P.E.A.S. 1. Magazine

Magazine

Parenting●Education●Assistance●Support

has social media helped in bringing

February 2014 Edition

Publication of Peas In Their Pods www.peasintheirpods.com

P.E.A.S. 2. Magazine

February is National Heart Awareness Month

Did you know over 300,000

Americans die suddenly and unexpectedly due to cardiac

arrhythmias each year and many are children or young

adults? A quick, painless and

non-invasive EKG test can iden-

tify 40-50 percent of at-risk

children. Take time this month to plan to get your child tested.

Screens for Teens will be offer-ing free EKG testing for stu-

dents of the following Chicago-

area schools during the month of February. Please see the

schools or our website for regis-tration forms.

EKGyourTeen.org

P.E.A.S. 3. Magazine

February is National Heart Awareness Month

Did you know over 300,000

Americans die suddenly and unexpectedly due to cardiac

arrhythmias each year and many are children or young

adults? A quick, painless and

non-invasive EKG test can iden-

tify 40-50 percent of at-risk

children. Take time this month to plan to get your child tested.

Screens for Teens will be offer-ing free EKG testing for stu-

dents of the following Chicago-

area schools during the month of February. Please see the

schools or our website for regis-tration forms.

EKGyourTeen.org

The Max Schewitz Foundation is a nonprofit or-ganization founded in 2006 by the family and friends of Max Schewitz who died from sudden cardiac death at the age of twenty. The Max Schewitz Foundation's mission is two-fold: 1.To support education, preven-tion, and research of sudden cardiac death in young people. 2.To support environmental conservation, a lifelong area of interest to Max. Specifically to support through education and conservation fragile and threatened ecosystems and species.

P.E.A.S. 4. Magazine

PEAS IN THEIR PODS P.E.A.S Magazine

www.peasintheirpods.com February Featured Missing Children 6.) Gaetane Borders Social Media & Missing Children of Color Community Change Agents 14.) TeenSircles Our mission is to enrich the lives of teen girls, between the ages

of 12 and 17, by providing the life skills needed to become a pro-ductive adult and a benefit to society as a whole.

10.) Polished Pebbles Polished Pebbles is a program that provides girls with the oppor-

tunity to learn the vital life skill of effective communication. We provide girls with non-violent and non-aggressive means to self-identify, response to threats of violence, interpersonal conflict, and the challenges of daily living.

20. ) Gathered Dreamz, Inc Envisions a community in which every girl and young woman in

foster care can experience nurturing one-to-one relationships and community support, which in turn allows each of them to develop into their full potential, capable of making informed, responsible decisions as involved members of our community.

22. ) Sporty Girls Inc. Provide young minority girls the opportunity to participate in non

traditional sports – those offered in metro Atlanta public schools

but not traditionally played by minority girls.

Children’s Books

18.) (late) Author John Steptoe 24.) Author/Radio Host Mr. Wes Hall

Janice Lowery Chief Executive Officer Gaétane Borders President/Training Specialist Denise Bethune Editor/P.E.A.S. Magazine/ Publicity Manager Paula Whitebear Administrative Assistant Yolanda Butler Business Consultant Vickie Britton Researcher for Missing Children Anita Harris Parent Mentor Marcus Dent Guardian Angel Nancy Fairbanks Webmaster

Peas In Their Pods is an incorporated not-for-

profit organization that provides a specific service to those who have missing loved ones. The or-ganization is self-funded, and is comprised of a team of volunteers who work diligently to assist families during their time of greatest need. We are here to help parents find their missing chil-dren. We do not take the place of the Amber Alert System. We simply pick up where they leave off or never engage due to program crite-ria. Peas In Their Pods Organizational goal takes pride in helping to find missing children of color, fight against child abuse, and provide information to the public.

P.E.A.S. 5. Magazine

P.E.A.S. 6. Magazine

Has social media helped with the issue of

awareness for missing children of color? The

short answer is “Yes!” However, there’s far more

that needs to be said about this. To begin, the

staff at Peas In Their Pods has been working hard

for many years to make all missing children a me-

dia priority. However, those early days of advo-

cating were tiresome, lonely, and some days

downright frustrating. It seemed like everyone

we reached out to turned us away. Reputable

news entities, radio, print, and TV, refused to

share any of the stories that we pitched to them.

Even publications that target African Americans

showed no interest. In fact, one of the editors of

a popular Black Magazine emailed us and asked

that we stop sending her stories because she did

not want to read them. Sigh…

Through it all, we maintained our online pres-

ence. Our website stayed updated, and we

watched our Facebook following swell. We real-

ized some time ago that we cannot rely solely on

the popular media to spread awareness. There-

fore, we availed to everyday people to help

us….and that they did! People will repost, for-

ward, or tag stories and images of the missing

children that we share. What a difference this has

made! In addition, there have been so many peo-

ple enlightened about how much of an issue this

is in the community of color simply by them read-

ing stories online.

It was only about three years ago that the

popular media started to take interest about the

discrepancy at which missing children are repre-

sented in the media. I strongly believe that it is

because of what they were observing happening

in the social media sphere. It wasn’t long before

they began calling, and it is with pleasure that I

go to the various news stations for interviews. No

doubt, TV interviews are a priceless form of expo-

sure. However, what makes social media equally

valuable is the fact that it allows everyone the op-

portunity to express what’s important to them.

So I encourage everyone to continue clicking,

copying, pasting, forwarding, tagging, replying,

and commenting. It could very well help to find

one of the precious missing children about which

we post. Love, Gaétane

With her bubbly and feisty

personality, Gaétane is able

to reach a broad audience.

Her experience is diverse,

and her passion is unparal-

leled. As one of Georgia's

highly acclaimed School Psy-

chologists, Gaétane has de-

voted her life to making an

impact in the lives of fami-

lies. She is an advocate of

children rights, and works tirelessly to help parents

achieve healthy, harmonious, and emotionally stable

environments for children. As President of Peas in Their

Pods, Gaétane helps to spread awareness about the

epidemic of child abduction, and aims to arm parents

with the knowledge necessary to prevent such trage-

dies. Her dedication to empowering parents has made

her sought after, as she is often asked to contribute

her expertise on radio shows, magazines and television

programs. She has been featured on the Maury Povich

Show, CNN News Room, CBS The Early Show, Real

Savvy Moms, and has written articles for Essence.com,

and various other publications. Gaétane is also a regu-

lar contributor to the Nancy Grace Show. As a fre-

quent guest parenting expert on Fox's The Morning

Show, Gaétane shared effective parenting techniques

that resonated with the viewers.

