Category: YOUTH & EDUCATION

Pictured Above: Summer Shaw and Annie Griffith are advisory board members for the SAVE Promise Club at Lakeview Fundamental Elementary.

Courtesy of Kari Altman-Wood

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By Catherine Hicks

For two students at Lakeview Fundamental Elementary, spreading the message of kindness and nonviolence is an important passion. 

Annie Griffith and Summer Shaw are members of the SAVE (Students Against Violence Everywhere) Club at Lakeview Fundamental Elementary, one of 10 pinellas district schools to be selected for an award “recognizing their anti-violence efforts.”

Of more than 3,000 schools nationwide with a SAVE Club, only 41 were selected to receive the award. Of the 41, 10 of the selected clubs are in Pinellas County.

SAVE is the student leadership initiative of Sandy Hook Promise, an organization that “trains students and adults to know the signs of gun violence so that no parent experiences the tragic, preventable loss of their child.” 

Sandy Hook Promise was founded and led by several family members who lost loved ones in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting on Dec. 14, 2012. The nonprofit organization “aims to empower student leaders to take an active role in increasing school safety and preventing different forms of violence in schools and communities.”

According to an announcement by the Pinellas County Schools, the award also provides a stipend of $500 to each club, to be spent on “taking an active role in increasing school safety and preventing different forms of violence in schools and communities.”

“At the level of elementary, we don’t really focus too much on the nonviolence as we don’t have much violence here,” said Kari Altman-Wood, who is a SAVE Club advisor. “It’s more on kindness and inclusion, making sure that everybody is feeling accepted and understood.” 

Ten-year old Griffith and 11-year old Shaw both serve on the advisory board to the club and are passionate about sharing this message of kindness and inclusion within their school.

“I love spreading the message of kindness,” said Griffith. “I would do anything to get that message through our school.”

Shaw also likes being kind to others. “Sometimes that doesn’t happen and I want to make sure everybody does all the time,” Shaw said. 

For their award project, the club promoted themed weeks throughout the year, each focused on teaching a different lesson related to being kind and accepting of others. 

One of the themes was “Start with Hello,” where students were encouraged to reach out and help others by starting with “a ‘Hello’ to students that are by themselves,” Altman-Wood said. “Then there was the ‘Random Acts of Kindness’ week, which was doing acts of kindness for others, maybe compliments or saying ‘hi’ to people. We also did themed dress up days and activities.”

Other themed weeks included the “No Name Calling” week, during which students were encouraged not to call each other names and rather uplift each other. In the “Say Something” week, students were being emphasised the importance of going to a trusted adult in times of need, or to voice something that has happened with them or another student. 

As a part of the “Say Something” week, students were taught three steps they can do  when they or someone else needs help, as well as the difference between reporting and tattling.

During club meetings, members completed kindness activities that were focused outside of the school, such as Thanksgiving cards for nursing home patients. 

As advisory board members, Griffith and Shaw contributed to coming up with ideas as well as the execution of the weekly themed decorations.

“We make posters that go around the school, like in the cafeteria and hallways,”Shaw said. “We do this thing where if you’re kind, then you get a wristband or card and we pass it along to make sure everyone’s being kind.”

Besides the posters, the club members also go on to the morning announcements and decorate around the school. “For our ‘Stand Against Violence’ week, we decorated the hallways with red ribbons, and for ‘Safety Week’ we decorated the golf cart of our school safety officer,” Griffith said. 

Griffith and Shaw both reflected fondly on their time in the SAVE Club, which was formed at the beginning of the 2020-21 school year.

“When we were painting signs last week, we got to do this big poster. It was really fun, because we got all different colors of paint and put lots of different messages on it,” Shaw said.

In addition to creating posters, the students were also involved in contests for decorating.

“We had a school-wide door decorating contest for Christmas and we all had ideas, and every day we were all coming to Miss Wood with a different idea or vision. It was really fun,” said Griffith. “We didn’t win first place, but my class won second place.”

The SAVE Club advisor, Altman-Wood, has worked in Pinellas County Schools for 11 years, nine of which have been at Lakeview Elementary. Altman-Wood is fulfilled by her work in the SAVE Promise club, as the message resonates with her own passions.

