I'm always amazed to hear someone refer to downtown South Bend as "dead."
While there is still work to be done, as a single thirty-something with single friends, downtown is the first place we head when we want to eat great food and enjoy great shows & music.
The Vine, Siam Thai, Fiddler's Hearth, NoMA, LePeep, SB Chocolate, Higher Grounds, Chicory Cafe, Carmela's/Macri's are the highlights for us, but not the limit of what downtown offers.
You have to go to Chicago or Indy to find the entertainment we get on a regular basis through the great work of the Morris & DeBartolo staffs - everything from Broadway to metal to classical & modern dance, and BB King to boot, and I don't think they get enough public recognition for the work they've done to make South Bend what it is.
And South Bend Civic Theatre, one of the best community theatres in the state!
Anyway, I could go on about the local parks and growing bike/recreation lanes, museums, the increasing number of art galleries & studios, in addition to our own art museum (whose community class offerings exceed those of the Indianapolis Art Museum), and the art & music festivals which are increasing in number.
If this is South Bend "dying" someone please tell me what was here 15 years ago?
Submitted by Jennifer
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Citizens for Progress made the news!!!
Not just the news, we made the top story, compliments of Fox28. You can read the full story here (complete with video).
With so much negativity about our city lately, it was great to see Fox give people wanting to talk about South Bend in a positive way the top story.
OK. So they got our name wrong but, mistakes happen.
We believe there will come a time when everyone knows about this movement and our name will be easily recognized (and remembered, LOL).
We had a great meeting. We received an update on one idea brought up at our first meeting. Apparently, Marquette School is willing to work on a school wide project with the students, emphasizing the positives in South Bend.
That is wonderful news! Our kids need to focus on being positive people and positive action is always a good thing.
We realize that there are many more wanting to get involved and we're working to try to schedule meetings on various nights to allow even more people to get involved in this exciting grassroots movement.
Apparently, the downside to having such an alive and active city is that it can be hard to schedule meetings that don't conflict with other events.
If you couldn't make this meeting, we hope to see you at the next.
We need positive people willing to stand up and take positive action. It's the only way we will fight back this growing negativity about our city.
Remember the Chinese proverb, "The man who removes a mountain begins by carrying away small stones."
With so much negativity about our city lately, it was great to see Fox give people wanting to talk about South Bend in a positive way the top story.
OK. So they got our name wrong but, mistakes happen.
We believe there will come a time when everyone knows about this movement and our name will be easily recognized (and remembered, LOL).
We had a great meeting. We received an update on one idea brought up at our first meeting. Apparently, Marquette School is willing to work on a school wide project with the students, emphasizing the positives in South Bend.
That is wonderful news! Our kids need to focus on being positive people and positive action is always a good thing.
We realize that there are many more wanting to get involved and we're working to try to schedule meetings on various nights to allow even more people to get involved in this exciting grassroots movement.
Apparently, the downside to having such an alive and active city is that it can be hard to schedule meetings that don't conflict with other events.
If you couldn't make this meeting, we hope to see you at the next.
We need positive people willing to stand up and take positive action. It's the only way we will fight back this growing negativity about our city.
Remember the Chinese proverb, "The man who removes a mountain begins by carrying away small stones."
Building hope!
In case you missed it, here's a news story that shows a great example of people working to make our students more prepared for the future. Take note of how the kids respond when adults care enough to reach out to them. Our kids need to see that their lives are filled, not only with challenges, but also opportunities. Kudos to all involved in this project!
Building hope
Edison eighth-graders get hands-on feel for college at Notre Dame
by MICHAEL WANBAUGH, South Bend Tribune Staff Writer
Standing in front of 70 fresh, young minds, University of Notre Dame admissions adviser Christy Greene posed a common yet strangely complex question."What," Greene asked inside the sparkling new Jordan Hall of Science, "do you want to be when you grow up?"The audience of Edison Intermediate Center eighth-graders began to look around and smile at each other. Very soon hands were darting into the air.
