Winter 2015 - Bellaire Puritas Development Corporation

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Cosas de Familias
IN WEST PARK
FAMILY
MATTERS
2015
Family Winter
Subjects
Public art perched 3 new high schools! Youth Voice
Over the summer before working at the Hasani GarCleveland Metropolitan School District (CMSD) will
and planned yet
den Camp I went on college tours with BPDC. We
open three (3) new schools by Fall 2015 at the new
Regal stone owls are now perched upon open books
of knowledge, high above Jefferson Park, keeping
watch over Lorain Avenue and inviting young and
old to take a break and stop to enjoy the natural surroundings and recreational assets of the park.
LEED-certified John Marshall High School (JMH):
Giancarlo
Calicchia was
inspired to
add a little old
world piazza to our
Jefferson Park
while watching people congregate in the town square of his
hometown in Italy this summer. As a result of his
inspiration, two columns were built in December
2014 in the park near Lorain Avenue, made out of
salvaged materials, mostly from the John Marshall
High School (JMHS) demolition.
The JMH mascot is the Lawyer, based on 4th
Supreme Court Chief Justice John Marshall. The
mascot is shown below getting into the Halloween
spirit for a JMH festival for elementary students put
on by the senior class.
Mr. Calicchia first became connected to the neighborhood when Bellaire-Puritas Development Corporation (BPDC) contacted him to work with us and the
Cleveland Metropolitan School District (CMSD) on
which stone and metal pieces should be salvage before
demolition and then stored to later be used in the new
school and in public art throughout the community.
The Berea sandstone entrance of the 1932 building
was repurposed into the 3 pieces supporting the owl
sculptures that adorn the top of each piece.
Although the public art utilized mostly in-kind
materials and services, a 2014 Cuyahoga Arts and
Culture (CAC) grant provided the necessary monies
• School of Information Technology,
• School of Business and Civic Leadership, and
• School of Engineering.
All 3 schools will prepare students for a 21st Century economy and job market that includes careers that
require some post-secondary education, for example:
apprenticeships, certificate programs, associate
degree programs, and more rigorous college careers
at each school.
The themes of each school were selected both by
the interests and culture of neighborhood students
and the needs and growth opportunities in our local
economy in good-pay careers, as determined by the
academic planning committee.
Each school will
provide both
support for specialized interests
and the firm
foundation for
any career. The
goal is for every
John Marshall
student to have
see Schools pg 3
see Public art pg 3
Dinner talk about the neighborhood & youth
A lot has happened in 5 years - babies who were
born in 2009 are now old enough to be involved in
MyCom programs! In January and February of 2015
Bellaire-Puritas Development Corporation will be
holding four public meetings throughout West Park
to collect community input for a new Neighborhood
Youth Development Plan.
Help look at our neighborhood through the eyes of
youth K-12th grade, parents, and other caring adults
who care about making our neighborhood an even
better place for youth to grow up! Be a part of making changes to the neighborhood by choosing a free
dinner meeting (for all ages) to attend:
• Jan. 26, Schools as Neighborhood Resources (SNR) at Artemus Ward School, 6:15pm-7:45pm, 4315 w. 140th St.
• Jan. 29, Robinson G. Jones, 5-6:30pm, 4550W. 150th St.
• Feb. 3rd at John Marshall High School 3:45pm-5pm, 13501 Terminal Ave.
Our last West Park
MyCom neighborhood
youth development plan
was done 5 years ago and it is time to set and refine
• Jan. 22, Riverside Park Estates Community Center, our goals to achieve our vision for 2020 of a
5:30-7pm, 17800 Parkmount Ave.
see Dinner pg 2
Meet Vanessa Lange, youth development director
I am thrilled to join the
Bellaire-Puritas Development Corporation
team in the role of Youth
Development Director
for the West Park neighborhood. I come to the
position with seven years
of experience in youth development and after-school programs, most recently
with the City of Lakewood’s H2O “Help to Others”
youth service-learning program. In the past I have
also worked and volunteered for youth organizations
dedicated to literacy, English for speakers of other
languages, sports and recreation, mentoring, and
civic engagement.
toured Kent State, The University of Akron, Tri-C’s
Hospitality Management Westshore campus labs and
their new Advanced Technology Training Center,
Baldwin Wallace, Lorain County Community College, and Virginia Marti College of Art and Design.
On the trips we learned a lot about the lives of college students. We looked at dorms and how they
have single dorms and dorms for up to 6 people to
live in. My favorite colleges were Baldwin Wallace
and Virginia Marti College of Art and Design. What
I liked about the 2 colleges was that they were
convenient to where I live and have a lot of careers
I am interested in. They don’t offer dentistry and I
want to be a dentist as my future career.
Tatiana Burton continues to develop her leadership
and employability in this photo by participating in
OSU Cuyahoga Extension’s Speechmasters.
On the career trips we went and visited the John
Marshall High School construction site and learned
that it takes teamwork to get a big job done. They
have so many different careers working on it like
plumbers, carpenters, brick layers and many more.
After we left the construction site we headed down to
West 25th to Mitchell’s Ice Cream where we learned
how 2 brothers came together and made their own
ice cream flavors. My favorite was Caramel Sea Salt.
They have over 40 different flavors of ice cream.
see Tatiana pg 6
Tutoría Gratis
para alumnos de Kinder hasta el grado 8
con tutores de la programa “América Lea”
Lunes a Jueves, 03:00 pm hasta 06:00 pm
La biblioteca de Rockport
4421 W. 140th St.
F ee tutoring
r
for K-8th grade students
with America Reads tutors
Monday thru Thursday from 3-6pm
At Rockport Library
4421 W. 140th St.
My position includes supporting and expanding
existing youth programs, developing and bringing
in new programs, and connecting youth to programs
that fit their needs and interests. I believe that the
more we surround young people with positive influences and opportunities, the more likely they are to
make healthy choices and stay on target to achieve
their goals and dreams. There is no greater investment we can make than in the growth and development of our youth.
Inside this issue...
