East-of-the-River-Magazine-December-2012 by Capital Community News

EAST OF THE RIVER MAGAZINE | DECEMBER 2012 | CAPITALCOMMUNITYNEWS.COM

NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS 08.............Go See Do

10.............East of the River Calendar 16.............The Bulletin Board 22.............The District Beat • by Martin Austermuhle 22.............Mistakes That Leaders Make • by Charles E. Wilson 24.............The Numbers • by Elissa Silverman & Ed Lazere 26.............E on DC • by E. Ethelbert Miller 27.............Benning Road Extension... • by Dana Bell 28.............SOME Purchases Old Chef’s Table • by Charnice A. Milton 30.............Not Homeless for the Holidays • by Stephen Lilienthal 32.............What’s Happening to Our Public Schools? • by Ellen Boomer

33.............Ward 7 School Consolidations • by Charnice A. Milton 34.............Ward 7 School Consolidations • by Charnice A. Milton

EAST WASHINGTON LIFE

36.............The Struggle with HIV/AIDS • by Candance Y.A. Montague

38.............Exhibit: 24 Hours East of the RIver • by Vincent Lee Smith

KIDS & FAMILY

40.............Kids and Family Notebook • by Kathleen Donner 44.............120th Anniversary of The Nutcracker • by Michelle Phipps-Evans

42.............Do Manners Matter? • by Stephen Lilienthal

HOMES & GARDENS

48.............Changing Hands • compiled by Don Denton 49.............The Classifieds 51.............The Nose • by Anonymous

ON THE COVER:

“Marvin Gaye” by Vincent Lee Smith. Marvin Gaye Park, photographed at the corner of Nannie Helen Burroughs and Minnesota Avenues in Northeast, a little after 1 a.m., is one and a half miles of green space and playground areas. Reclaimed from years of neglect, the park was recently renamed for one of the city’s most famous singers. Marvin Gaye embodied the black religious, secular, politically conscious, and cultural experience.

Hill Rag Mid City DC East Of The River Fagon Community Guides THE EDUCATION EDITION Capital Community News, Inc. 224 7th Street, SE, Suite 300, Washington, DC 20003 202.543.8300 • www.capitalcommunitynews.com EXECUTIVE EDITOR: Melissa Ashabranner melissaashabranner@hillrag.com Editorial Staff

KIDS & FAMILY

Managing Editor: Andrew Lightman andrew@hillrag.com CFO & Associate Editor: Maria Carolina Lopez carolina@hillrag.com School Notes Editor: Susan Braun Johnson schools@hillrag.com Kids & Family Notebook Editor: Kathleen Donner kathleendonner@gmail.com

Kathleen Donner • kathleendonner@gmail.com Susan Johnson • schools@hillrag.com

Society & Events

Mickey Thompson • socialsightings@aol.com

Homes & Gardens

Arts, Dining & Entertainment

Art: Jim Magner • jjmagner@aol.com Dining: Celeste McCall • celeste@hillrag.com Hit the City: Joylyn Hopkins • joylyn@joylynhopkins.com Literature: Karen Lyon • klyon@folger.edu Movies: Mike Canning • mjcanning@verizon.net Music: Jean-Keith Fagon • fagon@hillrag.com Retail Therapy: Scott Fazzini • scott.fazzini@gmail.com Theater: Barbara Wells • barchardwells@aol.com Travel: Maggie Hall • whitby@aol.com The Wine Guys: Jon Genderson • jon@cellar.com

Calendar & Bulletin Board

Hill Rag, MidCity DC & East of the River: Calendar Editor: Kathleen Donner calendar@hillrag.com, bulletinboard@hillrag.com

General Assignment

Michelle Evans • invisiblecolours@yahoo.com Celeste McCall • celeste@hillrag.com Heather Schoell • hschoell@verizon.net Virginia Avniel Spatz • virginia@hillrag.com Peter Waldron • peter@hillrag.com Kathleen Donner • kathleendonner@gmail.com Stephanie Deutsch • scd@his.com Melanie Sunukjian • melsunuk@gmail.com Shannon Holloway • holloway.shannon@gmail.com Alice Ollstein • alice.ollstein@gmail.com Amanda Abrahams • manda.abrams@gmail.com Lex Kiefhaber • lexk24@gmail.com Roberta Weiner • rweiner_us@yahoo.com Gwyn Jones • gwynjones@aol.com John H. Muller • jmuller.washingtonsyndicate@gmail.com

BEAUTY, Health& Fitness

Patricia Cinelli • fitmiss44@aol.com Ronda Bresnick Hauss, LCSW • www.quietwaterscenter.com quiet_waters_center@yahoo.com Peter Sherer • Peter@expmatters.com

Rindy O’Brien - Hill Gardener • rindyob@mac.com Derek Thomas • derek@thomaslandscapes.com Judith Capen • judith.capen@architravepc.com HomeStyle: Mark Johnson • mark@hillrag.com

News & Neighborhood Reports

Barracks Row: sharon@barracksrow.org H Street Life: Elise Bernard • inked78@hotmail.com the Nose: thenose@hillrag.com Logan Circle • mark@hillrag.com Shaw • Ralph Brabham: Ralph • ralphbrabham@yahoo.com

Production/Graphic Design

Associate Art Director / Web Master: Jason Nickens 202.543.8300 X17 • jason@hillrag.com Associate Art Director: Jason Yen 202.543.8300 X21 • jay@hillrag.com

Advertising & Sales

Account Executive: Kira Means 202.543.8300 X16 • kira@hillrag.com Account Executive: Jennifer Zatkowski 202.543.8300 X20 • jenn@hillrag.com Classified Advertising: Maria Carolina Lopez 202.543.8300 X12 • carolina@hillrag.com Marketing Asst.: Giancarlo Fagon

Distribution

Distribution Manager: Andrew Lightman Distributors: Southwest Distribution Distribution Information: distribution@hillrag.com

Deadlines & CONTACTS

Advertising: sales@hillrag.com Display Ads: 15th of each month Classified Ads: 10th of each month Editorial: 15th of each month; submissions@hillrag.com Bulletin Board & Calendar: 15th of each month; calendar@hillrag.com, bulletinboard@hillrag.com

We welcome suggestions for stories. Send queries to andrew@hillrag.com. We are also interested in your views on community issues which are published in the Last Word. Please limit your comments to 250 words. Letters may be edited for space. Please include your name, address and phone number. Send Last Word submissions to lastword@hillrag.com. For employment opportunities email jobs@hillrag.com.

capitalcommunitynews.com 6 H EAST OF THE RIVER MAGAZINE

| DECEMBER 2012

GO.SEE.DO. “Season’s Greenings” at the US Botanic Garden.

Get into the holiday spirit at the US Botanic Garden’s annual holiday exhibit, Season’s Greenings. The Conservatory is adorned with wreaths, garlands, living ornaments and filled with model trains, buildings made from plant materials and a vast collection of poinsettias to celebrate the wonder of the winter holiday season. The famous Garden Railway in the East Gallery features model trains running through an imaginative Enchanted Forest, with fanciful fairy dwellings along the rail line, all created with plant materials. Enjoy blooming plants throughout the Conservatory and a living history of poinsettias. The West Gallery houses one of the largest indoor decorated trees in Washington, DC, and the Garden Court is home to a display of model landmark buildings from our Nation’s capital, all made from plant materials. 100 Maryland Ave. SW. 202-225-8333. usbg.gov

fantasy soars in the young and young at heart with model trains, as they chug along more than 800 feet of track through the usBg Enchanted forest. Photo: Courtesy of the architect of the Capitol.

Reclaiming the Edge: Urban Waterways and Civic Engagement

learning to paddle a voyageur canoe on the anacostia River. Photo: Photo by Keith Hyde, us army Corps of Engineers, 2011; Wilderness inquiry, Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Based on research by the Anacostia Community Museum on the history, public use, and attitudes toward the Anacostia River and its watershed and on review of urban waterway developments in Los Angeles, Pittsburgh, Louisville, London, and Shanghai, Reclaiming the Edge explores various issues regarding human interaction with natural resources in an urban setting. It looks at densely populated watersheds and at rivers as barriers to racial and ethnic integration. The exhibition also examines civic attempts to recover, clean up, re-imagine, or engineer urban rivers for community access and use. This exhibition, on view through September 15, 2013, kicked off the museum’s 45th anniversary. 1901 Fort Pl. SE. 202-633-4820. anacostia.si.edu

The Twelfth Day of Christmas at George Washington’s Birthplace

George Washington was born at Popes Creek in 1732 and remained at this plantation until age 3 when the family moved to another one of the family’s properties at Ferry Farm near Fredericksburg, Virginia. The Popes Creek farm stayed in the Washington family until it passed first to the state of Virginia and then to the Federal government for preservation and protection. The Washington family celebrated the 12 days of Christmas which begins on Christmas Day and ends on January 5th. George and Martha Washington were married on Epiphany, January 6, 1759. On Saturday, Jan 5, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., the Memorial House (the original house is long gone) will be decorated for the holidays and filled with colonial music. The plantation will be busy with demonstrations and activities performed by costumed interpreters. Visitors will have an opportunity to play a variety of African drums and the park will be illuminated at dusk with candles. Popes Creek (near Colonial Beach, VA) is about 2 hours from DC. 804-224-1732. nps.gov/gewa

Christmas revelers inside the Memorial House. Photo: Couresty of the National Park Service

“Wonderful Life” The Return of a New Holiday Classic!

Through Dec 30, Theatre Alliance partners with the Hub Theatre for the return of the Helen Hayes nominated play, “Wonderful Life”, based on Capra’s, It’s a Wonderful Life. Once again, this holiday season, they follow George Bailey through highs and lows as he struggles to understand his own worth, and ultimately find that life is worth living. “Wonderful Life” features Jason Lott in a breath-taking tour of Bedford Falls. This exciting and demanding one-person show will delight audiences of all ages this holiday season. If you saw it during its first run, you know it’s a feel-good experience that is not to be missed. To order your tickets via phone, call 202-241-2539 or online at theateralliance.com. This production will be the final performance of Theater Alliance at the H Street Playhouse.

Jason Lott as George Bailey in “Wonderful Life” at the H Street Playhouse.

New Year’s Eve at National Archives

The National Archives will commemorate the 150th Anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation with a special display of the original document. The Emancipation Proclamation is displayed only for a limited time each year because of its fragility, which can be made worse by exposure to light, and the need to preserve it for future generations. On New Year’s Eve there will be Watch Night festivities at 11:30 p.m. with a performance by Washington Revels Heritage Voices and Midnight–Bell ringing by Harriet Tubman, portrayed by historical re-enactor. On New Year’s Day, there will be a reading of the Emancipation Proclamation at 9:00 a.m. The first hundred guests in line at the main museum entrance at Constitution Ave. and 9th St. NW, by 8:15 a.m., are invited to enter the building to experience the dramatic reading of the Emancipation Proclamation by Dr. Bernice Johnson Reagon, musician, song talker, and scholar. All events are in the East Rotunda Gallery of the National Archives Building, Constitution Ave. at 9th St. NW. archives.gov Photo of the original Emancipation Proclamation courtesy of the National Archives EASTOFTHERIVERDCNEWS.COM H 9

CALENDAR

The Kids On Ice Synchronized Skating Class and Basic Skills skaters are wishing for snow in a prior year’s Fort Dupont Ice Arena Holiday Show, “Wishing On a Star.” Photo: Stephen DeLeon

Fort Dupont Ice Arena Holiday Show

Dec 8, 11:30 AM-1:00 PM. This year’s holiday show will feature holiday numbers by FDIA’s Kids on Ice® Learn to Skate students other surprise guest stars. $5 suggested donation. 3779 Ely Pl. SE. 202-584-5007. fdia.org

CHRISTMAS, KWANZAA AND CHANUKAH

of Kwanzaa with music, dance, and ceremony. Anacostia Community Museum, 1901 Fort Pl. SE. 202-633-4820. anacostia.si.edu

Black Nativity at the Atlas has been cancelled. theateralliance.com

Kwanzaa Arts, Family Fun. Dec 19, 11:00 AM. Create your own Zawadi (gifts) and greeting cards with artists Tamara Thomas and Deidra Bell. Anacostia Community Museum, 1901 Fort Pl. SE. 202-633-4820. anacostia.si.edu

National (White House) Christmas Tree. The tree was lit on Dec 6. You may visit any time you wish. thenationaltree.org BZB Holiday Gift and Art Show. Dec 8, 15 and 22; 10:00 AM-7:00 PM. Two floors of shopping at the largest African-American Department Store on the east coast. Shiloh Family Life Center, 1510 Ninth St. NW. 202-610-4188. bzbinternational.com Grandma’s Kwanzaa. Dec 27, 11:00 AM. Celebrate Kwanzaa with Debra Mims, blending African & African American cultures and traditions. Enjoy stories from Grandma Sally Kathryn Mims as well. Anacostia Community Museum, 1901 Fort Pl. SE. 202-633-4820. anacostia.si.edu Kwanzaa: Musical Celebration. Dec 29, 10:00 AM. Join Melvin Deal and the African Heritage Drummers & Dancers as they celebrate the spirit

10 H EAST OF THE RIVER MAGAZINE

Santa Paws Photo Shoot (for pets). Dec 8 and 22, 11:00 AM-3:00 PM. $25 per photo. Event is in the parking lot of Second Baptist Church, 816 Third St. NW. Holiday Arts & Crafts Workshop. Dec 15, 10:30 AM. Create your very own holiday gifts with artists Deidra Bell and Tamara Thomas. Anacostia Community Museum, 1901 Fort Pl. SE. 202-6334820. anacostia.si.edu Doggie Photos with Santa at Congressional Cemetery. Dec 8, 10:00 AM-3:00 PM. For a $25 donation, have your dog’s picture taken with Santa. Historic Congressional Cemetery, 1801 E St. SE. 202-543-0539. congressionalcemetery. orgnationaltheatre.org

| DECEMBER 2012

Jingle All the Way 8K. Dec 9, 9:00 AM. Eighth annual holiday-themed event moves out of the parks and offers a flat, fast course down Pennsylvania Avenue. ChronoTrack timing offered with awards to top 10 male & female finishers, and top 3 M/F finishers in 5 year age groups. Fun event also includes colorful long sleeve t-shirts, and jingle bells to all runners! 301-840-2042. runwashington.com/jingle-all-the-way-8k Read Between the Latkes. Dec 12, 7:00 PM. Rabbi Shira Stutman unravels the revolutionary story of Chanukah between bites of potato pancakes and sufganiyot. Sixth & I Historic Synagogue, 600 I St. NW. 202-408-3100. sixthandi. org Soulful Sessions at the H Street Playhouse. Dec 12, 19 and 26; 7:30 PM. $20. Tickets may be purchased online at theateralliance.com. H Street Playhouse, 1365 H St. NE FLORENCE-Christmas Music of the Trecento. Dec 14-23. In 14th-century Florence, lay religious fraternities began incorporating vernacular ceremonial songs known as laude into their worship. This popular form entered the homes of the city’s courtiers, learned clerics,

and middle-class urbanites. Hear these stirring laude performed along with cheerful dances and polyphonic works in joyous celebration of the season. With vocal ensemble Trio Eos, multi-instrumentalist Christa Patton, and period strings and winds. $50. Folger Elizabethan Theatre, 201 E. Capitol St. SE. 202-544-7077. folger.edu DC United Annual Holiday Equipment Sale. Dec 15, noon-3:00 PM. The sale will be held inside RFK Stadium’s VW Lounge and will feature authentic DC United team-issued gear. Season Ticket Holders who present their membership cards will be granted early entry at 11:00 AM. Holiday Extravaganza-Vision Contemporary Dance Ensemble at the Atlas. Dec 15 and 16, 4:00 PM and 7:30 PM. This is Vision Contemporary Dance Ensemble’s first “Holiday Extravaganza.” Come and join the Vision of this newly created dance performance company where you will experience the “Power of Imagination Conveyed into Visible Form.” $20. Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H St. NE. 202-399-7993. atlasarts.org Holiday Caroling at the National Gallery of Art. Dec 15-16 and 22-23; 1:30 PM and 2:30 PM.

