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Fire Relief How to help local Inland Empire families For most of us, memories of the wildfires of October 2003 will include smoke-clouded skies, the snowfall of ash that dusted our cars and lawns, and the inconvenience of road closures. For some of our neighbors, though, the memories will be more painful, the losses more devastating and, in many cases, irreplaceable. The Grand Prix Fire and the Old Fire in San Bernardino County, and the Mountain Fire in Riverside County swept over and blackened nearly 200,000 acres of land. These fires also destroyed, according to figures released in early November, 1,147 homes. Some, 1,100 Inland Empire families were left with nothing but their lives and whatever possessions they were able to load into their vehicles when the order came to evacuate the area. Evacuate the area and abandon to the whims of the relentless flames the dwelling that was as much a part of the family as the parents, kids and pets who always found warmth and comfort within its walls. Donated goods for these families began pouring in almost immediately. Local charities and relief agencies have said that volunteers and donated goods are in ample supply, but they are encouraging anyone wanting to help to make monetary contributions to the charity of their choice to help maintain the efforts that are being targeted towards these displaced families. The American Red Cross, the United Way, and Catholic Charities USA, working through the Diocese of San Bernardino, are some of the many agencies making specific efforts for local fire victims. A more complete listing, along with contact information, can be found at the San Bernardino County website, www.co.san-bernardino.ca.us. The Red Cross can be contacted at 1.800.HELP-NOW (435.7669) or www.redcross.org. Local United Ways have established a Fire Relief Fund in cooperation with the Press-Enterprise. Contributions may be sent to The Community Foundation, Fire Relief Fund, 3800 Lemon Street, #300, Riverside, CA 92501. Information about Catholic Charities USA is available at 1.800.919.9338, or by visiting www.catholiccharitiesusa.org. By Michael Medley pledge at risk Readers asked to respond to Pledge of Allegiance Inland Empire Family Magazine is asking its readers to respond online regarding their feelings about whether or not the Pledge of Allegiance is unconstitutional. We will run some of those responses in our January and, if need be, February issues. Here is some explanation: The Supreme Court a few weeks ago agreed to hear the case next year about whether the phrase "one nation under God" will remain a part of the oath that has long been a staple of public schools. Opponents say changing any words is tantamount to amending the Gettysburg Address, or the Declaration of Independence, or the "In God We Trust" that is emblazoned on coins because of a phrase that offends some Americans. Proponents of the change argue that the phrase creates a religious forum within a public setting, which violates the principle of separation of church and state. A California atheist, who objected to his 9-year-old daughter having to hear the Pledge of Allegiance, filed suit. It has worked its way through the court system. An online report from AOL notes that some 9.6 million schoolchildren recite the pledge daily in the western states alone. The Supreme Court has already ruled that the oath cannot be mandatory. The court has banned school-sponsored prayer from classrooms. n For comment on this issue, please write, with name, city of residence and contact phone number (we do not publish phone numbers) to our website, and hit the Feedback button: inlandempirefamily.com. homework lite Study says one thing, our research another Students are doing less homework, not more, says a new study by the Brown Center on Education Policy at The Brookings Institution, a Washington, D.C. think tank. But an informal survey of more than a dozen of parents by Inland Empire Family Magazine shows that this simply is not true. At least not in the household where the goal is a four-year college and a well-paying job. The weakness of The Brookings' study is that, in tracking all students, it includes those who bring down the average for several reasons: They are poor students, they have no college aspirations or future goals, they have little parental oversight, or in fact they are doing significant amounts of homework but doing so in small bites each night. They also might not be counting homework done at school, such as in a homework club. "It's a hard thing to measure," says one of our parents with three children ages 11-15. The Brookings' study notes that most students ages 9, 13 and 17 have less than an hour of homework a night. Research was gleaned from data from the U.S. Education Department and research by UCLA and University of Michigan, among others. Our own survey of some 20 students ages 9-17 showed that only the very youngest had less than an hour's homework each night along with one senior in high school who has completed most of his requirements. Most were in the 90-minute to two-hour range. While school districts vary in what is required, according to Peter Gorman, superintendent of Tustin Unified: "We have eight principles for developing a homework plan (such as meaningful assignments, reflecting the curriculum). I've never had an issue where someone specifically said that there's not enough, though sometimes I have had the opposite where they say it is too much." In the Inland Empire, for example, test scores tend to be higher than the national mean. And even at schools where they are not, most parents carefully oversee their children because college is the family goal. According to Brookings, the