"A pharmacist," one girl said.
"A pediatrician," another girl added."
A cartoonist," a boy said shyly."
Those are all great," Greene told them. "You have to study something you're passionate about. Study your passion."
This was the second year that Edison eighth-graders visited the Notre Dame campus. Last year it was just 30 students. This year it was all of them, split between two days.
But this was more than a sightseeing trip. It was more than a "you-can-be-anything" pep talk. It was a three-hour immersion into the life of a college student, what equates to a myth for so many.
John Reese, the director of student management at Edison, helped organize the visit.
"So many of our kids don't really see themselves as college-bound," Reese said. "They simply have not had the exposure to college that others have. We're trying to change that."
After meeting with Greene, the students were sent to faculty member Philip Sakimoto in Jordan Hall's Digital Visualization Theater.
"I hope that what you see might inspire you today," said Sakimoto, who spent 14 years working for NASA. "I'm going to use this theater to take you places that before you could only visit in your imaginations."
All Sakimoto did was take them on a 360-degree tour of the universe as they leaned back in the theater-style seats.
"This is so cool," one student said barely above a whisper to a friend as Sakimoto took the class from the Earth to the moon in a matter of seconds.
"Yeah," the friend answered. "This is tight."
Before they were done, the students had gone on a more than 100,000-light-year journey across the Milky Way.
"You've just been on a trip," Sakimoto said, "through our whole galaxy and beyond."
As students filed out of the DVT, there was a buzz about what they saw. There was energy in their eyes.
It's that expression and reaction that Notre Dame Director of Community Relations Jacquelyn Rucker says makes such a visit worth the time and effort.
Those Notre Dame students and faculty members who participated did so during their fall break.
"One of the biggest assets that Notre Dame has is intellectual capital," Rucker said. "If we can share that with this community, it's for the good of everybody."
After extensive space travel, the students were split into four groups. Group 1 went to the chemistry lab. Group 2 went to the biology lab. Group 3 went to the physics lab. Group 4 went to the math lab.
Professor Karen Morris took her group to the third floor, where an experiment awaited.
In goggle-wearing groups of two, the students mixed baking soda, calcium chloride and phenol red together, creating a bubbling, breathing, hot, yellow mixture.
"It's so warm," 13-year-old Kennedy McGill said, her mouth agape as she continuously squeezed the mixture inside a bag. "I can't believe how warm it is."
The groups compared their observations in the discussion room before returning to the lab for follow-up experiments. "This is what scientists do," Morris told the group. "Scientists love to talk about what they did. All of you just did what scientists do every day. You just acted like scientists."
A glaze of satisfaction settled on the faces of the group as they put their goggles away.
Before going back to their own school, students returned to the lecture hall where Notre Dame students talked to them about college, trying hard, and believing in themselves.
Lou Nanni, vice president of university relations for Notre Dame, had the last word.
"This is the time for you to start," he said confidently. "Work hard now so you leave choices for yourself down the line."
"I hope," he continued, "that your visit here today opens up what some of those possibilities can be."
On the ride back to Edison, Reese could tell the experience left an impression. It was the reaction he was after.
"They would say, 'I just took a physics course at Notre Dame and did fine,' " Reese said. "I think they understand now what we're trying to do.
"We're building hope."
Building hope
Edison eighth-graders get hands-on feel for college at Notre Dame
by MICHAEL WANBAUGH, South Bend Tribune Staff Writer
Standing in front of 70 fresh, young minds, University of Notre Dame admissions adviser Christy Greene posed a common yet strangely complex question."What," Greene asked inside the sparkling new Jordan Hall of Science, "do you want to be when you grow up?"The audience of Edison Intermediate Center eighth-graders began to look around and smile at each other. Very soon hands were darting into the air.
"A pharmacist," one girl said.
"A pediatrician," another girl added."
