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American Sign Language, as a visual language, is ultimately accessible to all CSDR students whether they are deaf or hard of hearing.

American Sign Language is a legitimate, natural language, separate from English. It is the leading minority language in the United States after Spanish, Italian, German, and French. (Lane, Hoffman, & Bahan, 1996)

A solid foundation in American Sign Language can lead to the development of English literacy. Development of fluency in both American Sign Language and English literacy is essential for academic, intellectual, socioemotional, and social growth at CSDR and must begin as early as possible.

The development of English literacy is of paramount importance for success in academics and careers. Language growth and conceptual learning are facilitated when communication is clear, consistent, meaningful, and accessible.

American Sign Language and English coexist at CSDR in complex and mutually enriching ways. Students are best served by staff who are capable users of both American Sign Language and written English. No student shall be denied access to instruction because of unmet communication needs.

Communication and the education of Deaf and hard-of-hearing students

CSDR has adapted the National Deaf Education Project’s Statement of Principle as a guideline to shape its educational program. This Statement of Principle asserts that communication is at the heart of human and academic growth; that the “right to language” is necessary for any educational progress; and that language is central to the human experience. This Statement of Principle concludes that virtually everything an individual does or a society accomplishes has at its foundation the ability to communicate. For deaf children this means they must have the opportunity to develop age-appropriate language skills, to be in an environment where there is a critical mass of communication peers, and to be in a classroom where staff can communicate effectively and directly with them. Regardless of the level of hearing loss, the one commonality of all deaf students is that their ability to learn relies heavily on a communication-rich educational, social, and home environment.

CSDR views the development of ASL to be the Deaf or hard-of-hearing child’s first language and written English a second language. A Deaf or hard-of-hearing child must have a solid foundation in their first language before effective education in written English can begin.

First Language Acquisition

This illustrates a flow of language acquisition:

A first language (L1) is the student’s natural, most accessible language for all communicative purposes and serves as the critical foundation that precedes all academic learning. For the mainstream population, L1 would usually refer to the home language of the parents. For instance, English is the L1 for a hearing child of English-speaking parents, while Spanish is the L1 for a hearing child of Spanish-speaking parents. All students must have a solid foundation in their first language before they can acquire a second language (L2). Using the example of Spanish-speaking families, the children’s L1 is Spanish, and they attend school to learn English as their second language.

Incidental Learning and Total Access/Open Communication

Incidental learning, unintentional and unmotivated learning that occurs naturally without any structure or apparent reinforcement, is limited without an individual’s ability to communicate. Students should be able to walk through the hall of their school and see and understand most any conversation that is occurring. They should be able to participate in sports and benefit from seeing, for example, what the coach is saying to another player. Similarly, students begin to learn through observation of adults interacting with one another and reflecting on the appropriate interaction and social skills. Without communication in the home, CSDR students are growing up in a “learning vacuum” that can negatively impact their lives in more ways than just in an academic setting.

CSDR accordingly addresses incidental learning in a number of ways. First and foremost, CSDR has created and adopted for its students a school-wide concept known as total access and/or open communication. This simply means that on-campus the use of sign language (ASL) is promoted and encouraged everywhere and by everyone. New staff hired as Civil Service personnel without direct contact with students are not required to know ASL upon hire; however, the school provides classes for staff during work hours on a weekly basis, giving them the opportunity to learn sign language. The ASL classes are held frequently during the week in small groups, customized to specific staff assignments, such as a class for only the Infirmary staff at their premises with the primary focus on medical vocabulary. Staff are encouraged to sign at whatever level they are able at all times, even if they are in a conversation with hearing individuals. This allows students to have a barrier-free environment for incidental learning.

With this concept in mind, even campus lighting and building structure are designed in a way that promotes both incidental and formal learning. All the new construction currently underway at CSDR takes into consideration the communication needs of the Deaf students. Improved lighting, message boards, and the latest technology in the classrooms and dorms are all in place to maximize the students’ ability to communicate and learn.

Launched in 1953 and ignited by a maverick spirit and a passion for serving students who are deaf and hard-of-hearing, California School for the Deaf in Riverside (CSDR) has attracted deaf scholars and steadfast staff with innovative spirit and a desire to serve deaf and hard-of-hearing students. These exceptional individuals have created paths of success and opportunities for our students while eliminating any and all barriers. This tradition continues, as we are hard at work transforming CSDR to be just as relevant and successful for the next six decades. Student achievement is the core of our purpose. Today the landscape is different and our service has evolved.

CSDR embraces the philosophy that positive academic, intellectual, social-emotional, and physical development is the goal for every Deaf and hard-of-hearing child, and that the responsibility for the achievement of this goal is shared by the student, the family, and the school. In implementing this goal, CSDR uses a bilingual approach to learning and development with equal emphasis on American Sign Language (ASL) and written English. This approach provides individualized and structured group learning experiences, which will lead each student toward his or her maximum levels of functioning capability.

Underlying the CSDR philosophy are a number of tenets that collectively represent feedback gathered from stakeholders such as staff and students, parents, Community Advisory Committee, members of the Deaf community, and local community and business leaders. These tenets represent CSDR’s vision of itself today and the pathway it intends to follow in its pursuit of excellence in education and service. Following are the CSDR tenets grouped under vision, values, beliefs, and educational philosophy.

CSDR envisions a school:

CSDR values:

CSDR believes:

Educational Philosophy

These tenets provide powerful insight as to the nature of CSDR and the challenges the school faces as a residential special education school for the deaf. Members of the visiting committee will find that the tenets contain not only numerous references to American Sign Language, but also other indications that CSDR indeed has one requirement unique to the instruction and learning of Deaf and hard-of-hearing—that only a communication-driven system will effectively meet the educational needs of all deaf children.

We have a visual expression of our purpose - one that marries our past to our present and sets the course for where we're headed in the future. This bilingual logo, by Deaf professional designer Suzanne Stecker, symbolizes our commitment to you that we'll remain true to our core values as we set our sights on the future.

Are Formal ASL Classes Really Necessary? Y-E-S

An official formal ASL curriculum is in place for our students here at CSDR, in addition to their English courses. Is formal ASL instruction really that important and/or necessary? The answer to that question is, once again, a big fat resounding Y-E-S.

Why? Dr. Jim Cummins, a professor at the University of Toronto, works on language and literacy development of English language learners. According to Dr. Cummins, schools that offer bilingual/bicultural programs use ASL not just as a support to English and content mastery, but also as a crucial tool to represent ideas and think critically about issues. Children, whose first language is spoken English, enter school fluent in English but still take English lessons for at least 12 more years.

Formal English instruction helps hearing children deepen their linguistic knowledge and gives them even greater academic strength in their first language. This should also apply to deaf children. The teaching of ASL Language Arts serves the same function, providing these children with an effective tool for thinking and problem solving. Deaf students who receive formal ASL Language Arts instruction transfer this cognitive power to English. They have greater opportunities for developing conceptual and academic proficiency in not only one, but TWO languages.

The best way for students to learn new material is if they activate their prior knowledge. Therefore, we need to ensure that our students here at CSDR have a strong foundation in their first language, ASL. Knowing ASL doesn’t interfere with the learning of English. As a matter of fact, it has the opposite effect. It has been proven that the more signing skills a deaf child has, the more improved the child’s reading skills are, as well.

CSDR has developed a comprehensive formal ASL curriculum specially designed to correlate with common core English-Language Arts standards and objectives for each grade level. The aim is to use ASL as a medium of instruction that focuses on deepening students’ conceptual foundation. Students develop appreciation of ASL grammar, composition, and literature studies, and learn to use ASL for intellectual inquiry. ASL teachers work closely with English Language Arts teachers to connect lessons and build bridges between students’ first and second languages.

View the examples in the chart of student activities during ASL classes that transfer to academic success in other courses:

Instructional Activities from American Sign Language to English

Students who understand the function of a 'metaphor' in ASL... ...are more likely to understand how metaphors function in English.
Students recognize patterns in ASL poetry presented through films... ...and then recognize patterns and rhythms in English poetry.
Students work on developing their presentation skills by videotaping themselves following the signing process.... ...which is similar to the writing process of drafting, revising, and editing.
Students review video clips and edit their presentation until they feel confident... ...allowing the transfer of information onto paper to make quality reports or essays.
Student view signed ASL stories to find story elements such as characters, settings, plots, and themes. They work on various genres while signing stories, and adjust their tone and approach as they present information... ...which transfers to reading skills that students acquire through English Language Arts classes.
Students work on creating proper sentences by identifying subjects and predicates, and then analyze the syntax to see which order of words make the most sense... ...giving them opportunities to better understand how English sentences are structured.

Our Middle School and High School students take two Language Arts classes here at CSDR. One is labeled English and the other one ASL; both teach about language and how best to analyze and appreciate both the students’ first and second languages. The bridges built between these two languages will enhance the academic experience and help students become better language learners and users. The understandings gained from these language classes will not only help students through graduation, but also as lifelong language learners. Students need full support in formal ASL instruction alongside their formal English instruction. With a program like this in place, we see academic growth skyrocket, with improved performance and test scores in all content areas.

ASL Instructional Guide for Teachers

The ASL Instructional Guide (AIG) tool greatly benefits CSDR. AIG fosters ASL literacy skills, which support students’ academic success across the curriculum, whether it is English, math, science, or history. AIG author Todd Czubek, a CODA*, is a Language and Literacy Education instructor under the Deaf Studies program at Boston University. Czubeck signs so well in fluent ASL that he is often thought to be deaf. Teachers and curriculum specialists on the ASL Team received comprehensive trainings on how to use the AIG to serve as group mentors for the school. AIG training was given school-wide for all teachers and teaching assistants who increased awareness about what our students are learning. Mentors assist other teachers with lessons and activities for our students to develop ASL understanding. The better our students and staff understand the foundations of ASL, the better able we communicate academic ideas and connect to academic concepts.

