Among attending great classes Wednesday, everyone here from
Alabama met with Joanne Shum, our State HIPPY Director as two other states,
Arkansas and Florida, met with their groups. Alabama is one of the fastest
growing states with the HIPPY Program. Our state services about 2000+ families
in 32 counties. Our state was well represented here with one of the largest
group turn out, at the conference, even though many of our counties could not
make it because of lack of funds in their programs to afford the trip. Our very
own Joanne Shum was also one of the three nominated as this year’s Avima D.
Lombard Award and even though she did not get to receive the actual award, she
will return to Montgomery, Alabama with the same vigor and fire that she has
shown over the past 20 years with HIPPY.
At Thursday’s Gala we were blessed to hear from Cindy
Estrada a HIPPY graduate from 1993. She told us how her mom worked with her in
the HIPPY Program and how it gave her the tools she needed in school along with
a great love for learning. She graduated high school as the Salutatorian and
with a 4 year scholarship to any college of her choosing and in a few days she
will graduate with her Bachelor’s degree. She said the HIPPY program not only
helped push her in the right direction but also empowered her mom who had only
received a 6th grade education to go on and get her diploma and she
also became a HIPPY Parent Educator. Ms. Estrada wants to continue on until she
has her PH. D. and can give back to families what HIPPY has given her. She
truly is a success story and made the entire conference a most worthwhile trip
all in one little address. She asked that we all continue to be our best and
push this great program forward so that her nephew now and her future children
may have the same great experience that she had.
In our final conference session held on Friday we were given
a little data on HIPPY. We currently have 144 sites across 23 states and the
District of Columbia. This really impressed me as I know we have sites in 32
counties and in some of those counties there are multiple sites. We were also
able to hear from another Keynote Speaker, Jonah Eldelman who is an advocate
for public education in America and is the co-founder and Chief Executive
Officer of Stand for Children, a growing and influential political voice for
students. Mr. Eldelman spoke to us about how we are impacting children and
their families and as he finished his address he quoted the poem Take a Stand by Geoffrey Canada and
charged us all to take that stand and be the change that is so desperately
needed. He was a great speaker to bring together all that we had learned and
participated in during the conference and boost that drive that we were all
already feeling.
Deltonya Warren and I return to Eufaula, Alabama with so
much knowledge and a greater fire and drive to push our very own HIPPY program
forward. It is our strongest desire to get this wonderful program into every
child’s home that is 3, 4, or 5 years old in Barbour County. We need the help
of the community to get the word out. If you do not have a child ages 3-5 there
are still ways in which you can help. Learn about HIPPY and encourage others
that you know to participate in such a wonderful program that changes lives of
the children and their families. You may also want to volunteer your time with
us during one of our group meetings or you may have knowledge that would be
beneficial to our families in which you could come and speak or demonstrate for
them at a group meeting and we will never turn down donations. Every little bit
helps. We have also decided to start a clothing bank to help out our families
that we serve so if there is anyone in the community that would like to donate
gently used clothing it can be brought to our HIPPY office Monday-Friday from
8:00 AM- 2:00 PM. We are still taking applications for the 2012-2013 HIPPY year
to start in the fall. Applications can be obtained from our HIPPY Office or the
front desk in Central Office at 333 State Docks Rd in Eufaula and the Eufaula
Primary School at 520 Pump Station Road. If you would like more information please
call 334-687-1100 ext. 152.
TAKE
A STAND
by Geoffrey Canada
Maybe before we didn't know,
That Corey is afraid to go
To school, the store, to rollerskate.
He cries a lot for a boy of eight.
But now we know each day it's true
That other girls and boys cry too.
They cry for us to lend a hand.
Time for us to take a stand.
And little Maria's window screens
Keeps out flies and other things.
But she knows to duck her head,
When she prays each night 'fore bed.
Because in the window comes some things
That shatter little children-dreams.
For some, the hourglass is out of sand.
Time for us to take a stand.
And Charlie's deepest, secret wishes,
Is someone to smother him with kisses
And squeeze and hug him tight, so tight,
While he pretends to put up a fight.
Or at least someone to be at home,
Who misses him, he's so alone.
Who allowed this child-forsaken land?
Look in the mirror, take a stand.
And on the Sabbath, when we pray,
To our God we often say,
"Oh Jesus, Mohammed, Abraham,
I come to better understand,
How to learn to love and give,
And live the life you taught to live.
In faith we must join hand in hand,
Suffer the children? Take a stand!
And tonight, some child will go to bed,
No food, no place to lay their head.
No hand to hold, no lap to sit,
To give slobbery kisses, from slobbery lips.
So you and I we must succeed
In this crusade, this holy deed,
To say to the children of this land:
Have hope. We're here. We Take A Stand!
by Geoffrey Canada
Maybe before we didn't know,
That Corey is afraid to go
To school, the store, to rollerskate.
He cries a lot for a boy of eight.
But now we know each day it's true
That other girls and boys cry too.
They cry for us to lend a hand.
Time for us to take a stand.
And little Maria's window screens
Keeps out flies and other things.
But she knows to duck her head,
When she prays each night 'fore bed.
Because in the window comes some things
That shatter little children-dreams.
For some, the hourglass is out of sand.
Time for us to take a stand.
And Charlie's deepest, secret wishes,
Is someone to smother him with kisses
And squeeze and hug him tight, so tight,
While he pretends to put up a fight.
Or at least someone to be at home,
Who misses him, he's so alone.
Who allowed this child-forsaken land?
Look in the mirror, take a stand.
And on the Sabbath, when we pray,
To our God we often say,
"Oh Jesus, Mohammed, Abraham,
I come to better understand,
How to learn to love and give,
And live the life you taught to live.
In faith we must join hand in hand,
Suffer the children? Take a stand!
And tonight, some child will go to bed,
No food, no place to lay their head.
No hand to hold, no lap to sit,
To give slobbery kisses, from slobbery lips.
So you and I we must succeed
In this crusade, this holy deed,
To say to the children of this land:
Have hope. We're here. We Take A Stand!
