids to pursue STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) field careers,” says program director Gloria Whitaker-Daniels. “I feel in love with the model,” says Whitaker-Daniels, who initially was a parent-volunteer whose brood all completed the program.
“We stay with kids when they enter the program till they enter college. I have not found another program that does this over this duration.”
Every Greene Scholar goes to college
Since its inception, every GSP scholar has gone on to college. “The majority takes up STEM related bachelor’s degrees but of those that don’t we are confident they can face the world with a good grasp of math and science,” she says.

NBA Star Dwyane Wade Promotes ‘This Is Fatherhood’ Challenge

By goodblacknews on June 6, 2013

this is fatherhood challenge
In an effort to promote fatherhood, award-winning filmmaker Art Hooker and former director of President Barack Obama’s Office Of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships Joshua DuBois have teamed up to create the “This Is Fatherhood” challenge.
Launched on May 1st, the challenge targets young Fathers who may need encouragement and support to become better parents. Contestants can submit videos, songs, and essays about fatherhood through June 10th. The winners will receive cash prizes and a trip to Washington, D.C., for a ceremony on Father’s Day.
Miami Heat player Dwyane Wade (pictured) has signed on to promote the challenge. As a Father with primary custody of his two sons, Wade says he is honored by the opportunity. “When I was first [approached to become] involved with the initiative, I was humbled,” Wade said. He noted the President’s fatherhood speeches as further inspiration. “More than that, I was moved by the fact that one of the reasons President Obama was so passionate about this issue is that he grew up without his dad. He, too, has recognized that being a Father is his most-important role.”
Obama’s Chicago speech in February helped inspire the challenge. In it, the President noted how “there are entire neighborhoods where young people, they don’t see an example of somebody succeeding. And for a lot of young boys and young men, in particular, they don’t see an example of Fathers or grandfathers, uncles, who are in a position to support families and be held up and respected.”
Wade appears along with Obama and Jay-Z in a public service announcement promoting “This Is Fatherhood.” Eugene Schneeberg, current director of  the Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships, worked with predecessor DuBois to support Obama’s fatherhood program. He is also one of the challenge’s judges.

Y.N. Rich Kids New Single 'Khaki Pants,' Is This Summer's 'Hot Cheetos & Takis' (VIDEO)

By goodblacknews on June 1, 2013

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQDN9j_kKV0&w=560&h=315]
From the group that brought you last summer’s hit “Hot Cheetos & Takis” comes another song on a subject hip-hop has heretofore seldom considered: school uniform swag.  The song, “Khaki Pants,” which dropped earlier this month, is an ode to school uniform bottom wear, and it comes complete with its own accompanying dance. According to the video, the song, presented by Y.N.Rich Kids, is performed by the NSJ crew (although, as Grantland points out, it’s unclear what the relationship between the two groups is).
Screen Shot 2013-06-01 at 4.47.45 PM“Walking through the school in my khaki pants, when they see how I be fresh, they do the khaki dance,” raps one member the group. “Yeah, we got ‘Hot Cheetos & Taki’ fans, but after this, you gon’ wanna do the khaki dance,” raps another member.
The video, which has more than 134,240 views on YouTube as of this writing follows last summer’s release of Y.N. Rich Kids’ video “Hot Cheetos & Takis,” which has over 6 million views on YouTube. The young group is a product of the North Community YMCA’s Beats and Rhymes program in Minneapolis.  The program is “designed to provide challenging, positive youth and career development opportunities for low income, culturally-diverse youth,” according to its website.
original article by Rebecca Klein via huffingtonpost.com; additions and updates by Lori Lakin Hutcherson