AIG has three major components: ASL grammar study, ASL composition study, and ASL literature study. The grammar study covers semantic processing, cheremic awareness, graphemes (similar to phonics), signs and sign vocabulary (called spacabulary), sentence types, parts of signing (similar to parts of speech), and classifiers. The composition study covers digital storytelling, cinematography, expository compositions, presentations, poetry, ASL songs, number and ABC stories, ASL traits, and ASL media techniques. The literature study covers Deaf studies, themes and genres found in ASL literature, and analysis/evaluation of a variety of literature. Students touch upon these three components throughout their school years here at CSDR. We are very excited about this powerful tool to help guide the school towards greater student academic achievement.

This is an exciting era in deaf education, and CSDR shall lead the way. You are invited to witness the culture of academic excellence and join me in celebrating California School for the Deaf, where language and learning thrive!

ASL Assessments

ASL Viewing Comprehension Assessment is a task that measures how well students understand videotext they view independently. There are 10 questions for each narrative and expository passages presented in ASL videos. After the students finish viewing the passage, they answer explicit and implicit questions and open-ended questions about the vocabulary (“spacabulary”) found in the passage. This assessment is designed for grade K-5 students to perform twice per year and measures grade level ASL viewing comprehension, fluency, and accuracy, and vocabulary.

ASL Viewing Fluency Assessment is an assessment instrument that allows teachers to measure grade K-5 students’ retelling fluency performance in Fall and Spring. Skills assessed include rate of speed, accuracy, expression, comprehension, and overall viewing ability. Students view then retell a passage in a 30-45 seconds clip excerpted from ASL literature videos. The number of correct signs, classifiers, phrases, and grammar usages is determined to provide the ASL viewing fluency rate and to assume if students have mastered appropriate grade-level ASL viewing skills.

6+1 ASL Traits Assessment is a model adapted from the 6+1 Trait Writing Model of instruction developed by Education Northwest. This assessment consists of narrative, informative/explanatory, and opinion/argument videosigning rubrics used to score grade K-12 student videosigning and allows teachers decide how to best meet the videosigning needs of their students. The rubrics comprise a scoring scale with descriptors of 6+1 key traits that define qualify videosigning: ideas, organization, affect, sign choice, fluency, conventions, and presentation. Designed prompts are provided for students to create videosigning in Fall and Spring and also rubrics can be used by teachers and students as regularly and as frequently as necessary throughout the school year.

California School for the Deaf addresses the California State Standards, as well as the Common Core State Standards. “The biggest shift from California Standards to CCSS is more emphasis on developing reading skills across all course work. Students are required to read more informational text and support their opinions/ideas by citing examples,” explains Stacey Hausman, Student Outcomes Specialist.

“The Common Core State Standards is all about engagement!” says Nanci Shrager, Special Projects Supervisor. Our instructors spend time collaborating and exploring the CCSS to identify essential questions that will guide student inquiry. Engagement occurs during hands-on activities and dialogues in a language and/or visual mode that everyone can access. Teachers support the students utilizing Bloom’s Levels of thinking and Webb’s Depth of Knowledge to address the complexities of thinking skills that each task requires.

Ms. Elizabeth Durham addresses her class for the daily question on the board. The day before in their science lab, the students had studied three kinds of rocks. Today the class was going to find out where those rocks came from, or how they were made. Out of her six classes, this period consisted of struggling readers, but still, Ms. Durham was able to address these emphasized common core standards:

In their science logs, the students added “Rocks” to their table of contents. On the next page, they jotted down the page number into the table of contents, before copying the title “Minerals and Rocks,” and the daily question, “How are the three main kinds of rock formed?” using their textbook and a handout as resources. The students quickly labeled the three main rocks in their journal.

Ms. Durham assigned within the group a designated reader, who was stronger in English. That student led the group by reading the task to analyze the information and integrate it into the “Classifying and Grouping” map, which served as their visual model that convened the complicated textbook and organizing it to be comprehensible (RST 6-8.7).

The teacher visibly enlarged the Earth Science textbook through the overhead projector. She emphasized the text’s features by pointing out the blue subheadings, labeled “Forming Igneous Rocks” and signed the paragraph in American Sign Language to the class. The class then gave their suggestions on the main and most important concepts. “Inside the earth” signed Brissa. “Soft… what’s it called… M… that word ‘molten material’ becomes cool and hard,” stated Jason. Ms. Durham underlined these words, and told that class that is exactly right, “Igneous rocks are hot molten materials inside of the earth that rise to the surface and become cool, hard rocks.” The teacher demonstrated where to write that information on a sticky note, and reminded the class to record the page number on the back, because it is important to cite the evidence before sticking it to the correct branch of their tree diagram (RST 6-8.1).

The class divided into two groups, and read from their textbook to each other through ASL. The teacher visited each cluster of desks, observed the students working together, and provided support as needed. Looking at his textbook, Jason expressed to his neighboring classmates: “Yes, this rock may fall and hit the earth, cracking in two. Then with weather and wind there’s a breakdown of the surface material. That’s why it’s sedimentary.” Tiamanie nodded, “Oh, ok that makes sense,” as she looked at her own open-faced textbook.

Smiling, Durham tells those who finished, “Now here’s your challenge!” She recited from Jason’s notebook, and then removed his collection of mini-post-it notes. “These are now scrambled. Can you return these post-its to its appropriate places in your journal?” She continued, “When you are done, pass on a scrambled version to the student to your right, and check with each other for confirmation.” Each individual practiced matching the vocabulary to the scientific descriptions at least three times. Jason reviewed, “Ok, this is Igneous, this is Metamorphic, and this is Sedimentary. Does that sound right?” Noemi begged: “Let me see!” Jason reassured her, “You can go ahead and unscramble it yourself, I can help you.”

After a few minutes, Ms. Durham checked the students’ progress, “Class, who has not yet finished this assignment?” Two female students raised their hands, and the teacher directed them, “Ok, you two can sit together at this table end to help each other. The rest of you please pay attention to your number.” She counts off the students, “1. 2. 1. 2. 1. 2 (before instructing all the number ones to stand up and switch seats with another number one). Now share your thinking map and mixed post-its with your new table partners.” At the end of the post-activity, a student excitedly raised his hand to announce that he was all done. The mentor replied, “Wonderful! And how was it?” The student beamed, “It was easy!”

However, later when reviewing her homework assignment, new student Bless said “This is a lot of reading! I’m not used to this.” Ms. Durham kindly gave her a pass for intervention period, to come back during the last period of the day to get additional assistance, in which the most important information would be highlighted, coupled with a few quick drawings to make it a little less overwhelming for the newcomer.

These reading activities, in which they documented evidence from the text will lead directly into the next day’s writing activity, where they finally answered the daily question, “How are the three main kinds of rock formed?” While they wrote their responses, they used quotes from their sticky notes and cited the page number (WHST 6-8.9). The structuring and organization of their answers followed their thinking map to produce clear and coherent writing (WHST 6-8.4).

With any group of students who range from high to delayed readers, Ms. Durham led the class with high-level, text-based discussions. The students’ process of learning in her classroom as accountable members is as vital as the earth science learning content. When asked about her teaching of the standards, Durham replied:

“I really enjoy the implementation of common core in my class, especially in the sciences! It’s my belief that common core empowers the students to become responsible and active in their own learning. Prior to common core, I was the primary one interacting with the textbook, developing PowerPoint’s to teach the students. Instead, with the integration of common core, the students are the ones actively using the textbook to learn, and I just support and guide them along the way. I have noticed that as the students become responsible for their learning, they become more invested in what they are learning. Once they are invested, the students take their education beyond the classroom and thus learn far more than I ever could I have taught them in that one period. While it has been a change for the students and me, I have already seen fantastic results and I am eager to see further changes in our students as they become more confident and empowered critical thinkers.”

Ms. Shanna Grossinger creates multi-literacy assignments for real audiences and with real purpose. All her students have passed the California High School Exit Exam, and need to be challenged. Her class discussed the George Orwell novel, 1984, before they wrote their comparisons on the overall comment or criticism about society that the “1984” Macintosh commercial made, to the novel, 1984. A student in class spontaneously wrote, “In 1984, citizens march simultaneously to their seats as they listen to Big Brother’s speech. On the contrary, MacIntosh’s commercial criticizes the concept of ‘sameness’.“

The teacher expected her students to give a presentation to the class the next day about their perspectives that will be followed with written articles for the school newsletter and to be shared with the entire student body. The students learned to argue their views, yet respect each other’s differences. They effectively communicated their opinions, ideas, and information through ASL and English, having already grown up with an early language foundation, usually sign language.

“My AP English class is great. I get stimulated by discussions with others with shared interests, and yet have different views,” said senior Karina who has taken an AP English Literature course the previous year at CSDR, and passed the AP test for college credit. This senior, who is also a national all-star player on CSDR’s Deaf Academic Bowl team, aims high. “I want to master the test again this year. My goal is to study hard, practice on my AP test preparation book, learn as much as I can day by day.” Classmate and friend Aurora quipped in, “Definitely… I’m learning a lot in this class!”