In recent years, the West Park neighborhood has
made great strides in increasing both the quantity
and quality of programming available for youth,
including more creative arts classes, career exploration and employment opportunities, and leadership
Youth Programs Directory..............................p.4-5
see Vanessa pg 6
Free Art Classes in West Park...........................p.2
Aquile? Derechos y responsibilidades..............p.7
RG Jones academic corner................................p.2
Youth Poetry Showcase.....................................p.2
Neighborhood leaders to know.........................p.8
Housing in West Park .......................................p.7
Contest for youth…….......................................p.8
House for sale....................................................p.8
2
FAMILY MATTERS NEWSLETTER
Free tutoring
FREE Art Classes in West Park!
23, March 2, 9, 16 and 23, at Artemus Ward School, 4315 W. 140th St.
4:30-5:45pm.
Mixed Media Class
Students will experiment with a variety
of different art media, including paint,
crayons, ink, collage and more.
Ceramics Class
Students will use clay to create fun and
functional pieces of art, and learn how
clay is fired and glazed.
Grades 4-6 – Tuesdays, January 20,
27, February 3, 10 and 17, 4:005:00pm at Robinson G. Jones School,
4550 W. 150th St.
Grades 5-8 – Mondays, February
Dinner cont… (from p.1)
“community in which every young
person will be empowered toward a
path of self-sufficiency, respect for
others, and leadership to other youth.
Our supportive community will help
them find their paths through conspicuous, accessible programs and
services.”
Winter is a great time to gather around
a pizza dinner and a cozy cup of hot
cocoa to reflect on the community’s
needs and goals. Be our guest.
As West Park’s lead agency for the
county-wide MyCom initiative, BPDC
will be leading the effort to develop
a plan that will address key focus
areas such as: youth employment,
out-of-school-time programs, youth
engagement, neighborhood engagement, advocacy, school transitions
Grades 2-3 – Wednesdays, January 21,
28, February 4, 11 and 18 at Artemus Ward School, 4315 W. 140th St.
4:30-5:45pm.
Grades 9-12 – Wednesdays, April 15,
22, 29 (Time and location TBD).
Parade the Circle Workshop
(Family class)
Prepare and participate in Parade
the Circle in University Circle with
other artist and community groups in a
spectacular display of costumes, giant
and other areas that youth and community members feel are important.
The input from these community
meetings will be combined with input
from staff and volunteers at neighborhood youth-serving agencies and
schools to create a comprehensive
strategic plan for improving educational and personal development
opportunities for West Park’s youth.
We will also be collecting information
through surveys, which you will be
able to find at www.bpdc.org.
All youth who attend one meeting will
be entered into a raffle for movie tickets and popcorn at AMC Theaters!
Please let us know if you plan on
coming by calling 216-671-2710 ext.
216 or emailing Vanessa, our youth
development director.
RG Jones corner
New afterschool programs continue
Bellaire-Puritas Development Corporation
(BPDC) knows that families are the backbone to a healthy community and that quality,
public schools are the backbone of our
economy and the expectation of every family
in the community. We value youth as leaders
today, not just tomorrow, which is why we
engage them in community planning and
programs to serve their own development as
leaders, employees, and entrepreneurs.
For that reason, we applied and secured the
lead agency role at one of the Cleveland
Metropolitan School District (CMSD)
Investment Schools at Robinson G. Jones
Elementary. Through a partnership with
CMSD and United Way, we hired a full-time
site coordinator to engage the families and
larger community in a total wrap-around
strategy to improve academic outcomes for
students at R.G. Jones.
Obstacle course with Boy Scouts at
The EDGE.
The first thing our site coordinator, Mary Jo
Cotner, did was determine that the school’s
schedule needed to change to accommodate afterschool enrichment and that the
parents were eager for that change. So
parent Kathy Williams, accompanied by the
Greater Cleveland Congregations education
committee, petitioned CMSD CEO Eric
Gordon for a 1 hour earlier start time of
8:30am for the 2014/2015 school day.
“Our community is thrilled Mr. Gordon
responded YES to our requests and our
parents are delighted to learn their children
will be participating in an hour of homework help AND an hour of enrichment activities after school,” according to Cotner.
“The EDGE” after school program opened
in September with over 100 students and it
will include these activities, most of which
are new partnerships Cotner organized:
• Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts
• Art House art classes
• Chess Club
• Junior Achievement
• Swimming, Rowing with CMSD Rows
• Gymnastics/Tumbling, Cheerleading
• Volleyball, Basketball, Golf, Soccer
• Cleveland Museum of Art
• Cleveland Playhouse
• VEX Robotics w/Cleveland State University & Shaker High School
• Science Olympiad
The EDGE will be in session for six,
5-week sessions during the school year.
The goal of The EDGE is to further
cultivate and increase our student’s
attendance, academic scores and social
emotional development. Although these
programs are for R.G. Jones students, if
there is room available, they will take
outside enrollment.
For more information or to volunteer at
least an hour a week, please contact Mary
Jo Cotner, Site Coordinator for R.G. Jones
at 216-920-7143 or mary.cotner@clevelandmetroschools.org.
puppets, stilt-walkers and floats. This
class is a FAMILY class, so children
of all ages are invited to attend with a
parent/guardian.
Thursdays, May 7, 14, 21, 28 and June
4, 4:15-5:30 at West Preparatory Academy, 13111 Crossburn Ave. (Parade
June 13th).
Free tutoring
for K-8th grade students
with America Reads tutors
Monday thru Thursday
from 3-6pm
At Rockport Library
4421 W. 140th St.
Registration forms
for all classes are available at the BellairePuritas Development
Corporation offices
at 14703 Puritas Ave
(behind U.S. Bank).
For additional information contact Vanessa
at (216) 671-2710 or
v.lange@bpdc.org
YOUTH ART SHOWCASE
I Am the Majority
By Darius Tabor
No one should abuse or misuse any type of drug.
I don’t wanna be a statistic; I wanna rise and be above.
I am a voice and so is everyone else, but it’s up to us if it gets used.
There are different paths in life to take, just try not to regret the
one you choose.
I am a leader because I let my actions speak louder than words,
Because sometimes the biggest lessons in life are seen but never heard.
I prescribe my own future…to be the best that I can be.
No one can live my life for me; I control my own destiny.
