Category Archives: Community
Ben Hall Campaign Launches Voter Text Outreach
Ben Hall Campaign Launches Voter Text Outreach
(Houston, TX) – The Ben Hall for Mayor campaign has launched a new initiative to reach Houston voters and communicate with them on a platform where they already spend a lot of their time – their cell phones. The Hall campaign has partnered with Politikast, a mobile outreach firm that operated President Barack Obama’s successful 2012 voter text program that contacted 12 million voters, including 2 million in Florida, a state the President carried by 73,000 votes.
The campaign is will send the following text to over 100,000 Houston voters with the below message and a link to the recent ad video, “Dream”:
“Hi, I’m Ben Hall for mayor. I believe Houston’s the greatest city, but our challenges require leadership with vision. Visit www.bh4m.co/hallforall.”
“As the fourth largest city in the nation, Houston has nearly a million registered voters who all access information at different times and on various platforms. We are committed to making it as easy as possible for voters to learn about Ben’s vision, to engage with our campaign, and to take action to get new leadership elected this November,” said Julia Smekalina, press secretary for the Ben Hall campaign. “The text message campaign is just one part of our aggressive voter outreach. We will continue communicating with all voters on every platform that they engage on to ensure that every Houstonian is fully informed before casting their vote this election.”
The text message outreach follows the campaigns launch of a new Tumblr, AdiosAnnise.com that went live earlier last week. The campaign will use the new microblog to distribute information about Ms. Parker’s criticized tenure in easy to share formats like graphics, videos, and blog posts.
To stay up to date on the Ben Hall for Mayor campaign follow us on all our platforms including our website, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
The Community Just Us Coalition hosts Voter Registration Drive & Candidate Dialogue
Houston, TX – The Community Just Us Coalition hosts Voter Registration Drive & Candidate Dialogue, Friday, October 4, 2013, starting promptly at 7:00 PM at Shape Community Center (3903 Almeda Road).
With the passing of new Voter ID Laws, text book revisions and state lawsuits Community Just Us steps up to the plate to raise awareness for the upcoming November 2013 elections in Harris County by registering and educating voters. We have invited various candidates campaigning to partake in a dialogue with the community to share their platforms and offer transparency to the voters of the Greater Houston Area. In a candid bipartisan setting, many candidates will have an opportunity to address the community directly as they register to vote for the upcoming elections in November.
The Voter Registration Drive & Candidate Dialogue is free and open to the public. You can register online at www.cjuvote2013.eventbrite.com.
Community Just Us organizes for active and progressive change in our communities fostering quantitative and long-term results. We meet every Friday at Shape Community Center at 7 PM. Be involved today by putting in the work! Visit our web site at www.communityjustus.com.
Organization Contact
Patrick Davis
Community Just Us
Communications/Outreach Department
Tel: +1(832) 344-5275
Email: communications@communityjustus.com
Photos from the Labor Day Classic
Update in Mayoral race: Response to 5 point plan
Crime Continues To Run Rampant Under Parker’s Watch
SUBMITTED BY: BEN HALL MAYORAL CAMPAIGN STAFF
(Houston, TX) – Crime in Houston is completely out of control. Last night, a man lost his life when two robbers opened fire in a Houston Subway restaurant. The day before, another man was shot at a local donut shop in northwest Houston. These crimes are far too common and Ms. Parker has failed to even acknowledge the problems, let alone offer a solution.
“We live in a city where the Sheriff is not immune from having his home burglarized and regular Houstonians cannot enjoy a meal or a night’s entertainment without being victimized. Ms. Parker seems content with letting this continue without leadership,” said mayoral candidate Ben Hall. “The real tragedy is that for every heinous act of violence that hits the front pages or the nightly news there are others that never even get acknowledged. Entire neighborhoods have been taken over by violence and whole communities live in constant fear. How much more of our city will be handed over to criminals before Ms. Parker speaks out?”
Just this July, Houston experienced the highest number of violent and non-violent crimes in the last year with non-violent crimes like burglary, theft and auto theft exceeding 10,000 incidents. But these crimes are more than just numbers. Each incident is another victimized Houstonian, and each victim is one too many.
