Hattiloo Theatre

Mr. Bandele was such an engaging speaker! I had so much fun listening to him talk about the history of Hattiloo Theatre and its mission! Because Memphis has such a high African American population, there are many programs designed for the benefit of the Black community. What I found to be so great about Hattiloo is that though it focuses on the works of African American playwrights, it targets the entire community as opposed to just the African American population. Also, I was happy to hear that members of the Hutchison community were particpating in shows at Hattiloo! He was a great speaker, and I cannot wait to see a show at Hattiloo!

Schools that Change

The documentary Schools that Change was extremely enlightening. I had no idea of all the alternative learning methods that schools use. The was students incorporated their community into their lessons way inspiring, and it was great to see how much progress each school has made since they started their progressive initiatives. My favorite part of the trip was listening to Memphis educators discuss the issues they face and how they struggle to make progressive changes in their schools. It was a little upsetting to hear how difficult it is for teachers to resolve the issues they identify in their schools because they do not have the power or control to influence those kinds of decisions. However, seeing Memphis educators actively concerned about their schools and students was exciting and reassuring! It was a fun visit!

Opportunity Lost

I found the article to be very upsetting. The fact that children of the age of five can't recognize letters is astonishing to me. I knew that education was a big issue in Memphis, but it was shocking to see how low we ranked nationally. It was very interesting to learn that pre-school and early education have such a profound effect on students. Reading that Gov. Phil Bredesen say that early education is his highest priority is very reassuring to me! Overall, I found the article to be very informative.

After Agape tour

It was really interesting to see how AGAPE performed its mission throughout Memphis during the bus tour that Roger Scholars went on this past Wednesday. It was great to see how Rogers was helping mothers and families learn to be self-sufficient by enforcing rules to ensure that AGAPE was actually helping the women and children that were being housed in the apartments and by following policies such as only allowing women to reside in a unit for 6 - 12 months, so that AGAPE can help other women in need. The story we were told at the AGAPE after school location was inspiring and showed how the program was truly making a difference in children's lives. Overall, the trip was great, and I am now signed up as volunteer for AGAPE!

Agape Means Love

I am extremely eager to tour Agape and see its impact on the community! Agape's dedication to providing every child with a "stable, loving, and permanent home" is inspiring, and I am excited to see how Agape helps children in need in a city such as Memphis, where it is rare to find a child with 2 parents and where most children have unstable and unhealthy home situations. Agape's mission to be a Christian based ministry that provide children and families with healthy homes is heartening, and I am interested to see how Agape incorporates Christian values when helping the lives of children and families. I am so happy to know of Agape's commitment to re-instilling the value of the family unit which many Memphians have lost. After viewing the website, I am anxious to see all that Agape does and see some of the children whose lives have been changed through Agape! I expect to see dedicated volunteers who devote themselves to Agape and its mission. I also expect to see children who are happy and grateful!