Salt Lake City, UT -  Studies Weekly®, publisher of "textbooks" in newspaper and magazine format used by millions of elementary students and Woogi World the online virtual world for children 6-12 dedicated to engaging children in character-building adventures, have completed their first-ever national kids' education and voting adventure, and have tallied the votes. Almost one million children participated from all 50 states in the US.

In the Studies Weekly/Woogi World "Every Kid Votes" program, Democrat Barack Obama won the presidential election by a vote of 473919 to 333092 over Republican John McCain.


 

Children between the ages of 6-12 were given the opportunity to learn about both candidates, and our voting rights and responsibilities, before the actual vote today. "This is a significant sampling of children's opinions across the country. We had high student participation in all 50 states in the country" said Ed Rickers, President of Studies Weekly. "In other student elections - such as the Scholastic News Election Poll that was open to kids from grades 1-12, the voter turnout was less dramatic. That poll had approximately 250,000 kids vote by paper or online ballot. The voter turnout in the "Every Kid Votes" election was dramatically higher - with only grades K-6 participating."

"This is the first in an ongoing effort to create a habit of voting in children - a habit that can last a lifetime," said Children's Way Foundation CEO, Scott Dow. "Although this is an historic election, we want children to recognize the importance of voting at every opportunity. We believe as children come to understand that getting involved - standing up to be counted, is the foundation on which this country and all democracies are founded, they'll seize that opportunity!"

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"When I walk pass on 137th Street and I see the building he was instrumental in raising funds for, the people moving in and the school moving in July and will begin to formerly occupy the space with the beginning of the new school year in September, I feel close to tears as I remember how devoted he was to seeing it all completed," said Roulette.

Hosting the fundraiser was actor, writer, songwriter and educator Cornelius Jones, Jr., who for six years was a member of the cast of the on stage performance of the Lion King on Broadway, and who performed two selections from his upcoming performance "Flag Boy," which he said is autobiographical solo play that was written and is done by him.

"I'm just helping to bring more diversity to the work that Chuck was involved in," said Jones. "I'm not a politician, but I do a lot of work on humanitarian issues and I'm an advocate for gay issues."

When the time had arrived for Jones to perform selections from his upcoming show, he turned to the crowd of guests and suggested that because of the R-rated material in his performance and the age of the students, they were asked to go to the lower level until it was over. In his performance, Jones recounted in a dramatization a snippet of his first gay experience with his close friend, Danny, who had stayed over at his house and with whom he shared a bed.

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That's because after four long years of grappling with homophobic slurs from fellow students, Smith became the school's first member of an openly gay club to graduate - an unusual achievement at Medgar Evers College.

"I made a mark for myself and the college, too," said Smith, 29, who lives in Flatbush. "It was the greatest feeling in the world to know I had so many supporters."

Smith's popularity at Medgar Evers didn't happen overnight - nor did support for the Life Club, the first school-sanctioned gay and lesbian awareness group in the college's 38-year history.

Comprised mainly of Caribbean-American and black students, the college is rampantly homophobic, said Smith and other openly gay students at Medgar Evers.

Club President Lamont Joseph, 22, helped create the group three years ago, but the club was only sanctioned in July.

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MEC was founded in 1970 through cooperation from educators and community leaders in central Brooklyn. MEC is named after Medgar Wiley Evers, a Mississippi-born black civil rights activist who, while serving in World War II, became disenchanted by the knowledge that he was fighting for freedom halfway around the world while he and other American blacks endured segregation and other forms of racism. He later helped secure many social and political advances for African-Americans, including helping the first black student, James Meredith, attend the previously-whites-only University of Mississippi in 1962. Evers was assassinated on June 12, 1963.

MEC is divided into four schools: The School of Business; The School of Professional and Community Development; The School of Liberal Arts and Education; and The School of Science, Health, and Technology. The College also operates several external programs and associated centers such as Male Development and Empowerment Center, Center for Women's Development, Center for Black Literature, and The DuBois Bunche Center for Public Policy.

