Project SEARCH intern Melissa Moore inspects white blood cells at the University of Arizona Medical CenterÕs Laboratory. (Photo by Dan Habinek)

A high-school transition program for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities is giving children in Tucson with special needs the opportunity to gain real-world working experiences before making the transition to college or employment.

Project SEARCH, now in its second full year and provided through the Pima County Joint Technical Education District, is a proven success preparing developmentally disabled students for jobs in Tucson.

Shane Dasso, 19, works Monday through Friday as a mailroom clerk at the University of Arizona Medical Center South Campus. His tasks include sorting, delivering, picking up and sending the mail. Shane has Asperger’s syndrome, or high functioning autism, and graduated from Project SEARCH in May after completing the nine-month program.

“It came on when he was just finishing eighth grade,” said Steven Dasso, Shane’s father. “He had trouble walking and started twitching really bad. He was being treated for Tourette syndrome and at first we just thought that the Tourette’s was getting worse.”

After spending weeks with different neurologists and psychiatrists in different hospitals and trying various medications and higher dosages, a psychiatrist in Phoenix finally diagnosed Shane with Asperger’s and prescribed four medications that cured his symptoms.

“It was amazing,” Steven said. “It only took about two days and we saw a remarkable difference.”

Shane never went to a regular high school after his diagnosis. The doctor told the family that he thought it better for Shane to be home-schooled. His parents chose Direct Link, Tucson Unified School District’s homebound program, for Shane’s schooling.

After three years at home, both parents and Shane’s home-school teacher saw improvements with his health and functionality and even considered sending him to a regular high school for his junior or senior year. Then his teacher recommended Project SEARCH.

“My family and I discussed it for like a month until we actually signed the papers,” Shane said. “I am glad that we did, because I don’t know what I would do without that program.”

Project SEARCH is for students with disabilities in their last year of high school and includes a nine-month internship at a health industry or business setting where there is immersion in the workplace, continuous feedback and application of new skills.

What started in 1996 as an innovative business employment-training model for high school students with disabilities at the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center in Ohio has now been replicated in 39 states and four countries with the hopes of continued expansion.

Marcie Mendelsohn, transition coordinator for Project SEARCH in Cincinnati, said the process of bringing a site to a community could start as soon as contact with the national office begins. “If there is someone out there serious about getting a site started, we work with the statewide Developmental Disability Councils to create grants and partners to support a site,” Mendelsohn said.

The Sonoran University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities is the licensee with the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center (national Project SEARCH) and coordinator for Project SEARCH at the UA Medical Center South Campus.

“After visiting the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital’s Project SEARCH, we started working with partners here to develop the program in Tucson,” said Laura Schweers, statewide coordinator for Project SEARCH Arizona.

The Sonoran UCEDD recruited the Pima County Joint Technical Education District, which agreed to fund the unique, business-led program by providing certified special education instructors who also were certified in career and technical education.

Greg D’Anna, director of public relations for Pima County JTED, said Project SEARCH Arizona covers most of the program’s operating costs.

Pima County JTED also provides necessary facilities, equipment, supplies, maintenance, property and liability insurance to conduct the JTED Courses. Students must apply for Project SEARCH.

“Our goal is to have a broad representation of students,” Schweers said.

A prospective intern must be able to maintain appropriate behavior, hygiene, and social skills in the workplace without immediate supervision. While instructors and job coaches support interns in their rotations, the expectation is that support fades as interns gain skills and confidence within a rotation. Therefore, a student requiring one-on-one support would not be a candidate for the program.

“Selection criteria can vary,” Schweers said. “We typically have candidates who have autism, but we don’t really look at look at disability types.”

Potential interns must also be from Pima County between 18 and 21 years of age who are nearing high school graduation.

Although there is a little bit of wiggle room in the capacity for the program, Schweers said enrollment is usually limited to 12 a year because there is only one dedicated instructor who is augmented by several job coaches.

“We wouldn’t really want a larger number in a particular business because you wouldn’t want to over saturate,” Schweers said. “And of course we hope that the business is going to hire 30 percent of the student interns. If you have a higher number then you are over saturating the applicant pool.”

Two graduates from last year’s pilot program have been hired part-time at the UA Medical Center South Campus.

There are 11 Project SEARCH students this school year who get to the UAMC South Campus every morning before 8 a.m. and stay until 3 p.m. In that time they have classroom instruction, morning rotation in a chosen hospital department, lunch, afternoon rotation and then reflection and journaling with the classroom instructor at the end of the day.

Project SEARCH class of 2012-13: Back row, from left, Chelsey Perpignani, Carina Loya, Daniel Morales, Christopher Crawford, Patric Sepulveda, Michael Morales. Front row, from left, Alexis Villalta, Melissa Moore, Job Coach Jackie Beem, Griselda Elias. (Photo by Dan Habinek)

“It is not a typical thing where a student would report to a rotation and be asked to go make a copy and get coffee or something,” Dan Habinek, Project SEARCH instructor said. “They are a part of the system at the hospital and they do dynamite work on a daily basis. We couldn’t be more proud of them.”

Frank Granillo, a paramedic and Project SEARCH supervisor in the emergency department, said he has seen a lot of social growth with the students after working with them the past 16 weeks.

“They have to get involved in introducing themselves to their co-workers to knowing who they are. You’ll see them develop and come out of their shell and have better social interaction,” Granillo said.

