Feb. 11, 2011 - School of Journalism
Transcripción
Feb. 11, 2011 - School of Journalism
EL 1976 ~ 35 Years of Service ~ 2011 indePendienTe www.elindenews.com Free/gratis February 11 / 11 de febrero 2011 After 31 years, Math Teacher Leaves Sunnyside to Pursue Passion for Sports Photography By Casey Sapio It’s rare for a student to leave a classroom and say, “Hey, love you” to the teacher on the way out. But not in Paul Dye’s Sunnyside High School classroom. In fact, he stands at the door when the bell rings and fist-bumps every one of his math students on the way out. “I used to shake hands with kids,” Dye says. “Now we fist bump trying to keep those colds down.” A student reaches for the hand sanitizer. “Hey! I told you not to drink that,” Dye jokes. “It’s bad for your eyesight!” Dye began teaching because he wanted to coach soccer, but this blossomed into a 31-year career teaching math at Sunnyside. After instructing more than 5,000 kids, he’s moving on to a new career in photography. “It’s going to be the most depressing day when he leaves,” says Denise Sanchez, the office assistant for the math department. “He always makes sure everyone gets acknowledged.” One of his students, Manuel Armas, 18, describes Dye as “hyperactive” and says he “uses humor to get the students’ attention.” Others know Dye as the “banana man” because he used to dress like the bright yellow fruit at pep rallies to fire up the students. Dye’s use of humor, he says, is to make the students feel comfortable enough to take risks, which will lead to more confident teenagers. A sign hanging in the classroom reads, “You can stop the bus at any time,” which reminds students that they have control over much of their lives. “If students are in control, we never get a Columbine,” Dye says, referring to the shootings at a high school in Colorado in 1999. “I try to give them autonomy. The more they have control and autonomy, the more they accept responsibility.” Accepting responsibility, for Dye, means working together to find a solution instead of placing blame. And working together to solve problems strengthens all kinds of relationships. To promote communication with students, he has dollar bills, a page of a calendar and coins taped to the whiteboard to help students visualize his cell phone number so they can call him if they ever need him. Also hanging on the whiteboard is a sign that reads “Add value to someone else’s life Sunnyside teacher/See page 6 En El Centro Conmemorativo McKale frente a una multitud de casi 14,000, incluyendo al presidente de los Estados Unidos y a una gran multitud de funcionarios, Daniel Hernández negó su heroísmo por el papel que desempeño al socorrer a Gabrielle Giffords al haber sido baleada. Daniel Hernández, estudiante de 20 años de edad graduado de la escuela secundaria Sunnyside, ha sentido siempre un deseo innato de ayudar a los demás. En una ocasión consideró estudiar medicina, pero después descubrió que se conectaba con las personas por medio del servicio público. Esto le quedó más claro cuando conoció a la representante de EE.UU. Gabrielle Giffords. “No fue hasta después que comencé a interactuar con ella, que decidí especializarme en el servicio público, dijo Daniel. “Cuando llegue a la Universidad de Arizona mi especialización era biología pero pronto comprendí que debía especializarme en el servicio público. Una combinación de experiencias llevó a Daniel Hernández a su momento de heroísmo. Él trabajó en la campaña de Hillary Clinton en el 2007. Poco tiempo después de admitir su derrota, a principios- Daniel Hernandez, a la izquierda, un practicante que trabaja para la oficina de Giffords, a quien se le acreditó haberle salvado la vida y Emily Fritze, la presidenta del cuerpo estudiantil de UA, hablaron durante “Together We thrive”. de junio del 2008, Gabrielle Giffords llevó a cabo un evento, al cual él asistió. “Fui a conocerla y quedé absolutamente sorprendido por el tipo de persona que era” comentó Daniel. Después solicitó una pasantía entre el 9 de junio y el 1 de noviembre. Daniel Hernández describió a ‘A’ Mountain Shrine Video Watch the video online at www.elindenews.com inside Black History Month Page 4; Events Page 8 Photo Casey saPio Math teacher Paul Dye will retire at the end of the semester. Daniel Hernández: Un héroe para recordar Por Yael Schusterman Traducido por Zandra Casilla online Giffords como una persona amistosa e inteligente. “Una amante de la política”. “Ella nunca discutía una política sin primero explicarla, por eso la apoyaba”, comentó Daniel. Esta es una de las muchas maneras con las cuales se conectaba con la comunidad. “Las personas involucradas en la política tienen una reputación de ser frías y distantes”, dijo Hernández, “pero ella es lo opuesto”. En el 2010 participó en la campaña de Steve Farley, representante del distrito 28, lo cual le dio otra oportunidad para trabajar con Giffords al mismo tiempo que ella buscaba ser postulada de nuevo. Después de que Giffords ganara en el 2010, Daniel solicitó hacer una pasantía en su oficina de Tucson y comenzó el 3 de enero, justo 5 días antes del tiroteo. Mark Kimble, quien trabaja en la oficina del Congreso de Giffords, dijo por medio de un correo electrónico que él sobresalía dentro del grupo de los practicantes. “Daniel fue uno de los cuatro de los trece practicantes que decidieron formar con anticipación el equipo de transición antes de comenzar los semestres de otoño y primavera,” dijo Mark. “Eso fue prueba de su ética profesional”. Lo anterior también significó que Daniel no tuvo la oportunidad de encontrarse con la congresista hasta el sábado por la mañana. Costco to Open on South Side in April El 8 de enero, justo después de las 10 a.m., Daniel estaba ayudando en el evento “Congress on Your Corner”, creado con el fin de que los electores pudieran hablar directamente con Giffords. Él estaba trabajando al final de la fila, frente a una tienda de supermercado Safeway localizada en 7100 N. Oracle Road. “Estaba al final de la fila controlando a las personas a 30 pies de distancia cuando escuché los disparos”. Daniel dijo que no vio a la persona que disparo, pero sí reaccionó al escucharlo. Se apresuró hasta donde estaba Giffords y la encontró en el suelo, con un visible disparo en la cabeza. Él buscó si tenía otras heridas y la colocó en posición contra su pecho para que pudiera respirar adecuadamente. Después, hizo presión para ayudar a detener el sangrado hasta que llegaron las ambulancias. Seis personas murieron en la balacera, incluyendo a John Roll, el Juez federal del distrito de EE.UU., Gabe Zimmerman, uno de los asistentes de Giffords, y una niña; otras 13 personas también resultaron heridas en el tiroteo. Daniel es estudiante de tercer año de ciencias políticas en la UA así como director de la Asociación de estudiantes de Arizona y comentó que siempre le ha gustado participar como voluntario e Small businesses and large families of South Tucson will find themselves clocking fewer miles on trips to Costco this spring when construction on the wholesale business is completed at South Kino Parkway near Interstate 10. Construction began at the Tucson Marketplace shopping center in October for a new 14-acre Costco that is scheduled to open on April 14, according to Jim Sinegal, the store’s CEO. This will be Costco’s third location in Tucson. The other locations are on East Grant Road near East Tanque Verde Road and off of North Thornydale Road near West Orange Grove Road. “We usually have to drive all the way to Costco off of North Thornydale Road, so this location will definitely be more convenient,” said Abe Frisby, the manager of Las Cazuelitas, a South Tucson Mexican restaurant. “I think a lot of restaurant owners, markets in the area and families will benefit from having it in this location.” Frisby uses Costco mainly for restaurant supplies like oil, napkins and to-go containers because of its affordability. Although many rejoice in Costco’s low gas premiums, bulk foods and wholesale prices, the ‘Hernández’ /vea página 6 Costco/See page 6 By Carolyn Gitomer el indePendienTe Page / Página 2 Flu Vaccines Still Available Tineo Mural to be Sold at Auction By Corinne O’Donoghue By Karissa Nowakowski The optimal time to get the flu shot has come and gone this season. However, it’s not too late. There are still places in Tucson to receive the vaccine, and doctors recommend it. Flu season in Arizona begins in October and ends in March. Typically, October and November are the best months to get the vaccine, but since Arizona is in mid-season, the shot would still be effective. The flu vaccine is available at any public health office, one of them being the Walter C. Rogers Clinic (South Office), 175 W. Irvington Rd. The South Office is vaccinating only children, but will vaccinate adults with infants who cannot receive the shot. The vaccine at the South Office is free for children under the age of 18. However, there is an administration fee of $15 if the child is only receiving a flu shot. “If the parents couldn’t pay, we would never turn away the children,” said Debbie Webber, nurse manager for the Pima County Health Department. They ask for a donation but it is not required. Nearby places to find flu shots: R Any Walgreens with a Take Care Clinic. $29.99 without insurance R Any CVS Pharmacy with a MinuteClinic. $29.95 without insurance R Select Safeway grocery stores with a pharmacy. $28.00 without insurance, and can only be administered to adults. Pieces of “Nuestro Futuro/Nuestras Raices Humanas” will be auctioned off to benefit the Tucson Museum School for the Visual Arts. The mural, which was painted by David Tineo and Antonio Pazos, hung at the Tucson Museum of Art, but