delta events features delta events

DELTA EVENTS
May 7-8
8
The 8th Annual Rough & Ready
Days Festival will be held May 7 May 8 in McCloy Park, Monticello,
AR. This event will feature the
World's Greatest Chicken CookOff, chicken race, youth fishing
derby, tours of Monticello's historic district, music, auction, etc.
Contact: Glenda Bolin
335 E. Gaines Ave.
Monticello, AR 71655
(870) 367-6741
chamber@seark.net
http://www.montdrewchamber.com
May 10-111
The TechSouth IT Summit is
scheduled for May 10-11.
Participants include some of the
largest IT companies such as IBM,
HP, Sun, Cisco, and Apple.
Lafayette, LA
Contact: www.techsouth.org.
May 10-331
The Arkansas Post Museum will
feature Images of Arkansas on
May 10 - May 31 at 8 am - 4 pm.
Tour the several buildings of the
museum and see this video on
loan from the Arkansas
Humanities Council exploring the
visual arts of Arkansas starting
with the rock art at Petit Jean State
Park. Admission: Free
Contact: Pete Jordon
Arkansas Post Museum
5530 Highway 165 South
Gillett, AR 72055
(870) 548-2634
May 14-115
The 5th Annual Strawberry Fest
will be held May 14 -15 in
Strawberry, AR at the River Valley
High School. The festival kicks off
with a parade and is followed by
live music, crafts, food, etc.
Strawberry, AR
Contact: Rosa Farmer
Strawberry, AR 72469
(870) 528-1090
rmf@daviscomp.com
REGIONAL
PERSPECTIVES
REGIONAL PERSPECTIVES
Mid South Delta Leaders Ask:
"The Delta . . . What Vision? Whose Vision?"
In April, Mid South Delta Leaders class members participated
in a tri-state summit titled, The Delta . . . What Vision? Whose
Vision? The summit was organized around the study of three
systems: education; economic development and public policy;
and the social, cultural and historical impacts on these systems.
During the summit, Dr. Myrtis Tabb, MSDL tri-state leader,
introduced the action learning team process to the group and
opened with Margaret Mead's quote: Never underestimate the
ability of a small group of people to change the world. Indeed, it is
the only thing that ever has.
MSDL is a small group of 40 class members representing the
55-county Delta region, but they are all committed to the
region and have a desire for continuing personal and professional growth and development.
Melissa Thaxton, class member from Monroe, Louisiana, said,
"At these summits, I learned how important it is that we work
together to make each and every one of our communities better
places to live and work. I believe that these summits, along
with future MSDL events, will keep us abreast of what's going
on and how things can be successful when we participate."
MSDL's next event, Retreat III, will be held in Arkansas, May
6-7, 2004. For more information about MSDL, contact Christy
Montesi, Tri-State Director, at criddle@deltastate.edu, 662-8464336, or visit the MSDL web site at www.msdi.org/leadership.
GFF Receives Grant to Support Policy Work
The National Rural Funders Collaborative has awarded Good
Faith Fund (GFF) a $50,000 learning-investment grant to support policy work related to workforce and asset development.
In the area of asset development, GFF provides staff support
to Arkansas Assets Coalition. Over the next year, the Coalition
will develop a state and federal policy agenda. Several policies
have been identified for the agenda including increasing state
funding for Individual Development Accounts (IDAs), connecting IDAs to 529 plans, increasing the IDA tax credit cap, and
excluding SEED accounts from the asset limit on programs
such as TANF and Medicaid.
In the area of workforce developGET Delt@Links IN
ment, GFF is working with
YOUR EMAIL
Southeast Arkansas College
(SEARK) and the Arkansas
Subscribe to Delt@Links , the
Association of Two Year Colleges online monthly newsletter; get
(AATYC) to pilot a Career
it delivered to your desktop the
Pathways approach to helping
first of every month at:
low-income individuals access
http://www.msdi.org/
training at local colleges that will
lead to high-paying careers. AATYC
is working with GFF to explore state-policy changes that facilitate the success of the SEARK pilot and expansion of the model
to other two-year colleges.
from the Enterprise
Corporation of the Delta
ECD/HOPE Investment
Brings High-sspeed
Internet to Monroe
ECD/HOPE (Enterprise
Corporation of the Delta/Hope
Community Credit Union) officials
recently announced a $500,000
investment in AIR2LAN, Inc. The
financing is part of a collaborative
effort between ECD/HOPE, who
provided $100,000, and Advantage
Capital, who provided $400,000
from a fund managed by
ECD/HOPE. The funding will
allow AIR2LAN to enter markets in
Monroe, West Monroe, Ruston, and
Bastrop, creating access to highspeed Internet service in the area.
