GROWING HEALTHY

The Daily Item: Ford students learn healthy eating in their own backyard www.itemlive.com

At FORD SCHOOL'S INTERNATIONAL GARDEN student's see both the forest and the trees. Science is best learned when you can touch it or smell it or even TASTE it.

A FESTIVAL OF THE WORLD FROM THE HIGHLANDS

The HIGHLANDS COALITION along with a few others will be sponsering the upcoming event on June 30 from 12 to 6 at Lynn Heritage Park. Get there early. I have inside sources that say there is a great opening act, my daughter ASIAH. She just happens to be a FORD SCHOOL alumni.

COMMUNITY COMPARISONS

I'm down here in WEST "BY GOD" VIRGINIA on assignment looking for KIPP stragglers and they had a startup meeting for a NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH lasr night. They had 200 people. It was in the STEALY section of CLARKSBURG, WV. STEALY  is to CLARKSBURG as the HIGHLANDS is to LYNN. Don't you just LOVE those IQ type comparisons.

Anyway CLARKSBURG has about 22,000 people. How many does LYNN have? How many people we have come to the meetings in the HIGHLANDS. And mind you, the HIGHLANDS has the most in LYNN.

CITY CURRENCY TO SWITCH TO THE "LEAD STANDARD"

A "LEAD REMOVAL" grant is rumored to be headed to the HIGHLANDS COALITION worth a LOT of dollars. Election time is just around the corner.

HIGHLANDS CLEANUP

At least twenty people today gathered at the FORD SCHOOL to take a broom , shovel, or leaf blower to not only the parking lot around the school but to the community streets as  well. The committed community group include CLEO, TRIPPY, LESLIE AND STEVE GREENBERG, AREDA HEREFORD, LISA CONNALLY, DAVID GASS, and myself. Along with several neighborhood kids (a homework pass had been mentioned) 10 ESSEX DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVE CANDIDATE DUSTY CAUFIELD was out getting his hands dirty. Others were there but I'm too tired to type anymore.

Of course pizzas were available for lunch along with a tray of eggrolls. BROTHER'S DELI generously provided some kickin chicken salad.

Several bags of trash have found a new home and it isn't on the side of the road.

HIGHLAND’S HERO

 Now I don’t claim to know all the details, that’s the talk of lawyers, trustees, and the like, far beyond the comprehension of this poor poet but I hear tell of a NEW SCHOLARSHIP targeted first for HIGHLANDS residents and if there are none it would default to a LYNN student for a full scholarship to SALEM STATE COLLEGE.

Going forward it will be known as the DR. CLAIRE CRANE SCHOLARSHIP. Hence forth her tireless efforts to promote the value of education to members of the HIGHLANDS community will be forever memorialized.  Legacy notwithstanding, I will repeat to you the words I have heard DR. CRANE utter countless times, “It’s all about THE KIDS”.

THIS IS HOW WE DO IT…….

At the HIGHLANDS COALITION meeting Monday night the FORD SCHOOL was packed with politicians to engage in a UNITED WAY listening meeting. LPS was represented by MARIA CARRASCO while the LYNN CITY COUNCIL members HONG NET and RICH COLUCCI were in attendance. All three candidates for the 10^th ESSEX DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVE were present, with 18 year incumbent REPRESENTATIVE BOB FENNELL joined by fellow Democrat GARDY JEAN FRANSCOIS and Republican DUSTY CAUFIELD.

Now this was my fourth time attending one of these UNITED WAY community listening meetings and it was the most energetic one since the big initial one down at the old EASTERN BANK which is at the foot of the HIGHLANDS I might add. Hopes and dreams for our community and us were the topics for our discussion. A realistic look at LYNN’S strengths and weaknesses  will hopefully give the UNITED WAY helpful insights into how to best allocate their resources.

Keeping our fingers crossed that the nice turnout and active participation will translate into the HIGHLANDS getting a nice slice of the resource pie!