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By Allison Wright, May 22, 2008 9:48 pm

Ten years ago, Cheryl Prater attended a family reunion where a family tree with 500 family members was presented. Ever since that time, Cheryl had always wanted to pick up that project and run with it.

When she completed Landmark Education’s Self-Expression and Leadership Program earlier this year, that wish became a reality. She enrolled about a hundred members of her family to be family tree assistants and go out and look beyond their own households, to talk to their extended families (second and third cousins, great aunts and uncles, etc.) and bring back the information to Cheryl. Out of their efforts, she has created a family tree of 2,500 member dating back to the 1800s, and during the process her family has become connected in a way it’s never been before.

Cheryl used Ancestry.com to gather more information, and she put out inquiries on genealogy message boards. Through one board she found a family member that had actually been looking for Cheryl’s part of the family 10 years ago, back when the original family tree had been created. Partly through this connection, Cheryl connected to three family segments that her family had been separated from, including one family segment from Alabama that had become estranged over the years.

At one point, Cheryl helped a young woman get in touch with her grandfather who she had never met before and through him her extended family. This caused incredible healing in the family. The woman’s mother, who had become estranged from her father, has now visited her father and is open to the possibility of continuing the newfound relationship.

The work of the family tree assistants opened up all kinds of new lines of communication in the family. The work had them talk to a grandmother or a great aunt or other senior family member that they hadn’t spoken to in a very long time. Cheryl had some of the more senior family members write some of their earliest memories down for posterity.

Other discoveries of heretofore unknown family members were made. One extraordinary find came from the will of a slaveowner who wrote down who he left his slaves to when he died, which provided the slave names to trace back the family earlier in time.

On July 18, Cheryl is having a huge family reunion in Arlington Heights, Illinois, that about 200 family members are expected to attend, where she will present the completed project. In total, she has traced the history of about 2,500 family members. She is adamant that the discoveries and the connections forged during the project are not her work; they are the work of the whole family.

“It’s not my project; it’s our project,” Cheryl insists.

Prater’s family name is Surles (It’s also sometimes spelled Serls, Sers, Serd, Sirles, Surls or Sirls). If you have any information about her family or want to be in touch with her, send an email to surlesfamily@sbcglobal.net.

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By Allison Wright, May 22, 2008 1:53 pm

When Judy Serrano, of Franklin Park, IL, took the Self-Expression and Leadership Program, she wanted to bring a course on nutrition to her community.

Serrano, who is a registered nurse, is passionate about making a difference with the many nutrition-related health problems which are on the rise, such as diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease. Specifically, she wants people to know about the impact that additives, preservatives and various sugars can have on people’s long term health.

Serrano got Marie Williams, a nutritionist whose diet helped her completely eliminate symptoms from a stroke she had suffered, to speak at the event, which was held on April 12th at Bible Baptist Church in Mt. Prospect. The feedback from the event was very positive. The workshop appears likely to become a regular event.

In taking on the project, Serrano has both impacted her own health and eating habits, as well as realizing that she is someone who can and does make a real and lasting difference in the world.

I feel like I’m a different person from when I started the project and started the Self-Expression and Leadership Program. I didn’t feel like I had any power to make a difference, but now I’m clear that I can accomplish anything if I believe it can be done.

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By Allison Wright, May 8, 2008 12:55 am

When Claudia Beltran tutored for the East Village Youth Program (EVYP) a couple of years ago, she was impressed by the ambition of the young people she worked with. The EVYP provides tutoring and mentoring youths in Chicago, with the mission of encourage and prepare primarily low-income, Latino youth for a college education. She worked with 5th graders who were already clear about their profession and determined to succeed.

When she took Landmark Education’s Self-Expression and Leadership Program, creating a new way to empower the potential she saw in youths working with the EVYP was a natural fit for her.

“I’m passionate about latinos being productive in the world,” Beltran says.

So she created “Stepping Into Your Shoes”, a project which allowed 30 high school sophomores and juniors to go on a job shadowing day with a professional of their choice. Beltran partnered with e-hispanics.com, a leading Chicago website for the hispanic community, to find a committed group of professionals to support the students. Then she created an April 11th event day where each student would spend 2-4 hours finding out about and actually working in a profession that interested in. For instance, a student that went to a press firm got to write a real press release.

Katherine Moone, EVYP’s program director, said that feedback from the youths was fantastic. In fact, she’s working to make job shadowing events part of EVYP’s regular curriculum. For more information or to get involved with EVYP, go to www.evyp.org.

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By Allison Wright, August 2, 2007 4:43 pm

You might find it suprising to discover that the famously afluent Brentwood Area of Los Angeles is home to a non-profit that provides vital services to Homeless People. There are estimated to be as many as 3 million homeless people in the United States. The living conditions that most homeless people find themselves in make even basic personal hygene a struggle. When it comes to dental care there are virtually no official services available to the homeless.

Dr. Jay Grossman is a dentist in the Brentwood area of Los Angeles County. Since 1992, when Dr. Grossman began “Homeless Not Toothless” in the Landmark Self Expression and Leadership Program, it has provided over 1 million dollars worth of free dental work through over 30 different dental practices in the Los Angeles area. Each of these dental practices has delivered the care without any financial compensation. Having a smile back not only boosts people’s confidence, it can make it easiser for people to find meaningful employment. The dental practices that make up homeless not toothless are committed to raise the pride and dignity of the homeless through quality dental services.

Most recently “Homeless Not Toothless was featured on CNN.

To learn more about Homeless Not Toothless, visit their website.