Every day there are choices…friends, family, all the peer pressure;
But all it take is that one time to get high and there will be consequences you can’t
ever measure.
We should try to stick out because sometimes we are hard to see.
I love what I represent because I am the majority.
Call me anything you like whether it’s a loner or a misfit.
But it’s better than being like you…which is being a statistic!
Written and Declared at the We Are The Majority Rally
Cleveland, Ohio April 30, 2014
Teens prepare for jobs/careers
The West Park Teen Job club had a busy fall
as participants took a 3 session course called
“Speechmasters”. Teens chose their topics
on the spot and were encouraged to do all
4 kinds of speeches that were explored:
entertaining, informative, persuasive, and
demonstrative. Various roles existed for
club members to practice while they listened
to speeches in order to give supportive comments. They realized it can be uncomfortable to give feedback.
Austin taught the club how to take a good
photograph with his speech, drawing on his
studies at the Cleveland School of the Arts
and Tatiana, from John Marshall, explained
why it’s so difficult being a female. Daentae said his cool confidence at being at
the podium was due to his participation in
America SCORES as a youth and performing poetry in front of 350 people.
After that course, taught by Robin Stone
from Ohio State University Cuyahoga
Extension, the next guest speaker was
Stacy Kolcum from Youth Opportunities
Unlimited. Stacy shared strategies for
youth to explore their career interests
and set goals. Youth marched around
to different stations to express their
opinions about their future, before
competing in a team trivia game about
careers in Ohio.
Through the game, they learned
there are just as many opening for
fashion designers as for professional
athletes – 20 per year, despite the
popularity of fashion design as a
college major.
All 8th-12th grade youth are invited to
join the club and be a part of employment trainings be a part of employment trainings an a teen job and community service fair this Spring. The
club meets weekly on Wednesday’s
and the next meeting is Jan. 28th now
at Artemus Ward School at 4:30pm.
3
FAMILY MATTERS NEWSLETTER
Schools cont… (from p.1)
some sort of industry-recognized professional certification by the time they
graduate so that they are immediately
ready for a career pathway no matter
how much post-secondary education
they pursue.
The School of Information Technology will prepare students for careers
from technology sales, installation and
repair, automotive, warehouse logistics,
electronic medical record management,
and journalism to graphic and industrial
design, GPS mapping, library science,
video game design and other computer
software and hardware creation.
The School of Business and Civic
Leadership takes advantage of the
history of civic service JMH alumni
and West Park residents have given
through police/fire/EMS careers,
public administration, public utilities,
teaching, legislating, social work,
nonprofit leadership, community
development, labor organizing, and
other activism. It will groom students
to be stakeholders in our society and it
may be of special interest to students
interested in business administration,
sales, and management in addition to
entrepreneurs, professional services
like surveying, landscape, law, construction/allied trades, and accounting.
The School of Engineering graduates
may pursue careers that include fields
such as: machining and technology
service/repairs/installation, construction, architecture, manufacturing,
People to Know
computers, biotech, aerospace, industrial design and more.
There will be open enrollment and local
students’ applications will be weighted
so that JMH can be a neighborhood high
school option. That means there will
not be any entrance requirement to be a
student at the new school. The student
body will return to a 9th-12th model for
a projected student body of 1260, and
will have a singular athletic program
as it has always had despite 3 separate
academic programs.
BPDC will also participate in one of
the academic design teams to prepare
these schools to have curriculum, administration, faculty, staff, and culture
set by the opening of the school year.
These 3 schools add to the other excellent choices for college prep offered in
West Park high school offerings by St.
Joseph Academy and CMSD’s Bard
High School Early College.
Families looking for more information on choosing a school for their
child should consult the Cleveland
Transformation Alliance’s website at
www.clevelandta.org or call them at
216-592-2415 for information about
tuition-free school choices in Cleveland from Kindergarten through high
school.
Each school will have an independent
advisory board and individuals, espeBPDC:
cially those in the business communi• advocated for students who live in ty, will serve on the board to keep the
West Park to be given preference for school board focused on providing the
admission and
right supports to each school according to the school’s theme.
• pursued schools inclusive of all of our neighborhood youth no matter Alumni will have a hallway dedicated
their learning needs, career goals, or to display cases of awards and memo post-secondary plans.
rabilia. The John Marshall Alumni
• championed the committee’s recom- Association, one of the strongest in
the city, advocated for alumni to have
mendation to CMSD to have all three schools adopt financial literacy a place in the school throughout the
construction process. The hallway
and Facing History curriculum to plans on using cornices and other
teach about history and current stone salvaged from the 1932 build events in an engaging and socially/
ing, perhaps as benches alone the hall.
culturally-relevant way.
The alumni have been selling bricks
• shaped the guiding principles of and the association may contribute to
design, specifically the commitment the creation of a gathering space on
to community partnerships and com- the campus outside where bricks can
munity use of the building, and
be dedicated.
• requested youth on the academic Please contact BPDC for more infor planning committee. Thanks, Kevin mation at 216-671-2710 and ask for
Gramajo, youth leader from JMH, Ian Heisey at ext. 219.
for serving!
Public art cont… (from p.1)
to build the sculptures a base and move
the stone after Allega donated the concrete for the bases and PPG Industries
donated the transportation of the stone
to the park.
function as a gathering place to build
community with a cozy, informal seating area in the grassy section in the
northern part of the park in phase two
of the installation.
Jefferson Park was chosen as the site
of the first installation because of the
key role the park plays in the community. BPDC is happy to announce that
we were selected to receive a second
year of funding from the CAC, which
will continue the work of the W. 140th
area public art plan by installing art
on the campus of John Marshall High
School, which incidentally opens in
Fall 2015.
The installation of columns is the
first in a larger public art plan for the
W. 140th St. neighborhoods because
of the vital importance that corridor
has to the lives of families in West
Park, as it hosts 2 public elementary schools, one private school, and
JMHS (and its temporary site a few
blocks east on Terminal Avenue).
