The Future of Children
On July 9, Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University and Brookings Institute will join Children’s of Alabama in presenting the Spring 2015 journal The Future of Children, Policies to Promote Child Health for the first time in Birmingham. The journal’s purpose is to relate the leading social science research about children into information that is useful to practitioners, policymakers, grant-makers, advocates, students and the media. The project is published twice a year with topics ranging from policy and family issues to health education.
“We are proud and honored to host this great event here at Children’s,” said Children’s of Alabama President and CEO Mike Warren. “For more than 100 years, our mission has been to serve as advocates for all children and to educate the public about issues affecting children’s health and well-being. Having a role in the presentation of the important child health research published in the latest volume of The Future of Children embodies those efforts to meet the health care needs of all children and to serve as advocates on their behalf.”
Health professionals across the state will attend the event for the first time at a pediatrics facility, due to the outreach efforts of Thomas N. Carruthers Jr., former director of Children’s and alumus and board member of Princeton University, according to Kathy Bowers, Children’s lead coordinator. Speakers will include Nancy Reichman, economist and professor of pediatrics at Rutgers University’s Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and James P. Ziliak, holder of the Carol Martin Gatton Endowed Chair in Microeconomics in the Department of Economics at the University of Kentucky and the founding director for that university’s Center for Poverty Research.
In addition, there will be three panelists: Grant Brigham, executive director at Jones Valley Teaching Farm, Stephanie Cihon, ProMedica member since 2001 and a leader in communications and advocacy, and Harriet W. Giles, the director of external relations for the Auburn University College of Human Sciences and managing director of the Auburn University Hunger Solutions Institute.
The event starts at 1:30 p.m. and ends at 4:30 p.m.
Birmingham 2016 Budget Q & A
How is Birmingham’s budget money appropriated? Are people’s voices being heard? The Birmingham City Council hosted its annual public budget hearing May 28, where residents were urged to present any concerns they had about the budget. For those who missed the hearing, there will be another chance to ask questions. During the month of June, the council will present the budget to the community at four town hall meetings.
“We are very serious about consistently being transparent with the public about our goals to operate a budget that is fiscally wise,” said Birmingham City Council President Johnathan Austin. “It is my hope that by taking the budget out into the community, we will provide everyone with a better understanding of what we believe is best for the city.”
A copy of the proposed budget can be reviewed at: birminghamal.gov.
The budget hearings will take place at the following locations:
Monday, June 8, 6 p.m. (New Pilgrim Baptist Church 708 Goldwire Place SW
Tuesday, June 9, 6 p.m. (Bethel Baptist Church – Pratt City) 1708 Spencer Avenue
Wednesday, June 10, 6 p.m. (Avondale Elementary School) 4000 8th Court S.
Thursday, June 11, 6 p.m. (Parkway Christian Church) 9753 Parkway East
Sanspointe Dance Company
Sanspointe Dance Company will be lunging, sweeping and twirling across Alabama, performing its solo and group contemporary dance choreography June 15-19 during the company’s first statewide tour. The company aims to get people excited and interested in dance created by local artists.
Current and past company members will showcase their choreography and special performances will performed at each tour location. The dance pieces will showcase “emotional range, technical virtuosity, lyrical contemplation, and spatial manipulation in dances ranging from 3-8 minutes in duration,” according to a Sanspoint press release.
Guest performers from the University of Alabama, Valley Dance Theatre and professionals from Birmingham and Gadsden will be performing as well. Performances will be held at Children’s Dance Foundation in Birmingham, Clark Studio at the University of Alabama, Valley Dance Theatre in Huntsville, and Gadsden’s Downtown Dance Conservatory. Each tour location will offer free contemporary dance master classes taught by the performers for tween to adults at an intermediate level or higher.
“We want to spread the experience of live dance by local professionals to as many interested audience members as possible,” said the Sanspointe Artistic Director Taryn Packheiser Brown. “Our work pushes boundaries of what dance can be and how it can be done. It enables viewers to create meaning out of kinesthetic movement designs. In order to reach as many people as possible with our work we are making this first tour free and open to the public.”
For a complete schedule and more information, visit the event on Facebook.
Congressional Internship Program
Three students from Alabama’s 7th Congressional District were awarded internship positions by The 7th Project in Congresswoman Terry Sewell office in Washington, D.C., on June 1. The 7th Project’s Congressional Internship Program allows college students from the district with high academic achievement and financial need the chance to attend a four-week, fully funded Congressional internship.
The project provides on-campus housing at George Washington University in Washington, D.C., and a weekly stipend. During the competitive application process, five students were selected.
“An internship in Washington, D.C., has been a dream of mine since high school,” said UAB SGA President Garrett Stephens. “I look forward to working with Congresswoman Sewell and her staff while learning the processes that go into the successful running of the Legislative Branch. This internship will be vital to any career path that I choose to pursue.”
“Internships open so many doors for young people, and it is our hope that these students will bring the knowledge and experience they gain back to their communities and make a positive impact in the 7th Congressional District,” said Ted Hosp, Board Chairman of The 7th Project.
Charnese Hickling of Fairfield and Jonathan Carlisle of Marion, Alabama will start their internships on June 29. Other students selected include LaGrange College athlete Wesley Dismuke, and Alabama State University honors student, Clarence Sutton.
“Internships open so many doors for young people, and it is our hope that these students will bring the knowledge and experience they gain back to their communities and make a positive impact in the 7th Congressional District,” said Ted Hosp, Board Chairman of The 7th Project.
Birmingham Library Summer Reading
This summer superheroes unite to discover a love for books and reading. The Birmingham Public Library will be hosting summer reading programs for children, teens and adults with a heroic emphasis.
Each reading program has a unique theme. The children’s theme, titled “Every Hero Has a Story,” kicked off with the children meeting police officers, real life heroes that work to keep their homes and neighborhoods safe. Children will record the books they read for chance to win a special summer reading book bag.
The teens’ program “Unmask!” involves revealing one’s own self, uncovering the importance of learning and unveiling new interests. A reading list for each high school grade level, including To Kill A Mockingbird, The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglas, A Raisin in the Sun, and Pride and Prejudice, accompanies the series. The event engages teens through creative projects, movies, games and even karaoke.
The adult program, “Escape the Ordinary” features an online book discussion via Facebook, and events such as “Escape the Ordinary with Larry Moore.”
The goal of summer reading is to motivate children to read for pleasure, according to a library press release. Parents and caregivers were invited to help pre-readers experience the joy of reading and develop a love for books.
The events will continue from June 1 – July 27 throughout the Birmingham Public Library System. To sign up online, visit: bplonline.org.