creating healthy communities - ncjrs · partners agreed to take a closer look at the research and...

U.S. Department of Justice

Office of Justice Programs

Executive Office for Weed and Seed

WEED & SEED IN-SITESWEED & SEED IN-SITES

Creating HealthyCommunities

A special conference edition highlightingWeed and Seed initiatives that promotehealthy communities, including:■ Crime Prevention■ Primary Intervention■ Youth Contributions■ Treatment■ Community Well-Being■ Diversity

Volume VIII, Number 3 August/September 2000

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Throughout thisissue, look for thissymbol to indicatestories and sitesthat are featured

in Breakout Sessions at theCreating Healthy Communitiesconference!

Weed & Seed In-Sites is a publication of the

U.S. Department of JusticeOffice of Justice Programs

Executive Office for Weed and Seed810 Seventh Street NW.Washington, DC 20531Phone: 202–616–1152

Fax: 202–616–1159www.ojp.usdoj.gov/eows/

Stephen Rickman, Director

Robert M. Samuels, Assistant Director

Nancy Ware, Director of Technical Assistance and Training

Cheryl Driscoll, Supervisory Grants Manager

Paul Casagrande, SpecialProjects Coordinator

Edison Aponte, Faith Baker, Ila Blue,Eric Chin, Michael Connor,

Jonathan Faley, Sharron Fletcher,Robert Hendricks, Erin Holbert,Dionne Johnson, Louise Lucas,Katherine Mera, Andrew Press,

Romia Ray, Shannon Taitt,Program Managers

Claude Thomas, Chief of Staff

Linda Hawkes,Administrative Officer/Grant Specialist

Prince Cummings,Program Analyst

Penne Soltysik,Public Relations Specialist and

In-Sites Editor

Lisa Huff-Galloway, Secretary

Jessica Caldwell, Program Assistant

Please send all submissions, comments, or addresscorrections to the above address.

From the DirectorMore than a year has passed since many of usgathered together to network and celebrate withour peers at the Weed and Seed 1999 NationalConference in Houston. Much has happened inthat time at the Executive Office for Weed andSeed and in each of its Officially Recognizedsites.

All of our conferences this year have providedthe opportunity for site representatives to sharewith one another information on what it is thatmakes their site strategies work. Held statewide,regionally, and nationally, these training confer-ences focused individually on site coordination,weeding efforts involving community policing,

law enforcement, youth leadership development, the application process forOfficial Recognition, and coordinating a Drug Education for Youth (DEFY)Camp. We end the year by offering what might prove to be the most celebratedWeed and Seed conference of 2000. Creating Healthy Communities will aim toteach attendees that Weed and Seed implementation is a process involving col-laboration, outreach, and early intervention. The process, when supported bycomprehensive crime prevention and neighborhood renewal efforts, is veryeffective.

We know that Weed and Seed works. The proof of its success comes from sitesthat have witnessed the transformation of their communities into areas peoplewant to live in. No longer are these areas considered disenfranchised. Insteadthey are areas that offer advanced afterschool programs, dependable healthcare, job training, summer programs for adults and children, and promise forfuture community investment. Because of the implementation of a creativeWeed and Seed strategy, they are now healthy communities.

I invite you to reach out to your fellow Weed and Seed peers. I cannot empha-size enough the importance of networking and communicating with more “seasoned” Weed and Seed practitioners who have worked tirelessly with us foryears to create healthy communities in their target areas. Our Creating HealthyCommunities conference will provide attendees with wonderful networkingopportunities. This conference issue of In-Sites is aimed at celebrating the suc-cess of Weed and Seed projects, supporting the Creating Healthy Communitiesconference, and, most importantly, distributing information on seeding projectsto In-Sites readers who are unable to attend the conference.

I hope the enclosed information helps all Weed and Seed practitioners realizetheir potential and encourages them to coordinate progressive and creativeseeding projects that will continue to create healthy communities across thecountry.

Stephen RickmanDirector, EOWS

Weed & Seed In-Sites

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August/September 2000

ESSENTIALS OF WEED AND SEEDCreative Problem Solving in Lowell, Massachusetts.............................................4

Indianapolis Weed and Seed Sponsors Second Annual Bike Safety Rodeo................................................................................................................5

Coordinating Special Events in Your Weed and Seed Community.................6

Augusta’s Community Festival Energizes Residents........................................................6

Super Kids Week at Palmer Munroe Community Center ................................................7

Salazar Youth Center Cleanup Day....................................................................................8

PRIMARY INTERVENTIONThe Small Site Experience: Weed and Seed in Rural Communities ..............10

Pittsburgh Weed and Seed Sites Partner With University of Pittsburgh To Create Healthier Communities.............................11

The Way It’s “Supposed” To Be: Residents Drive the Weed and Seed Strategy ................................................................................................12

Focus On: Health Care......................................................................................................14

Topeka, Kansas, Hit by a Health Wave! ..........................................................................14

Tipper Gore Visits Aldine Health Center To Promote CHIP ...........................................15

EARLY INTERVENTIONHigh on Space......................................................................................................................16

Police Officer Trading Cards a Big Hit With Fresno Youth................................17

North Charleston’s Police Department Impressing Area Youth......................18

Full Speed Ahead for DEFY 2000, Thanks to Kmart Kids Race Against Drugs .................................................................................................19

Not Just “Babysitting With Crayons” ........................................................................20

Together Everyone Accomplishes More ...................................................................21

TREATMENT AND REENTRYLas Vegas Weed and Seed Provides Support for Ex-Offenders .....................22

NOW AVAILABLE! Weed and Seed Best Practices Spring 2000 Edition

The latest edition of Best Practices highlights truancy prevention,strategy implementation, gun violence reduction, and community mobilization.

To order a copy, call 1–800–851–3420 and request NCJ 181507.

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ccasionally a serious problem hinders the effectiveness of a well-planned community-based program. When a problem surfaces, it iscrucial that Weed and Seed sites analyze the issues involved anddevelop a strategy to remedy the situation quickly. Problem solving is

often difficult, particularly with limited resources—but by working together com-munity problem solvers can turn an obstacle into an opportunity for teamwork.

Recently access to youth activities in the Weed and Seed target area in Lowell,Massachusetts, has been a problem for not only area youth, but for serviceproviders as well. Public transportation in Lowell stops running at 6 p.m., mean-ing that program participants were often left stranded or forced to walk long distances late at night to get home.

In spring 1999, the University of Massachusetts at Lowell worked with highschool and graduate students to design a youth transportation study. The studyshowed that Lowell youth needed public transportation in the evenings to getto work, community centers, and home.

Following a forum on the study’s findings, Weed and Seed and other communitygroups formed a partnership to respond to youth transportation needs. Thepartners agreed to take a closer look at the research and to brainstorm possiblesolutions to reported problems. The group met once a week for several weeksstarting in October 1999 before developing a proposal called the Youth Loop.Two area organizations offered to donate their vehicles during the hours thatyouth most needed transportation—evenings from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Afterthis critical component was in place, other partners began to offer marketing,evaluation, and planning services.

The partners continued to meet weekly to plan the transportation route, devel-op marketing materials, write grant applications to local foundations, and planan evaluation. On June 17, 2000, just 8 months after the partners first cametogether, the Youth Loop service began. It carries youth across the city on week-day evenings and on Saturdays from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Stops are located atyouth centers, grocery stores, a movie theater, and public housing complexes.The Loop provides youth access to healthcare services, prevention programs,and employment opportunities.

“Each organization standing alone did not have the resources or the knowledgeto implement a transportation service to fill the gaps in the current system asidentified by the youth in Lowell. The innovation in the project comes from

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OverviewProcess and Implementation—Process can be defined simplyas a series of actions, changes,or functions bringing about aresult. Forming a Weed and Seedstrategy requires a comprehensiveplanning process, calling for theformation of partnerships and therebuilding of functions within acommunity. The process is directedby a Steering Committee, man-aged by subcommittees, financial-ly supported by local and nationalresources, and driven by residentsand stakeholders. The process lets“community assets” support theimplementation of the local Weedand Seed strategy.