On a school-wide basis, CSDR is also focusing on increasing students’ academic vocabulary. Specialist Hausman highlighted, “We have recently implemented a “Word of the Week” program to expose our students, regardless of grade or skill level, to academic language that is frequently used on state tests. The word is posted across campus and is accessible through our intranet where all staff can see a short video clip of the ASL sign that is used to represent the word. Our High School students are helping to “spread the word” by demonstrating the vocabulary on the daily school TV program, “ASL News.”

CSDR Speech Language Therapists Leah Adlesberger, Wendy Keedy, Joan Jackson, and Wendy Green integrate the Word of the Week into therapy sessions. For instance, students work on multiple meanings addressing “word of the week”. Another activity ties curriculum vocabulary with the goal of increasing intelligibility of multisyllabic words.

CSDR serves deaf and hard-of-hearing students from eleven counties in Southern California. In addition to teaching courses directly to deaf students who attend the school, CSDR offers “DeafTEC” training to other programs to help deaf and hard-of-hearing students meet the state standards. Some of our students begin enrollment at CSDR during their middle or high school years, without sufficient language skills and prior academic readiness to learn. It is vital to support their language and academic needs elsewhere, and for the common shared goal of improving the education of all deaf and hard-of-hearing children in California.

CSDR DeafTEC coordinator Denise Hamilton explains:

“One of the big challenges with the Common Core, and Deaf and hard-of-hearing students in a general educational program, is the Listening and Speaking strand when considering the shared use of an interpreter or moving amplification equipment to accommodate communication needs. In mainstream programs, deaf students face a greater obstacle in meeting these rubric criteria due to limited access. Discussions, group dialogue, and turn taking are often a source of anxiety or cause for withdrawal. DeafTEC is a professional development opportunity for general education teachers on how to successfully integrate deaf students in the classroom; empower hearing and deaf students to utilize a variety of resources to communicate effectively; and simultaneously, through collaboration with peers, meet multiple strands of CCS standards.”

Auditory and Speech Support

Speech Village

The Speech Village is located in the Elementary Speech Office. Filled in this space is a make-believe environment of several different stores and restaurants - a fast food joint, a pet store, an ice cream shop, Home Depot, Target, and a bank. Its purpose is to give our speech students an opportunity to use their speaking, listening, writing, thinking, and speech reading skills in real life situations. As an added bonus, students also improve their social skills and money counting skills by interacting in different roles and giving/receiving appropriate change. Each venue offers the students the opportunity to role-play as both a worker and a customer. For example, when portraying a customer at the pet store, the students might ask the worker, “Do you have lizards?” or “May I pet the rabbits, please?” When students have completed communication tasks for a venue, we go on a field trip to the store or restaurant. The students choose which mode of communication they want to use with real clerks who do not know ASL.

One of the benefits of the Speech program at CSDR is our multi-grade level peer mentoring, where our younger kids get to be involved with activities hosted by our older students. For instance, Middle School Speech students hosted a “Speechtacular” Breakfast for elementary students in the Speech Village. For this breakfast activity, the Middle School students had an enjoyable time taking orders, serving food, and reading stories to the elementary students. After weeks of practicing food and drink items, the elementary students got to walk in to a restaurant-style setting. They were greeted by the host where they said their name and took a number. Moving on to the next station, they ordered their food: Pop Tart, waffle, or pancake. Next they ordered fruit: banana, apple, or grapes, and finally they ordered a drink: milk, water, or orange juice. Then they waited patiently until they “heard” their number. The best part was eating at tables set up while they watched an ASL Poem and listened to a story about saying “Please”. The students use their functional skills in a functional setting and practice multiple forms of communication while having FUN (that is the goal of our program – FUNctional)!

The elementary and middle school students love attending Speech Village! Come by to visit!

On-Site Multisensory Sound Lab

What is sound? How do sound waves travel? What do different noises sound like? For many of our Deaf students, sound is an abstract concept that has been difficult to understand, until now. With the installation of the “Multisensory Sound Lab”, a new understanding and experience of sound is possible. In the lab, sound is not just perceived through your ears, but through your whole body.

What is the Multisensory Sound Lab? It is a specially designed room that converts sound energy into other mediums that can be experienced by Deaf individuals, such as vibrations and lights. There are eight interlocking floor panels on top of foam blocks that vibrate when sound is transmitted through the system. Students can sit or stand on the floorboards to feel the vibrations. A light tower, laser, speech analyzer, and television screen are some of the visual displays to show the loudness, pitch, quality, and rhythm of sound. There are also loudspeakers to amplify the sound. The room is equipped with a CD player, microphones, and musical instruments, as well as audio jacks to plug in with various technological devices (mp3 players, computers, phones, etc.).

The Applications of the MultiSensory Sound Lab include:

Here are some examples of how students experience the Sound Lab in an enjoyable manner. The younger elementary students practice making various sounds with the microphone and speech analyzer such as a cat saying “Meow,” a pirate saying “Arrrghh!” and a pumpkin laughing “Hee-hee-hee.” After learning about how sound traditionally travels through the ear, middle school students have multisensory musical experiences in the sound lab with Michael Jackson’s song “Thriller”. The students are intrigued by the different sensations of sounds on the CD track such as doors creaking, footsteps approaching, thunder crashing, and the maniacal laughter at the end of the song. Students enjoy seeing, feeling, and moving to the beat in a newly discovered way!

Interim Assessment

CSDR is a data-driven” school. The instructional focus on what and how we teach our students is dependent upon the feedback we receive from Interim Assessments regarding which concepts students are learning well and which they are struggling to grasp. The K-12 Math Program provides Interim Assessments (IA) 4-5 times a year to all students in the regular program curriculum. Teachers receive test results within 24 hours so they can quickly meet and redefine their teaching focus for math objectives. Each assessment tests both current and formerly taught concepts to ensure students retention of material that helps prepare them for taking the formal state test in April/May. The IA results from the previous year compared to subsequent yeasr are showing student improvement at a variety of grade levels.

Additionally, the English Language Arts Program in the Elementary Department uses the Unit Assessments that are part of the state adopted reading program. Students who are reading on grade level are completing the scheduled assessments five times this school year. Areas tested include reading comprehension, writing strategies, grammar, mechanics and usage, spelling, vocabulary and writing a response to a prompt. Parents are encouraged to check with classroom teachers regarding recent test results and to be aware of the next testing dates.

We value school-wide consistent tests across classrooms in addition to our current informal and formal assessments. What happens in the classroom connects meaningfully to state testing and student achievement.

Standards-Based Grading

We have adopted a standards-based grading system in the secondary programs. The grading system has been transformed from the traditional method to standards-based grading. Standards-based grading (SBG) breaks down the academic subject into content areas and reports a child’s progress in mastering standards following a rubric system with a 1-to-4 scale. This new system was researched and developed by Dr. Robert Marzano after the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) law was implemented. The adoption of a standards-based grading philosophy means our students will always be graded with mastery of a standard in mind. Work habits and behavior are not graded in this system. For instance, homework, participation, and effort will not count toward a grade. Homework is considered to be one of many opportunities for a student to practice a standard that is being taught in the class. The goal of SBG is to provide multiple opportunities to measure whether a student has met the standards. For example, an A would be given to a student who independently demonstrates proficiency and exceeds understanding in course concepts and skills based on a variety of assessment tools.

What is the role of homework in SBG?

The purposes for assigning homework include the following:

Homework scores are not usually included in the assessment of standards, unless the assignment is designed to show mastery. The student’s grade will indicate how well he/she has mastered the content, not whether he/she completes assignments. Work ethic related to homework will be reflected separately from the academic grade. How does a standards-based report card improve teaching and learning? Knowing where the students are in their progress toward meeting standards-based learning targets is crucial for planning and carrying out classroom instruction. Teachers teach to the needs of their students. The new grading system is designed to give teachers more information about the student’s progress in meeting the level of proficiency required by each standard. In addition, teachers share the standards with students and parents, helping them to better understand the learning that needs to take place.

How will “incompletes” be handled in the high school?

If we use standards-based grading to report a student’s progress toward the achievement of a standard, it is an on-going process. For management reasons, we need to establish deadlines by which that progress needs to be reported. However, if a student is still progressing toward the standard at such a time when a report is needed, such as report card time, an incomplete may be given. If, two weeks after that deadline has passed, the student hasn’t demonstrated his full potential on the standard (through reteaching and correctives), the grade should be recorded based on the evidence that the teacher has, or continue as an incomplete if the student’s performance is still progressing. The principal should be consulted and parents informed in extreme cases.

We continuously work closely with students, staff, and parents on continuing “Best Practices” for the 21st century. For more information, contact your child’s principal.

Measures of Academic Progress

What exactly is MAP?

Well, MAP is essentially a computer-based achievement test that is given to our students from grades 2 through 11. It is administered each academic school year during the fall and spring. MAP assesses the students’ skills primarily in three areas – reading, language, and math. Each test typically takes an average of 45 minutes to complete. Here is a typical math question found on the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP):

Why is this test so unique?

Our students find the test particularly user-friendly because it’s not your average paper and pencil style test, but rather a computer-based application. Also, the test is very ingenious in that it caters to the level of the student. In other words, if the student misses a question, he will next be given an easier one; however, if he gets the question right, it will be followed by one that is more difficult.

What do the MAP scores tell us about the student? The scores are threefold. First, they tell us if the student is functioning at an average, below average, or above average level compared to a typical student at his/her grade level. Second, the student’s scores are matched to very specific goals in math, reading, and language. The teacher will then be able to focus on the needs of each individual student by using these precise goals for class instruction. Finally, the student’s expected amount of academic growth for the upcoming school year can be calculated based on his/her grade level and present MAP score.

Note: Student results are sent home every spring to show academic growth from fall to spring.