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CALENDAR A Christmas Carol at Ford’s. Through Dec. 31. Join the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future as they lead the miserly Ebenezer Scrooge on a journey of transformation and redemption. Originally conceived by Michael Baron, this musicinfused production captures the magic and joy of Dickens’s Yuletide classic. $35$75. 202-347-4833. fordstheatre.org The Garden of Lights (Winter Garden Walk) at Brookside Gardens. Through Jan. 6, 5:30-9:00 PM, weekdays; 5:30-10:00 PM, Fridays, Saturdays and Sunday. 940,000 twinkling colorful lights shaped in imaginative displays throughout the gardens. $20-$25 per car. It’s a walk-through, however. Brookside Gardens Wheaton Regional Park, 1800 Glenallan Ave.,Wheaton, MD. montgomeryparks.org/brookside

Welcome sign at Zoolights. Photo: Jim Jenkins/Smithsonian’s National Zoo

Zoolights

Downtown DC Holiday Market. Through Dec 23, noon8:00 PM. The annual Downtown DC Holiday Market offers seasonal outdoor shopping with a festive atmosphere. It features nearly 180 rotating exhibitors and artisans with approximately 50 each week, offering distinctive gifts for sale including fine art, crafts, jewelry, clothing, accessories, pottery, photography, clothing and specialty foods. Centered at Eighth and F sts. NW. downtownholidaymarket.com

Through Dec 31, 5:00-9:00 PM. Don’t miss your chance to meander through the Zoo when it is covered with thousands of sparkling lights, attend special keeper talks, and enjoy live entertainment. Free. National Zoo, 3001 Connecticut Ave. NW. nationalzoo.si.edu Caroling in the seasonally decorated rotunda has become a favorite family activity of the holiday season. Guest choirs lead afternoon sing-along caroling. Singers and listeners of all ages are welcome. Free. West Building Rotunda, National Gallery of Art, Sixth St. and Constitution Ave. NW. nga.gov PVTC Christmas Caper 5K & 10K. Dec 22, 7:30 AM. East Potomac Park, Hains Point, 972 Ohio Dr. 301-292-1441. pvtc.org Kennedy Center Messiah Sing-Along. Dec 23, 8:00 PM. Join the Kennedy Center House Orchestra, a 200 voice choir, a professional soloist and fellow audience members in a glorious “singalong” of Handel’s beloved masterpiece. This is Washington’s most popular free holiday event. One ticket per person available two hours before performance (6:00 PM) in front of Concert Hall. kennedy-center.org Honor an American Hero at Arlington National Cemetery with a Holiday Wreath. The National Remembrance Ceremony will be held on Saturday, Dec 15. Wreaths Across America, a nonprofit organization founded to continue and expand the annual wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery, is working hard this holiday season to fulfill its goal to honor every veteran buried at Arlington-220,000 in total-with a memorial wreath. The organization continues to seek donations and volunteers and encourages individuals to visit WreathsAcrossA-

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merica.org. Christmas at Washington National Cathedral. Dec 24, Lessons and Carols, 6:00 PM, Midnight Eucharist, 10:00 PM. (Both services require free tickets but there will be a stand-by line that usually gets in.). Dec 25, Festive Eucharist (televised), 9:00 AM; Festive Eucharist, noon; Christmas vespers (Evensong). 4:00 PM; Christmas organ concert, 5:00 PM. Intersection of Wisconsin and Massachusetts aves. NW. 202-537-6200. cathedral.org Celebration of Christmas at the National Shrine. Dec 24, Children’s Mass with Gospel Pageant, 5:00 PM; Musical Meditations on the Nativity, 10:00 PM; Solemn Vigil Mass, 10:30 PM. Dec 25, Masses, 7:30 AM, 9:00 AM, 10:30 AM and 4:30 PM; Solemn Mass, noon; Spanish Mass, 2:30 PM. 400 Michigan Ave. NE. 202-526-8300. nationalshrine.com Christmas Dinner For Those Who Are Alone or In Need. Dec 25, 12:15-2:00 PM. Dining Room of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. This is a walk-in meal. Just show up. To volunteer, call 202-526-8300. 400 Michigan Ave. NE. 202-526-8300. nationalshrine.com All Star Christmas Day Jazz Jam. Dec 25, 6:00 PM. December 25 always brings this popular annual event. Free. Kennedy Center. 202-4168340. kennedy-center.org | DECEMBER 2012

The Nutcracker at the Warner. Through Dec 23. Discover, rediscover, and celebrate this oneof-a-kind Nutcracker production set in 1882 Georgetown and starring George Washington as the Nutcracker, King George II as the Rat King, Anacostia Indians, frontiersmen, and allAmerican delights. Whimsical waltzes, glittering snowflakes, and gorgeous music, The Washington Ballet’s Nutcracker is a magical journey not to be missed! $34-$101. Warner Theatre, 513 13th St. NW. 202-783-4000. washingtonballet. org Seven Nights of Light at the Franciscan Monastery. The luminaries (seven-day candles) will be lighted in the churchyard on Christmas Eve and continue glowing for seven days and nights until New Year’s Eve. Franciscan Monastery, 1400 Quincy St. NE. 202-526-6800. fmgg.org Western Maryland Scenic Railroad Santa Express. Holiday season festivities take on an old world charm in the nearby Maryland Mountains. The history filled small cities of Cumberland and Frostburg host traditional community tree lighting ceremonies on the Thanksgiving weekend. The Western Maryland Scenic Railroad operates Santa Express trains with morning and evening departures from Cumberland during the holiday season. More information about visiting Moun-

tain Maryland, about two hours west of the Beltway on I-68 can be found at mdmountainside. com. Cut-Your-Own Christmas Tree Farms in Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia. Visit pickyourownchristmastree.org for farms and directions. Then follow the prompts. Visit Our Pardoned National Thanksgiving Turkey. The turkey is on display through Jan 6. Immediately following President Obama’s “pardon” of the National Thanksgiving Turkey, George Washington’s Mount Vernon Estate, Museum & Gardens welcomed the turkey with a ceremony featuring a trumpet fanfare and proclamation read by Washington’s farm manager, “James Anderson.” After the holiday season, the turkey will live at Mount Vernon’s nationally-recognized livestock facility. mountvernon.org

NEW YEARS Watch Night Festivities at National Archives. Dec 31, 11:30 PM. Performance by Washington Revels Heritage Voices. Midnight–Bell ringing by Harriet Tubman, portrayed by historical reenactor. East Rotunda Gallery of the National Archives Building, Constitution Ave. at 9th St. NW. archives.gov First Night Alexandria. Dec 31, 2:00 PMmidnight. Fireworks on river at midnight. First Night Alexandria is a celebration of the new year through the performing arts. Local shops, restaurants and buildings turn into performance venues to showcase local talent. It’s fun, affordable, safe and venues are alcohol free. $15 ($20 Dec 17-31). Kids 12 and under, free. firstnightalexandria.org Emancipation Proclamation Reading at National Archives. Jan 1, 9:00 AM. The first hundred guests in line at the main museum entrance at Constitution and 9th Street, NW, by 8:15 AM are invited to enter the building to experience the dramatic reading of the Emancipation Proclamation by Dr. Bernice Johnson Reagon, musician, song talker, and scholar. East Rotunda Gallery of the National Archives Building, Constitution Ave. at 9th St. NW. archives.gov National Archives to Display Original Emancipation Proclamation. Dec 30-Jan 1. Dec 30, 10:00 AM–5:00 PM; Dec 31, 10:00 AM-midnight; Jan 1, 10:00 AM-5:00 PM. The National Archives will commemorate the 150th Anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation with a free special display of the original document. The Emancipation Proclamation is displayed only for a limited time each year because of its fragility, which can be made worse by exposure to light, and the need to preserve it for future generations. East Rotunda Gallery of the National Archives Building, Constitution Ave. at 9th St. NW. archives. gov

AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD Black Nativity at THEARC. Dec 9, 5:00 PM. Focus Theatre Productions presents “Black Nativity,” a Christmas stage play that will strengthen your pride in life! Come join the celebration to get in the holiday spirit! $25. THEARC, 1901 Mississippi Ave. SE. 202-889-5901. thearcdc.org Steppin’ Out: Michael B. Platt. Through Dec 21.

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14 H EAST OF THE RIVER MAGAZINE

| DECEMBER 2012

In Steppin’ Out, Michael B. Platt revisits his idea of lifesized cut-outs of charcoal drawings on wood, made in the 1980s-90s and based on then current newspaper images of black on black crime. The artist cuts out digital prints from adhesive fabric-playing with repeated figures, generating and implying a sense of ritual-familiar and unfamiliar. Honfleur Gallery, 1241 Good Hope Rd. SE. 202-365-8392. honfleurgallery.com Divine Revelations: Passages from the Life of Our Lady. Through Dec 21. Carolina Mayorga will be exhibiting a Fotoweek exhibition at Blank Space SE, 1922 Martin Luther King Jr Ave. SE (the temporary satellite gallery of The Gallery at Vivid Solutions while the gallery is under construction). Gallery Hours: Tuesday-Friday, noon-5:00 p.m.; Saturday, 11:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Or by appointment arts@archdc.org and 202-365-8392. vividsolutionsdc.com SOS: Steps of Success to Wellness at THEARC. Every third Thursday, 5:00-7:00 PM. The SOS: Steps of Success to Wellness is a free six session training series, taught by exceptional and experienced medical practitioners including several pediatricians and a dentist. Participants who attend all six sessions receive a $100 gift card. Those who attend 5 sessions receive a $50 gift card, and $25 if you attend 4. Participants must be at least 18 to be eligible for the gift card. All attendees also receive a certificate of completion. A light meal is provided each session. For more information or to register, contact Ellen Wiggins at 202-436-3076. THEARC, 1901 Mississippi Ave. SE. 202889-5901. thearcdc.org Separate and Unequaled: Black Baseball in the District of Columbia. On view indefinitely. From Reconstruction to the second half of the 20th century, baseball, the great American pastime, was played in Washington, DC, on segregated fields. “Separate and Unequaled” looks at the phenomenal popularity and community draw of this sport when played by African Americans. Featured are such personalities as Josh Gibson and “Buck” Leonard, star players of the Negro Leagues most celebrated team, the Washington Homestead Grays. The show also highlights community teams that gave rise to the various amateur, collegiate and semi-pro black baseball teams and leagues. For special viewing hours and tours, call 202-633-4844. Anacostia Community Museum, 1901 Fort Pl. SE. anacostia.si.edu Tour Kenilworth Park and Aquatic Gardens. Open daily, 7:00 AM-4:00 PM. Kenilworth Park and Aquatic Gardens is about 700 acres and is part of Anacostia Park. The park includes the gardens, Kenilworth Marsh, ball fields and recreational facilities. It is the only National Park Service site devoted to the propagation and display of aquatic plants. Stop by the visitors center and ask if a ranger is free to show you around. You can also borrow a guidebook and binoculars if you leave a driver’s license. Free.1550 Anacostia Ave. NE. 202-426-6905. www.nps.gov/kepa Tour the Frederick Douglass House. Tours are at 9:00 AM, 12:15 PM, 1:15 PM, 3:00 PM and 3:30 PM. Ranger led tours are the only way to see the inside of the Frederick Douglass house. Tours are ticketed, and there are a limited number of tickets available for each tour. Tour tickets are available by reservation or on a first-come, first-served walk-in basis. Visitors are strongly encouraged to make a reservation to guarantee their place on the tour. Tours last approximately 30 minutes. 1411 W St. SE. 202-426-5960. nps.gov/frdo A Self-Reliant People: Greater Deanwood Heritage Trail. Discover, or see with new eyes, this traditionally African American enclave in Far Northeast when you follow “A Self-Reliant People: Greater Deanwood Heritage Trail.” Fifteen poster-sized street signs combine storytelling with historic photographs and maps to transport you back to the days before Deanwood was Deanwood. To pick up the trail go to Nannie Helen Burroughs Ave. and Division Ave. NE. Walk one block south to Foote Street, at the edge

of Marvin Gaye Park. The 90-minute, self-guided tour will bring you along Nannie Helen Burroughs Avenue, up 49th St. and along Sheriff Rd. back to Minnesota Ave. and the Metro station. Walk the trail at your own pace and take time to enjoy this small town in the city. Don’t forget to pick up a free trail guide from businesses along the way. 202-661-7581. culturaltourismdc.org What’s Blooming at the US Arboretum in December? Hollies in fruit, heavenly-bamboo in fruit, conifer foliage and cones, Japanese apricot, wintersweet (in mild weather). Free. There are two entrances: one at 3501 New York Ave. NE, and 24th and R sts. NE, off of Bladensburg Rd. 202-245-4521. usna.usda.gov

sPORts, danCE and PHysiCal fitnEss Washington Capitals Ice Hockey. Dec 11, 13, 15, 17, 20, 23 and 27. Verizon Center, 601 F St. NW. 202-628-3200. capitals.nhl.com Washington Wizards Basketball. Dec 8, 14, 18, 22, 26 and 28. Verizon Center, 601 F St. NW. 202-397-SEAT. nba. com/wizards DC Rollergirls. Dec 8, 4:00 PM. (Doors open at 3:00 p.m.) Tickets are $12 for ages 12 and up, $6 for children 6-11, and free for kids 5 and under. Tickets are available in advance at ticketmaster.com or at the door on bout day. Individuals with a valid military ID can purchase tickets for $10 at the door. Bouts are at DC Armory. dcrollergirls.com Military Bowl. Dec 27, 3:00 PM. Tickets available. RFK Stadium. militarybowl.org Canal Park Ice Rink. Open Monday-Friday, noon-9:00 PM; Saturday, 10:00 AM-10:00 PM; Sunday 10:00 AM-7:00 PM. Adult fee is $8; children, seniors (55+) and military fees are $7. Skate rental is $3. On Tuesdays, two can skate for the price of one from 4:00-6:00 PM. The park is at Second and M sts. SE, one block from the Navy Yard Metro (New Jersey Avenue exit). canalparkdc.org. Ice Skating at the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden. Open through mid-Mar (weather permitting). Monday-Thursday, 10:00 AM-9:00 PM; Friday-Saturday, 10:00 AM-11:00 PM; Sunday, 11:00 AM-9:00 PM. $7 for adults, $6 for children 12 and under, students with ID and seniors 50 and over. Skate rental is $3. 7th St. and Constitution Ave. NW. 202-289-3361. nga.gov/ginfo/skating DJ’s in the Garden-Spin, Cut and Groove. Thursdays through Feb 28, 6:00-9:00 PM. Keep warm on the ice while a DJ spins popular music from the 1960s, ‘70s, ‘80s, and ‘90s, including a wide range of musical styles such as HipHop, R&B, Disco, Pop, Rock and Roll, and Soul. Skaters may make requests to guest DJs and twirl across the ice to their favorite tunes. National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden, Seventh St. and Constitution Ave. NW. 202-2893361. nga.gov/ginfo/skating Public Skating at Fort Dupont Ice Arena. Fridays, noon1:50 PM; Saturdays, 11:15 AM-12:15 PM. Dress for warmth and safety. Clothes should be easy to move in, and pants must not fall below the heel of the skate (sweatpants or leggings are a good choice). Everyone needs to wear gloves or mittens, and one pair of thin, long socks or tights that fit snugly (no ankle socks). A helmet or knit hat is strongly recommended (loaner helmets are available). $5. $4 for kids and seniors. $3 for skate rental. Fort Dupont Ice Arena, 3779 Ely Pl. NE. 202-584-5007. fdia.org Adult Dance Classes. Tuesdays, 7:00-8:30 PM, Jazz; Wednesdays, 7:00-8:15 PM, Ballet; Saturdays, 9:00-10:00 AM, Zumba. The Washington Ballet @ THEARC offers three adult classes this year. Classes are $12 each or you may

purchase a $100 class card for 12 classes. Classes are only $5 for Ward 8 residents. The class card for Ward 8 residents is $50. (Valid ID required.) THEARC, 1901 Mississippi Ave. SE. 202-889-5901. thearcdc.org Free Exercise Classes at Kenilworth Elementary School. Every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, 6:00-7:00 PM. Bring your own mat, water and towel. 1300 44th St. NE. For more information, email peppypromotions@ gmail.com or call 301-395-1013 Free Yoga Classes at Anacostia Neighborhood Library. Every Thursday, 7:00-8:00 PM. Yoga is a great way to relax, unwind and get grounded. Even if you’ve never done yoga before--this class is for you. Open to people of all abilities, ages and body types. All you need to bring is yourself, comfortable clothing and an open mind. Judgment free zone: having a great time is encouraged! Register in person at Anacostia Neighborhood Library or call 202-715-7707. 1800 Good Hope Rd. SE. dclibrary.org/anacostia Deanwood (indoor) Pool. Mon-Fri 6:30 AM8:00 PM; Sat-Sun, 9:00 AM-5:00 PM. Free for DC residents. 1350 49th St. NE. 202-6713078. dpr.dc.gov Ferebee Hope (indoor) Pool. Open weekdays, 10:00-6:00 PM. Closed weekends. Free for DC residents. 3999 Eighth St. SE. 202-6453916. dpr.dc.gov

MaRKEts DC CHEW Farmers’ Market. Saturdays, through Dec 8, 10:00 AM-2:00 PM. At the intersection of Good Hope Rd., Naylor Rd. and Alabama Ave. SE at Skyland Shopping Center. DC CHEW is a project of the Office of the Deputy Mayor and sponsored by Mayor and the District of Columbia. dcchew.com Fresh Tuesdays at Eastern Market. Every Tuesday, 3:00-7:00 PM. Tuesday afternoon farmers’ line of fresh produce. Eastern Market, 200 block of Seventh St. SE. 202-698-5253. easternmarket-dc.com Union Market. Starting Nov 10, market hours are Wednesday-Friday, 11:00 AM-8:00 PM; Saturday-Sunday, 8:00 AM-8:00 PM. The newly-opened Union Market is an artisanal, curated, year-round food market featuring over 40 local vendors. 1309 Fifth St. NE. 301652-7400. unionmarketdc.com Eastern Market. Daily except Mondays and important holidays. Weekdays, 7:00 AM-7:00 PM; Saturdays, 7:00 AM-5:00 PM; Sundays, 9:00 AM-5:00 PM. Flea market and arts and crafts market open Saturdays and Sundays, 9:00 AM-6:00 PM. Eastern Market is Washington’s last continually operated “old world” market. On weekends the market area comes alive with farmers bringing in fresh produce, craft and flower vendors, artists, a flea market and street musicians. 200 block of Seventh St. SE. 202-698-5253. easternmarket-dc.com Dupont Circle Farmers Market. Sundays year round (rain or shine), 9:00 AM-1:00 PM. The Wall Street Journal and The Financial Times of London named the market one of the top farmers’ markets in the country. During the

peak season, there are more than 30 farmers offering fruits and vegetables, meat, poultry, fish, cheeses, fruit pies, breads, fresh pasta, cut flowers, potted plants, soaps and herbal products. 20th St. and Mass. Ave. NW, 1500 block of 20th St. NW (between Mass. Ave. and Q St. in the adjacent parking lot of PNC Bank). 202-362-8889. freshfarmmarket.org

CiviC lifE Big Chair Breakfast Bunch. Saturday, Dec 8, 10:00 AM-noon. Big Chair Coffee n’ Grill (upstairs). All are welcome to attend and discuss what’s happening East of the River. 2122 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave. SE. 202-525-4287. Small Business Brief Advice Legal Clinic. Dec 11, 5:00-7:30 PM. This clinic is for aspiring or existing small business owners. Attendees will meet one-on-one with attorneys for brief advice on any legal issues their businesses may be facing. Free. DC Chamber of Commerce, 506 9th St. NW. 202-737-4700 ext. 3369. dcbar.org Congresswoman Norton’s SE District Office. Open weekdays, 9:00 AM-6:00 PM. 2041 MLK Ave. SE, #238. 202-678-8900. norton.house. gov Councilmember Alexander’s Constituent Services Office. Open weekdays, 10:00 AM6:00 PM. 2524 Penn. Ave. SE. 202-581-1560. Councilmember Barry’s Constituent Services Office. Open weekdays, 9:00 AM-5:00 PM. 2100 MLK Ave, SE, #307. 202-698-2185. Anacostia Coordinating Council Meeting. Last Tuesday, noon-2:00 PM. Anacostia Museum, 1901 Fort St. SE. For further details, contact Philip Pannell, 202-889-4900. Capitol View Civic Association Meeting. Third Monday, 6:30 PM. Hughes Memorial United Methodist, 25 53rd St. NE. capitolviewcivicassoc.org Historical Anacostia Block Association. Second Thursday, 7:00-9:00 PM. UPO-Anacostia Service Center, 1649 Good Hope Rd. SE. For further details, contact Charles Wilson, 202-834-0600. Anacostia High School School Improvement Team Meeting. Fourth Tuesday. 6:00 PM. Anacostia High School, 16th and R sts. SE. Deanwood Citizens Association General Body Meeting. Fourth Monday, except Aug. and Dec., 6:30 PM. 1350 49th St. NE. Deanwood Citizens Association General Body Meeting. Fourth Monday, except Aug. and Dec., 6:30 PM. 1350 49th St. NE. Eastland Gardens Civic Association Meeting. Third Tuesday. 6:30-8:30 PM. Kenilworth Elementary School (auditorium), 1300 44th St. NE. Greg Rhett jrhett3009@aol.com or 202-388-1532.

