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share:Remind Me
TCMDb Archive MaterialsView all archives (0)
DVDs from TCM Shop
The Southerner A sharecropper fights the... MORE > $11.95 Regularly $10.99 Buy Now blu-ray
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When France fell to the Germans in 1940, director Jean Renoir escaped Paris and went to the unoccupied southern region of the country to Cagnes-sur-Mer, and the house where his father, the painter Pierre-Auguste Renoir had lived and worked until his death in 1919. While there, he was approached by the Nazis about becoming head of all new French film productions. Knowing that this really meant collaborating with the Nazis, he managed to sneak out of the country before giving an answer. He made his way to America where he was invited to make films in Hollywood at Fox and RKO. The experience was not a good one. As essentially an independent filmmaker in France, he was not used to the rigorously regimented studio system in which a director takes second place to the producer, and all decisions have to go through a myriad of channels. Later, he would write to his nephew, the cinematographer Claude Renoir, "The only work which fully satisfied me here was The Southerner [1945]".
It is not surprising that Renoir felt more in his element while making The Southerner, as it was an independent production and a collaboration with producers David Loew and Robert Hakim. The film was released by United Artists, the releasing company originally formed by Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks, Sr., and D.W. Griffith, as a way of retaining control over their work.
The original working title of the film was Hold Autumn in Your Hand, based on George Sessions Perry's 1941 novel of the same name, that producer Hakim had brought to Renoir's attention. In his autobiography, My Life and My Films Renoir wrote, "What attracted me to the story was precisely the fact that there was no story, nothing but a series of strong impressions -- the vast landscape, the simple aspiration of the hero, the heat and the hunger. Being forced to live a life restricted to their daily material needs, the characters attain a level of spirituality of which they themselves are unaware... What I saw was a story in which all the characters were heroic, in which every element would brilliantly play its part, in which things and men, animals and Nature, all would come together in an immense act of homage to the divinity."
Joel McCrea was approached for the leading role but dropped out, unhappy with the script which was written by Hugo Butler and Renoir, with William Faulkner and Nunnally Johnson uncredited. Other actors were being courted, as Renoir's best friend, screenwriter Dudley Nichols, wrote in a letter to Renoir: "Incidentally, [Gregory] Peck, when I talked with him the other night, spoke about your farmer script. Evidently he has been approached in case they cannot get Joel McCrea. Perhaps that means there is some hitch about getting Joel. Might be worth your inquiring. I know you would be happy with Peck. He is fine....Peck said he had read the novel, not the script, and liked it very much." The role of the sharecropper who battles the earth to raise his crop went to Zachary Scott, who had been typecast in suave, sophisticated roles, but in real-life came from Texas and was very familiar with farm life. Casting against type was practically a Renoir trademark. In this instance, it would earn Scott some of the best reviews of his career, but sadly did not make his home studio, Warner Brothers, give him more varied roles.
After production wrapped, Renoir wrote to producer David L. Loew on February 17 1945, that the film had been well received by the French journalists he screened it for - and the projectionist. "The projectionist of RCA told him it was the first time, since long ago, he was looking at a picture through his little window. Usually he just reads a magazine. But his wife, who was waiting for him, told him in the middle of the first reel that the picture didn't look like the other ones he is used to project[ing], and he said he was so much attracted by the story he simply couldn't go back to his magazine during the whole show. If we have many people thinking this way, maybe the picture will be more commercial than one expects. I believe the publicity will play a big part in its destiny. If we attract the public inside the theatre the fight is won. The problem is how to attract it. That is why the title is also so important. With Down by the River [another working title] I think you have a good one." The final title of the film may have helped earn it the distinction of being banned in Tennessee and boycotted by the KKK for its depiction of the South.
Critics praised The Southerner, on its release on April 30, 1945, particularly The New York Times' critic Bosley Crowther, who called it "A rich, unusual and sensitive delineation of a segment of the American scene well worth filming and seeing."
Jean Renoir was nominated for Best Director, Werner Janssen for Best Music Scoring, and Jack Whitney for Best Sound. The Southerner would win Best Film at the Venice Film Festival in 1946.
Producer: Robert Hakim, David L. Loew, Samuel Rheiner
Director: Jean Renoir
Screenplay: Hugo Butler, Jean Renoir, George Sessions Perry (novel)
Cinematography: Lucien Andriot
Film Editing: Gregg C. Tallas
Art Direction: Eugene Lourie
Music: Werner Janssen
Cast: Zachary Scott (Sam Tucker), Betty Field (Nona Tucker), J. Carrol Naish (Devers), Beulah Bondi (Granny Tucker), Percy Kilbride (Harmie), Charles Kemper (Tim).
by Lorraine LoBianco
Letters - Jean Renoir edited by Lorraine LoBianco and David Thompson
The Internet Movie Database

subset: commoncrawl


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Practical exam results
Each year, more than 600,000 people take an ABRSM exam in over 90 countries all over the world.
And so from the moment you leave your exam it will take approximately a month for you to receive your certificate. Some results may take a little longer if the checking process highlights anything we want to look at more closely. Certificates will be sent to the person who made the exam entry.
The results timetable below is intended as a guide to indicate when ABRSM will release UK & Ireland practical exam results online.
Practical exam taken between
Exam week
Results available to view online between
4 - 9 November
12 November – 29 November
11 - 16 November
19 November – 6 December
18 – 23 November
26 November – 13 December
25 – 30 November
3 December – 20 December
02 – 07 December
10 December – 10 January
Why do results take up to one month?
We want to make sure you have the best possible exam experience. From the time you leave your exam you have seven days to raise with us any concerns about anything that happened that might have affected your exam.
To find out more about our seven day feedback process, watch this video:
Individually checking all exams, ensuring you've had a chance to raise concerns, and issuing certificates takes about a month from the moment you leave the exam room.
How can I get my results earlier?
You can get your results online before you receive your certificate: exam results are published online approximately three weeks after your examination date. Once the marks are available online we send an email to the person who made the exam entry. The certificate and mark form will then follow in the post to the same person – the person who made the exam entry about 10 working days after the online results are published.
While we aim to issue results as quickly as possible, we want to make sure that we're providing the best standard of exam and some results may be delayed for additional monitoring and checks.
Music Theory exams
For Music Theory exams, the mark form gives a breakdown of the marks awarded for each question and the total number of marks. Music Theory papers are not returned after marking. Results will be published online approximately four weeks after the exam date and you will receive results and certificates by post within six weeks of the exam.
Music Medals assessments
As soon as we have completed our moderation process, we send an email confirming that results are being sent by post and are also available online.
Medals, certificates and commentaries
Each of your successful candidates receives a medal, a certificate and a commentary on his or her performance. Candidates with a Working Towards result receive a commentary only. Medals, certificates and commentaries are despatched by post following the initial email notification of the issue of results.
Please do remember that if you are a named Teacher-Assessor, Music Medals Coordinator or Music Medals Partner, you also have access to statistics on your candidates' performances. These can be obtained on the Music Medals entries and results website.
Diplomas are sent for review and ratification by one of our diploma committees. This process is a vital part of our quality assurance procedure and may take up to three months.
Mark forms and certificates
Unless otherwise requested during entry, mark forms and certificates are posted to the applicant named on the entry form, whose responsibility it is to pass them on to candidates.
All successful candidates receive a copy of the mark form and a certificate that specifies the subject and grade in which they have been examined.