was taken down in January. Parts will be sold to raise money for the school. The mural was commissioned by the museum in 1992 for an exhibition, CARA Chicano Art: Resistance and Affirmation, said Ann Seiferle-Valencia, the curator of Latin American Art at the museum. The original plan was that the mural would be installed for the several months of the exhibition and then removed. But it remained for more than 18 years. “Basically, once it was installed, there was a positive response to it and people here in the Latino community really liked the mural,” Seiferle-Valencia said. “And it eventually became part of what people associated with the museum.” Since the mural was to be temporary, the painting was directly applied to plywood on the frame. After so many years, it had begun to deteriorate and became a public safety risk. Seiferle-Valencia explained that the panels were attached to the wall with metal staples and some of the staples started rusting, causing the panels to loosen. Museum officials worried that a panel would fall and either damage the artwork or potentially injure someone. “[It] is important for people to know… that when we realized we needed to take the mural down we worked with Tineo right away to come up with a solution that he would be happy with,” she said. “It was actually his idea to do the auction.” The mural will be taken to Galeria Mistica in South Tucson to be cut and framed once Tineo decides which pieces he would like to be sold at the auction. All proceeds from the auction will go to the museum school, which is an alternative EL indePendienTe Photo high school associated with Tucson Unified School District. “We are kind of different and we are not run like a traditional classroom,” said Morgan Wells, the manager of youth and family programs at the school. “We let the students be independent and we integrate a lot of art into their academics.” Because the school is affiliated with TUSD, students receive a high school diploma when they fulfill all the requirements. Local artists, including Tineo, help teach the students. “Tineo’s art, I would say, has definitely had a positive impact on the community. We have a couple of Latin American students here who really relate to him and have similar backgrounds and understandings,” Wells said. “He has definitely been an inspiration to El Independiente encourages letters from all its readers, but reserves the right to edit for grammar, style, clarity and length. Dust off those cowboy hats and boots, Tucsonans, the rodeo is coming back to town. Tucson’s 86th annual “La Fiesta de los Vaqueros,” or celebration of the cowboys, will take place at the Tucson Rodeo Grounds from Feb. 19 to 27. Gary Williams, the general manager of the Tucson Rodeo Committee, called it the world’s largest outdoor rodeo, one that features a parade, several competitions and other events you might be surprised to find at a rodeo. The Coors Rodeo Dance is a new event this year and will be held every night following the ProRodeo competition and feature The Greg Spivey Band and The Jack Bishop Band. In addition to the Coors Rodeo Dance, David Stoecklein will lead a photography workshop sponsored by Canon. Stoecklein, who has been photographing the American West for more than 40 years, will mentor participants on capturing images of cowboys and cowgirls as they compete. Also, the Rodeo Education and Children (REACh) program will once again be offered to children for free. Penny Conway, a rodeo UA School of Journalism Phone: 621-3618 [email protected] Adviser Maggy Zanger Graphics and Layout Advisers John deDios News Editor Copy Editors Cassandra Weinman Karissa Nowakowski Alex Gendreau Samantha Ferrell Elma Delic Spanish Editor Karina Salazar Design Chief Lara Schnoll Photo Editor Jessica Hale Community Events Editor Photographers Casey Sapio Frank Brun Stephen Varga Britain Muhl Marisa Bernal Corinne O’Donoghue Designers News Room Manager Yael Schusterman Samantha Ferrell Tammy Stephens Copy Chief Reporters Brian Frett Alex Gendreau Web Managers Translators Paul Ingram Ana Cecilia Barragán Ana Cecilia Morales Zandra Casilla Juan Marroquín Web Producer Carolyn Gitomer Distribution Manager Alex Gendreau Translation and Interpretation Department of Spanish and Portuguese and Mexican American Studies JessiCa hale the kids.” The auction will take place sometime this spring at the Tucson Museum of Art. “David has always advocated that it is important to inspire the next generation,” said Meredith Hayes, the director of public relations and marketing at the museum. “That is why he was the one who came up with the idea of why don’t we sell the sections and then have the proceeds go to help run the school and inspire the students.” All of the money raised from the auction will go toward operational expenses for running the school, according to Hayes. “The auction is definitely going to benefit the school wherever we need it,” Wells said. “Supplies, field trips, however we can enrich the students more, that is where the money will go.” La Fiesta de los Vaqueros Rides Back into Tucson By Brian Frett www.elindenews.com by Gavin Troy instructing his students at the Tucson Museum of Art’s Museum School for the Visual Arts. South Tucson’s Bilingual Newspaper Marissa Freireich February 11 / 11 de febrero 2011 contestant and founder of REACh, will educate students about the history of rodeo along will life lessons such as drug prevention. Tickets to the rodeo or any of these new events can be purchased at 741-2233 or online at tucsonrodeo.com. Dates, times and locations of events are as follows: Rodeo Competition featuring Dodge Mutton Bustin’, Justin Junior Rodeo and ProRodeo contestants. Competition will take place at the Tucson Rodeo Grounds, 4823 S. 6th Ave. • Opening day: Feb. 19 from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. Tickets: $16$22 • Second performance: Feb. 20 from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. Tickets: $16-$22 • Third performance: Feb. 24 from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. Tickets: $17-$23 • Fourth performance: Feb. 25 from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. Tickets: $17-$23 • Fifth performance: Feb. 26 from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. Tickets: $18$24 • Final performance: Feb. 27 from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. Tickets: $20$26 Tucson Rodeo Parade, a rodeo favorite, is the world’s longest non-motorized parade and features more than 200 floats. Float decorating: Feb. 23 at 4 p.m. in the northwest area of Tucson Rodeo Grounds parking lot. Parade: Feb. 24 at 9 a.m. The 1.5-mile parade route starts at Park Ave. and Ajo Way and proceeds south on Park to Irvington Road. Tickets for grandstand seating at Irvington Road and South 6th Ave. are $6 for adults and $4 for kids under 13. Coors Rodeo Dance, located in the VIP section of Tucson Rodeo Grounds. The Greg Spivey Band Feb. 19, 20 and 24 The Jack Bishop Band Feb. 25, 26 and 27 Admission: $5 per person, rodeo contestants free. Canon Rodeo Photo Workshop: Feb. 19 from 11 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. REACh Program: Feb. 21 and 22 from 9:30, 10:30 and 11:30 a.m. each day. School children grades K-6. Check out El Inde Online Video and slide shows Additional stories www.elindenews.com el indePendienTe February 11 / 11 de febrero 2011 Page / Página 3 Teachers, TUSD Board Take Different Routes to Challenge State’s New Ethnic Studies Law By Karina Salazar After declining to file a lawsuit or to join one against the new ethnic studies law, members of the Tucson Unified School District Governing Board say they plan to challenge the law through the appropriate process. After the Mexican American Studies program at TUSD was declared to be in violation of the law by former Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne, 11 of the program’s teachers asked the board to either file a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the new ethnic studies law or join their suit at the Jan. 11 board meeting. “We were really hopeful that they would join in,” said Lorenzo López, one of the teachers filing the lawsuit. “I’m speaking for myself when saying this but we didn’t want to create any animosity within our own ranks. For all intents and purposes, this law was created for the district as well. We believe that they are as much victims of it as we are.” The board passed resolutions stating that TUSD's ethnic studies department will comply with the law and that it plans to take action through the appeal process that the law allows for. “It makes more sense as a first step,” TUSD Board President Mark Stegeman said. “To do the Photo appeal process, the administrative hearing process that is set up within the law, before trying to overturn it.” The teachers believe that the appeal process will be unsuccessful in keeping the program since the same people who created the law and have targeted the TUSD program would regulate the hearing. South Tucson City Council Approves Resolution Supporting Ethnic Studies By Elma Delic The South Tucson City Council voted unanimously to approve a resolution to support ethnic studies in the schools and reinforce the importance of Mexican-American studies for students. After the Arizona Legislature passed House Bill 2281, Gov. Jan Brewer signed it in May. The bill bans classes in Arizona schools that are created for specific ethnic groups, promote the overthrow of the United States government, promote resentment toward a race or class of people and advocate ethnic solidarity. “They have spoken out when other politicians have not,” said Miguel Ortega, a resident who spoke during the call to the audience