ASHLEY NICOLE CAMPBELL

Case Type: Non Family Abduction
DOB: Nov 18, 1994	Sex: Female
Missing Date: Sep 4, 2009	Race: White
Age Now: 14	Height: 5’6″ (168 cm)
Missing City: ALBANY	Weight: 123 lbs (56 kg)
Missing State : KY	Hair Color: Brown
Missing Country: United States	Eye Color: Brown
Case Number: NCMC1130535
Circumstances: Ashley may be in the company of an adult male. They may have traveled to Somerset, Kentucky. Her nickname is Ash.

Missing Kids

TATYANA GRAY

Case Type: Non Family Abduction
DOB: Feb 2, 2005	Sex: Female
Missing Date: Mar 10, 2009	Race: Biracial
Age Now: 4	Height: 3’0″ (91 cm)
Missing City: OSSINING	Weight: 40 lbs (18 kg)
Missing State : NY	Hair Color: Black
Missing Country: United States	Eye Color: Brown
Case Number: NCMC1134949
Circumstances: Tatyana was last seen on March 10, 2009. She may be in the company of an adult female and an adult male. They may travel to Bethel Park, Pennsylvania or Marietta, Georgia. Tatyana is Biracial. She is Black and Hispanic.

Missing Kids

Children Who Are Gifted

By Apple 4 the Teacher
November 6, 2009

 
The challenge of identifying gifted children and providing them with appropriate educational services is particularly complex when they are recent immigrants to the United States. Linguistic and cultural backgrounds, economic and attitudinal factors, sociocultural peer-group expectations, cross-cultural stress, and intergenerational conflict may all influence efforts to recognize and provide appropriate learning opportunities. Although immigrant groups are culturally diverse, they share some unique challenges when interfacing with the setting.

 

CHALLENGES

Linguistic. The process of second language acquisition is long, complex, and developmental. Therefore, attempting to determine a child’s intellectual potential by using English-based assessment instruments can lead to erroneous conclusions. In addition, assessment in English is more likely to reflect knowledge of English and interpretation of grammatical structure than general intellectual potential.

 

• Cultural. Traditional customs and sex-role behaviors are likely to differ greatly from those encountered in the U.S. (Sheehy, 1986; Goffin, 1988). Cultural differences in learning styles, listening behaviors (Trueba, 1983), and response patterns (Harris, 1988; Cohen, 1988) often underlie misinterpreted messages.

 

• Economic. Recent immigrants may be economically poor; parents may be supporting households both here and in their native country (National Coalition of Advocates for Students, 1988). Families may be large; older school age children may need to work after school or miss school to earn money.

 

• “Hidden” factors such as illegal immigrant status, limited knowledge about accessing social and health care services, neglect of basic health needs (Clark, 1988, October), and physical and psychological problems caused by the political environment in the native country (National Coalition of Advocates for Students, 1988) may also impede educational progress.

 

• Attitudinal. Immigrants may demonstrate a very positive attitude towards schools and learning. However, they may experience feelings of guilt for family members who had to remain behind, or who were hurt or killed in their native country. A gifted child’s heightened awareness may increase vulnerability when such circumstances exist.

 

• When a parent or relative is an illegal immigrant the child may fear authority figures (Gratz & Pulley, 1984; Portes, McLeod & Parker, 1978; Vasquez, 1988), thereby preventing them from forming close relationships with teachers and other potentially helpful adults.
• Sociocultural and Peer Expectations. Racial or ethnic conflict, concern for personal safety, or conflicting peer expectations may cause tension and interfere with or redirect the child’s natural curiosity and innate love of learning.

 

• Cross-Cultural. Cross-cultural challenges are confusing and may delay the development of a child’s sense of self-identity. Continuing crosscultural stress is often difficult for immigrants to articulate.

 

• Intergenerational. Immigrant children often serve as “interpreters” for the family, and as the children become Americanized they may begin to resent this responsibility, subsequently seen by elders as disassociating with tradition. Resultant coping strategies have a negative effect on self-concept and family relationships (Harris, 1988).