Christopher Crawford, 19, finished his first rotation of the year a few weeks ago in the emergency department with Granillo. Crawford said he helped restock the department storage room and get the patients what they needed while keeping them comfortable and warm. He said that he enjoys every part of his day at the hospital.

“Project SEARCH has been a blast. It’s been really fun. You’re always seeing a lot of new faces, entertaining people… and lunch—the food is very delicious,” Crawford said.

The students don’t need much outside motivation to come to the hospital every day and work hard. Habinek said they are all dedicated and committed to their work in a professional environment and that many kids will only miss a day or two throughout the year.

“One fascinating thing that we’ve seen with these students is that they want to be here,” Habinek said. “They love the program and they buy into it.”

Now working in the mailroom and attending a writing class at Pima Community College, Shane has come a long way from where he was with his Asperger’s.

“I can’t believe what a blessing and what a great program it is,” Steven Dasso said. It was the best thing so far that has happened for Shane.”

Shane agrees. “I’ve learned a lot of great job skills, met a lot of really nice people, and I got hired — that’s the main thing,” he said.

He has transformed and grown tremendously and not only do his family members notice it, but also doctors and nurses in the hospital.

“In the first two weeks of school, you could hear a pin drop. And then all of a sudden they start growing,” Habinek said. “We will be in the hospital and doctors and nurses will say that they saw these students the first week of school and they were so timid and so shy but that they have grown so much since then socially, and that’s the biggest part of the program — they become advocates for themselves.”

Not only has the program been successful for the students and their families, but it has been beneficial to the hospital as well. From a financial aspect, Habinek said the hospital saves about $200,000 a year having interns help with their tasks and rotations.

Other businesses will have the opportunity to save money if the program follows through with plans to expand to new JTED-funded Project SEARCH sites.

The Sonoran UCEDD is recruiting another business partner in hopes of having a second Project SEARCH site.

Schweers said discussions have been underway with UA student affairs to develop a program for the 2012 – 2013 school year that would include internships in the bookstore, campus recreation and dining at the student union.

“We are in the process of establishing a memorandum of understanding of what they will offer.” Brent Neilson, director of central campuses for Pima County JTED said. “This involves a classroom space and access to different clinical rotations similar to that of at the hospital.”

Although the partnership has not yet been finalized, Habinek said it is looking like a slam-dunk.

“One of the big things we were looking forward to in our expansion with the University of Arizona is to give students a little more taste of the business world.” Habinek said.

Pima County JTED hopes to continue to expand Project SEARCH sites throughout Tucson in the near future, and many businesses and organizations such as Raytheon have expressed an interest.

“There is a huge need for this program,” Habinek said.  “So that is kind of the goal, awareness and to expand.”

Flying dirt and emerging orange cones in March will signal the official start of construction on the modern streetcar route and a continuing balancing act between revitalizing the city and encouraging tradition.

The streetcar will connect the Arizona Health Sciences Center with Fourth Avenue, downtown Tucson and the development area west of Interstate 10. The University of Arizona is expected to supply a steady flow of riders between campus and the downtown area, providing an economic boost to downtown. The streetcar should open for public use in 2013.

Official construction on the route was bumped back from the start of the New Year to March so that potential contractors could prepare their bids. Overall, the delays should not impact the project significantly.

Because the streetcar uses major streets such as Congress Street, its operation has forced several Tucson events to accommodate it.

The annual All Soul's Procession will alter its route to avoid the Modern Streetcar line. (Citizen file photo)

Large parades such as the 21-year-old All Souls Procession will have to modify routes away from the streetcar. The procession draws about 20,000 people each year and participants make their way through downtown, honoring and celebrating deceased loved ones.

The streetcar also will require Tucson Weekly’s Club Crawl music festival to make some changes, eliminating closing off Congress Street the day of the event. Instead of filling the street with stages for the dozens of local and national musicians and bands that serenade bar hoppers, the streetcar route will force the event to slip stages in club-side nooks and crannies so the streetcar can run on a continuous schedule.

“I’m actually excited about Club Crawl becoming more of a true pub crawl than just a festival,” said Todd Hanley, the general manager at Hotel Congress. “It will create pockets for people to go to instead of a big, outdoor area.”

Jim Glock, Tucson’s former transportation director, said he believes that establishing public credibility in a reliable transit system that arrives every 10 minutes will make these changes worth it.

“The goal is to keep the streetcar operating during events and get people to them,” Glock said. “I am cautiously optimistic that we can accommodate events and use the streetcar to get patrons down there.”

The city also hopes to work with the Old Pueblo Trolley, which stopped running at the end of October to prepare for construction of the new streetcar tracks. The streetcar will span the trolley’s traditional route, and the two transit systems may share a track when the streetcar opens in 2013.

Tom Gorman, the vice president of the Old Pueblo Trolley’s street operations division, said he hopes that the trolley can meet the new safety regulations after construction in order to resume the trek it has made up and down University Boulevard and Fourth Avenue since 1993, according to the trolley’s web site.

Although he supports the streetcar, Gorman also said he values the historic tradition behind the Old Pueblo Trolley.

“Some people don’t give a damn about history, but for some it’s a little sense of where things were and where they came from,” Gorman said. “We’re not trying to throw everyone back. We’re trying to remind people that we’ve come a long way.”

Shellie Ginn, the city’s project manager for the streetcar, said she understands the importance of history and tradition but admits the trolley may have a difficult time meeting the safety requirements necessary to operate.

