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Thanks to our friends at The Johns Hopkins University - Community School Initiative (JHU-CSI), the students had the opportunity to tour one of the labs in the new wing of the Mudd Building. Dr. Carolyn Fitch generously shared her time explaining the use of the equipment, lab procedures, and experiments that take place in the lab.  The students also had a chance to see some of the high tech equipment in action and they were particularly amazed at the use of liquid nitrogen to freeze protein pellets that had been isolated in the main lab.  It was an amazing experience to tour with the enthusiastic Dr. Fitch and we are thankful for the opportunity. Special thanks to CSI members Deanna Loh for setting up this experience and to Rebecca Obniski and Joseph Sloan for touring with us.  We look forward to another year of weekly labs with JHU-CSI....

Councilwoman Mary Pat Clarke brought Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake by the school today so the mayor could become familiar with our work.  There were students, alumni, volunteers, staff, and college support program participants present for the occasion. In addition to learning about the school, there was a discussion about the need to extend support for students who are going to the county to attend community college and are forced to pay higher rates. The students had an opportunity to speak about what the school means to them and Mary Pat spoke about why TCS is important to Baltimore. Tom Culotta gave the history of the organization and explained our mission and program. It is our hope that this is the beginning of a dialogue that will benefit young people, the community and the school for many years to come....

The seedlings from the greenhouse are being transplanted to containers for outside growing.  Peas, yellow squash, bush beans, zucchini and cucumbers are growing fast.  The tomatoes and peppers will be going in next. We'll be selling herb and vegetable seedlings and plants at the Sidewalk Sale on Sunday, June 1st. If anyone would like to join the Greenhouse Project, let us know.  A pledge of as little as 20 minutes one day a week to water plants will put you on the team!...

With just weeks left in this school term, members of the Board of Trustees shared lunch and conversation with the students today after observing the class in action.  Trustees Dave Bayer, Eddie Gavin, Barbara Foltz and Aduke Hubbard were keenly interested in the student's views on their school experience. Eddie explained how 4 generations of his family have been involved in the school and how important the school has been in his life since first being involved when he was a young teenager.  He stressed the broad support that exists for the students and the school that is much larger than the students can see. The students shared their dreams and experience of this past year and how much they have grown and accomplished since coming to the school in September.  The Board expressed their pride in the students and saluted them for their efforts this year....

There was a terrific turnout for the Girl Rising movie showing at the school today.  This stirring film explored the lives of nine girls around the globe from Afghanistan to Peru striving to overcome the obstacles to bettering their lives. Girl Rising illuminates issues such as sexual assault and child marriage, denial of education for girls, human trafficking and slavery, and poverty. The students from The Community School raised issues that are faced by girls in our own community as well.  There was a good representation of girls and boys, women and men in the room and many poignant observations were raised in the discussion that followed. It was announced that the school will initiate a series of movies with discussion next year that will focus on the issues faced around the globe and in our own communities.  Thank you to everyone that attended and supported this film.  For more information about Girl Rising Click here.  ...

The students attended a performance of the percussion dance troupe, Step Afrika! today.  It was amazing!  This dance style, that developed through African-American fraternities and sororities, had everyone moving.  The troupe also explained how a form of this dance was used  among South African miners as a way of communicating when language between them was a barrier. We found out that one of our students, Claivonda Taylor, was in a step group and now she is being encouraged to start a group in our own school. The performance was sponsored by Arts on Stage and took place at Goucher College. To learn more about StepAfrika!, Click this link. To learn more about Arts on Stage, Click here....

Larry Gross, spoke with the class via Skype from Los Angeles to share the story of his journey to retrace his family's life before and during the Holocaust.  As part of a roundup of Jewish people, his family was removed from their home after a normal life in the village of Munkacs, then part of Hungary.  They were transported by rail car to the Auschwitz-Birkenau Concentration & Extermination Camp. Larry visited this site in 2005 and walked the ground where his family was personally examined by the notorious Nazi doctor Mengele when they arrived there by boxcar.  Larry's Mother and Grandmother were in the gas chamber where they were to be killed when there was a malfunction and then were taken back to the barracks.  Larry's mom, Alice Sylvester, survived the Holocaust and today still stands as a witness to the Holocaust and the power of the human spirit. The students were keenly interested in this very personal story that both shed light on the history that they are studying as well as the human condition and the need to stand up to hatred and discrimination. Larry has been a friend of the school for many years through his leadership of the Coalition for Economic Survival in LA. We are very grateful for his sharing with our students. You can read the letters that students wrote to Larry by Clicking this link....

[caption id="attachment_1823" align="alignleft" width="300"] Frasier's Bake Sale[/caption] The Spring Bake Sale was a large success thanks to great coordination by the students and the support of so many people who baked, bought, and helped out.  It was a beautiful day on the Avenue and many former students and old friends stopped by to show their support and sample some terrific homemade sweets. It was a real pleasure to catch up with so many old friends. Special thanks to all of the bakers and sellers including Andi Witt, Char Smith, Kimberly Triplett, Claivonda Taylor, Justin Switzer,  Sherry Salazar, Sierra Salazar, Danzel Pridgett, Brenda Peddicord, Linda McCauley, Angela McCarty, Amanda McCarty, Mary Grace Mazzulli, Sierra Martin, Natasha Martin, Lisa Larrimore Spitler, Kelsey Larrimore, Amanda Larrimore, Maria Jasion, Dominic Jasion, Lynda Gomeringer, Ryan Gavin, Cathy & Gary Froman, Carol Berman, Samantha Bell, and  Zack Austin with a special thanks to Frazier's for giving us the space and being so kind....

"Think About What You Saw" was displayed on posters around the Holocaust Museum as the students viewed the exhibits today. Yet this admonition wasn't needed for our students who were deep in reflection and engagement as they moved through the permanent exhibit of the horrors of the Holocaust. Today's visit to the museum made their U.S. History studies of World War II even more real. This was the first trip to Washington D.C. for most of the students and will remain etched in their memories. To learn more about the Holocaust or the museum in Washington D.C. Click this link....

The long winter also gave way to a late planting this year in the greenhouse.  Today Ryan McCauley, Alex Polyak, Ryan Gavin, and Tom Culotta prepared the growing areas and planted seeds for lettuce, zucchini, beans, peas, Swiss chard, onions, squash, basil, rosemary, cilantro, parsley,and cucumbers. Looking forward to good growing and great eating at The Community School....