Two academic stars shatter negative labels with their accomplishments

Jimmy Baxter (pictured above wearing winter coat) and Duane McClendon (pictured at far right holding trophy) won first place in the middle school math category at HR Academy’s school-wide spirit week competition that was recently held. Both students received first place trophies for their academic excellence, thus shattering all negative labels that are too often saddled upon young Black males. Their first place honors demonstrates what our Black youths can achieve if given the opportunity. Baxter and McClendon completed against several private and public schools. With the two young men is Michael Dawsey, a teacher at HR Academy, which is located at 3500 West Mother Daniel’s Way.

Tricks of the eye, objects of deception subject of MPM's student exhibit

The Milwaukee Public Museum will open its newest student exhibit More Than Meets the Eye: The Art of Deception on Friday, May 4. This exhibit explores how reality can be easily obscured by camouflage, fakes and forgeries, body modifications and illusions. More Than Meets the Eye: The Art of Deception includes four display cases, each highlighting materials relevant to different modes of visual enhancement.

These include: forged and fake objects, the female image, artifice in nature and tricks of the eye. On display will be both an infamous Fiji mermaid and one of Wisconsin's best-known frauds, the Spencer Lake horse skull.

More Than Meets the Eye: The Art of Deception is the culmination of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee/MPM Museum Studies program, a cooperative graduate certificate program between UW-Milwaukee and the Museum.

Students develop the annual exhibit from inception to completion, gaining invaluable professional experience. This exhibit will be on display through April 5, 2008.

The Milwaukee Public Museum is a natural and human history museum located in downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The museum was chartered in 1882 and opened to the public in 1884.

MPM has three floors of exhibits that encompass life-size dioramas, walk-through villages, world cultures, dinosaurs, a rain forest and a live butterfly garden, as well as the Humphrey IMAX Dome Theater and the Daniel M. Soref Planetarium.

The museum houses more than 4.5 million objects and hosts nearly half a million visitors each year.

Local young lady qualifies for the cities of America national competition

Hashawna Cobb of Racine (pictured above) was recently selected to participate in the 2007 Cities of America National Competition. Hashawna was second runner-up in the preliminary pageant that she participated in late 2006, which qualifies her for the national competition. Hashawna Cobb of Racine (pictured above) was recently selected to participate in the 2007 Cities of America National Competition.

Hashawna was second runner-up in the preliminary pageant that she participated in late 2006, which qualifies her for the national competition.

Hashawna will be competing in the Miss Pre-Teen division, one of three divisions that will have young ladies between the ages of 10 and 19 competing in modeling routines, which include casual wear and formal wear.

Most important, Hashawna will display her personality and interviewing skills at this year’s national competition. Personality is the number one aspect that each contestant is judged on during all phases of the competition.

Hashawna has the opportunity to represent Milwaukee and the surrounding communities in this year’s national competition that will take place in Orlando, Fla. Hashawna will be competing for her share of over $60,000 in prizes and awards.

Hashawna will be looking to the community businesses, organizations and private individuals to assist her in participating in this year’s competition by becoming an official sponsor to her.

Again through businesses in the Racine community such as, Excell’s Barber Shop, Cope Behavioral Services, Bodicure Spa, Studio 105 Hair Salon and Birdsong Distribution, Hashawna will continue to receive all the necessary training, rehearsals and financial support which will allow her to become more confident and better prepared for this year’s national competition.

Any business, organization or private individual who may be interested in becoming a sponsor to Hashawna may contact the pageant coordinators at 1-800-559-3492.

"Why Our Children Hate Us" Authors Conduct Teacher Workshop

"Why Our Children Hate Us" authors Eric K. Grimes and Butch Slaughter have been invited to present a workshop to teachers from select choice schools this Friday, April 27 at the Agape Theater on west Villard Avenue.

Participating schools at this writing include Blyden Delany Academy, 2466 West McKinley Avenue, Institute for Career Empowerment, 700 West Michigan Avenue, and Agape Center of Academic Excellence, 5268 North 35th Street.

This painfully truthful and unapologetically direct page turner speaks volumes to the ancestral, historical, cultural and economic reasons for the continuing generational separation of our children from parents, adults, and the community. And within a hard- hitting gripping context, the authors additionally speak to the total disconnect between our children and future, leaving our tomorrows completely in the hands of others.

They add that Black adults are being held accountable by Black children for collectively not providing guidance, protection, and nurturing. Adults are supposed to stand grounded on identity, purpose and direction for their people, for their children and for their future. But, according to the text, we collectively and consistently have not provided over the past four decades for our young, for our people and for our future such qualitative models and direction for them to follow.

"Our children need to see us stand up for them, not against them, in a world designed for their defeat," according to the writers.

The authors will retrace the historic steps, which in their words, "brought us to this place" and lend paths that would allow a positive reversal to what in their minds is a systemic condition causing community destabilization nationwide.

They have in the past presented workshops and lectures at Philadelphia's University of Pennsylvania and Eastern University, at youth centers and to staff and parents at various school locations in the Philadelphia area.

Grimes earned an MS in Management and Urban Policy Analysis from the New School in New York City and a BA in Economics from Morehouse College. He additionally received a Certificate in Community Based Economic Development from the Center for Community Research and Service at the University of Delaware and serves as Founder and Principal Partner of SEED Concepts.

Slaughter has been a consultant for numerous youth-serving agencies and founded two Black non-profit organizations. A native of Chicago, Slaughter is a graduate of Chicago’s Quigley Seminary South, a veteran of the United States Navy and a graduate of Lincoln University’s Masters of Human Service Program.

The authors are scheduled to speak at a highly anticipated open forum this Saturday, April 28, beginning at 1 p.m. at the African American Women’s Center, 3020 West Vliet Street beginning at 1 p.m. Vendors are welcome.

For additional information on the teacher workshop or on the Saturday presentation, call Taki S. Raton at 933-1130.