Weed and Seed strategy imple-mentation requires several “behindthe scenes” processes, includingevaluation, assessment, promo-tion, organization, and continu-ous program development. Thefollowing articles about Lowell,Indianapolis, Augusta, Tallahassee,and Fresno serve as examples offorging effective partnerships andemphasize the importance of program evaluation and self-promotion. These componentsplay an important role in success-ful strategy implementation andare essential to creating healthycommunities.

“The Essentials of Weed and Seed”will feature 13 Breakout Sessionson process and implementation,from 1:30 p.m. to 2:45 p.m. onWednesday, September 6.

Creative ProblemSolving in Lowell,MassachusettsCristi LemonWeed and Seed CoordinatorLowell, Massachusetts

continued on page 9

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he Near Eastside Community Organization(NESCO) Weed and Seed in Indianapolis,Indiana, is focusing its efforts on building bet-ter relationships with community youth and

providing opportunities for youth to interact with bothcommunity residents and police officers. On May 13, 2000,NESCO held its Second Annual Bike Safety Rodeo.

Youth from 6 to 16 years of age were given the opportunityto test their bike skills on bike courses designed by Indian-apolis Police Department East District officers. Youth whocompleted all of the bike safety courses were eligible toparticipate in a raffle to win 1 of 23 bicycles donated by theIndianapolis Police Department from a collection of recov-ered and unclaimed stolen bikes. Community donationswere used to put the bikes back in operating order; workon the bikes was completed by East District officers. Toencourage bicycle safety, 62 helmets (purchased from alocal store at a substantial discount) were distributed andbicycle patrol officers provided training on bike safety rules.

The bicycle rodeo drew 93 community youth and 35 vol-unteers from the Weed and Seed Steering Committee,the Weed and Seed Community Policing Committee,Indianapolis Police Department, Park Ranger Cadets, andSecina High School. Other participants included McGruffthe Crime Dog, the Indianapolis Mobile CommunityOutreach Police Station (MCOPS) van, the IndianapolisFire Department, the Tobacco-Free Youth Initiative,HealthNet–Hoosier Health Wise, and NESCO’s sevenSafe Havens. All children who completed the bike rodeoreceived coupons for free pizza from a neighborhood pizzaparlor. Local businesses contributed $465 in cash and in-kind donations, and the NESCO Weed and Seed SafeHavens donated food for the after-event picnic. All prereg-istered youth were given free t-shirts, and a Bike Stationwas set up where youth could take their bikes for inspec-tions and minor repairs.

All parties agreed that the bike rodeo played a very impor-tant role in building relations within the community, and


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McGruff the Crime Dog watches over participants in the NESCOSecond Annual Bike Safety Rodeo.

One happy youngster prepares for the bike safety course at theNESCO Second Annual Bike Safety Rodeo.

Indianapolis Weed and SeedSponsors Second Annual Bike Safety RodeoShirley MusgroveWeed and Seed CoordinatorIndianapolis, Indiana

plans for the Third Annual Bike Safety Rodeo are alreadyunder way.

Site representatives from Indianapolis, Augusta (page 6),and Tallahassee (page 7) will discuss special event planningin the Breakout Session titled ”Jump Starting Your Program”on Wednesday, September 6, from 1:30 p.m. to 2:45 p.m.

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Augusta’s Community FestivalEnergizes Residents Michael SimmonsWeed and Seed Site Coordinator Augusta-Richmond, Georgia

he Barton Village Community of Augusta,Georgia, hosted a jubilant kickoff to the springseason with the First Annual Barton ChapelWeed and Seed Spring Fling community festi-

val on April 29, 2000. Sponsored by the Barton ChapelProgressive Neighborhood Association and the Augusta-Richmond County Weed and Seed Initiative, the festivalprovided a day of enjoyment for the entire communityand encouraged greater resident involvement in the neighborhood.

During the festival several local groups displayed their tal-ent through dance and song presentations. Students fromBarton Chapel Elementary School and the Augusta MiniTheatre were among the groups that showcased their talents.The Barton Chapel Classy Steppers, ranging in age from 9

to 11, delighted the crowd with several step performancesthat encouraged youth to stay in school and away fromdrugs. The Performance Team from the Augusta MiniTheatre used poetry to challenge youth not to fall prey tonegative peer pressure. Under the leadership of JudithButler, the Performance Team specializes in creativeexpression and this youth ensemble is one of the mostsought after in the State to perform, particularly duringBlack History month, at colleges, churches, and commu-nity events.

In addition to entertainment, the festival included healthscreenings for the community provided by the RichmondCounty Health Department, promotional informationregarding Census 2000, a three-point basketball shootout,an open-mike rap contest, and a live broadcast by a localradio station. The festival attracted more than 400 residents.

“This event is a success because of the efforts of Weedand Seed, the Barton Chapel Progressive NeighborhoodAssociation, and the residents of Barton Village. We areexcited about the future of Weed and Seed here inAugusta and its ability to transform communities,” saidJohn Garcia, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the SouthernDistrict of Georgia.

Many partners supporting and coordinating the festivalwere members of the Weed and Seed Steering Committee.These members, for the most part, represent local agen-cies, including City Parks and Recreation, the AugustaHousing Authority, and the Richmond County Sheriff’sDepartment. Additional sponsors signed on to the projectwhen they realized the potential impact of the event onthe community.

The First Annual Barton Chapel Weed and Seed SpringFling helped link together many community stakeholders.City services set up exhibits to educate and inform resi-dents, youth showcased their talents in front of a largeaudience, and the Steering Committee used the event asan opportunity to improve relations with existing businesspartners and to reach out to new ones. The success of thiscommunity event far exceeded coordinators’ expectations,and Augusta-Richmond County Weed and Seed looks for-ward to organizing similar events in the future.

Coordinating Special Eventsin Your Weed and Seed Community

Without question, special events can provide an enor-mous boost to any Weed and Seed initiative. Whether ablock party, summer festival, midnight basketball tour-nament, or a community cleanup at a local park, eventsthat are creatively planned to bring members of a com-munity together for a common cause can prove to bethe best marketing tool for a local Weed and Seedstrategy. Some sites coordinate several events through-out the year, whereas others are just getting started thisyear with “First Annual” events. Each site soon realizesthat the efforts required to coordinate these events arewell worth it when the positive returns are tallied. In-Sites highlights a few of these events hosted across thecountry; they present different approaches to creativeevent programming.

For assistance in and suggestions about coordinating aspecial event in your Weed and Seed site, please con-tact EOWS at 202–514–0709. Staff will be happy tohelp you pump some energy into your initiative!

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Super Kids Week at Palmer MunroeCommunity CenterCarmen ColemanWeed and Seed Site CoordinatorTallahassee, Florida

ocated in the Tallahassee, Florida, Weed andSeed target area, the Palmer Munroe Com-munity Center, in partnership with theTallahassee Police Department, successfully

hosted Super Kids Week, March 13–17, 2000. Participantsenjoyed the week-long event, which included crafts, cook-ing and dance lessons, games, field trips, and a St. Patrick’sDay cookout. More than 65 youth, ages 5 to 16, participat-ed and, to the surprise of event coordinators, interest wasso overwhelming that more than 25 youth had to beplaced on a waiting list.

Creative programming helped heighten interest within thecommunity; for example, events and activities reflecteddaily themes. Monday was “Balloon and Magic Day,” dur-ing which local magic store owner Vann Patacxil taughtyouth the art of balloon sculpture and treated them toa magic show. Mrs. Paul from W.T. Moore ElementarySchool taught participants how to juggle. A short timeafter she taught them the fundamentals of “criss, cross,applesauce,” participants were doing juggling tricks ontheir own, including crossovers and columns. The activitywas so popular that the Tallahassee Weed and Seed nowplans to organize a Juggling Club at the community center.

Tuesday was spent at the Tallahassee Museum of Scienceand Natural History, where in the morning participantstoured a replica of a farm from the 1800s. Participantswere intrigued by the way people lived at that time andgained an appreciation not only for the history of theirhome city but also for modern conveniences.