ECD/HOPE has previously
invested $750,000 in AIR2LAN to
facilitate the broadband service
company's expansion into the
region. "This investment in the
potential of the region builds on
the Emerging Markets Partnership
with the W. K. Kellogg
Foundation," said Bynum. "By
working together with corporations, public officials, non-profits
and others, we are able to tap the
immense potential in Arkansas,
Louisiana and Mississippi."
AIR2LAN's broad array of services include: high-speed wireless
access and hard-wired Internet
access, including T-1 and framerelay solutions. AIR2LAN also provides an array of value-added services including web hosting, wireless Internet mobility services, network design, point to point broadband connectivity, network security, and VPN Solutions.
AIR2LAN will first deploy
Arkansas service to the West
Memphis market and then develop
an expansion plan for additional
communities across the state that
are ready for service.
Brinkley, AR Students Awarded for High-T
Tech
Community Projects
In February, students in the
Brinkley High School EAST
program joined 1,800 other
students at the Statehouse
Convention Center in Little
Rock, AR for the 5th annual
EAST Partnership Conference.
The conference celebrated the
students’ work on their high- Brinkley EAST Lab students have
tech community projects and produced various documentaries
was attended by state legisla- about their community
tors, Arkansas First Lady Janet
Huckabee, members of the federal Department of Education,
among many others.
The Brinkley EAST program was one of 18 out of 74 Legacy
schools to be awarded a superior rating for their project:
Supporting Cancer Survivors in Monroe County, which provides
information and support cancer survivors of Monroe County.
The students also received the Outstanding Project Award.
In addition to its main project, Brinkley EAST Lab also presented its My Community Project, where students collected oral
histories from long-time residents of Brinkley. As part of this
project, the students researched the National Historic Register to
locate Brinkley’s historic places, created 2D models of these historic homes, and produced a visitors' guide book.
The Brinkley EAST Lab also
presented various projects
they have worked on with
the East Arkansas Youth
Consortium. The Brinkley
EAST Lab has made a number of documentaries, including a documentary about
local Blues musician John
Brinkley EAST students received the
Weston, with the help of Nick
Outstanding Project Award for their Szuberla and Amelia Kirby
project: Supporting Cancer Survivors
from Appalshop, a media
in Monroe County
company out of Whitesburg,
Kentucky. Appalshop is a
documentary team that specializes in video documenting, editing, and production. This assistance was provided through the
Mid South Delta Initiative.
EAST is a project-based, service-learning class that provides
students with the most current, high-end technologies available
in some of the most progressive fields in the world. Students,
working in teams, tackle sophisticated, service-oriented projects
and in the process become creative, adaptable learners who can
solve unpredictable, real-world problems. EAST was first piloted seven years ago at Greenbrier High School in Arkansas. Since
that time, this educational success story has expanded to over
200 schools in seven states: Alabama, Arkansas, California,
Hawaii, Illinois, Louisiana, and Mississippi.
Find out more about MSDI Youth Leadership Initiatives at www.msdi.org/youth_leadership
Find out more about new program and policy initiatives in the Delta at www.msdi.org/partners
BUILD * COLLABORATE * COMPETE * CREATE * GROW * IMAGINE * INNOVATE * LEAD * MENTOR * WORK
REGIONAL LEADERSHIP PROGRAMS
BUILD * COLLABORATE * COMPETE * CREATE * GROW * IMAGINE * INNOVATE * LEAD * MENTOR * WORK
Nonprofit Org.
US Postage
PAID
Little Rock, AR
Permit No.
777
Investing in the Work of Delta People to Build Strong C o m m u n i t i e s
Mid South Delta Initiative
Ken Hubbell & Associates
401 West Capitol Ave.
Suite 702
Little Rock, AR 72201
www.msdi.org
F EATURES
Investing in the Work of Delta People to Build Strong Communities
Here’s the new Delt@Links newsletter from the W. K. Kellogg Foundation’s Mid South Delta Initiative.