“I am very passionate about promoting kindness,” Altman-Wood said. “I have probably 67 shirts that promote different forms of kindness, in inspirational messages and things like that. I’m passionate about that, working with kids, and getting them to promote this message of kindness as well. I would love to see this message of nonviolence and acceptance to spread throughout the students.”

The Sandy Hook Promise, the organization that provided the awards, invited 10 schools to showcase and share their project experiences and activities via a virtual National Youth Summit on April 17. 

According to Altman-Wood, students in the club and their parents were invited to attend the event For their presentation, the SAVE Club sent to the event organizers photographs of their club meetings along with  decorations.

The SAVE Promise Club has chapters in 49 states across and 153,000 members across the country. They report that they have 247 confirmed lives saved, more than 60,000 anonymously reported tips The SAVE Promise Club has also enacted the passage of the STOP School Violence Act of 2019.

By Brianna Brosch

As today’s society faces divisiveness and tragedy through recent mass shootings, riots and social tensions, it is encouraging to see people dedicated to our youth and their future. Carla Bristol is one such noteworthy example in St. Petersburg.

Today’s youth can benefit from having someone they can look up to as a positive role model. In addition to her daily roles running the St. Pete Youth Farm and her art gallery, Gallerie 909, Bristol is tirelessly creating constructive opportunities for the youth in the community. 

With all that Bristol has accomplished and the services she provides, it is easy to understand how her favorite saying defines her work ethic, “It don’t take all day to do nothin’.”

“My children were born here and are raised here so I must give to help future generations here in this community,” Bristol said. “All of my work is for future generations.” 

What distinguishes Bristol is her high energy and expansive influence in a variety of areas in advocacy. She is an activist for Midtown, youth and art, in addition to her work with community gardens to combat the food insecurities of her neighborhood. 

“I love what I am doing with my life. I feel that my work with this community is leaving a footprint and, now with our youth, a blueprint,” Bristol said. “Each young person will take something with them that they have learned through their time with me and that’s special.”

In a recent trip to Tallahassee, Bristol and several participants from the farm petitioned legislators for funding to assist in their agricultural work. Bristol hopes that by putting faces to the name of her organization, they will be more likely to help by allocating additional resources. 

The group with Bristol made an inspiring presentation in the Senate Agriculture Committee representing the St. Pete Youth Farm. 

“The goal of the Tallahassee trip was to provide exposure for our youth and our program,” Bristol said. “I wanted everyone to see what I see daily, we have amazing young people living right here in South St. Pete. They are doing amazing work in the community throughout the program.”

Part of this work she is referring to is a project located at 1664 12th St. South. This is intended to be the site of a hydroponic farm. 

“We are still trying to find creative ways to get a structure that will house a hydroponic system,” Bristol said. “There are many hurdles with permitting, and we’re trying to work within our budget and the needs of the City to make it happen. We have engaged an architect to ask for some direction and may soon have a solution.”

The COVID-19 pandemic has magnified the importance of this work. Bristol points out that with the increase of poverty that has occurred, teaching youth about sustainable agriculture is “helping to be a part of the solution.”

These efforts are instrumental in combating a lack of grocery stores in an area of Pinellas County, known as a “food desert.” Although there is not a shortage of produce, there is a lack of convenience and access to stores where produce is sold. 

The youth Bristol works with in the program are local to St. Petersburg, specifically residing in the dedicated Community Redevelopment Areas (CRA) and must be of high school age. Bristol credits several vital partnerships to the farm’s ongoing successes, including, City of St. Petersburg, Foundation for A Healthy St. Pete, Pinellas County Schools, Pinellas Education Foundation and a host of others.

Bristol is quoted in the Gulfport Gabber referring to the youth she volunteers with as her “young angels.” This characterization reflects the love and admiration of the youth she labors with to make their community a better place to live.

Bristol expresses it well in a Facebook post when she says, “It’s so exciting when relationships come full circle. All of the arts and culture is centered around food!” Bristol is effective at combining her many circles of advocacy into one unifying circle of activity and influence.