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Early College Credit
Wilmington University early college programs are an opportunity for you to experience what a college course is like while still attending high school. These programs allow high-achieving high school students, capable of meeting an increased challenge, the opportunity to earn college credit by taking Wilmington University courses right on-site at your high school or Wilmington University location.
Earn college credit at a WilmU location.
The Early College Credit program allows high-achieving high school juniors and seniors the opportunity to earn college credit by attending courses at a Wilmington University location.
You will be engaged in the classroom, be involved in discussions with fellow college students and professors and experience part of college life.
All students and guardians interested in the Early College program must review the online orientation to prepare for the application process.
Getting Started
Submit an interest form and we will send you more information and your next steps.Request Info Now
Early College Credit Program Coordinators
If you have any questions about Early College Credit please speak with the program advisor at your high school or contact:
Lisa Lombardozzi
Partnership Office, External Affairs email@example.com
Aaron Stafford
Partnership Office, External Affairs


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Three New Sitcoms For You to Ignore
Ahoy! Pontius returns with his pertinent perceptions of a panoply of pilfered programming for the new season.
Three shows which you are bound to ignore and which may or may not get to air a full season despite the prodigious amount of money already spent on production and promotion.
I'm guessing that most of these shows will turn up at some point on HOT or YES, but I simply don't care. Paid TV is for squares. The cool kids are already ignoring these shows as soon as they appear on US TV.
Trophy Wife
Trophy Wife is about a young blonde woman who becomes the third wife of a successful lawyer with a complicated family.
Lawyer-husband has a coupla teens with first wife, a successful doctor. Lawyer-husband has an adopted Chinese son with second wife, a flaky hippie chick. Trophy wife is thrust into this hilarious dynamic and blah de blah blah.
It's a shame actually, because the cast is mostly aces. Malin Åkerman is funny and charismatic as Trophy Wife. At this point in her career, she's like a less scary Cameron Diaz.
Bradley Whitford plays the lawyer-husband and who doesn't love Bradley Whitford? I love Bradley Whitford. To be fair, I loved him more when he was still married to Jane Kaczmarek because she's de-lovely and I have worshipped her dimples since she was on The Paper Chase… but I digress. Bradley Whitford is in this show and he's good.
First wife is played by Academy Award winner, Marcia Gay Harden who is, frankly, just picking up a paycheck.
The pilot was amusing enough although I understand they've recast one of the kids since then. It's like Modern Family with extra divorce.
Pontius Points: 2 failed marriages out of 5
The Goldbergs
Jews. On TV. It's such a genius idea, I can't understand why no one ever thought of it before. Fortunately for us, this guy who grew up in the 80s called Adam Goldberg came up with The Goldbergs, a sitcom about a family called the Goldbergs where the youngest child is called Adam and it takes place, wait for it, in the 80s. Truly the complexities of the human imagination are beyond our means to explain.
I actually had kind of a soft spot for The Goldbergs. It's about a Jewish boy who turns 16 in 1985 with an older sister and a younger brother. Let's just say I can relate. It's also unbearably shrill with added shriek.
On the positive side there's George Segal. On the negative side there's everybody else.
Pontius Points: 1 dusty menorah (to be dug out for a Very Special Xmas episode) out of 5
The Michael J. Fox Show
The Michael J. Fox Show stars beloved celebrity Michael J. Fox as beloved celebrity Michael Henry. Five years ago Michael Henry quit his job as a New York anchor after his Parkinson's caused his chair to slide out of shot while delivering the news. It's one of several devastating jokes at his disease's expense that make the show genuinely interesting.
When Michael's daughter is trying to get extra credit for an inspirational video project she tells him to look helpless and "shake it up a little".
The Michael J. Fox Show, as the title suggests, is more than a little meta. In the second episode Michael meets his new foxy neighbor, Kelly, played by Tracy Pollan, aka Mrs. Michael J. Fox. To prove to his onscreen wife that he doesn't fancy his real wife, Michael sets up Kelly/Tracy with his colleague, Bunk. Then when Bunk and Tracy/Kelly start to hit it off, jealous Michael accurately throws a bread roll at Bunk's crotch and delivers my nomination for best line of the year, "Oops, Parkinson's."
Eventually the show turns a little sweet, but there's enough unexpected bite and a firm network commitment to air 22 episodes to keep me coming back.
Pontius Points: 4 miligrams of Sinemet out of 5.
Leave a comment if you're planning to watch any of these shows.


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By CrowdTwist Chief Customer Officer, Emily Rudin | August 15, 2017
Yesterday, Forrester Research, Inc. released its much anticipated "The Forrester Wave™: Customer Loyalty Solutions, Q3 2017" report. I am really excited to share that their research identified CrowdTwist as a Strong Performer.
For background, the Forrester Wave™ is a heavily researched evaluation of vendors across various markets. In this particular iteration, we believe it helps inform companies about the qualified vendors in the loyalty marketing space. Forrester evaluated 13 vendors against 30 different criteria, grouped into three broad categories: Current Offering, Strategy and Market Presence. Based off these evaluations, vendors fall into one of the following categories: Leaders, Strong Performers, Contenders, and Challengers.
I am thrilled with where we have placed in this Forrester Wave™. Forrester stated "Over the past two years, it [CrowdTwist] has invested in expanding its loyalty platform functionality, growing its analytics capabilities, and building out a more robust services offering to support clients that prefer to outsource program operations." I feel that their assessment makes evident our dedication to continuous improvement, and the report highlights throughout the key areas we deliver value for our clients.
Forrester recognized that CrowdTwist is among players in the industry that have always gone to market with a SaaS loyalty platform. Now according to this research, other key industry players are following suit because SaaS configuration and cloud-based deployment options "better meet client requirements, improve their scalability and time-to-market, and ensure all clients have fast access to updates and new functionality." I believe that we're a SaaS pioneer in our space and we're able to meet the evolving needs of our clients by staying ahead of the curve and prioritizing platform delivery and functionality.
The report also finds that the evaluated vendors presented road maps focused on "breaking the loyalty program mold", and that these vendors "presented visions addressing both the behavioral and emotional needs of consumers and increasing customer engagement." Forrester then went onto cite that CrowdTwist's loyalty offering centers on impacting "influenceable customer moments" whether they are related to a transaction or not, and that it offers "over 100 rewardable activities out of the box including social, referral, and advocacy-related interactions." I'm delighted that Forrester recognized CrowdTwist for enabling engagement-based loyalty programs, especially since 58% of the 99 clients of the vendors surveyed in this report stated the primary business objective of their loyalty program is to engage customers.
I believe that another key area we were able to demonstrate strength in is in our people and our expertise. The research cited that CrowdTwist is closing gaps in its industry-specific knowledge and is viewed by its clients as a "hands-on partner." One reference quoted in the report complimented our account management, stating that it "feels like our project team is working on our program only, even while they are supporting other clients." I'm so proud of the team we've built at CrowdTwist. I can say with confidence that our clients are supported by passionate loyalty experts who are dedicated to building partnerships and driving innovation.
In my view, Forrester's evaluation of CrowdTwist demonstrates the strength of our technology and our commitment to providing our clients with the engagement tools they need to build stronger, more profitable relationships with their customers. We will continue to evolve, innovate and position ourselves as the premier provider in our space.
I want to thank all of the clients that support us, and our vision. I encourage all brands to learn more about CrowdTwist's multichannel loyalty and engagement solution.