during the Jan. 31 meeting. The resolution states the impact that ethnic studies have on students when they take the Arizona’s Instrument to Measure Standards test, or AIMS. The resolution states that in AIMS writing, reading and math, ethnic studies students have shown improvement by stePhen Varga Rep. Raul Grijalva (D) talks to the crowd at a Raza Studies forum at El Pueblo Senior Center on Feb. 5. Grijalva encouraged the TUSD to promote ethnic studies in classrooms. rates of 66.6 percent, 93 percent and 94 percent greater, respectively than non-ethnic studies students. “We need to stop being a target,” said Tucson High School junior Juan Quevedo, who spoke during the call to the audience and thanked the city council for passing the resolution. Quevedo went on to say that he thought the resolution would have a “big impact” on the state law. Furthermore, he believes that teachers are afraid to teach certain subjects because of possible legal ramifications. Mayor Jennifer Eckstrom said the council wanted to show the community and the young people of South Tucson that “we support what classes they want to take.” “People need to be vocal…this is what we support,” Eckstrom said. The resolution also declared an “emergency to exist” because of the “institutional challenges to eliminate ethnic studies programs.” Photo The Tucson Gem, Mineral and Fossil Showcase runs through Feb. 13. by JessiCa hale “It doesn’t matter how much sense it makes, the deck is stacked against us” López said. Although board members had previously discussed joining the lawsuit, it was unexpected when the teachers threatened to list the board as defendants on their lawsuit, along with the Arizona superintendent of public instruction and the Arizona State Board of Education, if they did not join. “It’s unfortunate because we as a district are trying to ensure the continuation of the program,” board member Adelita Grijalva said. “And the problem that we have is that [the teachers] are now plaintiffs in the law suit against us. So how do we get information from them to support our case against the state when we’re tied up in another suit?” Board member Michael Hicks said he believed that the teachers’ threat in listing the board as defendants in the lawsuit was the wrong approach if they want their support and created more hostility in the already contentious environment. “You don’t try to catch honeybees with vinegar,” Hicks said. Despite disagreements in how to secure the continuance of the program, board members and teachers alike agree that the political rhetoric surrounding the law has been too strong. “I think the rhetoric from the state or certain state officials has been very strong.” Stegeman said. Three days after the law’s legislation House Bill 2281 came into affect on Dec. 31, Horne declared the program in violation of the law as his last act as state superintendent of public instruction. Both teachers and board members expressed significant concern about the probable political rea- soning behind the ruling of the programs violation on Jan. 3. “Now Horne, I thought his rhetoric and actions were a little strong because I thought all along that the law takes effect on Jan. 1st and you can’t violate law before it comes into effect,” Stegeman said. “So I can’t understand the whole basis for him issuing the ruling just hours after the law came into effect, when we’re not even in session. How could any teacher have broken the law over Christmas break? Looking from the outside it certainly looked like a political action what he did.” Despite the political disagreements behind the law, board members and teachers continue to pledge their support for the continuance of the program. “We as a school district have created this program, and the board has stuck by it,” said María Federico Brummer, another of the 11 teachers who filed the lawsuit. “It’s imperative that we take action as a Tucson community.” Members of the TUSD Governing Board said they plan to continue to support their employees and complete the appeal process as the next step in protecting the ethnic studies program. “We both are trying to get to the same finish line but we’re going to get there two different ways,” Grijalva said. Consejo municipal aprueba estudios étnicos Escrito por Elma Delic Traducido por Ana Cecilia Barragán El consejo municipal del sur de Tucson, South Tucson City Council, votó unánimemente a favor de una resolución por el apoyo de los estudios étnicos en las escuelas y reforzó la importancia de los estudios Mexico –Americanos para los estudiantes. La gobernadora Jan Brewer firmó en mayo el Proyecto de Ley 2281 tras haber sido aprobada por la legislación de Arizona. La propuesta prohíbe clases diseñadas específicamente para ciertos grupos étnicos, que promuevan el derrocamiento del gobierno de los EE UU, el resentimiento hacía cierta raza o clase social y que abogue por la solidaridad de grupos étnicos. “Ellos han hablado mientras que otros políticos no”, expresó Miguel Ortega, un residente presente durante la junta pública el 31 de enero. La resolución muestra el impacto que tienen los estudios étnicos en los estudiantes al momento de tomar los exámenes estandarizados, Arizona’s Instrument to Measure Standards o AIMS por sus siglas en ingles. La resolución muestra una mejora del 66.6 por ciento en los resultados del AIMS de escritura, lectura y matemáticas, de aquellos estudiantes de estudios étnicos, que son respectivamente un 93 y 94 por -ciento más alto que los estudiantes que no toman estos cursos. “No podemos seguir siendo el blanco”, dijo Juan Quevedo, estudiante de segundo de preparatoria de la escuela Tucson High School, que se expresó durante la junta pública y que agradeció al consejo municipal por haber aprobado la resolución. Quevedo también mencionó que la resolución podría resultar un “gran impacto” para las leyes estatales. Además, el cree que los maestros tienen miedo a enseñar ciertas materias por miedo de posibles ramificaciones legales. La alcaldesa Jennifer Eckstrom dijo que el consejo municipal quería demostrarle a la comunidad y a los jóvenes del sur de Tucson “que apoyamos las materias que ellos quieren estudiar”. “La gente debe expresarse….eso es lo que apoyamos”, dijo Eckstrom. Se le declaró a esta resolución en “emergencia por subsistir” debido al “reto que presenta el sistema por eliminar los estudios étnicos”. UA Professor Explains Sacred Native Blessing at ‘Together We Thrive’ Memorial at McKale By Marissa Freireich Clutching eagle feathers and a bandana, Carlos Gonzales took the stage at the University of Arizona’s McKale Memorial Center on Jan. 12 to share a sacred Native American blessing. He delivered his words in front of 13,000 people, but the familiar blessing required little preparation. “It’s a prayer that not only do I use it at formal blessings, but it’s a prayer that I use on a daily basis for my own well-being,” he said. Gonzales, an associate professor of clinical family and community medicine at the UA, gave the blessing at the “Together We Thrive” memorial that honored victims of the Jan. 8 shooting that killed six and wounded 13, including Rep. Gabrielle Giffords. UA President Robert Shelton’s advisor for Native American Affairs contacted Gonzales, who has Mexican and Pascua Yaqui roots, about opening the memorial. Gonzales is a fifth generation Tucsonan and a graduate of Pueblo Magnet High School. He graduated from the UA College of Medicine in 1981 and began teaching there in 2006. The blessing Gonzales gave was a sweat lodge prayer.For a sweat lodge ceremony, heated rocks are brought inside a dome-shaped structure and water is poured over them to create steam. Participants inside the lodge sing and pray in order to cleanse themselves of negative energy, Gonzales said. Many tribes have variations of this ceremony. Gonzales had to ask permission from tribal elders to perform the blessing. “It’s a sacred prayer that not everybody can say,” he said. In the blessing, Gonzales hon- ored the seven directions, which relate to different traits: the east corresponds to guidance, the south to family, the west to ancestors, the north to strength, the sky to masculine energy and the earth to feminine energy. “You try to get all of these energies together in the center, which is the seventh direction, for balance and harmony,” he said. Everyone possesses a piece of the creator within their center, according to Native American beliefs. At the memorial, Gonzales pointed to each direction using eagle feathers that medicine men gave him for completing certain tasks. The red bandana was symbolic of spiritual energy. “You ask for that direction to give you that energy so that you can, in essence, use that quality to help you to live a better life,” Gonzales explained. el indePendienTe Page / Página 4 February 11 / 11 de febrero 2011 The Community Celebrates Black History Month By Marisa Bernal “The history book didn’t tell you the whole truth,” said Charles Kendrick, co-founder of the Afro-American Heritage Museum in Tucson. “It only told you part of it.” Thirteen years ago, Kendrick and Shad “Standman” Blair used their Social Security and retirement checks to piece together their museum one item at a time. Now, standing amongst his hundreds of acquired black history items, Kendrick picks up each collectible with care and reminisces about black cowboys, cotton picking, applications for entrance into the Ku Klux Klan, and butter churns. “I have always been interested in history,” said Kendrick. “I knew that the American history books, the high school versions, have never been fair and adequate to minorities. They have never told the whole story, the full story or the real