With $63 million of funding for the $196.8 million project coming from stimulus money through Federal Transit Administration TIGER grants, all elements of the system must meet safety requirements proposed by the city and federally approved. This includes Old Pueblo Trolley.

“We want to help Old Pueblo Trolley to see if they can run again,” Ginn said. “They might run weekend and special event services. The streetcar focuses on transportation, but the Old Pueblo Trolley is more for tourists.”

Ginn says the city has also begun working with other Tucson traditions, advising alternative parade routes that move away from the tracks and the overhead, electric wires.

“We can’t just close down a street where the streetcar line is,” Ginn said. “We’re trying to be really sensitive to the needs of Tucson and the tradition of the city.”

The biannual Fourth Avenue Street Fair is the only event not moving for the streetcar, instead the streetcar is accommodating the fair.

The fair attracts anywhere from 200,000 to 350,000 visitors, according to the Fourth Avenue Merchants Association website. Over 400 vendors peddle their artistic handiwork, and dozens of food options satisfy the palate. Instead of running through Fourth Avenue during fair days, the streetcar will stop at both ends of the street—a deal worked out between the Fourth Avenue Merchants Association and the city.

“]

Thousands attend the Fourth Avenue Street Fair every December and April. The new Modern Streetcar route runs right through and will have to stop on either side of the fair. [Citizen file photo

The streetcar will not end Tucson traditions; it will work with them, revitalizing downtown by framing the city’s heritage in a context of progress, Ginn said.

“For decades, downtown has been languishing for want of success and contribution to the city,” said former Tucson Mayor Bob Walkup. “This is a single project that gives hope to the future.”

As early as the 1980s, Tucson has explored light rail and streetcar systems, Glock said. When the FTA approved the project in 2009 and awarded the city a grant in 2010, a rail system became a reality for Tucson.

“There’s always that perception that the project is never going to happen,” said Carlos de Leon, the Regional Transportation Authority’s director of transit services. “A lot of people say, ‘Show me. I don’t believe it.’ They don’t believe it until they see streets torn up.” The RTA co-manages the streetcar project with the city..

An intergovernmental agreement between RTA and the city promises to provide any additional funding needed beyond the estimated amount in order to make the streetcar a reality. The city also took responsibility for securing funds for “project costs in excess of RTA funds contributed to the project,” according to the funding agreement, signed in May 2010.

Although the city continues to apply for grants to fulfill its end of the deal, the project can continue full-steam ahead.

For businesses along the streetcar route, imminent construction will bring a headache that can threaten to overshadow the excitement of increased traffic.

In order to help businesses cope with limited access and fewer visitors, RTA offers free consultation through MainStreet Business Assistance.

“The biggest challenge is not the project, but the public perception of the project,” said Britton Dornquast, the program manager for MainStreet Business Assistance. “A lot of people avoid an area when they see cones.”

On Fourth Avenue, the Fourth Avenue Merchants Association plans to turn construction into a positive experience. The delayed start to construction will not impact the street fair, Sedwick said.

“We’re going to try and make construction fun rather than an obstacle,” Sedwick said. “We’re going to draw people down here with contests and takes pictures of the construction as it happens.”

Surviving construction requires “turning off victim mode,” Dornquast said.

“Focus on what you can control, because you have zero power over the fact that it rained and construction is a mud hole,” Dornquast said. “Crap happens during construction. Screaming at the construction workers gets you nowhere.”

While construction will affect some access to business on the streetcar route, many of the businesses downtown and along Fourth Avenue and University Boulevard already rely heavily on pedestrian traffic. As sidewalks will remain primarily open, people can continue to park and walk, Dornquast said.

When the streetcar opens, those along the route will see the payoff for enduring construction.

“[Tucson residents] can park in a garage at one end and take the streetcar to any destination along that route,” said Donovan Durband the former director of Downtown Tucson Alliance and current staff for Councilman Steve Kozachik. “The streetcar would become part of a multi-modal trip, with driving and walking as well as streetcar-riding.”

For much of Tucson, the streetcar won’t be part of daily life.

“People have questioned why we put the route where we did,” Walkup said. “They’re upset that it’s not in their own backyards.”

To start, students and professionals will be the primary users of the streetcar, until the rest of the city becomes accustomed to the value of parking in one garage for multiple destinations, de Leon said.

“The streetcar is a connector to make people feel like they can get places both physically and mentally,” Ginn said. “There are psychological barriers like the railroad by Fourth Avenue, the Interstate-10, and Santa Cruz River. These make people feel like parts of the city are inaccessible.”

Simply connecting the University of Arizona to the downtown area opens up a significant portion of the city to otherwise trapped students.

“The two busiest places in the whole city are campus and downtown,” said David Heineking, the UA director of parking and transportation. “The university needs to do our part to make Tucson a great place to live, and we can do that by making downtown accessible. Faculty and students will be able to swing down for some lunch or drinks.”

The streetcar will run through the UA campus, through the Warren Avenue underpass and down Second Street. This connection allows a physically landlocked university to expand to other areas of Tucson, incorporating its academic programs, student housing, and general presence into the community.

“My belief is that this is a real, economic stimulus,” said Tucson Mayor Jonathan Rothschild. “People want to live and work close to the route, and this was the shot in the arm to get student housing happening downtown.”

Although the final plans for this phase of the streetcar project were just completed, future plans reach as far as 2040, including extensions to other areas of Tucson such as the Tucson Mall and Tucson International Airport, said de Leon.

Some Tucsonans still haven’t bought into the belief of this initial route as the city’s lifesaver.

