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Entries in Youth (3)

Children's Book Series Combines Substance With Fun

Monday, May 14, 2012 at 7:01AM

Bean Soup Times tagged

African American authors,

Youth,

books in

Education

African American author encourages coloring as platform for child development –

Dallas, TX -- Growing up, author and illustrator Setria James did not make the best grades, but she discovered a strong artistic ability through coloring and began excelling in art classes. She subsequently followed this passion through her college education, studying fine arts and graphic design. Setria recently tapped into her love of coloring and interest in child development by single-handedly authoring and illustrating the Doodles Coloring Fun book line under her Doodles Avenue brand.

Setria published the coloring book collection to encourage children's artistic expression, provide a fun platform for learning, and aid in their overall development. The series delves into a variety of interesting and educational subjects, such as animals, insects, flowers, food, safety, travel destinations, and United States history. Each book is filled with Setria's original drawings, themed facts, and activities, which address some of the biggest concerns parents face, including education, health, safety, and cultural awareness.

Ten coloring books have now been released under the Doodles Avenue brand, including the award-winning first edition of Doodles Alphabet Coloring Fun. According to Setria, "Coloring helped cultivate my creativity as a child and inspire my career in graphic design, which is why I wanted to produce Doodles Coloring Fun. If my books can inspire other kids to be creative and help them learn about their world in the process, then I've accomplished my goal. Doodles Coloring Fun has a level of substance I wish my childhood coloring books contained, with imaginative sketches and educational facts."

Setria attended Texas Woman's University, where she received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree and a Masters of Art degree with an emphasis in Graphic Design. Says Setria, "Coloring stimulated my career path and my passion for the arts. My lifelong love of coloring continues through the Doodles Coloring Fun collection, but now I'm paying it forward."

The Doodles Coloring Fun series is available exclusively on Amazon.com.

If you would like more information on this topic, or to schedule an interview with Setria James, please email doodlesave@aol.com. High-res photos are available to the media upon request.

Old men for council, young men for war

Thursday, August 18, 2011 at 6:25AM

Bean Soup Times tagged

Youth,

community development,

elders,

mentorship in

I love to hear about our elders taking charge of their community and not being afraid of the youth but understanding their responsibility to teach the youth.

Some elders may want to help but just don't know where to start. Well Dr. Maaskelah K. Thomas has written a book that engages Black seniors on how to strengthen the community.

This book is for elders who recognize they have something to offer. As individuals pass through youth and into adulthood, there is also a stage past adulthood where the cumulative learning of a lifetime is embodied.

This is called Elderhood, and although current systems in the United States have increasingly marginalized those in this group, traditional African societies throughout the continent and early African American communities understood the invaluable resources embodied within this life stage.

In many traditional African societies, transitions from one life stage to the next - from birth through death - were marked with specific and predetermined rites of passage.

It was with this in mind that Dr. Maaskelah K. Thomas created and published an easy to read guide and toolkit: Calling the Elders - Reclaiming and Transforming Our Communities through Elder Wisdom: A Guide and Toolkit for Developing Local Councils of Elders.

It was designed for those interested in developing an important avenue for capturing and enlisting the resources of African American seniors for ongoing community strengthening and development. Envisioned as a rites of passage process for elder members the African American community and a structure for keeping them engaged, the Guide provides both rationale and process for implementing Councils of Elders in communities throughout the country and beyond.

Based on a successful model currently operating in her own community, it includes an overview of the historical importance of Councils of Elders, as well as the building blocks of this functional model for institution building. Most importantly, it provides practical steps and processes for ways to engage the entire community in reconnecting the links that have historically strengthened African American communities.

In addition, the evidence-based tools throughout the book can be adapted and used for a variety of other organizational and community development projects. Dr. Thomas, a scholar, consultant and twenty-five year veteran of community and organizational development and social justice activism brings together "tools of the trade" and useful guidance for community engagement, organizational development and institution building.

Councils of Elders have their roots in indigenous African communities which viewed the Elders as repositories of knowledge and wisdom, and more importantly, as the guardians and purveyors of a community's values, traditions, norms and interests.

Elderhood represents a significant stage along the rites of passage continuum from birth through elderhood and on through transition into esteemed ancestor-hood. The Council of Elders has traditionally been the organizing institution that honors, embodies and unleashes the ongoing wisdom and potential of an indispensible group.

The goal is that communities will be able to utilize this institution to help rebuild and reconnect communities - locally, nationally and internationally - based on common ground, as exemplified through the wisdom of our Elders.

Save That Penny For A Sunny Day Contest

Monday, October 25, 2010 at 11:03AM

Bean Soup Times tagged

Youth,

contest,

essay in

community

State Recommended Children’s Author X’ernona Woods will be hosting a Save That Penny For A Sunny Day Contest that will begin November 1, 2010.

The goal of this initiative is sponsered by Ariel Capital Investment, Marquette Bank, Succezz-Mr. Lavell Sykes, Mr. Toure Muhammad of Bean Soup Times, Secretary of State and State Librarian The Honorable Jesse White, Dr. Jade Sonia, Mr. Dennis Snipe of Jack Rabbit’s Pastries, and Mr. Kelvin Watson is to encourage youth to become habitual savers and leaders within their communities abroad.

Due to the economic crisis it has become harder to not speak about the loss of jobs, families losing their homes and struggling to pay bills the time is, now to effectively start the conversation about the importance of financial literacy.

According to Scarborough Statistics 74% of youth are worried about the economy.

Nicole, 12, of Pennsylvania, wonders if her parents will be able to afford the mortgage payment. That's the money that must be paid each month if your family owns a home.

"I am scared that my neighbors might have to move. He lost his job," said Claire, 11, from Michigan.

DCB, 12, from Texas, asks: "How long will it continue?"

Most Americans (51.4) percent will live in poverty at some point before age 65.

The Save That Penny For A Sunny Day Contest will be open to youth ranging from ages 8-12). There will be three age group categories, 8-9., 10-11, 12-13 each of three categories will answer the following questions: Name the Four Things You Can Do with Money, 2. Write an essay discussing why it is important to save money and learn about financial literacy. Youth ranging from the ages 8-9 will write a hundred fifty word essay, 10-11 (200 hundred words) 12-13 (250 words)

The first hundred entrants will receive Fed Shred Money Bag. Grand Prize winners will win $100, Twenty-Five Dollar Marquette Bank Savings Certificate, McDonalds Stock, Save That Penny for a Sunny Day Wealth Building Kit, and Fed Shred Money Bag. First Place Winners: Save That Penny For A Sunny Day Wealth Building Kit, $50.00, Twenty –Five Dollar Marquette Bank Savings Certificate, Fed Shred Money Bag, Second Place Winners: Save That Penny For A Sunny Day Book Set, Twenty-Five Dollar Marquette Savings Certificate, Piggy Bank Third Place Winners: Save That Penny For A Sunny Day book set and Twenty-Five Dollar Marquette Bank Savings Certificate

Essays should be emailed to savethatpenny@gmail.com by November 31, 2010 midnight. Winners will be notified via email.