story.” After more than 35 years of collecting artifacts and numerous visits to yard sales and auction sites, the museum was born. “Some people call it junk, but it’s real collector’s items if you know history,” said Kendrick. “A lot of people just throw that stuff away without realizing how important those things are.” Kendrick initially wanted to open a pharmacy in the building that is now Mr. K’s Barbeque and Heritage Museum at 1830 S. Park Ave. after graduating from the College of Pharmacy at the University of Arizona in 1955. But he couldn’t come up with the money to start a business. “I have owned the building since 1964,” said Kendrick. “I didn’t know what to do with it, so we opened the antique store.” Kendrick retired full time in 2009 from Kino Community Hospital after being employed as a staff pharmacist and serving 18 years as the supervisor of the outpatient pharmacy. “I was the oldest employee there of 42 years,” said Kendrick. The antique store quickly turned into the now Afro-American Museum with the barbeque restaurant following as a way to gain revenue and support the museum. With Black History Month in full swing, there is no denial that Kendrick’s museum is the place to go to immerse yourself in black history. “The artifacts in [the museum] are all part of black history,” said Kendrick. “They are black history.” Everything collected in Kendrick’s museum has been “in the black community, used by the black community or used on the black community.” “You ever heard of ‘jumping the broom’?” asked Kendrick, pointing to a small figurine of two people over a broom. “Well, that’s how the blacks got married. They wouldn’t let you into the courthouse and they wouldn’t recognize your marriage Photo by Marisa bernal in the community, so after work someone Charles Kendrick remembers how his grandfather used to cut his hair with dull hand clippers when he was a kid. would bring out a broom and you would step Kendrick would “holler and scream” for him to stop because it hurt so much. over the broom and you are now considered married. After the Civil War, my grandparents went and made their marriage legal. African name. I go to the Baptist church; that African American Student Affairs is hosting Nowadays after most black weddings, some- is not my mother’s religion. I try to speak a “Mr. K’s Barbeque and African-American one brings out a broom and they step over it.” English; that is not my father’s tongue,” said History museum tour.” Kendrick is familiar with hosting events The small metal figurine is just one of Kendrick. “I lost three things because of hundreds of items Kendrick has collected slavery: my name, my language and my reli- like the AASA museum tour and enjoys being able to spread his knowledge with with deep roots in African American history. gion. All blacks lost those.” From slave property lists to the razor anyone who is willing to listen. Kendrick, whose great-grandfather was a “When I went by myself it looked like slave, knows a lot about the effects of slav- strap his grandfather used on his behind, it is clear Kendrick has a passion for collecting just a collection of antiques, but when ery on living African Americans. The last name “Kendrick” belonged to the and sharing the history of African Charles was there, he told the story of all the items and it made them come to life,” said Americans. slave owners on his father’s side. As part of Black History Month, UA’s Maria Moore, AASA program director. “My last name is Kendrick; that’s not my Powerful Hallucinogen Salvia Remains Legal in Arizona Despite Controversy By Cassandra Weinman Photo by Marisa bernal A metal figurine depicting the African-American tradition of “jumping the broom.” African-American marriages were not recognized by the state, so they created their own way of “marrying” by stepping over a broom. What is Black History Month? By Marisa Bernal Black History Month dates back to 1925, when the historian Carter G. Woodson founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History, and the organization announced Negro History Week. The event was first celebrated during a week in February that contained the birthdays of both Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass, according to africanamericanhistorymonth.gov. In 1976, the overwhelming celebration of the week evolved into a whole month of celebrating the contributions of African Americans in history. Now, Black History Month is celebrated and acknowledged by almost everyone in the United States. “[Black History Month] encompasses, I think, the true history of what has happened in the United States over the years as it relates to African Americans,” said Cressworth Lander, the president of the Dunbar Coalition in Tucson. “Some of the early things in our history have not been reported or have not been inclusive of what was the contribution of AfricanAmerican people.” The Dunbar Project of Tucson, according to the website, is “undertaking the task of renovating the school and converting it into an African-American Museum and Cultural Center.” The Dunbar School was the first and only segregated school in Tucson. It was established in 1912 and completed in 1918 with a name derived from the AfricanAmerican poet Paul Lawrence Dunbar. Lander believes the artifacts in Kendrick’s museum would be a great asset to his future AfricanAmerican Museum. “We would hope that we would have exhibits and other deals that would be available on a year-round basis rather than just the month of February to depict the true history of the great Southwest,” said Lander. As the video begins, the pretty face of a young college student in a well-decorated Tucson apartment emerges clearly. Rose, a 22-year-old University of Arizona student who asked that her last name not be used, points to her face on the screen. The camera temporarily zooms in on the petite blonde as she laughs and brings a bong to her mouth, inhaling deeply. Within moments, her eyes glaze over and she begins to giggle. “Literally, you take a hit and within thirty seconds you feel the effects,” she explained. “I looked to my left and the bicycle sitting on our patio was starting to melt and smoke was coming off of it.” She added that her “trip,” although lasting only five minutes, was more intense than she anticipated. “I had to almost physically pull myself through the tunnel and come back and remember it was all in my head, that it was just the drug.” These hallucinations are a symptom of smoking the psychoactive plant salvia divinorum, a drug that recently gained public interest after a video of “Hannah Montana” star Miley Cyrus smoking salvia hit the Internet. The drug was recently back in the media spotlight after claims were made that the suspected gunman in the Jan. 8 Tucson shooting, Jared Loughner, legally took the powerful hallucinogenic regularly. In Arizona and a dozen other states, salvia is sold commercially and can be lawfully purchased at local smoke shops or online in varying degrees of potency (e.g. 5x, 10x, 20x, 100x). In addition, customers can choose between salvia leaves and extracts, which are respectively sold in ounces or grams and come packaged in everything from vials to sealed plastic bags. Because of the drug’s power and the limited research available on its effects, many states have placed age restrictions on salvia or banned it entirely. In his 1993 study, “The Botany of Salvia divinorum,” Aaron Reisfield examines the origins and chemistry of salvia and provides insight into the life of the mysterious plant. With over 500 species in the salvia family, Salvia divinorum is native to the Sierra Mazateca region of Oaxaca, Mexico. Reisfield says Mazatec shamans used the leafy green plant, which can be smoked, chewed or brewed in a drink, for various remedies and during religious ceremonies to induce hallucinations. People continue to use the plant to this day for varying reasons. In the scientific world, emerging research suggests salvia may have therapeutic benefits. Matthew Johnson, a behavioral pharmacology professor at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, is studying how salvia could be used to understand the inner-workings of the brain. “Salvia and other [psychoactive] drugs like it can be important for understanding human consciousness and how the brain creates it,” Johnson said. “There is a renaissance of researchers evaluating the therapeutic potential of those psychedelic drugs.” Johnson said that salvia’s immediate and potent effect is being studied to determine the drug’s impact and stimulus to certain receptors in the brain so that one day it might be used medicinally. “It won’t likely be a drug of addiction,” he said. “Most people don’t even want to use it again so that’s not a big danger. It seems to be remarkably safe in terms of physiology, more safe than what is over the counter at the pharmacy. But I don’t want to say that this is a safe drug.” The safety status of the drug is a problem that worries Arizona House of Representatives member Eric Meyer, D-Paradise Valley. Meyer, a physician, has tried to pass several bills through the legislature that would restrict the sale of the drug salvia and regulate it more carefully. “I think it’s under the radar and there aren’t as many users,” Meyer said. “Things like spice [synthetic marijuana] come under a lot of fire, and salvia has a smaller group of users and a lot of people find it unpleasant to use. Just like everything, you have to raise awareness and that takes time.” Meyer said that his bill would prohibit the sale of salvia to anyone under the age of 21. Although his proposal is relatively “benign,” he said the bill’s passage is still uncertain. “It doesn’t