Tuesday afternoon the group was divided by age groups.The 5- to 7-year-olds learned how to make butter using ahand churner and a lot of heavy cream. After about 30minutes of rigorous churning, participants were givencrackers so they could taste their creation. Meanwhile, theolder group (ages 8 to 16) ventured outside to learn aboutreptiles. Part of the day was also spent hiking on naturetrails and observing a group of great white tigers.

Wednesday’s “International Day” featured special guestsNana El Omar, a flamenco dancer, and Nancy Redig, aHawaiian dancer. Both dancers teach classes at the PalmerMunroe Safe Haven as well as throughout the Tallahassee

area. The dancers taught youth to dance the bolero, theTahitian, the hula, and the hukilao. To complement thetheme of “International Day,” the afternoon was spentmaking banana fritters and egg rolls, both popular dishesof the Philippines.

Thursday’s “Sports and Heroes Day” featured San JuanJones, 1 of the top 10 gymnasts in the nation in trainingfor the Olympics, and Bradley Fita, a college football stu-dent at nearby Florida A&M University. The athletes workedwith the kids for most of the day until it was time to leavefor Crenshaw Lanes, where participants bowled and playedpool. In the end, “Sports and Heroes Day” proved excitingand exhausting.

The fun and excitement continued into Friday, March 17.St. Patrick’s Day started out with games, arts and crafts,and the long-awaited St. Patrick’s Day cookout. Everyonestuffed themselves full of hot dogs, hamburgers, chicken,cookies, punch, chips, fruit, drinks, and popsicles. Theweather cooperated and gave Tallahassee Weed and Seed abeautiful day to wrap up a perfect week.

Planning a week-long series like Super Kids Week requiresconsiderable dedication and collaboration. When organiz-ing the agenda, remembering that the mission of the eventis not solely to entertain participating children, but to helpbond the community, is imperative. Half the challenge isensuring that the activities are educational and thoughtprovoking. Thanks to the Tallahassee Police Department’sWeed and Seed program and staff at the Palmer MunroeCommunity Center, Super Kids Week was a hit!

Community youth worked a vegetable garden during Super KidsWeek in Tallahassee, Florida.

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Salazar Youth Center Cleanup DayTom GrilioneWeed and Seed Site Program Manager/Community Police OfficerFresno, California

n Saturday, April 1, 2000, more than 30 volun-teers helped paint the Salazar Youth Center,located in Region 4 of the Weed and Seed tar-get area in Selma, California. The project was

part of Selma Weed and Seed’s beautification efforts.During the past year and a half, local Weed and Seed beau-tification activities have consisted of four neighborhoodcleanup days, a tree-planting day in a park for which 109trees were donated by Tree Fresno, and weekly efforts tobeautify the Vineland Apartments, a complex within thetarget area.

Weed and Seed staff, residents of the Fresno Weed andSeed target area, Vineland Apartments staff, and Selmabuilding inspectors met weekly to discuss areas of concernand beautification projects for the complex. These weeklymeetings proved an effective forum for communicationbetween apartment residents and personnel and a catalystfor improving the apartment living environment. Buildinginspectors played a significant role by making sure inspec-tions were completed efficiently and to the satisfaction ofall parties involved.

The cleanup project received partial funding from thelocal Wal-Mart store, which donated $500 to help covercosts for paint and supplies. Painters included volunteersfrom the Weed and Seed Youth Club, LeadershipSelma, local Boy Scout Troop 129, the SelmaBeautification Committee, city staff, Mayor ProTem Ralph Garcia, Selma High School’sInteract Club, and residents fromthe target area.

“A big thank-you to all those whoattended to help beautify the facili-ty,” said Mikal Kirchner, Directorof the Recreation and CommunityServices Department. “Those of us

who had seen theSalazar YouthCenter with itsoriginal paint jobknow how impor-tant this projectwas to the kids.The appearanceof the YouthCenter now looksso much moreinviting to theyouth and sends a message [that] we care and are continu-ally making improvements,” Kirchner added.

The Salazar Youth Center is operated by Selma’s Recreationand Community Services Department and offers servicesfree of charge to youth 5–17 years old. The center housescomputers, pool tables, ping pong tables, air hockey, videogames, foozeball tables, and a kitchen. The Weed and SeedSteering Committee meets regularly at the Salazar YouthCenter and hosts many sponsored activities, programs, andspecial presentations.

Staff are currently collecting donations to pay for instal-lation of a new sprinkler system at the Salazar YouthCenter.

The Salazar Youth Center Cleanup Day was coordinated inthe interest of primary intervention and focused on environ-mental design. Community cleanup and nuisance abate-

ment efforts give residents the opportunity toexpress ownership of their neighborhood. The

Breakout Session titled “Environmental Designand Crime Prevention” will highlight such

efforts on Wednesday, September 6,from 3 p.m. to 4:15 p.m.

Selma Weed and Seed beau-tification activities haveincluded four neighborhoodcleanup days, a tree-plantingday in a local park, andweekly efforts to beautifythe Vineland Apartmentscomplex.

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Rochester, New York

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Creative Problem Solving in Lowell, Massachusettscontinued from page 4

gathering interested organizationstogether and utilizing each partici-pating organization’s resourcesor strengths,” said Andrea Leary,Director of the Greater LowellTransportation ManagementAssociation.

Partners in this project with Weedand Seed include the CambodianMutual Assistance Association ofGreater Lowell; the Mayor’s JointYouth Commission; CommunityTeamwork, Inc.; the Lowell Enter-prise Community; the Greater

Lowell Transportation ManagementAssociation; the Lowell HousingAuthority; the Lowell RegionalTransit Authority; the MassachusettsPrevention Center; the NorthernMiddlesex Council of Governments;and the Young Women’s ChristianAssociation of Lowell. Through theYouth Loop project, creative prob-lem solving and partnering linkedthe services of Weed and Seed to thecommunity. The Youth Loop is also agood example of using research toleverage community change.

For more information on the YouthLoop project or any of the LowellWeed and Seed partners mentionedin this article, please contact CristiLemon, Weed and Seed Coordinator,at 978–446–7289 or send an e-mail [email protected].

The Lowell Youth Loop project willbe featured in the Breakout Sessiontitled “Forging Partnerships: Makingthe Most of Networks,” from 1:30p.m. to 2:45 p.m. on Wednesday,September 6.

Clearwater Weed andSeed Releases Video

Documentary on Weed and Seed Achievements

This video features many of the sitepartners, including government,neighborhood, and law enforcementrepresentatives, responsible for theaccomplishments in the Clearwater,Florida, Weed and Seed target area.The grant-funded video was producedfor educational purposes and hashelped Weed and Seed sites through-out the country design strategies fortheir communities. Anyone wishing toobtain a copy of the video should callChief Sid Klein at 727–562–4343.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Primary Intervention and EnvironmentalDesign in Weed and Seed

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Overview“Community Wellness” is a buzzphrase growing in popularityacross the country. It appropriate-ly describes the sets of systemsneeding alignment before a community can be considered“healthy.” These systems, fueledby powerful partnerships and creative financing, call for theremoval of elements that arenotorious for contaminating aneighborhood. Because they arenot always physical, these ele-ments are not always obvious.Illiteracy, immobile or apatheticresidents, environmental biohaz-ards, unemployment, and lackof economic opportunity are justa few bad elements that mighthide behind the facade of aseemingly healthy community.

Primary intervention efforts inWeed and Seed have helped hundreds of neighborhoods facethese hidden issues. In targetcommunities, residents arebecoming homeowners for thefirst time, businesses are provid-ing jobs to residents by locatingin the neighborhood, children aregetting free health care coverage,and schools are staying open laterto give adults the chance to gaineducation and job skills training.Efforts such as these have beensuccessful in Weed and Seedsites including Lima, Ohio;Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; andAurora, Colorado. These siteshave discovered that when neigh-borhood efforts are coordinatedin partnership with key stakehold-ers, primary intervention acts asthe catalyst for creating, and sus-taining, a healthy community.