 

• School System. A student may have little, sporadic, or possibly no schooling prior to arriving in the U. S. Wei (1983) reported the frequency of wrong dates of birth in school records, a face saving scheme to hide facts about lack of schooling (Center for Educational Research and Innovation, 1987; Vuong, 1988).

Crowded classrooms, staff opposition to special programs, and use of standardized tests may preclude entrance of recent immigrant children into gifted programs. Steinberg and Halsted (National Coalition of Advocates for Students, 1988) reported that immigrant children have often been tracked into English as a Second Language programs, then steered towards vocational courses.

Misplacement may occur if gifted students with disabilities are classified solely in terms of their disabilities (Poplin & Wright, 1983), a problem not confined to immigrants. Parents of immigrant children may distrust any “special” classes, including classes for gifted and talented (Wei, 1983).

A disproportionate number of immigrants have been referred for psychological services (Sugai and Maheady, 1988) when their behavior was misinterpreted and labeled as adjustment or achievement problems (Trueba, 1983).

 

STRATEGIES

Linguistic

• Provide enrichment activities to students perceived “not ready” for gifted programs.
• Institute independent or small group research projects using native language references and resources.
• Help staff members become aware of different language structures.

 

Cultural

• Explain the concept of gifted programs to parents in their native language.
• Talk to parents in their native language to learn about aspects of giftedness valued by their culture.
• Develop program services that are culturally sensitive and responsive.

 

Economic

• Consider aspirations of the immigrant group; pay attention to variables such as the parents’ occupation and education.
• Work only from facts, assume nothing about the economic status or educational background of the family.

 

Attitudinal

• Transmit a sense of self-reliance; use a biographical approach concentrating on positive aspects of problem-solving, task commitment, and decision making.
• Encourage student involvement in publications or community programs.
• Encourage journal writing and writing of stories and poems.
• Provide opportunities for a peer support counseling group.

 

Sociocultural and Peer Group Expectations

• Use narratives, role playing, and bibliotherapy to model conflict resolution.
• Identify conflicting expectations, determine the causes, and provide intervention.

 

Cross-Cultural

• Increase motivation for children to identify themselves as candidates for gifted programs by referring to the gifted program as an opportunity for students to work harder and learn more.
• Use care in selecting staff responsible for identification. If possible, select staff members who are familiar with the child’s culture, country, or region.

 

Intergenerational

• Use nonverbal expressive arts to involve the family.
• Use intra/intercultural peer referral as a source of identification.
• Involve outreach workers for parents and other family members.
• Use media services in the native language. These services are usually available through local agencies.

 

School System

• Identify or place students according to educational background and potential.
• Interpret the child’s behavior in the context of the child’s experiences (Ramirez, 1988).
• Use extracurricular activities as part of the identification process; incorporate successful activities and areas of interest into learning goals.
• Ensure that the screening and selection committee has knowledge of creative production or performance in the respective culture. Include representative community members on selection committees. Avoid using standard identification instruments.
• Assess from the perspective of individual learning styles.
• Place the child in a minimal stress, “culturally congruent” (Trueba, 1983, p.412) environment and observe for a period of time.
• Periodically, discuss attitudes and possible biases with teachers. Hold informal sessions to air problems and exchange ideas.
• Use a developmental rather than a crisis-oriented model.

Both society and individuals benefit when a linguistically and culturally diverse population is tapped for talent potential. Problem areas must be defined in the light of specific cultures and culture differences. Attention must be directed to problem-specific techniques to ensure correct placement and opportunities for appropriately differentiated learning experiences that are culturally sensitive.

Article References

Source:  Apple 4 the Teacher
Editor’s Note: We would like to know what you think. dan@youngchronicle.com

Wish of the week – Jonathan

By MWF/PIO
November 6, 2009

Source: Make A Wish Foundation

 

 

Editor’s Note: We would like to know what you think? dan@youngchronicle.com

Patient of the Week – Victoria Caileanu

By St. Jude
November 4, 2009

Victoria Caileanu
4 years old

 

Diagnosis:

Victoria was found to suffer from Burkitt lymphoma in August 2008.

Victoria’s Story:

When little Victoria lost a drastic amount of weight—10 pounds in less than two weeks—her mother, Mariya, was terribly worried. Victoria’s skin began to turn yellow and she complained her stomach hurt. Mariya rushed her daughter to a doctor, and tests revealed devastating news: Victoria had a tumor in her abdomen.