In addition to working with youth to address the community’s food insufficiency, Bristol also owns and operates an art gallery, Gallerie 909. She opened this gallery in 2014. It specializes in African, Black and Caribbean art. 

Located at 559 49th St. South, her gallery provides opportunity and space for developing artists to showcase their work. Bristol’s own line of textile art is marketed under the name “Jamii,” which means “community” in Swahili, a fitting emphasis given her devotion to her community. 

“The gallery was about providing for a portion of the community what was already being made available to other parts of our town without consideration for equity,” Bristol said.

Further inspiration struck when Bristol founded the Black Arts and Film Festival in St. Petersburg, another example of showcasing art by people of color. This and other events help define her as a pillar and an inspiring figure in the community.

Accrediting her parents as her heroes, Bristol shares, “My mom always says we moved to this country with four kids and five suitcases. My dad is a man of very few words but what he has to say will always cause you to think.” Mentioning her aunts and uncles she adds, “[They] have always instilled in me that I’m special and important, and that’s what I instill in our youth ambassadors.”

Born in Guyana, the only Latin American country to have English as its official language, Bristol immigrated with her family to America at age 11. She considers herself to have been an entrepreneur since childhood. 

Growing up with a strong sense of family and community helped Bristol tremendously.

“I was able to make business decisions and customer engagement decisions early in life. Most of what you see in me today was cultivated during those early years,” Bristol said.  

“I feel welcome no matter where I am. There is a vibration in South St. Pete that supports culture and community that I have not found in other parts of Pinellas,” Bristol added,  “This feels like home to me because it’s small, and I am able to be myself and feel welcomed and supported.”

Pictured Above: Members of the Junior League of St. Petersburg pictured with Mayor Rick Kriseman on March 4. 

Courtesy of the Junior League of St. Petersburg on Instagram

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By Andrew Quinlan

The Junior League of St. Petersburg celebrated their 90^th anniversary on March 4, including a “light up” at Tropicana Field, a declaration of the date as Junior League of St. Petersburg Day by Mayor Rick Kriseman, and the launch of a massive education donation program. 

The organization, founded in 1931, is a group of young women dedicated to promoting volunteering activism in St. Petersburg and other local areas, including Gulfport. The group hopes to develop the potential of women and educate them and improve their community through effective action. 

“It was amazing seeing the support from Mayor Kriseman and the Rays,” said Megan Roach, the president of the organization and a resident of Gulfport. “We look forward to continue doing more work to help grow St. Pete and the surrounding areas.”

To celebrate their landmark anniversary, the Tampa Bay Rays lit up their stadium inside the dome at Tropicana Field with red and white lights, which are the colors of the organization. 

In honor of these celebrations, the Junior League of St. Pete is donating 6,000 bags to local schools that include different items that represent the organization’s various projects and programs: 2,000 bags have a book and bookmark to promote reading for their Literacy program, 2,000 more will have a healthy snack and recipes for their Kids in the Kitchen program and 2,000 additional students will have a coloring sheet and pack of crayons for their Kids Create program. 

The organization has been focusing on youth education recently. They are currently running a fundraiser for John Hopkins Middle School in St. Petersburg and Perkins Elementary in Gulfport. 

“Education is incredibly important to us at the Junior League,” Roach said. “Our future is in the hands of young students, so we hope to leave a positive impact on them and inspire them to improve their communities.”

Junior Leagues have been a staple in America for over a century. The organization, which has nearly 300 divisions across North America, are a fixture in volunteer work. As their mission statement proclaims, “The Association of Junior Leagues International, Inc. (AJLI) is an organization of women committed to promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women and improving communities through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. Its purpose is exclusively educational and charitable.” 

The Junior League of St. Petersburg has clearly made a noticeable impact on their local communities, and is poised to continue to do so. 

By Rebecca Bryan

Douglas L. Jamerson Jr. Elementary School opened its gates back in August 2003 in St. Petersburg, Florida. Named after the legendary Douglas L. Jamerson Jr., the school stands proudly in Pinellas County as a magnet school with specific concentrations on engineering and mathematics. 