The Small Site Experience:Weed and Seed in RuralCommunitiesAmy OdumWeed and Seed Site CoordinatorLima, Ohio

he city of Lima, Ohio, is a small community with a population of45,000 residents that has been a Weed and Seed grant site since1996. The Lima Weed and Seed target area encompasses approxi-mately 9 square miles and is supported by 10 neighborhood asso-

ciations. Lima provides a good model for smaller Weed and Seed sites wherefunding and public resources may be limited.

In Lima, the Weed and Seed neighborhoods work closely with city police officersand property maintenance code inspectors to direct targeted code enforcementand nuisance abatement issues. Volunteers staff neighborhood cleanups, neigh-borhood tool chests, and targeted neighborhood intensive enforcement andcleanups; a close working relationship with city police and enforcement staffmakes “a little go a long way.”

Lima has little money, little staff, and no full-time site coordinators. Yet its Weedand Seed site removed more than 300 tons of trash, cleaned 7 miles of river, supported 8 “make a difference” projects, painted 63homes, and worked with city staff on more than2,000 weed, trash, and grass complaintslast year. Lima has also attracted itsfirst tax credit project using a pri-vate developer to rehabilitate a92-unit multihousing complex.

If you are interested in more information on Lima’s experiencewith code enforcement and nui-sance abatement, please contact thecity of Lima at 419–221–5146.

News From EOWS: New Letter of Intent Requirement!All applicants intending to apply for Official Recognitionmust submit a Letter of Intent postmarked by October 2,2000. To be eligible for funding in fiscal year 2001, all sitesthat have received Weed and Seed funding for 5 fiscal yearsare required to submit a new full application for OfficialRecognition by November 30, 2000. More details are avail-able on the EOWS Web site (www.ojp.usdoj.gov/eows/).

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Pittsburgh Weed and Seed SitesPartner With University ofPittsburgh To Create HealthierCommunitiesJohn TokarskiOffice of the MayorPittsburgh, Pennsylvania

aking a lesson learnedfrom a “CommunitiesThat Care” training ses-sion that was offered

in 1997 by EOWS, officials fromPittsburgh’s Operation Weed andSeed sites have entered into a part-nership with the University ofPittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC)that will have an incredible impacton many residents in the targetareas.

The most ambitious undertaking todate by this partnership is a lead-abatement effort that is targeting50 households in the Pittsburgh-Homewood Weed and Seed site.In addition to the lead-abatementinitiative, the effort also involves jobtraining, housing development, andeconomic revitalization.

Successful implementation requiresfull commitment from each partnerin the project. After initial recruit-ment and application of qualifiedresidents for abatement, the UrbanRedevelopment Authority willarrange for the transfer of familiesto temporary housing facilities whiletheir properties are being abated.At the same time, UPMC will coordi-nate an effort to educate the commu-nity on lead abatement. The trainingwill provide an introduction to lead-based products, their applications,

and the effects they have on popula-tions in the community. ThePittsburgh Black Contractor’s Asso-ciation and the Community Collegeof Allegheny County will providetraining and will hire communityresidents to do the removal andoversee the abatement process asthey witness the property values intheir neighborhoods increase dueto their efforts.

This multifaceted project will carrya $1 million price tag. It is expectedthat $900,000 will be realized fromavailable U.S. Department ofHousing and Urban Developmentfunding, with the remaining 10 per-cent coming from the individualhomeowners who participate in thelead-abatement process. Other part-ners from the community that havejoined the project include the cityof Pittsburgh’s Office of the Mayor/Operation Weed and Seed effort,the Homewood Weed and Seed

Steering Committee, the Homewood-Brushton Community PlanningCommittee, and the HomewoodStingers Development Corporation.Other parties supporting the effortinclude the East End NeighborhoodForum, Lead Free Pittsburgh (agroup founded several years ago byPittsburgh Mayor Tom Murphy),and local Clear Corp volunteers.

“The healthier and stronger a neigh-borhood’s population can be, themore productively their childrenperform as students, the more pro-ductive their work force is to bothemployers and to other community-related efforts and activities, but—more importantly—the stronger thefamilies become, both physicallyand mentally,” noted CommunityOutreach Specialist Kelly Benfer.

Lead removal and abatement shouldbe taking place in late 2000 throughearly 2001. In-Sites will continue tocover this exciting partnershipthroughout the year.

Learn more about the PittsburghWeed and Seed program in theCommunity Wellness BreakoutSessions titled “Money Seeds forMedical Needs: Promoting MedicalServices in the Community” and“Environmental Justice: Live and LetLive” on Thursday, September 7,from 11:15 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

The Pittsburgh-HomewoodWeed and Seed site hasundertaken efforts includinglead abatement, job training,housing development, andeconomic revitalization.

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The Way It’s “Supposed” To Be:Residents Drive the Weed andSeed StrategyD. Robert SmithPublic Information OfficerAurora, Colorado

t some point during our education we’retaught the theory of democracy. It goes some-thing like this: citizens clearly articulate theirvision for the community they share, and gov-

ernment administrators listen carefully to what citizenswant. That’s the way it’s “supposed” to be.

Unfortunately, the media are filled with cynical storiesabout how the way things “are” and how they are very dif-ferent from how they are “supposed” to be. It often leavescitizens with the feeling that, somehow, government is fail-ing them. Not so in Northwest Aurora, Colorado. Thealleyways are improving in accordance with the wishes ofthe people, just the way things are “supposed” to be.

In Original Aurora, the section of the city designated asthe Weed and Seed target area, more than three dozenpublic meetings are held each year as part of the Weedand Seed application process. The residents are asked howto make the community better—how to improve the quali-ty of lives not just for themselves, but for all Aurorans.

At the end of the first cycle of meetings in 1997, the resi-dents had spoken clearly: Focus on the alleyways. Clean upthe alleyways, reduce noise and traffic in them, and makethem safer. In the Weed and Seed target area there are atotal of 147 alleyways. Many city officials were not awarethat alleyways were creating a problem for area residentsand business owners.

In Aurora, alleyways exist primarily in the Weed and Seedtarget area; therefore their improvements became a majorfocal point of Aurora’s Weed and Seed strategy from thebeginning. Progress continues every day, evidenced insuch efforts as the World Championships of Alley CleanUp, alleyway paving, the Can Can Project, and theAlleyway Lighting Program.

Residents played a vital role in Aurora’s Championships of AlleyClean Up. The project led to the city paving all alleyways in theAurora Weed and Seed target area.

The World Championships ofAlley Clean UpIn July 1998, Original Aurora Renewal (OAR) helpedorganize more than 100 volunteers in a project known asthe World Championships of Alley Clean Up. A total of152 alleyways were cleaned. Volunteers, most from thelocal church, removed bags of trash and large items thathad been dumped in the alleyways, and shopping cartsfound in alleyways were returned to local grocery stores.The effort stemmed from assertions of residents that thearea wouldn’t be able to substantially elevate the qualityof life for residents until significant improvement wasmade in the alleyways.

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Concentration on the alleyways also led to the formationof Aurora’s Improved Trash and Debris Ordinance, a substantial revision of the existing Trash and DebrisOrdinance. The movement lent momentum to the alley-paving effort.

Alleyway PavingIn late 1998, the Aurora City Council adopted a multiyearplan to pave all of Northern Aurora’s alleys (previously thealleyways were covered with dirt and gravel). Moneys wereallocated in the 1999 budget to cover the cost of pavingthe alleys, selected for paving in random order by localdrawings. Residents had made great efforts to clean thealleys, and securing the city’s promise to pave these areasled them to believe that their efforts would not be a wasteof time.

The Can Can! Can You?Project“The Can Can make a difference! Can you make a differ-ence, too?” That was the slogan of the Can Can Project.In July 1998, just 2 months after the initial cleanup effort,more than 2,000 32-gallontrash cans were distributeddoor-to-door to residentswithin the Weed andSeed target area ofOriginal Aurora. TheCan Can Project wasdesigned to makeOriginal Aurora neigh-bors aware of theImproved Trash and DebrisOrdinance. The ordinancerequires that trash beremoved a minimum of oncea week and mandates that trashready for pickup be held in an approved container.