Phase II of the Jefferson Park artwork
may be salvaged stone bench seating
arranged for face-to-face conversation
and BPDC is committed to applying for funds for Phase II so that the
public art and the park continues to
The public art plan is also being
implemented this year on the corner of
W. 140th St. and Lorain Ave., a very
busy gateway to the W. 140th corridor
of educational assets for all kinds of
users, including youth who wait at
a key bus stop there. Plans include
placemaking stone monument to let
“Celebrating West Park” t-shirts available
at BPDC events & at the office
Available in:
women’s cut
(shorter & trimmer sleeves
& wider at the hip)
men’s cut
& children’s sizes, too
Special sizes can be ordered
$12 (checks made payable to “BPDC”)
AMERICAN-MADE through and through & UNION-PRINTED in RED with blue & white lettering
Inquire with Rachel at 216-671-2710 x216 for more information
people know they are in West Park,
wayfinding signage such as maps for
pedestrians and public transit users,
and benches made from stone cornice
pieces salvaged from high along the
roof on the 1932 John Marshall building. This bus stop enhancement will
be funded with a grant from Greater
Cleveland Rapid Transit Authority
(GCRTA) for improving transit-waiting environments.
Mr. Calicchia donated his time not
only to create the sculptural columns,
but also to gather input from school
children at our local schools on West
140th Street for the art plan and
worked with them on drawing their
ideas about community and public art
for our plan.
Giancarlo Calicchia is an artist, master
sculptor and the founder of Calicchia
Sculpture & Design Studio specializing in sculpture, large scale public
art and design. His mediums include
stone, bronze, wood and glass. Mr.
Calicchia was born in Italy and moved
to the United States in 1957. In 1979
he moved to Cleveland. Mr. Caliccihia
worked on major architectural stone
projects in many Cleveland buildings
including Tower City, The Ritz Carlton Hotel, The Skylight Office Tower,
and North Point, in additional to many
other buildings around the country
and in Europe and he has art recently
installed in Kent and Miami of Ohio.
Paul Vasko
is the owner
of Vinny’s
Beverage
and also
runs the
coin laundry
behind the
store, which
is his father’s
business. He
was recognized with the BPDC Ann Irizarry 2014
Business Award. A local resident, too,
he started an online forum with www.
nextdoor.com for his neighborhood, the
area where Mr. West built his home and
a park, and therefore is called “West
Park” on Nextdoor. The online forum
attracted many residents and got people
to meet each other. The group went
through block watch training and helped
a Friends of Jefferson Park group to
form. Paul joined the efforts of BPDC
by joining the steering committee of the
Lorain Avenue Streetscape study and
participated in the public planning effort
for public art in the W. 140th St. corridor, home to several anchor educational
resources. Mr. Vasko also spearheaded
an outreach to local businesses to welcome participants, families, and friends
to the 9th International Gay Games,
hosted by Cleveland this past August.
Rachael
Sommer is
an active
member of
the www.
nextdoor.
com online
forum for
West Park
and her
church,
Gateway
West. She leveraged the online activity and the assets of Jefferson Park to
organize residents and stakeholders
like Christ United Methodist Church
offline as the Friends of Jefferson
Park to promote the park and the
neighborhood. She secured many
donations of money and in-kind goods
to fund the Jefferson Park Summer
Series whose success snowballed
into a fall and a winter festival, too.
Events have included yoga every
Thursday in the summer in the park,
a performance by a local band, Cats
on Holiday, a lesson on drumming,
and a bike rodeo (resulting in youth
gaining bike skills and helmets). For
spearheading so many unique efforts
all year long, BPDC’s Neighborhood
Summit Committee awarded her a
new award, “The West Parker.”
Interested members, volunteers, and
donors to the Friends of Jefferson
Park’s mission to put on programming in the park are encouraged to
contact Rachael Sommers at
FriendsofJeffersonPark@gmail.com
or 330-635-8057.
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FAMILY MATTERS NEWSLETTER
West Park Youth Program Directory
Program Description Address Phone# All American Karate
16600 Lorain Ave.
440-331-0009
America Scores
After-school soccer, poetry
RG Jones and
and service learning program
Artemus Ward schools
216-881-7988
Art House, Inc.
Classes offered at multiple
locations in West Park
3119 Denison Ave.
216-398-8556
Bellaire Puritas
Leadership, job readiness, Development Corp.
and college/career exposure
14703 Puritas Ave.
216-671-2710
Blessed Trinity Catholic Youth Ministry
14040 Puritas Ave.
216-671-5890
Boy Scouts
Troops at multiple locations in West Park
2241 Woodland Ave.
216-861-6060
Brady Campbell Irish Dance School Irish dancing lessons
17119 Lorain Ave.
Building Hope in the City
Tutoring program
12826 Lorain Ave.
Center for Families and Children
Youth counseling and art program
3929 Rocky River Dr.
216-252-5800
Cleveland Bombers
Football, basketball, cheerleading
and mentoring
Emery Park
216-800-1823
Cleveland Metroparks
24000 Valley Parkway
440-734-6660
College Now
ACT, financial aid and college counseling
11602 Lorain Ave.,
Eastman Library
216-870-8611
Girl Scouts of NEO
Troops at multiple locations in West Park
Multiple sites
440-233-6112 Gunning Recreation Center
Sports teams, indoor swimming, art & more
16700 Puritas Ave.
216-420-7910
Halloran Recreation Center
Ice skating, roller skating, sports teams
3600 W. 117 St.
216-664-4187
Hasani Management summer camp
Youth gardening program
4261 Brookside Blvd.
216-245-5167
Joyful Noise Music School
Free music classes for youth
12826 Lorain Ave.
216-952-4398
Learning Together Tutoring
Program for Artemus Ward
Peer tutoring program
4315 W. 140 St.
216-920-7055
Operation StandUP
Leadership, service & mentoring
3832 West 158th St.
216-282-5822
Pitcure Me Perfect Girls Youth Group
at West Prep Academy
Mentoring for girls
13111 Crossburn Ave
216-438-3378
Powerhouse Youth Ministry 4665 Rocky River Dr.