Mariya was shocked to learn her little girl had cancer. “I almost had a heart attack,” she remembered. “My heart was hurting really bad.” The doctor advised that St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital offered the best treatment and care for pediatric cancer and provided a referral. The hospital was 300 miles away, but if they drove all night, she could be there by morning.

At St. Jude:

Victoria quickly began receiving chemotherapy to destroy the enormous mass. Today, tests indicate that there are no more tumor cells in her body.

Victoria is home again—and back to her happy self. She likes to run, wrestle with her siblings, pose for pictures and swing on the swing set. She also loves coloring and puzzles. Now that Victoria is feeling better, the family is eager to give back. “St. Jude helped us so much, and we paid nothing,” said Mariya. “For a family without a big income, a hospital like this is really important.”

Editor’s Note: We would like to know what you think. dan@youngchronicle.com

Source: St. Jude

Soldier of the Week – Army Sgt. 1st Class James Brasher

by Dan Samaria
Publisher/YC
November 5, 2009

Editor’s Note:
Home State: Albuquerque, NM
Awarded: Silver Star

We would like to know what you think. dan@youngchronicle.com

Army Sgt. 1st Class James Brasher’s “daring acts of intrepidity and gallantry in the face of a numerically superior and determined force,” have earned him a Silver Star according to the citation that accompanied the medal.

Those courageous acts occurred on Dec. 8, 2007, when Brasher was serving as platoon sergeant for 2nd Platoon, Company A, 1st Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment. The company had been tasked to participate in Operation Mar Kararadad, during which Brasher repeatedly exposed himself to enemy fire to keep his soldiers out of danger.

The multinational mission to clear insurgents from the Taliban stronghold of Musa Qal’eh, actually began the night before when the company landed by helicopter just outside of the city. Under cover of darkness the soldiers moved to occupy a hill overlooking the city.

At dawn, Company A started taking small-arms and heavy machine-gun fire from a small town at the base of the hill. Brasher and the 2nd Platoon leader decided the town, which was isolated from the rest of Musa Qal’eh by a dry riverbed and already scheduled to be cleared by the Platoon, should be cleared immediately.

As the soldiers began systematically clearing buildings, a Taliban fighter attempted to the lead squad, which included Brasher. He killed the gunman before he could kill or injure any Paratroopers.

The squad began taking small-arms as it advanced to the next compound. Again, Brasher reacted, throwing fragmentation grenades toward the enemy position, thereby suppressing the attack and preventing the enemy from getting a fix on the soldiers’ position.

When the platoon leader’s element was attacked with machine-gun fire and rocket-propelled-grenades, Brasher joined the group to pinpoint the enemy position, once again exposing himself to enemy fire.

Brasher then led a squad to clear a compound that put him and his soldiers in a better position to return fire. As he was directing the Paratroopers, he spotted a Taliban fighter with a machine gun and opened fire. He then led his squad over a mud wall in pursuit of the fleeing insurgent, killing two more gunmen as the squad rounded the corner. When the squad encountered a larger enemy force more insurgents were killed.

As the Taliban forces consolidated into a highly defensible compound with thick walls, Brasher spotted the enemy positions inside and began engaging them. That’s when one of the insurgent’s bullets tore through his right forearm and bicep, which slowed him down, but didn’t stop him from fighting and giving instructions, according to the citation. In fact, the unit’s medics had to force him to submit to medical care.

“SFC Brasher’s fearless actions and dedication to mission accomplishment enabled Second Platoon to destroy over 20 well-trained Taliban fighters. His quick decisions and aggressive stance against the enemy saved the lives of his men,” the citation reads.

For his gallantry in action with marked distinction, Army Maj. Gen. Curtis M. Scarparrotti, commander of the 82nd Airborne Division presented Brasher with a Silver Star on October 9. The ceremony was held at the 82nd Airborne Division War Memorial Museum at Fort Bragg, N.C.