22%

Percentage of deaths in DC attributed to cancer, one of the ten leading causes of mortality among DC residents.*

Working in healthcare can be rewarding — the career opportunities are many. So are the chances to change lives.

Graduate School USA’s Center for Health Sciences Associate Degree Programs: • Medical Assistant • Medical Laboratory Technician

Certificate Programs: • ECG Technician • Medical Office Administrative Assistant • Phlebotomy Technician

Spring semester begins January 28th. Learn More Visit: graduateschool.edu/health Call: (202) 314-3643 Email: healthsciences@graduateschool.edu

Infoons: 2 si e S s ber 1

em 7 Dec nuary m Ja p 6-8

*Source: Preventable Risk Factors Attributed to Preventable Causes of Death in the District of Columbia, 2007, Department of Health Center for Policy, Planning, and Epidemiology, State Center for Health Statistics Health Statistics

Fairlawn Citizens Association. Third Tuesday, 7:00 PM. Ora L. Glover Community Room at the Anacostia Public Library, 1800 Good Hope Rd. SE. ● L’Enfant Plaza Metro EoR-DEC12-CHS

600 Maryland Avenue, SW Washington, DC 20024 EASTOFTHERIVERDCNEWS.COM H

BULLETIN BOARD

Anacostia and H Street/Benning Road Streetcar Update

Construction activities in support of the DC Streetcar program are moving ahead in both Anacostia and along the H Street/Benning Road Corridor. Activities in the near future are expected to have minimal impacts on motorists, pedestrians, businesses and residents in each area. The Anacostia Initial Line Segment is a 1.1 mile planned streetcar line connecting the Anacostia Metro Station with the Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling ( JBAB), via Firth Sterling Avenue and South Capitol Street. The line will include a storage yard and maintenance facility adjacent to South Capitol Street. In the near future, this segment will be utilized as a testing and commissioning track for streetcar vehicles prior to being put into service. Verification of existing conditions has started along the H Street/Benning Road corridor in preparation for future utility installation and construction activities. This work consists of photographic documentation, verifying utility line locations and checking select manholes. No lane closures are necessary for this portion of the work. There may be minor impacts to pedestrian traffic as teams check manholes and utility line locations. These are expected to be short in duration and will be well marked. Starting the week of Dec 3, short term lane closures will become necessary. They will take place during non-peak hours and be well marked. More information regarding the locations of these closures will be published next week. For more information about the DC Streetcar, visit dcstreetcar.com.

Ward 8 Farmers Market on Discovery Channel Program

The Discovery Channel visited Ward 8 Farmers Market this summer to film part of a documentary “Health: When Sex, Race and Location Matter.” It is an hour-long look at health disparities in the United States and how the health of people and whole communities is tied to neighborhood, gender, and race. It broadcasts on Dec 15 at 8 a.m. Using Wards 7 and 8 as an example of a national problem, the program will explore the big pic16 H EAST OF THE RIVER MAGAZINE

ture, but it also explores a group of citizens beating the odds and making important changes in their lives. The documentary will be available on their website after it broadcasts. Ward 8 Farmers Market at Saint E’s and at THEARC are both closed for the season. The market is always interested adding new producers who will make the market more interesting for their customers. Bear in mind that, as a farmers market, their primary interest is in food products. Their preference is for vendors whose organization | DECEMBER 2012

produces the food they sell, although they are willing to make exceptions for this policy for, for example, a vendor who imports specialty products. Find out more at ward8farmersmarket.com or email ward8FM@gmail.com.

DC’s Most Energy-Efficient House Opens in Deanwood

After several years of planning, the District celebrates the completion of Empowerhouse, a new model for affordable, energy efficient and sustainable housing. Designed and construct-

ed by students at Parsons The New School for Design, The Milano School of International Affairs, Management and Urban Policy at The New School, and Stevens Institute of Technology in partnership with Habitat for Humanity of Washington, DC and the DC government. Empowerhouse is the first Passive House in Washington-today’s highest energy standard, a Passive House consumes 90 percent less energy than a typical home, making Empowerhouse a new model for affordable housing. The house, which first debuted at the US Department of Energy Solar Decathlon, where it won first place in the affordability category, was moved to the Deanwood neighborhood of Washington, where it was expanded into a two-family home. It is a recipient of the 2012 Mayor’s Sustainability Award. For more information, visit empowerhouse-dc.org.

Anacostia Playhouse Announces Call For Arts Professionals

The Anacostia Playhouse, slated to open at 2020 Shannon Place, SE, in Spring 2013, is developing a database of local arts professionals with a focus on residents East of the River. As the venue’s opening approaches, The Anacostia Playhouse will be looking to fill a variety of contract positions on an ongoing basis. Some of these positions may include: • Technical Director • House Manager • Performing Arts Instructors • Performing Arts Related Design Instructors (e.g., set design or costume design) If you are an arts professional who resides East of the River and are interested in being contacted about future employment opportunities at the Anacostia Playhouse, please send your resume and a cover letter to Julia Robey Christian, Managing Director at julia@anacostiaplayhouse.com or

mail a hard copy to 2020 Shannon Place, SE Washington, DC 20020. For more information or to join our email and/or mailing list, please visit www.anacostiaplayhouse.com.

87th Annual Black History Month Luncheon Tickets Available

The 2013 luncheon theme is “At the Crossroads of Freedom and Equality: The Emancipation Proclamation and the March on Washington.” The luncheon is on Feb 23 at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel. Individual tickets are $75-$125. They may be purchased online at asalh.org.

Wacky and Whimsical Tea to Benefit THEARC

The “Wacky & Whimsical Tea to Benefit THEARC” is a funfilled Sunday afternoon that will include high tea, a silent auction and creative games for kids of all ages and their families, including a treasure trove, special entertainment and other surprises. Event takes place Mar 3, 2-4 p.m. at the Ritz-Carlton, 1150 22nd St. NW. All of the proceeds from the event will benefit the Town Hall Education Arts Recreation Campus (THEARC).

“On Freedom’s Trail” Bus Tours

What was it like for black Americans living in the area in December 1862? War had come, but no city south of the MasonDixon Line except Washington, DC, enjoyed both the blessings of the yuletide season and the spirit of freedom for all of its citizens. On Saturday, Dec 15, 10 a.m., join historian C.R. Gibbs and examine examples of black enterprise, organization, and community spirit in the District, Alexandria, and Prince Georges County, Maryland. As we celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation, the focus of the tour will be on the “momentous EASTOFTHERIVERDCNEWS.COM H 17

NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS epoch” as this period of time was called by Reverend Henry McNeal Turner. On Jan 12, 10 a.m., join C.R. Gibbs and visit Civil War-era fortifications in the District and Virginia, review the role of African American Union soldiers, and stop by former contraband encampments “where the tradition of ‘watch night’ was given new, imperishable significance by the African American cultural experience.” The buses will depart from Anacostia Community Museum and return to the museum at 12:30 p.m. These tours are free and open to the public. Recommended for ages 16 to adult. This program is funded in part by a grant from The Humanities Council of Washington, DC. For reservations, call 202-633-4844. Anacostia Community Museum, 1901 Fort Pl. SE. anacostia.si.edu

6th Annual MLK Peace Walk (save the date)

The walk is scheduled for Jan 19 and is calling for volunteers. If you would like to volunteer, email them at mlkpeacewalk2013@gmail.com.

DDOT Partnering With Earth Conservation Corps on Tree Box Maintenance in Historic Anacostia

The District Department of Transportation’s Urban Forestry Administration (UFA) is partnering with the Earth Conservation Corps (ECC) to improve the tree boxes in Historic Anacostia’s commercial district. Staff from both organizations are weeding and mulching the tree boxes, not only to improve aesthetics in the retail corridor, but also to insulate tree roots as winter approaches. This effort launches a broader partnership between UFA, ECC, and the U.S. Forest Service to create workforce opportunities for District of Columbia residents who face long-term underemployment. Members of the Corps gain paid employment and experience in tree care and maintenance along DDOT’s streets and trails. The Earth Conservation Corps began its work in the 1990s by restoring bald eagles to the Anacostia River watershed, an accomplishment led by some of the District of Columbia’s most economically vulnerable young 18 H EAST OF THE RIVER MAGAZINE

adults. Several of the Corps members were tragically killed by various incidents of street violence during that wildlife restoration effort, including 19-year old Diamond Teague for whom a waterfront park adjacent to Nationals Park is named. ECC’s work to improve the Anacostia continues in their honor. ECC’s partnership with DDOT in Anacostia is intended to supplement the beautification efforts of local businesses and residents. The DC Municipal Regulations require the abutting property owners to maintain the area out to the curb which includes nearby tree boxes.

Emancipation Proclamation Lectures at National Archives

“Lincoln’s Hundred Days: The Emancipation Proclamation and the War for the Union” Professor and author Louis P. Masur tells the story of the critical period between September 22, 1862, when Lincoln issued his preliminary Emancipation Proclamation, and January 1, 1863, when he signed the final altered decree. During those hundred days, Lincoln struggled to lead a nation through a war as he debated with foes and worked to meet the expectations of millions of enslaved peoples. Friday, Dec 14, at noon. “The Fire of Freedom: Abraham Galloway and the Slaves’ Civil War” Abraham Galloway was an abolitionist and Union spy who rose out of bondage to become one of the most significant black leaders in the South during the Civil War. Historian David Cecelski discusses the life of Galloway, who led a delegation of black southerners to the White House to meet with President Lincoln to demand the full rights of citizenship. This program is presented in partnership with the National Archives Afro-American History Society. Wednesday, Dec 19, at noon. National Archives Building, 700 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. 202-357-5000. archives.gov

Troubled Waters: A Mississippi River Story

On Jan 10, 7 p.m., Mike Bolinder, Anacostia Riverkeeper, leads a discussion on the film “Troubled Waters: A Mississippi Story.” The development of America’s bountiful heartland and its effect on the legendary Mississippi River are traced in this film. Knitting together federal energy and farm | DECEMBER 2012

The “living” tree. Photo: Courtesy of Pennsylvania Avenue Baptist Church

The “Living” Christmas Tree Comes Back to Washington, DC

The Pennsylvania Avenue Baptist Church once again celebrated the Christmas season with a “Living” Christmas Tree event in early Dec. The theme of this year’s service was “IMAGINE! Christmas at PABC.” It featured a powerful blend of music, drama, mime, and dance and was highlighted by a replica of a Christmas tree that stood over six tiers tall. Among the “decorations” adorning the tree, were approximately 50 men and women from area churches who sang the best of the season’s sacred music while standing within its structure, thus bringing the tree to “life!” and environment policies against the backdrop of the Mississippi River watershed, the film helps viewers to grasp what is a profound truth--that a single drop of water in Minnesota is connected to the “dead zone” in the Gulf of Mexico. Through beautiful photography and inspiring narrative, it offers solutions to the river’s troubles, from upstream to the gulf, and the difficulties it faces, providing fresh ideas and concrete solutions. For reservations, call 202-633-4844. Anacostia Community Museum, 1901 Fort Pl. SE. anacostia.si.edu

DC Water and DPW Launches 11th Annual Holiday Gift Drive

The District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority (DC Water) and the DC Department of Public Works (DPW) kicked off the 11th Annual Bread for the Soul Holiday Drive on Monday, Nov 26. For over a decade, employees from both agencies have donated more than $40,000 for food and gifts for more than 1,000 District families affected by HIV and AIDS. From now through Dec 14, DC Water and DPW employees will be

collecting toys, books and cash donations. Collection bins for gifts will be placed in designated locations at all DC Water and DPW facilities. Citizens may also bring new, unwrapped toys and books to the Martin Luther King, Jr. Library at 901 G St. NW. All food baskets and gifts will be delivered to the families on Saturday, Dec 15. For more information, contact DC Water at 202-7872200 or DPW at 202-673-6812.

11th Street Bridge Makes National Top Bridges List

In its November issue, the editorial staff of Roads & Bridges magazine cited the 11th Street Bridge design-build-to-budget procurement model as an innovative approach that saves time and money and applauded the project as â€œa triplecrown winner in traffic congestion relief, innovative delivery and environmental stewardship.â€? The project is replacing two bridges built in the 1960s with three new bridges which will separate local and freeway traffic. The new freeway bridges also provide much needed new direct connections between I-695 (SE/SW Freeway)) and both directions of the Anacostia Freeway (I-295/DC 295). The design-to build-to budget procurement model the department adopted established a fixed price and delivery deadline, allowing the contractor to propose the most dynamic, innovative and cost effective plan, resulting in a cost savings of $100 million. While the design saves money and time-it also incorporates drainage, storm water treatment and other environmental and recreational investments that preserve the beauty and delicate ecology of the Anacostia River. When Phase I is completed next year, the project will feature three new bridges, a new 16-foot pedestrian and bicycle path that connects to the Anacostia Riverwalk Trail, and space for future streetcar tracks. Phase 2, which began this summer, is located within the Capitol Hill/Navy Yard area and includes replacing the 2-lane outbound I-695 (SE/SW Freeway) flyover bridge over M Street with a new 3-lane bridge structure. It will also lay the groundwork for replacement of the SE/SW Freeway with a

level boulevard between 11th St. SE and Barney Circle. For more information about the 11th Street bridge project, visit anacostiawaterfront. org/11thStreetBridge.

Nash Run Trash Trap Cleanup Volunteers Needed

The Anacostia Watershed Society has been experimenting with a stationary device built to strain the trash from the flowing waters of Nash Run, located adjacent the Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens. This is an excellent opportunity to learn about the trash challenges of the Anacostia-and what is being done to address it. They need about 10 people for this cleanup. The task requires squatting down for a relatively long time, and may be physically demanding. The cleanup is on Dec 16, noon-3 p.m. around the intersection of Anacostia Ave. NE and Douglas St. NE. This site is about an 8-minute walk from the Deanwood Metro station on the Orange Line. Please RSVP because they need to communicate with you prior to the event. This event might be canceled suddenly because the trash trap lies across a small stream and we cannot work during high-flow events. Also, there may be no trash at the end of the month if there is no intense rainfall event by then. For more information, contact Masaya Maeda at mmaeda@anacostiaws.org or call 301-699-6204 x110. Dress for field activities.

Full Closure of Westbound Southeast Freeway Between Pennsylvania Ave. SE and 8th St. SE Started

The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) closed the westbound Southeast Freeway between Pennsylvania Ave. and 8th St. SE on Nov 29. The full closure of the westbound SE Freeway will remain in place for approximately 18 to 20 months while crews complete improvements to the freeway as part of the 11th Street Bridge ProjectPhase 2 construction. In addition, DDOT is scheduled to open the newly constructed ramp from 11th St. SE to westbound I-695 (SE/SW Freeway) on Nov 29. This new ramp will greatly improve traffic EASTOFTHERIVERDCNEWS.COM H

NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS flow through Capitol Hill by providing a second access point to the Freeway other than the 3rd St. SE on-ramp. It will also provide more direct access to the Freeway for Anacostia residents using the local 11th Street Bridge as well as improve evening rush-hour from the Navy Yard. During the closure, motorists traveling southbound on DC-295 (Anacostia Freeway) and westbound on Pennsylvania Ave. SE will be detoured to the new I-695 inbound freeway bridge to reach the SE/SW Freeway and I-395. Variable message signs will be in place to provide motorists advanced notice of the scheduled closure. For more information and to follow the bridge project and AWI Program’s progress, visit anacostiawaterfront.org/11thStreetBridge. To join the project or AWI community contact list or ask questions, email ddot. awi@dc.gov or call 202-741-8528.

DDOT Set to Start Reconstruction and Resurfacing Work on Eastern Avenue

The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) announced plans are in place to start work on the reconstruction and resurfacing of Eastern Ave. NE in late November, weather permitting. The project includes two sections of Eastern Avenue: from Sargent Road to Galloway Street; and from Michigan Avenue to Randolph Street. The work will include upgrading the roadway pavement, storm drains, streetlights and traffic signals; repairing and or replacing the existing sidewalks; installing granite curbs and gutters; repairing and or replacing driveway entrances in addition to the water and sewer lines within the project area. Construction is scheduled to be completed within 365 calendar days, weather permitting, and will typically take place between 9:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Construction work may also take place during overnight hours and weekends if necessary. During construction at least one lane of traffic on Eastern Ave. will be kept open in each direction. Access to the adjacent properties will also be maintained. Curbside parking on Eastern Ave. will be temporarily restricted along the construction areas. The curbside parking 20 H EAST OF THE RIVER MAGAZINE

at the Eastern Ave. and Varnum St. intersection will remain closed while the project is underway. Motorists are advised to stay alert and to plan ahead to minimize delays while traveling through this corridor. For additional information, contact at DDOT Project Manager Abdullahi Mohamed at 202-671-4614 or abdullahi.mohamed@dc.gov.