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Dear Artist,
Thanks for joining The Painters Keys. We sincerely hope you find the letters beneficial. By subscribing, you have connected to a worldwide community of creative people (if you haven't, look for the tab at the bottom right of this page.) We are mostly painters, but also sculptors, writers, photographers, students and educators, as well as curators, collectors, art dealers and others who are just interested.
Depending on your time zone, your letter should arrive in your inbox Tuesday and Friday mornings. The letters can always be expected to be about the same length. Your time is valuable — if the subject of a letter doesn't interest you, just delete it. The next one may have more value to you.
This twice-weekly letter began in the winter of 1998 by my dad, artist Robert Genn, while on a family sojourn in Southern Spain. He started with five recipients — artists he knew might accept an epistolary studio friend. Soon, requests trickled in to be added to the list, and he came to understand the idea of a Brotherhood and Sisterhood of Artists — a worldwide community of creative people with a lot of the same concerns. Of his idea he wrote, "While ours seems a simple business, there's just so much worth knowing. I'm finding a great deal of it has never been properly expressed before. I hope you'll stay around for the adventure." Since then, Dad wrote a letter twice-weekly to artists, non-stop for 15 years.
In the Fall of 2013, my dad was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and told he had a year to live. Along with painting, writing and organizing his archive, he asked if I would continue the letters for as long as they might be useful. Since then, I have written every other letter, and republished weekly one of Dad's. He calculated that if we ran all his previous letters once a week, they would last for almost 3 decades. You can read more about this in his letter, "The Bomb," written on October 25, 2013.
If you're interested in listing with our Premium Artists, these listings get very high rankings on search engines. We charge $200 per year for this service, which helps fund the production of The Painter's Keys. With over 50,000 direct subscribers reading the letters, a Premium Artist Listing on The Painter's Keys site is a great way to share your work with others and direct visitors to your own artist website.
In the letters, the only time we put a directive to someone's commercial site is when it's thought to be of direct value to other artists.
At no time will we give or sell your name or address to anyone for any purpose. If you forward the letter or any part of our site to a friend or fellow artist, they won't be automatically subscribed. Subscribing is done voluntarily.
If you change your email address, please don't forget to re-subscribe to the letter on this website. Your previous address will be automatically deleted.
In addition to The Painter's Keys, we have a very popular website called Art Quotes. For researchers, or artists just looking for inspiration, this is the world's largest art quote collection — online or in a book. It's entirely the work of volunteer subscribers and new quotes are going in almost daily. All entries are searchable by author and subject. Art Quotes also has a Facebook page here.
The Painter's Keys has been managed by a team of dedicated creative people over the years, and without them this site would not be possible. At the present time, we are a streamlined crew consisting of Editor-in-Chief Shawn Jackson, Editor Judi Birnberg, Technical and Marketing Strategist Peter Bray and me. We also survive four studio dogs: Emily, Dorothy, Stanley and Sophie, who really held things together when they were with us.
About me: My name is Sara Genn and I'm a full-time, professional painter. I was born and grew up near Vancouver, Canada, lived in New York City for 14 years and recently moved to California. I also compose, record and tour with my eponymous Fender Rhodes trio and, at times, with French orchestral-electro musician Wax Tailor. My dad, Robert Genn (1936-2014), was a Canadian landscape painter who worked out of a woodland studio beside our family home near Vancouver. He painted full time and wrote these benevolent letters on art. He offered them for free to anyone who subscribed and invited artists to participate in a worldwide creative community. He published these letters into hard-bound books and wrote other books on art. These letters were written solely by him before I too began writing, and none have ever been contracted out. "The whole thing is a joy. It is an honour to have so many friends with the same concerns." If you're interested, you can find out more by visiting our websites www.robertgenn.com and saraphina.com.
We would love to hear from you and thank you for your friendship. You can reach me at email@example.com
Sara Genn
"Art is a form of love. Art is the ultimate gift. Art heals life." (Robert Genn)


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The Hilton West Palm Beach, located next to Palm Beach County's Convention Center, has joined a list of more than a dozen other hotels that have been honored with a AAA Four Diamond Rating.
The 400-room Hilton, which opened in January, was recently awarded the coveted rating, making it the only large-scale hotel in West Palm Beach to receive the honor. Only 5.7 percent of the nearly 28,000 hotels approved by AAA make the Four Diamond list.
To celebrate the accolade, the Hilton is holding a special champagne toast. Throughout the month of August, guests will receive 10 percent off a glass of bubbly at Galley, the hotel's nautical-inspired bar every day at 4 p.m., the hotel said.
In all, 15 local hotels have earned AAA Four Diamond award.
Three local hotels – Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa in Manalapan, the Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach, and The Breakers in Palm Beach – received AAA Five Diamond rating.
Is this something that you can share with your readers? Please let me know. Thanks!


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On Saturday 29th April 2017 the Mary Quaile Club launched the website of the Minutes of the Manchester and Salford Women's Trades Union Council 1895-1919 as part of Manchester Trades Council May Day Festival.
This event was the culmination of a year-long project to transcribe the Minutes of the Council and place them on a website for all to read and make use of.
We were given the two volumes of hand-written Minutes (comprising 760 pages) by Mary Quaile's descendants in 2016 who made contact with us in the course of our research for our pamphlet "Dare To Be Free" women in trade unions:past and present.
It seems that Mary took the volumes with her when the Trades Council dissolved in April 1919, and fortunately both she and her family kept them in very good condition.
The M&SWTUC was formed in February 1895 specifically to organise women workers, often in low paid jobs, into trade unions. Its early supporters included C. P. Scott, editor of the Manchester Guardian, who personally wrote by hand the minutes of the first two meetings in a beautiful script, and Julia Gaskell, daughter of the writer and novelist Elizabeth Gaskell. The Council fostered trade unions among sewing machinists, upholsteresses, tailoresseses, cigar makers, power loom weavers, and many other trades.
Christabel Pankhurst was a member of the M&SWTUC for a time, as were other prominent Manchester women such as Margaret Ashton ( the first woman councillor on Manchester City Council) Amy Berry and Lady Schwann. The Council's paid organisers included Sarah Dickenson, Frances Ashwell, Eva Gore Booth, Olive Aldridge and Mary Quaile.
It was plain that these unique records were of national significance, providing fascinating detail on the early days of trade union organisation amongst women workers. We canvassed support among trade unions around the country who responded generously, and we were therefore able to finance both the transcription of the Minutes and the creation of a website containing both the transcription and pictures of the original minutes.
At the launch Bernadette Hyland spoke about her work on the Minutes and the insights it had given her into the methods the organisers used to unionise women. She drew parallels with the current sitauation of low pay and zero hours contracts for many workers Lisa Turnbull from the Durham Teaching Assistants spoke about their fight against a 23% pay cut threatened by their employers, Labour-controlled Durham County Council, a fight which had been built up by grassroots activism. Lisa then officially launched the website.
The website can be found at http://mswtuc.co.uk


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In Summary
- We're still waiting for forensic reports from Israel and FBI, says Uhuru's spokesman
- At the centre of the public fury were Chief of the Kenya Defence Forces General Julius Karangi, then National Intelligence Service Director-General Michael Gichangi, Inspector-General of Police David Kimaiyo and Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph ole Lenku.
- Mr Lenku dismissed claims that the operation at Westgate was botched, saying Kenya received a seal of approval from "knowledgeable security chiefs worldwide".
President Uhuru Kenyatta's promise to set up a commission of inquiry into the Westgate attack was shelved after he was advised it could expose sensitive details and lead to the passing of a no-confidence vote in security chiefs in the middle of anti-terror war, the Sunday Nation has learnt.
At the centre of the public fury were Chief of the Kenya Defence Forces General Julius Karangi, then National Intelligence Service Director-General Michael Gichangi, Inspector-General of Police David Kimaiyo and Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph ole Lenku.
Mr Lenku in particular came under fire for the lack of clarity, consistency and coherence in the information he released to the public during the siege.
Mr Gichangi was blamed for NIS's failure to provide operable intelligence before the attack, while Gen Karangi and Mr Kimaiyo have been criticised for failing to properly coordinate the fight and rescue operation at the mall that involved police and KDF.
According to a legal expert who spoke on condition of anonymity, the fact that the outcome of such an inquiry must be tabled in Parliament, according to the Constitution, would remove control from the President's hands.
Public sessions, including the grilling of security chiefs during the inquiry, were said to have caused consternation among some senior officials. Such reports have previously been shelved without consequence if they were deemed unfavourable.
Weeks after the attack, Attorney-General Githu Muigai stressed the President's commitment when he told a global audience that an inquiry would be carried out to ascertain what went wrong at Westgate. But he said it was important to wait for the results of forensic investigations and other reports.
"It will happen because we are committed to that. There was a parliamentary inquiry, we thought it should wind up first, and there were criminal inquiries by the Kenya criminal investigations department and other friendly investigation agencies assisting us. We thought all this should go first and they should form part of the material we use in the commission of inquiry," Prof Muigai told France 24 station.


