Charter School Overcomes Adversity to Celebrate 10 Year Anniversary

[Roger Madison]

PLEASE NOTE: The press release below has been sent to the national media, and to the Black press. For members of this group, I would like to start a discussion about how we can create a model for success that can develop into the implementation of the African Centered Education pedagogy in a network of African Centered schools all over the country. We have already approached the Obama Education Secretary (Arne Duncan) and invited him to visit the Joseph Littles-NGUZO SABA Charter School in February during Black History Month. It would be good if this group could become the catalyst for raising awareness and support for African Centered Schools all over the country. I am interested in your feedback and your support of Joseph Littles-NGUZO SABA Charter School -- as our poster school -- for this movement.

We need to demonstrate that we are prepared to support the model, then we can extend our appeal to a larger audience of "conscious borthers and sisters" as well as the Black community at large.

West Palm Beach, FL (iZania.com) -- Holding classes on school buses, in public libraries, parks, and make-shift trailers are distant memories for the staff and supporters of the Joseph Littles-NGUZO SABA Charter School, but their struggle for continuing success isn't over. After seeing their children labeled learning disabled, these parents from the poorest community in Palm Beach County finally found someone who believed in their children, and they were not about to let go. They viewed learning by school bus, and moving from place to place a mere inconvenience. The curriculum includes year-long studies that include Black history, not just the profiles that appear during Black History Month.

The Joseph Littles-Nguzo Saba Charter School, in West Palm Beach Florida, is helping children in grades K through 8 reach new heights from the bottom rung of the educational ladder. The children that populate this school are those whom the Public Schools System has labeled as unable to learn, and allegedly didn't want to teach. Negative labeling and low expectations led to frustrated parents. They have turned to the Joseph Littles-Nguzo Saba Charter School to provide a better future for their children.


This school is the outgrowth of the vision of Amefika Geuka, its founder, first Head Master, and currently, Chairman of the Board of Directors. Grounded in African Centered Education based on the Nguzo Saba Principles, strong community values, and an unwavering belief in the potential of the children and families served, this school has survived against tremendous odds to be poised to celebrate their 10th Anniversary on January 20, 2009, the date on which this country will inaugurate its first President of African ancestry! Geuka observes, "Any time a Black person gains an achievement as significant as election to President of the USA, this cannot help but improve the self-perception of Black children, and especially those whom we serve."


"The most African Centered thing that we can do is to be excellent every day," says Dr. P. Kamara Collins, Ph.D., former Assistant Headmaster and now a resident of Atlanta, Georgia.


The school is making progress with technology and other learning activities, but there is a shortage of funds to provide for extracurricular activities, such as sports and cultural arts, that currently prevents the children from achieving a holistic educational experience. The educators are striving for an "A" rating for the school. "I would like to see beyond this "Nguzo Saba School," and see this concept become the model. I hope to see Nguzo Sabas all over the country," says Jenice Reddick, former Social Studies Teacher at JL-NSCS who now resides in Philadelphia.


The school is launching a nationwide fundraising effort to support their goal of becoming a role model of African Centered Education, and the success of charter schools to meet the needs of the most needy students and families that have been failed by the Public School System. For more information about their success and challenges, contact Amefika Geuka at [e-mail]. Phone Number .


http://www.izania.com/support-african-centered-education/

DONATE NOW!
If contributing by check, your tax deductible contribution should be mailed to:
Joseph Littles-Nguzo Saba Charter School
5829 Corporate Way, West Palm Beach, Fl. 33407
ATTN: Amefika Geuka

[Carol Taylor]

CONGRATULATIONS on recognizing the special requirements when it comes to educating Black African children for their unique survival in unique social situations in this hostile-to-color country! May I suggest that you incorporate the Survival Curricula of Attorney-at-War Brother Alton H. Maddox, Jr.'s Annual Away Summer Camps for Boys and Girls in New York State?

Alton's telephone number is [phone] and you may inform him that I've suggested the above! His email: [e-mail]

I also suggest that you get my THE LITTLE BLACK BOOK: Black Male Survival in America: Staying Alive & Well in an Institutionallly RACIST Society $2.41ea; Money Orders only to me: Carol Taylor, 590 Flatbush Avenue, Ste.11A BK NY 11225-4935.
We Black Africans in the Diaspora especially must recognize and acknowledge that the 'color sickness' reigns and so adequate survival methods must be always in place as we work towards eradicating the mental illness which is colorism! (Have all of your contacts log on to www.Discussrace.com and www.racismtest.org for assistance on this vital front).
Your Sister-in-THE-Struggle,
Carol Taylor R.N.
First Black U.S.A. Flight Attendant

[Roger Madison]

Carol,
Thanks for your recommendations. The board, leaders and staff at Joseph Littles Nguzo Saba Charter School are constantly seeking to collaborate with like-minded sojourners in the struggle. Our effort here is to establish a model of collaboration within our community. If we can strengthen one school, we can strengthen others. The foundation for our efforts is a proven African-Centered pedogogy.
The references you identified are among many that we expose the students to as we prepare them for the future. At this stage of our initiative, the response we are asking for is a contribution -- however small or large.

You should be aware of the rest of our plan. The next stage is to form a "network of African-Centered Schools" and share our resources and knowledge to achieve efficient implementation of a system of educating our children that produces consistent results across a wide spectrum of communities. There is sufficient evidence of positive outcomes that we can embrace this pedogogy and have a widespread impact that we have ownership of. I recommend that you read "AFRICAN-CENTERED EDUCATION -- Its value, importance, and necessity in the development of Black Children." It is written by Haki Madhubuti and Safisha Madhubuti, PhD. and available at Amazon.com

The final stage of our efforts will be a nationwide Association of African Centered Schools, an organization for enabling all members of the association to deliver a quality African-Centered education to Black children. One approach is the charter school system. There are other models that will beincluded in the association. The imperative is to demonstrate that WE CAN!