May 22
The 3rd Annual Big Woods
Birding Festival will be held May
22 at the Courthouse Square and
Welcome Center in Clarendon, AR.
The Festival includes highlights
such as boat rides on the White
River, Little Rock Zoo Birds of Prey
program, early morning bird
walks, nature speakers, crafts and
activities for kids, food, vendors
and more! Admission: Free
Contact: Valerie Davenport
270 Madison St.
Clarendon, AR 72029
(870) 747-5414
clarendoncityhall@centurytel.net
http://www.clarendon-ar.com
East Carroll Cultural
Tourism Initiative Hosts
Appalshop Digital
Storytelling Workshop
The week of March 15-19 was a
fun-filled week for participants
from various segments of East
Carroll Parish, Louisiana.
Appalshop, a multidisciplinary
arts and education center based in
Whitesburg, Kentucky provided
an intensive week-long, hands-on
training, which was funded by the
W. K. Kellogg Foundation. Laura
Doggett and Shawn Poynter, consultants for the workshop, provided the group with skills to document the quality of life in the community.
Email info@msdi.org to
request a free copy of
‘R
Ripples of Change in the
Delta’’
DELTA EVENTS
COMMUNITY PARTNERS NETWORK
...CURET Continued: That's the program's main focus - giving children the opportunity to associate with other youth in a
friendly setting. Vance said that kids form their own cliques
anyway, but she hopes that after having played sports with
other children, those cliques won't turn to violent gangs that
fight other groups.
James Nolan, uncle to the Dennisa and Gemarion and mentor
in the group, said that his goal is to bring children from Friars
Point and Jonestown together for a game.
Children from both towns brawled in February at Coahoma
County Junior High School, and many say that rivalry between
the two towns has long existed. The youth organization hopes
to change that.
The workshop introduced participants to media equipment such as
digital cameras and mini-disk
players and provided guidance on
how to use them in recording data.
Participants were given training in
basic photography and interviewing tips. Additionally, they were
taught digital editing techniques
and the basic steps in producing a
multi-media video.
The final product was a video
that highlights various historical
structures and activities in Lake
Providence. The material for the
video was obtained from people in
the community who granted interviews and consented to be photographed by the participants.
"We need to teach them respect for one another," James Nolan
said. "It's all about respect."
Contact: Kathleen Shields at
601.863.0485 or Denise Barrett at
601.863.0495.
Find more Delta events at
www.msdi.org/calendar
COMMUNITY PARTNERS NETWORK
CURET Awards Grant to Friars Point Community
Youth Organization for Mentoring Programs
While his peers hang out idle on street corners or get into
mischief, 12-year-old Jernario Elrod spends his Saturdays playing sports with children from throughout Coahoma County.
For Elrod, it's all about running around and having fun. For
organizers of the weekend activities, it's about much more through Friars Point Youth Community Organization, adults
are working to curtail violence and teach kids ages 5 to 18 from
different towns to get along.
"It's not just about giving these kids a basketball and turning
them loose," said Pamela Vance, one of the group's mentors.
"It's about decreasing juvenile delinquency and providing children an opportunity to play together and develop relationships
with people from other towns."
The group has been in existence on and off for roughly 20
years, supported by contributions from local residents, businesses and organizations. But it got its first huge boost recently
with a $5,000 grant from CURET. That money, distributed in
two parts, helps purchase sports equipment and uniforms, supports group outings, and pays guest speakers to appear.
On Saturday, youth speaker Dennisa Nolan from TATU Teens Against Tobacco Use - spoke to roughly 50 children in
the Friars Point Elementary School gymnasium about the dangers of smoking.
Attentive and polite, the children from Friars Point, Lula and
Coahoma answered questions about tobacco use for a chance to
win prizes such as games, caps and clothing. Afterward, they
jumped into an intense game of basketball.
Throughout the year, the organization offers other sports like
softball, flag football, soccer and dance. It also sponsors activities, such as bike-a-thons and field trips.
The program has proved so successful over the years that
children once involved in the activities have now become mentors themselves. Gemarion Nolan, who is Dennisa's cousin,
recently became a coach after having spent his youth playing
alongside other children.
"Growing up, I thought this was fun, so I said, 'Hey, let's give
back to the community and make it grow,'" said Nolan, 18. "It
teaches kids to make friends with people from other communities. And when they play, it's not about fighting, it's about winning."