A cartoonist," a boy said shyly."
Those are all great," Greene told them. "You have to study something you're passionate about. Study your passion."
This was the second year that Edison eighth-graders visited the Notre Dame campus. Last year it was just 30 students. This year it was all of them, split between two days.
But this was more than a sightseeing trip. It was more than a "you-can-be-anything" pep talk. It was a three-hour immersion into the life of a college student, what equates to a myth for so many.
John Reese, the director of student management at Edison, helped organize the visit.
"So many of our kids don't really see themselves as college-bound," Reese said. "They simply have not had the exposure to college that others have. We're trying to change that."
After meeting with Greene, the students were sent to faculty member Philip Sakimoto in Jordan Hall's Digital Visualization Theater.
"I hope that what you see might inspire you today," said Sakimoto, who spent 14 years working for NASA. "I'm going to use this theater to take you places that before you could only visit in your imaginations."
All Sakimoto did was take them on a 360-degree tour of the universe as they leaned back in the theater-style seats.
"This is so cool," one student said barely above a whisper to a friend as Sakimoto took the class from the Earth to the moon in a matter of seconds.
"Yeah," the friend answered. "This is tight."
Before they were done, the students had gone on a more than 100,000-light-year journey across the Milky Way.
"You've just been on a trip," Sakimoto said, "through our whole galaxy and beyond."
As students filed out of the DVT, there was a buzz about what they saw. There was energy in their eyes.
It's that expression and reaction that Notre Dame Director of Community Relations Jacquelyn Rucker says makes such a visit worth the time and effort.
Those Notre Dame students and faculty members who participated did so during their fall break.
"One of the biggest assets that Notre Dame has is intellectual capital," Rucker said. "If we can share that with this community, it's for the good of everybody."
After extensive space travel, the students were split into four groups. Group 1 went to the chemistry lab. Group 2 went to the biology lab. Group 3 went to the physics lab. Group 4 went to the math lab.
Professor Karen Morris took her group to the third floor, where an experiment awaited.
In goggle-wearing groups of two, the students mixed baking soda, calcium chloride and phenol red together, creating a bubbling, breathing, hot, yellow mixture.
"It's so warm," 13-year-old Kennedy McGill said, her mouth agape as she continuously squeezed the mixture inside a bag. "I can't believe how warm it is."
The groups compared their observations in the discussion room before returning to the lab for follow-up experiments. "This is what scientists do," Morris told the group. "Scientists love to talk about what they did. All of you just did what scientists do every day. You just acted like scientists."
A glaze of satisfaction settled on the faces of the group as they put their goggles away.
Before going back to their own school, students returned to the lecture hall where Notre Dame students talked to them about college, trying hard, and believing in themselves.
Lou Nanni, vice president of university relations for Notre Dame, had the last word.
"This is the time for you to start," he said confidently. "Work hard now so you leave choices for yourself down the line."
"I hope," he continued, "that your visit here today opens up what some of those possibilities can be."
On the ride back to Edison, Reese could tell the experience left an impression. It was the reaction he was after.
"They would say, 'I just took a physics course at Notre Dame and did fine,' " Reese said. "I think they understand now what we're trying to do.
"We're building hope."
Sunday, October 28, 2007
"50% dropout rate" may be misleading
We've often heard that our Sout Bend schools have a 50% dropout rate but, according to the Indiana Dept of Education statistics, that might not be entirely accurate.
After hearing the often quoted dropout rate for our school, we decided to look into that. According to IN DOE stats, 2005 - 06 graduation rates for SB schools are as follows:
Clay High School -71.8%
Adams High School - 69.4%
Washington High School - 70%
Riley High School - 65.9%
We're not saying that our schools are not in need of improvement because they certainly are. Far too many kids are dropping out, leaving them ill prepared to face the challenges of the world around them.
What we don't need is an inflated statistics. Let's start with an accurate picture of where we're at and figure out how to solve this problem.