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Shanghai Volkswagen Automotive Co. Ltd. (SVW), a joint venture between the Volkswagen Group and SAIC Motor Corp. Ltd., recently inaugurated a new plant in Yizheng, China. The inauguration was attended by Prof. Dr. Jochem Heizmann and Dr. Michael Macht, both members of the Board of Management of Volkswagen AG, and Hu Maoyuan, Chairman of SAIC.
Heizmann, who approved the building of the plant in July 2010, highlighted the good cooperation with the Chinese partners during the construction of the SVW plant. He disclosed that because the construction of the plant was finished in just two years, they were able to inaugurate the plant earlier than planned.
Heizmann also boasted of the plant as one of the most environmentally compatible plants of the Volkswagen Group, using advanced technologies and new production processes.
The new SVW plant in Yizheng, which has an annual production capacity of 300,000 vehicles, will be the second factory producing the Volkswagen Polo in China, and will make production considerably more flexible.
The Yizheng plant is also targeted to produce ŠKODA models. The new SVW plant is expected to create about 3,700 new jobs in the region. The plant also houses a technical testing centre, which will provide initial and advanced training for employees. It also has an energy centre.


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Welcome to MSFC Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
The Employee Assistance Program is designed to help employees improve, maintain, and/or recover wellbeing. People often think that an EAP is only for individuals who are dealing with very serious problems or situations, and while those individuals are certainly encouraged to utilize the program, it is also available to individuals who are dealing with less urgent issues, or who simply need a confidential, nonjudgmental sounding board.
Ongoing issues at work or at home can make it difficult for an employee to maintain their usual level of quality performance on the job. One of the goals of the Employee Assistance Program is to help employees who encounter problems that interfere with job performance, conduct, or attendance to find ways to resolve those problems and/or minimize their impact on job performance.
The EAP provides assistance for both employees and their family members (spouse and dependents). Examples of issues that might lead someone to utilize the EAP include: stress, marital problems, loss and grief, anger management, relationship problems (e.g., with friends, family, co-workers, supervisor, or supervisee), alcohol or drug abuse, depression, anxiety, or just about anything else that is causing difficulty.
EAP services can be helpful to managers and supervisors, as well. Examples of discussion topics include all those listed above, plus: identifying ways to improve the work environment, developing plans for having difficult conversations with employees, and identifying ways to support employees who are having difficulties in job performance or in their personal lives.
EAP services are free and confidential. No insurance paperwork will be filed. There are no co-pays, or other fees. Information about your use of the program, or the problems for which you use the program, is private, and your private information can be released by the EAP only with your written consent. Be aware that email and text messages are not confidential, and should not contain sensitive personal information.
Using the Employee Assistance Program does not require taking leave. Using the EAP is not to be held against an employee in any way, and will not jeopardize an employee's job security or promotional opportunities. Using the EAP neither prevents nor replaces the normal disciplinary process, in situations where such processes are necessary, nor does it interfere with an employee's access to the grievance procedure.
If you would like to work with a mental health professional, but do not wish to utilize the EAP, the EAP clinician will be happy to provide you with suggestions and contact information for clinicians in the community.
Contact Information
EAP Coordinator: Terry W. Sterry, Ph.D. [Aetos Systems, Inc./ASRI]
Office Location: MSFC Building 4249, Room 126
Office Phone: 256-544-7549
Cell Phone: 256-698-9589
Email: email@example.com
After-hours Service: 1-844-649-8813


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Is ritualistic human sacrifice a bad thing? Yes, very bad. Okay, we've figured that out, so we're set.
Oh, gladiatorial combat is a bad thing, too? Yeah, that makes sense. Well, it's been a few thousand years since our last decree and all, but it's still a good thing that we figured this one out. We're set now, right?
What? Don't tell me that slavery is wrong, too! Jeez, nothing fun is acceptable, is it? Well, at least we're making progress. We deserve a pat on the back, now.
You've got to be kidding me. You mean that even though other races get paid for their labor, now, they should have access to the same resources as us? Fine. That sort of makes sense. Hey, it only took us a hundred years to knock this one out. Contrast that with the few thousand that it took last time! We're obviously becoming more progressive and rational as a species.
But don't you dare propose that gay people should be allowed to get married. That is absolutely off limits.
Upon making the realization that humans shouldn't be forcefully and selfishly sacrificed to the gods, it shouldn't take much time at all to realize that homosexuals should have access to the same resources and institutions as heterosexuals. Why does each of these realizations take so long to make, in spite of their occupying the same fundamental value space?
The problem is that the realization is never that sentience is the kernel of value, or that symbolic cultural assumptions need to be rigorously and scientifically challenged; instead, it's that mass murder should not be a form of entertainment, or that blacks are people, too. In reality, these latter phenomena are just surface manifestations of the former; if eating food that tastes good is important, then we should realize this in the fundamental sense rather than make the claim that because we once ate a good-tasting apple, eating apples is important.
Of course, the above analogy gets into the nature of variability and value equations, but this blog has hit on those concepts enough by now, I think. Just keep in mind that after gay marriage, there's the right to die, and after that, there's outlawing impregnation, and after that, there's the idea that sexual attraction is racism.
When it comes to sexual attraction, we can abstract the focal qualities of an individual into two primary categories:
1. Those qualities which sexually attract us to the individual
2. Those qualities which make the individual a valid companion capable of making calculated, informed decisions and being rational overall (which increases the likelihood of the individual understanding us, reciprocating during conversations, and enjoying our company)
In the case of category 2., the individual needn't even be part of the particular gender or age bracket to which we are sexually attracted, underlying the ultimate superficiality of sex. This should come as no surprise to "antinatalists," however -- that is, if they've embraced the idea that the phenomenon of sexual reproduction is fruitless, aimless, and insipid.
It's important to understand, here, that at a racist organization, the above two categories are very much the same in the abstract, but manifest in physical substance as the following:
1. Those qualities which we have culturally -- and, to a much lesser extent, genetically -- come to embrace or find symbolic security in, due in part to the evolutionary power of xenophobia
2. Those qualities which make the individual a hard worker capable of filling the role offered at our organization
Big tits and a cute laugh are to human companionship what light skin and Caucasian facial features are to corporate employment. If you want your company to do as well as it can, then hire people based on their skills rather than their skin color; if you want your social life to be as fulfilling as it can be, then live and share your life with interesting and intelligent people rather than sexually attractive ones. We should have figured this out as soon as we stopped rolling human heads down pyramid steps, but, well, we suck.