Study of Anacostia Anglers Indicates Widespread Sharing of Contaminated Fish

A group of local, District, and Federal partners have released the results of a yearlong survey that evaluated the extent to which people are catching, sharing and eating fish from the Anacostia River. Partners include Anacostia Watershed Society (AWS), the Chesapeake Bay Trust, Anacostia Riverkeeper, District Government, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, US Fish and Wildlife Service, and the US Environmental Protection Agency. Like so many other urban rivers across the country, the Anacostia has suffered from environmental degradation including pollution from run-off and hazardous waste sites that has resulted in chemicals such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) to accumulate in sediments. PCBs are believed to be cancer-causing agents and may also affect the mental development of children. Fish accumulate these and other chemicals that, in turn, present a risk to the people that eat them. Both the District of Columbia and the State of Maryland advise the public to avoid certain fish species–carp and channel catfish, for instance–and to limit the consumption of other species to avoid long-term health effects. The concern driving this report is that these warnings are not always heard and certainly are not always heeded. The research indicated widespread sharing of fish from the Anacostia. Three-quarters of anglers surveyed reported eating and sharing some or all of their catch. Even by conservative estimates, as many as 17,000 residents may be consuming fish caught from the Anacostia. Nearly half (46%) of anglers interviewed in the riverbank survey indicated that they are sharing their catch | DECEMBER 2012

beyond their immediate families. For more information or to download the complete report, visit anacostiaws. org/fishing.

Carter G. Woodson 137th Birthday Commemoration

On Wednesday, Dec 19, 6-8 p.m., join the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH), the National Park Service, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, the African American Experience Fund, and Shiloh Baptist Church as they remember and celebrate their Founder Dr. Carter G. Woodson. The program and reception take place at Shiloh Baptist Church, 9th Street, NW. It is free and open to the public. asalh.org

DC Dept. of Motor Vehicles Announces “Skip the Trip”

“Skip the Trip” is a campaign designed to encourage customers to use the Internet and mail; thereby, reducing the number of people making in-person visits to the service centers and adjudication services. Currently, on average, 450-650 people visit each of the four service centers daily with adjudication services averaging 700 or more people. Customers who use online services can do so at their convenience. Computers enable people to access dmv.dc.gov at their leisure from 6 a.m. until 11:59 p.m., seven days a week. With today’s technology, DMV is available to customers outside of its regular business hours. Also, all District public libraries have computers with secure Internet connections for conducting DMV online transactions with credit, debit, or bank cards. Visit dmv.dc.gov for more details about “Skip the Trip.”

Holiday Mail for Heroes

Since 2006, the American Red Cross has received more than 4.7 million holiday cards for members of the US Armed Forces, veterans and families. Americans are encouraged to send messages of thanks and well wishing from now through Friday, Dec 9. Throughout the holiday season, Red Cross workers and volunteers will deliver cards to service members, veterans and families across the country and at overseas military installations. Those wishing to participate can send

cards to: Holiday Mail for Heroes, PO Box 5456, Capitol Heights, MD 20791-5456.

Library of Congress Website Featuring Music Legends Launched

In 1988, John Lennon’s wife Yoko Ono gave a candid interview to record-label president Joe Smith about the Beatles’ split: “For John, it was a divorce. I think he was feeling very good about it, as if a big weight was off him.” Ono was among more than 200 celebrated performers, producers and industry leaders whose words Smith captured on audiotape more than 25 years ago in an effort to document the oral history of popular music. In June 2012, Smith donated the collection of recordings to the Library of Congress-a tremendous assembly of primary-source oral histories covering perhaps the most important 50 years of popular music, nationally and internationally. The Library has made a series of these revealing, unedited recordings available for listening free to the public on its website at loc.gov/ rr/record/joesmith/. The first group of recordings posted on the site will consist of 25 interviews. These include interviews with Tony Bennett, Paul McCartney, Yoko Ono, Ray Charles, B. B. King, Bo Diddley and Linda Rondstadt. More recordings in the Smith collection will be added to the site over time. Also coming soon is Smith’s own reflective interview, in which he shares rare and intimate details about his decades-long career. He candidly talks about the famous people in his life, including a titillating accusation against him and his business partner, Frank Sinatra. All types of popular music are represented in the collection-from rock ‘n’ roll, jazz, rhythm & blues and pop to big-band, heavy metal, folk and country-western. The list of noted artists and executives is a veritable who’s who in the music industry. Among them are Artie Shaw, Woody Herman, Ella Fitzgerald, Ray Charles, Barbra Streisand, Little Richard, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Elton John, Paul Simon, David Bowie, Billy Joel, Sting, Tony Bennett, Joan Baez, James Taylor, Dick Clark, Tina Turner, Tom Jones, B. B. King, Quincy Jones, David Geffen, Mickey Hart, Harry Belafonte and many others. l

Are all women at risk for breast cancer? Is breast cancer the second most common cancer among women? Is breast cancer the most common cause of cancer deaths among Hispanic women? Are black women more likely to die from breast cancer even though more white women get breast cancer? The answer is YES!! Is cervical cancer the easiest gynecological cancer to prevent with regular screening tests and follow-up? Is cervical cancer curable when found and treated early? Is HPV the main cause of cervical cancer? The answer is YES!

â€œEARLY DETECTIONS SAVES LIVESâ€? If you are a woman between the ages of 21-64 living in the District that is uninsured or underinsured, you may be eligible for a free breast and cervical cancer screening. Ask ME! Is a community outreach and education program aimed to increase community awareness about free breast and cervical cancer screening services. For more information or to schedule an appointment for a free breast or cervical cancer exam call Project WISH at (202)442-5900.

EASTOFTHERIVERDCNEWS.COM H 21

NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS

District Beat

Brown Goes Down Does This Signal a Shift in DC Politics? by Martin Austermuhle

Councilmember At-Large David Grosso and Ward 6 Councilmember Tommy Wells. Photo: Andrew Lightman

he seemingly impossible happened on November 6: an incumbent D.C. councilmember was defeated. On that day, independent challenger David Grosso upset Councilmember Michael Brown (I-At Large), besting him by over 20,000 votes to win one of two of the at-large seats that were up for grabs. (Vincent Orange easily won the other.) The news was momentous not only because incumbents so rarely go down in general elections in D.C., but because it symbolically marked the downfall of the third political family that had occupied seats on the D.C. Council until this year. Brown’s fall followed Harry Thomas, Jr.’s in January and Kwame Brown’s in June. 22 H EAST OF THE RIVER MAGAZINE

In the wake of Grosso’s big win, residents and political analysts alike are looking at whether his victory has marked the start of an emerging shift in how the city’s residents vote. Moreover, future candidates looking to knock off incumbents are taking stock of what Grosso did to beat Brown. In this, there are interesting developments and lessons to be learned. First off, Grosso laid out a clear strategy for defeating incumbent councilmembers that future challengers are sure to try. Most importantly, he followed in the footsteps of Adrian Fenty and Kwame Brown before him by starting early—a full year early. One 2014 hopeful has already taken this message to heart: former | DECEMBER 2012

Ward 1 ANC Brianne Nadeau has already announced that she plans on unseating Councilmember Jim Graham (D-Ward 1) in two years. Second—and this ties into the first point—raise a lot of money. Grosso didn’t only raise more, but he also spent it wisely, saving about half of his $160,000 bankroll for the final month of campaigning. Obviously, Brown suffered from having $113,000 stolen from his campaign, but even without that loss Grosso would have remained close in fundraising. (In Nadeau’s case, she says she’s already raised $30,000.) Finally: find a message and stick to it. Grosso consistently pointed to Brown as yet another ethically challenged D.C. legislator, and the mes-

sage seemed to stick. Looking to 2014, there’s little to say that Graham can’t suffer the same fate; though he’s never been found guilty of anything, there have been enough allegations of improprieties floating around to make many of his constituents uncomfortable. Of course, Grosso also benefited from the fact that Brown ran a noncampaign. The incumbent never really made the case for himself, had virtually no volunteers and a non-existent get-out-the-vote operation on Election Day. It’s not much of a surprise that he wasn’t ready for Grosso, though—Brown’s last campaign was a cakewalk, seeing as he only had to defeat a Republican for the At-Large seat he eventually won. As for how the election played out, there two factors to consider. First, while Grosso’s win was notable, it didn’t completely break the predictable mold of how many recent citywide races have played out. Though Grosso soundly drubbed Brown in overall votes, he did so by racking up impressive margins in the western wards and in parts of Capitol Hill, enough to outweigh the comfortable wins that Brown saw in precincts throughout many parts of Southeast and Northeast D.C. Breaking down the vote tallies, it becomes clear that Grosso won largely because the animus towards Brown was much more significant in wards 2 and 3 than it was against Grosso in the ward 7 and 8 precincts that he lost. While Grosso saw margins of victory approaching 40 percent in some of the precincts in the western wards, Brown could only muster gains of 20 percent in areas east of the Anacostia River. It also didn’t help that support for Brown in his home base of Ward 4 slackened significantly—he lost thousands of votes relative to his 2008 win—nor that Grosso was able to stay competitive on his own turf in Ward 5. That being said, Ward 6 emerged as a new player in deciding citywide elections. According to final counts, both the number of registered voters and number of residents actually vot-

ing grew more aggressively in Ward 6 over the last few years than anywhere else. Grosso’s single biggest margin of victory over Brown came in the Eastern Market area; with the endorsements of Councilmember Tommy Wells (D-Ward 6) and predecessor Sharon Ambrose, he also did solidly in the rest of the ward. What does this mean moving forward? The dynamics of winning citywide office are shifting, if only slowly. While Ward 4 used to help decide elections—it was one of the reasons that Fenty fell to Mayor Vince Gray in 2010—Ward 6 may now become a younger, more politically dynamic battleground. Of course, it’s too early to know how influential those new Ward 6 voters might be: will they come out in the same numbers in non-presidential election years?

Farewell Michael Brown; Long Live Michael Brown?

Despite his loss to Grosso, though, it isn’t the end of the road for Brown. In fact, it may only be a few months until the two are serving alongside each on the D.C. Council. In the wake of his upset, Brown was quick to claim that he was defeated because the media treated him unfairly and because voters were confused by which Michael Brown they should have voted for. (The other Michael Brown, of course, ran for Shadow Senator.) He further argued that he had seen an outpouring of support from constituents asking that he run again. Well, he’ll soon have a chance. With Phil Mendelson’s ascension to the D.C. Council’s top spot, the At-Large seat he once occupied is now vacant. As we explained last month, the D.C. Democratic State Committee will select an interim councilmember in early December, and a special election will have to be held at some point in the next four months. Should he choose to run, Brown will certainly be competitive in that

race—despite losing to Grosso, he still mustered over 58,000 votes from across the city. Additionally, special elections often see large numbers of candidates and a low turn-out of voters, a perfect recipe for a candidate with name recognition to sneak by with a small proportion of the votes. Though no one has yet declared themselves a candidate, D.C. Democratic State Committee chairwoman Anita Bonds has expressed interest, and even former candidates Bryan Weaver, Sekou Biddle, Peter Shapiro, and Patrick Mara have been cited as possible contenders. But should Brown actually run? I certainly don’t think so. D.C. political culture is small and insular enough as it is; we don’t need politicos looking at elected office as a lifetime appointment or the type of job they’re entitled to. With Brown, this seems like a very real danger. In his post-defeat comments, Brown never fully recognized that maybe his own personal failings are what turned voters against him. Even worse, he’s toyed with the idea of once again becoming a Democrat—he changed party affiliation in 2008 to Independent so he could run for his At-Large seat—indicating that he’ll do just about anything to remain in office. The most dangerous elected officials are those that see themselves as being indispensable. (See “Barry, Marion.”) Brown is a very likable guy, and in many ways a very competent legislator. But much like Orange, who hasn’t yet found an elected office he won’t run for, he’s clearly pinned himself as a political opportunist. If Brown wanted to display true leadership, he could admit to his mistakes and say that he’s stepping out of electoral politics for the time being. Martin Austermuhle is the Editorin-Chief of DCist.com and a freelance writer. He lives in Columbia Heights. l

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24 H EAST OF THE RIVER MAGAZINE

| DECEMBER 2012

What The Fiscal Cliff— or Slope—Means For Local DC

by Elissa Silverman and Ed Lazere

oing over the “fiscal cliff ” is the talk of Washington right now, but what will stepping over that brink mean for local DC? The term is shorthand for the payroll and income tax cuts that are set to expire at the end of the year combined with automatic cuts in federal spending that were put into law by Congress during the debt ceiling debate, known as sequestration. Many economists say that the scenario is less a cliff than a slope or hill, because the economic impact likely will not be immediately calamitous. It is more likely to be gradual, and many predict that a compromise will be reached that would stave off more severe consequences such as a recession. Yet the issue is a good reminder that what’s decided within the hallways of Capitol Hill can be felt on the streets of Capitol Hill—as well as Congress Heights, Cleveland Park and Chinatown. In fact, the folks in DC government who look into the crystal ball and tell us how many dollars we have to spend have been thinking about the impact of the fiscal cliff for some time now. Any policy that broadly influences the size and scope of the federal government will be felt here in DC, since we are the seat of government and many federal workers are located here. A reduction of staff or decrease in federal contracting translates into a reduction in local income taxes, since some residents might lose their jobs, as well as a drop in sales taxes, because residents will have less money to spend, fewer workers will be eating lunches at local restaurants and food trucks, and so on. This impacts the District’s revenue projections, and how much we can budget for various programs

and services. Therefore, it is important that we consider the most likely scenarios and forecast accordingly.

The Federal Factor

There are more than 200,000 federal jobs in the District, according to the U.S. Department of Labor, but only about one in five, or a little more than 45,000, are held by District residents. Yet there are many other jobs that rely on the federal government and federal workers. This would include contractors that do work for federal agencies or companies that supply products for the federal government or even restaurants, dry cleaners or clothing stores that have federal workers as customers. According to some projections, full sequestration could result in the loss of up to 127,000 DC jobs over the next decade. This number includes 35,000 federal jobs, 34,000 federal contracting and subcontracting jobs, and 58,000 jobs that would be impacted due to the decline in the federal payroll. Yet there are few who believe full sequestration will happen. Most likely, say many economists and Congressional experts, a compromise will emerge and the automatic reductions will not all take place. Nevertheless, the economists in the revenue analysis division of DC’s Office of the Chief Financial Officer have to make some assumptions about the federal budget and what impact this will have on both the national and regional economy to calculate how much money the city can expect to have in its coffers. CFO Gandhi and his deputies have said that it would be irresponsible not to show an impact from sequestration even if it is not fully implemented. “Despite the recent District job market strength and stronger than expected revenue,

the continued uncertainty regarding post-election federal budget actions poses a real risk to the District’s finances,” Gandhi wrote in the September quarterly forecast. He calls the impact of the local cuts and a possible national economic impact a “double-whammy” for the District. Economic indicators continue to show that the District is on the rise. Income and sales taxes remain strong and growing. Yet this was not reflected in an uptick projected future revenues in September’s revenue forecast because Gandhi said there was too much uncertainty about the fiscal cliff and how Congress would handle it. The murkiness led Gandhi to be cautious, and therefore despite strong revenue trends, the CFO declined to make any new projections for tax collections in 2013 and beyond. Yet, the CFO wrote, if the fiscal cliff is largely avoided, “the revenue picture for the District would improve significantly” from what the CFO projected in his September revenue forecast.

Why The Cliff Is Not A Cliff

Economists like Mark Zandi of Moody’s Analytics say that the most likely scenario is that the fiscal cliff will be avoided, and that a budget deal will likely keep many of the tax cuts in place and avert the automatic spending cuts, while coming up with another long-term plan for reducing spending. Therefore, the fiscal cliff is really not a cliff. Thus, it seems likely that there will be some impact on economic growth, but DC will not end up seeing huge federal workforce cutbacks right away. This is very important, because it means that the impact on income and sales tax revenues will not likely be as severe as the CFO has projected. It also means that the city’s leaders will have a number of years to adjust to the downsizing of the federal government. And this has a very direct impact on how the District can allocate its resources this budget year. Once the specter of the fiscal cliff is lifted, the revenue forecast likely will show we have more money right now. That would almost certainly mean that Gandhi and his fellow

economists would project an uptick in revenue in the December forecast. In most years, the September and December revenue forecasts would not be a major issue, since the most important forecast for the budget is issued in February. But for this year’s budget, the Mayor and DC Council anticipated that revenues might rise, factored that into its budget plan, and created a contingency budget on how to spend those dollars. For example, the approved homeless services budget is $7 million shy of what is needed just to maintain current services. That means that choosing not to adjust the 2013 forecast until February or later could mean that many basic services will go unfunded.

Revenue Forecastng With And Without The Cliff

Revenue forecasting is not an exact science. Economists use economic data to make assumptions about what will happen, but it is worth making sure those assumptions are based on the most likely scenarios. Given that most economists believe that the cliff will be averted and sequestration will likely not take effect, our city’s revenues should reflect those likely assumptions. For that reason, we’re hopeful that the next revenue forecast reflects the expectation that the fiscal cliff will likely be avoided. But the CFO may feel the need to be cautious until a federal budget deal is fully worked out, which may not occur before the next DC revenue forecast is due. One idea would be for the next revenue forecast in December to reflect revenues if the fiscal cliff should occur—as well as if it should not. There are several advantages to this approach. First, it will make the calculated impact of the federal cliff scenario more transparent. And the Mayor and DC Council would have an idea of what revenues might be available if a compromise happens. Silverman and Lazere work at the DC Fiscal Policy Institute (www.dcfpi.org), which conducts research on tax and budget issues that affect low- and moderate-income DC residents. l

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA HOUSING AUTHORITY REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP) FOR REAL ESTATE BROKERAGE SERVICES RFP No. - 0023-2012 THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA HOUSING AUTHORITY (“DCHA”) is seeking to solicit proposals from qualified Real Estate Brokerage firms to provide complete Real Estate Brokerage services for the DCHA. REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL DOCUMENTS will be available at the District of Columbia Housing Authority Procurement Office, 1133 North Capitol Street, N.E., Suite 300, Office of Administrative Services, Washington, D.C. 20002-7599 (Issuing Office); between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, beginning Monday, November 19, 2012. SEALED PROPOSALS ARE DUE: Wednesday, December 19, 2012 @ 11:00 a.m. at the Issuing Office identified above. Please contact Lolita Washington, Contract Specialist at 202-535-1212 for additional information.