“As the leader of this city, Houstonians have looked to Ms. Parker to set an agenda that first and foremost protects them. All other priorities are irrelevant if a mayor cannot deliver on that fundamental promise,” continued Hall. “Her ignorance towards this problem is concerning and her inability to offer solutions is a sign of failed leadership.”
Ben Hall released a plan to reverse Houston’s crime epidemic and implement meaningful solutions that will take back neighborhoods from the criminal element and protect Houstonians. The full plan can be found here.
Ms. Parker has offered no solutions to this disturbing trend. Her campaign is silent on these life and death issues. Ben Hall will not be!
Emancipation Park’s After School Enrichment Program
The Houston Sun Press Run
Help celebrate 30 years of publishing the Houston Sun. Help fund 30 scholarships for 30 Journalism and Business students. Register to participate in The Houston Sun’s Press Run.
Registration: 713-524-0786 www.houstonsun.com
What: Press Run
Who:Race Participants; individuals, groups, organizations, churches, businesses
When: September 28, 2013
Where:Houston Sun to Emancipation Park
How Much:Entry Fees are:
Adults:$30
Children:10-17 $15
Children 9 & Under FREE
Senior Citizens:$20
Time: Event:
6:00 am- 7:00 am Registration
7:00 am Opening Ceremonies
7:15 am Wheel Chair, Family
Walk 7:30 am 5K, 10K
9:15 am Press Run Awards
HISD welcome new Marine Corps ROTC STEM program
Myra Griffin
The Houston Sun
Two new campuses will open as a STEM program centralized in Marine Corps training. The U.S, Marine Corps committed $1 million in investments to the programs to span over five years. The funding will provide instructors, curriculum, supplies and all uniform components. This will be the very first Marine JROTC program in HISD and serve as a model for other schools and districts.
The program starts with the 6th grade and has the span of six years which can give students the chance to be in the program through middle until the completion of high school.
The benefits for the students will be character building, self- discipline, leadership, organizational skills, physical fitness, mentoring and scholarship opportunities. They will earn JRTOC program course credit that can replace P.E. credit. Children will have organized community service projects as well as local, regional and national competitions.
“The MCJROTC program of instruction is designed to emphasize leadership education and leadership development. Basic training in leadership tenets, physical fitness and health, drill and ceremonies and military organization are taught as part of the Cadet’s orientation. Cadets are expected to develop certain positive attitudes, values and leadership qualities from the instruction and leadership provided by the Senior Marine Instructor and Marine Instructor,” according to the MCJROTC curriculum.
The students will have four instructors, Major Stoval, Senior Marine Instructor, and First Sergeant Lett, Master Sergeant Russell and Gunnery Sergeant Green as Marine Instructors.
Physical Education Marine style will be a major part of the program. It will be “boot camp” style where they will cross train with cardiovascular workouts and weight training.
Uniforms and the pride it takes to be able to wear them is 20 percent of the cadet’s grade. Students have to show up on time, with their uniforms on properly. If the student is not in uniform they will receive a zero for uniform inspection. The cadets wear their uniforms four days out of the week, Monday – Thursday and it is extremely important that their behavior is proper in order not to disrespect the uniform and what it represents.
When cadets are not in uniform they will receive dress code inspections to make sure they wear their personal clothing appropriately as well.
“Cadets will be inspected from head to toe and will be evaluated for proper wearing of the uniform, haircuts, cleanliness, attitude, military bearing, proper responses to questions from the Inspecting Officer,” according to the uniform inspections guidelines.
The MCJROTC is an academic program and fits in with the Energize STEM Academy Inc. Enrollment in the program doesn’t mean the students have enter into the service once they graduate but they must adopt the Marine Corps standards of discipline, appearance and training while in the program.
The program is nationally recognized and has received accreditation by The Commission on International and Trans- Regional Accreditation. The campuses will be located at 9220 Jutland Street 77033 and 6201 Bissonnet 77081. For more information the Corporate Office number is 713-773-3600.
Changes for HISD
School is almost back in session and there are many changes that will take effect this year in Houston Independent School District (HISD).
James D. Ryan Middle School will be re-purposed as the Baylor College of Medicine at Ryan and the previous students of Ryan will now attend Cullen Middle School. The standards for graduation and testing will change as well, while the students of North Forest will become new students of HISD.