Your support will help. Thanks for whatever you are able to do.

Roger Madison

[Mickel Hendrix aka Nat Turner]

hetep,

the issue hasn't been whether or not we need afrikan-centered schools, because it doesn't take a genius (or maybe it does for some of of us) to figure out that eurocentric institutions are meant to serve but one purpose. and that purpose is predicated on white preservation, which means that non-caucasian peoples and their cultures are to be under constant attack and annihilation anywhere eurocentrism rears its psychopathic head. rather the issue has been that once we establish them, while knowing that we'll be in the line of fire of the enemy state, what are we going to teach our younglings?

are we to make compromises with the enemy state, in exchange for being recognized by its propagators, since it was mentioned that obama's education chief was invited to visit the school? surely, we can't expect the enemy state to give us a free and easy ride of it, just because some negro has been selected as president by the powers-that-be as opposed to being elected by the dumbed-down and enslaved masses of the united snakes. and at the end of the day what it'll all boil down to is land, which, as malcolm x once said in so many words, is the basis to freedom.

as far as raising money, has anyone ever thought about contacting or tried to contact all the wealthy negroes who always talking trash about how important education is when they give speeches at schools, especially predominantly black schools, whether elementary, middle, high school or black collegiate? and if so, what was the response? i can only wonder. the reason why i raised the question will and should expose the fraud of those who have been made public black icons for afrikans-n-amerikkka to emulate, as opposed to those of us who are willing to go the distance for the sake of our children. in a nut shell, we should take no shit from anyone, whether from the enemy state or their token negroes. we must be as stuanch as possible, when it comes to the cirriculum that's fomented to teach our children because white supremacy has a holds-barred policy.

uhuru!

[Roger Madison]

Mickel,
You ask some important questions:
1. The issue has been that once we establish them, while knowing that we'll be in the line of fire of the enemy state, what are we going to teach our younglings? -- Our initiative is intended to address that question directly through sharing "best practices" in African-Centered education pedagogy. There is a fairly well-developed body of knowledge that includes methods, curricula, references, and practical outcomes that informs our succes. A key ingredient that is deficient is greater financial support from the community that demonstrates the will to provide our children with an education based in our culture.

2. Are we to make compromises with the enemy state, in exchange for being recognized by its propagators, since it was mentioned that obama's education chief was invited to visit the school? -- No. Our initiative is not a compromise, but a demand. Our tax dollars fund the government of this country just as others. Obama has committd to double the spending on charter schools. We are demanding our share of that investment -- which is really a demand to return more to our communities than we have actually paid in taxes. Rather than wait for this money to trickle through the system, we are taking the initiative to fund the first steps ourselves -- with your support and that of others who are committed to saving OUR children.

3. As far as raising money, has anyone ever thought about contacting or tried to contact all the wealthy negroes who always talking trash about how important education is when they give speeches at schools, especially predominantly black schools, whether elementary, middle, high school or black collegiate? and if so, what was the response? -- Yes. We have approached successful Black achievers, and we have a plan to approach others. The initial response has been a contribution from all that we have asked. We have chosen not to make this a "glamor parade" for show. We are making our case, just as anyone raising funds would do when aproaching an investor. The invesor wants to know what the retun is going to be, and what the future plans are for the money. When we have explained the plan outlined above, the answer has been YES! Others will follow.

Finally, we have to develop a culture of sustained support, based on quality and performance. All of us bear the emotional scars of our history of oppression. There is sufficent evidence in our history since emancipation to validate that we make progress when we unify around a clear plan of action. This is an initiative that seeks to demonstrate that we can execute just such a plan. The time for rhetoric is past. Our children are exposed to accelerating decline in educational performance. Haki Madhubuti makes this observation about our initiative to establish an African-Centered education model:
"All education must lead to deep understanding and mastery. The crucual question is, deep understanding and mastery of what? One must be anchored in one's self, people, history, i.e. culture, before one can truly be a whole participant in world culture or multi-culturalism. . . African-centered cultural studies must lead, encourage, and direct African American students into the technologies of the future. This is where new statements about power, control, and wealth are being made in the world today."

So, the simple question is, "Will you help with this initiative?" If not, help with another. The only unacceptable answer is to do nothing.

Make a contribution today at http://www.izania.com/support-african-centered-education/

Roger Madison

[Marcia]

Dear Torchlight Academy Supporters

In just 9 days, the N C State Board of Education will decide the fate of over 1,000 at risk students who attend Torchlight and PreEminent Charter schools. If they vote to close these schools, only one charter school that services 100% minority student population will be left in Wake County; and they are only allowed to serve a maximum of one hundred students each year.

Please email the electronic petition to others and/or please print and ask others to sign the attached paper petition.

We really need your help.

Please click on the link below or copy and paste it into your address bar and help save Torchlight Academy.
Remember you must return to your email account and click the verification link to be counted. This may show up in your junk mail.

You can fax the paper petition to us at 919 - 850 - 9961 FAX or scan and email us at this address.

http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/savethelight


Thank you for your help.

Don McQueen
Executive Director

You can fax the paper petition to us at 919 - 850 - 9961 FAX or scan and email us at this address.