EASTOFTHERIVERDCNEWS.COM H

NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS

A Sweater as Bright as Spring

ately I’ve noticed some of my friends’ clothes are worn – shirt cuffs frayed, pants suffering through a break-up with the cleaners and shoes ready to retire. Friends are wearing sweaters that have small holes, sweaters you pull from the back of the closet the first day of fall before going to the outdoor market. No need to dress well for bread and fruit. You think about your clothes the next time you’re sitting next to a friend at a party and you find the topic of economics interrupting your conversation again and again. Maybe you’re a few months from being unemployed. No need to sew a button back on a jacket if you’re running low on contacts and job leads. I try to overlook what I’ve just written but it’s difficult. D.C. can quickly become the type of lover you have silent meals with. One can slip from the middle-class into poverty without foreplay. That’s why dating is as risky as taking a long lunch break. There are people in Washington, D.C. who are homeless and slowly becoming invisible. When was the last time you gave someone spare change? Who carries cash these days? Coins and paper money might as well be coal. So you pass the homeless with your eyes looking the other way. What would Jesus do? When did unemployment become a sin? Or maybe you’re standing on

26 H EAST OF THE RIVER MAGAZINE

| DECEMBER 2012

by E. Ethelbert Miller

the corner of 7th and T Streets, NW, close to the Metro Station. You’ve been on this corner for years. You remember the pay phones and the pool room. You remember when you could get chicken carryout and watch the butts of Howard girls and maybe talk to one of them who didn’t have a weave. You felt good laughing and hanging out even with a police bust now and then. Hell, the undercover dudes were cool too. They knew the neighborhood was changing and maybe their jobs would be next. When crime falls so does work. Does D.C. stand for Death City or Demon City? I see old friends struggling to make a living. Everyone seems to have a business card but no business. But maybe this place is a tale of two cities and why so many of us look as if we escaped from a Dickens novel. Are we still in style? The beautiful people dress well. They are young and carry laptops and yoga mats. Their conversations are about parties and vacations. There is money and there is also dust on an empty shelf. There are times when this city refuses to recognize me. Even with my poems and images on display in several places around town, I feel like Baldwin in exile. How do you love a city that you use to be married to and now feel so separated from? Is it a simple case of vows renewal? I want to believe there is still enough love in this city to change the balance of things. I don’t want to lose my compas-

sion for my fellow human being. Yet as the air sips a “November Chill” I wonder as I wander from ward to ward. So what should I give thanks for? A roof over my head? My bones and joints are still pain free, but how long will that last? Will politics improve my life? Every year I place a turkey on the table and bless the food and the people surrounding it. Every year the circle seems to grow smaller. Fathers and mothers die, children move away, or boredom has an affair with one’s marriage. Some of us are in need of new clothes and a new outlook on life. This might sound cosmetic and New Age, but maybe that’s all one can hope for. What I enjoy about fall is the splendor of color, like the many possibilities that come with life. Our ups and downs are simply seasonal. How one grows to accept these laws of nature will determine how much longer one will delay the possibility of becoming an outlaw. If you find yourself doing frontier living in DC – afraid of the wild – then this city will only teach you survival skills and nothing else. It will not be a community or even a place of destination. It will not be home. It will simply be a hub with people passing through like an airport or a bus terminal. This is not something to be thankful for. Right now I need to buy a few new clothes to cover my aging body. I need to buy a sweater as bright as spring. l

Benning Road Extension Gets More Public Input by Dana Bell

Photo courtesy of DCStreetCar.com

he District Department of Transportation (DDOT) held a public meeting to discuss the feasibility of extending the streetcar line across the river. Before the more formalized National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) process, DDOT gathered comments from the community about routes, stops, and configurations of the streetcar. Residents weighed in on the location of the stops and the best placement of the streetcar in the street. DDOT will release a report at the end of the month that summarizes its findings.

Proposed Stops

The current terminus of the streetcar is Benning Road and Oklahoma Avenue, next to Spingarn High School and the proposed site for the streetcar car barn and training site. The extension of the line would cross the river, making stops at Kingman Island and 34th Street. At that point, the line could turn left to serve the Minnesota Avenue Metro station, or continue down Benning Road to serve the Benning Road Avenue Station. Ex-

tending the line to a multimodal area would enable it to serve even more neighborhoods. Selman Altun, a project manager with the engineering consulting firm AECOM, gave part of the presentation. “We’re not looking at this only as a streetcar but at your specific concerns and ways that we can strengthen the network,” he said. Specifically, the streetcar can help alleviate some of the crowding on popular bus lines like the X2 and X9. Each stop and streetcar placement has benefits and drawbacks. Most residents agreed that the Minnesota Avenue stop is more congested because of the Metro, the Kiss & Ride area, and the high drop-off traffic thanks to the school. “It’s going to be a big mess,” one resident said. Benning Road is a larger extension and offers a chance to increase the ridership by at least 3,000 people a day. Benning Road and Minnesota Avenue intersections have bottlenecks, but the Benning Road and East Capitol Street intersection have capacity constraints. Wherever the streetcar goes, there will be challenges with traffic. Responding to the residents’ com-

ments, Altun said, “It’s a mess today. The streetcar isn’t making it worse.”

Dealing with Traffic

Each stop placement has options for where the streetcar itself could be placed. Having the car run along the curb can limit parking options. In a simulation of the streetcar on the road, the autos behind the streetcar moved into the next lane. Altun reminded the crowd that the streetcar is not an alien entity in the road. “Cars are trying to move around it, but this is nothing new. We do it all the time with buses.” He argued that adding a streetcar to congested areas doesn’t necessarily worsen traffic that much. A streetcar every ten minutes has little impact on a street that conveys thousands of cars. The streetcar could increase congestion where it turns around at the terminus. For one of the options, the streetcar needs dedicated lanes that are closed to traffic so that it can switch tracks and reverse direction. But Altun argued that slowing down traffic in the Benning Road corridor could contribute to an improved pedestrian environment.

Improved Environment for Pedestrians

“Some congestion is not necessarily a bad thing,” Altun told a group of residents at one of the break-out tables. Slower traffic makes pedestrians more comfortable on the street, encouraging people to get out on the street and into stores and restaurants. The streetcar, coupled with other development projects, can improve the way that people move in the neighborhood. Instead of using the corridor as an inner-city freeway, improved transit options and calmed traffic can encourage people to go to these areas for commerce and recreation. “The physicality of the station could be used to make a corridor, a place where people want to live, work, shop, and eat.” When DDOT completes the NEPA study, they will look at the more detailed effects of the streetcar on the environment, residents, and other neighborhood factors. More information about the streetcar’s upcoming meetings and reports can be found at www.dcstreetcar.com. l EASTOFTHERIVERDCNEWS.COM H 27

NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS

SOME Purchases the Old Chef ’s Table by Charnice A. Milton

OPM cancelled the solicitation and moved CSFA to 225 Virginia Ave., a property that the city wasn’t using at the time. With no government agency to move into the project, Benning Station could not go forward. Ward 7 Councilmember Yvette Alexander expressed her disappointment to WBJ in April 2009, stating, “We are determined to bring a government agency to that site. It means so much to have a government agency in the community to bring jobs, and it just makes sense.” Since then, there were few developments with Benning Station until SOME made the purchase.

SOME Steps In

The Chef’s Table, pictured here, is one of three properties recently purchased by So Others Might Eat (SOME). The nonprofit plans to use the area to build affordable housing and a new employment training center.

ocated a few blocks away from the Benning Road Station, the old Chef ’s Table stands shuttered with nothing but a chain blocking cars from its parking lot. Once the neighborhood place for soul food, the property stands next to an abandoned child development center and across from a former KFC. Despite its appearance, the Chef ’s Table has been the object of contention for community members and investors. A deed dated October 11 identifies nonprofit organization So Others Might Eat (SOME) as now the sole owner of the Chef ’s Table, along with 4430 Benning Road (the old child development center) and an adjacent lot on 45th Street, in order to open a new employment training facility. However, the own-

ers could face distrust from the surrounding community.

28 H EAST OF THE RIVER MAGAZINE

| DECEMBER 2012

History of Contention

Considering its location, close to a Metro Station and other upand-coming developments like Park 7, the Chef ’s Table and its surrounding properties were attractive for an area long considered to be “in transition.” This was the case in 2007, when DBT Development Group LLC bought the site for $6.5 million. According to the Washington Business Journal (WBJ), they planned to build a mixed-use property named Benning Station, which would have featured 60,000 square feet of affordable housing, 19,000 square feet of retail, and a government agency as the anchor tenant. “I think it makes a lot of sense to

spur some development in Ward 7, especially with some of the projects going on at Benning and Minnesota, and with what we’re doing up here it could really bring the whole area together,” said David Tolson, a principal at DBT, according to WBJ on Dec. 8, 2008. Eventually, DBT won a bid from the DC Office of Property Management (OPM) to bring the Child and Family Services Agency (CFSA) to the project. With backing from then-Mayor Adrian Fenty and Ward 7 Councilmember Yvette Alexander, as well as a business partnership with Ben Soto, owner and president of Premium Title and Escrow LLC and Fenty confidant, the project seemed ready to become a reality. However, in 2009 Benning Station suffered a major setback when

Although the deed lists the sale price at $10”and other good and valuable consideration,” SOME received a $5 million grant from the Carlyle Group’s William and Joanne Conway, as a part of William Conway’s pledge to donate at least $1 billion, almost half his net worth, to help create jobs for the poor. “More effective than giving away half my fortune before I die is finding a way to help people have a good-paying job,” Conway told The Washington Post in a September 24 column. “If I’m going to create 1,000 jobs, or 10,000 jobs, or whatever the number is, wouldn’t we all be better off ?” According to a statement from Father John Adams and Linda Jo Smith, SOME’s president and Board of Directors chairperson, respectively, SOME already has a strong presence in Ward 7. It has opened Bedford Falls (last year) and Independence Place, two affordable housing centers for the homeless, and run the Center for Employment Training from St. Francis of Assisi School for ten years. Although the center has since moved to a facility on Martin Luther King,

Try our Gourmet Cream Style Corn! Jr., Avenue, it still provides training for two in-demand careers: medical administrative assistant and building-maintenance service technician, with both tracks leading to industry-recognized credentials. “However,” the statement ends, “in a short time we recognized the need for expansion to help District residents prepare for the highest-growing employment sectors in our region.” SOME chose the properties on Benning Road and 45th Street, not only because of their proximity to the Metro station, but also because of the area’s high unemployment rate, 14.5 percent. The new employment training center will enable SOME to increase the number of students, expand training, and develop office space and housing for working singles and families as well as disabled and elderly people. They are exploring the possibility of partnering with Unity Health Care (whose East of the River health center is located on 45th Street) to bring expanded medical and dental health care to the community. “We believe that the community will be very excited about the development,” said Ellen Hatherill, SOME’s marketing and special events manager. “SOME has been part of the community for decades and we look forward to being a positive part of the neighborhood for many years to come.”

Community Concerns

Community members were well-informed about Benning Station’s setbacks through meetings, but ANC 7 D05’s commissioner, Liz Pecot, didn’t know about the sale until a colleague told her about it. “All I knew was that Ben Soto owned those plots and he had a challenging time selling them,” she says. Although Pecot states that Alexander did not know about the sale, Hatherill replies that Smith, who lives in that area, has already informed the councilmember of the pur-

chase and will invite Alexander and ANC members to a meeting discussing SOME’s impending move to Benning Road and plans for the community. Despite SOME’s history of doing good east of the Anacostia River, Pecot says that her constituents have mixed feelings about the project. One of the reasons, she believes, is nostalgia. Since its opening in 1972, the Chef ’s Table was known as a community hotspot with its all-you-can-eat buffet of soul food. In the December 2007 issue of East of the River, Soto revealed his own connection to the property he would eventually sell: his grandparents used to take him there during its heyday. With that kind of history and popularity, not too many people are ready to let go of a place considered as a cultural landmark. Another reason Pecot feels some community members are hesitant to accept the new project is the negative connotation of the term “affordable housing,” especially when coupled with a new mixed-use project. “You want more people to move into the neighborhood at a market rate,” she says. “However, whenever someone says ‘affordable housing,’ low-income housing comes to mind.” Instead, some community members would rather see all the properties remain commercially owned. That way, more higherincome people would come visit and maybe contemplate moving to, the area.

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Hope for the Future

Despite community uneasiness, SOME is keeping a positive attitude. There is no doubt that the area needs their employment training services. Even so, Pecot, who continues to observe the situation, had a few suggestions for her successor, Janis Hazel: “Stay knowledgeable about the subject, have community outreach, and make sure that the voices of the community are heard though their representatives.” l EASTOFTHERIVERDCNEWS.COM H

NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS

Not Homeless for the Holidays

DC Housing Authority Does Its Part to Help Homeless Vets Find Permanent Housing by Stephen Lilienthal

Roselyn Ellah (right), a homeless veteran participating in the VASH program, is interviewed by a local television news reporter.

oody is a veteran with three years in the US Air Force who lost his job, became homeless, and had been living in shelters, then a transitional house. “Living in a shelter is not normal,” explains Woody. “You really cannot get a lot done,” he explains, citing the lack of privacy and resources such as an Internet connection. Woody admits his new apartment is not in a neighborhood he would have chosen, but he is pleased that he will soon have his own place again. That Woody will be able to move into his new apartment quickly is due to a voucher

program called Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH) and coordination between several federal and city agencies, including the DC Housing Authority.

30 H EAST OF THE RIVER MAGAZINE

| DECEMBER 2012

One Government That Works

Program

Just a few days before Veterans Day, television cameras are rolling at the DC Housing Authority as Adrienne Todman, Executive Director of DCHA, tells several homeless veterans, “We are going to help you pay for your rent and we are going to hopefully help you change your life.” Todman’s assertions are not

empty promises. DCHA has received credit for its program from the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development and the US Interagency Council on Homelessness. Ron McCoy, director of DCHA’s Housing Choice Voucher Program, stresses that because of DCHA’s outreach to private landlords, “There’s an inventory [of housing] just sitting there for vets to choose.” McCoy adds that DCHA is working to get the word out to more veterans.

Veterans: Back Home But Homeless An estimated 67, 500 veterans

were homeless nationally in 2011, according to a recent Washington Post article on homeless veterans. Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki predicts that the number of homeless vets will fall below 60,000 for this year. The expressed goal of the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is to eliminate homelessness among veterans by 2015, an objective inviting skepticism from some advocates who work with homeless veterans. Still, progress that has been made in lowering the rate from over 75,500 three years ago. According to the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans (NCHV ), homeless veterans are often male, African-American or Hispanic, single, and may be suffering from mental illnesses, alcoholism, or substance abuse problems. Some have Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Often veterans find their work in the military does not match the needs of employers. NCHV notes that most resources in housing programs for the homeless are directed toward homeless women and homeless families with dependent children. The VA, working with the Department of Housing and Urban Development, has been able to use the VASH, which was launched in 2008, to help public housing authorities to provide homeless veterans with permanent housing. Veterans who are homeless or who need better housing can obtain a housing unit paid for by a VASH voucher and also access the social services needed to deal with their problems, which can include the lack of skills needed to conduct effective job searches.

DCHA: Achieving Success

DCHA’s success with placing veterans is credited partly to a partnership with the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Veterans Administration, and the DC Department of Human Services (DCDHS). Another key player is the Community Partnership for the Prevention of Homelessness, which helps to

Pain & Rehab Center work with landlords and to obtain furniture for the apartments. DCHA’s own problems in the middle part of the 1990s are credited with having helped to spur changes within the agency. Mistrust existed between the DCHA, a troubled agency at the time, and landlords who could not count on receiving payments on time or having their units inspected quickly. Plus, the landlords had an antipathy to Section 8 tenants, viewing them to be risks. Working to improve relationships with landlords, DCHA meets regularly with landlords who participate in the DC Housing Providers Association to explain the rules and regulations regarding the Housing Choice Voucher Program. DCHA also tries to be more receptive to the input of the housing providers. Once a contract is signed with landlords, McCoy stresses, “they know we will pay on time.” That goodwill enables DCHA to have better relations landlords and it has enabled DCHA to secure units that will be available to quickly house veterans.

An Award-Winning Program

DCHA promotes their work with VASH as representing a “national model” for housing homeless veterans. A submission by DCHA for an “Award of Excellence in Administration Innovation” from the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials notes that the goal of the VASH program is to quickly obtain stable housing for homeless vets, recognizing the importance that a safe and secure place to stay can have on helping homeless vets in other areas of their lives, such as overcoming addictions or seeking work. DCHA learned that once a VASH housing voucher had been secured, it could take up to five to six months to obtain a referral from a Veterans’ Affairs Medical Center. The United States Interagency Council on Homelessness credits DCHA with playing an important role dealing with “coordination and training... They cross-trained [DCDHS] staff on the applicant paperwork/documentation requirements” so veterans will have all their work in order before meeting with DCHA. DCDHS, using a vulnerability index, determines veteran eligibility. VAMCs provide funding to DCDHS for providing services to veterans, unusual in that the VAMC would normally oversee

the delivery. A case study of the program prepared by HUD credits DCHA and DCDHS with having worked hard together to ”streamline” the exchange of information. Thanks to the DC Office of the Chief Technology Officer and the willingness of the agencies, DCHA, DCDHS, and other partners can exchange information quite easily, permitting “many activities” in the approval process to progress “simultaneously.” A DCHA fact sheet states that the housing authority had obtained 744 VASH vouchers. Veterans will pay thirty percent of their income for rent. On average, DCHA pays $936 of a veteran’s rent.

