This book is our "Pay it forward" - an inspiration for teachers and parents and those who work with children/kids in the afterschool or camps.  We provide lesson plans and templates of easy use and reproduction.

The first half of the book, we share how we served military kids all around the United States and then came home to Charleston, and had the help of Mayor Joe Riley to integrate into the Charleston Promise Neighborhood.

During our time serving the inner city kids, we covered the city, and within the pages of this book and our video pages, we share alot about the historical values of Charleston.  

Charleston RiverDogs are within the pages, along with Larry Doby Lesson Plan, and interview with Mike Veeck.

New book (237 pages) is out on August 12.  "A Backpack Journalist" - stories about youth impacted by the program, plus lesson plans and templates, and a review by *Dr. Fred Medway on the positive effects of this afterschool program and a military support program for youth affected by deployment.  After serving military youth during deployment, we came home and began within the Charleston Promise Neighborhood, then moved over to the City of Charleston. Recreation location:  St.Julian Devine.  From there lots of adventures and partnerships within the Lowcountry to include the Charleston RiverDogs, the SC Port Authority, Hendrick Automotive and Autometrics with Brad Davis and Mayor Joe Riley and Mayor John Tecklenburg, Scott Watson, the Cultural Affairs, the City of Charleston and Rep. Bakari Sellers, Columbia, SC and Garcia Williams, Charleston, SC. 

Included within the pages to mention a few:  Brianna Tucker, Deputy Campaign Editor/Washington Post, Victor LaBozzetta from Apple Education, Col. (ret.) Kevin Shwedo, Director SC DMV, Linda Lowry, Gary Sinise Foundation, National Guard and US Army Reserves Youth leadership and Daniel Masterpiece Jones. SC Military Department/SC National Guard & the Collection of SC Vietnam Veterans/histories. The Citadel Krause Center/Dr. Conway Saylor and Col.(ret.) Myron Harrington, Board of Visitors. 

A sampling of few of the students from our service to Military kids: Daniel Masterpiece Jones, US Army Reserve (ARTP), Hannah Rauhut, US Army, Jordan Jennings, US Army, Jessica Taylor, Kansas National Guard, Cameron, US Army and the program:  Club Beyond! 

A sampling of students from CCSD:  Gavin Lahmon, Emma Abrams, Trinity Hutzler, Stephan Smith, Amir Wells, Dorian Bell, Jaden Smith, Madison and Katie Sheffield,  Tyler Bowen, and parents. 

*Dr. Fred Medway, Distinguished Professor Emeritus, University of South Carolina - provided the qualitative results from the feedback from the "Backpack Journalists" and their parents and leaderships from various partnerships. 

Linda Dennis - August 6, 2024

Preorder Book - on Amazon - August 12, 2024!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Going off the grid ..sorta - hope to be back the end of March..

Dear family, friends and neighbors: I have found I have to go away and out of sight in order to finish this book.  ( On Becoming a Backpack Journalist - a catalyst to finding oneself.  For teens and just about anyone in search! - working title only...)  From an idea: "Teaching writing and journaling to help the stresses of deployment for families and teens"  - to weeks of Rand research and a Pilot agreed upon by a National Guard state, the A Backpack Journalist program was set to launch. Supported by research by Dr. Fred Medway, USC Psychology Researcher on the effects of deployment on families and children. Remember 9/11? Following 2001 - 2011, many deployed to serve our nation in war,  from the Reserve Components of our US Military, leaving  family and kids behind. Next in 2013 - 2022 -we were home in Charleston, SC with Civilian Kids in Title One or local schools. Military and civilian kids who spent time in the A Backpack Journalist program as teens, are now young adults
Read more

Now off the Grid...day 3 and 3506 words written

Image
  /Today I finished up the introduction.  For 5 hours in this area designed like phone booth. I found a quiet that made it easy for me to as they say:  "pound the keys".  And my friend who encouraged me to "go off the grid" was so right!  While I can't say the words came easy, but they indeed seemed to find the memories and bring them back in full color. Where did I find and connect with so many people that helped launch the A Backpack Journalist program? Well, it started believe it or not with offering arts and crafts to 2000 children as they went to work with their parents at The Pentagon on the "TAKE YOUR CHILDREN TO WORK DAY".   Pallets of craft supplies were loaded into one of the most secure buildings in America.  All donated by vendors who were supplying to Walmart, Michaels and Hobby Lobby. Many vendors came also, and one of my favorite pictures is of Danny and his girlfriend and me all with bright red aprons on and lots of smiles.  I should ad
Read more

Two trips to the Grocery Store

Living downtown is just plain wonderful, sometimes. This morning walking into the neighborhood grocery store, I ran into a father with his daughter.  He had a list in his hand, and she was standing nearby.  "Hello!"  You look like a Mary Poppins" -He said when he saw me. I had on my felt pull down hat with flowers!  It keeps me warm and today the weather was really cold and the wind had been blowing. Before I could answer, he quickly said: "Linda I have stage 4 Cancer, and I begin Chemo in a few weeks". Thunderstruck, I reached out to touch his arm, and assured him quietly I will pray for you.  Looking into his eyes I saw a look that said:  "Stage 4, that's serious." This man later in years had become my personal hero, and to many in my afterschool class.  He had dreamed of becoming a soldier at the age of 6, and had continued on.  He retired after serving long years, and then here at. home as well.  When my afterschool kids met him and then inter
Read more