Pamphlets detailing the Trash and Debris Ordinanceas well as many other city programs and services wereattached to the trash cans that were delivered to each resi-dent’s front door.

Seeing the LightAfter the alleyways were cleaned, paved, and stocked withnew trash cans, city officials and OAR staff had one more

alley issue to tackle: alleyway lighting. “The cooperativespirit of the Weed and Seed program has allowed us tobring together the needed resources to see that a greatnumber of the alleys are better lit,” said Peg Alt, Neigh-borhood Networker and Alleyway Lighting ProjectCoordinator. “Better lighting means safer alleys, and itmakes it harder for people to dump unwanted items justoutside of our residents’ homes.”

Eighty percent of the costs for the Alleyway LightingProject are covered by Aurora Weed and Seed; the rest ispaid for by the residents and the city of Aurora. Futurelighting costs will gradually be shifted to the city. TheAlleyway Lighting Project has worked with community resi-dents to ensure that residents don’t have objections to theproposed placement of lights, and city officials are opti-mistic about the project’s great success.

In November 1999, the OAR office organized a party inthe first alleyway to be paved, lit, and cleaned—“The Alleyof the Future.” Many of the attendant politicians, mediarepresentatives, and Aurora residents walked a block to analleyway that had not yet been refurbished—giving them a“before” image—and they were shocked by the difference“The Alley of the Future” made in the neighborhood.

When the light sensor attached to the new light pole wasactivated and the area light at the top of pole went on,150 people in the alleyway applauded and cheered.

“A lot of the situation has to do with perception,” said KenTweedy, Program Manger for OAR and Administrator ofthe Weed and Seed program. “Before we started puttingthis level of effort into the alleys, they were perceived as a‘no man’s land’ and would often fall into disrepair. It wasbecoming a downward spiral [in which] neglect was breed-ing more challenge. Now, the energy and the focus ismuch different; substantial improvements are being madeto the alleys on a weekly basis.”

With real progress taking place every day—the kind ofprogress that Aurora residents have requested—the alley-ways in Northwest Aurora are standing out as an exampleof the way things are “supposed” to be.

Meet D. Robert Smith and learn more about AuroraWeed and Seed at the Breakout Sessions on Wednesday,September 6, titled “Creatively Financing and SustainingWeed and Seed” and “Developing Marketing and Promo-tion Strategies,” from 1:30 p.m. to 2:45 p.m., as well as“Environmental Design and Crime Prevention” from 3 p.m.to 4:15 p.m.

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Since the Health Wave program took effect on January 1, 1999, more than 32,700previously uninsured children and teenagers in Kansas now have health insurance

and access to health care. This number represents more than 50 percent of the esti-mated uninsured population the program has been trying to reach in Kansas.

Health Wave is made possible by a combination of State and Federal funds.The program provides affordable health insurance to children in low-incomeworking families, emphasizing prevention and including all medically nec-essary services.

Following is a transcript from an interview In-Sites conducted with DonMiller regarding Topeka Weed and Seed’s involvement in Health Wave.

In-Sites: What motivated you to get involved inthe Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP)?

Miller: During the past two summers we ran the Mayor’sSummer Jobs Training Program. This is a partnership betweenthe city of Topeka and Topeka Weed and Seed. The city hasinvested $100,000 each year to hire youth from our targetareas—the work they do is also in our target areas. We had45 to 50 youth and team leaders the first year, and the numberdoubled the second year. Youth in the program did a varietyof work ranging from painting houses for low-income orelderly people, mowing lawns, clearing brush, redoing brick

sidewalks, etc.

For our second year, we extended an invitation to parents of theyouth within the Weed and Seed target area. We hosted a dinner

for parents and grandparents. We figured this was an opportunetime to distribute information to the guardians of our youth about

health care. Part of the orientation program was a brief introductionby Health Wave personnel (the State of Kansas’ CHIP provider). They

provided informational materials to the audience and were on hand toanswer questions.

In-Sites: Where did you learn about CHIP?

Miller: My daughter went to work for Health Wave when it first came to Kansasin 1991. Through my social outreach work with the church, where I have served as a

minister for past 30 years, I was aware the program was coming to our State. So I tooka special interest when my daughter went to work there. She contacted one of the outreach

staff who followed up with our Weed and Seed program.


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Topeka, Kansas, Hit by a Health Wave!

An In-Sites interview with Don Miller, Weed and Seed Site Coordinator in Topeka, Kansas

Focus On:Health CareThe U.S. Bureau of the Census’Current Population Survey in March1997 found that nearly 12 million chil-dren ages 18 and under were uninsured—the largest number ever recorded in theUnited States. The survey also found thatmore than 90 percent of uninsured childrenhave one or more parents who work. Recently,increasingly more families have found themselvespart of a growing population that earns too muchto qualify for Medicaid but too little to afford privatecoverage. This population continues to grow as morecompanies continue to limit health coverage foremployees’ dependents. This trend, the Census surveyreports, adds roughly 3,000 children each day to thepopulation without private health insurance.

Preventive health care, including immunizations and rou-tine checkups, decreases a child’s chances of ever visitingthe inside of a hospital emergency room. The NationalCenter for Health Statistics reports that one in four un-insured children either uses a hospital emergency roomas a regular source of health care or has no regularsource of care at all. When the State of Florida intro-duced a program to assist parents in gaining coveragefor their uninsured children, emergency room visitsdropped by 70 percent in areas served by the new pro-gram, saving the State’s taxpayers and consumers$13 million in 1996 (Florida Healthy Kids Corporation1997 Healthy Kids Annual Report). Today, thanksto an aggressive national initiative called CHIP(Children’s Health Insurance Program), similar programs are now available in most States. In-Sites first reported on CHIP in its MillenniumIssue 2000 (page 15) and has learned inrecent months that Weed and Seed sitesare starting to take advantage of CHIPinitiatives. In-Sites offers this Focus OnHealth Care to encourage moreWeed and Seed sites to dothe same. Healthy childrenare part of healthycommunities.

continued on next page

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Tipper Gore Visits Aldine Health CenterTo Promote CHIPDerrick HeywardSite CoordinatorAldine, Texas

n February 8, 2000, theAldine Health Center inAldine, Texas, gave U.S.Representative Gene

Green and Tipper Gore a tour of thecommunity health facility. The tourwas coordinated to focus communityattention on the Children’s HealthInsurance Program (CHIP) enactedby Congress in 1997. The health cen-ter is located in the Aldine Weed andSeed target area.

In his remarks, Representative Greenpointed out that more than a quar-ter of a million children in HarrisCounty (Aldine’s home county) areuninsured. Most of these childrenlive in families that earn too muchto qualify for Medicaid and too littleto afford private insurance.

After touring the Aldine HealthCenter, Mrs. Gore spoke to thoseassembled about the importance ofboth education and health care. She

cited the clinic asan example of whatis “right” in healthcare and empha-sized that commu-nities need totake advantage ofopportunities toimprove communi-ty health services.She hopes that allchildren will beinsured by 2005, byeither expansion ofCHIP or inclusionof every child ina program suchas Medicaid.

CHIP provides comprehensive bene-fits to children who qualify as well asaccess to physicians for preventivecare and regular checkups at facili-ties such as the Aldine HealthCenter. Administration of CHIPfunds and CHIP activities takes place

From left: Ricci Sanchez, Director of the Aldine Health Center; TipperGore; and Dr. Pauline Mbawuike Aham-Neze, Medical Director ofthe Aldine Health Center, tour the community health facility.

In-Sites: How many in your site would yousay are without health insurance?

Miller: I don’t know, but I’m sure it is the highest percent-age in the city.

In-Sites: How did residents respond to theinformation about health care?