216-267-8779
Puritas Baseball League
19500 Puritas Ave. Suite #121
Riverside Park 21st Century
Tutoring and enrichment for residents
After-School program
of Riverside Park
17800 Parkmount Ave.
216-476-4172
Rockport Branch Library K-8 tutoring Monday-Thursday
and Teen Center
teen club for 13 year olds and up
4422 W. 140 St.
216-623-7053
Schools As Neighborhood
Various activities & free kids meal
Resources (Artemus Ward site)
6-8pm Mon, Wed, Thurs
4315 W. 140th St. 216-658-1360
Second Calvary Baptist Church
Youth Ministry
12017 Emery Ave.
216-252-1050
St. Paul AME-Youth Ministry Programs
4118 Brookside Ave.
216-941-6767
The EDGE at RG Jones Tutoring and enrichment
After-School program
for RG Jones students
4550 W. 150th St.
216-920-7143
U-Turn Ministries of Gateway
West Community Church
12645 Lorain Ave.
440-941-4238
Valley Riding Inc.
Youth horseback riding
19901 Puritas Ave.
216-267-2523
W. 130th Tri-League
Youth baseball league
4462 W. 130th St.
216-476-8456
W.P. Salvation Army After-school program and teen ministry
12645 Lorain Ave.
216-252-3593
West Park YMCA & Teen Center
Sports, dance, video games, leadership
15501 Lorain Ave.
216-941-5410
West Park Community Summer
Technology Camp
11897 Bellaire Rd.
216-941-5050
West Park Kiwanis St. Joe’s Academy, Riverside,
school-based programs
Builders’ Club & Key Club
Douglas MacArthur GLA 216-252-1364
West Park United Church
of Christ Youth Group
3909 Rocky River Dr.
216-671-7228
West Park Branch Library
Children’s library
3805 W. 157 St.
216-623-7102
Youth Opportunities Unlimited
Youth summer employment
1361 Euclid Ave.
216-566-5445 Explore and contact these agencies online by going to: www.bpdc.org/westparkyouthprogramdirectory.
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FAMILY MATTERS NEWSLETTER
West Park Family Calendar
Website
www.allamericankarate.net
www.americascores.org/affiliates/cleveland
www.arthouseinc.org
www.bpdc.org
www.blessedtrinitycleveland.org
www.gccbsa.org
www.bradycampbellirishdanceschool.com
www.buildinghopeinthecity.org
www.c4fc.org
www.clevelandbombers.com
www.clevelandmetroparks.com/
www.collegenowgc.org
gsneo.org
www.joyfulnoisemusicschool.org
www.standup4change.org
www.puritasbaseball.com
www.cpl.org
www.neighborhoodleadership.org
www.west.gatewaycleveland.com
www.valleyriding.org
www.trileague.com
www.use.salvationarmy.org
www.clevelandymca.org
www.westparkcc.net
www.westparkkiwanis.org
www.westparkucc.org
www.cpl.org
www.youthopportunities.org
Every Wednesday – West Park
Teen Job Club, new people always
welcome, 4:30-6pm. Artemus Ward
Media Center at 4315 W. 140th St.
216-671-2710 ext. 218. (Guest speakers, job training, help with resumes
and applications, and planning employment events for other teens.)
January 20, 27, February 3, 10 and
17 (Tuesdays) – Art House ceramics
class - 4:00-5:00pm at Robinson G.
Jones School, 4550 W. 150th St. Free
for grades 4-6 , registration required:
216-671-2710 ext. 218.
January 21, 28, February 4, 11 and
18 (Wednesdays) --Art House mixed
media class-- at Schools as Neighborhood Resources (SNR), located
at Artemus Ward, 4315 W. 140th St.
(4:30-5:45pm). Free for grades 2-3,
registration required: 216-671-2710
ext. 218. (free meal for youth after
the class, along with sports, tutoring,
dancing, etc at SNR)
registration required: 216-671-2710
ext. 218. (free meal for youth after the
class, along with sports,tutoring, dancing, etc at SNR)
March 10– No-question-too-small
workshop on homebuying presented
by First Federal Savings & Loan
of Lakewood at BPDC in the large
conference room. Call Toni Jones at
216-671-2710 ext. 205 to RSVP.
Spring West Park MyCom Teen Job
and Community Service Fair – Saturday morning, Gunning Recreation
Center. Call Vanessa Lange at 216671-2710 ext. 218 to find out more
information.
April 15, 22, 29 (Wednesdays) --Art
House mixed media class-- (Time and
location TBD). Free for grades 9-12,
registration required: 216-671-2710
ext. 218.
Jan. 22- Dinner meeting about neighborhood and youth, small slice of
pizza - Riverside Park Estates Community Center, 5:30-7pm,
17800 Parkmount Ave.
Jan. 26- Dinner meeting about
neighborhood and youth, small slice
of pizza - Schools as Neighborhood
Resources (SNR) at Artemus Ward
School, 6:15pm-7:45pm,
4315 W. 140th St.
Jan. 29- Dinner meeting about
neighborhood and youth, small slice
of pizza - Robinson G. Jones School,
5-6:30pm, 4550W. 150th St.
Jan 12- Feb 6: time to take a neighborhood survey about needs for youth
on www.bpdc.org
May 2 – Run Puritas 5K and 1 mile
fun run/walk. Registration is open.
All participants get a t-shirt. The 5K
distance has age group awards. Call
216-671-2710 for more information or
sponsorship or volunteer opportunities. www.bpdc.org/bpdc-runwalk
Feb. 3rd Dinner meeting about neighborhood and youth at John Marshall
High School 3:45pm-5pm, 13501
Terminal Ave.
May 7, 14, 21, 28 and June 4
(Thursdays)--Parade the Circle Workshop (Family class)-- 4:15.-5:30pm
at West Preparatory Academy, 13111
Crossburn Ave. (Parade June 13th).
Free for all families, registrationrequired: 216-671-2710 ext. 218.
February 23, March 2, 9, 16 and
23 (Mondays) – Art House ceramics class -- Schools as Neighborhood Resources (SNR), located at
Artemus Ward, 4315 W. 140th St.
(4:30-5:45pm). Free for grades 5-8 ,
June 13th – West Park families march
in Parade the Circle in University
Circle with other artist and community groups in a spectacular display of
costumes, giant puppets, stilt-walkers
and floats.