make sense to have a powerful hallucinogen so easily available,” Meyer said. Currently, neither the federal nor state government has definitively ruled on the sale or use of salvia. Many vendors who carry the drug have maintained a low profile now that it is being so heavily scrutinized. Fourth Avenue’s Moon Smoke Shop would not comment on the sale or popularity of the drug, but it is available for purchase there. For now, people over the age of 18 are still experimenting with salvia. Rose, however, said that she has no interest in trying it again. “I don’t regret my decision to do it,” she said. “[But] I don’t think it should be legal. You lose complete concepts of reality.” el indePendienTe February 11 / 11 de febrero 2011 Graffiti: Art Form or Crime? Page / Página 5 Virtual Fence Scrapped, Towers Remain at Work Photo by stePhen Varga Graffiti—or is it art—found on a wall in South Tucson. By Stephen Varga Call it an art form or a mode of vandalism, one thing is certain: you can’t miss the presence of graffiti in South Tucson. It can be seen on street corners, bus stops, trashcans, signs and even local businesses—a trend that troubles some residents. The city provides a hotline to report any vandalism and a graffiti removal form that can be submitted online at http://cms3.tucsonaz.gov/graffiti/report. “The best way to help the situation is to report it,” said Tucson police officer Richard Silva. When contacted, city officials assist with removal of graffiti from many publicly visible surfaces including residences, businesses and public thoroughfares within city limits. “Graffiti gets reported almost daily,” Silva said. Graffiti Protective Coatings, Inc. has been contracted by the City of Tucson to help remove graffiti from city surfaces. GPC not only works in Tucson but also in California and Nevada, and has processed more than 330,000 application orders to date. There were more than 300 — reported cases of vandalism in Tucson in 2010, according to SpotCrime, an agency dedicated to publicly reporting crime statistics. To some, however, the underground culture of “tagging” is an expression of artistic intent that often goes overlooked or unnoticed. Those who appreciate the artistic aspect of tagging often take pride in their work, even posting it on websites like Flickr and Facebook. “Some graffiti actually is art, but it has to be done right,” Silva said, “Most of it is criminal damage done by people who want attention and recognition but fear getting caught.” On Jan. 8, Ward 1 Tucson Councilwoman Regina Romero co-hosted an event with GPC to spread awareness and information about graffiti and encouraged attendants to volunteer and participate in a citywide graffiti removal. To report graffiti or volunteer in the abatement efforts, call the City of South Tucson Public Works Department at 770-0032 or email [email protected]. Nuevo Costco abrirá pronto en Tucson Marketplace Por Carolyn Gitomer Traducido por Juan Marroquín Los pequeños negocios y familias grandes del sur de Tucson ya no tendrán que viajar una larga distancia para ir a Costco esta primavera, ya que la construcción de la tienda de venta de mayoreo localizada al sur de la avenida Kino cerca de la interestatal 10 estará completamente terminada. La construcción de un nuevo Costco de 14 acres inició en el centro comercial Tucson Marketplace en octubre y según Jim Sinegal, director ejecutivo, la tienda está programada para abrir sus puertas el 14 de abril. Esta será la tercera tienda de Costco en Tucson. Las demás se encuentran localizadas al este de la calle Grant por la calle Tanque Verde, saliendo de la calle Thornydale cerca de la calle Orange Grove oeste. “Nosotros usualmente tenemos que manejar hasta el Costco que está en el Norte de la calle Thornydale, así que esta ubicación definitivamente será más conveniente”, dijo el señor Abe Frisby, el gerente de Las Cazuelitas, un restaurante mexicano al sur de Tucson. “Yo creo que muchos de los propietarios de restaurantes en esta área y muchas familias se beneficiarán al tener cerca esta tienda”. El señor Frisby frecuenta la tienda Costco por sus precios económicos y principalmente para abastecer su restaurante con productos tales como: aceite, servilletas y contenedores para llevar. Aunque muchos están contentos con los bajos precios de gasolina, alimentos al por mayor, y precios de mayoreo que ofrece Costco, estas tiendas compiten con las tiendas de Food City, las cuales tienen una historia muy larga en el abastecimiento de alimentos para los residentes del sur de Tucson. “No hay preocupaciones con la tienda Costco porque es una tienda de membresía y no todas las personas van a querer pagar la cuota”, dijo el señor Richard Salaz, el director de recursos humanos del sur de la ciudad de Tucson. Además, señaló que Tucson Marketplace no se encuentra ubicado en el sur de Tucson pero está lo suficientemente cerca para que las personas puedan disfrutar de los restaurantes locales. “En todo caso, se ha previsto que atraerá más comercio a esta área”. El Nuevo Costco proveerá trabajos de jornada completa y de medio tiempo para entre 150 a 175 personas, dijo el señor Sinegal. “La mayoría de los administradores de nuestras otras tiendas serán promovidos y trasladados hacia la tienda localizada en el sur de Tucson”, agregó el señor Sinegal. Además de crear trabajos, la tienda Costco también beneficiará a la comunidad mediante el suministro de donaciones. “Esperamos que el nuevo Costco sea un partidario del banco de alimientos de la comunidad y desde ya estamos haciendo esa conexión”, dijo el señor Jack Parris, quien es el representante del banco de alimentos de la comunidad. Photo by stePhen Varga Each electronic tower makes up a chain that monitors border activity in the Arizona desert. By Lara Schnoll Towering high into the dry, hot desert of southwest Arizona, 80foot-tall radar towers stand guard over the quiet town of Arivaca with the intent to put a dent in the number of illegal immigrants coming across the U.S.– Mexico border yearly. In 2006, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security commissioned Aerospace heavyweight Boeing Corp. to develop a system that could detect illegal border crossers with high-tech surveillance networks. The system included ground sensors, video cameras, communication towers and computer software. In May 2009, Boeing’s Secure Border Initiative (SBInet) teams erected 13 tower sites in the Border Patrol’s Tucson sector. Reports from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security reveal that SBInet commissioned $2 billion in contracts for the radar towers. An estimated $1 billion has been spent for the development and installation of just 53 miles along the Arizona–Mexico border, with 323 miles remaining. Arivaca is one of the few towns that has been impacted by the federal government’s multi-billion dollar investment to build a virtual fence along the border in order to deter illegal immigrants. Arivaca has a population of just over 900 residents, and is positioned roughly nine miles from the U.S.–Mexico border. The isolated town where everyone knows their neighbor is more bustling than it appears. Kelly Olson, a resident of Arivaca for the past 25 years, has seen the changes that have occurred in the town with the implementation of the towers. “Of course the town has seen a change, said Olson. “People are less willing to come to Arivaca these days.” Some residents say that encountering illegal immigrants is not out of the norm. “They have broken into my freezer and taken food, but that’s it,” Olson said. “They take what they need to survive.” Ruth Walsworth, a frequent visitor to Arivaca, occasionally spends her time out on the 40 acres of land that her daughter owns. “I have come across immigrants while out riding or hiking,” Walsworth said. “One time I came across a coyote holding a gun to a group of immigrants. Where was the Border Patrol?” The installation of the towers were intended to assist Border Patrol in monitoring the border. “The towers in my opinion are ineffective and useless,” said Olson. Last year, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano launched an inquiry into the project because of the technical glitches that kept occurring, and the long-term development of the project was reevaluated. “ We appreciate what Border Patrol is doing and we respect them, but they have overtaken our town. ” –Kelly Olson Arivaca Resident Based on statistics from Boeing Corp., the radar sensors and cameras took too long to display suspicious “targets” on monitors at the command center. The tower-based radar networks were often triggered by rain or wind-blown dust or sagebrush, displaying false positives. Technical requirements were lowered from accurately detecting suspicious targets 90 percent of the time to only 49 percent of the time, which led to the investigation made by Napolitano. On Jan. 11, the Department of Homeland Security ended the SBInet virtual fence contract. “SBInet cannot meet its original objective of providing a single, integrated border security technology solution,” said Napolitano in a press release. A new border protection plan is being implemented, which will include commercially available technologies such as mobile surveillance systems, unmanned aircrafts, thermal imaging devices and tower-based remote video surveillance systems. The plan will use existing elements of SBInet, such as stationary radar infrared and optical sensor towers, according to a statement made by the Department of Homeland Security. A common feeling among many in the community is that there might be greater success in preventing illegal border crossing if Border Patrol controlled the border more closely, instead of being placed nine miles away from Arivaca. “Heavier patrolling along the actual border might be more effective,” Olson said. A Border Patrol agent who wished to remain anonymous said that it isn’t that the towers aren’t doing their job, it’s that they still have quirks to be worked out. “The towers have a radar detection range of 20 to 30 miles,” said the agent.