Our children deserve that and we should always be mindful that these kids are our future.
After hearing the often quoted dropout rate for our school, we decided to look into that. According to IN DOE stats, 2005 - 06 graduation rates for SB schools are as follows:
Clay High School -71.8%
Adams High School - 69.4%
Washington High School - 70%
Riley High School - 65.9%
We're not saying that our schools are not in need of improvement because they certainly are. Far too many kids are dropping out, leaving them ill prepared to face the challenges of the world around them.
What we don't need is an inflated statistics. Let's start with an accurate picture of where we're at and figure out how to solve this problem.
Our children deserve that and we should always be mindful that these kids are our future.
Investing in Our Children (Freshman Academy)
A new program in the South Bend high schools this year seems very promising.
You know how when you go to high school suddenly you have a different teacher for every subject and parents really have no central person to go to for information about how their student is doing? Well, thanks to a 3 million dollar grant that our South Bend Schools have gotten, high school freshmen will be provided with a more supportive learning environment… It’s called a Smaller Learning Communities Grant.
Each high school now has Freshman Academy that helps new students get connected to their high school and feel a sense of belonging. At each school, teachers of freshmen are organized into four teams, and these teams all teach the same group of students. For example, if you are in Mr. Brown’s English class then you are also in Ms. Green’s Algebra class and Mr. Moreno’s Biology class. This team of teachers meets to talk regularly, so that they know what is going on with students in different classes. This Small Learning Community is like having a smaller high school within the larger school.
The students also get special advising with one of their team’s teachers. Students meet with their own advisory teacher twice a week for 30 minutes to review how things are going… And this teacher knows about what is happening in the student’s other classes. This is a pretty powerful dynamic to create. Instead of being able to melt into the crowd of high school, these students have a set of teachers who are getting to know them very well. This is crucial during freshman year, when research shows that the first four to six weeks are crucial for students to feel connected and invested in the school. And these advisory teachers will be reaching out to parents through phone and email.
This is a great plan because adolescents really NEED their teachers to help them resist peer pressure, and motivate them to pursue their dreams. They need closer connections with teachers, and high school doesn’t always provide them. Teachers who have been teaching for years say that this program is really allowing them to get to know their students—one veteran teacher was amazed at the good relationships already forming with students in this program! No kid is anonymous… they know they are being discussed by their team of teachers. The teachers are even coordinating assignments and tests so that students don’t have too heavy workloads on certain weeks. Wish my teachers had done that!
These Freshman Academy have one major goal: Making sophomores. And that’s the first step toward making graduates. Seems pretty promising… and I hear that another small learning community called Career Academy will be developed as the students progress, so students continue to be nestled in small, well connected groups pursuing shared career goals. But that will be another blog.
Submitted by the proud parent of a SB Community student.
You know how when you go to high school suddenly you have a different teacher for every subject and parents really have no central person to go to for information about how their student is doing? Well, thanks to a 3 million dollar grant that our South Bend Schools have gotten, high school freshmen will be provided with a more supportive learning environment… It’s called a Smaller Learning Communities Grant.
Each high school now has Freshman Academy that helps new students get connected to their high school and feel a sense of belonging. At each school, teachers of freshmen are organized into four teams, and these teams all teach the same group of students. For example, if you are in Mr. Brown’s English class then you are also in Ms. Green’s Algebra class and Mr. Moreno’s Biology class. This team of teachers meets to talk regularly, so that they know what is going on with students in different classes. This Small Learning Community is like having a smaller high school within the larger school.
The students also get special advising with one of their team’s teachers. Students meet with their own advisory teacher twice a week for 30 minutes to review how things are going… And this teacher knows about what is happening in the student’s other classes. This is a pretty powerful dynamic to create. Instead of being able to melt into the crowd of high school, these students have a set of teachers who are getting to know them very well. This is crucial during freshman year, when research shows that the first four to six weeks are crucial for students to feel connected and invested in the school. And these advisory teachers will be reaching out to parents through phone and email.