Miller: Because Topeka Weed and Seed is closely alignedwith Topeka Housing Authority, we were able to get the

Topeka, Kansas, Hit by a Health Wave!continued from previous page

Health Wave outreach staff connected to all the residents.In addition, posters were put up at payment sites andbrochures were distributed through other public housingliterature. We became a partner in assisting Health Waveto accomplish its primary goal.

For more information about how Topeka Weed and Seed has pro-moted health care within its community, please call Don Miller at785–368–4468 or send an e-mail to [email protected].

at the state level. The Texas CHIPCoalition comprises more than 60statewide organizations working toimprove the health of children inTexas. To learn more about theCHIP program in your State, visitwww.hcfa.gov/init/statepln.htm.

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Free Training Videos! The EOWS Community TrainingBroadcast Series is now available to all Officially Recognized Weed andSeed sites. Available videos include:

■ “Schools: Danger Zone/Safety Zone?” (aired September 16, 1999).

■ “Domestic Abuse and Family Violence”(aired February 17, 2000).

■ “Community Policing: Experts Speak Out”(aired April 20, 2000).

■ “Moving Beyond the Prison Gates”(aired June 29, 2000).

To order a video or for more information, please call EOWS at 202–514–0709.

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OverviewIntervention is a basic “seeding”element of the Weed and Seedstrategy. Intervention is coupledwith prevention and treatmentwhen promoting communityrestoration. Whereas primaryintervention focuses on activitiescoordinated in the interest ofentire community well-being,efforts that promote the interestof children within a communityfall under the definition of earlyintervention. Safe Haven activi-ties, youth mentoring, and tru-ancy prevention initiatives arejust a few examples of earlyintervention. When successful indirecting youth to positivelifestyles and healthy environ-ments, early intervention trialscan be replicated in other com-munities. The following effortshave been both acclaimed andreplicated. They focus on educa-tion and law enforcement. Weedand Seed sites that would like toincorporate tested early interven-tion initiatives into their strate-gies should contact theseprograms for more information.

Creating Healthy Communitiesoffers ”What Works as RiskProtectors”—11 BreakoutSessions focusing on early inter-vention in Weed and Seed sites—on Thursday, September 7, from9:45 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.

High on Space he Young Astronaut Council (YAC) was formed by theWhite House in 1984 to help children experience thefun and adventure of learning. Today it is the largest youth aero-space organization in the world. Its integrated, multimedia educa-

tional programs have been used by more than 2 million students and educatorsworldwide in Young Astronaut chapters, the Young Astronaut Club, SpaceSchool, Young Astronauts Online, and Young Astronauts International. This year, the Young Astronaut Council is landing in Weed and Seed sites acrossthe country.

“Mission: Science,” the YAC curriculum, encourages children to explore what isin space and learn about space travel. The four-part curriculum encompassesearth and space science, physical science, and life science, as well as other sub-jects. Each unit includes an activity to help children view the subject from a dif-ferent perspective and develop analytical skills.

“Mission: Science” is produced at three levels (grades K–3, 4–6, and 7–9), withage-appropriate activities at each level. The four units of “Mission: Science” areAstronomy: The Solar System and Beyond, Flight, Living in Space, and Earthand Space. Through multimedia components “Mission: Science” aims to makescience and learning exciting.

The “Mission: Science” curriculum is administered by local teachers. YAC pro-vides teachers with the tools to foster inquiry-based science learning. The cur-riculum is designed to be used with all students and encourages scientificcuriosity and problem-solving abilities that make learning an adventure.

Although specific standards and topics vary among states and school districts, thecomprehensive approach of “Mission: Science” and its subject content make itapplicable to virtually any educational system. To learn more about YAC or aboutforming a Young Astronaut chapter, please call 202–775–1773 or visit the Website at www.yac.org/yac.

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olice-community relations in the Fresno,California, Weed and Seed community and itssurrounding neighborhoods have improveddrastically because of the tireless efforts of

Weed and Seed police officers and key partners within thecommunity. The officers have taken particular interest inbecoming part of the community they patrol and work onmaximizing their interaction with all community residents.

This year a great idea was introduced that continues tohelp the officers achieve their community policing goals—the Southeast Fresno Weed and Seed Sports Cards Project,which has strengthened positive relations between policeand youth in the Fresno area.

The Sports Cards feature photos of neighborhood policeofficers, and area youth have found collecting these cardschallenging and fun. Nathan Stairs, the Winery Apart-ments manager and Safe Haven Coordinator, introducedthe idea last year to both the Weed and Seed SteeringCommittee and target area officers after seeing the pro-gram implemented in other cities. The cards are anattempt by police to connect better with children—toform “a friendship and a bond,” said Capt. Jerry Davis,who heads the Southeast District and Weed and Seed tar-get area. The cards also encourage youth to interact withtheir neighborhood officers.

The cards were officially released in the city of Fresno at aceremony on Thursday, May 11, 2000, at Sunnyside Parkin the Weed and Seed area. Each card is the size of tradi-tional, popular trading cards and features a full-colorphoto of a neighborhood police officer and his or her fullname. The back of the card offers background informa-tion on the officer and a brief message—for example,“Strength comes in numbers,” “Only together can a com-munity achieve neighborhood pride and a safe environ-ment for kids,” or “Get involved in the war againstcrime”—written by the featured officer.

Through the coordinating efforts and financial supportof Fresno Weed and Seed, Allstate Insurance, WineryApartments Safe Haven, Council member Sal Quintero,and the United Way of Fresno County, more than 122,000

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Police Officer Trading Cards a Big HitWith Fresno YouthJohn FletcherWeed and Seed Site CoordinatorFresno, California

4-color cards were produced at a cost of 6¢ each. To keepkids’ interest, a few cards were produced in smaller quan-tities so that they would be harder to collect (much likewhat is done with Pokémon™, football, and baseball trad-ing cards). Each officer received 3,000 cards to distributein his or her patrol neighborhoods. Kids must ask officersfor their individual cards and signatures. Only 1,000Weed and Seed Neighborhood Policing Unit and “TheCommanders” cards (for lieutenants and captains) wereprinted, thus making collecting them more challenging.Youth must first collect all other cards before they begincollecting these harder-to-acquire cards.

This project is oneexample of howlow-cost, innovativeprojects can keepa communityinvolved in day-to-day police work.For more informa-tion on this project,please call the FresnoWeed and Seed at559–243–3681.

Sample card from the Southeast Fresno Weed and Seed Sports CardsProject, which has strengthened positive relations between policeand youth in the Fresno area.

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North Charleston’s Police DepartmentImpressing Area Youth Cpl. Sharon BumederWeed and Seed D.A.R.E. OfficerNorth Charleston, South Carolina

ost Weed and Seed sites are familiar withD.A.R.E.® (Drug Abuse Resistance Education)and G.R.E.A.T.® (Gang Resistance Educationand Training) because they have been teach-

ing the crime-prevention curriculum in local schools foryears.

When planners in North Charleston, South Carolina, setthe goals of their D.A.R.E./G.R.E.A.T. program for the1999–2000 school year, they decided that the curriculumwould be offered to every child in every elementary andmiddle school within the Weed and Seed target area(the area has three elementary schools and two middleschools). From December 1999 through June 2000,approximately 1,377 elementary school students partic-ipated in the North Charleston Weed and Seed D.A.R.E./G.R.E.A.T. program, including 100 special needs students.The school curriculum graduated more than 370 seventhgraders (currently D.A.R.E./G.R.E.A.T. is not available forsixth graders, but a program will be made available forthem next year).

To further secure the foundation of the police-supportedcurriculum for the 1999–2000 school year, the policedepartment assigned a police officer to work full time inthe three elementary schools within the North Charlestontarget area. The officer focused on teaching the D.A.R.E./G.R.E.A.T. curriculum to students in elementary and mid-dle schools. The officer also worked with early childhooddevelopment classes (3-, 4-, and 5-year-olds) and classesfor special needs students to establish a relationship withthese children and provide them with a positive firstimpression of law enforcement. The North CharlestonWeed and Seed has experienced so much success imple-menting the program that it has begun to plan specialevents and activities during school breaks to complementthe day-to-day curriculum.