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ALAN v38n3 - Not Your Typical Summer School Program: Reading Young Adult Literature in Freedom Schools
Not Your Typical Summer School Program
Reading Young Adult Literature in Freedom Schools
I know that I can make it
Though you're doin' me wrong, so wrong
—from "Something Inside So Strong," music and lyrics by Labi Siffre, 1988
It's 8:30 a.m. on an already-hot June day, and 50 young people—predominantly African American youth, grades 3–8—attending the Children's Defense Fund (CDF) Freedom Schools program at the local youth community center are singing the motivational song "Something Inside So Strong." Singing songs, clapping hands, and reciting chants are part of "Harambee," a Kiswahili word meaning "all pull together," which marks the beginning of each day at Freedom Schools. The idea is to get all the young people (called "scholars") pepped up and motivated to spend the day reading and learning how to make a difference in their lives and in the lives of others.
Obviously, the Freedom Schools program doesn't offer your typical summer enrichment. Some summer enrichment programs focus on pairing low-income adolescents with positive role models and mentors (e.g., "Big Buddy"; "Big Brothers/Big Sisters") or improving graduation rates and providing access to postsecondary education (e.g., "Project GRAD"; "Gear Up"). School-based summer programs often maintain a narrow focus on the mechanics of reading or remediation of perceived reading difficulties. Not so with Freedom Schools, whose main goal is to help African American youth "fall in love with books" and experience an "overwhelming desire to read" ( Children's Defense Fund, 2010 ).
Underlying the Freedom Schools movement is the knowledge that a correlation exists between voluntary reading, civic engagement, and positive life outcomes. Grounded in the history of Black slavery, the Mississippi Freedom Summer of 1964, and African American pedagogy, the Freedom Schools program "holds sacred the two goals of freedom and literacy. Literacy is inseparable from the struggle for freedom because education interrogates power" ( Jackson & Boutte, 2009, p. 110 ).
At Freedom Schools, scholars are encouraged to make connections between the issues they read about each day and ways they can empower themselves and their communities. The program builds on the theme of "I Can Make a Difference," and culminates in a "Day of Social Action." Ultimately, reading and empowerment are at the heart of the Freedom Schools movement, as are "dimensions of African American culture . . . that schools are lacking . . . (e.g., spirituality, harmony, verve, creativity, movement, affect, communalism, expressive individualism, social time perspective, and oral tradition)" ( Jackson & Boutte, 2009, p. 110 ).
Why Freedom Schools?
Preventing Summer Reading Setback
The founder of the Freedom Schools program, Marian Wright Edelman, and national director, Dr. Jeanne Middleton-Hairston, are aware of the long history of research that describes the significant link between summer access to books and reading achievement. As Heyns (1978) reported, "The single summer activity that is most strongly and consistently related to summer learning is reading" (p. 161). More recently, Kim (2004) found that summer reading activity stemmed summer setback in a sample of 6th-grade students in an urban school system. In 2006, Kim reported on a single summer intervention that provided 252 randomly selected low-income 4th graders in 10 schools with books to read during the summer months. The study found small positive effects on reading achievement as measured by standardized tests, and gains were especially evident among African American students.
In an experimental, longitudinal study, Allington et al. (2007) found that high-poverty students who had access to books over the summer scored significantly higher on standardized tests than children without such access. Both Kim (2004) and Allington et al. (2007) found that easy access to varied reading materials in the summer correlated with reading volume, and increased summer reading improved fall reading proficiency. In a 2009 evaluative study of the Freedom Schools program, researchers saw reading levels as measured by the Basic Reading Inventory rise for 60% of its 51 program participants ( Portwood, Parara-Rogers, & Taylor ).
We know that students from low-income families have more restricted access to reading material at home than their more advantaged peers do ( Constantino, 2005 ). Neuman and Celano (2001) found roughly 10 times greater access to reading material in higher-income neighborhoods than in lower-income neighborhoods in the same large urban center. As researchers have shown, providing low-income youth easy access to books and rich literacy models in the summer is certainly one way to raise literacy achievement and motivate voluntary reading. This is one of the reasons why Freedom Schools exist, but this is only part of the story.
A Necessary Counter-Story
The lyrics to "Something Inside So Strong," two lines of which open this article, reference the idea that African American youth are being "done wrong" in public schools: public schooling in the US has been unsuccessful in improving the school experiences and academic achievement of African American students ( Jackson & Boutte, 2009, p. 109 ). There are many who believe that African American students do not read or like to read. Solórzano & Yosso (2002) explain that it is important to recognize the power of White privilege and domination in the construction of such narratives, or "majoritarian stories" that serve to "distort and [silence] the experiences of people of color" (p. 29).
For example, when impoverished African American youth attending high-minority/high-poverty schools score poorly on standardized reading achievement tests, the standard "majoritarian" story would have us believe that students of color (and their families) are 1) literacy-poor; 2) struggling, reluctant readers who place a low value on reading; 3) "culturally deficit" and short on optimism and a strong work ethic to persevere in education (cf. Ogbu & Simons, 1998 ); and 4) lacking in cognitive skills that, when learned or gained, unlock reading comprehension. Some claim minority youth come from an "anti-intellectual strain, which subtly but decisively teaches them from birth not to embrace school-work too whole-heartedly" (qtd. in Solórzano & Yosso, 2002, p. 31 ).
Freedom Schools serve as a powerful and much needed counter-story to these discourses, proving that they can successfully engage African American youth with reading and civic engagement, and that African American youth are indeed avid, passionate, skilled readers.
As Jackson and Boutte (2009) explain:
The goal of African-centered education is not to prepare children to fit within the present [educational] system, but to revolutionize the system toward the promise of democracy articulated in the documents (but not the deeds) that shaped America. Hence, Freedom Schools employ the use of counternarrative strategies [that] oppose the dominant society's notions about the intellectual capacity of African Americans, the role of learning in their lives, the meaning and purpose of school, and the power of their intellect. (p. 110)
In what follows, we describe the Integrated Reading Curriculum (IRC) that is the core of the Freedom Schools' summer program and the young adult literature specifically selected for use by the Level III scholars (grades 6–8) in the program.
The Freedom Schools' Integrated Reading Curriculum
Twice a year, a committee comprised of teachers, school media specialists, university professors, Freedom Schools site project directors, and members of the Coretta Scott King book award committee meet at the Haley Farm in Clinton, Tennessee, to read multicultural young adult literature and select the books that the Level III scholars will read in the six-week summer program. It is expected that each week, the Level III scholars will read a different, whole young adult novel that young people may not know about. The committee's rationale for reading a novel in its entirety is that young people need practice reading longer, sustained, complete texts (rather than short excerpts from texts or worksheets) in order to better understand and monitor such literary elements as theme, plot, and character development. The committee also feels the need to introduce books to African American youth that feature characters who look and talk like they do. Committee members believe that non-White students need to know that authors of substance and value come from their culture.
It is well known that there is a lack of multicultural literature in use in public middle and high school language arts/English classrooms. As Applebee (1989) and Stallworth, Gibbons, and Fauber (2006) suggest, many language arts and English teachers continue to teach the same White-male-centered canonical works taught over two decades ago (e.g., The Great Gatsby , Of Mice and Men, Hamlet ). Stallworth et al. (2006) further contend that even the multicultural literature that is predominantly taught in high schools— To Kill a Mockingbird, Invisible Man, Black Boy, Things Fall Apart —describes people and events that occurred in the past. Thus, students reading such works may get the sense that racism and oppression are also things of the past or that the racism and oppression some students experience on a daily basis out-of-school (and in-school) are not important or relevant to their teachers or school officials. Stallworth et al. (2006) also explain, "It is troubling that [ Black Boy and Invisible Man ] may be the only representative literature about black experiences that students in most high schools will read. It would be similar to having Huck Finn as the single spokesperson for the white experience" (p. 487).
Thus, the committee looks for novels that will resonate with and reflect—in respectful ways—the Freedom Schools participants themselves. The youth who attended the Freedom Schools program we worked with this summer tended to be self-identified Black or biracial youth, living below the poverty level, usually with an extended family member (e.g., grandparent, aunt) or foster family. The novels selected for Freedom Schools readers illuminate these social contexts, reflecting what the authors see as an accurate, authentic sense of people who live in such contexts. In addition, the novels often depict vernacular language and discourse styles of many African Americans, privileging Black oral communication and rhetorical strategies. Jackson and Boutte (2009) call such literature "liberation literature," explaining that the books chosen for Freedom Schools
. . . allow African American students to have a mirror of and window into social, cultural, and historical awareness that centers their culture, not as an additive or referent, but as a factor worthy of serving as curriculum in its own right. These books . . . can be inclusive of authors who are not Black, as long as the work reflects the significant features of African American children's literature: (1) celebrates the strengths of the Black family as a cultural institution and vehicle for survival; (2) bears witness to Black people's determined struggle for freedom, equality, and dignity; (3) nurtures the souls of Black children by reflecting back to them, both visually and verbally, the beauty and competencies that we as adults see in them; (4) situates itself, through its language and its content, within African American literary and cultural contexts; and (5) honors the tradition of story as a way of teaching and as a way of knowing. (Bishop qtd. in Jackson & Boutte, p. 110 )
