Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current, June 30, 2004, Page 2, Image 2

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JJortlanò (©hseruer________________________ tune 30.2004
Pushing the Vote in 2004
VICTORY
Middle School
5250 NE MLK (Near Killingsworth)
503-789-9099
Ask About 6th- and 7th Grade Today
New Principal: Cottrell White, Jr.
Cottrell White, Jr., former administrative assistant for
behavior in Portland’s Adams High School and later in
Portsmouth and Whitaker Middle Schools will take
over as principal ofVietory Middle School ifeonfirmed
by the Governing Board as expected Tuesday, June
29th. "White is an excellent choice,’’ said current
principal. Rich Blizzard. “He will bring our students,
staff, and families together on the pathway to
excellence.” "His extensive experience and successes
with student management would be an asset to any
middle school.”
Fall elections
inspire youth
turnout
in J ohanna S. K ing
T he P ortland O bserver
If an y b o d y has an o p in io n it’s
young people, so why a r e n 't they
ex ercisin g th eir ch e rish ed fre e­
dom o f ex p ressio n at the ballot
b ox? T h is is the big q u estio n
stum ping p o litical p arties from
every angle.
The presidential elections o f
2000 saw the lowest turnout am ong
young voters since 1972 when 18
year olds first gained the right to
vote.
Accordingly, new efforts are now
in the making to reverse the politi­
cal participation in the young gen­
eration. Polls indicate that this fall
young people are more interested
in voicing their opinions and may
vote with a vengeance.
In hopes o f increasing the turn­
outs o f young people, the Secre­
tary o f State Bill Bradbury and Su­
perintendent o f Public Instruction
Susan C astillo sent letters and voter
registration cards in June to more
than 50,00()0regonians w ho will be
turning 18 before the Nov. 2 G en­
eral Election.
“Look at the issues that directly
affect young people today," said
Castillo. “Their voices and opin­
ions need to be heard, and voting is
PHOTOS BY M ARK W ASHINGTON/THE PORTLAND OBSERVER
Kamaria Porter (right) gives instructions on voting registration to Rebecca Cornwell during a “Let
Justice Roll" voter registration drive at Augustana Lutheran Church, 2710 N.E. 14,h Ave.
the way in w hich young people can
impact the direction o f the state and
the nation."
Bradbury and Castillo are also
w orking with organizations such
as the New Voters Project to pro­
vide voter registration to students
and other young people.
M T V ’s R ock th e V o te an d
o th e r p o litic a l an d c iv il lib e rty
versity o f Oregon. “V oting is espe­
cially im portant for us as students
because so m uch w eighs on it.
W e 're trying hard to becom e edu­
cated leaders so that we can make
a difference.”
M ore inform ation about voter
registration can be found online at
w w w .ro c k th e v o te .c o m
and
www.mobilize.org.
Flashlight Used in Recent LAPD Beating
Victory Students Scorred
8 M onths o f G ain
In Just
4 M onths Tim e!
As Measured by the Nationally Normed
California Achievement Test
g ro u p s h av e a lso c o m e to g e th e r
u n d e r th e u m b re lla o f sta m p in g
o u t v o te r s u p p r e s s io n by
y o u n g p e o p le .
“ I believe that voting is a pow er­
ful tool that can be used to our
advantage as young people,” said
19-year-old Iyonna St. G erard, re­
cent graduate o f Benson High and
current undergraduate at the U ni­
Community activist Shaka Satori speaks to reporters in Los
Angeles Friday to protest the flashlight beating of an African-
American man by a Los Angeles Police officer. (AP photo)
(AP) — Three officers involved
in the videotaped beating o f an
unarmed black man during an arrest
will be investigated for excessive
use o f force, Police C h ief W illiam
Bratton said.
A total o f eight officers have
been placed on desk duty as the
FBI and the Los A ngeles County
S h e riffs D epartm ent investigate,
Bratton said. The LA PD also has
started an internal probe w hich
Bratton vow ed would be fair and
open.
O fficer John H atfield, 35, ap-
pearedtohitStanley M iller 11 times
with a flashlight after the man had
surrendered follow ing a car chase.
Miller, 36, was not seriously hurt
but com plained o f being struck in
the head and had a bruised cheek,
police said.
M ayor Jam es Hahn said any of­
ficer found to have com m itted a
crim e will be tired and prosecuted.
“W e ’ ve worked too hard to bui Id
our relationship with the com m u­
nity to have it je o p ard ize d by
thoughtless actions o f a few ,” he
said.
The violent arrest, captured June
23 by aT V news helicopter, quickly
drew com parisons to the 1991 beat­
ing o f Rodney King, but Bratton
and Hahn said much has changed.
For one thing, Hahn said, reform s
now m andate an independent in­
vestigation.
Closing the “Achievement Gap”
Our guiding mission at Victory MS is to close the
“Achievement Gap." That means the children we
serve will do as well as all others. We are realizing
our dream. The average sixth-grader came to Victory
nearly two years behind, as measured by the highly
respected and nationally normed California
Achievement Test. By scoring 8 months of gain with
just 4 months instruction, we arc fulfilling our dream!
Victory Has . . .
• 15:1 Student-to-Teacher Ratio
• FREE Tuition
Equal O pportunity)
• Exceptional Textbooks
• Theme-Based Curriculum
• Certified Teachers
If You were the Owner
or Beneficiary o f an Industrial
Life Insurance Policy Issued by
American National Insurance Company
and
are African-American or H ispanic
You may be entitled to additional death or
surrender benefits
I hese additional benefits are being provided as part o f a m ulti-state regulatory settlem ent
• Grades Based on Performance
between A m erican National Insurance Com pany and the insurance regulatory authorities
• Before and After School Help
of the states in which Am erican National does business.
• 6 Annual Field Trips
Ihe settlem ent only applies to industrial life insurance policies with a face am ount of
• An Excellent Gym
$1,000 or less, issued by Am erican National betw een 1936 and 1939 (African-Am erican
• ESL and Special Ed Welcome
and Hispanic), and betw een 1948 and 1964 (African-Am erican only), and w here a
Equal Opportunity for A ll Victory Middle School admits students o f
any race, color, nationality and ethnic origin to all the rights,
privileges, programs and activities generally accorded or made
available (o students at the school.
VICTORY
Middle School
5250 NE MLK (Near Killingsworth)
503-789-9099
Ask About 6th- and 7th Grade Today
surrender or death benefit w as paid since D ecem ber 31, 1959. To find out if you are entitled
to additional benefits, you must act by D ecem ber 20, 2005 by calling our toll-free num ber:
1-866-229-9685
O r w rite to:
American National Insurance Company
P.O. Box 1900
Galveston, Texas 77553-1900
M o re in fo rm a tio n is available at w w w .re g u la to ry s e ttle m e n t.c o m