“Therefore increasing patrol in person isn’t that necessary.” Statistics from the Department of Homeland Security estimate that manpower along the border has doubled in size to about 18,000 agents, and more are to be expected. “There are slated to be 120 to 150 more agents brought into my zone alone in the next year,” said the agent. But for the people of Arivaca, the increase of Border Patrol agents in the area might just be the last straw. “We appreciate what Border Patrol is doing and we respect them, but they have overtaken our town,” said Olson. “They don’t utilize our businesses, which is another reason why people are leaving.” The towers staggered along the 53-mile stretch of the U.S.–Mexico border will be a symbol of the attempt to deter illegal immigration on a new and innovative scale, but for the town of Arivaca, only time will tell how much longer it can survive. el indePendienTe Page / Página 6 Febuary 11 / 11 de febrero 2011 Math Teacher Moves on to Pursue Passion ‘Sunnyside Teacher from page 1 Photo Casey saPio Paul Dye answers students’ questions as they work through math problems together. He will soone be photographing sports full time. every single day.” This reflects his larger philosophy: “The greatest gains to be made in realizing society’s potential,” he says, “lies in enhancing our own ability to see the genuine good in others.” To begin to find that good in his students, Dye learns the names of every student on the first day of school and tells them they can expect him to be enthusiastic, energetic, positive and human. His personal approach with students and unconventional teaching methods are purposeful. “I wear a tie so I look traditional, so that I can be anything but traditional,” says Dye. And now he is moving on to another unconventional job. In pursuing his other passion, sports photography, he will shoot sports full time at the University of Arizona. He got into photography because he wanted to document the achievements of his students outside of class. Currently, he has a screen outside of his classroom with pictures he takes of Sunnyside athletes. Students crowd around it between classes to see what’s new. Athough his teaching career ends in May, Dye will remain a familiar face on the sidelines at Sunnyside games as he will continue shooting photos of the athletes. He started teaching to coach soccer. Once again, sports have ushered him into a new career. Hernandez: Tucson’s Reluctant Hero By Yael Schusterman In front of a crowd of nearly 14,000 in McKale Memorial Center, including the president of the United States and a host of officials, Daniel Hernandez denied the mantle of hero for his role in helping Gabrielle Giffords when she was shot. Daniel Hernandez, a 20-yearold graduate of Sunnyside High School, has always had an innate desire to help others. He once considered medicine, but later discovered that he connected with people through public service. This became clearer when he met U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords. “It wasn’t ‘til after I started interacting with her, I decided to go into public service,” Hernandez said. “When I came to the University of Arizona I was still a biology major, but quickly went into public service.” This combination of experiences led Hernandez to his moment of heroism. Hernandez worked on the Hillary Clinton campaign in 2007. Shortly after she ended up conceding in early June 2008, Giffords was holding an event, which he attended. “I went to meet her and was absolutely amazed by the type of person she was,” Hernandez said. He then applied for an internship between June 9 and Nov. 1. He described Giffords as friendly and brilliant. “She’s a policywonk.” She will never discuss a policy without explaining it and why she is behind it, he said. This is one of the many ways she connects with the community. People involved in politics have a reputation for being cold and detached, Hernandez said, but she is the opposite. In 2010 he campaigned for Rep. Steve Farley in District 28, which gave him another opportunity to work with Giffords as she pursued another term. After she won her seat in 2010, Hernandez applied to become her intern in her Tucson office and started Jan. 3, just five days before the shooting. Mark Kimble, who works in Giffords’ congressional office, said in an e-mail that in Hernandez’s class of interns he stood out. “Daniel was one of four of the 13 interns who agreed to start early making up a transition team between the fall and spring semesters,” said Kimble. “That was evidence of his work ethic.” This also meant that Hernandez didn’t have a chance to meet the congresswomen until Saturday morning. On January 8 just after 10 a.m., Hernandez was helping with the “Congress on Your Corner” event, “ I was at the end of the line checking people in 30 feet away and I heard gunshots. ” -Daniel Hernandez, UA student created as an opportunity for constituents to talk to Giffords directly, working the end of the line in front of a Safeway grocery story on 7100 N. Oracle Road. “I was at the end of line checking people in 30 feet away and I heard gunshots.” Hernandez said he did not see the shooter, but he reacted. Rushing to Giffords, he found her on the ground, a visible gunshot to the head. He checked for other wounds and positioned her against his chest so she could breathe properly. Then he applied pressure to help stop the bleeding until ambulances arrived. Six people were killed in the rampage, including U.S. District Judge John Roll, Gabe Zimmerman, one of Giffords’ aides, and a young girl; 13 others were wounded in the shooting. Hernandez, a political science junior at the UA and director of the Arizona Students Association, said he has always enjoyed volunteering and getting involved in school programs and clubs. Cathy Monroe, who teaches the nursing assistance program at Sunnyside, said she remembers Daniel well in class. “He was a very internally motivated young man,” Monroe said. “He knew what was important and he went after what he needed to study.” She said when competing for Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA), a national career and technical student organization, he trained himself for some of the areas that the competition would require. During the competition, he did medical lab assisting, which involves learning how to draw blood, test urine and do finger sticks for diabetes and other patient care, Monroe said. She said she believed he came out first in the state because he used his own resources and kept up with the medical current events. Nationally, he came in the top 20 with over 10,000 students competing. “He just learned on his own. He was very poised, never wild in classroom and very serious,” Monroe said. “He was wonderful, the type of student a teacher would like to have a whole classroom full of.” It was Hernandez’s nursing assistance training that helped Photo Carolyn gitoMer The Costco on East Grant Road is ranked the 15th in gross sales worldwide. South side restaurant managers are looking forward to the new one opening near Kino and I-10. Costco to Open on South Side Costco from page 1 store creates competition for Food City, a grocery store that has a long history of providing goods for South Tucson residents. “There are not concerns with the Costco because it is membership driven and not everyone will want to pay those fees,” said Richard Salaz, human resources director for the City of South Tucson. He pointed out that the Tucson Marketplace is not located in South Tucson but is close enough for people to enjoy the local restaurants. “If anything, it is predicted to bring in more business overall to this area.” The new Costco will provide full-time and part-time jobs for 150 to 175 people, Sinegal said. “Most of the management from our other locations will be promoted and moved to the South Tucson location,” he said. Besides creating jobs, Costco also benefits the community through providing donations. “During the last fiscal year (2009-2010) they donated over 226,000 pounds of produce, canned goods and bakery goods to the food bank,” said Jack Parris, a representative for the Community Food Bank. “We hope that the new Costco will be supporter of the Community Food Bank and are working on that relationship now.” “As of now the two Costcos located in Tucson are ranked two of the highest in gross sales,” said Joshua Davis, a Costco employee of eight years at their East Grant Road location. From 2009, “data ranks this specific location the 15th in gross sales worldwide.” Daniel no admite su heroísmo Hernandez from page 1 involucrarse en los programas y clubs de la universidad. Cathy Monroe, maestra del programa de asistente de enfermería en Sunnyside, dijo que recuerda muy bien cuando Daniel asistía a clases. “Él era un joven automotivado”, dijo Monroe. “Él sabia lo que era importante y luchó por sus estudios”. Cathy dijo que cuando él participó en Health Occupations students of America (HOSA, por sus siglas en inglés), organización estudiantil nacional que apoya las carreras de la salud, él se capacitó a si mismo en las áreas que la competición requería. Durante su capacitación él completo un laboratorio de asistencia médica que incluyó aprender a extraer sangre, hacer exámenes de orina, conducir la prueba para diagnosticar la diabetes