Kimberly Parker Presents: The Resolve to Volunteer

Resolve to Volunteer

Here we are nearing the end of January 2011. Like many of you, I stepped into the New Year determined to make changes, implement plans, and amp up my “game” in one area of life or another. Some call these bulleted items resolutions. For the sake of being aligned, I concur. More than a cute story laced with anecdotes from my children, herein lays a heartfelt plea. My sincere request to all who read is to make one more resolution for 2011: resolve to volunteer!

I know and proudly boast that Prince George’s County parents are the cream of the crop! We are homemakers, entrepreneurs, CEO's, educators, military personnel, activist...and the list goes on! Oh yes, we are simply the best! By no means is my perspective portrayed to slight parents from other parts of the world. It’s merely to highlight the greatness right here in our own backyards.

There is a universal principle called the "vital few and trivial many." In short, it's equivalent to the 80/20 rule where we find that just a little bit of people do a large amount of work. As a parent volunteer at my children’s school, I’ve witnessed parents who sign up to participate at events, yet do not show up. Or, they show up and do not do what they signed up to do. Or even still, they begin doing such marvelous work, find "something wrong" with the assignment, but instead of providing solutions they step down from their position.

Now, I am not soliciting any argumentative replies and by no means am I trying to make anyone feel guilty. I’ve dropped the ball a time or two as well. But what I am hoping to do is inspire you to take self-inventory to see where you stand in this equation. The operative word here is “volunteer”. As one parent told me, "Nobody forced your hand to work with the PTSA!" True. However, the same vital few can not be the only one's serving on the board or heading committees that provide services to thousands of parents, teachers, and students year after year. And let's not forget about our partners and stakeholders!

I know you have 2.5 children -- so do we (four, in my case). I know you work 10, 12, and even 14 hours a day -- so do we. I know you live your share of miles away from the school -- so do we. I know you have a child in elementary school, one in middle school, and one about to graduate from high school -- again I say, so do we! As Michael Jackson so poignantly stated, “You are not alone!”
Madame, Sir, please resolve to volunteer. I know a few of you have been considering the possibility of increasing your service and I truly appreciate that! It all starts with a thought. I ask you to consider this as well: the phenomenal difference you can make as a volunteer!

Kimberly K. Parker is the owner of Writing Momma Publishing (www.writingmomma.com). She is hosting “Isn’t She Lovely!”, an elegant father and daughter event in March 2011 in hopes of promoting the importance of the relationship between little girls and their fathers. Visit www.isntshelovely.eventbrite.com to purchase tickets and for more information. Kimberly is an author and blogger living in Maryland with her husband and three children.

"Your Money, Your Future" with Financial Educator, Carmen Johnson

Welcome to Your Money, Your Future. I am Carmen Johnson, your Financial Educator and the Founder and CEO of the Katie Able Foundation. Today on Your Money, Your Future... Bring back the family.

This week’s financial tip is about the importance of family. Let's go back in our minds to when we were kids. Think back we ate as a family, we gathered around the TV to watch our favorite shows as a family, we even had household meetings as a family. Somehow we've gotten away from all of that. Your challenge this week is to take your family back to that time.

Let’s start with family financial meetings twice a month where you sit down and go over all the bills and create a household budget. Involve your children. Let them place the bills in alphabetical order and then write them in a spreadsheet.

Explain to them what type of bills they are one by one and how to read them and what bills your family may be able to cut back on. Ask them what they can do to make your family financially stronger. Ask your kids what they are will to cut back on in this hard times. Don't be surprised if they already know how to do some of these things.

Keep it fun by assigning roles. Make one of your children the light captain - in charge of making sure that the lights are turned off in unoccupied rooms. Another child can be the coupon captain- in charge of clipping coupons in the paper and searching for them online, finding the best grocery store deals.

Together, the children can monitor the household budget and make sure that we as a family stay on track. Bring back the kids, bring back the parents, bring back together our families.

Until next week this is Your money, Your future, I am Carmen Johnson, your Financial Educator and the Founder and CEO of the Katie Able Foundation.

Please check us out at Katieablefoundation.org and remember,

Do something to justify your Existence, TOGETHER we can create the future!


Ms. Carmen Johnson

Katie Able Foundation
Founder/CEO
www.katieablefoundation.org
301-352-5855 work

Do something to justify your Existence, TOGETHER we can create the future!

Former Director of PGCPS Parent Liaison Program to Head Up Department of Communications for Alexandria City Public Schools

Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) Superintendent Morton Sherman is pleased to announce the appointment of Kelly L. Alexander to the position of director of community/school partnerships and communications.