The turnout for D.A.R.E.-related programming in theNorth Charleston target area has been overwhelming.During spring and summer school breaks, coordinatorsdeveloped week-long camps for area youth. Activities dur-ing the week gave youth the opportunity to spend theirschool break learning while having fun. One such program

was the North CharlestonWeed and Seed SecondAnnual D.A.R.E./G.R.E.A.T.Golf Camp held the weekof June 11, 2000. Partic-ipating youth from the fifthto the eighth grades werenominated by the D.A.R.E.officer and teachers ineach Weed and Seed target-area school. The stu-dents chosen were not theschools’ best students ortheir worst—these studentshave average grades and no attendance or behavioral prob-lems. This group of students is often overlooked for specialprograms, and the Weed and Seed program felt reachingout to them was important. Participants for the August2000 camp were selected from youth who attend the vari-ous Safe Havens located within the target area.

The Golf Camp was taught by a golf professional who wasassisted by police volunteers. Together they taught the fun-damentals of the game of golf and the importance of stay-ing away from drugs and gangs. Camp was held at a localgolf facility, which donated its space and provided theyouth with use of the golf range. A local law firm assistedwith the daily transportation needs of the youth both toand from the golf facility. Lunch was also provided to theyouth. At the end of the camp, each youth was presentedwith a golf club donated by a local sporting goods store.

This year 35 million school children around the world—26 million in the United States—will benefit from theD.A.R.E./G.R.E.A.T. program. Feedback from parents, fac-ulty, and students has been positive throughout the NorthCharleston target area. Coordinators and officers dedicat-ed to the program will work to ensure that the D.A.R.E./G.R.E.A.T. program continues to have lasting effects on thelives of the children living in the North Charleston Weedand Seed target area. For more information on the nation-al D.A.R.E./G.R.E.A.T. curriculum, please visitwww.dare.org.

Cpl. Sharon Bumeder is theD.A.R.E. officer for the NorthCharleston Weed and Seedtarget area.

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Full Speed Ahead for DEFY 2000,Thanks to Kmart Kids Race Against DrugsMarcia RobertsWeed and Seed Coordinator Tucson, Arizona

ould Tucson Weed andSeed be the charity part-ner in the upcomingKmart Kids Race Against

Drugs event? That is the questionthe Arizona National Guard DrugDemand Reduction Unit askedWestside Coalition Weed and Seedlast spring. The Steering Committeeleaped at the opportunity to incorpo-rate the event into the site’s upcom-ing DEFY Phase II program andreturned an affirmative answerimmediately. Since then, Tucson’sDEFY program has been operating atfull speed.

In 1999, Westside Coalition Weedand Seed was preparing to enter intoits first year of DEFY and was uncer-tain about how to fund the 12-monthPhase II program. The SteeringCommittee didn’t expect to partici-pate in the DEFY program during itsfirst year as an Officially RecognizedWeed and Seed site, so the budgethadn’t set aside any funds to supportthe program. In a lucky turn ofevents, the Arizona National Guardcontacted the Steering Committeeduring the same week it was plan-ning its DEFY efforts. It was a perfectmarriage.

Kmart Kids Race Against Drugs is anational drug prevention programthat tours major cities throughoutthe country. The event focuses onteaching parents and children aboutthe dangers of substance abuse. Ateach site, youth ages 7–12 driveminiature race cars around a racingtrack in Kmart parking lots. Everyparticipant gets a free antidrug shirtand hat, information about the dan-gers of substance abuse, a thrillingride, and a chance to win a $10,000college scholarship. To top it off,charity partners get a $5 donation

A youth gets driving advice from a volunteer ”safety rider” during the Kmart Kids RaceAgainst Drugs event in Tucson, Arizona.

continued on back cover

per racer from the Kmart FamilyFoundation to use in their ownantidrug programs.

Community Anti-Drug Coalitionsof America (CADCA), MothersAgainst Drunk Driving (MADD), andDrug Abuse Resistance Education(D.A.R.E.) are the three national initiatives that support Kmart KidsRace Against Drugs events. For theTucson event, CADCA provided sup-porting material, including an easy-to-read manual and event fliers.

The 2-day event, March 11–12, start-ed with typical Arizona weather:warm and clear. Kids lined up earlynext to the colorful track and dancedwith excitement. The race coursewent over a bridge, around turns,over obstacles, and through a tunnelto the finish line with an electronictime readout. The Arizona National

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Not Just “Babysitting With Crayons” Sharon PaulLECC CoordinatorU.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of Illinois

he McClernand Arts Haven program, partof the EOWS Special Emphasis Initiative inSpringfield, Illinois, promotes the growthand revitalization of troubled neighborhoods

through an arts program. The McClernand ElementarySchool site is one of three Safe Havens in Springfield’s designated Weed and Seed neighborhood.

The general focus of Safe Haven programs is on preven-tion, early intervention, treatment programs, law enforce-ment, community policing, and restoration of the targetareas. The McClernand Arts Haven program focuses onprevention through the arts. The Arts Haven provides asecure, structured environment in which children candevelop their artistic abilities and learn about careers inthe arts.

In October 1996 a task force was formed by the SpringfieldWeed and Seed Executive Committee to design an ArtsHaven program to be implemented at the McClernandElementary School Safe Haven site. Task force membersincluded the Weed and Seed Coordinator, the Fine ArtsCoordinator for Springfield public school district 186, theMcClernand Elementary School principal, and arts teacherLou Ann Davenport.

The site submitted the program request to EOWS and agrant was approved the following year. The first sessions atthe McClernand Arts Haven were held in January 1998 foryouth in grades 3–7. Since then, the Arts Haven has con-tinued to develop. The parties involved in program devel-opment have included members of the Weed and SeedExecutive Committee, the Illinois State Museum, theSpringfield Art Association, art instructors, the principalof McClernand Elementary School, and principals of twoother schools that benefit from Arts Haven programs.These groups work together to coordinate a program bestfitted to the community.

Arts Haven staff include two certified art instructors, fourhigh school mentors, and one coordinator. In addition tothe paid staff, volunteers from two local high schools helpout regularly. The total budget to operate the McClernandArts Haven and to provide arts instruction at the two othersites is approximately $45,000. continued on next page

Imani and Kunama Mtendaji (with TAIFA Folklore Productions of St.Louis, Missouri) presented a 3-day African folklore workshop at theMcClernand Arts Haven in May 2000. Youth learned about Africanfolklore through storytelling and dance presentations.

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Hours of operation are Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednes-days from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., during the school year.Students must register to attend the program but are notrequired to attend every session. During the 1999–2000school year, 55 children were registered and active at theArts Haven. Most of these youth were in grades 3–7. Toattract older students (middle school and high school),a separate studio is being planned at the Springfield ArtsAssociation, located across the street from the McClernandsite, for the 2000–2001 school year.

Arts Haven students are exposed to various art media,including working with paints (acrylics, tempera, water colors), creating plaster casts and wood sculptures, and creative embossings using a printing press. One of thelargest Arts Haven’s undertakings was a community mosaicinstallment, which was created under the direction of aprofessional artist by not only the students but also theirparents, teachers, and members of the community.

Entitled “Trees of Knowledge,” the mosaic measures 16feet in diameter and has been installed on the groundsoutside of McClernand Elementary School. Three

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Together Everyone Accomplishes MoreWill DanielsLECC CoordinatorU.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida

rom April 28 to 30, 2000,Ocala, Florida, hostedkids and mentors fromsix Drug Education for

Youth (DEFY) sites in the MiddleDistrict of Florida. For the secondconsecutive year in this district, theevent proved an admirable success.Over the 3 days, 120 kids and morethan 50 mentors engaged in positivephysical challenges, motivationalworkshops, and competitive sportactivities. Support from the localU.S. Attorney’s Office (USAO), vari-ous law enforcement agencies, mili-tary partners, local businesses, andvolunteers made this year’s eventmemorable for all participants.