How are our students performing? Students typically showed considerable annual growth in reading and math. In conclusion, we have found the MAP test to be a “good fit” for our school. CSDR’s scores and academic growth will continue to improve!

Extended Learning Opportunities

The school day schedule includes an Intervention period that is 24 minutes long at the end of the day. This class time is used to provide additional assistance to students: help with homework, vocabulary lessons, Deaf culture lessons, student support services, and study skills. Intervention time is also used for Pep Rallies, class meetings, and short assemblies, which limits “time out of class” for such events. Tutoring is also available to students after school or during lunch periods depending on individual teachers.

In addition to the curriculum programs, CSDR offers additional courses and support services to its high school students. These services are designed to assist students in obtaining the most from the educational experience. A partial list of these services includes:

Instructional Technology

The use of technology to teach in all content areas is increasingly prevalent. All classrooms have Liquid Crystal Display projector technology (LCDs), and each has one or more computer for student use. Classrooms also have large interactive touch whiteboards. Many of the school textbooks are accessible online.

Two ASL (American Sign Language) computer labs are also provided for students in Middle School and High School and to support the ongoing implementation of the Bi-lingual Best Practices program. VoiceThread has been implemented; this is an application which supports the development of students’ ASL (American Sign Language) skills by allowing students and teachers to capture, share, and comment on signed video clips.

The CSDR technology department has purchased and/or established special technology equipment, programs and apps for instructional purposes. CSDR’s technology standards for students have been updated to align with the National Educational Technology Standards (NETS), and performance standards checklists were created to ensure accountability for the development of students’ technology skills. A web portal for students was created to allow easy access to all educational applications and curriculum materials. Additionally, the use of ST Math (Spatial-Temporal Math), which offers students a visual approach for learning math and implements a data-driven system to analyze student achievement and to recognize students’ accomplishments, has been extended school-wide.

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Steel Fencing

  • Steel fencing from the boundary line to your property and is very important for security. Fences is an alternative to expensive brickwork that requires foundations and building inspection.

    Our fences are designed to be sympathetic to the architecture while still providing a secure environment. Our fences are galvanised and Epoxy coated for durability against harsh conditions and will ensure a maintenance free product.

    We offer cost effective solutions to secure your premises that should significantly reduce the risk of being burgled. Our solutions can be tailored to meet the individual requirements of most premises and are manufactured to a very high standard.

Copyright (C) 2014 Concept Steel Creations

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TRUMBULL --Talk is supposed to be cheap. But not in this case.

An Edison Road woman got an expensive and unwanted surprise when she opened an AT&T statement Wednesday for cell service: a bill for $1,136.38 for four phones that she doesn't have.

According to police, the woman contacted AT&T and learned that someone using her identity had purchased four cell phones and service for three additional lines. The buyer had taken out a 700 minute per month shared minutes plans in December, and then proceeded to rack up a total of 4,000 minutes on the phones in a single month. AT&T suspended service to the phones, Trumbull police said, and an investigation is proceeding.


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EDMONTON -- A penthouse suite that was dubbed the sky palace as it came to symbolize what was seen as the former Alberta government's sense of entitlement is open for business.

But the space has become a frankensuite with bedrooms turned boardrooms, hand-me-down furniture, bug-eyed plastic guard owls and one-time premier Alison Redford's old couch.

Construction on the penthouse atop the Federal Building in Edmonton just recently finished and the suite has been available for meetings since Jan. 1.

"I think it's been used six times," said Cheryl Oates, spokeswoman for Premier Rachel Notley.

The 11th-floor suite is a design mishmash: half home, half office, equal parts opulent and shabby. A washer and dryer still wrapped in plastic sit just off the main conference room.

It reflects a political trajectory from lavish home-to-be for Redford to toxic symbol of government excess to its latest incarnation as a politically radioactive fallout zone.

Redford's Tory successors never stepped foot in the sky palace. Oates said Notley and the NDP caucus don't plan to either.

"It has continued as a physical representation of how the PCs squandered our revenue when times were good," said Oates.

"Our government doesn't want to continue that story."

Documents about the suite were released in March 2014 -- just days after Redford quit the top job ahead of a caucus revolt over excessive travel spending on herself, her family and friends.

Spending on the suite was cut off by her Tory successors as public outrage grew over the taxpayer-funded project that had already racked up at least $240,000 in 3D design drawings, colour boards, room dividers, blueprints and construction.

The penthouse was originally intended to be a meeting room, part of a $400-million makeover of the historic Tyndall stone building, which now houses some government officials, opposition legislature members and government backbenchers.

But sometime in 2012, officials in Redford's office took over and began to remodel the top floor. It was to be done in the style of the luxury Hay Adams hotel in Washington, D.C., with its European linens, marble bathrooms, brass fixtures and views of the White House.

The "premier's den" was to be for Redford and her daughter. There were bedrooms, bathrooms, a dining room, lounge, fireplace, powder room, butler's pantry, walk-in closet and room-by-room temperature controls.

The structure itself is elegant: wood flooring, carved wooden posts and floor-to-ceiling exterior windows. Doors open onto a patio with panoramic views of the city.

Plastic owls with slowly rotating heads sit on ledges and rooftops to scare away pigeons.

But almost all the walls are bare. There's the odd potted plant.

The main conference room, where the living room would have been, has a table that sits 14.

A phone sits on the floor.

In the adjacent room, there is a sink, a counter and an empty fridge.

A second, smaller bedroom turned conference area, has an oval table, eight chairs on rollers, a plastic wastebasket and a curtain over the clothes closet.

The third room, what would have been the largest bedroom, is the only one with some vibrancy. There are comfortable red, high-back chairs around a coffee table. There's artwork on the walls.

Along one wall, there is an off-white two-seater couch and two ornate end tables rescued from Redford's old office.

Two floor lamps are the only purchases for the suite. Everything else, say government officials, was begged and borrowed from government storage or surplus.

Redford, now working for the Conference Board of Canada, has never commented in detail on her failed administration except to say "mistakes were made."

Oates said one of the reasons the NDP caucus doesn't use the penthouse is that there are better options, including state-of-the-art meeting rooms just one floor down.

"Those (sky palace) bedrooms are beautiful bedrooms, but not the best meeting spaces."


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Primary Producer/Experience

At CIG, our core ingredients come direct from the source through our strategic supply partners. Our beef and veal products come from farms located less than an hour from our production facility. Our turkey, lamb, and duck bones are sent directly to us from leading high quality processors, consistent with our rigorous standards and requirements. There are no intermediaries, no additional processing step in our supply and production chain.

Nor do we fortify our products by reacting or modify the ingredients we produce with bases from flavor houses. We derive our flavors naturally, by using our own raw materials, cooked, simmered, reduced and processed by us, and then blended into the foundation bases, concentrates, and ingredients we supply to our customers.

It is our goal, and our customer commitment, to use the highest quality pure, natural, minimally processed fresh ingredients in our products. In this manner, CIG is able to provide authentic, culinary, clean label bases and concentrates to our customers. Products our customers can depend on for exceptional quality, consistency, and versatility; products that can deliver rich and robust, subtle or refined flavor notes.


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Historic Scottish Lighthouse Kinnaird Head reveals its many hidden stories

By Culture24 Staff | 07 February 2011
a photo of a white lighthouse on a coastline
Kinnaird Head Lighthouse© Historic Scotland
One of Scotland’s first lighthouses is to have its fascinating story re-told thanks to an overhaul of its existing interpretation and new visitor information panels.

Kinnaird Head Lighthouse, which is owned by Historic Scotland, but run by the Museum of Scottish Lighthouses, boasts a rich history that includes a transformation from a castle into a lighthouse, the only conversion of its kind in Scotland.

Visitors to the site will now be able to learn about areas such as the workings of the old lighthouse including the engine room and foghorn, life as a lighthouse keeper, and the modern lighthouse, which remains exactly as it was when it was decommissioned in 1991.

The folklore associated with the site will also be uncovered including the famous tale of the piper who drowned in The Wine Tower after being imprisoned by a lord who was angry at him for falling in love with his daughter. Legend has it that the piper can still be heard playing his pipes while he searches for his lost love.

The northeast of Scotland has a strong maritime tradition and the diverse site at Kinnaird Head is an important part of the region’s heritage.

“We hope that the new interpretation will help bring to life the fascinating history of the site,” said Kit Reid, Interpretation Manager for Historic Scotland. “It is a truly unique building in Scotland, and a hugely important one and we hope that the new panels will be enjoyed by visitors and educational groups alike.”

The new panels will be on site from spring 2011.
More on the venues and organisations we've mentioned:


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We provide all architect services you need for new construction, rebuilding or refurbishment:
  • Consulting
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For your targets we develop individual solutions. In this our architecture sets high value on:
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For reforbishment and redesign projects we assist you with experience and ideas to:

  • energy-economize your buildings
  • develope new access and utilization schemes
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In especially big or complex projects or in technical special questions we cooperate with other experienced experts.


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Springhill students collect change for change

Published on June 16, 2014
Habitat For Humanity in Springhill received another healthy contribution towards the build for the Embree-Brundage family this month, when Springhill’s family of elementary schools presented the proceeds from its Change For Change fundraiser to the committee. School representatives and members of the family presented Habitat For Humanity Springhill with $346 towards its fundraising goal.

SPRINGHILL – The academic community of Springhill was looking for change, and they got it.

What started as a friendly challenge between Springhill High and the Nova Scotia Community College’s Cumberland Campus to raise money for the Habitat For Humanity project in Springhill, grew into a three-tiered fundraiser when Springhill’s elementary schools – West End Memorial and Junction Road Elementary – got involved, adding another $346 towards the local build.