"Ms. Alexander has a unique combination of community relations and communications experience that will be essential to successfully engaging the public in the transformation taking place in Alexandria City Public Schools," Dr. Sherman said.

She will assist the superintendent in the development, integration and implementation of the division's public/media relations, business partnerships and community outreach programs as a member of the Office of Strategic Initiatives and Community Outreach team. Ms. Alexander has nearly 20 years of communications experience, with expertise in media relations and public relations. She has led communications efforts for both nonprofit and corporate communications teams.

Ms. Alexander most recently served as the community outreach officer for Prince George's County Public Schools, where she initially began as the public information officer. During her six-year tenure, she developed and implemented strategies for internal and external communications between all stakeholders regarding parental engagement in schools. She created award-winning public awareness and marketing campaigns for this large urban school district, including The Communicator Award of Distinction for Media Placement (2005), The Communicator Award Honorable Mention (2005) for the 2004 PGCPS Annual Report and The MarComm Creative Award (2006) for the YES-Be cool, go to school! Public Awareness Campaign. Ms. Alexander created the district's successful "Everything You Need to Succeed" marketing campaign to highlight educational opportunities and student successes. She supervised more than 100 Parent Liaisons helping to engage thousands of parents each year in educational workshops, school events and classroom observations.

Prior to working in education, Ms. Alexander supported the corporate communications efforts of the National American Red Cross as a media relations manager and associate. She oversaw the national media launch of several life-saving programs and a myriad of national media tours and interviews at the American Red Cross. She also worked in community affairs for Prudential HealthCare of the Mid-Atlantic and in media relations for The George Washington University Medical Center.

Ms. Alexander earned her Bachelor's Degree in Journalism at The George Washington University.

Martin Luther King Day an Inspirational Moment: By Dr. Stephen Jones

The celebration of Martin Luther King Day is a reminder of what it takes to change the world. One person invested in a deeply inspiring vision of a new way of life prevailed in the midst of adversity. Dr. King envisioned a time when everyone would be judged by the content of their character not the color of their skin. It’s ironic that more than 40 years later America still struggles with issue of race.

American’s elected President Barak Obama but this country still struggles with what his election represents. Some say we’ve made progress and others remain resistant. Even members of his own democratic party have not consistently supported President Obama. Every move that he makes is placed under a microscope. For example, his attempt to comfort Americans after the attack on Senator Gifford and others who lost their lives was twisted. It was a passionate speech which caused the audience to cheer and feel comforted. The President remained somber throughout the celebration of life. Dr. Martin Luther king would have approved. Sometimes it appears that America is a country that is looking for a way to remain divided. There is a great need to forge past political agendas and focus on decisions that are in the best interest of the country.

It is evident that Dr. Martin Luther King had many challenges during the time that he was alive. There were often competing interests that affect how fast America would change. Dr. King spent time preaching how people need to treat each other because of personal events he witnessed while living in the south. There were separate bath room facilities for people of color and they could not eat at the diner counter. Dr. King felt that these prejudices must change. In his day social action involved boycotting buses. It’s time for American’s to slow down to respond to social injustices that still occur every day.

Martin Luther King was a scholar and an educator. He taught thousands in the community to pursue more education. His leadership led to a whole generation of teachers and scientists who broke color barriers in companies all over the country. Today we can find these individuals in the executive suites of corporations all across America. There are black and Hispanic professionals who’ve started businesses and witnessed changes in society as their companies have grown.

Dr. King would be amazed at the progress that’s occurred during the 21st century. If he were alive today he would be amazed at the internet. The internet changes the speed at which people respond to an event or crisis. There are millions of responses to social issues. The ability to create a blog or tweet information has changed the way that thousands are communicating their opinion. The current technology allows millions to read about Dr. Martin Luther King’s life. The internet is accompanied by its own challenges. Last year, Ms. Shirley Sharrod was removed from the Department of Agriculture when her comment s where posted on the internet. They were deemed discriminatory. After a careful review she was cleared by hear office.

No one can deny that Dr. Martin Luther King was a man with a mission. It was a mission that was powerful that it touched the nation’s heart. When several children were killed during bombing it made it clear that the mission would not be complete without a fight. No mission that is worth fighting for is won easily. Today we must move forward with determination to make things better for everyone.

It’s important to continue to celebrate Martin Luther King Day and to acknowledge his contribution to society. Dr. King was a trailblazer in terms of demonstrating the leadership characteristics that we should all adapt. America’s cities are in desperate need of leaders who can transform they way that we communicate and live.