Week #2 Pictures

Week two of camp is over already.  Both existing gardens have been planted, and so our focus will be on the Spring Street property from here on out.  We planted some tomatoes and some other vegetables Thursday at the Linmar Day camp.  Here are some photos from of the third and fourth graders planting tomatoes:

The first and second grade class also helped with some planting of cucumbers and string beans, but I misplaced the camera so I don’t have any good pictures from their class.  It was really hot outside by the time the fifth and sixth grade class would have gotten outside, so in lew of planting, we watched the video The Story of Stuff.  The class seemed to really like it and they really understood parts of it.  Hopefully it encourages them to think critically.

Art camp continues to go well too.  Ethan and I have started facilitating a mural project that I picked up last summer from a fellow grad student at Eastern University.  Here are some photos from the project:

Students created images out of different pictures from National Geographic.

Then they selected their three favorite images as references for the mural.

Using an overhead projector, we blew up the image, traced it, and began working on a black and white acrylic underpainting.

After day one of the black and white underpainting, the image is already starting to take shape. I think it is going to look great with some color.

Growing Roots Pictures

We’ve started up the gardening program here in Aliquippa.  Here are some photos of what has been going on.  We’ve got a lot of ground turned over and a lot of projects in the works.

Turning the ground for raised beds at 1028 Main St.

Mike Mcgee, a partner from Poison Free tills the soil

Brian and I probably haven't gardened together in 12 years.

The end result: eight raised beds

Our prototype rain water collection system. We hope to set up more of these around town and improve on their use.

A 20th Century Man

I think I’m at least a good century late.  I’m blaming that on my hippie parents who managed to live a frontier life in Central New York.

I still love radio.  Most people my age have never heard of Prairie Home Companion, even fewer have actually listened to the show.  Baseball?  Best when heard on the radio.  Car talk?  You got it.

I have a vegetable garden, or rather, I usurped one from Aliquippa Impact.  I didn’t get to do much in it this year, but it has been fun overhauling it for next season, tilling the ground, covering it with leaves.  I think I might end up my father’s son after all (dad’s garden is visible from google maps).

I hate cell phones and computers, but I am shamefully addicted to both.

A Politic of Hope

So every once in a while I read an article that gets me going about politics. I’ve become disillusioned with national politics a bit in recent years, especially because of our nation’s insistence on solving international conflicts with bombs and military spending, which is short-sighted and symptomatic at best, tragic in reality, and inhumane at worst. I’m tempted by skepticism and cynicism with national politicians, especially the host of characters who’ve been running for office, and to a certain degree I think many of our politicians have earned this attitude. Anyway, regardless of a politician’s affiliations and views, something that is extremely important, in this guy’s opinion, is a realistic form of optimism. Call it a politic of hope.  I’m not talking about inactive, nonsensical, naive, ignorant optimism, I am talking about a politic of proactive optimism. A politician has no business being in office if he does not think he can change the system for the better, or contribute to positive social change.

A previous Baltimore Sun article about the increase of drug trafficking in Aliquippa after the close of the Jones and Laughlin Steel Company mentioned the current mayor of Aliquippa in this way:

Mayor Anthony Battalini said he does not believe the town will ever fully recover “unless some miracle thing happened here.”

To a certain degree, I think the mayor is correct. It will take a miracle to change Aliquippa, but the mayor seems to disbelieve in the real possibility of change for Aliquippa. His regime has been tarnished by allegations of corruption, a lack of compassion, and and apparent attitude of hopelessness toward this city. Aliquippa does need a miracle, but it also needs leadership that believes in the daily possibility of the miraculous. It needs leadership that empowers its people to change their city for the better instead of scoffing at them in public meetings (something I have personally witnessed certain community leaders do). It needs leadership that is on the streets working for change. It needs leadership above corruption, leadership that is a role model to its people. It needs leadership that is an accurate representation of the population, that cares about Aliquippa’s children instead of maintaining power. Aliquippa needs leadership that recognizes some of the grassroots movements taking place in Aliquippa and encourages the growth of these movements.

Good things are happening in Aliquippa and they are being done by people who do not believe in hopeless people, hopeless communities, or hopeless situations. John Stanley and Uncommon Grounds, R.O.O.T.S. Incorporated, Aliquippa Impact, the A.A.U.D., and many others are working hard to bring positive change to Aliquippa. Leadership should learn from community development organizers like the ones I have mentioned (and I am sure I have not mentioned every positive work going on in Aliquippa). Change can happen, Aliquippa may need a miracle, but it is far from hopeless.