“Our committee would like to send out a huge thank-you to the schools,” Habitat for Humanity Springhill’s Cheryl Veinotte-Mackey said. “Now the next phase of the Change for Change Fundraiser is for local businesses to offer to put the houses out on their counters for customers to donate. The houses have been painted in bright colors by the elementary school children.”

Any business that is willing to display a house for 2-3 weeks should contact Cheryl Veinotte-Mackey at 902-597-4502 or email cheryl.veinotte@nscc.ca.

With the family selection process now competed, the local Habitat For Humanity team is now looking for a community member with a strong background in corporate fundraising, Veinotte-Mackey said.

“We are going to be focusing very diligently on seeking large-level donations between June and Aug,” she said.

The committee is awaiting final specifications on the build, but for now are working with a $35,000 fundraising estimate. That will be matched by Habitat For Humanity Nova Scotia and in-kind donations.


text:
Dance Troupe earns bid to Nationals at Kentucky summer competition

CVHS Dance Troupe

CVHS Dance Troupe competed in the small varsity jazz competition at a UDA camp in Kentucky, July 15-16, and earned 1st place with a superior rating, securing a bid to the national competition in February. Troupe also received a Team Full Out award for its team routine and each dancer received a blue ribbon for individual routines. Kassi Stiles, Kristen McArdle, Nina Dibacco, Elena Vitale and Kelsey Halloran (bottom photo) were awarded the All-American award for their superior technique. Congratulations Troupe!

Troupe with blue ribbons

Troupe All Americans

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Pittsburgh, PA 15220


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Cybermodeler Online Scale Modeling Magazine

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  • Notice: The appearance of U.S. Air Force, U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Coast Guard, Department of Defense, or NASA imagery or art does not constitute an endorsement nor is Cybermodeler Online affiliated with these organizations.

Revell 1/72 M2A2 Bradley Build Review

By Loren A. Pike

Date of Review August 2005 Manufacturer Revell
Subject M2A2 Bradley Scale 1/72
Kit Number 2134 Primary Media Styrene
Pros Accurate shape, nice detail in this scale Cons
Skill Level Basic MSRP (USD) $9.95

Quoting from the kit instructions: “The M2 “Bradley”, introduced in 1983, is the standard fighting vehicle of the American armoured infantry. The main armament consists of a McDonnell Douglas Helicopter Systems 25mm M242 Bushmaster chain gun with double belt feed (max. firing speed 200 rounds per minute), together with a 7.62mm M242 C machine gun mounted coaxial to the right of the cannon. To the left on the turret is a launcher that swivels up and down for twin TOW anti-tank missiles. The M3 “Devers” (the name of this version was not adopted) is the standard vehicle of the tank reconnaissance units. Both the M2 and the M3 are amphibious after a flotation screen and the trim vane at the front have been erected. The vehicle is still propelled by its tracks when it is in the water and develops a maximum speed of 6.4 km/h.

The first combat capability upgrade made the “Bradley” (M2 and M3) in 1985, primarily involving modifications to the turret, including the capability to fire the new TOW 2 missile, led to the M2A1 and M3A1 versions. A drastic improvement of the passive armour protection in the form of appliqué armour was made within the framework of a further modernization carried out from May 1988 onwards and giving the designations M2A2 and M3A2. Both versions are driven by a V-8 Cummins VTA -903T Diesel engine with a capacity of 608 hp (447 kW) giving them a maximum road speed of approximately 61 km/h. The M2A2 is crewed by a driver, a commander and a gunner. The rear troop compartment can accommodate six infantrymen who dismount via a rear ramp. The combat weight is 22,940 kg. The crew of the M3A2 consists of driver, commander, gunner and two men in the rear troop compartment. The combat weight is 22,443 kg.

The Kit

1:72 Revell #03124 M2A2 Bradley. The parts come in an end-opening box, not at all helpful to building a model and one in which unattached parts slip through the end flaps rather easily. Once you have built sub-assemblies, you have no where to put them (except in an old box from a previous construction project that had a bottom and a top of the box!!). Fortunately, the parts are bagged in a cellophane bag, so until you break the bag open, they are safe. Once opened, I use Zip-Lock™ bags to hold parts once they are cut from the parts trees and until I mount that part on the sub-assembly.

The box top painting is a very good guide to painting the vehicle – if you choose that version. Kit parts are the usual, highly excellent molding that one comes to expect from a main-line manufacturer such as Revell. No excess flash, petite parts and a well executed break-down of the parts into logical assembly. The kit is molded in a dark green plastic. The first couple of pages of the directions give you the various warnings (in multiple languages), the “used symbols” and the “used colors”. There is a full page devoted to the parts trees. The directions run 16 pages and are printed on “re-cycled” newsprint-type paper.

Steps 1 through 6 deals with the track sub-assembly. Once this is complete, you might paint this the appropriate colors and then move on to the next step. Steps 7 – 13 build up the lower hull and its details. Steps 14 – 22 add details to the upper hull. I deviated by not adding the side shields (parts 51, 52, 56 & 57) until a little more base color was sprayed on to my vehicle. I masked off the tracks for the overspray. Steps 23 – 37 complete the turret.

In step 37 I substituted a bristle from a black paint brush for the antennas vs. stretching plastic sprue as the directions have you do. I find that my paint brush bristle is much more flexible and realistic than stretched sprue. I now have sub-assemblies to paint. Since I am doing a “desert Bradley”, the flotation screen (part 59) was left off. Once all the sub-assemblies were painted to my satisfaction, assembly was completed, and the necessary “touch ups” to the paint was done as well as the detail painting described below completed.

Base color is Pactra #M-28 (Israeli Yellow) FS33238. I sprayed the base color on the track sub-assembly, and then detailed the tires with a “rubber black” and the track with 60% matt rust and 40% matt steel thinned mixture, with highlights of the rubber black on the track pads. All was given a thinned dirty wash later.

As stated above, I do my painting in sub-assemblies, then assemble and touch up. Detail painting of the tools, the lights and other items were now done. I then do some “weathering”, and apply decals. Weathering is usually done with acrylics and “flowed on” in a very thin wash. A dry brushing is the last item done, prior to a matt overall coat, and this is done very sparingly.

As to the lights, I use a very simple technique of first painting a light silver (from the small Testors bottle) letting it dry a few DAYS – this stuff takes forever to dry. Then, I use the appropriate acrylic “clear” paints (red for taillights, amber for turn signals, blue for vision blocks, etc.) and cover the silver. The result is a very lifelike representation of a light, vision block, etc.

Since armor models do not have a lot of decals, I do not spray the entire model with a gloss coat (over my matt base) but rather use “puddles” of Future™ to float the decals on the model. I first brush a small “puddle” of Future™ on the vehicle, and then put the decal down, then an overcoat of more Future™. (Future™ is a clear, acrylic usually used by homemakers to coat their floors and manufactured in the USA by Johnson & Johnson).

After all my weathering is done, highlighting and dry brushing done, I then overcoat the entire model (being careful to either mask or do at a later time the light lens, vision blocks, etc that need to be glossy) with a dull coat. Currently I have a bottle of Floquil-Polly S ( #110015 Flat Finish) that I have been using, but many brands will work and cover up and blend you decals, paint and weathering.

I’m trying a new (for me) procedure with the “air recognition flag” found in the decals. I’m applying it to a piece of ordinary aluminum foil (glossy side). As you can see in the photos, this “drapes” very naturally and I’m pleased with the results.

Because of the “link and length” track, this is not a kit for a beginner. Also, because of the “link and length” track, I would strongly recommend this kit for someone with some experience in these assemblies as the track is extremely well detailed and fairly easy to cut off the sprue trees and to assemble. I wish that the manufacturer (all manufacturers for that matter) would include a few more “extra” single track sections as the “carpet monster” does collect its dues from time to time!!

The level of detail is outstanding. The directions are very well designed, laid out and clarity is above average. The number of optional finishes is a plus.

I had a lot of fun building this kit and enjoy its intricate detail once it is completed. I would strongly recommend this kit to anyone interested in modern U.S. Army vehicles.

Now, where is the support M-977 HEMTTs?

  • M2A2/M3A2 Bradley: Backbone of the U.S.Mechanized Infantry by Concord Publications Company
  • M2/M3 Bradley in Action by Squadron/Signal Publications
  • M2/M3 Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicle 1983-1995 by Osprey/New Vanguard Publishing


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Interview with Melissa Sweet

What is your favorite thing you learned while researching the book?

There were so many favorite things. One is that White, by his own account, was not a great reader. Not that he didn’t read, or have a library in his home, he just preferred being outside and doing a myriad of things from shearing sheep to sailing. That made him feel like a kindred spirit. But how then did his writing feel so effortless? That was the key question to answer.

d9f029e390eb6a0097141258d45e294c-683x1024-1-400x600When you finish a project, do you find it’s easy to move on to something new or do you still think about things you’d like to change or add to your previous work?
Moving on from a project is a challenge since a book never feels quite done. But every book is a prototype for the next project.  A long time ago I had an art teacher who questioned why I was redoing a piece of art. She asked if this new art was going to be “better,” or just “different”? It’s a conundrum, and I think about this a lot in making books. Oftentimes the first take is the best one.

Some Writer! was a longer project than other books you have done. How was your process the same or different from a picture book?

There were similarities to other nonfiction projects, especially in researching and designing a book that marries words, images and archival material. But this book was huge, both in content and visually, and keeping it all straight made me lose sleep at night! Taking small bites helped. For instance, one day all I did was write down the thirteen chapter titles. Other days, I built wooden boxes. Many days I would read randomly read any of White’s work all day. It took time to absorb who he was and how he thought. As Some Writer! unfolded it became a hybrid, a chapter book and picture book, or graphic biography. The biggest decisions in this project (and in all writing) was what to leave out.