This is a great plan because adolescents really NEED their teachers to help them resist peer pressure, and motivate them to pursue their dreams. They need closer connections with teachers, and high school doesn’t always provide them. Teachers who have been teaching for years say that this program is really allowing them to get to know their students—one veteran teacher was amazed at the good relationships already forming with students in this program! No kid is anonymous… they know they are being discussed by their team of teachers. The teachers are even coordinating assignments and tests so that students don’t have too heavy workloads on certain weeks. Wish my teachers had done that!
These Freshman Academy have one major goal: Making sophomores. And that’s the first step toward making graduates. Seems pretty promising… and I hear that another small learning community called Career Academy will be developed as the students progress, so students continue to be nestled in small, well connected groups pursuing shared career goals. But that will be another blog.
Submitted by the proud parent of a SB Community student.
Thursday, October 25, 2007
South Bend is a Beautiful Place to Live!
Let us be the first to share with you just how beautiful our city is. Robert Holmer, one of our very talented local photographers, has created a photo album that showcases the beauty of South Bend.
Whether you find beauty in nature, art or our historic architecture, you can find it here.
Check it out for yourself now, but be sure to check back again because he plans on adding even more.
There is simply no end to the beauty that is South Bend!
Whether you find beauty in nature, art or our historic architecture, you can find it here.
Check it out for yourself now, but be sure to check back again because he plans on adding even more.
There is simply no end to the beauty that is South Bend!
Monday, October 22, 2007
Hope wins out in Parkovash Park
Here is my story of hope working in South Bend-
My family lives in the North Shore Triangle neighborhood just north of downtown SB. For many years neighbors Bob Downs and Al "Buddy" Kirsits threw a Halloween party for the neighborhood kids. They spent weeks decorating their yards, carved over 100 pumpkins and gave away a dentists dream of candy. We all watched the neighborhood kids grow from scared participants to actors in the annual event.
Tragically, in March of 2002 Bob was killed by a disgruntled employee while working at Bertrand products in Michigan. As October loomed near Buddy knew he couldn't pull off the celebration without his brother in ghastly adventures. Though we all mourned Bob's passing, many of us realized we also mourned the loss of the special sense of community he helped create on Halloween night. We decided not to allow our neighborhood to be once again victimized by violence in the loss of a Halloween celebration.
That October several neighbors put forth the first annual Parkovash Park Halloween Party. Totally funded and run by volunteers in the neighborhood, we play games, eat food, gather around a fire as we greet old friends and meet the new.
Most of all, I think we keep the hope for our city alive and refuse to cower in fear of those who would extinguish that hope.
Judie Mengel
My family lives in the North Shore Triangle neighborhood just north of downtown SB. For many years neighbors Bob Downs and Al "Buddy" Kirsits threw a Halloween party for the neighborhood kids. They spent weeks decorating their yards, carved over 100 pumpkins and gave away a dentists dream of candy. We all watched the neighborhood kids grow from scared participants to actors in the annual event.
Tragically, in March of 2002 Bob was killed by a disgruntled employee while working at Bertrand products in Michigan. As October loomed near Buddy knew he couldn't pull off the celebration without his brother in ghastly adventures. Though we all mourned Bob's passing, many of us realized we also mourned the loss of the special sense of community he helped create on Halloween night. We decided not to allow our neighborhood to be once again victimized by violence in the loss of a Halloween celebration.
That October several neighbors put forth the first annual Parkovash Park Halloween Party. Totally funded and run by volunteers in the neighborhood, we play games, eat food, gather around a fire as we greet old friends and meet the new.
Most of all, I think we keep the hope for our city alive and refuse to cower in fear of those who would extinguish that hope.
Judie Mengel
Friday, October 19, 2007
Our first meeting was amazing!
Last night we held our first meeting and it really was an amazing experience!