Ultimately, all the books chosen for the Freedom Schools summer program must meet the criterion of being affirming for Black children and their culture.
Additionally, the committee looks for young adult novels that fit the theme of Freedom Schools: "I Can Make a Difference!" For week one, the novel must reflect a character making a difference in one's self and promoting a positive self-image ( Children's Defense Fund, 2010 ). For week two, the novel must reflect a character making a difference in one's family through positive interactions with family members, other adults, and peers. For week three, the novel must depict an appreciation and ownership of community and the ability to strengthen one's community. For week four, the novel should depict the lives of people who have changed the course of this country's history. For week five, the novel should encourage readers to explore the world and what they can do to make the world better, as well as what obstacles they must overcome to achieve their goals. For week six, the novel should depict Americans who made a difference in their own lives and the lives of others with hope, education, and action. The books for this final week should motivate students to do all they can to ensure that they get a high quality education and empower them to take action to make their hopes and dreams become a reality.
Finally, because the directors of the Freedom Schools program do not want the Freedom Schools to "feel like school," the book selection committee also designs an activity-oriented, rather than a skills-oriented, curriculum to accompany each book that is taught.
So what did Freedom Schools Level III scholars read this past summer, and what did they have to say about the books? In what follows, we describe the six young adult books chosen for the 2010 Freedom Schools summer program and then share some insights about the Freedom Schools reading experience from two program participants.
Reading Young Adult Literature in Freedom Schools
Week One: I Can Make a Difference in My Life
The first novel the Level III scholars read was Sharon G. Flake's (2007) Begging for Change . In this book, due to a domestic "turf war," Raspberry Hill's mother has been beaten with a metal pipe and lies in a hospital. Raspberry's father is an alcoholic and a drug addict. No wonder Raspberry decides to steal money from her well-off friend, Zora, even if it is Zora and her father, Dr. Mitchell, who treat Raspberry and her mother like family. But Raspberry's stealing does not stop there, and soon she has lost the trust of people she cares about most. When her own father steals from her, Raspberry begins to wonder if she is any different from him. As Raspberry's mother tells her and other thugs on the street, "To be better, you gotta want better." Ultimately, Raspberry must do some hard soul-searching to decide who she is going to be and what "better" looks like for her.
Activities that the Level III scholars participated in while reading this book included creating self-portraits, role-playing the conflict between Raspberry and Zora, and researching social service agencies that could be helpful to people who find themselves homeless and living on the streets. For this last activity, the scholars listed names of agencies in the community, investigated the services they provided, and described how those services could be helpful to people in the community.
Week Two: I Can Make a Difference in My Family
Next, the scholars read Joseph by Shelia P. Moses (2008) . This young adult novel tells the story of 14-year-old Joseph Flood, who is a victim of his mother's chronic drug abuse. Spending all of the child support money sent by Joseph's dad, who is away fighting in Iraq, Joseph's mother lands the two in a homeless shelter. Joseph has the opportunity to go live with his mother's sister in the suburbs, where he can attend a good school and join the tennis team. But Joseph does not want to leave his mother. Who will look out for her? Who will take care of her? Joseph must navigate the slippery slope between loyalty to family and self as he scrapes out a stable future for himself.
Activities accompanying this book included drawing family portraits, conducting research on alcohol/ drug abuse, role-playing conflict resolution strategies, and identifying things young people can do to help others living in poverty.
Week Three: I Can Make a Difference in My Community
For week three, the scholars read another Sharon G. Flake novel, Bang! ( 2005 ). This young adult novel depicts the violence that mars some impoverished urban neighborhoods and the constant state of terror its residents live in as a result. Mann, the main character, has just seen his little brother, Joseph, shot to death on the front porch of their house—an innocent victim in the wrong place at the wrong time. Mann's mother and father are grieving in their own ways, none of which are helpful to Mann, who has started smoking weed with his best friend, Kee-Lee, and skipping school. When Mann's father decides Joseph was shot because he was "too soft," he abandons Mann and Kee-Lee miles from town and tells them to find their own way back home. Mann's journey back to self-hood is fraught with violence, disappointment, mistakes, and regrets, but Mann ultimately decides what kind of man he is going to be and what it might take for Black men to stop killing one another.
Activities accompanying this book included discussing Sharon G. Flake's poem that opens the book, "Boys Ain't Men . . . Yet," creating cards commemorating people who have died in the community, researching news articles regarding deaths in their neighborhoods, and comparing Luther Vandross's song, Dance with My Father Again , to the book.
Week Four: I Can Make a Difference in My Country
During week four, Level III scholars read Phillip Hoose's (2009) National Book Award-winning Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice . This nonfictional work gives voice to the 15-year-old girl who refused to give up her seat to a White woman on a segregated bus nine months before Rosa Parks did. But instead of being celebrated, like Rosa Parks was, Claudette found herself shunned by her classmates and ignored by the Black leaders of Montgomery, Alabama. Why was Claudette shunned and ignored? Why did she not get credit for jumpstarting the Civil Rights Movement? This book answers these questions and elucidates a little-known piece of American history.
Activities accompanying this book included watching and discussing Reginald Bullock's You-Tube video, "A War for Your Soul"; creating a visual timeline of the events taking place in Montgomery, Alabama, in 1955; identifying civil rights issues that continue to plague their communities; and conducting research on the "Cradle to Prison Pipeline" and creating a commercial about its content (The "Cradle to Prison Pipeline" is a CDF report—see http://www.childrensdefense.org/child-research-data-publications/data/cradle-prison-pipeline-report-2007-full-highres.html ).
Week Five: I Can Make a Difference in the World
For week five, scholars read Sharon Draper's (2008) Coretta Scott King Book Award-winning young adult novel, Copper Sun . This novel, told in two voices, depicts the lives of Amari, an African girl brutally stolen from her homeland and enslaved on a rice plantation in Charleston, South Carolina, and Polly, a White indentured servant girl hired to help Amari learn English and her place in the new racialized hierarchy. Gradually, the two become friends and seek their freedom together, although as Amari reminds Polly, she can escape at any time and not be killed, because her skin color will always protect her.
Accompanying activities included discussing Countee Cullen's poem "Heritage" that opens the book; tracing the sun motif while reading; locating South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida on US maps; comparing the plight of Mexican immigrants to slaves; tracing the route to freedom Amari and Polly took; and reading Tom Feelings's (1995) adult picture-book, The Middle Passage: White Ships/Black Cargo , about the horrific transatlantic slave journey that claimed millions of lives and brought enslaved Africans to their American prisons.
Week Six: With Hope, Education, and Action, I Can Make a Difference!
Finally, for the last week of Freedom Schools, the Level III scholars read David Colbert's (2009) young adult biography, Michelle Obama: An American Story . This rich biographical portrait traces Michelle Obama's life from her ancestors, who were slaves on a rice plantation in South Carolina, to her working-class, Southside Chicago childhood and her rise as one of the most influential women living today. Unique to this biographical telling, Colbert contextualizes Michelle Obama's life story within larger movements in African American history: slavery, freedom, the Reconstruction era, the Civil Rights movement, and finally, the 21st century.
Activities accompanying this book included conducting research on Ivy League (e.g., Yale, Princeton) and Historically Black Colleges or Universities (e.g., Claflin, Allen, Benedict), including a look at male/ female ratios, majors offered, and cost of attendance; researching the Urban Prep Academy and debating whether or not integration or isolation in schools is better; and describing dream jobs and what it will take to land one.
What Do Freedom Schools Scholars Say About the Books?
Four months after the Freedom Schools program ended, we interviewed DaShaun and Brittany (pseudonyms), brother-and-sister Level III scholars who participated in the 2010 Freedom Schools program in Knoxville, Tennessee. Even though it had been some time since DaShaun and Brittany had participated in the program, they were excited to talk about the books and could recall specific details and provide thorough summaries about each book. When asked how they could remember so much about the books, DaShaun and Brittany explained that they had continued to read the books over and over again since the program ended. When asked why they read the books again and again, Brittany responded, "They're that good," and explained that she had read Begging for Change and Copper Sun "at least 2–3 times" and "[shared] and [talked] about the books with her friends" (personal communication, October 26, 2010). Both DaShaun and Brittany looked for the books in their school library. Brittany stated that she also looks for other books by the authors Sharon G. Flake, Sharon Draper, and Shelia P. Moses. When we asked DaShaun and Brittany if they would have known about these young adult novels or authors if they had not participated in Freedom Schools, both responded, "No," and said that they had never heard of these authors before the summer program.