What is one thing you hope young readers will take away from Some Writer?

My intent was to create a book that would inspire young readers to write. E. B. White never claimed writing was easy, and he was a stickler for editing until the piece was done. (Like the rest of us, White often made small changes up right up to the last minute). After Some Writer! was published I did a series of school visits, and later learned that one student who read the book was asked how it made him feel. He said, “Like I knew him.” That’s all a biographer could hope for.

What can we look forward to reading from you next? What can you tell us about what you’re working on now?

I’m juggling a few ideas for the next book I’ll write and illustrate. This spring I have two new picture books, CRICKET IN THE THICKET by Carol Murray, and BAABWAA AND WOOLIAM by David Elliot. The next book I’m illustrating (in its early brainstorming stage), is by Kwame Alexander, to be published in 2018.

Thank you so much for your time!
Thank you to all the bloggers who made this Cybils Award possible.  I’m honored, especially given the Cybils Award mission that a book be “yummy and delicious.” I’m thrilled  Some Writer! fits that description.


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Bus Booking Software Solutions - Cyrus eTraveledge is a unique solution for Bus Operators to offer bus booking facility on own bus booking engine. Its help the bus operators to book and deal with seats effectively. This is an online bus booking software which provides full control of the administrator to connect the unlimited distributor/reseller with own bus booking portal and also allow online users to book the bus tickets for any root all the time with just internet service.

Our developed eTraveledge bus ticketing system is a comprehensive solution facilitates to the bus operator to allow multiple currencies and permit users to choose and pay in their prevalence, and performing availability search, aggregation and travel booking products.

Our online bus ticket booking engine is integrated with bus booking API that support the user in cornering the best possible deal available for a particular destination as per the selection of the user. After the user area the bus booking engine will be redirected to the payment gateway integration.

This is a web based booking/reservation system with full control of the business in your hands with access of internet facility.

All in all, our developed B2B, B2C bus booking software provides reliable and scalable solutions to all the bus operators.

Now with eTraveledge - Bus Booking Software can make bus booking in easy steps. Just select the From to Destination and there you go. Our Developed Online Bus Booking Engine is integrated with Bus API, as we contracted for all major Bus Transporters in India, which permit our visitors to book bus tickets from mostly every part of India to any part of India. All Indian destinations are mentioned in the bus booking engine. The user can search routes, compare rates and confirm reservation in real time with this bus reservation system.

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Speaking of fish…

by The Good Reverend on January 13, 2005 · 9 comments

in Audio Visual,Sci-Tech

Yes, I am aware that a killer whale is not a fish, but segues are supposed to be strained, so bear with me.

I have a soft spot for animals, but I just can’t help finding this a really cool “experiment”.  Does that make me a bad person?  No?  How about the gaggle of dead hookers in my basement?  (Note to Orwellian FBI web-sniffer programs – I don’t really have dead hookers in my basement… they are all alive and well…. goddammit, off-topic again.)

Goldfish: “What the hell?  Nothing good can come of this..”
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  • mrcookieface

    Great find.  I loved some of the other movies on that site.  I’ve been watching them all afternoon.

  • http://www.livejournal.com/users/om_mani_padme_ olivesmarch4th

    Wow.  I find that so disturbing.  Seriously.  I can’t see the merit of deliberately causing something to suffer, even if it is “just” a fish.

  • http://www.dadsbigplan.com .alphamonkey.

    Yah…. I don’t know about that one. I’m all for fishing, so obviously I’m not super keen on being nice to fishies…but that’s just hard to watch. I kept thinking about it being a person in a room filling with water.

  • http://www.transbuddha.com The Good Reverend

    Would it help if I were to inform you that the goldfish was a reincarnated Nazi SS officer?  I thought so.. enjoy.

  • http://www.livejournal.com/users/shadwstalkr Shadow Stalker

    I had totally forgotten that URL.  Thanks.

  • http://www.boonhead.com Haserhud

    Did you see the one with the rat? This isn’t art, and it isn’t clever, it’s bullshit trying to be different.  That’s all.

  • http://www.transbuddha.com The Good Reverend

    Now I agree that it’s not art.  But come on – jump-starting a fish with a battery is pretty fucking clever.

  • Captain Seafart

    I don’t appreciate the method, but I do see what they are trying to convey. However, I do not think it is artwork in the broadest sense of the term.

    I just cannot condone what they did. I don’t enjoy watching a creature struggle and be helpless.

  • http://www.dhadm.com dragonslayer

    I feel like I just lost a chunk of my life since I had to manually search for this.  Tremendous search capability on the buddha today.

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Sure it looks cool, but will it get me chicks?

by alphamonkey on January 4, 2005 · 1 comment

in Audio Visual

Pen Spinning is an odd thing. We’ve posted pen spinning stuff before, and I will admit I get kinda hypnotized watching them, but unless you’re a magician (gay) or a pickpocket, what the hell? How long do you think it takes this guy to practice in a week?Click for hot pen spinning action.

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    I bet the ladies love him.

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Student actors  excelled at the physical comedy that’s a big part of "Noises Off."
Student actors excelled at the physical comedy that's a big part of "Noises Off." (Courtesy photo)
If you go

3 stars

What: "Noises Off"

When: 7:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday

Where: University Theatre, University Theatre Building, University of Colorado Boulder

Tickets: $15 general admission; $12 CU students; $5 high school students/youth; $13 seniors

Info: 303-492-8181 or

Parents' guide: Some sexually suggestive material

(This story was updated Oct. 5 to correct the Friday and Saturday times.)

A raucous crowd received the opening night of "Noises Off," performed by students at the University of Colorado. Clearly the patrons who attended opening night enjoyed the play, although it was clear that individual actors had cheering sections in the house.

"Noises Off" has been lauded as one of the funniest and beloved modern farces. Chock-full of sight gags and near-misses, it is a challenging play, entirely dependent on impeccable comic timing and a very strong sense of storytelling. The actors fulfilled the acrobatic demands of this script and pulled off the timing of the physical humor, especially Alex Demos as Garry and Kevin McKechney as Lloyd. Both actors got roars for both the timing of their lines and their movements.

"Noises Off" is especially funny for the theater insider.

It tells the story of the last rehearsal of opening night, then details the backstage antics that stem from the emotional entanglements within the theater company and, finally, how their enduring difficulties have molded their performances. To anyone with even a passing knowledge of the play-making process, it lovingly stereotypes the personalities that can be the products of a theater major. And for the students included in producing "Noises Off," the process of self-recognition that's often part of rehearsal can prove to be both horrifying and delightful.

The Colorado Shakespeare Festival did a version of "Noises Off" this past summer on the same stage, and that production set a the bar high It's unlikely the audience for the Shakespeare Festival and for plays produced by the University Theater have much crossover, but the juxtaposition of the two versions places the CU students is a bit of a bad position because the performances by the CSF actors created such huge shoes to fill. While the shared audience is probably limited, I attended both productions and found it difficult not to have at least a small point of comparison, and images of the professional actors, in the back of my mind.

While the physical comedy was quite accomplished, it is critical to this play that the audience be focused on the plot so as to understand the continuing complications of the story. There was a lot of stuff going on. A lot of stuff. I found it difficult to weed through so much stage business to clearly follow the story, and so some of the funniest moments in the play whizzed past the audience without getting the big laughs I have seen them get in other productions.

But, in the end, the audience, made up of mostly undergraduates, was delighted with much of what the evening presented. They seemed to be having a fun time with all the slapstick, and if the reaction of an ordinarily bored and skeptical group of undergraduates is any indication, then this production certainly pleased the target audience.


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Ulster County Democratic chairman 'very unhappy' with town cross-endorsement of James Quigley

KINGSTON, N.Y. - Ulster County Democratic Party Chairman Frank Cardinale said he is unhappy about the town of Ulster Democratic Committee cross-endorsement of Republican Town Supervisor James Quigley for re-election next month.

Cardinale said it was "very poor judgment"for Quigley to seek salary increases for department heads and himself given the status of the local economy.

"On the heels of the supervisor asking for upwards of 15 percent increases in salary to most, not all of the town elected officials, I think it is extremely unfortunate and I am very saddened by the fact that because they cross-endorsed Jim, people may view that as us being a party to this and, I can assure you, that from the (county) committee's perspective, that is clearly not the case," Cardinale said.

Quigley's proposed 2014 town budget of $11.1 million includes a pay raise for himself of 15.5 percent, as well as raises for other town officials.

Editor's note: This story was modified 10-10-13 @ 01:04 PM to correct Cardinale's reference to "poor judgment," which was a criticism of Quigley, not the town of Ulster Democratic Committee.

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Booze chucked at mosque while worshippers prayed in 'racist attack' | Daily Star

Booze chucked at mosque while worshippers prayed in 'racist attack'

COPS have launched a race hate probe after bottles of booze were chucked at a mosque while worshippers were praying inside.

Mosque and booze bottles GETTY

ATTACK: Cops believe the attack was racially motivated

It is claimed that a male youth was seen launching alcohol bottles at the Totteridge Mosque in High Wycombe, Bucks, before taking off in a car.

Thames Valley police said the incident was a "serious threat to a cohesive and diverse society".

Detectives said it is being treated as a "racist hate attack".

Totteridge mosque CASCADE

MOSQUE: Totteridge mosque in High Wycombe, where the incident occured

Director of community relations organisation Islamix, Mohammed Khaliel, was at the mosque when the incident happened.