“There is a lot of skepticism outside of the downtown/UA area that this may be an expensive boondoggle that no one will ride,” Durband said.

Shaun McClusky, an early Republican contender in the recent mayoral race and a Tucson realtor, believes the streetcar is an “exorbitant cost” destined to be a “colossal failure.”

“Right now, I don’t think the city is doing anything to encourage proactive growth around the route,” McClusky said. “They’ll claim it’s the hardship of the economic times, but if not now, when? What will drive people to use the trolley if there’s nothing down there?”

McClusky only sees the benefit for drunken college students and the businesses they patronize.

“Some entrepreneurs are fighting the good fight down there, and they’re winning,” McClusky said. “It’s voter-mandated and voter-approved. Once you get that federal money, you can’t unwind. This is an avalanche that is already moving forward, so you have to create the hype.”

De Leon sees it instead as depicting a realistic and hopeful future.

“Projects are painful; there’s no way around it,” de Leon said. “After it opens, though, people see the value and forget the construction. They start thinking about extensions.”

Ernie Els at a press conference on Monday, Feb. 20 at the the WGC Accenture Match Play tournament. Today was the practice round and he said he's happy with his putting and accuracy. He switched golf balls recently. (Photo by Matt Lewis)

Have press badge will travel. I hadn’t officially received my press credentials and I still got in unscathed (also known as without paying for a ticket) before I had the proper documentation. For those who wish to follow my updates I will be live blogging at www.TucsonCitizen.com on Facebook @ http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=10135664 and on Twitter at the handle @themattmonitor.

Watching these players is like going to the zoo in the sense that they are behind the ropes, and given special treatment. These players this week are the 64 best (or almost – Ernie Els excluded) male professional golfers in the FedEx Cup Points standings for the Professional Golf Association of America.

These players deserve special treatment, but to be behind the ropes? Are we animals? The short answer is yes. I would love to say that we are evolved, civilized and professional people; but I can’t speak for everyone.

Today was the first press conference of a sports-related nature I ever attended. I rubbed elbows with local and national media professionals and talked about everything from golf, to Jeremy Lin to Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu. I won’t name names, that’s not the type of journalist I am. I respect professional courtesy and understand that everything we discussed was deep-background and even off-the-record. I work hard to remain professional, but am still young. Please forgive me if I go astray this week.

Mr. Els answered a few questions to only about 15 journalists. As the week goes on the press conferences will be packed. Wait until Sunday, I won’t get in because I’m a lowly blogger.

Both Ryan and Patrick Finley, from the Arizona Daily Star Sports Department, were there to cover the press conference. Ernie Els apparently is a big deal to the local media. Els is from South Africa. (Photo by Matt Lewis)

Mr. Els is sponsored in part by Callaway Golf and said he is switching to a hex-patterned golf ball this week. For all you non-golfers who still follow the sport, a hex pattern is simply the shape of the little dimples on the golf ball. The hext has been tried (and unproven) for years. It is an alternative to rounded dimples, but Mr. Els says it helps his golf game.

The ball goes higher and further, he said sort of laughing it off. This man is tied for the bottom-of-the-barrel when it comes to driving distance – so he needs all the help he can get.

One reporter asked him why he publicly said that this tournament was not his favorite. He responded, I intentionally didn’t take notes, because who cares?! Some people like some things, other people like others. They have their reason, it’s not important to what he does as a profession. He’s here to make money, plain and simple.

A journalists question: There’s some uncertainty about the long-term future of this tournament here at this venue and in this area. Where do you stand on it being held here not only at the Ritz-Carlton [at Dove Mountain] but in the Tucson area?

Mr. Els answer: “I think it’s the perfect venue. You’ve got the world class resort right here. The airport is pretty close. We get good crowds out here. We’ve got an exciting venue in the design.” (His response goes on, but it’s not exciting.

My favorite question of the conference was a question about Phil Mickelson and his dropping out of the tournament this week; which gave Mr. Els a spot in the field. He was given the opportunity and publicly told Mr. Mickelson that he would buy him a steak dinner. He went back on his word, but said he has a few nice bottles of wine to give Mr. Mickelson.

By Pearl Chang Esau,

Arizonans cannot afford to wait for better education. Although Arizona is one of the fastest improving states in education, at the current rate, it would take decades for our students to catch up with those in the number one state in the country, Massachusetts.

Arizona students continue to lag their national and international peers in academic performance, high school graduation rates and degree attainment. With 74 percent of Arizona fourth graders below proficient in reading and 69 percent of our eighth graders below proficient in math, the gap is only widening between the preparedness of our graduates and the skills and knowledge Arizona employers require.

Fortunately, Tucson has many examples of bright spots that show all of us the potential for Arizona education.  Tucson Unified School District’s University High School was recently named a 2011 Higher Performing School by the National Center for Education Achievement; Vail Unified School District is nationally recognized for its use of technology to engage students and raise student achievement; BASIS Charter School, which started in Tucson and has grown to other parts of the state, was named a top high school by Newsweek and U.S. News & World Report; and the University of Arizona is ranked among the top public research universities in the nation.  All of them embrace a culture of high expectations and are working to ensure all students graduate ready to compete and succeed in the 21^st century global economy.

Arizona needs more of these bright spots, and the public has an important role in making that happen. In addition to its efforts to mobilize students, business leaders and voters, Expect More Arizona, a statewide movement dedicated to making Arizona education the best in the nation, recently launched a parental engagement initiative.  Its goal is to challenge more Arizona parents to create a high expectations culture in their home, ultimately increasing the academic success of our students.

