Indianapolis Recorder, Indianapolis, Marion County, 27 December 2002 — Page 5

FRIDAY.

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27,1002

THE INDIANAPOLIS RECORDER

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Some very worthwhile New Year's resolutions for parents

The holidays have arrived and the season for giftjiving will be coming to an end. The marketing geniuses are at work and each new product is promoted as being the best and better than anything in its category. Parents often ask their children for "requests* or "Christmas lists.” Today’s generation of young people, with the help of strategic and savvy marketing techniques, has a general ideal on what they without the other. "expect" to receive. It is with great For many ofour young females, sadness that very few, if any, of getting into the next Jay Z or Ja these well-meaning young people Rule video is the ultimate goal. So expectanyeducational materials, theirshoppinglistconsistsofanygames, or enhancements. This thing that is tight, short, reveal-gift-giving season is often viewed ing, and fashionable. Parents, our as the time to give or receive toys, young females are "over-expos-games, and items of fun." ing" themselves by many of the The large majority of the items items they select to wear and ofthat today’s young people often ten presenting an image that may receive, comes from the personal not be in their best interest entertainment department Mu- Indeed, the selections that are sic CDs, boom boxes, video games, described above are not true for TVs, tennis shoes, dothes (name every single child in our commubrand of course), race cars, dolls, nity. We do have a segment in our and even money will be the high- vouth population who has not est on the list been engulfed by the commerThere are so many video game dalism and faddish ways of our hook-up consoles, that the com- society. But these materialistic mercials seem to be repeats of wants and wishes come from a each other. Each ofthe videogame very large segment of it components promise real life How many ©four children had game simulation and more ere- 3-Dimensional puzzles, educaative control by each individual tion board games like Trivial Puroperator. The catch to these con- suit and educational software like soles is that each individual game Reader Rabbit under their Christcosts between $50-$60. This is mas trees? as much of a scam as the printer How popular are books, encythat is “free" with a mail-in-re- clopedias, writing utensils, or bate, but the price for the printer magazine subscriptions during is covered by fire overly expensive the holiday season? A subscripink cartridges. Can’t have one tion to an Internet provider would

be a great gift during this information age. A membership card to the Marion County Library, the Art, State, and most importantly, the Children’s Museum would be well worth the investment After you purchase all of the "extras” that you "need” for the X-Box, you can have a nice computer set up for your children to learn howto type, spell, and grow to be technologically literate. A nice gift-wrapped box of "parental involvement" would also be a good present to give your children. How many parents are lacking in the area of spending good quality time with their child? The sad thing is that the children who need these educational tools and materials the most, receive the greatest amount in the area of entertainment Isthereachance that the birth of Jesus Christ will ever be acknowledged and/or celebrated in many homes during this time of the year? Commercialism and over-indulgence in partying, eating, and drinking has replaced the real meaning of this holiday season. New Year 2003 is approaching as well, a time when we all make New Year’s resolutions. The lists remain about the same each year: lose weight, stop smoking, save more money, clean the basement or garage, etc. Howaboutmakingsome New Year’s resolutions to help your child/children and our commu-

nity? Top 10 New Year’s resolutions for 2003: (1) I will be a better parent to my child. (2) Iwill volunteer at my child’s school at least once each grading period. (3) I will contact his/her teacher once each month (note, e-mail, phone call). (4) I will provide my child with the proper materials for each subject area. (5) I will provide them with an assignment notebook (all grade levels) to be used each day. (6) I will provide them with a neat and quiet area at home to complete their homework. (7) I will review my child’s homework each night (8) I will not accept the "no homework* story (I will provide them with some) or the "nothing" excuse when I ask, "What did you do in school today?” (9) I will provide my child with learning opportunities at home and in toe community. (10) I will encourage my child daily,toalways do his very beston each assignment and instill in him to always be respectful towards teachers and pews. H appy holidays to you and your family. For speaking engagements or education workshops, contact me at: educationdoesmatter@ hotmail.com or write me at: 9701 E. 63rd St., Indianapolis, IN. 46236. My contact number is (317)502-0272.

♦ ,

Quaker Oats employees share Christmas with School 65 students

Marla,Muse (left), employee/ community m relations • <! supervisor for Quaker Oats, gets excited over giving a gift to Sakena Abdul Haqq (right), a second grader at School 65. Muse donated gifts to Abdul Haqq, her sister and her brother for the yearly gift giving event. (Photos/J. Cohen

Students from School 65 line up for an early Christmas feast of turkey with all the trimmings at the Quaker Oats gift giving event. Over 130 children attended and were given clothes and toys by employees.

NCNW breakfast to benefit - college fund The National Council of Negro Women Indianapolis Section will host a United Negro College Fund Benefit Breakfast to support the United Negro College Fund. The breakfast will be Dec. 28 from 9 to 11 a.m. in the Ashanti Room, 1529 N. Alabama St. Pat Payne, director ofthe IPS Multicultural Center, will be the featured guest speaker. The public is welcome to attend. Breakfast will be a $15 donation per person. For more information, contact DebraCooper at062-9297, or Cherril Thjrte at 475-9919.

By JOSHUA COHEN Staff Writer Every year before the holiday break, children from IPS School 65 have something extra to look forward to. Employees from the Quaker Oats plant in southern Indianapolis buy gifts for students, giving them a bonus Christmas treat. The event started 10 years ago when 25 children went to the plant to help decorate a Christmas tree. They would decorate, eat snacks with employees, and go back to the school. This event developed into gift giving, and has gotten bigger every year. “One year there were 50 kids,” said Marla Muse, employee and community relations supervisor for Quaker Oats. "I said, why don’t we do 100 next year. Then this year I said why not 135? Next year there will probably be 200, and one day we may have the entire school.” Employees are given a child’s name to buy gifts for. Each kid gets a toy and a piece of clothing. They communicate with the school to find out what the kids are asking for, as well as clothing sizes. Last year marked the first year the children went to the plant to receive gifts. This "gave the employees an opportunity to meet the children they were giving to," said Justine Taylor, Quaker Oats employee.

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The plant sponsors a lunch for the students, and employees serve the children food before they get their gifts. “We never have a problem getting employees to sign up,” said Muse. Their enthusiasm vns apparent. The employees who were able to attend the

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