We shared stories about positive experiences we've had while living and working in South Bend. We discussed the importance of giving back to the community and how to help more people, including kids, to get involved. Someone suggested that we could have went on until midnight and I believe we could have.
We also discussed ways to promote the great things that are happening in South Bend. This blog is one of those ways we hope to, not only promote the positive things that are going on in South Bend, but it also allows us to keep an archive of these things.
Anyone with a positive story to share, be it about an event or someone who's making a difference in our community, is welcome to submit it to info@hopenotfear.org. You can include photos if you wish. After all, a pciture is worth a thousand words. We would prefer that people are willing to sign their name to their submissions but understand that not everyone is comfortable with doing that. Please let us know if you wish to remain anonymous.
Another way to promote the positives in our community is to write a letter to the South Bend Tribune's Voice of the People. The Tribune has limitations as to how much it can cover in the community but We, the People of South Bend, have the ability to express our positive experiences or appreciation for people who are doing good things. VoP will print one letter every 30 days per person. Here's the info you need to know to do to submit a VoP letter:
Mail your letters to Voice of the People, The South Bend Tribune, 225 W. Colfax Ave., South Bend, IN 46626; e-mail them to vop@sbtinfo.com or fax to (574) 236-1765. Letters may be no more than 200 words. Longer submissions will be considered for Michiana Point of View. All submissions are subject to editing. Please include your full name, which will be printed, and your street address and telephone number, which will be kept confidential but are necessary for verification purposes.
Last night was great, but it was just the beginning. It's going to get even better and so is South Bend!
We shared stories about positive experiences we've had while living and working in South Bend. We discussed the importance of giving back to the community and how to help more people, including kids, to get involved. Someone suggested that we could have went on until midnight and I believe we could have.
We also discussed ways to promote the great things that are happening in South Bend. This blog is one of those ways we hope to, not only promote the positive things that are going on in South Bend, but it also allows us to keep an archive of these things.
Anyone with a positive story to share, be it about an event or someone who's making a difference in our community, is welcome to submit it to info@hopenotfear.org. You can include photos if you wish. After all, a pciture is worth a thousand words. We would prefer that people are willing to sign their name to their submissions but understand that not everyone is comfortable with doing that. Please let us know if you wish to remain anonymous.
Another way to promote the positives in our community is to write a letter to the South Bend Tribune's Voice of the People. The Tribune has limitations as to how much it can cover in the community but We, the People of South Bend, have the ability to express our positive experiences or appreciation for people who are doing good things. VoP will print one letter every 30 days per person. Here's the info you need to know to do to submit a VoP letter:
Mail your letters to Voice of the People, The South Bend Tribune, 225 W. Colfax Ave., South Bend, IN 46626; e-mail them to vop@sbtinfo.com or fax to (574) 236-1765. Letters may be no more than 200 words. Longer submissions will be considered for Michiana Point of View. All submissions are subject to editing. Please include your full name, which will be printed, and your street address and telephone number, which will be kept confidential but are necessary for verification purposes.
Last night was great, but it was just the beginning. It's going to get even better and so is South Bend!
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
How it all started
A few days ago I received this mailing. My first thoughts were complete outrage. As someone who has been active in the community for many years, this is certainly not an image I believe represents the city I know and love. I quickly discovered that I wasn't alone in being offended by this depiction of our city.
From this feeling of outrage over people attacking our city and our residents who have worked so hard and given so much, Citizens for Progress was born.
If you feel that same sense of outrage, please join us. Come together with other citizens who want to work together to resist efforts to create a negative image of South Bend .
We want to find ways to celebrate and promote South Bend--through HOPE not fear. Don't let fear dominate our city!
Join us for the first meeting of a new optimistic grassroots movement! Citizens for Progress through Hope not fear. We need you!!
Thursday, October 18th
7:00 PM
First Unitarian Church
101 East North Shore Dr South Bend IN 46617
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