Reprinted with permission from the Clarksdale Press
Register.
May 25-2
26
The Mid South IDA Initiative is
pleased to announce that its 3rd
Annual Mid South IDA Training
Institute will be offered May 25 –
26 in Jackson, Mississippi on May
25-26, 2004.
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May 2004
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BUILD * COLLABORATE * COMPETE * CREATE * GROW * IMAGINE * INNOVATE * LEAD * MENTOR * WORK
The workshop participants were
Lucinda Bland, Gayle Brown, Glenn
Dixon, Mattie Faye Dixon, Bobbie
G. Facen, Sr., Karen Flaherty, James
Halley, Jr., Loretta Hill, Holly
Howard, Evelyn Kelly, Autrolia
Layton, Rosie McDaniel. Peggy
Madden, Betty Reed, Carolyn E.
Robinson, Veronica Foley Willis
and Daisy S. Wilson.
Friars Point youth
warm up for a basketball game at the Friars
Point Elementary
School gymnasium.
To find out more about MSDI Community Partnerships see the the MSDI website: www.msdi.org/community
BUILD * COLLABORATE * COMPETE * CREATE * GROW * IMAGINE * INNOVATE * LEAD * MENTOR * WORK
BU I L D
*
COLLABORATE
*
COMPETE
*
CREATE
*
GROW
*
IMAGINE
*
INNOVATE
*
People exposed to careers
(through job shadowing, mentoring, career/college/job fairs)
LEAD
*
MENTOR
*
WORK
Individuals who attended
leadership workshops
Scholarships/education grants
awarded
Individuals who received business,
entrepreneurial and workforce
training and counseling
People participating in long-term
leadership development programs
Individuals provided with transportation (to educational institutions, worksites or other locations)
Jobs created, supported, assisted
or saved
Youth involved in or affected by
MSDI programs
Individual Development Accounts
opened
Childcare facilities built or
expanded
Individuals who attended financial
literacy classes
New businesses created
Families provided with new or
improved housing
Small businesses supported with
technical assistance
Home loans/mortgages secured
Business loans granted
Individuals who received
homebuyers' classes/counseling
Farmers' and artists' markets
established or supported
The Mid South Delta Initiative (MSDI) is a long-term economic,
community and leadership development effort focused on 55
contiguous counties and parishes along the Mississippi River in
rural Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi.
The Initiative recognizes and builds on the skills, wisdom and passion
that already exist in the people of the Delta. Through MSDI, the W. K.
Kellogg Foundation provides long-term project grants, peer learning opportunities, training and technical support for organizations working toward positive
change in the Delta. This financial and organizational support has been provided to
over a dozen community-based nonprofits and coalitions as well as six larger, regional
organizations.
In the last five years, these MSDI partners have generated positive social and economic impact in
the Delta.
How do we know? Because we know that in the past six years, over 1,400 low income families have
moved into new or improved housing. We know that people who never believed they could afford their own
homes are being provided with homebuyers' counseling and are now able to secure mortgages. Nearly 150
businesses have been created and almost twice as many have received technical assistance, making them better,
smarter businesses with more capable local leaders. And we know that approximately 3,000 jobs have been created,
supported or saved.
How is MSDI applying the W. K. Kellogg Foundation principle of helping people help themselves? By connecting people to
meaningful work and entrepreneurial opportunities and preparing them for these new roles through education and mentoring
programs. By bringing people of color, women and youth into the entire spectrum of leadership and development in the region,
making sure that everyone gets a stake in the future.
To read the stories behind
the numbers on this map,
please request a free copy
of Ripples of Change in the
Delta by calling the MSDI
office at (877) 611-8973 or
ordering online at
www.msdi.org.
How is this investment catalyzing positive change in the Delta? Through its direct impact on over 6,000 children and young adults.
And through the ripples of change created by each farmers market established, childcare facility opened and individual trained.
Data Source: Grantee Partner Reports and Surveys
Compiled by Ken Hubbell & Associates
March 2004 under a contract from the W. K. Kellogg Foundation.
A recent survey of the grantees produced the first holistic picture of this meaningful change. This map shows where and how the Mid
South Delta Initiative is creating a positive social and economic impact.
Mapping
the
Mid
South
Delta
Initiative
from
1998
through
February
2004