DaShaun and Brittany went on to describe several reasons why they liked the young adult novels they read during Freedom Schools. Brittany said, "They're contemporary, they're real. People are like this out in the world." DaShaun explained he liked books that showed "violence, but with solutions." He revealed that he liked a "hopeful ending." Brittany added that, "[The characters in these books] think that maybe because their dad is a drug addict they may end up like that in their life. But you see that they don't have to end up like that." DaShaun and Brittany also said that they felt the books "don't try to tell you how to live your life, but they are examples. They are suggestions." Brittany elaborated, "If you want to change your life, you have to change it yourself, don't let someone else do it for you. You have the power to do that" (personal communication, October 26, 2010).
When asked to pick a favorite book from that summer's reading, Brittany said she could not pick just one. DaShaun said it would be between Sharon Draper's Copper Sun and Sharon G. Flake's Bang! , which were probably the two most intense books of the six. DaShaun stated, "These set you up for more mature books."
Brittany was currently re-reading Copper Sun for the third time. Both Brittany and DaShaun liked Copper Sun because, as DaShaun said, "It relates to our heritage," and Brittany said, "It's Africa." They both indicated that they had read books about their heritage before, but DaShaun said, "In school, they just give you the social studies book," and Brittany explained, "It's like 'just read it.' It's no details, it's like 'slavery was blah, blah, blah.'" DaShaun added, "It will show you like 17 peoples' points of views in the textbook, but in [ Copper Sun ], you get one person's point of view and you get to see how they felt and how they reacted to the situations they were in."
When we asked if they thought Copper Sun was too intense or hard to read in some places (Amari is raped repeatedly in the book) and told them that some teachers may not think the book is appropriate for middle school readers, Brittany declared, "We're mature enough to handle it. And all the details let the people know about what really happened. Some books don't tell you the truth . . . you gotta let the people know" (personal communication, October 26, 2010).
DaShaun liked what he called the "realistic fiction" books, but he did not like the nonfictional works ( Claudette Colvin; Michelle Obama ) as much, because he said that he "couldn't relate to these in any way." DaShaun believed that they were like "social studies books, not like stories." DaShaun furthered stated that "I'm not saying they weren't good, I'm just saying they didn't hook me in like the others did." Brittany said she was inspired by Claudette Colvin's story about a teenager who stood up for justice, and she liked reading about how Michelle Obama met her future husband.
We think it is safe to say these novels made quite an impact on DaShaun and Brittany, who described intense reactions and responses to the books. That DaShaun and Brittany revisit these books when they don't have to, and look to these books as both mirrors and windows reflective of their own and others' lives reinforces the importance of putting multicultural young adult literature in young people's hands.
We ended the interview with questions about DaShaun's and Brittany's experiences as readers in school. Both DaShaun and Brittany are 8th graders in Honors reading classes at their urban middle school. DaShaun and Brittany indicated that they predominantly read short stories out of the textbook (e.g., "Raymond's Run" and "The Tell-Tale Heart") and not novels in class. They said that they do not read books in school like they read at Freedom Schools. When asked if DaShaun and Brittany felt that their teachers really knew them as readers, both replied "No." Brittany explained that if her teachers really knew her and what she liked to read, mystery books and romance/drama books would be available in class for independent reading. DaShaun expressed that many of his teachers didn't know he loved comic books and graphic novels. He stated that he was expected to read every day, but all he was able to do with his reading was write in his journal about it. He said that the teacher collected his journals and gave him grades for doing the writing. Both he and Brittany acknowledged that they wanted opportunities to talk about what they read, like they had in Freedom Schools, instead of always writing about what they read.
Conclusion: Stemming the Tide of "Readicide"
As we have described in this article, the Freedom Schools' summer program serves as a necessary counter-story to negative discourses about minority adolescent readers, and as research has shown, the program motivates reading engagement and achievement. Therefore, we think the program also serves as a resistant force to what California award-winning teacher and author Kelly Gallagher (2009) deems "readicide," an overemphasis on testing in public schools that is killing students' love and joy of reading. Much research supports the fact that reading engagement and motivation increase when students get to choose what they read and, when given opportunities to choose, teens choose to read young adult literature over more canonical works ( Cole, 2008 ).
Unfortunately, however, less and less time in English classes is devoted to the instruction of whole novels; even less time is focused on instruction around multicultural young adult literature or independent reading time. As former IRA president Richard Allington (2005) suggests, school reading programs designed to raise test scores actually limit the volume of in-school reading, even though a potent relationship exists between volume of reading and reading achievement. Allington further contends that what really matters in raising reading achievement is giving kids time to read a lot, giving kids books they can read, and helping kids learn to read fluently (which depends on reading volume and access to books).
In school, adolescents learn to associate reading with passing a test. Layer the stress of taking high-stakes tests with the invisibility and lack of affirmation of the world views of diverse adolescents in typical classroom content, and it becomes clearer why reading disengagement among youth might ensue. This does not mean adolescents become nonreaders or do not want to read: this means they become "dormant" readers or "underground" readers ( Miller, 2009 ), who must rely on programs like Freedom Schools to affirm their reading identities.
We wish it did not have to be this way: We wish we did not need programs like Freedom Schools, because all young people are being affirmed as capable readers in public schools, and multiple purposes for reading are celebrated in school curricula. Sadly, this is not the case, especially in public schools that struggle to meet federally mandated accountability demands. Thus, we second the emotion Brittany expressed at the end of our interview, "Thank goodness for Freedom Schools!"
Susan L. Groenke is associate professor of English Education at the University of Tennessee where she teaches courses on young adult literature and reading pedagogy. She is coauthor (with Lisa Scherff) of Teaching YAL through Differentiated Instruction , published by NCTE in 2010, and coeditor (with Amos Hatch) of Critical Pedagogy and Teacher Education in the Neoliberal Era: Small Openings , published by Springer in 2009. She is also the editor of English Leadership Quarterly .
Theresa Evans Venable is the librarian in the Langston Hughes Library located at the Children's Defense Fund Haley Farm in Clinton, TN. She also serves as the programs coordinator for CDF Haley Farm. Theresa holds a B.S. degree in Elementary Education and the M.S. degree in Information Sciences from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. She has 31 years experience as an elementary and middle school teacher.
Stephanie Hill obtained her PhD degree in Exercise and Sports Studies at the University of Tennessee in 2010. The Children's Defense Fund hired Dr. Hill to run the Freedom Schools program in Knoxville, TN, in summer 2010.
Ann Bennett is a research assistant and advanced graduate student in English Education at the University of Tennessee, and a high school English teacher. Her current research interests include the use of young adult literature to critically engage students, the improvement of literacy at the secondary level, and the study of adolescents' motivation to read.
Professional Resources
Allington, R.L., McGill-Franzen, A.M., Camilli, G., Williams, L., Graff, J., Zeig, J., . . . & Nowak, R. (2007, April). Ameliorating summer reading setback among economically disadvantaged elementary students. Paper presented at the American Educational Research Association Annual Meeting, Chicago.
Allington, R. L. (2005). What really matters for struggling readers: Designing research-based programs (2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Allyn & Bacon.
Applebee, A. N. (1989). A study of book-length works taught in high school English courses. Albany, NY: Center for the Study of Teaching and Learning of Literature.
Children's Defense Fund Freedom Schools. (2010). Summer integrated reading curriculum guide (Vol. 12). Washington, DC: Author.
Cole, P. B. (2008). Young adult literature in the 21st century. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Constantino, R. (2005). Print environments between high and low socioeconomic status communities. Teacher Librarian, 32 (3), 22–25.
Gallagher, K. (2009). Readicide: How schools are killing reading and what you can do about it. Portland, ME: Stenhouse.
Heyns, B. (1978). Summer learning and the effects of schooling. New York: Academic Press.
Jackson, T. O., & Boutte, G. S. (2009). Liberation literature: Positive cultural messages in children's and young adult literature at Freedom Schools. Language Arts, 87 , 108–116.
Kim, J. S. (2006). Effects of a voluntary summer reading intervention on reading achievement: Results from a randomized field trail. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 28 , 335–355.
Kim, J. S. (2004). Summer reading and the ethnic achievement gap. Journal of Education for Students Placed at Risk, 9 , 169–189.
Miller, D. (2009). The book whisperer: Awakening the inner reader in every child. New York: Jossey-Bass.
Neuman, S., & Celano, D. (2001). Access to print in low-income and middle-income communities. Reading Research Quaterly, 36 , 8–26.
Ogbu, J. U., & Simons, H. D. (1998). Voluntary and involuntary minorities: A cultural-ecological theory of school performance with some implications for education. Anthropology and Education Quarterly, 29 , 155–188.
Portwood, S. G., Parara-Rogers, C., & Taylor, B. (2009). Seigle Avenue Partners Children's Defense Fund Freedom Schools pilot outcomes evaluation. Charlotte, NC: The UNC-Charlotte Institute for Social Capital.
Solórzano, D. G., & Yosso, T. J. (2002). Critical race methodology: Counter-storytelling as an analytical framework for education research. Qualitative Inquiry, 8 , 23–44.
Stallworth, J., Gibbons, L., & Fauber, L. (2006). It's not on the list: An exploration of teachers' perspectives on using multicultural literature. Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy, 49 , 478–489.
Young Adult Fiction/Nonfiction
Colbert, D. (2008). Michelle Obama: An American story . North Port, FL: Sandpiper.
Draper, S. (2008). Copper sun . New York: Atheneum.
Flake, S. G. (2005). Bang! New York: Hyperion.
Flake, S. G. (2007). Begging for change. New York: Hyperion.
Hoose, P. M. (2009). Claudette Colvin: Twice toward justice. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
Moses, S. (2008). Joseph. New York: Margaret K. McElderry Books.