y otros cuidados para pacientes, dijo Monroe. Cathy también dijo que le pareció que él ganó primer lugar en el estado porque utilizó sus propios recursos y se mantuvo al día de los eventos médicos del momento. Él estuvo entre los mejores 20 de más de 10,000 estudiantes que partici- paron nacionalmente. “Él fue autodidácta. Siempre estaba preparado y nunca fue un estudiante desconcentrado ni muy serio,” dijo Monroe. “Él era maravilloso, el tipo de estudiante que una maestra sueña tener en toda el aula.” Fue su capacitación para el programa de asistencia de enfermería que lo ayudó a salvar la vida de Giffords. En el evento conmemorativo de la universidad, llevado a cabo en McKale, Daniel afirmó que él no era ningún héroe. “La razón por la cual digo esto es porque yo creo que los verdaderos héroes son aquellas personas que han dedicado sus vidas al servicio público” dijo Daniel. “Gabe Zimmerman, director de alcance comunitario de Giffords, dio su vida y las personas así merecen ser llamadas héroes.” Daniel viajó a Washington D.C. para escuchar el discurso de Barack Obama sobre el Estado de la Unión. Siendo todavía un hombre joven, puede ser que su experiencia demuestra sus puntos de vista, pero él siente una pasión más grande que nunca por servir a su comunidad. save Giffords’ life. At the university memorial held at McKale, Hernandez claimed that he was no hero. “The reason I said that was because I believe the people who are the real heroes are those who have dedicated their lives to public service,” Hernandez said. “Gabe Zimmerman, Giffords’ community outreach director, gave up his life and people like him deserve to be called the heroes.” Hernandez flew to Washington D.C. to listen to Barack Obama’s State of the Union address. Still a young man, his experience may color his views, but he is more passionate than ever about serving his community. el indePendienTe February 11 /11 de febrero 2011 Page / Página 7 Elvira Teacher to Receive Crystal Apple Award By Tammy Stephens Fifth-grade teacher Andy Townsend is the reason Brian Corrales Jr. is excited to go to class every day. “I never thought I’d say this, but I love Mondays now,” said Corrales. Corrales, 11, is one of Townsend’s fifth-grade students at Elvira Elementary School. “[Townsend] has the ability to make everything we learn about into a fun thing,” he said. Classmate Jackeline Walldez, 11, said she asked the principal if she could be put into Townsend’s class because she knew he was a good teacher. “His passion for teaching and his love for children come across so strongly,” said Elvira Principal Tom Hubbard. Because of this, Townsend will receive the 2011 Metropolitan Education Commission’s Crystal Apple Award in May. Being a teacher was never on Townsend’s life agenda, but he said it’s now his passion in life. As a teen, his dreams focused on sports. “I honestly thought I was going to be a professional athlete,” he said. “It was the middle of high school that I realized that this wasn’t going to happen.” To continue to satisfy his love for sports, he began volunteering with youth baseball and basketball programs. “Working with the kids was a blast,” Townsend said. While he was at the University of Arizona getting a degree in history, he continued volunteering with kids. He thought about teaching, but never seriously considered it. With the urge to do something different, Townsend moved to Las Vegas and took a job in sales. He continued to volunteer with kids’ sports programs in Las Vegas and one day realized that being with kids was what made him happy. He knew he needed to change directions. “For me to go into my boss’s office and tell him I was going to quit … it was a scary thing,” he said. “I’ve always been quite thankful that I made that choice.” He moved back to Tucson and started volunteering a few days a week at an elementary school. The experience was just to make sure that was what he wanted to do. He got his substitute-teaching certificate and taught at schools around Tucson before he enrolled at the University of Phoenix for a master’s degree in elementary education, he said. As soon as he finished his program, he started teaching a fifthgrade class at Elvira Elementary School. He’s now been there for six years and Hubbard said Townsend’s work ethic is laudable. “He beats the custodian here every morning,” Hubbard said. “He has that love and that passion for teaching.” Not surprisingly, Townsend also manages Elvira’s after-school basketball, softball, soccer and cross country programs. Sports help him connect with the kids beyond the classroom. Photo by taMMy stePhens Fifth-grade teacher Andy Townsend coaches the Elvira Eagles basketball team. The basketball, softball and soccer teams are made up of fourthand fifth-graders and cross country includes third-graders, Townsend said. He gets to know the fourthgraders before they get to fifth grade, so they know his expectations. Last year, Townsend was one of five finalists for the Arizona Educational Foundation’s Teacher of the Year award, said June WebbVignery, director of the Metropolitan Education Commission. The commission is a 34-member committee that advocates for educational welfare in Pima County. One of their goals is to honor educators who go above and beyond with their service to students. Webb-Vignery said Townsend’s nomination for the Crystal Apple Award stems from the Teacher of the Year nomination. The Crystal Apple Award started 21 years ago and originally recognized K-12 educators. It later expanded to include colleges and universities, Webb-Vignery said. Townsend said he plans on sharing the award with his classroom. The students played a part in him getting the award because it is given based on what happens in the classroom. “How could a teacher be a good teacher without good students? It’s not possible,” he said. “One of the most exciting parts of the job is that you are never going to have a day just like the rest,” he said. Both Walldez and Corrales said they will come back to visit Townsend. “He’s just a really awesome teacher,” said Corrales. “Mr. Townsend will be a teacher I will remember for the rest of my life.” View other winners at: http://cms3.tucsonaz.gov/metedu Education Options Break Down Language Barriers By Samantha Ferrell Yaritza stands at the front of the classroom, her hair held in pigtails by two white scrunchies, bluesequined sneakers on her feet. She tells her classmates what she would order off the menu in her hands. “Spaghetti and meatballs,” she says proudly. “And fried bananas.” Her teacher, Cecilia Chavarin, asks the class how much Yaritza’s order will cost and receives a chorus of correct responses: $10. Chavarin’s Specialized English Instruction (SEI) classes, although beneficial, impact a small number of students at Davis Bilingual Magnet School. A majority of the students at Davis are considered English proficient by the state proficiency examination. Chavarin’s classes emphasize reading, writing and speaking in English, as well as provide preparation for Arizona’s Instrument to Measure Standards. According to Chavarin, however, her classes are “an aberration” at Davis— every other class in the school is taught in Spanish. Down the hall in Julián Barceló’s kindergarten class, students are split into groups around the room. Three students sit with a teaching aide repeating las sílabas, while another group sits with thirdgraders reading Dr. Seuss’s Hop on Pop in English. At a different table, one child sticks his tongue between his teeth as he tries to figure out how to spell pepe. An additional group of kids sit listening with headphones, reading along or fighting over the volume control. “It’s bilingualism for free,” Chavarin says of the public school’s Spanish immersion program. “We want our students to become culturally proficient. All backgrounds will not be tolerated, but appreciated.” Students learn to read, write and speak both English and Spanish at Davis Bilingual Magnet School. Photos by saMantha Ferrell Rita Duarte, a teaching assistant in Julian Barceló’s kindergarten class, works with students on the Spanish syllables. Despite the seemingly overwhelming task of teaching another language to children as young as five, the teachers are positive. “They immediately start absorbing the second language,” said Barceló. “[We have] a lot of conversations, positive reinforcement, and obviously, parental support of this program.” A student pushes his math assignment under Barceló’s nose. The teacher stops and asks the student if he is proud to speak Spanish and the student shyly nods yes. Davis Bilingual is unique in Tucson because it provides the only public Spanish immersion option in the city. Tucson Unified School District has watched the demand for this program increase since it was classified as a “magnet school” so that any student, regardless of where he or she lives, could apply to attend. Administrators also answered the demand in another way. Grijalva, Hollinger, Mission View, Roskruge and Van Buskirk elementary schools all offer duallanguage programs, which permits nearly an equal mix of both English and Spanish speakers, allowing the students to learn from each other. “Students who are learning the other group’s language have proficient peers as models to emulate,” said Salvador Gabaldón, TUSD’s language acquisition specialist. Generally, schools have English-only instruction in regular classrooms and then a separate SEI course for non-native speakers. TUSD, in an effort to compete for students has diversified its educational approaches, embracing traditional and new methods, allowing parents to choose how they want their child to be educated. Ms. Bea Lineiro-Lopez, a counselor