“T.E.A.M. (Together EveryoneAccomplishes More) 2000” was

the prevailing theme for this confer-ence, and organizers worked hardto integrate the concept into everyactivity. Speakers reflected on strate-gies of “going for the gold,” and spir-its were elevated through myriadcollaborative events. Each child wasrewarded with a “gold” medal andcertificate of completion for his orher positive accomplishments. Hatsoff to Ocala for rolling out the car-pet for these guests and to all of thesites that lent their talent, expertise,and time. Together, everyone doesaccomplish more!

For information on organizing a similar event in your State or district, call the USAO for theMiddle District of Florida at813–274–6388.

Will Daniels from the U.S. Attorney’s Officefor the Middle District of Florida congratu-lates a DEFY graduate at the ”T.E.A.M.2000” conference in Ocala, Florida.

permanent benches will be placed around the mosaic during the 2000–2001 school year.

The mosaic design features seven coastal redwood trees,each representing a particular field of knowledge: ethics,ecology, language, health, history, science, and art. Themosaic depicts 12 children working among the root sys-tems of the trees in their pursuit of knowledge (made inthe likenesses of 12 of the children who actually workedon the mosaic).

The project took approximately a year from design to finalconstruction. The mosaic is a visual reminder of thestrength of the arts to unite a community and beautifythe neighborhood.

Arts Haven staff believe that the arts can enrich the livesof children as no other pursuit can. Increasingly, morestudies show that the arts stimulate a child’s desire tolearn, improve problem solving and critical thinking skills,increase knowledge and acceptance of other cultures,engage the hard-to-reach student, enhance self-esteem,develop self-confidence and self-discipline, improve com-munication skills, and increase test scores. Besides enrich-ing the quality and enjoyment of life, the arts also providea positive alternative to street crime, drug abuse, and vio-lence, which is a key objective of preventive afterschoolprograms such as the McClernand Arts Haven.

Not Just ”Babysitting With Crayons”continued from previous page

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Las Vegas Weed andSeed Provides Supportfor Ex-OffendersJessica CaldwellProgram AssistantJunior, Howard University

OverviewTreatment plays a large role inthe healthy sustainment of anycommunity regardless of its eco-nomic class. Treatment is oftenthought of as mental health orsubstance abuse counseling, yetincreasingly more sites are get-ting involved with other formsof treatment, including specialtydrug courts, environmental jus-tice (in which potentially haz-ardous materials are removedfrom the area), and programslinking community-orientedpolicing with local correctionagencies.

A community is only as healthyas its parts. Too often incarcerat-ed members of a community areleft behind in community treat-ment efforts. In-Sites featuresan aggressive initiative in Weedand Seed sites that addressesthe needs of incarcerated popu-lations and their chances for successful reentry into the community.

Creating Healthy Communitieshighlights some of the mostaggressive and successful Weedand Seed projects coordinatednationwide. ”Treatment andIntervention” on Thursday,September 7, from 11:15 a.m.to 12:30 p.m., will feature 11Breakout Sessions that focus onimproving the overall environmentof a community through treat-ment practices.

or ex-offenders, the transition from incarceration to life as a free citizen is always challenging and, unfortunately, sometimes met withfailure. Problems associated with reentry center on issues such asemployment, family reintegration, substance abuse, and socializa-

tion. Many ex-offenders relapse into criminal behavior, and as repeat offendersface stiffer penalties and harsher sentences.

The Las Vegas Weed and Seed site consists of approximately 20,000 people whoare predominantly African-American and Latino-American. Unemployment ishigh, although recently there has been considerable growth in employmentopportunities. About 90 inmates will be released into the Weed and Seed sitethis year. Most will be male and in their midthirties. Chances for their successfulreentry are growing thanks to a new effort called the Nevada Re-Entry Demon-stration Project.

The Re-Entry Project aids ex-offenders with the transition back into the commu-nity. A screening process targets inmates for the program approximately 1 yearprior to their expected prison release date. Once selected, inmates are asked tocommit to the project plan. They are placed in programs that provide job andlife-skills training, math and English skills development, anger management, andparenting classes. A case manager assesses the needs of each inmate. The casemanager oversees between 30 and 40 inmates and encourages participation inthe prison industries program and the street-readiness program. At the sametime, participating inmates receive help with family reintegration.

The Re-Entry Project is managed by an oversight board that oversees the budgetand other project specifications. The board also reports to and maintains com-munication with the Weed and Seed Steering Committee.

Community involvement is a large part of the initiative. Faith-based and commu-nity organizations and ex-offender communities are asked to be involved in thelives of Re-Entry Project participants after they are released from prison. Thissupport base provides a renewed sense of acceptance and trust within the sitefrom which the inmates might otherwise feel slightly rejected. Family counselingalso makes the transition easier for both the ex-offender and his or her family.Other project services include job training and placement and assistance withmental and physical health issues, including drug treatment.

The Nevada Re-Entry Demonstration Project provides the pathway for ex-offenders to return to their respective communities and become active partici-pants. The project’s main goal is to keep the rates of recidivism low. It offers a

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23

strong community foundation and attempts to reunitefamilies through a system of understanding and support.The transition from offender to contributing communitymember can be difficult. This effort is a two-step interven-tion process that begins prior to prison release and contin-ues after reentry into the community. Blending interven-tion from law enforcement and the community offers astrong support system to those who may not have previous-ly acknowledged either group as an ally. Through theNevada Re-Entry Project, Las Vegas Weed and Seed tackles

Las Vegas Weed and Seed Provides Support for Ex-Offenderscontinued from previous page

recidivism and provides a model for other sites to follow.For more information on the Nevada Re-Entry Project,please contact Franklin Simpson, Weed and Seed ProgramManager, at 702–229–5460.

“Track 2: Breaking the Cycle of Incarceration” will comprisefive Breakout Sessions on treatment and reentry issues ofex-offenders on Thursday, September 7, from 11:15 a.m. to12:30 p.m.

Red HOTand Sizzlin’! Thank you, Highland/Stoner Hill Weed and Seed, for your tireless team spirit

and continued dedication to our mission!

Site Coordinator Mary Ellen Hoffman pitches in at the EOWS LawEnforcement conference in New Orleans in May 2000.

Paul Casagrande (left) and Stephen Rickman (center) of EOWScool off at the Highland/Stoner Hill Weed and Seed exhibit at theWeed and Seed 1999 National Conference.

02-covers 2 & 3 8/29/2000 1:36 PM Page 2

U.S. Department of Justice

Office of Justice Programs

Executive Office for Weed and Seed

Washington, DC 20531

Official Business

Penalty for Private Use $300

Return Service Requested

FIRST-CLASS MAILPOSTAGE & FEES PAID

DOJ/EOWSPERMIT NO. G–91

V

Full Speed Ahead for DEFY 2000, Thanks to Kmart Kids Race Against Drugscontinued from page 19

Guard, Marine Reserves, and Tucson Police Departmenthad impressive exhibits that attracted adults as well as children.

Before the event the Westside Coalition Weed and Seedsupport staff worked with the Arizona National Guard toadvertise and encourage community participation. On site,staff helped participants register, drove as “safety riders” inthe cars with youth, taught youth the drug-free pledge, andwaved flags. They also cheered the riders nonstop for2 days.

In 2000, Kmart’s program will travel to more than 90 cities,at more than 665 Kmart locations. Through the program,Kmart expects to reach more than 700,000 kids and theirfamilies with an antidrug message in a fun family-orientedway.

Early this year, Kmart and CADCA contacted WestsideCoalition Weed and Seed to ask if they wanted to partici-pate in future Kmart Kids Race Against Drugs events.Westside Coalition looks forward to the opportunity tosend youth in the Weed and Seed target area a seriousantidrug message while providing a fun event for theentire family.

To learn more about how to get involved with Race AgainstDrugs, please visit www.raceagainstdrugs.org/ or call1–800–327–5107.

Arizona National Guard volunteers were on hand at the Kmart KidsRace Against Drugs event in Tucson, Arizona, to give lessons on drugprevention…and driving!

www.ojp.usdoj.gov/eows

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