Page 2 - Florida Sentinel 12-4-15 Edition

Features
Forum Targets Issues That Plague Youth In Our Community
BY IRIS B. HOLTON Sentinel City Editor
On any given day, some- where in the country, teenagers face issues ranging from addic- tion, domestic violence, and racial profiling. Additionally, during any given week, sc0res of juveniles appear in court, are sent to prison, or die as a result of violence.
A Tampa man hopes to draw attention to these chal- lenges and the issues teenagers face in today’s society. On Sat- urday, December 12th, Michael Johnson will serve as moderator for the “Beyond Scared Straight, Breaking The Cycle” Forum.
The forum will be held at the Tampa Greyhound Track, 8300 N. Nebraska Avenue, from 1 p.m. until 4 p.m. It will address issues facing both male and female youth between the ages of 9 years and 16 years.
There will be a panel dis- cussion, breakout sessions, and informational displays.
Johnson said, “Today’s youth are facing issues such as depression, domestic violence, suicide, school and police shootings, racial profiling, ad- diction, financial and family problems.
“Beyond Scared Straight gives youth, parents and mem- bers of the community, a plat- form for dialogue to discuss these issues and have the youth come up with ways the adults can help with an underlying theoretical foundation of deter- rence. Beyond Scared Straight offers a realistic depic- tion of the juvenile court sys- tems, prison life, death, and what families go through once a loved one has been taken away.”
Johnson said the program also covers family values, and faith among other values. Light refreshments will be served.
For additional information or anyone wishing to contact Johnson can reach him at (813) 475-8016.
College Awareness Forum Planned
SHATARA AND JEFFREY BELLE ...In FAMU’s Marching 100
BY GWEN HAYES Sentinel Editor
Over the past 5 years, con- cerned citizens have taken it upon themselves to host a col- lege awareness forum during the winter to share informa- tion with students and their parents.
This year, Gilene Jan- vier, Jessica Pierre and Dayle Greene have joined forces to host the forum. The “College Awareness Forum: Sail To Success Fall 2015” will be held on Saturday, Decem- ber 12, 2015, 12:30-3:30 p. m. at Career Source Tampa Bay, 9215 N. Florida Ave., Suite 101, Tampa (33612).
According to Mr. Greene, they are expecting 75 or more students to the forum. Ms. Janvier has invited vendors to also share information about other options if the stu- dent is not ready to go to col- lege, or may not be interested in going to college.
“In December 2010, two college students: Kezia Gilyard and Nina Zimmer- ing came out on a cool, rainy Saturday morning to share
their journey from high school to college with Jeffrey and Shatara Belle, students at Tampa Bay Tech,” he ex- plained.
Today, Kezia is a teacher in Broward County and Nina works for a Fortune 500 com- pany in New York City.
In addition to having per- sons in place to talk with and share information about get- ting into college and college life as shared by some current students, there is also a session for parents.
Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey (Linda) Belle, Sr. have been attending these sessions since their inception in 2010. Their son, Jeffrey, a 4th-year Engi- neering student, and daughter, Shatara, a 1st-year music stu- dent, are students at FAMU and members of the “March- ing 100.”
“This is an excellent pro- gram. Every year students come home to talk about col- lege life. Parents get to learn about financial aid costs, as well as what their students will experience. The event is bene- ficial because you actually get to talk with someone – some-
one to answer your questions, go over your paperwork,” she explained.
Ms. Dorothy Johnson
has attended the forum with her 2 daughters, who have been participants in the Col- lege Forum. Dasia is a fresh- man at Florida State University and Ivanna is a 2nd-year student at Tallahassee Community College.
Several others have at- tended the forum as students and/or presenters.
Ryanne Rosier, a recent grad of the University of Cen- tral Florida participated in the College Forum as a student presenter/mentor at a previ- ous forum.
Cabre Williams is a sophomore at Bethune-Cook- man University, where she re- ceived a full scholarship. She participated at a forum in May of this year.
Planners of this event would like to know exactly how many to prepare for. If a stu- dent or parent is interested, please call (813) 732-3268 or go to CollegeAwarenessTB@gmail.c om.
Meeting
School Board Plans Special Meeting
The Hillsborough County School Board will hold a special called board Thursday, December 10th, at 1:30 p.m., in the Raymond Shelton Administrative Center, 901 E. Kennedy Blvd.
The meeting to consider approving the recommendation by the Su- perintendent for the salary schedule with the Hillsborough School Em- ployees Federation.
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