Social Media and Missing Children of Color Gaetane Borders

P.E.A.S. 7. Magazine

Social Media and Missing Children of Color Gaetane Borders

P.E.A.S. 8. Magazine

P.E.A.S. 9. Magazine

In Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters, John Steptoe combines

stunning illustrations to create almost mystical surround-

ings for his characters, surroundings which serve to distin-

guish between the baser human characteristics, greed and

pride, and those which we as humans must emulate, such as

mercy and compassion. Steptoe creates the story's setting

using the flora and fauna of an ancient ruin in Zimbabwe;

the story itself is an English adaptation of a local African

tale from today's indigenous inhabitants of the area. By

encompassing a spiritual tale in realistic settings, Steptoe

forces the reader to blur the line between reality and magic;

however, this "magic" galvanizes to action by drawing dis-

tinctions between compassion and greed with which young

readers can easily identify. This is the story of two sisters,

Manyara and Nyasha, the beautiful daughters of Mufaro,

two believably human girls who embody the characteristics

of pride and humility. Children will quickly see that Man-

yara is selfish and ill tempered and that her promise to

make her sister a servant in her house is based on jealousy.

On the other hand, Nyasha is calm and kind; an aura of

peace surrounds every action. Her singing, the villagers

think, causes her garden to produce more bountifully than

the others'. Even the animals find her friendly. She names

and befriends a garden snake named Nyoka. The plot itself

serves as a didactic tale with which children will identify.

Themes of sibling rivalry and false

appearances dominate the text.

Steptoe mentions that the only per-

son fooled into believing that Man-

yara is as kind as her sister is

Mufaro, a theme that might reso-

nate with children who endure the

trials of living with siblings. The

true test of character, however,

comes when the King announces

his search for a bride. In character-

istic form, Manyara leaves in the

middle of the night to unfairly se-

cure the king's favor. In a form sim-

ilar to many Anglo-Saxon fairy

tales, she encounters three tests on

the way to the king and fails miser-

ably. A young boy begs for food;

she brusquely pushes him aside. An

old woman gives her invaluable

advice about upcoming obstacles;

she rejects the advice deliberately and proceeds in her jour-

ney. This obstinate behavior is rewarded when a five-

headed monster greets her at the end of her journey. How-

ever, Steptoe also allows this character to partially redeem

herself. While fleeing from the monster, Manyara encoun-

ters Mufaro and Nyasha. Showing consideration for anoth-

er person for the first time in this narrative, Manyara begs

her father and sister to avoid the palace. The monster knew

her faults, she tells them, and the outcome of the story sug-

gests that this was enough to cause her to change her ways.

Steptoe toys with the fine line dividing the spiritual world

from the material world, as well as building a suspenseful

plot. It is this unconcern for the shape of the living being,

be it male or female, young or old, animal or human, super-

natural or common, that Steptoe stresses. Children will

enjoy the reality of his illustrations, while adults will real-

ize the deeper underlying message about the common

threads that bind all human life: respect and admiration

bring great reward.

P.E.A.S. 10. Magazine

Polished Pebbles is a program that provides girls with the

opportunity to learn the vital life skill of effective communica-tion. We provide girls with non-violent and non-aggressive

means to self-identify, response to threats of violence, inter-personal conflict, and the challenges of daily living. Addition-

ally, we equip girls with

skills that allow them to develop the confidence

and ability to: Speak up in class Join groups and seek

leadership positions Communicate effec-

tively and respectful-ly with adults

Have peaceful inter-

actions with their peers

Literacy advocate and

mentor, Kelly Fair, founded Polished Peb-

bles Girls Mentoring Program in 2009. An active member in her community, Kelly’s passion for youth and female-specific

enrichment programs inspired her to consult for several other

non-profit organizations as an educational consultant and trainer in addition to Polished Pebbles.

Kelly’s current and previous board memberships include

Bronzeville Community Action Council, Metropolitan Board of

the Chicago Urban League, Chicago Women in Publishing, the International Reading Association, the Advocacy Council

of Women Employed, Inc., and the Christ Universal Temple Board of Directors. She continues to support organizations

where she can collaborate with others interested in commu-

nity improvement and literacy. She recently received recognition from

Verizon Wireless’ Everyday Heroes initia-

tive for her service in the community. But she wasn’t always in the non-profit

business. Prior to working in the non-profit sector, Kelly implemented literacy

programs, performed research studies training and designed curriculum for var-

ious college prep programs. While working for McGraw-Hill,

Kelly’s roles included management of national marketing for literacy products and oversight of research studies. That pro-

fessional experience helped to inspire her transition to the non-profit world and to launch Polished Pebbles.

Kelly graduated from Howard University with a degree in

Speech Pathology minoring in Psychology and completed her master’s degree in Speech Pathology and Audiology at the

University of Iowa. She uses her educational background to

instill effective communication skills via the Polished Pebbles S.H.I.N.E. : Smile, Hello, Introduce, Nod your head, End the

conversation. polishedpebbles.com

P.E.A.S. 11. Magazine

FOR MORE INFORMATION OR JOIN THE COMMUNITY: ANNUAL HONK FOR ALL MISSING PERSONS

In honor of National Missing Children’s Day (May 25) the Guardian Angels – Baltimore Chap-ter and Peas in Their Pods are hosting a nationwide campaign across the country where par-ticipants hold signs and banners of missing persons from that area to raise awareness of the number of people who go missing each year.

Date – Sunday June 1st 2014 (Rain Date June 7th 2014) Time - 11:30 AM TO 1:00 P.M. Who - The Baltimore Guardian Angels and Pea In Their Pods!

2ND ANNUAL “HONK FOR ALL MISSING PERSONS” CAMPAIGN

P.E.A.S. 12. Magazine

Seeking Information On These Missing Children

Kevin McClam Kevin was last seen at 1:00 a.m. on March 30, 1997 at his family's residence in Goose Creek, South Carolina. The home is located in the Charleston Naval Weapons Station; his family was in the U.S. Navy in 1997. Kevin was playing video games with his younger sister that evening. When his mother came home, they spoke for awhile and Kevin's sister and mother went to bed. Kevin said he would stay up and play more video games. When his family members woke up, he had disappeared. He has never been heard from again.

Kevin's clothing was found two days after his disappearance, at a nearby construction site. The articles of clothing were separated by about five or ten feet along the road.

There was no sign of him at the scene. Witnesses reported seeing a person who matched Kevin's description walking along a dirt road near the construction site during the afternoon hours of March 30. The individual was wearing only sneakers and boxer shorts and appeared to be alone and not under duress.

