Committed to Cultural Diversity www.portlandobserver.com M etro Î lîl ^ J o r t l a n ö o m m u n ity C a l e n d a r Stop the Violence March The third annual Stop the Vio lence March and Rally will be held Saturday, Sept. 17 at 10a.m., starting at Irving Park and ending at Alberta Park in northeast Port land. The march is sponsored by Senseless Violence Leads to Si lence and the Asia Bell Com m it tee Against Violence. « Minh Tran September 14, 2005 *3 n < y Dance Troupe hosted by Portland State (© b se r u e r See page B3 A Future Depends on It More parent participation encouraged something’s going wrong with the child’s curriculum or behavior in class, a parent is the most integral person to help find a solution. “We have to learn to be advo cates for our children,” Elliott said. “We need to get people together and get them em powered.” by K atherine B lackmoke With school closures and con T he P ortland O bserver Boxes for Babies sistent transfers of students to Lakeitha Elliott, president of The Parcel Place, located on Fre schools outside their neighbor mont and 15lh Streets, will be col King Elementary School’s PTA hood, Elliott said parental involve lecting diapers and other baby and mother to a third grader, is ment is more important than ever. supplies for the victims of Hurri hoping local parents will begin to “It takes away from the sense cane Katrina. The supplies will put m o re e ffo rt in to th e ir o f community. You can go down be shipped to the Bethany World children’s education this school one block and they go to five Prayer Center in Baton Rouge, year. Their future depends on it. different schools. I grew up in the “When you have a child, you which is housing approximately neighborhood and with all the 650 hurricane victims. For more want that child to be the best they changes now, we don’t have com can be. It’s your responsibility to information, call 503-282-3172. munity as it is,” Elliott said. make sure that happens,” she said. Elliott says she seems a dim Jefferson High Reunion Through an upcoming summit future for the Jefferson cluster if Jefferson High School will host and volunteer pledges, Elliott and Portland Public Schools has its its Class o f 1955 reunion, cel other members of the PTA are way without anyone speaking out. ebrating 50 years since g radu looking around to see w ho’s will “I see Jefferson High School ation, on Friday, Sept. 16 from ing to make a difference in the closing or becoming a charter 7 p.m. to m idnight at the G ate Jefferson cluster, which includes school. I see the district going way Elks Lodge on 711 N.E. Beach, Boise Eliot, Chief Joseph, ahead with the 7 through 12 plan 100th Street. A no host bar with Faubion, Humboldt, King, Vernon if the parents aren't involved. I appetizers will be featured. For and W o o d law n E le m e n ta ry see the students leaving the clus m ore in fo rm a tio n , call Hal S ch o o ls; O ckley G reen and ter,” Elliott said. Freitag at 503-243-2350. Tubman Middle Schools; and Rose M. Murdoch, a fifth grade Jefferson High School. Children’s Center teacher at King Elementary School, “W e’re looking at all of the Fund-raiser reiterated the idea that when some schools because if one o f the Peninsula Children’s Center will one shows they care about school schools in the cluster is affected, hold a benefit rummage sale on outside of the classroom, it makes then w e’re all affected,” Elliott Saturday, Sept. 17 from 10a.m. to all the difference. said. 4 p.m. a t4720 N. Maryland Ave. “If a child knows and feels that One of the goals is to have Proceeds will go toward the cen their parent is involved, that’s 1,000 parents commit to 10 volun ter, which is north Portland's old showing them that their educa teer hours by the end of 2005, est and largest nonprofit provider tion is important,” Murdoch said. which not only helps out the staff o f child care and family services. “I know parents are busy, but it’s in times of budget cuts, but also For more information, call 503- just taking a moment of the day to shows their kid that their educa 280-0534. ask how school is. A lot of parents tion is a meaningful priority. are single, working two or three “1 believe it really builds self Oregon Beach Cleanup jobs, trying to make ends meet. The 22nd annual Great Oregon esteem. My daughter knows her That’s when we need to come Fall BeachCleanup will take place mother is involved in her school together for support. It’s the little on Saturday, Sept. 17from 10a.m. and knows that mom’s going to things that count.” be there and go on her field trips. to 1 p.m. all along the Oregon photo by K atherine B i . ackmore /T he P ortland O bserver Murdoch is excited about the Coast. Volunteers may check in It makes her feel good to know I' m Lakeitha Elliott, president o f the PTA at King Elementary School, with her daughter Llondyn, who Parent, Community and Youth at one of 42 meeting sites, pick up involved,” Elliott said. started third grade this year. Summit, which will be held on Being a concerned parent a litter bag and help clean up the Saturday, Oct. 1 from 9 a.m. to 3 beach. Participants are asked to doesn't have to mean going to your child or allowing them a quiet, uninter means asking how school went that day and p.m for parents, children and teachers to bring gloves and sturdy shoes. every event. It can be as simple as sitting rupted space to do their homework. It means getting a real answer. F or m ore in fo rm atio n , visit down for 15 minutes every night to read to continued on page H5 talking to teachers and other parents. It Communication is important, because if www.solv.org orcall 1-800-333- SOLV. Canine 101 “ Problem Pooch” C anine 101 classes will offer an open d is cussion for new pet ow ners and adopters, or for those ju st cu ri ous, on why dogs do the things they do. The next class will be held on Saturday, Sept. 17 at 11 a.m. at the O regon Humane So ciety on 1067 N.E. C olum bia Blvd. Suggested donation is $ 10. Please leave pets at home. For more inform ation, call 503- 285-7722 or visit www.oregon- hum ane.org. « ■* Renters Rights Hotline The community Alliance of Ten ant is looking for volunteers to staff the Renters' Rights Hotline. The majority of callers are low- income families. This hotline en ables renters to save money, pro tect their rights and to prevent homelessness. Volunteer train ing is on Sept.24-25 during the afternoon No experience is re quired. For more information, contact Sarah Buckley at 503- 460-9702. Red Cross Teaches Safety The American Red C ross offers a range o f safety classes for crisis situations, from learning how to baby sit to perform ing CPR. The courses are intended for children aged 8 through adult. For more information visit w w w .redcross-pdx.org. years •Tcommunity service photo by M ichael L eighton /T he P ortland O bserver The Telephone Exchange Lofts on North Killingsworth Street have been purchased by Portland Community College. College Buys Killingsworth Lofts A h is to r ic b u ild in g on N o rth K illingsw orth Street has been purchased by Portland Com m unity College. T he T elep h o n e E xchange L ofts, a 9 unit m u lti-fam ily b u ild in g and its a d ja cent p ark in g lot was purch ased by the college July 1 for $1.74 m illion, a c c o rd in g to th e M u ltn o m a h C o u n ty A sse sso r's o ffice. The purchase gives the college control of the entire north side o f Killingsworth Street betw een North M ichigan and Mis souri A venues and more than half of the property in the block, also bordered by North Church Street. The properties are not included in the current PCC C ascade Cam pus expan sion underw ay and near com pletion. Last year, the college purchased the Jockey Club Tavern for $ 180,000on the same block and then dem olished the b u ild in g . T w o o th e r sin g le -fa m ily hom es w ere purchased by PCC in 2(X)2 and rem ain standing. M ark W ashington / T he P ortland O bserver photo by Gail James questions U.S. military actions on Sept. 11, 2001 during Sunday's Global Portland Festival to promote peace and interracial unity. The second annual event was held at Holladay Park near Lloyd Center and sponsored by the Community Language and Culture Bank.