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Several veterans are in attendance at the DCHA on Friday, including Roselynn Ellah, a Nigerian native, who served in the Navy working on aviation supply. Back from the Middle East in 2010, her savings depleted, she had lost her house, had no job, and had applied too late for unemployment. Preferring to sleep in churches rather than homeless shelters due to concerns over safety and cleanliness, she was eventually taken in by a woman in Northwest DC. Ms. Ellah is still proud of her military service, noting that the lessons of discipline and self-reliance she learned enabled her to “remain steadfast” during her extended period of homelessness. On the day the visit is made to an apartment complex on Elsinore Street SE, Ms. Ellah expresses skepticism over the neighborhood, citing concerns about crime. She and the two other veterans in attendance are told that there is security and 24-hour maintenance. She sees obtaining more stable housing as important to solving one important problem, plus having permanent housing would enable her to more effectively search for work. Woody, for his part, has not fully moved in as of the Sunday before Thanksgiving. “It’s a nice space,” he says about the studio apartment. “It’s a good program. I’m glad we have it,” says Woody about VASH. “The most important thing,” he says, is that the apartment obtained through the VASH voucher can help him “stablize” his life. “Then, I can move on from there.”

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NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS

What’s Happening to Our Public Schools? by Ellen Boomer

cent of school-age children live in Wards 7 and 8, which also contain 42 percent of operating public charter schools in DC. Of the nearly 30,000 students who live in these wards, only 40 percent attend public schools in those two wards, based on information provided by the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE). A common question among concerned residents is why should so many of the children in these wards have to choose between attending a charter school or commuting to another ward to attend school?

Why Close Public Schools?

If the DCPS school consolidation proposal goes through, Ferebee-Hope Elementary, Johnson Middle, Malcolm X Elementary, and M.C. Terrell-McGogney Elementary will close by the end of the school year. Photo by Charnice A. Milton

or the second time in her life, Eboni Rose-Thompson, Chair of the Ward 7 Education Council, felt compelled to speak out against proposed school closings. It was 20 years ago when she first testified before the DC Council against the closure of her own elementary school. Unfortunately, school closings are nothing new in DC. With a declining population of school-age children and a growing presence of public charter schools in DC, many neighborhood schools will have to fight to remain a viable option for local families. DC Public Schools (DCPS) Chancellor Kaya Henderson’s announcement of the proposed consolidation of 20 public schools is causing frustration and outrage across DC, particularly in Wards 5, 7 and 8, where nearly 75 percent of the affected schools are located

and 3,800 students will be directly impacted. “We are heading toward two separate school systems,” stated Mary Levy, DCPS budget consultant for the Lawyers Committee and former DCPS parent. In fact, 38 of the 57 operating charter schools in DC are in the three wards most significantly impacted by the proposed school closures, and there are no schools slated for closure in Wards 1 or 3 where schools are atcapacity or over-enrolled. During a press briefing and subsequent hearings, Henderson outlined the reasons for reducing the number of schools that DCPS operates, including “complementing our portfolio of schools” with more charter schools; however, she failed to provide specifics about the fate of affected schools’ leadership and staff, and the number of new charter schools that will be approved.

32 H EAST OF THE RIVER MAGAZINE

| DECEMBER 2012

DCPS – Then and Now

DCPS started as a segregated school system that had a surplus of buildings once the schools were integrated in the mid-1950s. Since that time, DC’s school-age population has decreased overall and an increasing number of schools have been operating well below capacity. As a result, “DCPS spends disproportionately high sums on noninstructional staff and functions,” according to information provided by the Office of the Chancellor. By consolidating schools, redirected funds will ostensibly “help lowperforming students, increase opportunities for advanced learners, and develop specialized programs to better engage students.” While the proposed school closings make financial sense, they “hit almost exclusively minority students who are low-income,” according to Ms. Levy. Approximately 39 per-

Chancellor Henderson provided well-documented reasons for proposing to close 20 schools across six wards, including the need to modernize nearly half of DC’s school buildings and the desire to sufficiently support staff. Roughly 20,000 students attend schools which lack modern facilities. By closing 20 schools, DCPS will be able to use funds to provide professional development for teachers, to support students with special needs, and to ensure each school has a full complement of art, music, physical education teachers, and librarians. One of the most controversial aspects of the proposed consolidations is the plan to create three campuses in Wards 1, 4 and 5, which will encompass grades 6 through 12. To create these campuses, DCPS will close two middle schools, MacFarland in Ward 4 and Shaw at Garnett-Patterson in Ward 6. Each of these schools is currently using approximately 25 percent of their building space. Given the vast differences in maturity between twelve-year-old children and eighteen-year-old young adults, putting them on the same campus is risky, even in the most modernized setting.

Closed Schools = Money Saved?

Affected communities are still assessing the long-term impact of the last round of school closings, which

Ward 8 Councilmember Marion Barry called “atrocious.” “2008 was very difficult for us…once you lose [parents’] trust, it’s very difficult to restore it,” noted Ward 5 Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie. DCPS and the Deputy Mayor’s Office have not shared the anticipated cost or the potential financial benefits of the current proposed school closings. The previous round of school closures cost the city 40 million dollars rather than the anticipated 9.7 million dollars, according to the DC Auditor. In reaction to the proposed school closings, Ward 7 Councilmember Yvette Alexander reiterated that she has asked for a moratorium on school closures in Ward 7, “pending a detailed public report analyzing the outcomes of the 2008 school closures [and] the opportunity for public commentary sessions on both school assessment and proposed future closings.” There are no guarantees that closing schools will save money or that funds will be redirected to the schools that need the most help. DCPS “central administration is much larger than when we had twice as many students,” according to Ms. Levy. Henderson noted she’s “committed to looking at the central budget.”

The Effects of Closing Schools

In addition to the lack of information surrounding potential financial benefits, DCPS has not provided specifics on the anticipated effects on school staff. Although some teachers will move to consolidated schools, Chancellor Henderson did not specify how many teachers and principals will lose their jobs due to school closings. In addition to proposed school closings, DC already faces a serious teacher retention problem. “The teacher turnover rate is three times the national average,” which is indicative of an “unhealthy professional culture,” according to education policy analyst and DCPS parent, Mark Simon. DCPS is in a “crisis of instability,” according to Mr. Simon, who noted, “When schools are closed, it harms the academic achievement of students…and accelerates departure

from DCPS.” According to Mary Melchior, member of the Ward 5 Council on Education, “consolidated schools have lower test scores.” Unfortunately, 40 percent of the students who will be impacted in this round of closings were also affected in the 2008 consolidation when DCPS “lost 3000 students,” to charter schools and private schools, according to Ms. Levy. Chancellor Henderson noted that DCPS plans to lease the proposed closed school buildings to non-profits and charter schools and will “monitor population expansion and demand for public school options in individual neighborhoods. When there is critical mass, DCPS will reopen some schools,” according to the Office of the Chancellor. However, by potentially paving the way for more charter schools to open in DC, Ward 1 Councilmember Jim Graham asked Chancellor Henderson, “Doesn’t it send a message that you really don’t want students to stay in DCPS, that you want them to go to charter schools?” In the meantime, however, many neighborhoods may lose the use of their schools as a critical resource. “Schools in our neighborhood serve as a community hub,” Pho Palmer, Ward 8 resident and DCPS parent, pointed out, by offering various services for seniors and adult education classes. “This is not a time to close our schools; this is a time to innovate,” noted Ms. Palmer. Schools in Ward 6, such as Tyler Elementary, have seen “a remarkable renaissance,” according to Ward 6 Councilmember Tommy Wells. He noted that, citywide, “we need to be very careful not to lose the option of neighborhood schools.” With yet another round of school closures and the associated impacts, it appears that many neighborhoods and children will be the ones who ultimately pay the price. Ellen Boomer is an Eastern Market resident, former teacher, current tutor and freelance writer. She enjoys traveling, cooking, and playing a competitive game of bocce in Yards Park with her friends. She can be reached at emboomer@gmail.com. l

Ward 7 School Consolidations by Charnice A. Milton

n Tuesday, November 13, DC Public School (DCPS) parents received unexpected news after picking up their children from school: Chancellor Kaya Henderson had announced a list of 20 proposed school consolidations, nine of which are east of the Anacostia River. Although some schools, like H.D. Woodson High, will be receiving students from other schools and River Terrace Elementary will be reopened as a school for students with special needs, parents and community leaders are ready to fight impending school closures.

Davis Elementary

According to the proposal, Davis Elementary has only 178 students and uses 40 percent of the building, making it one of several underenrolled and under-utilized schools in the area. As a result, DCPS sent more resources to Davis in an attempt to make it a more attractive choice. With a budget of $13,225 per pupil, Davis is one of the most expensive schools in the system. Next school year, students will be relocated to C.W. Harris Elementary, which is less than a mile away. “My son has been there for seven years,” Turbrook Livingston testified to the DC City Council on November 19. “To hear him tell me how sad he is that he won’t be graduating from Davis, it kinda hurts me.” Livingston then explained that the move could negatively affect students, whose education would be disrupted, and parents. He also voiced concerns about the receiving school, specifically their low test scores. According to the 2012 DC CAS results, 34 and 25 percent of Davis students, compared to only 15 and 19 percent at C.W. Harris, met or exceeded standards in reading and math, respectively. At-large Councilmember David Catania added that C.W. Harris also boasts one of the highest truancy rates, with 20 percent of students with more than 21 unexcused absences compared to Davis’ 6 percent.

Kenilworth Elementary

Kenilworth Elementary currently serves 147 students, using only 37 percent of its building. Although 43 percent of the school population lives in-boundary, one-third of students live within nearby Houston Elementary’s boundaries. According to the proposal, Kenilworth’s population could decrease, considering that there are already too few school-aged children in the area and that population is projected to decrease between now and 2020. Therefore, Kenilworth’s students could be transferring to Houston. In their counter-proposal to DCPS, the Ward 7 Education Council noted a few issues with Kenilworth transferring to Houston. Despite the short distance between the two schools, Route 295 separates them, making transportation difficult. Also, since the DC Promise Neighborhood Initiative (DCPNI), a non-profit that helps children complete their education, serves the Parkside-Kenilworth area, the move would separate students from DCPNI’s resources. They proposed that Kenilworth become an education campus, serving elementary and middle school-aged students and increase its involvement with DCPNI.

Smothers Elementary

Smothers was another controversial choice on the list; while other schools were under-utilized by DCPS standards, this school has the highest utilization rate at 82 percent. However, the 43,000 square foot building can’t support what DCPS calls “a full-range of services.” Therefore, Smothers’ students will be divided among two schools each located a mile and a half away: Aiton and Plummer Elementary Schools. DCPS chose Aiton and Plummer considering that Smothers currently serves students living within their boundaries. This won’t be Smothers’ first time dealing with possible closure; it was originally slated for closure in 2008, but was reprieved and absorbed Benning Elementary instead.

EASTOFTHERIVERDCNEWS.COM H

Shavon Tinch, who currently has a daughter and niece at Smothers and planned to enroll her youngest son there next school year, said she felt troubled when she heard that Smothers was potentially closing. Fellow Smothers parent Crystal Curtis was also saddened, especially since the school has recently gone through a positive transformation. “It was out of control when we first got there,” Curtis said. “But since the principal [Sharon Feinblatt] has been there, Smothers have changed for the better.” Tinch concurred saying, “They now have special ed classes and more activities for students.” With Smothers back on the list, Tinch has the challenge of finding another school for her son: “DCPS has been good to my children. It’s harder to get into a charter school.”

Ron Brown Middle School

The only Ward 7 middle school on the list, Ron Brown is considered to be under-enrolled with 204 students using only 23 percent of its building. As a result, the proposal states that “Ron Brown MS cannot support a comprehensive middle school program with so few students.” Therefore, students will be relocated to Kelly Miller Middle, only a mile away. In addition to being recently modernized, Kelly Miller launched the School-wide Enrichment Model, a type of gifted-and-talented program, earlier this school year. However, as the Ward 7 Education Council points out, there are some advantages to keeping Ron Brown open. It’s one of two schools (the other being Houston) close to the Deanwood Metro Station and the Deanwood Recreation Center and Library. Despite being considered under-enrolled, Ron Brown serves one of the highest percentages of in-boundary students (76 percent). The council suggested that Ron Brown would become the first middle school to have a complete STEM curriculum.

a full PS-8 with so few students. Winston’s elementary students will be relocated to Stanton, which is less than a half-mile away, while their junior high students will transfer to Kramer Middle, which is a mile away. The Ward 7 Education Council found three issues with the DCPS’ proposal. First, they state that each way is not easily walkable, with only a few sidewalks for students and their families to walk safely. Second, considering Winston’s position on the Ward 7 and 8 boundaries, there could be conflicts between students of different neighborhoods. Finally, both the proposal claims that Kramer and Stanton have lower DC CAS scores than Winston. Although Winston has better reading scores than both schools (24 percent compared to Stanton’s 19 and Kramer’s 17), Kramer matched Winston’s math scores (25 percent) while Stanton exceeded it (28 percent). Using the Fillmore Arts funding model, the council hopes to turn Winston into a global education hub serving both Wards 7 and 8; doing so could help fully utilize the build and attract more in-boundary families.

Getting Involved

According to the DCPS proposal, Ward 7’s only education campus is under-enrolled with 308 students across 11 grades and has declining enrollment over the last three years. Since Winston only uses 56 percent of its building, DCPS felt that it cannot sustain

Throughout this process, Henderson has repeatedly stated that this list is a part of a proposal and with the community’s input, it can be adjusted. Therefore, in addition to last month’s two-part city council hearing and neighborhood meetings, DCPS has set up an online message board (engageDCPS.org) for users to post and read ideas and proposals. Henderson also invites stakeholders to submit their proposals through email (ofpe.info@dc.gov) until December 17 and visit the Office of Family and Public Engagement during special office hours (schedule will be posted online by December 5). Eboni-Rose Thompson, president of the Ward 7 Education Council and ANC 7A02 commissioner, hopes that this is the only beginning of a much-needed conversation. “People want to be engaged,” she said. “I hope that from beginning to end, people will continue to be engaged.” l

34 H EAST OF THE RIVER MAGAZINE

| DECEMBER 2012

Winston Education Campus

Ward 8 School Consolidations Ferebee-Hope, Malcolm X, Johnson Middle and M.C. Terrell-McGogney slated for closure article & photo by Charnice A. Milton

t was a situation no community wanted to endure again: two months into the 2012-2013 school year, parents received news that DC Public School (DCPS) Chancellor Kaya Henderson had announced a proposal to close 20 schools, four of which are located in Ward 8. With a Mayor-approved finalized list expected by mid-January, parents, teachers, and community members will once again have to make a case for keeping their schools open.

were concerned that closing the school will mean shutting down the recreation center and indoor pool attached to Ferebee-Hope; since former Washington Highlands families might be coming back to the area, not only will they need a place to congregate, they will need a nearby school for the children. DCPS also anticipates a future increase of school-aged children in the area: FerebeeHope could be kept in the inventory to reopen if needed.

Ferebee-Hope Elementary

In a 2009 report, Malcolm X failed to make their adequate yearly progress (AYP) according to the No Child Left Behind Act. As a result, the school implemented improvement strategies, including replacing most of the school’s staff. Despite the changes, the school utilizes only 43 percent of its building with only 221 students. According to the proposal, Malcolm X is located in an area with multiple under-enrolled and under-utilized schools and DCPS can no longer sustain all of them. Malcolm X’s students will be relocated to the recently-modernized Turner Elementary, a half-mile away. Two teachers, Ericka Leadholm and Jerome Wade, felt that DCPS’ decision to possibly close Malcolm X came too early into the restructuring process. “I think it’s a tragedy that teachers were hired under the pretense of closing the achievement gap in three years,” said Wade. Leadholm agreed, saying, “We can’t turn the school around in a year.” However, they agree that thanks to the changes, the difference between last year and this year is astounding. “In October of last year, we met our limit for suspensions,” Wade said. “This year, suspensions have decreased by 90 percent.” How-

In the 2009-2010 school year, Ferebee-Hope became a receiver school when it accepted students from Draper Elementary; since then, the school has been modernized, but the population has been decreasing. Now, Ferebee-Hope itself is in danger of closing. Despite being the largest school on the Ward 8 list at 193,792 square feet, its 215 students take up only 54 percent of the building. If the proposal is finalized as-is, Ferebee-Hope’s students will be attending Hendley Elementary, another under-utilized school a mile away that will be modernized over the summer. Michele Powell, whose granddaughter attends Ferebee-Hope, voiced her concerns about the school’s potential closing during the DCPS-sponsored Ward 8 Community Dialogue on November 27. This isn’t her first time dealing with school closures: Powell planned to enroll her granddaughter in Moten Elementary when it closed for modernization. “When we moved to Wheeler Road, there were two neighborhood schools: Achievement Prep and FerebeeHope. I chose Ferebee-Hope,” Powell said. “Now that it’s closing, how will I tell her? I’m at my wits end!” Other community members

Malcolm X Elementary

ever, both teachers admit that the building needs upgrades. “We understand that the school is old and run down,” Wade said, “but it’s been like this for a decade.” Leadholm noted that the building has no classrooms because there are no interior walls. “We would love to have walls,” she said. “We have been fighting for them for a while.”

M.C. Terrell-McGogney Elementary

No stranger to the consolidation process, M.C. Terrell-McGogney was the result of combining M.C. Terrell Elementary and McGogney Elementary in 2009, when the former completed building upgrades and the latter shut down. Despite the consolidation, only 37 of its students live inboundary. Located a few blocks away from Malcolm X, M.C. Terrell-McGogney is in the same cluster of under-enrolled and under-utilized schools; for the last three years, M.C. Terrell-McGogney suffered from declining enrollment, while maintaining 208 students and using 52 percent of the building. Therefore, the students will transfer to Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary, another recently-modernized school located a half-mile away. During the community meeting, discussion groups voiced concerns about the move. “We’ve been through a consolidation before and it was a mess,” said Crystal Brown, a parent at the school. “You’re moving kids out of a comfort zone where kids trust teachers.” Tony Barr, who serves as a coach, voiced safety concerns: “There are lots of fights after school and there have been shootings at the Congress Heights Rec Center,” he noted. “It’s going to be a mess if kids walk into a fight of if there’s going to be a shooting going around the school.” Other community members were concerned that more students could leave DCPS and transfer to charter schools, considering that Eagle Academy, a charter school for Pre-K to third grade students, recently opened across the street in McGogney’s former building. Attendees also discussed some possible new uses, including turning M.C. Terrell-McGogney into a early-education school.

