[Dear Skyline View]
During April 14 – 18, Skyline’s Child Development Center & the Student Parent Association for Children’s Enrichment, S.P.A.C.E., hosted its 6th annual Week of the Young Child events. The purpose of this annual celebration is to recognize the needs of young children, their families & the early childhood programs & services that meet their needs.
S.P.A.C.E., the Child Development Center’s club, felt this was a wonderful opportunity to provide the students of Skyline College with the services available from our community at our resource day, a book faire & a parent workshop on literacy. This year, our celebration involved campus students reading books for children from Kate Browne & Judy Heldberg’s classes, inviting Laurie Biagi, Cosmotology President, Kelly Moreno, & Cosmotology students for face-painting, visiting the anatomy lab with Nick Kapp & his Pre-Med students, Arabic drumming with Art Herzallan & music with Leo Rosales. Additional events were dancing & tumbling with ballet teacher, Mary, a reptile show & a visit of puppies & kittens. Thanks to additional funding provided by the Skyline Organization & Club Council, the children had the opportunity to take home a book from the book faire, go on a field trip to Coyote Point Museum & balloons along with other fun toys to have fun with for the week.
At Skyline’s Child Development Center, we have a team of teachers & volunteers who provide positive & rewarding learning experiences for the children in our care. Week of the Young Child reminds us of the importance of our work, the challenges that we face along with the programs & organizations that support young children & their families. The outcome of this year’s Week of the Young Child was amazing. Thank you to everyone that invested their time and effort to come together as a community to participate in our event.
Crystal DavidCaterpillar Student Teacher & S.P.A.C.E. Secretary
[Dear Skyline View]
I appreciate your candor about why you choose not to vote, and I’m dismayed that you probably are not alone in your stance.Not so long ago, African Americans were denied the right to vote. So people of all backgrounds united to fight for their right to have a voice in governing our country, and once they secured it, they risked their lives to register the formerly disenfranchised. (Amongst these idealists is our very own Professor Pat Deamer, who registered AAs in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama.) After registering, they contended with threats to their person, poll taxes, and other intimidating methods of dissuasion, yet they persisted and cast their votes. To acknowledge their sacrifices and tenacity, the very least this generation can do is to “google” candidates and issues so that they can vote responsibly, as informed citizens. You also raise the question of whether a single vote can make a difference. On its own, no, but with others who share a similar vision, of course: we need only look to our storied history to see that women and AAs voting provided the impetus for civil rights to be enacted into law. And today, pundits observed that your generation already has made a difference with the current election. (See the SF Chronicle, 4/20/08). I would argue that your generation can’t afford not to vote. Your generation (and mine) has too much at stake. Follow the news: our economy is on the brink of disaster, with a huge deficit that even generations to come will be shouldering, an anticipated shortfall in social security by the time we come of age, unaffordable healthcare, and inadequate financial aid packages for those pursuing higher education. The list goes on and on. As a voter, you have a voice in setting the budgetary priorities and policies that reflect your values. But as a non-voter, the consequences are dire, as Jean Twenge points out in her seminal book about the youth generation, “If everyone believes that nothing can be changed, that prophecy is likely to be self-fulfilling…[this generation’s] concerns will be ignored if [they] do not get involved in politics and social change” (157). So, non-voters, you may want to stand at the sidelines, but stand at your own peril. On the other hand, take a stand and vote, and you will be empowered to usher in policies that represent the interests of you, your family, and your community. Believe. Respectfully,Karen Wong, Professor of English