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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 17, 2004)
Committed to Cultural Diversity M etro (L1h' ^Jnrt lattò © b seru er Í AC, N ovem ber 17, 2 0 0 4 . Scenic Ainsworth to Grow Greener Friends o f Trees launch linear arboretum See story, page B6 SECTION C D o in in u n i t y ¿ lie n d a r Learn to Swim Fall Swimming Lessons are avail able at C olumbia Pool, 7701 N. C hautauqua Blvd. and M att Dishman Pool, 77 N.E. Knott. For information, call the Port land Parks Aquatic Division at 503-823-5130. Hip-hop inspires Urban Music Project kids Women in NAACP Women in NAACP meets from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. the first Sat urday o f each m onth at the American Red Cross Building, 3131 N. Vancouver. For ques tions, call 503-249-6263. Africa AIDS Response The Portland-Mutare SisterCity Association Africa AIDS Re sponse presents W orld Aids Day, Hope is Vital, Rhythms for Life with performances by Maya S o leil and M archF ourth on W ednesday, Dec. I at 7:30 p.m. at theCrystal Ballroom, 1132W. Burnside. All ages. $25 advance, $30 at the door. For more infor m a tio n , v isit www.africaaidsresponse.org or call 503-224-4400for tickets. Ethos lets youth guide their music edu cation with the inception of the Urban Music Project. "Ethos started the Urban Music Project two years ago in direct response to stu dent input, said Charles Lewis, executive director o f Ethos, Inc., a music education non-profit headquartered near Jefferson High School in north Portland. "We found that a number of students were particu larly interested in making their own rap and hip hop songs.” E th o s ad d ed c la s s e s su ch as "tumtablism,” also known as scratching, beatboxing, and digital recording to its music education curriculum. "We have since added breakdancing and hip hop fundamentals," he said. The classes, designed for kids 12 and older, teach the com ponents of building and creating songs in a lyricism class, an introduction to the drum machine and sampler in the beat making class and more importantly .offer a wider palate of oppor tunity to those who may not have been otherwise interested in learning about music. — Lobby for the Better Train to be a citizen lobbyist on Dec. 9 at 7 p.m. at the Hollywood SeniorCenter, 1820N.E.40°’.Free an d sp o n s o re d by the Multnomah County Democratic Party. Forces of Nature OM SI presents Forces of Na tu re , N a tio n a l G e o g ra p h ic Chases M other N ature’s Dark Side, at Omnimax through March. For more information, call 503- 797-4000. continued onpa, Get Schooled Learn how to help to improve schools and jobs at a forum with State Superintendent of Public Instruction Susan Castillo and President of O regon’s AFL-CIO Tim Nesbitt at 7 p.m. Jan. 13 at the Hollywood Senior Center, 1820 N.E. 40th. Free and spon sored by the Multnomah County Democratic Party. Sense of Pride Now that the votes have been cast and counted (sort of), what do you think the theme of Pride 2005 should represent? Righ teous anger? Com mitted deter m ination? Thoughtful reflec tion? Pride Northwest, the non profit organization that produces the annual gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender festival and parade, seeks a theme which will express the com m unity’s wide- ranging feelings and actions over the coming year. Submit your id e a s to media@ pridenw.org or call 503- 295-9788 by Dec. 3. A brunch or dinner cruise for two on the Port land Spirit will be awarded tothe person who submits the chosen suggestion. Gallery of Visual Arts View art from talented local art ists o f all ages throughout the month o f November at the Inter state Firehouse Cultural Center; 5340 N. Interstate Ave., from 9 a.m. -6 p.m., free. Get Fit, Stay Healthy! Sankofaa Health Institute offers a free diabetes support group from 6 to 7:30 p.m. every third Thursday at Alberta Simmons Plaza, 6707 N.E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Form ore informa tion, call 503-285-2484. Creative Space For Dance Aurora dance studio, 5433 N.E. 30th (& Kil lingsworth ), offers an array o f classes for children, teens and adults at all levels of ability. Call 503-249-0201 or visit online at w w w .hevanet.com / auroradance for additional in formation. Ethos' Urban Music Project students count out beats on a com puter as part of learning to read and write hip hop lyrics. Achievement Gap Challenge Met Before Superintendent confident of improving schools by J aymee R. C uti T he P ortland O bserver Portland's new superintendent of public- schools says she knows how to close the achievement gap afflictingchildren o f color. Her plan relies on education fundamentals. Vicki Phillips has a record of making major gains before in districts largely serving Latino and African-American populations with stagnantly low test scores and a high percentage of low-income students. "Having been an urban superintendent before, I’ve had two experiences o f getting struggling schools on the right track and staying on the right track," she said in a recent interview with the Portland Observer. Phillips comes to Portland from Pennsyl even though I was a good student, I didn't vania, as the state secretary of education get any encouragem ent for college from my and form erly school superintendent in school councilor or my family," Phillips said. Lancaster, Penn. “I got to college by luck and The fundamentals she I think kids should get there wants for our schools are by design.” an investment in early edu Phillips says sh e's not cation and a standardized naive enough to think she curriculum at every school. alone can make necessary “Part of our job in the changes to Portland Public- district is to make sure kids Schools. get the same high quality "One of the reason I took of core education no mat this job is I thought there ter where they live in the were ingredients you look city," she said. for if you want to be an Phillips says she fought urban superintendent," she against low expectations in said. "I was looking for a her own upbringing, which courageous and visionary gave her intimate knowl board; not a group that has Vicki Phillips edge of the struggles some the same perspective but o f her students face. can come together on behalf of children. I "I grew up in an environment where the was looking for a supportive com munity expectations for me were little or none and and some percentage of staff that was w ill ing and able to make the change. I think we have a large percentage of teachers, support staff and principals who are really ready to move past expectation and go in the direc tion that we want to see our schools go." Phillips says she adm ires the pledge Multnomah County voters made when the temporary income tax was passed as a Band- Aid to ailing schools. Phillips says she is prepared to work with state legislators to secure stable funding. “I’m no stranger to that battle," said Phillips. She has been on both sides o f the funding dilemma, representing schools as superintendent and the state, as secretary of education. “It will take a coalition working with the legislature and the governor.” She added. " I’m somebody who believes that when confronted with a sound proposal and an expectation, that w e're willing to be held accountable for results." continued on pane li.1