Johnson Middle School

The only Ward 8 middle school on the list, Johnson is considered to be extremely under-enrolled with only 245 students and

an average enrollment loss of 2.93 percent over the last three years. With the school only using 24 percent of its building, DCPS stated that Johnson cannot hire a full staff with so few students. Therefore, Johnson’s students will be split between Ward 8’s other two middle schools, Hart and Kramer. Community members’ main concerns centered on safety. First, Johnson students going to Kramer, which is over two miles away, will have to cross over Suitland Parkway; the distance will be difficult for students to walk and could become a financial burden for low-income families with little money for public transportation. Another safety issue attendees discussed was the possibility of neighborhood-based violence. In the 2008 wave of school closures, Hart received students from rival school P.R. Harris, which lead to many fights between the two communities. Stakeholders are afraid that students will be caught up in an area they say is experiencing an increase in gang violence. Johnson could potentially reopen as an alternative school for students who had difficulties in a traditional school setting; however Ward 8 Councilmember Marion Barry is against the idea because “...it lowers our test scores, number one, and two, Ward 8 has traditionally been given all this negative [press]...”

Get Involved

Although Barry considered the Ward 8 dialogue to be a success, others like DC Board of Education Ward 8 representative Trayon White, felt that more community members, specifically parents, needed to participate. “I plan to be the voice of the constituents,” he said. “Parents should have a stronger voice in this discussion.” There are other chances for Ward 8 citizens to get involved; along with the twopart public hearing and community meeting, DCPS will hold special office hours for their Office of Family and Public Engagement this month and meet with community-interest groups and affected ANCs. Also, people are welcome to post their thoughts in an online forum (engagedcps.org). Finally, more concerned Ward 8 citizens will hold their own discussion on December 8 at the Lockridge/ Bellvue Library. “No one wants schools to close,” Barry said at the community meeting. “However, we know we have to. The question is to how to do it fairly.” l

Ice Skating At The New Canal Park Rink! 202 M St. SE

ICE-r-cise®

An on-ice workout that anyone can do! • Improve skating skills • get in better shape • tone/strengthen muscles • lose weight

Ongoing weekly adult fitness classes on skates! Introductory Session (4 weeks) $100

Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays: Noon-1pm & 6-7pm

Skate for a cause! 25% off ICE-r-cise proceeds go to the DC Inner City Excellence (DC-ICE) skating-based youth development program! More info @ info@innercityexcitement.com www.canalparkdc.org/ice-rink/learn

After-School ICE Skating Program & Winter Camp - Ages 6-12 Lead by a former Olympic speedskater, introduces youth to Olympic values -Respect, Fair Play, Joy in Effort, Unity -though a mixture of instruction, games and free skating Fall Session: Nov. 20-Dec. 21 Winter ICE Camp: Dec. 24-28 & Dec. 31-Jan. 4 Winter Session: Jan. 7-March 8 Registration: http://dc.innercityexcellence.org/skating/canal-park More info @ 202-468-1214 or email DC@InnerCityExcellence.org EASTOFTHERIVERDCNEWS.COM H 35

EAST WASHINGTON LIFE

He Said. She Said.

The Struggle with HIV/AIDS among African-American Heterosexuals in DC by Candace Y.A. Montague

aving a conversation about sex can be awkward. When HIV is involved the conversation can go from awkward to complicated. Questions about knowing one’s HIV status, condom use, and number of sex partners can help couples better understand their risk and avoid infection. Yet many heterosexual couples in the District avoid the “talk” and miss a prime opportunity to protect themselves. This year, weeks before World AIDS Day (December 1), a report published from the DC Department of Health spotlights the epidemic among heterosexuals in DC. The results show that lack of conversation has led to a high infection rate among straight couples.

me a week just tell her I was HIV positive. When I confronted her about it she got loud and went off on me sorta like someone who is guilty would do. I felt betrayed. All the conversations we had while I was in jail and over the phone and all the letter writing flashed through my mind. All this time she was lying to me. I was negative before and after I came out of jail. I showed her my results and asked her to show me hers.” According to Donald her viral load (the level of HIV in one’s blood) was more than 10,000. The two have since split, and Donald continues to work as an HIV tester and counselor. His advice to others is lucid. “I tell the brothers, wife or no wife, with the rate of infection being the way it is these days, you can’t afford to go without protection. I don’t give a damn. You can’t put your fate in her hands. If you’re negative, stay negative.” The DC Department of Health’s 2009 Comprehensive Plan for HIV states that between 1996 and 2004, 11.3% of African American men in the District contracted HIV from heterosexual sex. Although the current Comprehensive Plan for HIV doesn’t cite data on infection rates among African-American straight men, HIV infection through heterosexual contact remains the second leading mode of transmission. Larry Bryant is a straight African-American male in DC who is HIV positive. As the Director for National Advocacy and Organizing for Housing Works, an AIDS advocacy organization in Northwest, Bryant feels that too many straight black

He Said…

Donald Head discovered he was HIV positive by happenstance while working as a tester for Community Education Group in Southeast. He and his team needed a few more completed HIV tests to make their quota for the day so they decided to test each other. When his co-worker started looking at him peculiarly he knew something was wrong. “My co-worker said ‘Yours came back positive, man.’ I didn’t believe him. I told him to swab me again. It came back positive the second time. I was blown.” Donald knew who infected him. It didn’t come from a random sexual encounter, and he was not an intravenous drug user. He was infected by his wife. He had no choice but to have the talk with her. The conversation that followed was not easy to initiate. “It took

36 H EAST OF THE RIVER MAGAZINE

| DECEMBER 2012

Places to Get Free HIV Testing in Wards 7 and 8 From DC Department of Health

Planned Parenthood (Ophelia Egypt Health Center), 3937-A Minnesota Avenue NE, Washington, DC 20019. Phone: 202-3478512. www.ppmw.org Ward 7 Minnesota Avenue Metro Accessible Testing Hours: Monday-Friday 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.; Tuesday 9:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.

Anacostia Neighborhood Health Clinic

men shy away from the conversation. “We need to own the conversation just like gay men and straight women do. We need everyday black male leaders in the community to speak openly and frequently about HIV and how vulnerable we are to contracting it. The messages that we send to women about taking control of your health and knowing your status must apply to straight men too.”

She said…

Rebecca* is an African-American DC resident. She is in her fifties, unemployed, suffers from bipolar disorder, and is married to the man who infected her with HIV. When she found out she was positive, she was devastated. “I cried and cried because I wasn’t even sure if I wanted to stay with him. He has issues. But I figured, now I can’t escape him because who is gonna want me after finding out I’m positive.” Her husband, an unemployed auto mechanic, did a stretch in prison on drug charges and claimed that he contracted the virus from dental work during his incarceration. He admitted to her that he knew he was positive before they were sexually active. According to Rebecca, her husband has a temper. She tried several times to leave him but couldn’t get away. “He won’t leave me alone. He has kicked me. Hit me. He dragged me to his car by my hair while I was waiting in line for a spot at the shelter, while all those people stood there and watched. No one even tried to help me.” They have lived in and out of motels and in their car until Rebecca finally escaped from him in 2011. She now stays at a transitional housing complex for women in the District, but he comes there to see her. She has filed for divorce and is awaiting the final decision. “I’m tired of him dragging me all over the city. I’m tired of living in fear. I’m tired of the bruises on my legs from him forcing himself on me. I just want to be free from this. He already gave me a death sentence. My life is already destroyed.” The infection rates among black het-

erosexual women in poor neighborhoods (particularly Wards 7 and 8) have nearly doubled from 6.3 percent in 2009 to 12.1 percent in 2011. Black Women east of the Anacostia River are at a higher risk for contracting HIV. Dr. Lisa Fitzpatrick, medical director of the Infectious Disease Center at United Medical Center in Southeast, says the problem with women is a culture of silence that fuels stereotypes. “The biggest challenge I encounter in my practice with HIV-positive women is their struggle with stigma in the community. The community’s outdated and erroneous perceptions about HIV-positive people result in failure to openly discuss HIV with partners and inability to disclose their status. This is not a women’s issue, this is a community issue.”

Where Do We Go from Here?

Dr. Greg Pappas, Director of the HIV/ AIDS, Hepatitis, Sexually Transmitted Diseases and Tuberculosis Administration (HAHSTA), offers basic explanations and some solutions that people can apply on their own. “Heterosexuals are still not getting tested. Many of them still don’t know they’re positive. There are a lot of men and women who share partners. And they’re not using condoms. People need to protect themselves and protect their partners.” He also suggested being your own advocate and asking for the test during doctor’s visits. “You need to ask for the test. You need to know there is treatment available in the District. And you need to stay on your medications because it keeps you healthy and you’re less likely to spread the virus to others people. This is how you protect yourself and your community. It’s not a death sentence at all.” He concluded that “the power to stop the cycle begins within. It’s time to stop the blame game and start making healthy choices.” Candace Y.A. Montague is a freelance health writer in Washington, DC. l

1328 W Street SE, Washington, DC. Phone: 202-610-7160. Ward 8 Testing Hours: Monday 8:15 a.m.-8:00 p.m.; Wednesday 8:15 a.m.-8:00 p.m.; Thursday 8:15 a.m.-4:45 p.m.; Friday walk-in 8:15 a.m.-8:00 p.m.

Department of Health Southeast STD Clinic

19th and E Streets SE, Washington, DC 20003. Phone: 202698-4050. Ward 6 Testing Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.

Family and Medical Counseling Center

2041 Martin Luther King, Jr., Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20020. 202-889-7900. Ward: 8 Testing Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

The HOYA Clinic

1900 Massachusetts Avenue SE, fourth floor of the former DC General Hospital. 202-468-4816. www.HOYAclinic.org Stadium Armory Metro accessible Testing Hours: Tuesday 6:00 p.m.-7:30 p.m.; Wednesday 6:00 p.m.-7:30 p.m.

Sexual Minority Youth Assistance League (SMYAL)

410 7th Street SE, Washington DC 20003. Phone: 202-5465940; TTY: 202-464-4548; fax: 202-544-1306. HIV Testing Appointments: 202-546-5940 ext. 116. Ward 6 Eastern Market Metro Accessible Testing Hours: Tuesday-Wednesday walk-in, 4:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m.; Friday walk-in, 4:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m. All other times require an appointment.

Whitman-Walker Clinic (Max Robinson Center)

2303 Martin Luther King, Jr., Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20020.Phone: 202-678-8877; fax: 202-678-8099. www.wwc.org. email: hivtesting@wwc.org Ward 8 Anacostia Metro accessible Testing Hours: walk-in, Tuesday-Thursday 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; Friday 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.; Saturday 12:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m.

Metro Teen AIDS

651 Pennsylvania Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20003. Phone: 202-543-9355. www.metroteenaids.org. Ward 6, Eastern Market Testing Hours: Monday walk-in 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.; Tuesday-Thursday walk-in 10:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m.; Friday walk-in 4:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m.

Anacostia Neighborhood Health Clinic (Unity Health Care)

EAST WASHINGTON LIFE

24 Hours East of the River by Vincent Lee Smith

“24 Hours East of the River” showcases the work of five photographers, Danita Delaney, E. Carol Burns, Jeffrey Fearing, Ken Hipkins, and Vincent Lee Smith, as they worked to capture a day in the life of the Ward 7 and 8 communities in Northeast and Southeast. The project was sponsored by the Exposure Group, an African-American Photography Association, and born out of a love for these communities. Photography by its nature makes things visible. The goal of the project was to feature a part of the city that is often misrepresented or too rarely seen.

The Photographers

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| DECEMBER 2012

Jeffrey John Fearing is a photographer, photo-historian, photo-documentarian, and adjunct professor of photography in greater Washington, DC. jeffrey.fearing@gmail.com E. Carol Burns is a native Washingtonian, a mother of one (now grown up) child, who has a passion for photography and graphic design. She enjoys capturing God’s handiwork (nature) as well as everyday life (street photography). She has been in several exhibitions around the DC Metro area. imachurchlady@msn.com Danita Delaney, a native Washingtonian, is an award-winning photojournalist, who has documented the art, culture, and history of Washington through her lens. impact2436@ hotmail.com Ken Hipkins is a Washingtonbased photographer. You can see more of his work at www.kenhipkins. com ken@kenhipkins.com. Vincent Lee Smith, originally from East Orange, N.J., but now based in Washington, is working on several self-assigned photography projects. Most of his projects focus on what it means to live in America. You can see his projects at www.vlsphoto. com and www.pplofcolor.com vincent@vlsphoto.com. l

“Empty Stairs, Empty Field” by Ken Hipkins. Reminiscences of dwellings and playground in Southeast.

“The Shrimp Boat” by Vincent Lee Smith. The Shrimp Boat seafood restaurant, located at 4510 East Capitol Street NE, is one of the best known landmarks East of the River. A two story white building shaded by a large, faded green awning, resplendent along one of its sides with vendors selling football jerseys and tshirts, it occupies nearly half a block, connecting Northeast and Southeast like a soul food beacon.

“Ammunition” by E. Carol Burns. An entrepreneur of body oils stocked like ammunition in a bandolier is photographed in front of a Safeway store at 322 40th Street NE.

“Crossing Guard” by Ken Hipkins. During a rainy afterschool day in Southeast DC, few were willing to be photographed, except those who had to be outside.

“Chef’s Table” by Jeffrey Fearing. The Chef’s Table was a popular casual and classy soul food restaurant located at 4414 Benning Road NE. It opened in 1972, but has been closed since the late 90s. It has fallen into disrepair, though its distinctive pink exterior continues to stand out.

“Martha’s Market” by E. Carol Burns. As a young girl the photographer always remembered this local Anacostia market because of its bright red banner. Located at 2400 Minnesota Ave. SE, it is still standing and still looks inviting.

“Homework” by E. Carol Burns. A father shares time with his son to see that his homework gets done, and rewards it with a treat at McDonald’s.

“Thirsty for Knowledge” by Danita Delaney. In continuing the legacy of the late civil rights leader Dr. Dorothy I. Height, the Dorothy I. Height/Benning Neighborhood Library, located at 3935 Benning Road NE, serves as a primary resource to educate, inform, and train many Washingtonians who live in Ward 7. EASTOFTHERIVERDCNEWS.COM H 39

KIDS & FAMILY

Artist’s impression of what the new Tech Prep Academy will look like.

Friendship Public Charter School Builds New School in Southeast DC

Friendship Public Charter School, which serves nearly 8,000 students on 11 campuses in disadvantaged communities in Washington DC and Baltimore is building a new building and renovating existing facilities of its Tech Prep Academy, a college preparatory high middle and high school, currently serving students from the sixth through the 10th grade (adding an 11th grade in 2013 and a 12th grade in 2014) in Southeast. Every student in the 11th and 12th grades will be dual enrolled at Tech Prep and in college, at no cost to themselves--earning both a high school diploma and either credits toward a bachelor’s or an associate’s degree. Tech Prep’s new building will be located at the intersection of Martin Luther King Jr. Ave. and Milwaukee Pl. SE and represents an important contribution to the regeneration of the surrounding neighborhood. The school will be directly adjacent to the former St. Elizabeth’s Hospital property that is about to become the new Department of Homeland Security headquarters, creating 26,000 direct employment opportunities. Tech Prep will be making an important contribution to this revitalization providing world-class educational opportunities for the local community and teaching students the 21st Century skills necessary to succeed.

Kids & Family Notebook by Kathleen Donner

150th Year Anniversary of the Signing of the Emancipation Proclamation Family Day

Family Day programming is on Tuesday, Jan 1, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. in the East Rotunda Gallery of the National Archives Building, Constitution Ave. at 9th St. NW. In addition to handson family activities, storyteller Bill Grimmest portrays Frederick Douglass in “Tales of My Friend Mr. Lincoln,” and historical re-enactors will portray Harriet Tubman, Abraham Lincoln and Rosa Parks. President Abraham Lincoln issued the 40 H EAST OF THE RIVER MAGAZINE

Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, during the American Civil War, formally proclaiming the freedom of all slaves held in areas still in revolt. The issuance of this Proclamation clarified and strengthened the position of the Union government, decreased the likelihood of European support of the Confederacy and, as the Union armies extended their occupation of the southern states, brought freedom to the slaves in those states. The Proclamation invited black men to join the Union Army and Navy, resulting in the enlistment of approximately 200,000 freed slaves and free black people before

| DECEMBER 2012

the War’s end. archives.gov

High Tea Society Holiday Tea

The High Tea Society (HTS) was launched in 1997, as a vehicle to expose young girls to the rich cultural offerings of the District of Columbia while providing a tailored program designed to boost self esteem, inspire academic achievement and create “ambassadors of change” (poised, confident, college bound young ladies willing to share their HTS experiences and values with their family and friends). The High Tea Society was never just a “dress up

1250 Taylor St. NW Washington, DC 20011 p. 202 545-0515 f. 202 545-0517 www.bridgespcs.org

and go to tea” program. Rather, it was designed in response to the urgent social and academic realities facing many girls living in Washington, DC. Over the years, the HTS has observed the novelty of afternoon tea wear away to become an everyday way of life among our youth. HTS is not confined to a tea box, they teach through tea! This year’s High Tea is on Dec 15, from 1-4 p.m. at the Woman’s National Democratic Club,1526 New Hampshire Ave. NW. Tickets are $60 for adults and $20 for children. 202-841-5244. highteasociety.org

Septima Clark Achieves Tier 2 Status

The DC Public Charter School Board announced Nov 7, that Septima Clark achieved aTier 2 ranking on the Performance Management Framework (PMF) Report Card. Posting the largest academic gains among all DC Charter Schools, Septima Clark’s move from Tier 3 to Tier 2 is welcomed news. “We are excited to build on this positive momentum that our scholars and teachers have achieved,” remarked Jenny DuFresne, Founder/Head of School. “Our goal is to earn Tier 1 status within the next two years. The DC Public Charter School Board, the city’s charter authorizer, uses the PMF Report Card to rank the District’s charter schools across a three tier system. Septima Clark was ranked #1 on the 2012 DC-CAS in academic achievement growth among DC’s charter schools by the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) and was ranked #3, by OSSE, among more than 200 public schools--traditional and charters-for achieving 17% growth in reading and math on the 2012 DC-CAS. The school, founded in 2006, serves boys from

preschool to 6th grade in Wards 7 and 8.