Source: Our Military

Officer of the Week – Police Officer John W. Perry

 
Remember September 11, 2001
Angels Among Us

Police Officer John W. Perry
Shield 3266
40 Precinct
(recovered)
2/7/2002

 

 

 

 

by Dan Samaria
Publisher/YC
November 5, 2009

Police Officer John W. Perry
Shield 3266
40 Precinct
(recovered)

John Perry knew he had only one life to live, and so he immersed himself in many.

He was a New York City police officer, a lawyer, an actor, a linguist, an active libertarian, a social worker helping abused children, a philosopher searching for his religion, and a softhearted soul who opened his wallet and his home to near strangers.

“He was the kind of person who enjoyed life,” said his mother, Patricia Perry of Seaford. “He was a libertarian who thought some rules weren’t necessary. Whatever he believed in, he followed.”

Perry, 38, was last seen helping a woman out of a trade center tower when it collapsed on Sept. 11. His original mission that morning had been to turn in his badge, file his retirement papers and embark on a new career. Instead, he retrieved the badge and rushed off with fellow officers to help evacuate people from the towers.

“Apparently John was too slow carrying this woman,” said Arnold Wachtel, Perry’s close friend. “But knowing John, he would never leave that lady unattended. That was just like him to help people.”

Perry’s generosity was boundless. His two-bedroom apartment in a public housing complex near Lincoln Center was known as a free bed and breakfast. Vladimir Azbel, a longtime friend, said he once called Perry because he had $1,700 in parking tickets. “He said, ‘Yeah, don’t worry. Just don’t get anymore tickets,'” Azbel said. “Later on I found out that he just paid them.”

Perry was diagnosed with a learning disability in the first grade and only learned to tie his shoes and read by the age of 9. But he overcame those difficulties. His love affair with learning foreign languages was sparked in the eighth grade when he began studying French.

He was outgoing, unafraid to approach a native speaker and attempt to speak the language, said his mother. The list of languages he spoke included Spanish, Swedish, Russian and Portuguese.

Perry studied law at New York University Law School, practiced immigration law with a friend after graduating and then went to the police academy. Eventually, he took a position investigating and disciplining police officers’ minor infractions.

In his spare time, Perry took parts as an extra in movies and TV shows such as “NYPD Blue.” He volunteered as an investigator for the Kings County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children. He also was a board member of the Nassau Chapter of the New York Civil Liberties Union.

“At board meetings … he sort of out libertarianed us,” executive director Barbara Bernstein said. “If someone thought it wasn’t the right timing or [a case] wasn’t winnable, he was an idealist. He made us justify what we were doing.”

Perry also had explored many religions, attending various services and reading about each extensively. He was converting to Judaism and often attended the Actors Temple in midtown Manhattan, where Rabbi Noach Valley talked about Perry for his Rosh Hashanah sermon days after the tragedy. “He was never bored, because his life was brim-full of holy service to others,” Noach told his congregations. “Here was a onetime atheist living a life of kedushah, of closeness to God.”

– New York Newsday Victim Database 2/7/2002

Source: NYP Angels

Firefighter of the week – Dep. Chief SOC Charles L. Kasper

By Dan Samaria
Publisher/YC
November 3, 2009

Granddaddy’s Trains.

Last year at Christmastime, Deputy Chief Charles L. Kasper of the Fire Department’s Special Operations Command went out and bought a set of trains.

They were not for his 425-person division, which races to the scene whenever there is a major catastrophe and already owns a huge collection of red-painted fire trucks, fireboats and other exciting toys for grown-ups. No, they were for his grandson, but when the chief linked the track pieces into a circle and sent the locomotive huffing and whistling around it, Dylan, then only 7 months old, was too young to appreciate the spectacle.

Never mind, thought Chief Kasper. There’s always next year.

On Sept. 11, the 54-year-old veteran of dozens of rescues was having a day off when he heard about the World Trade Center attacks. He scrambled into a spare fire engine parked near his home in Staten Island and sped to the towers. He had a motto: “Drive it like it’s stolen,” recalled Jim Ellson, a retired captain.

Recently Chief Kasper’s wife, Laureen, and their children unpacked the trains, set them up the same way he had and watched while Dylan reacted with delight. “We say that he’s playing with Granddaddy,” who was “always on duty for his family,” Mrs. Kasper said. “And we know that Charlie’s circle will always encircle us.”
Profile published in THE NEW YORK TIMES on December 9, 2001.