Kevin's mother says it is uncharacteristic of him to leave without warning; he never missed a meal and always returned home by dark. He was an eighth-grader at Marrington Middle School at the time of his disappearance, a good student who was well-liked by teachers and did not use drugs. He played basketball. His mother believes

her son possibly sneaked out of his house to meet his friends the night he vanished, but all of Kevin's friends deny having seen him on the night he went missing. There was no sign of forced entry to his home. In early 2006, authorities announced they were investigating Kevin's case as a homicide due to new forensic evidence and new tips from the public. An unsuccessful search for his remains was conducted in the Goose Creek area in October. In December, authorities publicly named a suspect in Kevin's presumed murder: Thomas McCardle, who is presently incarcerated on unrelated robbery charges. A photograph of him is posted below this case summary. Another man, Michael Moorcroft, reportedly bragged about how he and

McCardle had killed Kevin. Moorcroft, who has not been charged with any wrongdoing related to Kevin's disappearance, claims he only made up the story. Kevin was born in Indianapolis, Indiana. His family moved out of South Carolina in 1998 and currently live in

Georgia

Kimberly Arrington Kimberly Arrington was 16 when she disappeared more than a decade ago, and her father still waits for her to

come home. So does a little girl she never met who carries her name. Walter Arrington remembers "a good girl" who enjoyed listening to music, dancing and learning computers at school, where she was well-behaved. " I feel like this might be my last chance of ever seeing my daughter or somebody recovering her," he said, hoping a story would compel someone to come forward. Someone may have asked his daughter for directions,

Walter Arrington believes, and forced her into a car as she walked to a CVS pharmacy near her home Montgomery, Alabama, on the day before Halloween, October 30, 1998. "Most people liked her, and she was

very friendly towards everybody,'' he said. "I felt like maybe that's part of the reason why they got her.'' Walter Arrington was leaving for work the last time he saw his daughter. She was already talking about Christmas, he said, asking about her gifts. That's the picture that stays in his mind. "I can hear her talking

and see her talking from that day now,'' Walter Arrington said. "And I can't go on any further, because I'm at a standstill until I find out what happened to her. ... It is something that I carry with me every day.''

Kimberly Arrington left the family's home about 5 p.m., telling her mother where she was going, according to police. And then she simply vanished.

Kim Arrington's mother, who was ill, died in 2005. "It wasn't easy for her, either,'' Walter Arrington said, recalling that one of the

last things his wife asked was whether he will continue to look for Kim. Whatever her fate, Kimberly Arrington's name lives on. Six years ago, her sister

Jennifer named her daughter Kim, after her missing aunt. The girl, who knows that her mother's sister is missing, often asks when she's going to meet "Auntie Kim." Her disappearance remains a mystery with few clues and no strong leads, according to investigators in Montgomery.

"We had nobody that saw her get snatched up. Nobody found her purse or

jacket or anything on the side of the road,'' Barnett said. "She just disap-peared. She left home and disappeared.''

Whether Arrington made it to the pharmacy after she left home shortly after 5 p.m. will probably never be known.

No credible witnesses came forward, and there was no surveillance video from the store. Police canvassed the area from Arrington's house to the CVS store, searching for signs of struggle and belongings

she may have dropped. But they came up empty-handed. It's an unsolved missing persons case, said Barnett, who avoids using the term "cold case." "It'll never be closed until she's located one way or another, however she's found,'' he said, adding that the department will look into any tip.

"Whether we find her deceased or whether we find her alive, we'd like to bring some kind of closure to the fami-

ly,'' Barnett said. Because her DNA is not available, police have sent samples from her father and one of her sis-ters to a national database.

In the hours after she vanished, Arrington was considered a runaway, which is indicated on the police report. “All we thought we had was possibly a girl that left home for a few hours to be with friends, boyfriends or what-

ever and was coming back home,'' said Lt. Rickey Fennie, who is now in charge of the investigation. "But it didn't take long for us to realize that probably was not the case.'' Asked whether time or crucial opportunities to find her may have been lost, Barnett said: ''Unfortunately, at the

initial time of the report, we had no information or evidence from anyone, including the parents, that pointed at foul play being involved.''

Barnett says there was a two- to three-hour delay when Arrington's parents reported her missing because they

had gone looking for her on their own. "So, no, I do not feel that any vital leads were missed, because all the proper actions were taken as soon as it looked as if this might be more than a runaway,'' he said.

According to the missing-person posters, Arrington was 5'4'' and 110 pounds. She was wearing a gray Bugle Boy shirt with a collar, light blue jeans and white Reebok sneakers

with gray trim. She has a scar on her stomach. Now she would be 31 years old. If you have any information on this case please call The Montgomery Police Department (Alabama) 1-334-241-2651

MISSING

P.E.A.S. 13. Magazine

Seeking Information On These Missing Children

Kevin McClam Kevin was last seen at 1:00 a.m. on March 30, 1997 at his family's residence in Goose Creek, South Carolina. The home is located in the Charleston Naval Weapons Station; his family was in the U.S. Navy in 1997. Kevin was playing video games with his younger sister that evening. When his mother came home, they spoke for awhile and Kevin's sister and mother went to bed. Kevin said he would stay up and play more video games. When his family members woke up, he had disappeared. He has never been heard from again.

Kevin's clothing was found two days after his disappearance, at a nearby construction site. The articles of clothing were separated by about five or ten feet along the road.

There was no sign of him at the scene. Witnesses reported seeing a person who matched Kevin's description walking along a dirt road near the construction site during the afternoon hours of March 30. The individual was wearing only sneakers and boxer shorts and appeared to be alone and not under duress.

Kevin's mother says it is uncharacteristic of him to leave without warning; he never missed a meal and always returned home by dark. He was an eighth-grader at Marrington Middle School at the time of his disappearance, a good student who was well-liked by teachers and did not use drugs. He played basketball. His mother believes

her son possibly sneaked out of his house to meet his friends the night he vanished, but all of Kevin's friends deny having seen him on the night he went missing. There was no sign of forced entry to his home. In early 2006, authorities announced they were investigating Kevin's case as a homicide due to new forensic evidence and new tips from the public. An unsuccessful search for his remains was conducted in the Goose Creek area in October. In December, authorities publicly named a suspect in Kevin's presumed murder: Thomas McCardle, who is presently incarcerated on unrelated robbery charges. A photograph of him is posted below this case summary. Another man, Michael Moorcroft, reportedly bragged about how he and

McCardle had killed Kevin. Moorcroft, who has not been charged with any wrongdoing related to Kevin's disappearance, claims he only made up the story. Kevin was born in Indianapolis, Indiana. His family moved out of South Carolina in 1998 and currently live in

Georgia

Kimberly Arrington Kimberly Arrington was 16 when she disappeared more than a decade ago, and her father still waits for her to

come home. So does a little girl she never met who carries her name. Walter Arrington remembers "a good girl" who enjoyed listening to music, dancing and learning computers at school, where she was well-behaved. " I feel like this might be my last chance of ever seeing my daughter or somebody recovering her," he said, hoping a story would compel someone to come forward. Someone may have asked his daughter for directions,

Walter Arrington believes, and forced her into a car as she walked to a CVS pharmacy near her home Montgomery, Alabama, on the day before Halloween, October 30, 1998. "Most people liked her, and she was

very friendly towards everybody,'' he said. "I felt like maybe that's part of the reason why they got her.'' Walter Arrington was leaving for work the last time he saw his daughter. She was already talking about Christmas, he said, asking about her gifts. That's the picture that stays in his mind. "I can hear her talking

and see her talking from that day now,'' Walter Arrington said. "And I can't go on any further, because I'm at a standstill until I find out what happened to her. ... It is something that I carry with me every day.''

Kimberly Arrington left the family's home about 5 p.m., telling her mother where she was going, according to police. And then she simply vanished.