Creating a high expectations culture in the home is one of the most important commitments parents and families can make to their student’s future and it starts with making education a family priority—ahead of sports, entertainment and work. Second, parents need to set completing college or other postsecondary program as the ultimate academic goal for their student. And third, parents must commit to being actively engaged to ensure their child is on the path to succeed in college and career.

As part of its new initiative, Expect More Arizona is providing valuable information, tools and resources to help parents stay engaged in their child’s academic success every step of the way including at-home activities by age and benchmarks by grade at www.ExpectMoreArizona.org.

From a variety of studies and conversations with students we know students with actively engaged parents are more likely to do well academically and go on to college or other postsecondary program. Education starts at home and with your help we can create transformational change that ensures every Arizona student receives the highest quality education – from birth through career.

Arizona state superintendent of public instruction, John Huppenthal implemented anti-Ethnic Studies bill HB2281/ARS15-112, which effectively banned Tucson Unified School District’s (TUSD) Mexican American Studies (MAS) program.  This ban is an affront to the educational sovereignty of the Tucson community and democracy everywhere.  It seems that the bottom-up approach of MAS was too democratic for Huppenthal and other state and local officials who feel the need to maintain a top-down, authoritative rule over education.

Mexican American Studies upholds democratic ideals by embracing an educational sovereignty that entails building education from the ground. Educational sovereignty is a conceptual term articulated by University of Arizona Professors Luis Moll and Richard Ruiz to delineate the best approach for communities to educate children. This approach requires a bottom-up perspective in which local history, culture, and experience are revered for the potential to scaffold and thus develop knowledge. Educational sovereignty nurtures and enhances young people’s intellectual capacities by drawing from the cultural and social resources of a local ecology that consists of students, families, and communities. The end result amounts to young people who not only know about their own culture and history but also embrace a framework and the confidence to comprehend ideas and concepts linked to the expansion of global knowledge.   Fans of democracy would certainly appreciate the bottom-up approach of allowing students’ historical and cultural backgrounds to guide them to construct new, broader knowledge for the advancement of humanity.

Tucson Unified School District’s Mexican American Studies (MAS) program represents the best example of educational sovereignty. This program has promoted the academic success of numerous students for reasons stated above.  In fact, many MAS students have demonstrated the connection between local and broader knowledge by passing the math (a subject not taught by MAS teachers) section of the AIMS test (standardized exit exam) at higher rates than non-MAS students.  What accounts for this difference is the MAS students’ comprehension that they originate from cultural and historical backgrounds that posses and cultivate knowledge and therefore they realize that they too possess and cultivate knowledge.  Unfortunately, the state of Arizona and TUSD have terminated educational sovereignty and the MAS program, which means that these successes will cease for the time being.

Although MAS was terminated, it is still critical to identify the aspects of the bottom-up approach that make the program so successful. 1) Several MAS teachers grew up and attended public school in Tucson and therefore have first-hand knowledge of the kinds of experiences, families, and communities from which their students derive.  2) The curriculum draws from the cultural and historical backgrounds of the students, which allows them to recognize the relevance of the material as well as the possibilities for their intellectual development. 3) The community participates in the students’ education through guest educators who are members of the community or students and faculty from the local university and college. 4) Finally, students are NEVER perceived in a deficit mode or as blank slates but as individuals who can contribute to the education of everyone in the classroom, including the teacher. These four aspects contribute to the effectiveness of the bottom-up approach and lead to an enriched program.

But why would the state of Arizona and TUSD ban MAS’ enriched curriculum? The answer lies in recognizing that the bottom-up approach of educational sovereignty provides more power and control to ‘the people’ (teachers, students, families, communities) and less to the state. More power to the people suggests that one day there will be those, particularly young people, who might question the authority and decision-making of state leaders.  This questioning has come to fruition as many young people continue to protest the state’s ban of Mexican American Studies.  The one message we can tell them is that there is nothing wrong with questioning the state’s authority; this keeps democracy vibrant and healthy. However, history reveals that sometimes governments prefer to maintain authoritarian rule, power, and control by suppressing the will of the people.  In the past, governments have imposed bans and black listings similar to the state of Arizona’s extrication of Mexican American studies. The most infamous of these were Torquemada’s inquisition in Spain, Hitler’s Nazi censorship in Germany, Afrikaans’ Bantu Education in South Africa, and McCarthy’s Un-American Activities Committee in the United States.  Now we have Huppenthal’s order encouraging TUSD to silence teachers, ban books, and punish students in modern day Arizona.

Professors Moll and Ruiz first articulated educational sovereignty more than decade ago, and we have the good fortune of seeing it blossom into practice through Mexican American studies. This good fortune has run into a wall of state repression. Because MAS students no longer have access to the country’s most effective program for closing the achievement gap, the ban on Mexican American studies represents a sad moment for them. Sadness also extends to democracy as the state of Arizona and TUSD look to reinsert a top-down, authoritative approach to education.  The irony is that most would agree, regardless of political stripe, that local community control of schools is the best way to teach our children.  Democracy should not be pushed to the wayside by denying educational sovereignty to Mexican American studies.