The Family Matters in West Park is produced by Bellaire-Puritas
Development Corp., a nonprofit serving West Park.
14703 Puritas Ave.
Cleveland, Ohio 44135
Board President, Jackie Kreiger
Executive Director, Bryan Gillooly
Editor, Rachel Napolitano
www.bpdc.org
216-671-2710
6
FAMILY MATTERS NEWSLETTER
Teen center opened at library Local poet-athletes take the
stage and score rhymes
West Park gained a new teen center this and are planning tech-related proyear at the Rockport branch of Cleveland Public Library. Katie Ringenbach, branch manager, and library staff
listened to the needs of youth and what
they wanted at the library and wrote
a winning grant application, which
resulted in the creation of the brightlycolored center. The center, as the
children’s librarian Cassandra Feliciano
explained, was previously a storage room that the staff was willing to
sacrifice in order to serve teens better.
Teens who use the library were said to
need a place where they can relax and
talk without disturbing other patrons at
this very busy library.
Building on teen interests, the staff
outfitted the room with technology
Free ACT prep
ImpACT the 216 starts in January and
offers FREE test prep with College Now
of Greater Cleveland. Teens prepare
for ACT tests so that they can
score HIGHER for both college
admissions AND for scholarship
offers. The 8-week program
is afterschool and will help
with math and reading, offering a $100 stipend, bus tickets,
field trips, and internships.
The closest program is offered
conveniently at the Cleveland
Public Library Eastman branch
at 11605 Lorain Ave. Call
gramming such as: watching movies,
gaming, making music and videos,
and internet-based activities.
The grand opening
was held on November
18th and featured a 3-D
printer, which allows
users to design objects
through a computer
program and prints the
objects out automatically using thin streams
of plastic stacked layer
upon layer according to
the user’s design to form
solid or hollow shapes.
The grand opening also
included video gaming, dance video
game competitions, Frozen karaoke
contests, food, and more. The library
had a youth contest to name the center
and “Teen Rock” was the winner. It is
for “true teens,” those 13 to 18 years
old. The library also is the site of tutoring for students in K-8th grade.
For more information on the center,
tutoring, or special programs for
adults or children, contact the library
at 216-623-7053 or visit the library at
4421 W. 140th Street.
216-241-5587 or email impactthe216@
collegenowgc.org for more information.
The 10th Anniversary of the
America SCORES – Cleveland
Poetry Slam had 4 West Park
youth poet-athlete teams from
2 schools participate: Artemus
Ward girls’ and boys’ teams, and
Robinson G. Jones girls’ and
boys’ teams.
Each team performs one poem
as a team and then each team
has one individual poet-athlete
perform her or his poem. Each
poem is original and created by
the youth who perform them.
Check out www.youtube.com/
bellairepuritas to find a video
of Aaliyah
Hasan, a 4th
grader at R.
G. Jones,
performing
her poem,
“Who I Am”
or find our
post about it
Get in your groove
at all-ages center
Whether you need to practice your
line dancing steps, get tutoring, connect with parents for quality leadership training, or practice your free
throw or backhand, there is a place for
you to get in your groove.
This community center operates out
of Artemus Ward for youth and adults
most of the school year and offers free
dinner to kids, tutoring, table tennis, board games, Families that Lead
workshops, arts and crafts, basketball,
and more.
Gary Galaszewski, known as Mr. G., is
open to having your community group
use the space for your own activity, too.
Perhaps you could start a documentary
movie club, a calligraphy class, or a
story-telling club? Mr. G. is the coordinator for this initiative, called Schools
as Neighborhood Resources (SNR), a
program of the Neighborhood Leadership Institute that operated for two
decades at John Marshall High School
before it had to make way for the new
building. It is often known as “Six to
Eight” to neighborhood youth, which
is the hours it operates on Monday,
Wednesday, and Thursday school days
until April.
Go to www.bpdc.org/westparkyouthprogramdirectory to find out about all
the current programs offered to neighborhood youth at your fingertips.
Tatiana cont…(from p.1)
After the tours and trips were over, it
was off to work I go. I worked at the
Hasani Garden Camp ran by Ms. Chinetha Hall. There, we gardened with
children, some with disability, eager
to garden. We didn’t just garden there,
we learned techniques and how to own
a garden and how to sell your produce
to earn money. While working, I made
friends with my coworkers Destiny
and Raymond, who were a big help
when it came to working. Everyone
had each other’s back and everyone
worked well as a team.
That was my summer it was an adventure that turned into a journey.
-Tatiana Burton
at www.bpdc.org/kids-score-rhymes to
watch the video and find more photos
there. In January, SCORES starts up
again with soccer practice and servicelearning, as poetry is replaced with the
researching and writing of a proposal
for a community service project that
each team performs by the completion
of the school year.
Vanessa cont…(from p.1)
development training. As I look ahead
to the future, I plan to continue and
strengthen these programs, while also
working to further expand our reach
and impact.
Specifically, I envision collaborating
with our many neighborhood partners
to expand our programming in three
key areas:
1) Introducing more science and technology programs that will enhance our
youth’s math and science competencies and engage their interest in STEM
related careers.
2) Tapping into young people’s kindness and compassion and deepening
their commitment to environmental
and social responsibility through a
variety of community service learning
projects. And,
3) Strengthening our youth leadership
by providing targeted skills training
and additional opportunities for youth
to take ownership of projects that they
design and implement.
I welcome and encourage your input
on these target areas, as well as your
ideas for other approaches we can
take to ensure West Park is a neighborhood where all children have the
opportunity to thrive. I look forward
to meeting many of you in the coming
weeks and months and having these
conversations. One way that youth,
parents, and other concerned residents
can contribute to the discussion is by
attending West Park’s Youth Mobilization Team meetings. Bellaire-Puritas
Development Corporation convenes
this monthly meeting to bring local
youth-serving agencies and neighborhood youth together to share updates
and gather input on current and future
youth programs and events. The
Youth Mobilization Team meets the
fourth Tuesday of every month at
5:30pm in the community room at
BPDC’s offices.
We would love to see you there!
