Planting seeds at Main Street Academy
BY KIM UNDERWOOD
WINSTON-SAI FM/FOKSYTH COUNTY SCHOOLS
At Main Street Academy, they planted seeds in peo
ple's hearts and then went outside and planted seeds in the
dirt.
Main Street sixth-graders had been reading a book
called "Seedfolks" by Paul Fleischman that tells the story
of how a community garden brings people of different
ages and different backgrounds together. On March 18,
teachers Miranda Jones and David Christison invited peo
ple in the community from different backgrounds to come
tell their stories to students as a way of planting seeds of
connection and of unity.
"I hope it gives them the opportunity to see some of
the aspects of these different cultures," Christison said.
"When you're curious, you want to seek out that informa
tion."
After a lunch in the media center that included cuisine
from such countries as Haiti, India and Mexico, everyone
headed outside to plant vegetables in newly turned
ground. Gardens at Main, as it's being called, is made pos
sible by a $3,000 Toolbox for Education grant from
Lowe's Home Improvement.
"With gift of this grant," Jones said, "Lowe's has
enabled me to literally and metaphorically demonstrate to
my students the transformative power of sowing and reap
ing; of planting and harvesting - in our heads, hearts,
minds, and our bodies too! From our little corner of South
Main Street, we are now officially Seedfolks. Thank you,
Lowe's."
Jones and Christison called the celebration of gardens,
of reading and of different cultures, "They Didn't Know
We Were Seeds: A Celebration of the Reading of
Seedfolks."
"We are using this event as a culminating activity for
the book we have been reading," Jones said.
Inside the media center,. Jones, Christison and others
had set up tables representing such countries as Haiti,
Liberia, Mexico, Romania, Vietnam, India, Guatemala
and the United States. Some tables represented people in
the book. Others represented people there to speak. An
American Indian table served to honor Robin "White
Star" Lynne, there to bless the garden.
Sixth-grader Jamari Morris was sitting at the Vietnam
table. It represented a character from the book - Kim, a 9
year-old girl from Vietnam who was the first to plant
something in the vacant lot that became the community
garden.
After everyone was seated, Jones went from table to
table, and the students sitting at each table shared some of
the things they knew about the country.
Panelists then spoke about their lives and some of the
things they had learned along the way.
The panel included:
* Aston King, who grew up in Liberia and who now
works for Winston-Sialem/Forsyth County Schools.
^Nathaniel Calhoun who was born in Mexico while
his American parents were there serving as missionaries.
He and his two brothers now own a company that distrib
utes Hispanic foods.
""Barbara Gateau-Carrhigton was born and grew up
in Haiti. She now works for Blue Cross/Blue Shield of
NC.
?Sita Somara is the vice president of the Indo-US
Cultural Association. She was there with her assistant
Beena Bhaskaran.
?Robin "White Star" Lynne studies Mative
American practices and has a healing practice called
Flower Eagle Medicine Lodge.
Along with the students and speakers, the day included
a number of administrators who wanted to participate.
Mary Todd-Allen, who is the director of middle schools
for the EC (Exceptional Children) Division, was one of
them. She works with Jones and spoke highly of her.
"She is a phenomenal EC teacher," Todd-Allen said.
''She knows how to teach. Most of all, she knows the
importance of relationships."
Others present were connected to Jones personally and
served to illustrate how deeply she* is connected to the
wider community. Michelle Calhoun, who was serving
food, was one of Jones' teachers when Jones was growing
up. Jones' friend Shanna Duffy is a professional photogra
pher, and she took photos of the event.
Many local businesses, organizations and individuals
supported the Seeds program to help make the day an
overwhelming success.
Red Cross asks for blood donations this spring
Special to the chronicle
The American Red Cross encourages eligible blood donors to donate blood this
spring to ensure a sufficient supply for patients at approximately 2,600 hospitals across
the country.
Donated blood is perishable and must constantly be replenished
to keep up with hospital patient need. Red blood cells are the blood
component most frequently transfused by hospitals and must be
used within 42 days of donation.
. Eligible donors can give red blood cells through either a regular
, whole blood donation or a double red cell donation, where avail
able. During a double red cell donation, two units of red blood cells
are collected while most of the plasma and platelets are returned to
the donor. Double red cell donors must meet additional eligibility criteria, which will be
determined at the donation appointment.