This unique curriculum allows students to engage in hands-on activities that spark the inner creativity within them all. With blended Pre-K, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) classes, Communication Disorder (CD) programs and other special services, Jamerson has an opportunity for every student.

Douglas Lee Jamerson Jr., also known as “Tim” to his friends and family, was a renowned Florida Commissioner of Education. His inspiration for success was inspired by his home life. 

He grew up in the poor neighborhoods of St. Petersburg and went to Bishop Barry High School where he was the first black student that attended. He received two degrees, one from St. Petersburg Junior College and one from the University of South Florida. 

Jamerson was honored to be elected to the Florida House of Representatives in 1982, where he served five and a half terms. Unfortunately, he died of cancer in 2001. With these superb achievements, the school on 37^th St. S was proudly named after the man who once made history. 

The school also offers outstanding extracurriculars, like music classes, where students can play several instruments such as piano, xylophone and drums. 

Jamerson is known especially for the Jamerson Jammers, a large group of kids who get together once a week and practice playing the drums, and perform the songs at school concerts. It is a spectacular outlet for the kids, allowing them to connect to music and friends.

“The best thing about drumming is learning to be a part of a team, and that they have to work together,” Marie Hill, the music teacher at Jamerson, said. She has been the music teacher at the school for 17 years. 

“It’s helped me relax in times, like when I’m frustrated, I just think about the songs… and then I get to relax.” Chase Itzo, a fourth grade student at Jamerson Elementary, said.

Another long-term staff member of Jamerson Elementary is Judy Bryan. Although she has moved on to a different school, she worked at Jamerson for 11 years as the data management technician, and she is going on 17 years in the Pinellas County School system this upcoming September. Throughout her years at Jamerson, some of her biggest takeaways were the connections she’s made with the students.

“I loved being a mentor to several of the 5th grade girls. We would talk about their home life, do crafts together, and enjoy each other’s company. I could tell it really made a difference, and it did for me, too. Creating a bond with these kids really changed my life,” Bryan said. One of the most exceptional programs at the school  is the Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) program, which helps students with autism learn to verbalize through their own unique way of communication. 

Not everyone with autism can be put in the same box and be able to learn with the same methods. Jamerson makes sure each child is given the opportunity to grow in their own way. 

“We had a child with autism who was nonverbal. He could think about what he needed to say, but was unable to speak. Jamerson was able to connect with Pinellas County schools and provide this student with a tablet that, at the push of a button, had different words and phrases. This tablet really changed his life, as he was finally able to communicate properly with his peers, teachers, and family,” Bryan said.

River Foster is a third grade student who has been attending since kindergarten. She is able to express her creativity through the different music and arts programs Jamerson provides. At 9-years-old, River thrives at her school and loves every second of it.

“I was hesitant at first, to let River attend Jamerson, because we had never heard of that school before,” Jennifer Foster, River’s mother, said. “However, I am so glad I did. She has made tons of friends, and gets along with all of her teachers. I never really hear her complain. She is always in a good mood when we pick her up from school. I feel like Jamerson really gives her the opportunity to be herself, which is really important for kids her age who are growing up. I would always recommend Jamerson to anyone looking for a school for their child.” 

Even River was excited to put in her two cents.

“I love Jamerson! I hope, when I’m in fourth grade, I can become one of the Jammers. I also hope that one day my art will be displayed in one of the hallways,” River said.

Jamerson started out as an area magnet school. That means, living within a certain mile radius of the school allows enrollment. Jamerson encouraged parents to enroll their students in a school that was built in a low-income area, to allow for a wide variety of students, creating a greater connection within the community. 

It was the only school at the time that offered an engineering and mathematics curriculum that was intertwined within all aspects of learning. In 2009, the current principal, Mary Jane Dan, applied for Jamerson to become a county-wide magnet school. Therefore, anyone in the county could attend. Jamerson was awarded this honor, and before long, it  had a long wait list of students applying.

After 18 long years of attendance, the school remains a significant site within the Midtown community.  With their special engineering and mathematics program, Jamerson is all about unifying the community and making a difference for every kid that attends.