In Community Spirit,
Vanessa Lange
7
FAMILY MATTERS NEWSLETTER
¿Aquile? Derechos y responsabilidades
En Ohio un propietario tiene el deber de:
1.Poner y mantener los edificios en condiciones aptas y habitables;
2.Mantener las áreas comunes seguras y limpias;
3.Conformarse con los códigos del edificio, cubierta, salud y seguridad;
4.Mantener en buen orden enel funcionamiento del el sistema eléctrico drenaje y calefacción y los sistemas y accesorios de ventilación;
5.Mantener todas las aplicaciones y equipo provistos o requeridos por el propietario;
6.Proveer el agua caliente corriente en cantidades razonables, a menos que el agua caliente sea provista por una instalación que esté bajo control exclusivo del arrendatario y provisto por una transmisión del circuito directa de la utilidad pública;
7.Proveer las latas de basura y de sacar la basura diariamente si el propietario posee cuatro unidades o más residenciales en el mismo edificio;
8.Dar por lo menos 24 horas de aviso, a menos que sea una emergencia, antes de incorporar la unidad a un arrendatario y entrar solamente en las horas razonables y de una manera razonable;
9.Embargar al arrendatario cuando se le es informado por la policía sobre alguna actividad de droga por parte de arrendatario, un miembro de la casa del arrendatario o un huésped del arrendatario que ocurre adentro o conectado de otra manera con los edificios del arrendatario.
En Ohio un arrendatario tiene el deber:
1.De mantener los edificios seguros y sanitarios;
2.De disponer de los desperdicios de una manera apropiada;
6.De no dañar los edificios. Esta regla se aplica a también los huéspedes del arrendatario;
7.De mantener las aplicaciones provistas por el propietario en buen funcionamiento;
8.De mantener un comportamiento que no moleste a sus vecinos. De igual manera esta regla se aplica a los huéspedes el arrendatario.
3.De mantener los accesorios de plomería 9.De permitir que el propietario incorpore tan limpios como su condición permite;
una unidad en la vivienda si la petición 4.De utilizar los accesorios eléctricos y de es razonable y se da el aviso apropiado.
plomería correctamente;
10.De aceptar las leyes del estado o 5.De conformarse con las reglas de municipales sobre droga dentro de los alojamiento, salud y seguridad que se edificios y se requiere que los miembros aplican a los arrendatarios;
y huéspedes del arrendamiento cumplan con ellos.
Are you a renter/tenant?
On August 25th Bellaire Puritas Development Corporation sponsored a tenant’s forum. People that rent in our community has
the opportunity to ask questions regarding
their tenant responsibilities and that of their
landlords. These questions and many more
were answered by Angela Shuckahosee,
Director of the Cleveland Tenants Organization. Angela left us with an informational
brochure titled ‘Know your rental rights in
Cleveland’. Here is what is says regarding
Landlord duties:
In Ohio a Landlord has a duty to:
1.Put and keep the premises in a fit and habitable condition.
4.Keep in good working order all electrical,
plumbing, heating and ventilation systems and fixtures.
5.Maintain all appliances and equipment supplied or required to be supplied by the Landlord.
unit, and enter only at reasonable times and in a reasonable manner
7.Maintain appliances supplied by the landlord in good working order.
9.Evict the tenant when informed by law enforcement officer of drug activity by the tenant, a member of the tenant’s household, or a guest of the tenant occurring in or otherwise connected with the tenant’s premises.
8.Conduct yourself in a manner that does not disturb any neighbors and require guests to do the same.
6.Provide running water and reasonable amounts of hot water and heat, unless In Ohio a Tenant has a duty to:
the hot water and heat are supplied by an installation that is under the exclusive 1.Keep the premises safe and sanitary
control of the tenant and supplied by a 2.Dispose of rubbish in the proper manner.
direct public utility hook-up.
3.Keep the plumbing fixtures as clean as 7.Provide garbage cans and arrange for trash removal if the landlord owns four their condition permits.
2.Keep the common areas safe and sanitary.
or more residential units in the same building.
3.Comply with building, housing, health and safety codes.
8.Give at least 24 hours notice, unless it is an emergency, before entering a tenant’s 4.Use electrical and plumbing fixtures properly.
5.Comply with housing, health and safety codes that applies to tenants.
6.Refrain from damaging the premises and keep guests from causing damage.
9.Permit landlord to enter the dwelling unit if the request is reasonable and proper notice is given.
10. Comply with state or municipal drug laws in connection with the premises and require household members and guests to do likewise.
For more information please call the Cleveland Tenants Organization at 216-432-0617
or visit their website at www.clevelandtenants.org If you are interested attending a
tenants forum at our office, please call Toni
Jones at 216-671-2710.
Want to be a homeowner in West Park?
There are many programs available to
prepare you for homeownership, and
the time to start is now!
Bellaire Puritas works with the
Cuyahoga County Land Bank in acquiring vacant, tax delinquent properties. These homes are then renovated
to code and either sold or rented. Please call Toni Jones at 216-6712710 if you are interested in buying
a home here. We can help direct you
to one of the many agencies that can
prepare you for homeownership as
well as contact you with homes as
they become available.
Need a better job? Want to move up?
d Housing
ServicesDevelopment
of GreaterCorporation
Clevelandknows
helps families
Access to computers provides adults with open lab
Bellaire-Puritas
time for job searches, e-mailing, and more while
that access to qualified educators and technology are
hout northeast
Ohio achieve the American dream
of
individual and group instruction can increase math
critical for economic development for individuals
and reading
skills. Many adults opt to prepare for
communities.
That is why
BPDCand
offersend
opporcognizeandthat
“home” doesn’t
begin
with just
a
the GED test and many have obtained their GED as
tunities for adults to access computers and educay we provide
programs
services
fill the entire
a result! Call Tracey Mullin at the BPDC computer
tion for free.
Over 200and
adults
have usedthat
the lab
this
year
and
80
have
been
enrolled
in
our
GED
lab at 216-898-0638.
home. From high-quality Homebuyer Education courses
preparation or Workforce Development program!
Assistance, we’re here to help you reach your goals.