Kim Arrington's mother, who was ill, died in 2005. "It wasn't easy for her, either,'' Walter Arrington said, recalling that one of the

last things his wife asked was whether he will continue to look for Kim. Whatever her fate, Kimberly Arrington's name lives on. Six years ago, her sister

Jennifer named her daughter Kim, after her missing aunt. The girl, who knows that her mother's sister is missing, often asks when she's going to meet "Auntie Kim." Her disappearance remains a mystery with few clues and no strong leads, according to investigators in Montgomery.

"We had nobody that saw her get snatched up. Nobody found her purse or

jacket or anything on the side of the road,'' Barnett said. "She just disap-peared. She left home and disappeared.''

Whether Arrington made it to the pharmacy after she left home shortly after 5 p.m. will probably never be known.

No credible witnesses came forward, and there was no surveillance video from the store. Police canvassed the area from Arrington's house to the CVS store, searching for signs of struggle and belongings

she may have dropped. But they came up empty-handed. It's an unsolved missing persons case, said Barnett, who avoids using the term "cold case." "It'll never be closed until she's located one way or another, however she's found,'' he said, adding that the department will look into any tip.

"Whether we find her deceased or whether we find her alive, we'd like to bring some kind of closure to the fami-

ly,'' Barnett said. Because her DNA is not available, police have sent samples from her father and one of her sis-ters to a national database.

In the hours after she vanished, Arrington was considered a runaway, which is indicated on the police report. “All we thought we had was possibly a girl that left home for a few hours to be with friends, boyfriends or what-

ever and was coming back home,'' said Lt. Rickey Fennie, who is now in charge of the investigation. "But it didn't take long for us to realize that probably was not the case.'' Asked whether time or crucial opportunities to find her may have been lost, Barnett said: ''Unfortunately, at the

initial time of the report, we had no information or evidence from anyone, including the parents, that pointed at foul play being involved.''

Barnett says there was a two- to three-hour delay when Arrington's parents reported her missing because they

had gone looking for her on their own. "So, no, I do not feel that any vital leads were missed, because all the proper actions were taken as soon as it looked as if this might be more than a runaway,'' he said.

According to the missing-person posters, Arrington was 5'4'' and 110 pounds. She was wearing a gray Bugle Boy shirt with a collar, light blue jeans and white Reebok sneakers

with gray trim. She has a scar on her stomach. Now she would be 31 years old. If you have any information on this case please call The Montgomery Police Department (Alabama) 1-334-241-2651

MISSING

P.E.A.S. 14. Magazine

Our mission is to enrich the lives of teen girls, be-

tween the ages of 12 and 17, by providing the life

skills needed to become a productive adult and a

benefit to society as a whole. Teen Sircles, a division of Sircles, focuses on the pre-

sent and the future with an understanding that the

past provides learning opportunities and planning

tools. Our mission is to enrich the lives of teen girls,

between the ages of 12 and 17, by providing the life

skills needed to become a productive adult and a

benefit to society as a whole. We empower our teens

with the knowledge that they can become anything

they so desire and do not have to succumb to nega-

tive vices of life. Our motto, Encouraging and Em-

powering the Women of Tomorrow, provides a sim-

plified summary of our organizational goals. In turn,

the women of tomorrow are afforded the opportunity

to continue the cycle of growth and guidance by

reaching back to assist Teen Sircles, becoming mem-

bers of Sircles, or creating new opportunities for de-

veloping young minds. At the end of each meeting,

we recite the following creed as a reminder of our

abilities and duties to those who paved the way and

those who have yet to walk the path:

I am who I am And that’s who God made me to be

I do not have to conform to what you expect to see In me is a Queen with the world at her feet

So it is with dignity, self-love, and pride that I speak I thank those who made it possible for me to lead

And now I pave the way for others to succeed

What makes our organization different? The chal-

lenges facing today’s teen differ from those facing

teens as little as three generations ago. The media

reports that childhood ends as early as the age of

ten. Many teen servicing organizations focus primari-

ly on crisis or solely on what appears to be “teen

topics.” Teen Sircles stands apart from similar organ-

izations as it focuses on providing the life skills need-

ed to live a productive life as well as learning to ap-

preciate what normally gets taken for granted. We

equip our young ladies with the financial training,

social skills, and emotional intelligence needed to

become successful women. Most importantly, we

build self-esteem and teach critical thinking which

arms them with the confidence and ability to make

the best decisions regardless of the situation. The importance of the success of our members only

succeeds the safety of our members. Thriving re-

quires a safe and comfortable environment with pro-

visions for the basic needs. Each month, our mem-

bers gather to listen to invited guest speakers, en-

gage in character and confidence building activities,

and discuss various aspects of the teen experience.

We provide handbooks for each topic and encourage

open discussions with parents or guardians regarding

the subject matter. As we grow our organization, we

plan to provide a safe house for homeless, runaway,

and orphaned teens. Education opens the doors op-

portunities. teensircles.org

Good self-esteem and a strong support system make a big difference in the decisions that people make Sharon L. Cummings,MBA Executive Director/Founder

P.E.A.S. 15. Magazine

More than 45 million young

people in the U.S., 2 out of 3

have had a mentor by the

time they reach the age of

19. This means that 30 mil-

lion young people, including

15 million experiencing risk

factors, will have the support

of a mentor by age 19, con-

firming that the mentoring

effect powerfully impacts

millions of young people now

more than ever before.

MISSING

Shateema Harrison

Shateema was last seen on June 14, 2013 in Sacramento, CA. Shateema is 5*1 inches tall, weighs 98 lbs, has long black hair and brown eyes. If you have information regarding this case, please contact Sacramento

County Sheriff's Office (California) 1-916-874-5115

Stephen Beard

Stephen was last seen by his guardian in Balti-more, Maryland on June 2, 2001. He frequented the areas of North Ave-nue, Calvert and Charles streets in Bal-timore, particularly night clubs in that area, prior to his dis-appearance. He may also be in Virginia. If you know anything about this case Please call The Bal-timore Police Department (Maryland) 1-410-307-2020

Seeking Information On These Missing Children

P.E.A.S. 16. Magazine

MISSING

Seeking Information On These Missing Children

Jamal Abdul’Faruq WOW ... What happened to this innocent Child ?? Basil Abdul'Faruq and his brother, Jamal, begged their mother to let them go outside to play. It was spring break, April 16, 1990, and the boys wanted to join other kids in their Richmond, Virginia, neighborhood. Their mother, Tambar Ellis, was tired after working the night shift at the nearby DuPont factory. She didn't worry about Basil, 8, and Jamal, 7, playing outside. They walked to school on their own every day. "Jamal was the one who asked could they go out," Ellis said. "I said, 'of course.' " It was the last time she would see her children. She said she took a short

nap, about 30 minutes. Then she walked outside to call the boys in for dinner. "I called them, and I didn't get a response," she said. She searched the grounds surrounding

the 600-unit apartment complex and then a playground about a block away. As the minutes passed, she started to panic. "After about maybe four or five minutes of looking for your kids, you go through a wave of a different emotions," Ellis said. "You know they're not up in someone's house, because they knew I wouldn't have allowed it. ... I couldn't believe they weren't within hearing distance." Ellis continued to call out to her sons for nearly 45 minutes. She checked a convenience store at the front of the complex. They weren't there. Ellis called the police. Search dogs, law enforcement officers and volunteers canvassed the neighborhood. Helicopters surveyed the area from above. "I was in the Army Reserves at the time," Ellis said, "so a lot of soldiers were look-