He said: "When worshippers looked at the back, a male youth was seen rushing into a car and driving off at speed.

Man praying GETTY

HARAM: Alcohol is forbidden in Islam

"Shattered glass and alcohol was spread on the ground.

"We were shocked to hear the glass smashing and loud bang noise, followed by the speeding off by the car.

"The good news is that we have a comprehensive CCTV system at the mosque and I hope it’s just a matter of time before the offenders are caught."

But Mr Khaliel claimed that there was a "reluctance from some members of the public to approach the police" over the attack.

Last year two pigs' heads were shockingly put outside of a Muslim school in Blackburn after protests over plans for a mosque on the site.

Pigs heads GETTY

HEAD: Pigs' heads have been dumped outside of mosques and muslim schools in the past

Pigs' heads were also dumped in the car park of a mosque in Blackpool in 2014 in the aftermath of the murder of Fusilier Lee Rigby.

Alcohol is "haram" in the Muslim faith, meaning "forbidden”.


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Kim Jong-un blacklisted as more aggression feared from North Korea | Daily Star

North Korea attack risk surges as Kim Jong-un's overseas assets are frozen by US

NORTH Korea will ramp up violence towards the West now Kim Jong-un has been blacklisted, it's feared.

Kim Jong-un and soldiers carrying North Korea flags GETTY

WARPATH: It's feared that things will get worse before North Korea even considers negotiating

The secretive state has delivered a series of terrifying threats to the US in recent months as relations deteriorate.

Already , while .

Now striking back, America has added the tubby tyrant and 10 of his top officials to a blacklist, freezing their overseas assets.

Barack Obama gives last State of the Union address GETTY

HITTING BACK: It's believed Obama wants to force North Korea to negotiate using sanctions

“This is the most comprehensive US effort to date to name those responsible for North Korean repression”

US State Department

But experts fear that the move, rather than forcing Kim to negotiate, will cause him to lash out against his enemies.

Ex-Whitehouse advisor Victor Cha highlighted the furious reaction to the film, The Interview, in which the leader is assassinated.

Predicting further aggression, he told the New York Times: “In August and September, we’re going to see a lot of belligerent activity by North Korea.

"Remember how they reacted to the movie, The Interview? That’s just fiction; this is real life. They may react very negatively."

The release of the film led to a North Korea-backed group hacking Sony Pictures and threatening cinemas showing the film.

Washington announced Kim would be blacklisted for human rights abuses, including extrajudicial killings, forced labour and torture.

Hundreds of thousands of people are believed to be in , which were branded "worse than Auschwitz" by one survivor.

The hermit kingdom has also been warned to expect a new famine, despite .

John Kirby, a spokesman for the US state department, said those blacklisted were just the beginning and more names would follow.

He said: “The report represents the most comprehensive US government effort to date to name those responsible for or associated with the worst aspects of North Korean government repression.

"[This] includes serious human rights abuses and censorship in the DPRK, and we will continue to identify more individuals and entities in future reports.”

Mr Cha said President Obama was trying to use sanctions to force North Korea to negotiate about its nuclear programme, as he did with Iran.


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Dance Brigade's Dance Mission Theater

Photo SlideShow

Dance Mission Theater is an artist driven space dedicated to inclusiveness, fairness, and justice. We create, produce, present, and teach feminist and multicultural dance/theater, engaging a diverse group of Bay Area artists, audiences, and students. Many female, queer, racially mixed, and culturally specific ensembles consider Dance Mission Theater their artistic home, creating a thriving inter-generational community. Dance Mission Theater is also the home of Krissy Keefer's Dance Brigade, San Francisco’s groundbreaking, social-change dance company and Grrrl Brigade, Dance Brigade’s youth leadership dance company.

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Skinny Corn Chowder

This skinny corn chowder recipe is a slightly modified version of the famous recipe my mother-in-law used to make back on the farm. It was always a treat when she had this marvelous soup waiting for us after a day of traveling. It was a perfect warm welcoming to get us settled in for a cozy visit.

This version is a bit healthier than the original with whole wheat flour instead of white flour and less butter. Hope you will enjoy it as much as we do.

2.5 cups boiling water
2 cups chopped potatoes
1 c carrots
Half cup celery
1/4 c onion chopped
Half tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
3 T butter
1/4 c whole wheat flour
2 c milk
3/4 c Parmesan
1 can cream of corn

1. Combine the first 7 ingredients and boil 15 minutes. Meanwhile make white sauce.

2. To make white sauce, melt butter in a large pot on the stove on medium heat. When melted and softly bubbling, whisk in flour until combined. Slowly stir in milk. Whisk constantly until heated through and thick.

3. Add cheese. Then add veggies and water; simmer until blended and hot. Serve with a slice of warmed wheat bread.

Find us at Pint Sized BakerMandy’s recipe box,  Nap-timecreations,  Inside Brucrew LifeKitchen meets Girl ,  Fluster BusterBuns In My OvenFull Plate ThursdaysWhat’s cooking, love?,  Mandatory Mooch Food,  Done Light  link Parties!

5 Responses to Skinny Corn Chowder

  1. Jodi, I just made a version of a healthy-fied clam chowder–great minds think alike 🙂 Yours looks wonderful and I LOVE the Parmesan. Can’t go wrong with cheese and soup!

  2. I love a healthy soup.. especially chowder!! I’m pinning this and sharing on Facebook today. Thank you so much for linking up to Wake Up Wednesdays!!

  3. Miz Helen says:

    We just love Corn Chowder and your recipe looks delicious! Hope you are having a great day and thank you so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday!
    Come Back Soon,
    Miz Helen

  4. Karly says:

    Sounds fabulous and hearty, I need to try it soon! Thanks for linking up with What’s Cookin’ Wednesday!

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Ambon Scorpionfish

Hairball 1, Lembeh Strait, North Sulawesi, Indonesia
Honeycomb Cowfish Juvenile Fish in Fire Urchin Clark's Anemonefish Ambon Scorpionfish Fireworm Cassis Cornuta Helmet Snail Crab Carrying Fire Urchin
Click to view the next photo

photographer Linda Cline.

notes: Warming filter on strobe. Optical sync.

photographer: Linda Cline | shooting date: 2010-11-28 | camera: Canon 7D in Nauticam Housing | lens: Canon 100mm f/2.8 | light source: Inon Z240 strobes | media: Digital | shooting mode: Manual | metering: Multi-Segment | country: Indonesia | location: Hairball 1, Lembeh Strait, North Sulawesi | categories: All, Random Choice, Favorites, Fish
SLIDESHOW OFF | 4s | 7s | 10s | 15s | 20s

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Easy link to this photo: http://www.dancingfish.com/gallery/photo.php?photo=101128045

All images copyright Linda Cline. All rights reserved. All unauthorized usage forbidden.


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Loving The Ordinary

Not too long ago, I wanted to be an actress and a model. I would look at magazines and movies and think that my life would have more meaning if I was famous. I was bored with the ordinary. It was redundant and simplistic. I needed excitement. I needed to escape my fears.

When people started pointing out my physical "flaws," my dreams of stardom became more and more distant.

At Eighteen, I started looking for a part-time job to pay for College and living expenses. My application for each job I applied for kept being rejected. I was becoming desperate for money.

I dyed my hair blonde and lost a lot of weight.

I was dating a guy who kept telling me to wear revealing clothing. He would even go shopping with me to ensure I purchased short skirts and see-through shirts.

One day, after being rejected for yet another job, I decided to walk around midtown. NYC is full of distractions. A man approached me and asked me if I wanted to become a model. I said yes and he gave me his business card.

I didn't know it then but I was craving for attention from men because my father used to ignore me and abuse me emotionally.

I visited the photographer and he asked me to model in a bikini. I did.

He asked me to model naked. I said no and left. I never returned.

I am very grateful that I trusted my intuition at that time.

My self-esteem was low. I could feel myself trying to escape. I didn't turn to drugs or alcohol. I'm lucky. Instead, I developed this critic inside my head that manipulated my every move for a long time.

I've recently tasted real love and no longer need to seek attention from men. I need to give myself true love. My boyfriend has brought down the wall I had built around love. I realized that my other boyfriends were a reflection of my unmet needs from childhood. Realizing your troubles is half the battle.

I am looking for natural enjoyment of life like: reading books, writing, walking, helping others and simply finding joy in the ordinary.

My body is not an object. It is a beautiful creation of God that I am grateful for. There is no need for me to compare myself to other women anymore. We need to love and support each other. I'm learning to love every "imperfection" that my body has. I remind myself that I was a child once. A child who never thought ill of herself. I choose to love my simple body.

Money is a tool and I choose to use it for good. I don't desire a million dollars anymore. I used to want that much money just a few years ago. That desire just made me miserable.

I am considering giving up my career in Accounting to become a Therapist (through the Social Work path). I can still apply my knowledge of Accounting but as a part-time bookkeeper. I'm so excited that one day I could work full time in the mental health profession!

People ask me if I ever worry about the decrease in salary I will experience with the new career. I don't worry because I am saving money and my desire for more stuff is decreasing. I want more love, not material possessions so I guess I'll be ok with less.

When I was child, TV was my friend. Now I know that I am my best friend. I no longer need to idolize celebrities and entertainers. I no longer need to watch movies like The Avengers or TV shows like Criminal Minds to get entertained.

I prefer volunteering, reading, writing, dancing, and spending time with my boyfriend.

Being famous or a Superhero no longer entices me. What calls me is love. Love for others. I want to dedicate my life to helping and protecting people.