—-

Julio Cammarota is an associate professor in Mexican-American Studies at the University of Arizona. His research focuses on participatory action research with Latina/o youth, institutional factors in academic achievement, and liberatory pedagogy. He has published articles on family, work, and education among Latinas/os and on the relationship between culture and academic achievement. He is the co-editor of two volumes in the Critical Youth Studies series published by Routledge/Falmer Press:  Beyond Resistance! Youth Activism and Community Change: New Democratic Possibilities for Practice and Policy for America’s Youth (2006) and Revolutionizing Education: Youth Participatory Action Research in Motion (2008). Dr. Cammarota has published an ethnography of Latina/o youth entitled, Sueños Americanos: Barrio Youth Negotiate Social and Cultural Identities (University of Arizona Press, 2008). His work has been instrumental with advancing social justice in education and youth development. Currently, he is the co-director of the Social Justice Education Project in Tucson, Arizona.

The voters elected Congresswoman Giffords to represent Congressional District 8. As everybody knows, through no fault of her own, she has been forced to step down. That istrict now needs a caretaker until November. Ideally, the Congresswoman would select somebody from within her inner circle to carry out her agenda through the end of her term. The logical names that come to mind are Ron Barber or Mark Kimble, both of whom have been loyal and reflect Gabby’s principles.

Both Democrats and Republicans should stand down on campaigning for the D8 seat. In November, it will dissolve and become  embedded within the new District 2. There will be plenty of candidates competing for the new District seat, but 8 belongs to Ms.Giffords. That was the will of the voters as expressed in 2010.

The Congresswoman’s staff has been doing the heavy lifting of constituent work, lobbying on behalf of causes that are important to the Congresswoman, and keeping the D8 office afloat during the course of her recovery. That work should be honored and if there exists within that staff one who is willing to step up and take on the duties of being her arms, legs, and voice on the House floor through the end of the term, that staff has earned the right. They are the staff she chose. They are the staff who knows the issues.

In fairness to the D2 candidates, I understand that there are built in advantages to running for office as an incumbent. For that reason, my use of the word ‘caretaker’ was intentional. Whoever steps into her shoes must do so with the open commitment that this is for the remainder of her term. At that time, the will of the voters will have been honored and the ‘caretaker’ Representative will step down. Afterwards, the District boundaries will change, the constituents will change and the campaign for that new seat should be conducted on a level playing field; no advantage of incumbency.

If D8 is filled through the Special Election in a competitive race, candidates will have to run 2 simultaneous campaigns (one for the Special Election, and one for the new D2 seat,) they will need to raise money for 2 campaigns, the winner of D8 will take office and have to continue to focus on the D2 campaign for the rest of the election cycle, and in the process money will be wasted, attention to the needs of the D8 constituents will go unaddressed, and the work of the current D8 staff will be dishonored.

In the event the current D8 staff members simply want to ride out the remainder of the term doing the fine work they have been doing, I would still propose that Gabby offer up her strong choice for a caretaker candidate. That person would be honor bound to retain her entire staff, pursue her Congressional agenda through the remainder of the term, and step aside in November for the newly formed D2 Representative. If she were to do that, I would hope both Republicans and Democrats would stand down on running for the D8 seat and simply allow her choice to run unopposed.

Gabrielle Giffords was elected to an office that will end in November, 2012. Her staff has been focused on the needs of her constituents, despite the tragic events that threw her plans off course. We don’t need people running simultaneous campaigns for her seat, with the unspoken, but real intent of gaining an advantage by virtue of being called an ‘incumbent’ in what is rightfully her seat. She should be
given the opportunity to select her successor – and that person must take on that role with the expressed intent of stepping aside at the end of her term.

There are those who will say that it is the electorate who is to choose the Representative for D8. In fact, they did. Gabrielle Giffords was the choice of the voters in 2010. Her staff has shown it can ride out the storm and finish the term. Candidates should not subvert the will of the voters by taking advantage of the tragic events of January 2011.

Republican Tucson City Councilman Steve Kozachik represents Ward Six. He’s the director of facilities for the University of Arizona Department of Athletics.

Recent articles about my proposed education fund and related spent nuclear fuel recycling program have produced some uninformed and negative reactionary responses.  I urge everyone in the media, political arena and the voting public to educate themselves about this important subject.

First, commercial recycling of used nuclear fuel has a long and successful history, mostly outside of the United States. The French company AREVA has successfully managed a recycling complex for more than forty years.

Second, approximately 60,000 tons of spent nuclear fuel are stored at nuclear reactor sites never designed for storing such material.  Deep geologic salt beds are the recommended sites for retrievable storage of spent nuclear fuel.  To maximize storage capacity at the site, it makes sense to co-locate a recycling facility at the storage site. In terms of mass, 96% of the used fuel is reusable.  As with so many other materials it makes environmental sense to recycle the used fuel.

Why would a community want to host a nearby recycling site? Let’s look at Carlsbad, New Mexico, which entered into a partnership with the Department of Energy, the State of New Mexico and a company called URS to build the first Waste Isolation Pilot Project (WIPP) for nuclear materials storage.  Carlsbad sits at the southern end of the Permian Salt Basin.  This partnership resulted in a storage facility 2,150 feet below ground.  I’ve been there to visit the facility and it is a marvelous site.  The WIPP consortium employs more than 1,000 people and brings in $250 million annually to Carlsbad.  What problems have arisen due to WIPP?  None.  In fact, unemployment there has been just above 4% over the past years while national unemployment surpassed 9%.  As of my visit to Carlsbad last month, more than 700 jobs were unfilled and developers could not keep up with housing demand.