ing from my reserve unit." The search continued into the night, and the following day and the day after that. On the third day, Ellis and the boys' father, Everett Abdul'Faruq received devastating news. The body of their old-

est son, Basil, was found 10 miles from home in a Chesterfield landfill. A truck driver noticed the body protruding from a torn plastic garbage bag. The boy's mouth had been gagged and his body bound with duct tape, said Detective Johnny Capocelli of the Chesterfield Police Department. He'd been stabbed twice in the back, and his skull was fractured. "I never saw my son's body," Ellis said. "They recommended that I not see his body." The medical examiner determined that the stab wounds killed Basil. The skull fracture occurred after he died, an autopsy showed. "It started off as a missing persons case with us," said Richmond Police Detective James P. Baynes, "and then became Chesterfield's murder case." Although Basil's death was ruled a homicide, police were left without a suspect and without any clues leading to Jamal. "After they found Basil, they spent at least a day going through all of the rest of the trash in that dump, poking the bags," Baynes said. Investigators identified the truck that carried Basil's body to the dump, but the lead went nowhere. "You're talking about 90 possible Dumpsters," Baynes said. As with most missing child cases, investigators turned their attention to the boys' parents. They seized duct tape and other evidence from Abdul'Faruq's home. But both parents were eventually cleared. "They've been very cooperative from the very beginning," Capocelli said. He declined to identify what, if any, additional evidence was collected in the murder investigation. DNA testing wasn't readily available at the time Basil's body was found and Jamal vanished. Now, he says, law enforcement has access to a DNA database that could prove helpful. "Our state lab has agreed to look at the duct tape that was found on [Basil]," Baynes said. "They're going to test it to see if they can find something they couldn't find when the boys went missing, anything that is separate from Basil's DNA." Investigators are hopeful the DNA tests will lead to answers. They also are eager for credible tips. "We got two tips saying Jamal was alive and he was living in Hinesville, Georgia," Baynes said. The

anonymous tips, received in June, came after the boys' story aired on "America's Most Wanted." The broadcast featured an age-enhanced photo showing what Jamal might look like at 26 years old. "Someone saw a person in Wal-Mart that looked like the enhanced photo they had seen on TV," said Maj. Thomas Cribbs of the Hinesville po-lice. Detectives reviewed the Wal-Mart surveillance tapes but were unable to substantiate the caller's identity. "There wasn't anyone we could connect with," Cribbs said. "We had nobody to go back and talk to, to ask them, 'Where did you see this person? What can you tell me?' " Capocelli believes that Jamal may still be alive. Baynes agrees. "I think there's a strong possibility that Jamal's alive, and I think we will find the person who's responsi-ble," Baynes said. Ellis holds out hope every day that her son will be found. "You hear of Jaycee Dugard," she said. referring to the California woman who was abducted at age 11 and found alive last year, 18 years later. "Anything is possible. I don't give up," she added. "I had my theory about why one [boy] was found ... that Basil was trying to protect him," Ellis said. "They were protective of each other." "Detective Baynes has been working countless days and nights," Capocelli said. "I can tell you from all my years of cold cases, this is never going to be one that sits on the shelf and gathers dust." When he disappeared, Jamal was 4 feet tall and weighed 47 pounds. He was wearing a black Batman T-shirt, jeans and white sneakers. If you have any infor-mation on this case please call The Richmond City Police Department (Virginia) - Missing Persons Unit 1-804-646-5100

Olisa Williams Olisa Williams was 1 year old when her father took her to an Ann Arbor park in 1982. He

said he fell asleep and awoke to find his daughter gone. The Ann Arbor Police Depart-ment never believed that version of the story. According to the police report, Denise Williams told her attorney, Molly Reno, that Isiah Williams entered her residence in Cincinnati in May 1982, knocked her down and took their baby. The report then inex-plicably notes that both Isiah and Denise Williams moved to Ann Arbor. In court, Isiah told a judge the last time he saw Olisa was in June 1982. He admitted he had been smoking marijuana and drinking alcohol while driving around with Olisa. Isiah said he parked his car at Island Park and fell asleep. He said he woke and discovered the car door open and Olisa gone. "We didn't believe him. We felt either he gave the ba-by to another family member to be raised or the child was deceased. I think that was the belief of most every-body." Isiah said in court that he didn't report the abduction to police because he thought his wife or one of her relatives had taken the child. Reno told police Isiah had called his wife on numerous occasions with different ver-sions of what happened. Among the stories: He lost the baby, killed the baby, she died at the hospital, and "the child was across the water."

Retired Ann Arbor Police Detective Mary Smith, who was involved in the case, said officers searched the Huron Riv-

er looking for Olisa. "We didn't believe him," Smith said recently. "We felt either he gave the baby to another fam-ily member to be raised or the child was deceased. I think that was the belief of most everybody." Isiah was brought before a judge for violating a restraining order and said he would only reveal what happened to Olisa if the case against him was dismissed. The judge refused and threatened to put Isiah in jail if he didn't cooperate. That's when Isiah told the story of falling asleep and waking with Olisa nowhere in sight. "The baby is missing, but there was no evidence (Isiah) was involved in the disappearance of the baby," Ann Arbor Police Lt. Mike Logghe said Tuesday. "He wasn't arrested because we couldn't prove he was not telling the truth." Nance said Denise Wil-liams called his agency in March 1985, making it one of the first cases for the National Center for Missing & Ex-ploited Children. The center didn't officially start until a year later. Denise Williams' last contact with the agency was in 1992, when a case worker called her to ask if there were any updates. Denise stopped responding to letters after that, and Nance said he hasn't been able to locate either parent since. The Ann Arbor News was also unable to locate Olisa's parents. Nance said the case will remain open until it's solved. If you have any information on this case please call The Ann Arbor Police Department (Michigan) 1-734-794-6911