Debbie Cody-Nabors is a blood donor who gives double red cells. Her mother
received transfusions twice a week during treatment for aplastic anemia. "I donate blood
as often as I can in memory of my mom," she said. "Please donate blood if you can to
help save lives as you never know when you'll be on the receiving end."
Donors with all blood types are needed, especially those with types O, A negative and
B negative. Whole blood can be donated every 56 days, up to six times a year, and double
red cells may be donated every 112 days, up to three times per year.
To make an appointment to give blood, download the free Red Cross Blood Donor
App, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).
Upcoming blood donation opportunities:
?American Red Cross Winston-Salem Blood Donation Center, 650 Coliseum Drive
Monday, 1:30 to 6:30 p.m.; Tuesday, 12:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.; Wednesday, 8 a.m. to
1 p.m.; Thursday, 12:30 p.m. to 5:30 pjn.; Friday, 8 ajn. to 1 p.m.; Sunday, 10:30 a.m.
to 3 p.m.
?Winston-Salem:
Today, Aprii 28: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.. Wake Forest Innovation Quarter, 575 N. Patterson
Ave.
Today, April 28: 2 pjn..- 6:30 p.m.. Calvary Baptist Church, James B. Sechrist
Building, 5000 Country Club Road
Prayer
breakfast
honors social
fellowship
SPECIAL TO
TIffi CHRONICLE
Swing Phi Swing
Social Fellowship Inc.
founding members were
honored at a prayer break
fast held at Goler Memorial
AME Zion Church.
Four founding mem
bers, Anita Chase Watson,
Lorraine Watkins Phillips,
Ellen Tomlinson Carter,
members of the Rukiya
Busara Piedmont Triad
Graduate Chapter
("RuBu") in Winston
Salem, and Beverly Dorn
Steele, a member of the
Charlotte Graduate
Chapter, were in atten
dance. Also in attendance
was Winston-Salem State
University Chancellor
Elwood L. Robinson.
The prayer breakfast,
one of many scholarship
fundraiser events that will
be held throughout this
year, was organized and led
by Antoinette Ball, Vanessa
Diggs, Victoria Graves
Cade, Phyllis Jeter Nunn,
Rose Lockhart, Elise
Rodney and Candace
Stowe, also known as the
Line Sisters of Sankofa 7.
The Line Sisters of
Sankofa 7 will be celebrat
ing their upcoming 10th
anniversary of Swing Phi
Swing and are all graduates
of WSSU and members of
the RuBu Chapter.
The keynote speaker on
April 2 was Rev. Coretta
Sharpless. the principal at
Northside Elementary
School in Chapel Hill.
Vemetta Y. Martin served
as the Mistress of
Ceremonies. All proceeds
from the year-long scholar
ship fundraiser campaign
will be endowed to Swing
Phi Swing's philanthropic
and humanitarian arm, The
SHE Foundation Inc., and
awarded to WSSU.
Swing Phi Swing, a
social fellowship women's
organization, was founded
on April 4, 1969 on the
campus of WSSU.
The organization's core
principles are academic
excellence, social and
political change awareness,
consciously uplifting
women, and being on the
front line and forefront of
community . service
activism. Just recently,
Swing Phi Swing was fea
tured on the TJMS's web
site and was recognized
and highlighted as one of
the "Little Known Black
History Fact."
To make a donation to
support the Line Sisters of
Sankofa 7's scholarship
fundraiser campaign,
please submit your dona
tion to Swing-Phi Swing
Social Fellowship, Inc.,
Rukiya Busar, Piedmont
Triad Graduate Chapter,
do Line Si&ters of Sankofa
7, P.O. Box 1251, Winston
Salem, NC, or visit their
website at wwwlinesister
sofsankofa7.org.
t
Line Sisters of Sankofa 7 of Swing Phi Swing Social Fellowship Inc. (L-R): Rose Lockhart, AntoiMt?
Bail, Phyllis Jeter Sunn, Candace Stowe, Victoria Graves-Cade, Elise Rodney and Vanessa Diggs.
Winston-Salem State
University Chancellor
Elwood Robinson and
the founders of Swing
Phi Swing Social
Fellowship Inc. (L-R):
Beverly Dorn Steele,
Anita Chase Watson,
Chancellor Robinson,
Ellen tomlinson Carter
and Lorraine Watkins
Phillips.