New beginnings for Third Ward
Upon the closure of historical James D. Ryan Middle School many community member of Third Ward were outraged and bewildered by the shutting down of such a pivotal school that is a known feeder into Jack Yates Senior HIgh. Ryan’s students will now be bussed or transported 4 miles to Cullen Middle School where they will fill a school that too had the same issue of low attendance. Before the closure of Ryan the student population had fallen to 263. HISD school board cited that low attendance and financial mismanagement led to the closing of Ryan. By consolidating the two middle schools it will at least save Cullen from the threat of closure as well.
Baylor College of Medicine takes over old Ryan
The doors of Ryan will not close verbatim as Baylor College of Medicine will take over the campus and form a magnet school for health and science.
“In association with Baylor College of Medicine, the Baylor College of Medicine Academy (BCMA) at Ryan will provide a rigorous curriculum founded on project-based, hands-on learning to 6th–8th grade students. Students will have the opportunity to earn high school credits, explore pathways in health and biomedical science, and become ready for challenging high school academic programs,” according to the Baylor College of Medicine Academy at Ryan.
Students will have rigorous curriculum, hands on learning, project based learning with 21st century health science and computer labs. The curriculum will have courses such as bioengineering, neuroscience and Latin as a foreign language. The academy is designed to prepare students for careers in medicine, dentistry, allied health professions, biomedical sciences, pharmacy and biomedical engineering. BCMA is the feeder school for Debakey High School for Health Professionals.
What about North Forest?
The students that made up North Forest ISD will now be a part of the student body of HISD. This will be a historical moment when the predominately African American school district will have to surrender to HISD’s custody. North Forest ISD was annexed into HISD on July 1, 2013 after a battle that even drew down support and legal action from Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee. The civil rights case did not hold up and now the name of the district will change but the school buildings will remain and the children will stay inside their community.
The changes the children will see once school starts will mostly be new principals and the reassignment of school buildings. The principals will be, Dr. Kimberly Agnew-Borders, Fonwood Early Childhood Center, Tammie Daily, Shadydale Elementary, Maggie Gardea, B.C. Elmore Elementary, Hilarion Martinez, Thurgood Marshall Elementary, Mike Walker, Hilliard Elementary, Rick Fernandez, Forest Brook Middle School, Pam Farinas, North Forest High School.
The changes in the usage of the buildings will be Fonwood Elementary becoming an Early Childhood Center, Thurgood Marshall Early Childhood Center will be an elementary school, Elmore Middle School will be an elementary school, Elmore Middle students will be zoned to Forest Brook and Key Middle Schools, Lakewood students will be zoned to Hilliard and Elmore Elementary Schools and Lakewood Elementary will be closed.
Changes to testing in HISD
HISD students should call and thank their State Representative Alma Allen for working on the House Bill 5 that reduced the number of test from 15 to 5 as well as the graduation criteria.
Graduation Plans
Starting this year students will have a new foundation plan that only requires 22 credits for graduation. Students will need four English Language Arts, three Math and three Science, three Social Studies, two Foreign Language, one Fine Art, one Physical Education and five Electives.
Some schools offer different programs and for students to graduate with a distinguished recognition on their diploma they must have an endorsement from one of the following five programs, STEM, Business and Industry, Public Services, Arts and Humanities and Multidisciplinary Studies.
The full criteria for students to graduate distinguished are all requirements met on the foundation program, an endorsement and an Algebra II credit. Students who achieve the distinguished recognition will be eligible for college admissions under the Top 10 percent automatic admissions provision.
Testing
The state testing requirements have been reduced from 15 to 5 tests a year. Students will only have to take English Arts I &II, Algebra I, Biology and US History.
Accountability
The students aren’t the only ones who will be graded as the schools will be evaluated on their Academic Performance, Financial Performance and Community and Student Engagement. Schools are required to have at least three additional indicators of academic performance as determined by the Commissioner of Education, which may include, percentage of students graduating with endorsements or distinguished level of performance, number of students earning college credit and number of students earning workforce certificates.
“This allows local communities to engage in the accountability process by requiring districts to set goals and evaluate performance locally in addition to state ratings,” said State Representative Alma Allen.
The students and parents of HISD as well as the old North Forest have many changes ahead of them this school year. The school district and the state of Texas have made adjustments with the hopes of better educational opportunities for the every growing Houston Independent School District. School starts August 26, 2013.