at Gallego Basic Elementary in the Sunnyside Unified School District, says that speaking Spanish in the classroom is an offense that could result in legal proceedings. “Teachers now are having to be more accountable,” Lineiro-Lopez said. “They have to show growth, have data, follow the curriculum. There’s fear … [but] there’s a lot being done to improve the system.” In November 2000, Arizona voters passed Proposition 203, which limited the language of instruction teachers can use in the classroom. “Young immigrant children can easily acquire full fluency in a new language, such as English, if they are heavily exposed to that language in the classroom at an early age,” reads the amendment. It goes on to further state that “teachers may use a minimal amount of the child’s native language when necessary” but that no subject matter will be taught in any language other than English. All students who are enrolled in non-traditional language acquisition such as the dual-language program or the Spanish immersion program must have a waiver on file that allows teachers to freely speak Spanish and English in the classroom. But at Gallego, and in all of SUSD, teachers are not allowed to use Spanish in classroom until students reach high school. This effectively shuts the door on Spanish education in elementary and middle schools in the district. “Every time you shut the door on a language, you are shutting the door to an entire culture,” Barceló said. Students from different cultures tend to remain more segregated in classes that emphasize English, he added. Some students will even become ashamed of the fact that they do not speak English. “There is no shame here,” Barceló said. “We never really had bilingual classes at all,” Lineiro-Lopez said of Gallego. “The only kids who get bilingual education are kids with that on their IEP [Individualized Education Plan] for special education.” This not only affects Englishspeaking students who are denied the opportunity to connect with their fellow students, Tucson’s heritage and much of its population, but also Spanish speakers who are left without the peer models that prove so helpful in the language acquisition process. Back in Barceló’s kindergarten class, none of the kids are too concerned with such ideas. For now, they’re just excited to learn. Page / Página 8 ? By Corinne O’Donoghue Traducido por Ana Cecilia Barragán el indePendienTe February 11 / 11 de febrero 2011 qué Pasa? Through Feb. 20 ‘A’ Mountain Shrine Horse Racing 12 de febrero Día en el zoológico Rillito Park Racetrack offers quarter horse and thoroughbred racing. The track is located at 4502 N. First Ave., near the intersection of River Road and First Avenue. Clubhouse tickets are $8 and grandstand tickets are $5. Children under 12 years of age are free. Gates open at 11 a.m., post time is at 1 p.m. and racing is from 1 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. For more information, call 293-5011 or visit www.pimacountyattractions.com La tercera cena anual del Día de los enamorados (Valentine’s Day) en el zoológico Reid Park incluye cena y una charla con el encargado del zoológico, Rusty Agte. El evento es a las 5:30 de la tarde o a las 7 de la tarde. La cena dura tres horas. El costo por persona es de $50 dólares. Para más información llame al 8814753 o visite www.tucsonzoo.org. 19 de febrero Ballet folklórico Through Feb. 13 Feb. 12 El Ballet folklórico Tapatío presenta el evento “Amor y Amistad” en el Leo Rich Theatre en el centro de convenciones, Tucson Convention Center. El evento empieza a las 5 de la tarde. El costo del boleto es de $8 dólares y se puede comprar en la taquilla del TCC o en cualquier establecimiento de Ticketmaster. Para más información sobre el grupo folklórico, visite www.purotapatio.org. Para la compra de boletos visite www.ticketmaster.com Woo at the Zoo 19 y 20 de febrero Gem & Mineral Show The annual Tucson Gem, Mineral and Fossil Showcase offers opento-the-public shows catering to buyers, sellers and treasure hunters through Feb. 13. The show is located at more than 40 different locations around Tucson. Prices and hours vary at each location. For more information, visit www.jewelryshowguide.com. The 3rd annual Valentine’s Day dinner at Reid Park Zoo includes dinner and a discussion with zoo keeper and educator, Rusty Agte. The times are 5:30 p.m. or 7 p.m. The dinner lasts three hours. Cost is $50 per person. Call 881-4753 or visit www.tucsonzoo.org for more information. Festival de india El decimoctavo festival Southwest Indian Art Fair presenta a más de 200 artistas y exhibiciones. El evento de este año presenta a R. Carlos Nakai y el festival de Native American film. El festival se llevará a cabo en el museo de Arizona State Museum en el campus de la Universidad de Arizona. El evento será el sábado desde las 10 de la mañana hasta las 5 de la tarde y el domingo desde las 10 hasta las 4 de la tarde. Feb. 19 Ballet Folklorico The Ballet Folklorico Tapatio presents “Amor y Amistad” at the Leo Rich Theatre at the Tucson Convention Center. The show starts at 5 p.m. Tickets are $8 and can be purchased at the TCC box office or any Ticketmaster location. For more information about the group, visit www.purotapatio.org. For tickets, visit www.ticketmaster.com. Feb. 19 - 20 Indian Art Fair The 18th annual Southwest Indian Art Fair features more than 200 artists, performers and demonstrators. This year’s art show will feature R. Carlos Nakai and a Native American film festival. The fair will be held at the Arizona State Museum on the University of Arizona campus. Hours are Photo by Frank brun A plastic figurine of Jesus Christ, surrounded by veladoras, or religious candles with the Lady of Guadalupe depicted on the glass, stands in the center of a grotto on ‘A’ Mountain. See video online at www.elindenews.com/multimedia. Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Cost is $8 for adults and $3 for children ages 12 to 16. The event is free for children under age 11 and UA and Pima Community College students with a student ID. Two-day passes are $12. For more information, visit www.statemuseum.arizona.edu. Feb. 19 - 27 La Fiesta de los Vaqueros The 86th annual La Fiesta de los Vaqueros, which includes the Tucson Rodeo, will be at Tucson Rodeo Grounds at 4823 S. 6th Ave. The rodeo will feature more than 650 contestants from the United States and Canada. For Black History Month Events Feb. 17 & 24 7 to 9 p.m. Feb. 19 6 to 10 p.m. Feb. 25 5:30 p.m. Open mic poetry On A Roll Sushi Bar and Restaurant, 63 E. Congress St. Focus on African-American poetry. Details at 622-7655. Annual Black History Month Gala At Loews Ventana Canyon Resort and Spa. Speaker: Hill Harper. Event is open to the public. Details at 299-2020. Black History Month Block Party Hosted by UA’s African American Student Affairs on UA mall. For more information call 621-3419. Feb. 19 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. Feb. 22 6:30 p.m. Mr. K’s Barbeque & Museum Tour First 20 students to RSVP eat free. Hosted by African American Student Affairs. Details contact Maria Moore at 626-2660. Sports Talk Issues of Identity, Ownership, and Empowerment in Professional Sports. Held in Room 108 at McKale Memorial Center. Speakers will discuss ways that race infiltrates the world of sports. 621-3419. Feb. 25 & 26 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 26 at 3 and 7:30 p.m. Legacies of Africa A Black History Month celebration presented by Barbea Williams Performing Co. at the Dunbar Culture Center. Tickets $10 or $12 at the door. 6287785. more information, call 741-2233 or visit www.tucsonrodeo.com. Hasta el 20 de febrero Carreras de caballos La temporada de Rillito Park Racetrack ofrece carreras de caballos de cuarto de milla y de caballos de sangre pura. El hipódromo está ubicado en el 4502 N. First Ave., cerca del cruce de River Road y First Avenue. Los boletos de “clubhouse” cuestan $8 y los boletos en las gradas cuestan $5 dólares. Niños menores de 12 años entran gratis. Las puertas se abren a las 11 de la mañana, las carreras de caballos son de la 1 a las 5:30 de la tarde. Para más información, llame al 293-5011 o visite www.pimacountyattractions.com. Hasta el 13 de febrero Exhibición de piedras preciosas y minerales La exhibición anual del Tucson Gem Show de minerales y fósiles que atrae a vendedores, compradores y cazadores de tesoros tendrá exhibiciones abiertas al público en general hasta el día 13 de febrero. Las exhibiciones se encuentran en más de 40 ubicaciones alrededor de Tucson. El horario y los precios varían por local. Para más información visite www.jewelryshowguide.com. El precio es de $8 por adulto y de $3 dólares para menores de 12 a 16 años de edad. El evento es gratis para los menores de 11 años de edad y para los estudiantes de la universidad de Arizona y del Pima Community College con identificación escolar. También hay boletos de entrada de dos días y el precio es de $12 dólares. Para más información visite www.statemuseum.arizona.edu. Del 19 al 27 de febrero La Fiesta de los Vaqueros La fiesta anual número 86 de los Vaqueros que es parte del Rodeo, se llevará a cabo en el Tucson Rodeo Grounds ubicado en 4823 S. 6th Ave. El rodeo presentará a más de 650 concursantes de los Estados Unidos y de Canadá. Para más información llame al 7412233 o visite www.tucsonrodeo.com El 25 de febrero La historia afroestadounidense Se invita a los estudiantes y a la comunidad de Tucson a venir y aprender sobre la importancia del Mes de la historia afroestadounidense en el campus de la Universidad de Arizona a las 5 de la tarde. Todos están invitados a la celebración. En el evento habrá baile, música y un convivio para la comunidad.