HOUSING FEEDBACK
I’m interested in:
o e-newsletter about housing
o rental opportunities
o buying a home in this neighborhood
o home repair fair
o taking a homebuyer classes
o volunteering as a Neighborhood Ambassador
o publicizing a story or person
Please contact me _______________________________about my interest(s) at:
Address ______________________________________Phone_______________________
Email____________________________________________________________________
Please return form to: 14703 Puritas Ave., Cleveland, OH 44135
Comprar.
Mantener.
Sostener.
Apoyando propietario de
vivienda por mas de 39 años.
5700 Broadway Avenue . Cleveland, Ohio 44127
216.458.HOME (4663) | www.nhscleveland.org
8
FAMILY MATTERS NEWSLETTER
Iron Chef visits West Park
small business
Mang S. Keo, chef owner of Cuisine du
Cambodge, has a small dining room and
a large menu, specializing in the flavors
of Cambodia and offering tropical fruit
smoothie combinations, made fresh to
order. Their pad thai features shredded
pickled beets in addition to the ground
peanuts typically found in this dish.
Michael Symon visits Cuisine du Cambodge at 13124 Lorain Ave. with Anna
and Mang Keo on either side, respectively.
Michael Symon, Cleveland’s famous
Iron Chef and celebrity host chef on
The Chew television series, visited the
HOUSE FOR SALE
restaurant a year ago, as seen in this
picture above with Mang’s wife, Anna,
who does some of the cooking. He
must have been pleased as he hosted a
birthday party for Mrs. Symon at the
establishment later in the year.
If you are interested in starting a small
business, BPDC’s urban planner,
Melissa Miller, wants to hear from you.
She can help you navigate resources
and procedures to get you up and running and help you find an available
space to rent or buy. Some spaces and
programs are listed on our website at
www.bpdc.org/business-matters and
you can email her at m.miller@bpdc.
org or call 216-671-2710 ext. 214.
Your small business idea might be the
next big thing!
If you would like to write a review of a
local business or program in the neighborhood to be published in this paper,
contact Rachel Napolitano at BPDC
with your ideas: 216-671-2710 ext. 216.
You’re a Poet!
Youth contest
Youth 8-18 are invited to submit a poem about “morning”
by February 10, 2015 at 5pm with their: name, school, and
grade. A panel of youth will choose winning poems to be
published in our next edition and be rewarded with gifts of
JJ’s personal pizzas. If you are a youth interested in being
on the judging panel, contact Rachel at 216-671-2710 or
r.napolitano@bpdc.org.
Free Help with
conflicts
Sometimes neighbors have a complaint and don’t
know where to go. It might not be something that is
unlawful, or maybe it is, but the complaint might make
it difficult to be comfortable in one’s home.
Contact Ian Heisey, Mediation Coordinator for this
neighborhood, if you would like help handling a neighborhood conflict: 216-671-2710 ext. 216 or email him
at i.heisey@bpdc.org. Visit www.bpdc.org/mediation
to learn more about our services.
Bonus breakfast room
14102 Saint James Ave. List Price: $85,000
This 3 bedroom and 1 bath stone home is an example of comfortable,
beautiful living in the W. 140th Corridor. Modern updates make it move
in ready, including: furnace & central air, roof, electrical and the fireplace,
wood floors, and built-in cabinetry make it a gem. The lower level has
an entertainment room wired for high-tech fun and a separate play room/
family room in addition to a workshop area. Two car garage with walk
up loft area and garage door opener. Close to RTA, shopping, schools,
many parks.
Listed by Howard Hanna’s Carole Cohen, an agent and a neighbor:(216) 430-9746
NEED HEALTH INSURANCE?
If you have questions about health insurance,
the Affordable Care Act or Medicaid,
WE CAN HELP!
Certified Application Counselors are available to answer
questions and help you choose an affordable health insurance
plan that’s right for you. This service is free and confidential.
Call today to schedule an appointment at our Puritas
office at (216) 281-0872 ext. 2020 or drop-in at our Ridge
Road office on Monday and Tuesday from 3 – 7 p.m.
Health insurance options in Ohio
n Medicaid
• Children up to 18
• Ages 19-64 not on Medicare
• Pregnant Women
• Medicare recipients under different income
rules may be eligible for support
• Must meet income guidelines
n
Marketplace
• Not on Medicare or Medicaid
• Non-citizens lawfully present in the U.S.
• Must meet income guidelines and financial support is available
n
Medicare
• Eligible for Social Security or railroad retirement benefits
• 65+ or have received Social Security Disability for two years
n
Sliding Scale Deductible with Neighborhood Family Practice
• Available for NFP patients based on ability to pay
• Must meet income guidelines
• Helps NFP patients that may be covered by a
commercial insurance with a high deductible or co-pays
Know another language?
We would like to build a list of neighbors who are
willing to serve as a translator during mediations. If
you can speak a language besides English or can sign,
please let us know!
Rear entrance
What should you bring:
o Valid state ID or birth certificate
o Social Security Card
o Proof of address
(recent utility bill is best)
o Proof of income
• paystubs from the last 30 days
• Your 2013 Taxes or 1099
• W2
• Any other income, i.e. benefits
letter, unemployment letter, etc.
o Immigration documentation
• Most recent documentation:
I-94, Green Card, Work
Authorization, Naturalization,
Visa, etc.
Neighborhood Family Practice
3569 Ridge Road
Cleveland, OH 44102
Ph. (216) 281-0872
Fx. (216) 281-9721
www.nfpmedcenter.org
Affordable Care Act enrollment is November 15, 2014 – February 15, 2015
CALL TO SCHEDULE YOUR APPOINTMENT TODAY: (216) 281-0872
I WANT MORE YOUTH/FAMILY INFORMATION
My family is interested in receiving news about:
o youth programs (arts, leadership, job prep, college or career exploration etc.)
o neighborhood announcements
Name: _________________________________________________________
by o e-newsletter at this email: ___________________________________
by o mail at this address: ________________________________________
Please target information for youth with the birthdates of (mm/dd/yy)
____/____/____, ____/____/____, ______/____/____, ______/____/____
Please return form to: 14703 Puritas Ave., Cleveland, OH 44135