The Pontiac Trust blog-site has been created to represent and encompass the community's positive aspirations for our youth and to act as a CATALYST for URGENT Action!
Reflecting over father’s day I recalled how my wife and I put a study together for our four children. We found a couple of small desks and bought a L shaped counter top to sit over them. We bought a bookcase to hold the Encyclopedias and a Globe of our planet. The final piece was to purchase a computer desk and a computer. The kids ranged in age at that time from nine to three. The symbolism was complete the message to our children was that education was an important part of their lives. At the same time we were setting this study up, my father called one day. He told me of how he was involved with a young mans life that needed tutorial help. My father researched and found where the child’s mother might find some help for her son. So, he called to relay the information to her. She asked him to hold while she looked for something to write with. After waiting she returned to the phone to tell him she could not find anything to write with. There in lied the irony of that situation, while I was busy with my study this child was in a household that went wanting for a solitary pencil. This for me illustrates the depth of the issues of socioeconomic factors that plaque the success of our children. This child sees no symbolism or message from his home environment that tells him education is important. As a community whose collective wisdom understands educations importance, we are challenged with how we deliver that message to our youth. Some of our families are caught in a cycle that keeps the youth from realizing their full potential. There in lies our challenge to be effective in supplementing the efforts of parents and the schools. How we as a community set the stage for the education of our children is an important part of an enlightened community. In order for our children to learn they need to be prepared to learn. They need to believe in their ability to learn, they need to be encouraged to be all that they can be. They need a message that is consistent and expected. Constancy in their lives tells them we will be there and that we believe in them, constancy of the message of education constancy of programming that provides enriching experiences during their critical developmental years. That is our role as a community, to provide a consistent and constant message of our willingness to stand behind them and support them as they grow to be adult members of the community. That leads me to the gathering we called on June 20th. This gathering, Summit For Youth, or as this Blog suggests The Pontiac Trust, was called for the express purpose of creating synergism among those that are working with and believe in the potential of all our children. The name is unsettled but the vision is clear.
The vision is that through collaboration and knowledge of the range of programs and activities available to our children we can create a more active relationship between individuals, groups and organizations whose express purpose is to enrich and empower the God given talents of our youth.
There is nothing simple about bringing this vision together. There are many things going on in Pontiac. Each of us has our own lives to live and time and energy can sometimes be in short supply. Collectively we will be able to back each other up. It will be worth the effort. Using tools such as this blog will help to maintain dialogue about issues of importance to our youth.
If you know of others that have active relationships with youth in the Pontiac Community let us know. You can contact the Offices of Pontiac Youth Assistance, or me. We need to know who you are and what you are doing.
Linda Taylor Pontiac Youth Assistance Litaylor@pontiac.k12.mi.us Phone: 248-451-7549 Fax: 248-451-7543
You can also contact me. Bruce Turpin 248-334-4569w 248-335-9730c beturpin@ameritech.net
Reflecting over father’s day I recalled how my wife and I put a study together for our four children. We found a couple of small desks and bought a L shaped counter top to sit over them. We bought a bookcase to hold the Encyclopedias and a Globe of our planet. The final piece was to purchase a computer desk and a computer. The kids ranged in age at that time from nine to three. The symbolism was complete the message to our children was that education was an important part of their lives.
ReplyDeleteAt the same time we were setting this study up, my father called one day. He told me of how he was involved with a young mans life that needed tutorial help. My father researched and found where the child’s mother might find some help for her son. So, he called to relay the information to her. She asked him to hold while she looked for something to write with. After waiting she returned to the phone to tell him she could not find anything to write with. There in lied the irony of that situation, while I was busy with my study this child was in a household that went wanting for a solitary pencil.
This for me illustrates the depth of the issues of socioeconomic factors that plaque the success of our children. This child sees no symbolism or message from his home environment that tells him education is important. As a community whose collective wisdom understands educations importance, we are challenged with how we deliver that message to our youth. Some of our families are caught in a cycle that keeps the youth from realizing their full potential. There in lies our challenge to be effective in supplementing the efforts of parents and the schools.
How we as a community set the stage for the education of our children is an important part of an enlightened community. In order for our children to learn they need to be prepared to learn. They need to believe in their ability to learn, they need to be encouraged to be all that they can be. They need a message that is consistent and expected. Constancy in their lives tells them we will be there and that we believe in them, constancy of the message of education constancy of programming that provides enriching experiences during their critical developmental years. That is our role as a community, to provide a consistent and constant message of our willingness to stand behind them and support them as they grow to be adult members of the community.
That leads me to the gathering we called on June 20th. This gathering, Summit For Youth, or as this Blog suggests The Pontiac Trust, was called for the express purpose of creating synergism among those that are working with and believe in the potential of all our children. The name is unsettled but the vision is clear.
The vision is that through collaboration and knowledge of the range of programs and activities available to our children we can create a more active relationship between individuals, groups and organizations whose express purpose is to enrich and empower the God given talents of our youth.
There is nothing simple about bringing this vision together. There are many things going on in Pontiac. Each of us has our own lives to live and time and energy can sometimes be in short supply. Collectively we will be able to back each other up. It will be worth the effort. Using tools such as this blog will help to maintain dialogue about issues of importance to our youth.
If you know of others that have active relationships with youth in the Pontiac Community let us know. You can contact the Offices of Pontiac Youth Assistance, or me. We need to know who you are and what you are doing.
Linda Taylor Pontiac Youth Assistance
Litaylor@pontiac.k12.mi.us
Phone: 248-451-7549
Fax: 248-451-7543
You can also contact me.
Bruce Turpin
248-334-4569w
248-335-9730c
beturpin@ameritech.net