share of students assigned more than an hour of homework has dropped for all three age groups since 1984. Additionally, only about 10 percent of high school students do a substantial amount of homework, meaning more than two hours a night, according to a separate study by the RAND Corp. Most Orange County school districts now advise parents about the amount of homework their students should expect to shoulder each weeknight. The workload typically increases with fourth-graders and begins to crescendo in middle school. The Brookings' study was released, among other places, on AOL. FAMILY NEWS BITES GOVERNOR HONORS SLAIN SOLDIER State Capitol flags flew at half-staff Oct. 20 in honor of San Bernardino resident Cpl. Sean R. Grilley, 24. Stationed in Iraq, he was killed in Karbala on Oct. 16. Grilley was assigned to the 716th Military Police Battalion, Airborne Division (Air Assault). He and other soldiers were negotiating with a group near a Mosque following curfew when the soldiers were fired upon. "...As we grieve his passing, we find solace in the knowledge that he died for the noblest of causes - the liberation of a nation," noted Gov. Gray Davis. "As Californians, and as Americans, we are eternally grateful for his sacrifice." CANCER DETECTION GUIDELINES The American Cancer Society has issued new guidelines for the early detection of breast cancer. They are: • Annual mammograms for women starting at about age 40 and continuing for as long as a woman is in good health. • Clinical breast exams (CBE) should be part of a periodic health exam, about every three years for women in their 20s and 30s and every year for women 40 and over. • Women should report any breast change promptly to their health care providers. Breast self-exam (BSE) is an option for women in their 20s. • Women at increased risk (e.g., family history, genetic tendency, past breast cancer) should talk with their doctors about the benefits and limitations of starting mammography screening earlier, having additional tests (e.g., breast ultrasound or MRI), or having more frequent exams. "These new guidelines will enable improved discussions between women and their health care providers, helping them make more informed decisions about early detection and testing," said Terry Lynn, M.S.W., a breast cancer survivor, and chairwoman of the Society's Inland Empire Community Council. DIRECTOR FOR SUBURBAN STUDIES CENTER A noted air quality expert, James M. Lents, has been named president and director of the Edward J. Blakely Center for Sustainable Development, a think tank at UC Riverside on issues such as traffic, urban planning, and air quality. "This kind of hands-on leader is exactly what the center needs to start making a difference in the policies of the Inland region of Southern California," said UCR Executive Vice Chancellor William Jury. Lents, who spent 12 years as the executive officer of the South Coast Air Quality Management District, is looking forward to the challenge of establishing an international-quality research institution. "The issues of suburbanization resonate around the world these days and we will be at the center of those issues," Lents said. "We plan to be a research institution deeply involved in local issues, able to bring developers, planners, political leaders and environmental groups to the table to foster better planning decisions for this region." HOPE FOR CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS Treating children with the most severe social, emotional, and behavioral problems is the work of the National Center for Students with Social, Emotional and Behavioral Needs. UC Riverside researchers will begin working with parents and teachers of select students in the San Bernardino City Unified School District as part of that effort. A $3.5 million, five-year award from the U.S. Department of Education has enabled UC Riverside and Lehigh University to develop Project REACH. Project REACH, which also works with several school districts in Pennsylvania, is co-led by Frank Gresham at the Graduate School of Education at UC Riverside, and Lee Kern, associate professor of special education at Lehigh University. The project will follow 125 students, ranging in grades from kindergarten through ninth, for four years to identify effective strategies for improving their long-term quality of life. "We don't really know a heck of a lot about how kids respond to interventions over the long term," says Gresham. "In the short term, we hope to see some increase in academic achievement by these children, an increase in social skills and peer relations, and an increase in standardized testing." FITNESS PROGRAM FOR NEW MOMS San Diego-based Stroller Strides, a fitness program for new mothers that incorporates stroller and baby, has begun offering classes in three locations in the Temecula area. The outdoor classes are being held at Creekside Park in Canyon Hills, Paloma Del Sol Neighborhood in Temecula, and California Oaks Sports Park in Murrieta. "The psychological benefits of working out and socializing with other new moms are tremendous," says Michelle Sapp, certified fitness instructor. "Being a new mother can be an isolating experience. Our workout program allows new mothers to exercise and build an important support network among other new moms, while spending time with their child." Instructors weave songs and activities into the routine to entertain and occupy baby, while mom is led through a 50-minute workout. Details about Stroller Strides, class schedules, and directions to class locations are available at www.strollerstrides.com. Contact: Michelle Sapp, 800.285.0399. - Reported and compiled by Inland Empire Family Magazine staff |
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