20Aug 2013 by CJ

People living with disabilities are not the ones who are disabled

Information & Education, Life & Living, Youth
What’s happening to the human race? When did we all become so jaded – lacking the ability to be compassionate, empathetic and unselfish in a world filled more with divides than unison? When I was first told of the following news stories, I convinced myself there must be some mistake. While I’m not naïve to the biases our great nation harbors towards each other, I couldn’t imagine this one being factual – but it is. The two stories below left me incredibly angry and even sad at the complete lack of consideration we have for those living in our local communities and ultimately in the world. Judge for yourself: “The Giesegh family of Colorado says their neighbors are asking them to take down the handicap ramp outside their door, belonging…
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19Jun 2013 by CJ

Memory is a way of holding onto the things you love

Love & Relationships, Youth
On June 18, 2013 my beloved grandmother, Madeline Ruvere, peacefully passed away at the age of 92. [caption id="attachment_75" align="alignright" width="296"] A beautiful picture of grams with my great-grandfather.[/caption] Though her health was in continual decline over the last few months, it might sound strange but her passing was still a surprise. I realize it was probably expected given her age, but when you lose someone who once occupied a huge part of your living, laughing and loving, I assure you the loss is still profound regardless of how old you are. Over the last few days my memories of her have been very strong. Beyond the love and support she always provided me, I think the greatest gift she left me was a treasure chest of memories I can…
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06Jun 2013 by CJ

Learning the importance of education from our first teachers

Information & Education, Life & Living, Youth
I’ve always believed that a successful education, regardless of geography, is contingent upon the commitment of three groups: teachers, students and perhaps most importantly, parents. Now I’m sure you’re all scratching your heads as to why I’d say “parents” might just be the most important part of the educational equation, but think about this. Our parents or guardians are our first “teachers”. They provide us with a logical, behavioral and moral foundation we then apply to every facet of our lives. They guide us in making decisions, ground us to what’s truly important in life and support us in following our dreams. If you’ve taken the time to truly “parent” your child, rather than be their “friend”, they will undoubtedly learn the importance of equality, compassion, charity and education. If…
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05Jun 2013 by CJ

Teacher evaluations are still a matter of opinion

Information & Education, Youth
Chances are if I mentioned the name Charlotte Danielson in passing, you wouldn’t know who I was talking about. While she’s not the kind of popular celebrity you’ll find gracing the cover of People magazine, in the educational community she has certainly made a name for herself of late. Danielson is the internationally recognized “expert” in teacher effectiveness – creating an evaluation system that dozens of states have instituted throughout their school districts. I have a great deal of admiration and respect for the teaching profession, and truly applaud a system that will help weed out individuals who only choose this career for the summers off. My association with many fine educators has allowed this outsider a rare glimpse into Danielson’s evaluation system. And while I commend her on the…
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03Jun 2013 by CJ

A message for this year’s graduates

Information & Education, Life & Living, Youth
Isn’t it funny how time always seems to escape us? Case in point – this June marks 20 years since my high school graduation. Two decades have passed by – and while filled with memorable highlights, it still surprises me that so much time has elapsed. I’ve come to understand that in our youth we’re determined to prove to everyone that we’re independent and wiser than our years might suggest. But as I sit here today at the age of 38, I can tell you that there is no greater value in life than learning from the experiences of those who’ve come before us. I’ve told this story before, but it begs repeating during this graduation season. While watching a documentary focusing on the familial bond some animals have in…
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