P.E.A.S. 17. Magazine

Seeking Information On These Missing Children

Jamal Abdul’Faruq WOW ... What happened to this innocent Child ?? Basil Abdul'Faruq and his brother, Jamal, begged their mother to let them go outside to play. It was spring break, April 16, 1990, and the boys wanted to join other kids in their Richmond, Virginia, neighborhood. Their mother, Tambar Ellis, was tired after working the night shift at the nearby DuPont factory. She didn't worry about Basil, 8, and Jamal, 7, playing outside. They walked to school on their own every day. "Jamal was the one who asked could they go out," Ellis said. "I said, 'of course.' " It was the last time she would see her children. She said she took a short

nap, about 30 minutes. Then she walked outside to call the boys in for dinner. "I called them, and I didn't get a response," she said. She searched the grounds surrounding

the 600-unit apartment complex and then a playground about a block away. As the minutes passed, she started to panic. "After about maybe four or five minutes of looking for your kids, you go through a wave of a different emotions," Ellis said. "You know they're not up in someone's house, because they knew I wouldn't have allowed it. ... I couldn't believe they weren't within hearing distance." Ellis continued to call out to her sons for nearly 45 minutes. She checked a convenience store at the front of the complex. They weren't there. Ellis called the police. Search dogs, law enforcement officers and volunteers canvassed the neighborhood. Helicopters surveyed the area from above. "I was in the Army Reserves at the time," Ellis said, "so a lot of soldiers were look-

ing from my reserve unit." The search continued into the night, and the following day and the day after that. On the third day, Ellis and the boys' father, Everett Abdul'Faruq received devastating news. The body of their old-

est son, Basil, was found 10 miles from home in a Chesterfield landfill. A truck driver noticed the body protruding from a torn plastic garbage bag. The boy's mouth had been gagged and his body bound with duct tape, said Detective Johnny Capocelli of the Chesterfield Police Department. He'd been stabbed twice in the back, and his skull was fractured. "I never saw my son's body," Ellis said. "They recommended that I not see his body." The medical examiner determined that the stab wounds killed Basil. The skull fracture occurred after he died, an autopsy showed. "It started off as a missing persons case with us," said Richmond Police Detective James P. Baynes, "and then became Chesterfield's murder case." Although Basil's death was ruled a homicide, police were left without a suspect and without any clues leading to Jamal. "After they found Basil, they spent at least a day going through all of the rest of the trash in that dump, poking the bags," Baynes said. Investigators identified the truck that carried Basil's body to the dump, but the lead went nowhere. "You're talking about 90 possible Dumpsters," Baynes said. As with most missing child cases, investigators turned their attention to the boys' parents. They seized duct tape and other evidence from Abdul'Faruq's home. But both parents were eventually cleared. "They've been very cooperative from the very beginning," Capocelli said. He declined to identify what, if any, additional evidence was collected in the murder investigation. DNA testing wasn't readily available at the time Basil's body was found and Jamal vanished. Now, he says, law enforcement has access to a DNA database that could prove helpful. "Our state lab has agreed to look at the duct tape that was found on [Basil]," Baynes said. "They're going to test it to see if they can find something they couldn't find when the boys went missing, anything that is separate from Basil's DNA." Investigators are hopeful the DNA tests will lead to answers. They also are eager for credible tips. "We got two tips saying Jamal was alive and he was living in Hinesville, Georgia," Baynes said. The

anonymous tips, received in June, came after the boys' story aired on "America's Most Wanted." The broadcast featured an age-enhanced photo showing what Jamal might look like at 26 years old. "Someone saw a person in Wal-Mart that looked like the enhanced photo they had seen on TV," said Maj. Thomas Cribbs of the Hinesville po-lice. Detectives reviewed the Wal-Mart surveillance tapes but were unable to substantiate the caller's identity. "There wasn't anyone we could connect with," Cribbs said. "We had nobody to go back and talk to, to ask them, 'Where did you see this person? What can you tell me?' " Capocelli believes that Jamal may still be alive. Baynes agrees. "I think there's a strong possibility that Jamal's alive, and I think we will find the person who's responsi-ble," Baynes said. Ellis holds out hope every day that her son will be found. "You hear of Jaycee Dugard," she said. referring to the California woman who was abducted at age 11 and found alive last year, 18 years later. "Anything is possible. I don't give up," she added. "I had my theory about why one [boy] was found ... that Basil was trying to protect him," Ellis said. "They were protective of each other." "Detective Baynes has been working countless days and nights," Capocelli said. "I can tell you from all my years of cold cases, this is never going to be one that sits on the shelf and gathers dust." When he disappeared, Jamal was 4 feet tall and weighed 47 pounds. He was wearing a black Batman T-shirt, jeans and white sneakers. If you have any infor-mation on this case please call The Richmond City Police Department (Virginia) - Missing Persons Unit 1-804-646-5100

Olisa Williams Olisa Williams was 1 year old when her father took her to an Ann Arbor park in 1982. He

said he fell asleep and awoke to find his daughter gone. The Ann Arbor Police Depart-ment never believed that version of the story. According to the police report, Denise Williams told her attorney, Molly Reno, that Isiah Williams entered her residence in Cincinnati in May 1982, knocked her down and took their baby. The report then inex-plicably notes that both Isiah and Denise Williams moved to Ann Arbor. In court, Isiah told a judge the last time he saw Olisa was in June 1982. He admitted he had been smoking marijuana and drinking alcohol while driving around with Olisa. Isiah said he parked his car at Island Park and fell asleep. He said he woke and discovered the car door open and Olisa gone. "We didn't believe him. We felt either he gave the ba-by to another family member to be raised or the child was deceased. I think that was the belief of most every-body." Isiah said in court that he didn't report the abduction to police because he thought his wife or one of her relatives had taken the child. Reno told police Isiah had called his wife on numerous occasions with different ver-sions of what happened. Among the stories: He lost the baby, killed the baby, she died at the hospital, and "the child was across the water."

Retired Ann Arbor Police Detective Mary Smith, who was involved in the case, said officers searched the Huron Riv-

er looking for Olisa. "We didn't believe him," Smith said recently. "We felt either he gave the baby to another fam-ily member to be raised or the child was deceased. I think that was the belief of most everybody." Isiah was brought before a judge for violating a restraining order and said he would only reveal what happened to Olisa if the case against him was dismissed. The judge refused and threatened to put Isiah in jail if he didn't cooperate. That's when Isiah told the story of falling asleep and waking with Olisa nowhere in sight. "The baby is missing, but there was no evidence (Isiah) was involved in the disappearance of the baby," Ann Arbor Police Lt. Mike Logghe said Tuesday. "He wasn't arrested because we couldn't prove he was not telling the truth." Nance said Denise Wil-liams called his agency in March 1985, making it one of the first cases for the National Center for Missing & Ex-ploited Children. The center didn't officially start until a year later. Denise Williams' last contact with the agency was in 1992, when a case worker called her to ask if there were any updates. Denise stopped responding to letters after that, and Nance said he hasn't been able to locate either parent since. The Ann Arbor News was also unable to locate Olisa's parents. Nance said the case will remain open until it's solved. If you have any information on this case please call The Ann Arbor Police Department (Michigan) 1-734-794-6911

P.E.A.S. 18. Magazine

From the late Steptoe 1950-1989 comes a characteristi-

cally warm slice-of-life tale that also serves up a lesson

or two about friendship and ethnic pride. When

Charles's teacher explains that Hector, the new boy, is

from Puerto Rico, Charles, an African American, is star-

tled: "How could that guy be from Puerto Rico? He was

the same color as me, and I'm not from Puerto Rico."

The teacher supplies a few answers to that question,

which becomes increasingly less important as Charles

and Hector strike up a friendship. There's not a great

deal to this plot: an excited Charles tells his parents his

plans for "teachin' [Hector] how to speak good English,"

and when Charles's mother laughs, Charles's father de-

clares that he is simply "bein' creative with his lan-

guage"; "creative," after a few explanations, becomes

the term Charles uses to cement his bond with Hector.

