Howard Cattie had a couple of different goals in mind as he began Landmark’s SELP program. He loved music, and wanted to support something musical that made a difference in the world. He also wanted to strengthen his relationship with his family, and finally he wanted to promote something he was really passionate about. In the program, Cattie managed to create a project that accomplished all three goals.
His project was to get sponsorship for his son Ryan’s rock band, Blue Flashing Light, of Athens, Georgia, to tour China. Cattie met with more than 25 executives of major companies in Atlanta to get sponsorship for the trip. At the same time he reestablished his relationship with Ryan.
Blue Flashing Light’s tour across China in March was a smashing success. The band played at the International Peach Blossom Festical in Chengdu, capital of the Sichuan province, as well as at the Beijing Conservatory of Modern Music. At one show, their lead singer sang three songs in Mandarin, much to the delight of the crowd. On their last day in China, the group played at the Sichuan Conservatory of Pop Music, and taught a masters class on rock n’ roll to the students there.
As a result of the exposure from the China tour, Blue Flashing Light is now playing a major benefit concert for Habitat for Humanity and is in conversations with major record labels. The band’s China tour was written about in Stomp and Stammer magazine, as well as the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
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Third grade teacher Tracey Mott decided to make her Landmark Education Self-Expression project be something that would directly impact her students, as well as the lives of students around the world. She decided to bring the “Pennies for Peace” program to the Hickory Grove Elementary School where she works.
Pennies for Peace is a program that inspires students to get involved in making a difference by collecting pennies to build schools in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Pennies may not seem like a lot, but they add up, and besides, they enable children without access to much money to gain the experience of contributing and making a difference.
“The [program] teaches children the rewards of sharing and working together to bring educational opportunities to less fortunate children,” remarked another teacher.
Despite a rainy day, Hickory Grove students went out on May 8 and collected change from the car line at the school. Through the May 8 work and other penny collection efforts, the students have so far raised more than $1,000 for these schools in need. Two local television stations covered the children’s remarkable efforts. The plan is to continue to collect money until the end of the year.
To read more about the national program, go to the Pennies for Peace website.
Cynthia Zenner took Landmark Education’s Self-Expression and Leadership program in Atlanta, and the area of life she wanted to impact was educating people about elderly people who are dealing with Alzheimer’s disease. She created a symposium at her church, the All Saints Episcopal Church in Atlanta, where a panel of experts came together on May 17th to provide education and support for those with friends or family suffering from Alzheimer’s.
“As the population ages, many adult children are grappling with these and many other issues for their aging loved ones,” says Zenner. The symposium addressed issues such as how to deal with a parent or loved one who is having trouble driving, or isn’t taking their medications. It provided innovative, practical ways to care for our elders with grace and honor.
In addition to the symposium, Zenner has created an Atlanta ministry recognized by the church for the care of the elderly. She intends to make this ministry national.
Ivan Vega lives in the Humboldt Park neighborhood of Northwest Chicago. As gentrification continues to expand into the Puerto Rican part of the neighborhood, it has become more difficult for residents and businesses to stay connected to their heritage. Out of doing Landmark Education’s Self-Expression program, Vega decided to start a project and contribute to the community he loves. His goal is to inspire community members about their heritage by having them take part in documenting the Puerto Rican Flag. Vega is calling his project The Flag Project (TFPR): Bridging the Gap Between Communities.
“Puerto Ricans have been displace since the mid-1960s, causing them to relocate,” says Vega. “Out of this, Humboldt Park was the first Puerto Rican community created. Now gentrification threatens encroaches on businessess and families, forcing them outside of their community.”
The project honors and creates an awareness of the flag as both a symbol of pride as well as an item of historical significance. By pairing up young students with professional photographers, TPFR seeks to capture the Puerto Rican flag in its many forms around Chicago and the Humboldt Park community, which will then be displayed in a photo documentary.
A collaboration of student, community and professional photographs are being combined in a three part series of poster collages, which will be displayed in an exhibit this fall and then made into a community book. The posters will also be displayed at the Puerto Rican festival/Fiestas Puertorriqueñas which runs June 10-15. Throughout the festival TFPR will supply disposable cameras at a booth for the community patrons who wish to take part in the process of documenting the Puerto Rican flag.
Vega raised the money for the posters, and enrolled American Family Insurance to provide him a free booth at the festival.
If you would like to obtain more information on this project, or to schedule an interview with Vega, please contact Elizabeth Hoffman at (414) 315-9944 or email eh.prflagproject@gmail.com.
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