Magic does not call me anymore. Life is raw. It is a blank canvas. I can save the world by helping one person at a time.

Being ordinary is a blessing.

Thanks for reading!

With Love, Dania


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May 4-5

Getting Started in Istanbul

This trip began with two days of hard labor. The Byzantines certainly know their bureaucracy, and provided two days of Customs clearing paperwork and runaround just to get our motorcycles into the city. Have to hand it to them, the bureaucrats have upgraded and automated their processes. The software glitch was finally solved by a high level Byzantine-looking bureaucrat conducting high level bureaucracy for which the Byzantines are known.

When our family lived here in the early 50's, the population was the same as Cleveland had then. Istanbul has 15 million people, some of the most expensive real estate in the world, stores like you would find on 5th Avenue, ornate mosques - an absolutely fabulous city. The people are educated and, as a rule, have a great sense of humor. The Bosphorus is teaming with big ocean-going ships, tankers, and sprinkled with hundreds of ferries, small power boats and row boats. It is an enormous commercial hub. There is construction on every block – cranes everywhere. There does not seem to be any end to the city's growth.

But 15 million people make for some serious traffic. We have all known people that get a little too close when talking to you and violate your space. From the standpoint of a motorcycle rider in Istanbul, the space violation is catastrophic. Instead of giving you perhaps 2' to spare around your motorcycle as we have in Cleveland, they basically give you 2", and constantly pushing for even less space. Twice during the acclimating ride back from Customs, people cut in front of me leaving no more than 2" to spare. But now after driving about 20 miles around Istanbul, I have developed the same aggressive habits (when in Rome...).

Turkish Politics

I arrived in Istanbul on the double-witching day of Turkish politics. May Day was in progress and Taksim Square was filled with soldiers, snipers on the roofs, armored personnel carriers with water cannons, hundreds of police, and the smell of tear gas. The Government was being compromised. The Islamists wanted to elect a President to replace the current one (who has been a pain to them and whose eight-year term has come to an end). The Court (dominated by the other party based on the ideals of the father of Turkey) instead ruled that the Islamists could not elect a President, but that a new government had to be formed. The Islamists got into power with only 35% of the popular vote because of a rule that allows only parties with at least 10% of the popular vote to be represented in Parliament – a very peculiar structure, but apparently one that made sense 20 years ago when the military government made the modification. Understanding the Turkish Government is very difficult. The constitution has approximately 160 provisions in it, and no one understands them completely (must make for better bureaucracy). In any case, some sort of new government will be coming on soon. It will probably mean a more middle-of-the-road president and court system. But the military will still be there to stabilize any sudden move away from secularism; the Islamists will still be there with their strong growth oriented capitalist bent; and the country will continue to prosper and be the bright star in the Islamic world.

In the period that the Islamists have controlled Parliament, Turkey has prospered more than any time in history. Direct foreign investment (like building factories) in the last five years has been greater than in the last 20 years. However, there are some very strong feelings among men and women that the Islamists need to have their ears pinned back. There will be more on Turkish politics in blogs to come.

The Motorcycle Group

There are twenty of us, and it is turning out to be a fascinating group of people. There is a self selection process – who can spend two months to travel on a motorcycle over more than one-third of the world? I do not know anyone in the group and neither do most of the others, but they are all very experienced riders.

The group leader is a Norwegian named Helge, who is more-or-less the father of adventure motorcycling, which is what this is called. Our second leader is an amputee who lost a leg in a previous trip, but drives a side car with unparalleled zeal and skill. The tour guide for the Turkish part of the trip is Kaz – I have ridden with him before. He is a Turk who is a phenomenal rider, riding on the highways at rarely less than 100 mph, and has been invaluable in teaching us everything about Istanbul.

I do not know much about the other riders, but one of them, Dennis, just had twins six weeks ago. His wife had no problem with him going on this trip. He explained that the gestation period for a motorcycle trip such as this is nearly two years, whereas the gestation period of the twins was only nine months. He is a terrific guy, and clearly has a terrific wife. Another rider has brought along his girlfriend. He told the group amid tears how much these trips have changed his life and how happy he is to have his girlfriend with him on this one.

We left Istanbul the morning of May 4th, driving to Bursa.

Further blogs will have more about the people and more about the aspirations of the young citizens in the countries through which we travel. We will also include some photographs when I become more email literate.

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Commercial building, 30X48, with 3 8X10 overhead doors w/ openers.  Has 2 walk in doors, bathroom, and well on property.

Approximately 1/2 acre lot.

Commercial Property

1927 Model T Roadster

Farm #2

3 BR ,2 1/2 bath full

basement,WB fireplace, 24X24 screened patio,

30X48 garage/shop  Property also has 16X80 mobile 3BR,2B, that is leased.

Farm #1

38 acresM/L
3 BR, 2 bath, 1 car att. gar.
Large sunroom, completely
new kitchen, 40X60 barn w/1 horse stall
and tack room and 12' leanto
24X36 barn w/14' leanto

Horses, mule, donkeys,and tack

2 Paso Fino mares                                           1 Black gated mule

5 nice donkeys

Large lot horse tack

2 new horse collars

Old harness

Like new buggy harness

16" flex tree Decota saddle

Horse clippers

26 4X5 bales 1st cut

19 4X5 bales 2nd cut

Richline 16' aluminum boat w/9.5 HP

Woods 6' finish mower

XL12 chain saw

Stihl weed eater

Large lot steel fence posts

New and used steel stock

Rebuilt dock deicer(never used)

40' radio antenna

2 post vises

1 forge blower   1 forge pot

Bench vise

Lawn Equipment, Household, and Misc.

2515 State Road NN

   .8 miles south of  hwy 7

Climax Springs, MO

Farm Equipment and Machinery

Caterpillar 953C track loader w/ cab, ac, 90% UC

Bobcat S750 cab,ac,heat,hyd detach, 330 hr.(2011)

with material bucket

6' grapple rakefor bobcat

6' rotary mower for bobcat

Tree shear for bobcat

Case 850B dozer, 85 HP

8' brush rake for dozer

Fiat Allis M65D motor grader, 10' blade

Chevy Dump Truck, CAT diesel, 13 spd, 15' bed

20 ton tag trailer, tandem duals

New Holland tractor,80HP, cab, ac

John Deere 430, wide front end, 3 pt.

John Deere 9' disc mower conditioner

9' International sickle mower conditioner

New Holland 658 round baler,4'X5'

New Holland manure spreader

New Holland 450 sickle bar mower

New Holland 451 sickle bar mower

Ford 3 pt. hay rake

John Deere 3 pt. hay rake

Brillion seeder

3 section harrow

Hay wagon

3 point seeder

WW 4 horse trailer

Bale unroller

Kingkutter 6' rotary mower

1979 Ford lime truck

8' disc, 3 pt.

3 pt. bale spike

Tractor tire drag

Danuser posthole digger, new 12' auger

Fimco sprayer

Barn fan on trailer(26000CFM)

Wood splitter

Training sled for horses and mules

1997 30' Winnebago Brave

Saturday, Oct. 26, 2013

9:00 am

Jim Kendzora, owner

Public Auction


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Travel Season and the Nonprofit Journey

It’s vacation season.  Time to pack up the suitcase and jump in the car, head to the airport, or hit the highways.  Many of us are enjoying pools or beaches or hiking on shaded mountain trails.

Most people are in the mood to travel.  So why not take your volunteers and donors on a journey?

This is a great time of year to take your donors on a tour—virtually, if not actually.  Get out your video camera and walk through your center or the woods or the neighborhood in which you work or an animal habitat (depending on your cause). And if you can’t, for whatever reason, video, then, transport them to your agency through your vivid descriptions.

Use a (metaphorical) “telescopic lens” and zoom in on a single life:  focus on a day in the life of one of your clients. Talk about the details of what one of your client’s life is like and the impact your organization has had.

Last week, my twenty-year-old daughter who is away for the summer unexpectedly made an appearance on our doorstep at about 10:00 pm Monday night. She’s working for a summer camp (where my husband also works) and because one of her co-counselors was sick they needed someone to substitute for a couple of days.

“Mom,” she said, “would you come and be a counselor?”

After I realized she wasn’t kidding, I stopped laughing and surprised myself and said “Yes.”

As I spent two days with fourth-graders, not only did I develop a renewed and reinvigorated appreciation for everyone I know who is a school teacher (really:  I haven’t been nice enough to you all.  I’m sorry.  May I wash your cars? Let me cook you dinner.  Please, sit down and relax.  I’ll mow the lawn.  You don’t have to), I thought about nonprofit communications:  this is the perfect, ground-level view to write from.  We should all do this at our agencies.  We forget to.

We get busy with board meetings and writing United Way applications and grant reports and personnel issues so we don’t get out of our offices often enough—or if we do—we don’t spend the time on the frontline with our clients often enough.

And the perspective is so very cool from there. I had no idea that fourth-graders were constitutionally incapable of being quiet for even a single minute.  I also didn’t know that if you have a group of twelve of them, at any given moment, at least one of them has to go to the bathroom. But I also learned much more interesting and significant things about the kids, the very talented staff, the compassionate volunteers, and the program in those two days. Imagine being able to share that with a donor in a “show” rather than “tell” sort of way.

It would give your donors significant insight and, no doubt, impact them, just as it was a powerful experience for me. And if your donors could have the benefit of vicariously living the story without the sunburn or mosquito bites—all the better!

So here’s my July challenge for you:  grab hold of the summer travel metaphor and take your donors on a journey. Show them what they’re investing in by taking them on a tour. It’s travel season.  Make sure your organization is a stop on their itinerary.

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