Omar Tyree's Urban Literacy Project

Well as I was doing some research and looking for ways to strengthen the Literacy Promotes Success program, I came across this great project! Best selling author Omar Tyree designed the Urban Literacy project which offers a new structured way of teaching children in the classroom. The program is based on "Instilling The 5 Key Components of Literacy". The mission of the Urban Literacy Project is to increase the overall literacy rate among urban and other disadvantaged youth and citizens.

One component I will use is the Individualized Spotlight. This basically allows students their own time to read aloud and focuses on goals that they would like to accomplish.  With the Individual Spotlight students will be able to select their medium for reading and build on that selection.  All that really matters is that they are reading. READING IS READING IS READING. It's all about visualization and putting thoughts into motion. WRITING IS WRITING IS WRITING no matter what it is they are writing about.

Check out the Literacy Promotes Success program at http://www.havocusa.com/ to see how we are helping with reading comprehension and building literacy levels with low-income familes and Title 1 schools.

Get Fit to Read - Beginning May 2011

Summer…right around the corner. What do you have planned for your family? Going on any vacations, sport leagues or summer camps?

Here are some ideas from HAVOC Inc on how to maintain a healthy lifestyle while making sure children remain active.

We’ve researched some ways for children to mix traditional games with fitness learning and here is our favorite one!

Fitness Games:

Activity Tag
Materials
Activity Cards highlight activities like jumping jacks, sit-ups, push-ups,
and other basic calisthenics.
Number cards from 1-10 to add to the tasks students complete. (You can use
a deck of cards if the jacks, queens, jokers, aces, and kings are removed.)
Directions
Designate an “it” and give that person a stack of activity cards and the
numbered cards. When they tag someone they give the tagged person an
activity card and a number card. The person tagged is to perform the
activity the number of times specified on the card. Once a child finishes
the task, they may enter the game again. You can designate a safety zone with a time limit so children can rest and
be safe.


Each day HAVOC Inc will post a new activity for families to do together including more information on the Get Fit to Read program.

Harlem in the 1920's

"They came as children of slaves, but left as students of life" - Harlem's Poem

When one lives on "strivers' row" one has supposedly arrived

What does it mean to strive?

Strivers Row, Harlem West 138th and West 139th - initially designed for rich white people by David King, but Harlem soon became deserted by their kind and was soon overflowing with hard-working African Americans a.k.a. "strivers" (hence the name). Since then the  houses have been in constant decline and no longer bare a resemblance to the once thriving aristocratic row of houses in Harlem. 

Strivers Row Clothing Line - men and women fashion http://www.striversrowusa.com/index.aspx

Strivers Row - a group of young, motivational black poets.. Here is their story 

Follow on Twitter! @StriversRow

Womens History Month

Let's make a toast to all the beautiful women!
Women of every color, stature and economic status are to be honored this month. Not only is it the time to honor all women, but women will be recognized for their trailblazing acts of courage and defining moments in history and for many years to come. However, this Women's History Month I would like for all women to begin self-love and the appreciation of ourselves. Often we gossip amongst ourselves about OTHER women and bring each other down. Let us learn to love and uplift other women. Who cares if we are friends with them or not. We have to start within ourselves to make the change. We all see the images portrayed of women in music videos...let us not perpetuate those even further with our daily activities and learn to LOVE regardless of differences.

Need I say more?


Love this song...


And Ladies First

Website is up and running!

Check out the HAVOC INC website -----> www.havocusa.com
Follow us on Twitter @Havoc_Atl and Like us on  Facebook

After all HAVOC is where it's at...just ask Donny

Lent - A Time of Shedding

Ohhhhhh it's almost time for Lent. So what are you giving up? Eh me I am starting to look at it more as a time to shed and begin the process of letting go. Story goes "give up something for Lent and then when Easter comes we can do it all over again"! Right? Well I think Lent is the time in which we begin to see things for what they really are, realize somethings we never needed and start to cut back on things we can do without. So for Lent I will be shedding... concrete things of course! Like... fried/fast foods, sodas and candy. Those are things that we ALL can do without. But we can also shed what we've been holding onto GIVE YOURSELF FREE. Shed the first layer of negativity, shed that thought that makes you cry everyt time Also use Lent as a time to get reconnected with your spirituality. Become spiritual and not so much religion. And while you are going through the process of shedding familiarize yourself with you <---- YOU. Kick off your shoes and relax your feet and figure out why you don't need those things and how it can help you become a better YOU!

In the words of Dr. Seuss (oH yeah it is his birthday today)
"Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive, who is Youer than You."

So let's shed! When I think of shedding these are some pics that come to mind :)

Notice the words carved on her body and the look of discomfort on her face.

Lent - letting go

Ascension - the time we are closest to God