The characters here emerge bigger than the story, life-

like and immensely likable. Lewis Big Boy does them

justice by not romanticizing anyone: the kids in the

class, for example, pay attention to the teacher but

their faces show a recognizable reserve. Instead, the

artist relays the characters' affection through well-

chosen compositions, placing his figures in natural but

intimate relation to one another. All told, a book with

heart. Ages 6-10. In his twenty-year career, Mr. Step-

toe illustrated sixteen picture books, twelve of which he

also wrote. The American Library Association named

two of his books Caldecott Honor Books, a prestigious

award for children's book illustration: THE STORY OF

JUMPING MOUSE in 1985 and MUFARO'S BEAUTIFUL

DAUGHTERS in 1988. Mr. Steptoe twice received the

Coretta Scott King Award for Illustration, for MOTHER

CROCODILE (text by Rosa Guy) in 1982, and for

MUFARO'S BEAUTIFUL DAUGHTERS in 1988.

While all of Mr. Steptoe's work deals with aspects of the

African American experience, MUFARO'S BEAUTIFUL

DAUGHTERS was acknowledged by reviewers and crit-

ics as a breakthrough. Based on an African tale record-

ed in the 19th century, it required Mr. Steptoe for the

first time to research African history and culture, awak-

ening his pride in his African ancestry. Mr. Steptoe

hoped that his books would lead children, especially

African American children, to feel pride in their origins

and in who they are. "I am not an exception to the rule

among my race of people," he said, accepting the Bos-

ton Globe/Horn Book Award for Illustration, "I am the

rule. By that I mean there are a great many others like

me where I come from."

Mr. Steptoe frequently spoke to audiences of children

and adults about his work. He was the 1989 winner of

the Milner Award, voted by Atlanta schoolchildren for

their favorite author. John Steptoe died on August 28,

1989 at Saint Luke's Hospital in Manhattan, following a

long illness. He was 38 years old and lived in Brooklyn.

Mr. Steptoe was among the handful of African American

artists who have made a career in children's books.

P.E.A.S. 19. Magazine

P.E.A.S. 20. Magazine

Two socially aware community activists,

Dana Barfielde and Tiffany Robinson,

founded Gathered Dreamz, Inc, a nonprof-

it organization, in 2011 in Philadelphia, Pa.

Barfielde and Robinson were brought to-

gether by a common belief that many

youth, particularly foster children, in their

community lacked meaningful academic,

social and career guidance. Determined to

make a difference, Barfielde and Robinson

conducted several research studies pertain-

ing to the overall care of girls and young

women in foster care ages 6-21. It has been

proven time and time again that this popu-

lation has the difficulties that children in

the same age group don’t face. In particu-

lar, young women ages 15-21 need assis-

tance as they prepare to age out and age

out of foster care. Research has proven

that there is a gap in services for these

young women. With this information in

hand, Barfielde and Robinson decided it

was time to make a change; a change that

would impact the rest of these girls and

young women’s lives. With the backing of

other prominent youth–serving organiza-

tions in the city of Philadelphia, Gathered

Dreamz, Inc has become a valuable re-

source to the community. In addition,

Gathered Dreamz has forged strong part-

nerships with the local business communi-

ty, media, and the School District of Phila-

delphia.

Providing supportive services to girls and

young women ages 6-21 who are currently

in foster care system and those aging out

of foster care. The mission of Gathered

Dreamz, Inc is to empower girls and young

women in and aging out of foster care to

make positive life choices that enable

them to maximize their personal potential.

Gathered

Dreamz, Inc

envisions a

community

in which

every girl

and young

woman in

foster care

can experi-

ence nurtur-

ing one-to-

one relation-

ships and

community support, which in turn allows

each of them to develop into their full po-

tential, capable of making informed, re-

sponsible decisions as involved members

of our community. We are an organization

providing supportive services to girls and

young women ages 6-21 who are currently

in foster care system and those aging out

of foster care.

For more information/support please visit:

www.gathered-dreamz.org

Gathered Dreamz "We don't just reach for the stars, we grab them..."

P.E.A.S. 21. Magazine

Alexis Patterson

A high-profile cold case in

Milwaukee .... Alexis Patter-

son went missing May 3,

2002 at the age of 7 years old.

Her stepfather, LaRon Bour-

geois, told police that he and

Alexis walked the half-

block from their school to

Hi-Mount on W. Garfield

Ave. and that he last saw her

crossing the street toward the school. She never attended

classes that day and was seen by some classmates crying in

the playground. LaRon was questioned but never was con-

nected to her disappearance. Later LaRon Bourgeois failed

a Polygraph test on a unrelated case. An Anonymous caller

contacted a Milwaukee Radio Station August of 2002

claiming her remains could be found dumped in a Milwau-

kee River. Dive teams searched and nothing was found. At

the time of her disappearance Alexis was wearing a red

hooded jacket with gray stripes, a purple shirt, blue jeans, and

white Nike tennis shoes. She has a scar under her right eye

and bump on her left pinky finger. If you have in information

on this case please call Milwaukee Police Department

(Wisconsin) 1-414-935-7401

MISSING

Seeking Information On Missing Children

WILD RICE AND CHICKEN CASSEROLE (Use 9x13 pan)

1 package Uncle Ben’s original wild rice, cooked

2 cups cook and diced chicken ¾ - 1 cup may

1 can cream of celery soup 2 cans of green beans

(15 oz.) drained. Mix together all ingredients

Bake 350 1 hour

MONTHLY TREAT Pat Holmes

The Women Empowering Girls Network™

(WEGN) exists to increase the capacity of women to effectively impact the lives of the girls and young women they serve. WEGN provides quality and affordable training, coaching, strategies and resources that allow our members to LAUNCH and GROW their girl-specific business successfully.

Empowering Girls & Young Women

P.E.A.S. 22. Magazine

Our Goal Is To Educate Our Young Women To Succeed!!! Rashan Ali Smith

In 2006, local radio personality Rashan Ali Smith

founded Sporty Girls Inc. in Atlanta, Georgia to pro-

vide young minority girls the opportunity to partici-

pate in non traditional sports – those offered in metro

Atlanta public schools but not traditionally played by

minority girls. A life-long competitive swimmer and

recipient of a four-year swimming scholarship at Flori-

da A & M University, Rashan knew that one day she

would want that same opportunity for other girls like

her. Not only did she want young girls to swim, but

also learn to play, soccer, golf and tennis.

SGI seeks to serve young girls ages 8 to 18 through

two unique and dynamic initiatives: the Sporty Tract

to Scholarship and Get Girls Sporty. Our ultimate

goal is to expose as many girls as possible to golf,

soccer, swimming and tennis, to promote ongoing

physical activity and to equip them with the tools they

need to make healthy decisions.