Source: Wikipedia

Martin Luther King Jr. led the country through one of its most transforming civic movements; David Satcher resuscitated the issues of health care disparity and access; Maynard Jackson taught the world the value of diversity and equal access as the first African American mayor of Atlanta; Donn Clenendon scored in the history annals and was part of a miracle when he was named a World Series MVP; and Shelton “Spike” Lee continues to challenge how the world views blacks in life with critically acclaimed films.

All helped changed the world. All are Morehouse men.

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While the nation may soon be witnessing the induction of its first non-white president, Morehouse College has honored its first white valedictorian in the school’s 141-year history.

Joshua Packwood, an economics major from Kansas City, Mo. was honored May 18 for graduating with a perfect 4.0 grade point average. He is one of the few non-Black students to attend the nation’s only predominately black and all-male institution of higher learning.

As the first white valedictorian since Morehouse’s establishment, Packwood’s achievement has been discussed a great deal on several blogs and news Web sites.

Packwood recently appeared on the nationally syndicated radio and television programs including the Tom Joyner Morning Show, National Public Radio and the CBS Early Show.

When asked if he expected all of the media attention, Packwood said “Absolutely not.”

“It’s been very surreal,” Packwood told Black College Wire in a phone interview.

During the interview Packwood shared one of his favorite memories—“Spirit Night,” which was held during new student orientation. Packwood recalled marching in rain towards Frank L. Forbes Arena with his Morehouse brothers “about 800 strong.”

During that night, Packwood learned chants, songs, and engaged in other Morehouse-exclusive rituals in his alma mater’s largest sporting facility.

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ATLANTA -- Michael Brewer, a senior at Morehouse College, was strolling purposefully around this storied campus on a hot spring day, his heavy frame dripping sweat, his hands clutching a small stack of fliers.

"No more hate," the fliers read, in a stylish typeface. "No more discrimination. No more."

"What's up, brother?" Brewer said in a lilting, cheerful voice as he approached a fellow student in a dark business suit. "Take one of these, if you will."

The young man gave the flier a glance. It was promoting what was perhaps the most ambitious week of gay rights events in the history of Morehouse, the only historically black all-male school in America.

"What the hell is this?" he said under his breath. He laughed and threw it in the trash.

But Brewer had already moved, unfazed, into the lobby of WheelerHall, where he was taping up posters. The events had been his idea, and he knew they wouldn't go over well with everyone.

"Morehouse is like this enclave where Stonewall never happened," Brewer said, referring to the 1969 New York protest that galvanized the gay rights movement. "It just doesn't exist in this realm of reality."

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This summer the Organization of Black Airline Pilots (OBAP) will hold two (2) ACE Camps sponsored by Delta Air Lines. The purpose of each one-week program is to introduce interested youth to the world of aviation by exposing them to the many challenging  careers and opportunities which the aviation industry has to offer.

Please take the time to read the brochure/application and pass it along to anyone that you know who may be interested. The age range is for boys and girls between 14 -18 years old.

Here's the website with more info and pictures
http://www.obap.org/Programs/programs-ace-camps.asp

The official application is at: http://www.obap.org/Programs/docs/2008_Ace_Camp_Application.pdf

The original Wilberforce closed its doors in 1862. In March of the following year, Bishop Daniel A. Payne of the African Methodist Episcopal Church negotiated to purchase the University's facilities. Payne, a member of the original 1856 corporation, secured the cooperation of John G. Mitchell, principal of the Eastern District Public School of Cincinnati, Ohio and James A. Shorter, pastor of the A.M.E. Church of Zanesville, Ohio. The property was soon turned over to them as agents of the church.

The University was newly incorporated on July 10, 1863. In 1887 the State of Ohio began to fund the University by establishing a combined normal and industrial department. This department later became the University's sister institution, Central State University. Wilberforce also spawned another institution, Payne Theological Seminary. It was founded in 1891 as an outgrowth of the Theological Department at Wilberforce University.

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The work of Fisk's founders was sponsored by the American Missionary Association — later part of the United Church of Christ, with which Fisk retains an affiliation today. Ogden, Cravath, and Smith, along with others in their movement, shared a dream of an educational institution that would be open to all, regardless of race, and that would measure itself by "the highest standards, not of Negro education, but of American education at its best." Their dream was incorporated as Fisk University on August 22, 1867.

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