Arizona has an opportunity to build a recycling and storage facility that will bring the host community $500 million annually over 50 years, create 18,000 construction jobs over a ten year period, with 5,000 direct jobs and 30,000 indirect jobs, post-construction.

As an added benefit, we can dedicate part of the revenue stream to K-12 and Universities.  The proposed AZ Energy-Education Fund will generate a minimum of $100 million a year for 50 years for education in our state, over and above what we are now spending.  We have already met with representatives from K-12, Universities, the Arizona Department of Education, power companies, technical experts and others, and these ideas have been well received.

Arizonans should understand that this is not a project that can or will be rushed.  It is likely to be a ten-year process between planning, site determination, working with the local communities to make a proper presentation, and passing the needed legislation at the State and Federal levels, all before we can break ground.

The naysayers have already begun sniping at the idea.  These people have been overreacting to the ghost of “China Syndrome” for too long.  The United States, France and other countries have long established safety records with nuclear materials.  The United States Navy has operated nuclear powered submarines and aircraft carriers for 50 years without incident.  New Mexico’s WIPP facility has received nearly 11,000 shipments since 2000, without incident.

Arizona has a number of sites that contain (1) remoteness, (2) deep geologic salt formations and (3) existing transportation infrastructure.   It is time to let potential host communities nearest these sites make the decision.  If the people say ‘yes’, the community benefits, education benefits and all Arizonans benefit.

For more information on the Arizona Energy-Education Fund, go to www.azedcoalition.org  You’ll find the latest information on the Fund and links to The Blue Ribbon Commission on America’s Nuclear Future and media coverage of the topic.

Got Junk for Jesus is a charity that collects unwanted vehicles throughout Southern Arizona, refurbishes them and provides them to families in need of transportation.  We would like to share with you the story of a remarkable organization and the remarkable people they assist.

Denise (not her real name) lost her mom when she was a mere seven years old. She grew up in foster care homes in Las Vegas. Some foster parents are not as family-oriented and loving as we might assume they are. As a result, when Denise learned that she could be declared an adult, she arranged to be “emancipated’ by the courts. This young 15 year old girl, in a spirit of hope and survival, freed herself from the far too often flawed foster care system.

Denise was easy prey, at her tender age, to the predators in the adult world. She tried to live with friends and stay safe, but soon an older man who promised security, became her “boyfriend.” Soon enough, her “boyfriend” turned into her boss. It turns out that he was really a pimp. Denise was broke, on her own, without anyone or anything except her “boyfriend.” In that same spirit of survival, she figured she really had no choices left for survival, so she went to “work” for him.

Due to her youth and inexperience Denise was naively pleased with her success and the rewards of her hard work. She went from having nothing to being able to buy anything and everything she wanted. She prostituted for about seven years, and during that time she was arrested over and over again. It got to a point where the police knew her by name, as did the casinos she frequented, which started to bar her from their premises.

During this time, with only the guidance of her “boyfriend” upon which to rely, Denis gave birth to two children. However, her core values made her realize that she did not want to raise her kids in this environment. Realizing she’d be facing years of jail time if her life went on like this, Denise started thinking to herself that there must be a better life…a better way.

During her “working” days, Denise was looking for a way out. A friend told her about an organization called Hookers for Jesus (hookersforjesus.net). There, she says, she learned that with God in her life, she wouldn’t need a pimp to protect her, or a “man” to take care of her. Denise, and other women in her position, say that the pimps brainwash them into thinking they can’t make it without them, but Hookers for Jesus showed them that God could be their “Man” – and their savior.

Denise found another Way, she found God. From that point on, she saw another way to live life. That included changing her life completely. She needed to leave Las Vegas, and her old friends. Denise had nowhere to go to get a fresh start, and no way to get there. She knew that she would have to keep “working” to raise enough money to get out of town.

The father of her children, who was also her pimp had a strong hold on her and was not inclined to let go.

One day, her pimp was arrested. Denise saw her opportunity to save her children. So, while he was in jail Denise took his car keys and left everything behind.

Denise ended up in Tucson even though that was not her plan. She was trying to make it somewhere else but the car broke down in Tucson, so she checked into a women’s shelter and ended up excelling in the shelter’s program. Denise became involved with Arizona’s Department of Economic Security, and recently, through one of their programs, obtained her GED. A job soon followed, at a local call center (where she’s been working for the last six months), and she’s almost got enough money saved to get her own apartment.

A representative from Got Junk for Jesus said, “Yeah, we’re going to give her a car, and my friend, along with his family, are going to provide Denise and her three little ones with some clothes and presents for Christmas!”

Denise is doing really well these days. She’s such a smart girl, who at the age of 24, is well kept and well spoken. No one would guess that she had anything less than a wonderful childhood. She accepts full responsibility for the decisions she’s made. She knows that she is still a work in progress, who has come of the dark, and into the light.

Got Junk for Jesus, a Non-Profit 501 3(c) charity, calls upon the community to lend a hand to this amazing young woman, as she walks the path to a productive life.

Christina Cruz, a native Tucsonan, is an advertising adviser specializing in Internet Marketing and Social Media and Public Relations for TagLine Media Group. She serves on many non-profit boards throughout the community, including the Tucson Police Foundation, Midvale Park Neighborhood Association SNAPP and several others.

Highway User Revenue Funds (HURF) are the primary source of funds available to Cities and Counties throughout the State to be used for the repair and maintenance of our roadways. The State charges a variety of transportation related fees and collects a tax on motor fuels, keeps some of the revenue and distributes by formula the remaining dollars to localities.