KASPER-Charles L. Deputy Chief, F.D.N.Y. Beloved husband of Laureen. Devoted father of Melissa and Mark Friedman, Kara Kasper and Michael. Adoring ”Granddaddy” to Dylan Friedman. A 28 year veteran of the F.D.N.Y. Recently promoted to Deputy Chief. He reported in from his home the morning of the World Trade Center disaster. Chief Kasper arrived at the Command Post prior to the collapse. He was last seen directing Fire Operations in the North Tower. There will be a memorial service in his honor on Friday September 28, 2001 at the Veterans Memorial Hall, 1000 Richmond Terrace at Snug Harbor on Staten Island.

Paid notice published in THE NEW YORK TIMES on September 26, 2001.

Source Legacy

 

Editor’s Note: We would like to know what you think. dan@youngchronicle.com

Just Passing Through

by Jim Liebelt
GCC/Staff 
Nov. 6, 2009
 
But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations. -Psalm 33:11

 

Did you know that this year worldwide, it’s estimated that over 57 million people will die? We hear, read or see a lot about deaths due to violence, war, disease and accidents. Yet, it amazes me to consider just how many people die of all causes.
 
There’s just no escaping the fact that everyone dies sooner or later from one cause or another. It’s a good reminder of just how fleeting our lives are.
 
For me, time seems to be moving faster and faster the older I get and it is strange to think that based on an average lifespan, I have fewer ticks of the clock left than those that have already gone by. I’m also reminded, however, that our time on earth is not the entire story.

God’s story-His plan for the world-is continually unfolding. And, everyone has a role to play.
 
Make no mistake about it: You are part of God’s story! God has chosen that people be given temporary charge of the planet.
 
Further, Christ-followers are given temporary charge as God’s ambassadors-His personal representatives to be His messengers to enlarge His place in the hearts and minds of people. With these “charges” also come responsibility and accountability.
 
According to the Scriptures, there really will be a judgment day where we will have to give an account for our stewardship.
 
In a world of 6.8 billion people, it’s easy to lose sight of the fact that in God’s story, every person matters. You may feel sometimes like just another lemming in the crowd on the way to the end of the cliff! But, I believe that what God said to Jeremiah applies to each person, “before you were born, I knew you; before you were born, I set you apart” (Jeremiah 1:5).
 
In God’s story, you matter! We may not be able to see beyond the current chapter of how our lives play out in His story. But as Christ-followers, I do know this:
 
Our most important tasks involve doing the necessary things that lead to growth in our relationship with Jesus so that we may in ever-increasing fashion reflect Jesus in all we do.
 
In this way, we pass on this unfolding story of what God has done and what He is doing in the world to following generations. Then, at the end of our days, we can rest assured that we have kept God’s story moving along. 
 
Source: Home Word

Editor’s Note: We would like to hear from you. Do you have a favorite one that you would like to share with our readers? dan@goldcoastchronicle.com

National Zoo – Flamingo

By FNZ
November 5, 2009

Order: Ciconiiformes
Family: Phoenicopteridae
Genus and Species: Phoenicopterus ruber

The Zoo exhibits flamingos from the Caribbean region. They are sometimes called American, Caribbean, or Greater Flamingo.

Size

Flamingos are usually 42 inches long from the tip of the head to the tip of the tail, and are as tall as five feet. They weigh five to six pounds, and have a wingspan of 55 inches.

Distribution and Habitat

The flamingo lives in Central and South America, the West Indies, and the Galapagos Islands, in coastal salt lagoons, saltpans, and other brackish or saltwater shallows.

Diet

Flamingos eat algae, mollusks, larvae chrysalides of brine-flies and brine-shrimps, which give them their pink color.

Reproduction

Pairs of males and females make mud-mound nests, and incubate only one egg for about 30 days. Chicks leave the nest after ten days, and join a group of other chicks, called a crèche, watched by a few adults.

Conservation

Flamingo populations remain relatively stable, despite loss of habitat due to human development.

Source: National Zoo

Editor’s Note: We would like to know what you think? dan@youngchronicle.com

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