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This Push & Pull Foraging Toy-Caitec/Paradise advanced foraging device for birds is built to withstand tough beaks. You simply fill the top chamber with food or treats and your bird must push and pull the slats in order to lower the food until it is released.
Push & Pull Foraging Toy-Caitec/Paradise dimensions: 14" length x 4.5" width x 4.5" height (Recommended for medium sized birds)


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Grinding Division
Rolls Choice for Our Customers
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Mori Minoru's Mori Building is Tokyo's largest urban real estate developer. His Vertical Garden City idea and Urban New Deal Policy are private enterprise visions for a re-made city that is at once more densely populated, more environmental and green, and more profitable for the largest developers.
I had the intriguing experience of being invited to witness a presentation by Mori Building company for a US journalist. Asked to remain silent so as not to detract from the journalist's work, I witness one foreign journalist, a simultaneous translator, a guide from the Tokyo Foreign Correspondent's Club, two Mori Building Public Relations officer and one urban planner. This is clearly a business where image is created through tremendous resources.


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all wordsany wordsphrase
n. in law, the legal means by which a person is required to appear in court or a defendant is given notice of a legal action against him/her/it. When a complaint in a lawsuit is filed, it must be served on each defendant, together with a summons issued by the clerk of the court stating the amount of time (say, 30 days) in which the defendant has to file an answer or other legal pleading with the clerk of the court, and sent to the plaintiff. New York has an unusual system in which a summons may be served without a complaint. A subpena is similar to a summons but is a notice to a witness to appear at a deposition (testimony taken outside court), or at a trial. A subpena duces tecum is an order to deliver documents or other evidence either into court or to the attorney for a party to a lawsuit or criminal prosecution. An order to show cause is a court order to appear in court and give a reason why the court should not issue an order (such as paying temporary child support). The summons, complaint, subpena, subpena duces tecum and order to show cause must all be "served" on the defendant or person required to appear or produce, and this is called "service of process." Service of process is usually made by an officer of the court such as a deputy sheriff or marshal, or a professional process server, but can be performed by others in most jurisdictions.


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Don't Sell Lightsabres!
Or anything that even looks like one, puts out a beam close to one, or has been likened to one by other blogs (including us). That's what Lucasfilm Ltd. wants and has issued a Cease and Desist letter threatening legal action against the overseas company Wicked Lasers for selling its Spyer III Pro Arctic laser which the company identifies as a research and industrial laser. Honestly the device looks much more like a tactical laser and less like a lightsabre. Heads up Surefire George could have you in his sights next.
(CNN) — "Star Wars" creator George Lucas wants to force a laser company to stop making a new, high-powered product he says looks too much like the famous lightsaber from his classic sci-fi series.
Lucasfilm Ltd. has sent a cease-and-desist letter to Hong Kong-based Wicked Lasers, threatening legal action if it doesn't change its Pro Arctic Laser series or stop selling it altogether.
"It is apparent from the design of the Pro Arctic Laser that it was intended to resemble the hilts of our lightsaber swords, which are protected by copyright … ," said the letter, dated last month and provided to CNN by Wicked Lasers.
Wicked Lasers has been selling lasers and optics for the past 7 years while the original Star Wars films have been out since 1977. Perhaps George is a bit slow to catch up with the whole internet marketing phenomenon and is just upset that he's been missing out on selling what fans have been asking for since the late 70's. In either case unless Wicked lasers caves to the legal might behind Lucasfilm Ltd. we think they will be hard pressed to get a judge to enforce this on a company which has never claimed anything of the sort for over 7 years.