By Statute, Cities and Counties are precluded from collecting similar fees and taxes. We are dependent on the good faith of the State to keep its part of the bargain and return to us the dollars we are due.
At least, that’s the script. The actors at the Legislature aren’t reading their lines.

The formula is supposed to be that the State keeps 50.3% of the funds collected, Cities receive 27.5% of the money, and Counties are to receive 19% of the funds. The final 3% is to be distributed to Cities with populations in excess of 300,000.

Since the 2009 election, the State has swept $373 million in HURF money State-wide, and has shifted it to paying for other budget line items at that State level.

These past two years aren’t the anomaly. The fact is that every year for the past 12 fiscal years, the State has swept HURF money into their own coffers, to the tune of almost $1.5 billion of your dollars.

Those sweeps took place under the leadership of both Republicans and Democrats. Perhaps you’ve noticed the impact on the quality of the roads on which you’re driving in both the City and in the County.

In 2007, Pima County received $44.5M in HURF dollars. In 2010 that figure had dropped to $38M. That same comparison for the city is just under $50M in 2007 and right at $43M in 2010.  The City took another $5M hit in fiscal year ’12. The County took another $4.2M hit that same year.

Both jurisdictions are anticipating the trend continuing into the 2013 fiscal year. The condition of our roadways is a public safety issue, an issue that impacts tourism, and inhibits our ability to recruit and attract private sector investment into the area.

We believe that every State Legislator who represents any portion of Pima County, including the City of Tucson should be actively resisting any further reductions in the HURF allocations to this region. In fact, the State should refund the dollars that have been swept from the Pima County and City of Tucson taxpayers so our elected governing bodies can be about the work of repairing your roads.

During the most recent Legislative session, this region saw a flurry of bills that were undeniably aimed at both Pima County and the City of Tucson. Many of those were sponsored by members of the Southern Arizona Legislative Delegation. We find that a curiously odd way to represent your constituents.

We are committed to applying every penny returned to the City and to the County exclusively for road repair and maintenance – not a dime for administrative fees. We are committed to working with our respective governing bodies towards that end. Without the willing consent by the State to refund HURF dollars, we are also committed to fighting for what belongs to you through whatever means it takes.

We believe that all of our communities, Marana, Oro Valley, South Tucson and Sahuarita could use more money to maintain their roads.

Steve Kozachik is a Tucson City Councilman representing Ward 6 and Sharon Bronson is the Pima County District 3 Supervisor.

Luis Lozano

By Luis Lozano

In Arizona, our children’s obesity rate is over 30.2%, and is currently the second leading cause of preventable death. Obesity has been associated with Heart disease, Stroke (Cerebrovascular diseases), chronic lower respiratory diseases, and Diabetes (Kochanek, 2009). Childhood obesity is most common chronic disease in children. What is worse is that fact that this is more than tripled since 1980, and it continues to rise.

Organizations such as The Obesity Action Coalition and The Arizona Department of Health Services have initialed many programs designed to lower childhood obesity rates in Arizona, but rates continue to rise faster than many other states. Any health center will tell you that we can control factors like what food we eat and exercise, but what if our kids aren’t being taught correctly?

Taking matters into their own hands, Tucson teachers like Leticia Moreno have begun to take away processed snacks form our kid’s lunches. Sometimes these kids may not have other snacks to eat, but is it better to eat “junk food” or not eat at all? Processed foods like chips, soda, and candies have excess calories, sugars and additional chemical that can accumulate in the body and cause future health complications.

Dr. Vereecken illustrates the need for children to start eating and exercise habits earlier in life (Vereecken, 2010) (Nyberg, 2011). At a young age children will engrain their lifestyle habits that will follow them to adolescents and adulthood. Is it the responsibility of parents or teachers to promote healthy eating habits?

Dr. Massiera shows that parents may no longer have that authority (Massiera, 2010). On April 15, 2005 the Arizona Senate passed a junk food in schools ban, which essentially gives teachers the final say as to what is eaten.

For these reasons, teachers like Moreno have stepped up their policy to ensure healthy snacks, but who has the final say in our kid’s diet, teachers or parents?

This food ban takes away the sovereignty of parents to guide their children as they see fit, but is parental pride really worth increased rates of childhood obesity? The most powerful and healthy interventions incorporate multiple forms of support. Parents that support teachers, doctors, and the law may in fact be the best form to reduce childhood obesity that is ravaging our state.

If nothing more, healthy eating habits such as cooking together from an early age will promote common unity, self efficacy, and other lifestyle changes. Your child may be your responsibility, but let’s face it; do mommy and daddy always know what’s right? Doctors, teachers, and nutrition policy makers have dedicated their lives to help our future leaders lead healthier lives, maybe we should listen.

Luis Lozano, has a Master of Public Health in the division of Environmental Health Science at Yale.He is a native Tucsonan who is investigating the association of waterborne disease exposures in children.

Citations:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Children’s Food Environment State Indicator Report, 2011.

Kochanek, K. D., et al., Deaths: Preliminary data for 2009. National Vital Statistics Report. Vol 59, number 4. March 16, 2011

Masseira F., et al., A Western-like fat diet is sufficient to induce a gradual enhancement in fat mass over generations. Journal of Lipid Research. 2352-2361, August 2010

Vereecken CA,. A longitudinal study on dietary habits and the primary socialization of these habits in young children. Vakgroep Maatschappelijke Gezondheidkunde  2010;72(5-6):295-308.