Through Sporty Girls, Rashan has been afforded the

opportunity to introduce young minority girls to an

unconventional way to participate in non-traditional

sports. Since 2007, Sporty Girls, Inc. has served hun-

dreds of girls from the metro Atlanta area.

sportygirlsinc.org

Camp Elite Application Period Opens! Do you know a girl between the ages of 10 - 16 who is

involved in golf, soccer, swimming or tennis at the compet-

itive level? If you do, the Sporty Tract to Scholarship Initi-

ative may be the program for her! The Sporty Tract to

Scholarship Initiative includes the Camp Elite and Sporty

Saturday programs and is designed to develop and foster

lifestyle skills and build self-confidence among student ath-

letes. Athletes who are selected for the Sporty Tract to

Scholarship Initiative are invited to participate in the Camp

Elite weeklong summer sports camp and the Sporty Satur-

day Program which begins in the fall. The deadline to apply

is March 14, 2014. Please email us at:

sportygirlsinc.org@gmail.com if you have any questions or

concerns.

Sandra Powell Powell was last seen in her

hometown of South Bend, Indiana on March 11, 1987. Powell had been threatened after she testified during a murder trial in 1986. Po-lice are unsure whether her disap-pearance was related to the trial. She was last seen by a close friend, they went to either the YMCA or a health spa and somehow were separated. According to past police reports, Powell and her friend were in a bedroom the night before she went missing. Powell was on the phone with someone in the bedroom. The friend also told police Powell did not give any indica-tion of running Away. If you know anything about this case please call The South Bend Police Department (Indiana) - 1-574-235-9201

Seeking Information On Missing Children MISSING

P.E.A.S. 23. Magazine

To cultivate, enrich, and challenge young women to participate in golf, soc-

cer, swimming, and tennis while fostering and developing lifestyle skills.

P.E.A.S. 24. Magazine

Aleacia Stancil She was born premature and

addicted to drugs. By the time

she was 9 months old, she had

vanished. Unfortunately, when

most children are reported

missing, "Far and away the

statistics are much more grim.

The child has a finite lifetime from the point of abduction,

mere hours." according to Officer Will Andersen. The po-

lice report shows Aleacia Stancil was only 9 months old

when her mother, Toni, says she left her with a friend

named Dee. At the time, Toni was spiraling out of con-

trol. After she got out of the Air Force, she was arrested

for drugs and prostitution. The last time Toni saw her

daughter was in December 1994 near 12th Avenue and

Van Buren Street. If you have any information on this

case please call The Phoenix Police Department (Arizona)

1-602-262-6151

“Jack and the Sly Fox,” helps young readers understand the value of developing their

natural gifts and talents, and teaches them how to use those hidden treasures to

“Attract” success and abundance. The book introduces them to seven special gifts that

await their discovery, the Gift of Awareness, Imagination, Creation, Uniqueness, Vi-

sion, Voice, and Love.

Through this mystical tale,

young people learn, chas-

ing money is not the way

to attain riches, but the development of their

natural gifts and talents is the road to wealth

and abundance. In the end, this valuable re-

source is designed to help children shift the

paradigm from the external pursuit of wealth,

to the internal development of “Self” a requi-

site for success, in all aspects of life. Au-

thor, Wes Hall is available for readings, book

signings, and assemblies. For many young people this will be their first time meeting an African American

male author, and for as many, it will be their first autographed book. Bring Mr. Hall to your campus, you

will be happy you did. For a copy of Jack and the Sly Fox , also tune in weekly radio show: Latalkradio

With Wes Hall

MISSING

Helping young readers develop natural gifts and talents

Seeking Information On Missing Children

P.E.A.S. 25. Magazine

Kynande Bennett

4-year-old Kynande's was last saw at a

K-Mart store at 5:00pm on September

29, 2002 in Whiteville, North Carolina.

Tasha and Kynande lived in Conway,

South Carolina, but were in Whiteville

visiting Kynande's uncle that day. At

first, Tasha claimed her daughter disap-

peared in one of the aisles at the store,

but later changed her story, saying she

walked into the store and thought Ky-

nande was behind her, but when she

turned around, Kynande was gone. No

one remembered seeing Kynande in K-

Mart that day and video surveillance

images of K-Mart don't show any imag-

es of Kynande either.

Police claimed that Tasha and Kynan-

de's father, Eddie Kevin Bennett Jr.

were being uncooperative in the investi-

gation of their daughter's disappear-

ance and that there were inconsisten-

cies in their stories. On the day of Ky-

nande's disappearance, her grandma

told the Conway Police Department that

she suspected Kynande was being

abused, but her parents deny the alle-

gations. Kevin has denied claims he

refused to help out in the investigation,

but admitted he refused to take a poly-

graph. Tasha took a polygraph, but

failed it and Kevin claims the police are

biased against them because of their

race. Kynande's parents were consid-

ered suspects in her disappearance.

Police got a search warrant on Kynan-

de's house & her family's vehicles. They

took blood and saliva samples from

both Tasha and Kevin. The police claim

the house had been santized with

bleach, but found transfer stains that

matched Kynande's DNA. Kevin and

Tasha

were

arrested

in Feb-

ruary of

2003,

charged

with

homi-

cide by

child abuse in connection of their

daughter's case. Investigators have

DNA evidence that proves Kynande died

in Conway and never went to Whiteville

on September 29, 2002. The charges

against Kevin were dropped in October

2005 due to lack of evidence, but addi-

tional charges of unlawful neglect of a

child and inflicting great bodily harm on

a child were added to Tasha's indict-

ment in December of 2005.

Tasha maintains her innocence and

testified in her own defense, claiming

she never hurt her daughter. Prosecu-

tors believe that Tasha abused Kynande

and caused her daughter's death unin-

tentionally, then she panicked after-

wards and attempted to cover up the

crime. Tasha was sentenced to 20 years

in prison in February of 2006. Kynande

still remains missing. Foul play is con-

sidered in Kynande's case due to the

circumstances involved.

Kynande has pierced ears and a birth-

mark on her right arm. When Kynande

was last seen, she had braids in her

hair and was wearing a grey "FUBU"

shirt and blue jeans. If anyone has in-

formation on this case please call The

Conway Police Department (South Caro-

lina) 1-843-248-1790

MISSING

Seeking Information On Missing Children

•The abduction is

of a child age 17 years or younger

•The parent must

have contacted

law enforcement

to report child

missing.

•A RILYA Alert

may also be issued if the child is classified as

a runaway by the police. If the parent has

reported missing child and has convincing

evidence that child does not have a history of

running away, an alert will be initiated within

the 1st hour. We recognize that at times, not

all information is readily available (ie. license

plate numbers, name of abductor, or witness

to abduction. In such cases, the available

information will be reviewed and verified pri-

or to RILYA Alert. •The law-enforcement agency believes the

child is in imminent danger of serious bodily

injury or death. •All children of color meeting the criteria for

the Amber Alert will also receive the RILYA

Alert If these criteria are met, alert infor-

mation is assembled for public distribution.

This information may include descriptions

and pictures of the missing child, the sus-

pected abductor, and a suspected vehicle

along with any other information available

and valuable to identifying the child and sus-

pect. *The staff at Peas In Their Pods respectfully

requests that once a child is found that any

organization posting information remove

their pictures from their sites.

Rilya Alert Criteria

P.E.A.S. 26. Magazine

Peas In Their Pods

children are our first priority www.peasintheirpods.com