Southeast White House Children’s Appeal

Each year they try to assist their children in one of the following ways (1) by asking the public for donations of toys for their Santa’s Toy Shop. This allows a parent to come and select one or two toys for each child-depending on the number of toys donated (2) by asking for monetary donations that will be used to purchase toys for Santa’s Toy Shop and (3) by a donor adopting a child or a family. The donor could meet or speak to the recipients directly or be supplied a wish list from each child. No contribution is too small. All is appreciated and will be used to bless a child during this Holiday Season. If you have any questions please call Tina Henderson at 202-581-0800 or 202997-4099.

Serving Preschool, Pre-K, Kindergarten and 1st grade for the 2013-2014 school year A new grade will be added each year through 5th grade. Attend one of our Information / Open House Sessions to learn more about the school. INFORMATION / OPEN HOUSE SESSIONS ON THURSDAYS: December 13 & 20 from 9:30 am – 10:30 am January 10 & 24 from 9:30 am – 10:30 am

February 7 & 21 from 9:30 am – 10:30 am March 7 & 14 from 9:30 am – 10:30 am

You must register to attend, limit of 20 people per session. Call (202) 545-0515 to register.

Application deadline March 15th, 2013. Lottery March 22nd, 2013 Apply for admissions at www.bridgespcs.org or by coming to the school. We are building on our strong foundation as an early childhood program. Come be a founding member of the elementary school!

Program Features: Before Care starting at 7:30 am and after care until 6:00 pm. Small classroom size and well trained staff. Individual planning for each student. Hands-on and project-based curriculum. Bridges Public Charter School is free and open to all DC residents. Tuition paid by non-residents.

Kwanzaa Arts, Family Fun

On Dec 19, at 11:00 a.m., you will be surprised at the variety of Zawadi (gifts) and greeting cards you can make with traditional art materials, such as colored paper, glitter, rubber stamps, and discardable materials. Join artists Tamara Thomas and Deidra Bell for this exciting event. Families are welcome. For reservations, call 202-633-4844. Anacostia Community Museum, 1901 Fort Pl. SE. anacostia.si.edu

Story Time at the Anacostia Neighborhood Library

Story Time is designed especially for early childhood through primary grade children and their guardians/parents. A celebrity will read a story and lead a short discussion then the children will create a craft take-away based on the story. This program takes place at the Anacostia Neighborhood LiEASTOFTHERIVERDCNEWS.COM H

KIDS & FAMILY brary, 1800 Good Hope Rd. SE on Saturday, Jan 5, 10:30 a.m. to noon. Space is limited. For more information, call 202-6334844.

from the Navy Yard Metro (New Jersey Avenue exit). canalparkdc.org.

Saturday Morning at the National Free Performances for Children

Step Afrika!’s Magical, Musical Holiday Step Show at the Atlas

On Saturdays at 9:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. there are free live performances Can Step Afrika! for children in the Helen teach a polar bear to step? Hayes Gallery. Tickets are What about a penguin? required and distributed This December 12-23, first come-first seated. come make music with Tickets are distributed 1/2 Step Afrika! and their hour prior to performance. furry friends from the One ticket per person in Animal Kingdom in this line. The National Theatre, new holiday tradition! 1321 Pennsylvania Ave., Come ready to bring in NW. 202-783-3372. Dec Mayor Gray (center-left) and Councilwoman Alexander (center-right) joined WTEF students to celebrate the opening of the new $10 million Washington Tennis and Education Center in Ward 7 on November 17. the festive season with a 8-Christmas Dreams from bang featuring the elecThe Nutcracker. Saturday trifying artists from Step Morning at the National families eagerly await the Afrika! and special guest On Nov 17, Washington Tennis & Education Foundation dedicated the Washington annual presentation of the DJ Frosty the Snowman. Education, Tennis & Community Center-East Capitol Campus in Southeast DC. The Virginia Ballet Company Don’t miss this interactive nationally acclaimed Washington Tennis & Education Foundation (WTEF), which proholiday experience. $35; and School’s selections vides academic help to underprivileged children and teaches them how to apply lessons $20 for seniors, students from Tchaikovsky’s glitlearned on the tennis court, in the classroom and beyond, dedicated its long-awaited $10 tering confection. Snowand military; $12 for kids million Tennis, Education and Community Center in DC’s Ward 7. Dubbed “WTEF’s flakes and Sugar Plum 17 and under. There is also East Capitol Campus,” the new Center is located at Benning Stoddert Recreation Fairies fill the air in a an $88 Family Fun Pack. Center, 200 Stoddert Pl. SE. WTEF was the first program in the country to combine Atlas Performing Arts dazzling presentation full academics with tennis training, and has served as a model for programs across the counCenter, 1333 H St. NE. of lovely costumes, lively try. It is unique in its academic rigor and comprehensive student training. atlasarts.org dances and elegant holiday cheer. Dec 15-Chris Davis: A Christmas CarWinter Basic Skills Program After-School Ice Skating Classes Paul Public Charter ol. Join Tim Cratchitt (all grown at Ft. Dupont Ice Arena and Weekly Cartoon Skate at School Expands Curriculum to up) and his blushing bride, Rose, in recreating Charles Dickens’s clasRegistration Open Canal Park High School Grades Fort Dupont Ice Arena ofThe after-school youth skating sic tale A Christmas Carol. Kids in Paul Public Charter School is expanding to include high school fers group skating classes to area program at Canal Park is for ages the audience take roles in the show, grades. Paul PCS currently provides youth, ages 5-18 (kindergarten to 6-13. Registration for fall classes playing Jacob Marley, Ghosts of sixth through ninth graders with a 12th grade), through its Kids On is ongoing or register for 10-week Christmas, and the cantankerous high quality education. Beginning Ice program. Kids On Ice is a free, winter session starting Jan 7. For old miser himself to the delight and in the fall of 2013, Paul will expand community program whose mis- more information email dc@inner- merriment of all! one grade each school year. By the sion is to make skating accessible cityexcellence.org or call 202-4682015-2016 school year, Paul will and affordable for Washington-area 1214. Community Academy Public Every Saturday from 10 a.m. also offer middle and high school children. Children are accepted into Charter School Winter Social grades, sixth through twelfth. Paul’s the program on a “first come, first to noon, kids can skate with their Get into the winter spirit with International High School will served” basis. Priority is given, how- favorite cartoon characters at this Community Academy Public focus on providing a college prep ever, to returning students (returning family-oriented weekly event. The Charter School Online, a tuitioneducation, while focusing on devel- is defined as a skater who has had Canal Park Ice Rink is open Monoping global awareness and cultural regular attendance in a class during day-Friday, noon-9 p.m; Saturday, free online public school that offers competencies for its scholars. Paul the last calendar year). Winter Basic 10 a.m.-10 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m.7 highly individualized online educaPublic Charter School, 5800 8th Skills registration deadline is Dec 14. p.m. Adult fee is $8; children, se- tion for DC students in grades K-8, St. NW. 202-291-7499. paulchar- Register online or in person at Fort niors (55+) and military fees are at the Dupont Ice Arena in WashDupont Ice Arena, 3779 Ely Pl. NE. $7. Skate rental is $3. The park is ington, DC on Friday, Dec 14 from ter.org 202-584-5007. fdia.org at Second and M sts. SE, one block 10 a.m. until noon. This is a great opportunity to meet other CAPCS

Washington Education, Tennis & Community Center Dedicated

42 H EAST OF THE RIVER MAGAZINE

| DECEMBER 2012

Online families and for prospective families to learn more about the K¹² program. CAPCS Online staff will be available to answer any questions. Students will have the opportunity to participate in arts and crafts activities and ice skate! Community Academy Public Charter School’s Winter Social is just one example of the regular events the school organizes for students and families throughout the school year. Other socialization opportunities include school clubs, meet and greet events, and field trips to local museums and zoos. Interested parents and their children will be able to talk with teachers and have all their questions answered by Community Academy Public Charter staff. For those unable to attend, there are Live Online Information Sessions Dec 5 and 12 at 10 a.m. Visit k12. com/capcs/ for details or call 866339-9912 with any questions.

Next Christmas in Girouette:

New Novel Provides Festive Opportunity for Quality Family Time

Set on the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains in Montana, this is the story of a brother and sister-Autry and Oxana Quinn-who find themselves stranded in a Girouette, a virtual ghost town, from Thanksgiving through Christmas when their father is taken seriously ill. Their grandfather, a Marine Captain long retired, plus an eccentric old café proprietress, a Blackfeet Indian horse trader who once served as the town’s mayor, a couple who published the local newspaper and an ancient deaf-mute trapper are the only remaining inhabitants of Girouette. These self-styled, “diehards” all seem to have one thing in common. Thanks to a mysterious event 60 years earlier, they still believe in Santa Claus. With modern technology hogging the attention of most people, nobody can deny that the upcoming festive season presents the perfect opportunity to re-

kindle the values that keep friends and families together. Thanks to author Michael Welch and his two creative Daughters, their new book could offer the heart-warming literary adventure every family is seeking this holiday season. For more information, visit the author’s official blog at girouettechristmas.tumblr.com.

DC High School Graduation Rates Increase

The District’s high school graduation rates for the Class of 2012 increased 2 percent as compared to the 2010-2011 school year, according to results released today by the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE). Results are calculated using US Department of Education criteria and are statewide, representing both DC Public Schools (DCPS) and Public Charter Schools (DCPCS). As calculated by the Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR), which is required by the US Department of Education, 61 percent of DC students graduated from high school with a regular diploma within a four-year period in 2011-2012, compared to 59 percent during the 2010-2011 academic year. The 2010-2011 academic year was the first time the District used the ACGR computation. Overall, 21 out of 44 DC schools had rates above the state average, with 10 schools graduating over 80 percent of their 20112012 cohort class. Additionally, graduation rates for economically disadvantaged District high school students improved 13 percent in 2011-2012. Specialized education graduation rates from the District’s Class of 2012 also grew 9 percent, with both subgroups measured under the ACGR criteria. A complete description of the US Department of Education Adjusted Cohort Rate calculation method, OSSE’s Overall Graduation Rate Chart and an illustration of OSSE’s Adjusted Cohort Graduation calculation are available at osse.dc.gov. l EASTOFTHERIVERDCNEWS.COM H

KIDS & FAMILY

120th Anniversary of The Nutcracker A Washington Ballet Tradition for Generations of Young Dancers by Michelle Phipps-Evans

o see 8-year-old movements as if caught, while a journey filled with the Snow Queen Erin Williams a young male dancer fights and King, Sugar Plum Fairy, and Anadance, one sees a to hold onto the catch. The costia Indians. young star in the children face each other and Set to the music of Pytor Ilych making. Her youthful facial wiggle in dance. Tchaikovsky, the ballet is choreoexpressions become serious as “She’s got a lot of energy graphed by TWB’s artistic director she points her toes in a baland she has learned her part Septime Webre. The company prelet position to the rhythm really well,” said Abby Olson, miered its founder Mary Day’s version of Chopin. The bubbly girl a TWB administrator teach- in 1961. However, by 2004, Webre’s with a wide grin has studied ing the parts. “She’s ready for makeover took to the stage. ballet at The Washington the next step.” “I knew the beloved classic needed School of Ballet (TWSB) a makeover to make it more current,” at the Town Hall Education said Webre who used a few recognized The Nutcracker Arts and Recreation Center For years, generations of District and American historical char(THEARC) in Ward 8, since Washingtonians grew up lov- acters such as Frederick Douglas, the she was four. ing TWB’s The Nutcracker. Cherry Blossoms and Red Coat Rats. “I love to do ballet,” said “I think art is at its most powerful Set in 1882 Georgetown, it Williams, an honor roll secstars George Washington as when people see themselves onstage,” ond grader at Academia De the heroic Nutcracker and said Webre as he explained how he took La Recta Porta International King George III as the vil- a German story adapted to a Russian Christian Day School in lainous Rat King. TWB’s ballet, and transformed it to the DisNorthwest. “It helps you. You adaptation tells the story of trict. “I wanted to create a Nutcracker can keep practicing and then Clara who is given a magical about who we are as Washingtonians you get it.” Besides her twicenutcracker on Christmas Eve and Americans in all our diverse glory.” a-week classes, since October In 1891, choreographer Marius in her family’s mansion. Later Williams has practiced for her that evening she encounters a Petipa commissioned Tchaikovsky to role as Little Chinese in Sepbattle of Revolutionary War write music for a ballet based on the time Webre’s The Nutcracker. Erin Williams is excited about her role in The Nutcracker. soldiers led by the rat and the book, “The Nutcracker and the Mouse This is her third consecutive Nutcracker. After winning King.” A year later, the Kirov Ballet year in the Christmas-time the battle, the Nutcracker, performed the first Nutcracker in St. will dance in The Nutcracker, though performance, which marks the 120th now a handsome prince, leads her on Petersburg, Russia, to poor reviews. In not everyone who auditioned got a role. anniversary of its first in 1892. It’s a unique experience, where stuWilliam’s instructor, Margaret dent dancers share the stage with The Williamson, said it is exciting to watch Washington Ballet (TWB) Comher progress each year. pany— doing four performances at “She has a lot of natural talent,” THEARC on Nov. 24 and 25; and said Williamson, a teacher at the 30 additional ones from Nov. 29 to THEARC for four years. “She’s strong Dec. 23 at the Warner Theatre. and flexible, and she’s smart. She learns “She loves show business, and I fast, although she often needs to be enjoy watching her,” said Deborah reminded to slow down and focus on Pushia, 45, Williams mother. “What the details. At the same time, that enmakes me happy is her enjoying it.” ergy makes her a great performer, and I Pushia has experience with The Nutthink she’ll do a fantastic job in Little cracker—with her daughter’s first Chinese this year.” role as a bumble bee, then a mushIt wasn’t easy for Williams to get room and now Little Chinese. She a role. In early October, hundreds auwas with Williams at the weekend ditioned for The Nutcracker from all practices in the Northwest campus, three Washington Schools of Ballet— and will be with her at the perforon Wisconsin Avenue in Northwest, at mances. The last one is two days beTHEARC on Mississippi Avenue in fore Christmas. Southeast and in Old Town Alexandria It’s one of those Saturday practicin Virginia. Erin Williams practices her role as Little Chinese in The Nutcracker at The Washington School es in November. Williams holds onto More than 400 TWSB students of Ballet’s Northwest campus. a metallic blue fishtail and dances in 44 H EAST OF THE RIVER MAGAZINE

| DECEMBER 2012

the 1930s and 40s, it eventually came to the United States. By the 1960s, it had become a popular production and is now a holiday staple.

field trips to see dances by TWB and other recognized dance companies. The goal is to help children achieve more through ballet using a multiple intelligences model. Teachers create TWB Community Engagement lesson plans integrating dance with It is these community engage- core-curriculum subjects. “They created their own dance ment programs at THEARC that and choreography,” said Toews. “The allow TWB to introduce dance to a students showing talent and progress diverse group of youngsters. TWB will receive scholarships to attend has reached out to underserved areas school at THEARC.” of the District through DanceDC, an Each scholarship is worth up to initiative that has served D.C. Public $2,000 per child and about 50 students receive the award each year. “Our goal is to expand DanceDC to 16 schools in the next five years,” Toews said. She hoped to expand its level of funding support as TWB pays for busing, uniforms and performances. Since launching the engagement program 12 years ago, TWB has reached almost 70,000 students, many had little or no access to the arts. Toews said Deborah Pushia combs her daughter Erin Williams’ hair into a bun at The Washington School of Ballet at THEARC in Ward 8 before THEARC supher class begins. ports 1,000 children through its programs with a School (DCPS) since 1999. limited staff —600 in DanceDC, 300 On a warm Friday in November, dancers at THEARC and 100 on TWB’s Southeast director Katrina scholarship. Toews is directing third graders at The children will be going to see Anita Turner Elementary on Alathe Nutcracker on Dec. 5 at the Warbama Avenue in Ward 8. Many had ner Theatre. They’ll be looking on never been exposed to ballet before, as Erin Williams comes on stage in but they were excited to receive cerpointed toes as Little Chinese. tificates of completion from Toews as parents beamed. “This provides a dance program Tickets for the Warner Theatre are priced for low income children,” Toews ex- from $34 to $101, are on sale and can plained. Eight schools are enrolled— be purchased at washingtonballet.org, six public, one chartered and one 202.397.SEAT or the Warner Theatre afterschool. The free program runs Box Office, 513 13th St., NW seven weeks with two classes a week. Tickets at THEARC, priced from $30 It culminates in a final ballet perfor- to $45, are available at washingtonballet.org or 202.362.3606 x605. Spemance in front their peers. DanceDC is an interdisciplin- cially priced $15 tickets are available for ary program offering an in-school Ward 7 & 8 residents through TWB@ residency to more than 500 second THEARC offices, 1901 Mississippi and third graders. They participate in Ave., SE, Washington, DC. l EASTOFTHERIVERDCNEWS.COM H

KIDS & FAMILY

Do Manners Matter?

Vicki Fleming Says Manners Can Make a Real Difference in Kids’ Lives by Stephen Lilienthal

Neval Thomas Elementary School students with Ms. Vicki Fleming of Manners Talk at the Benning Neighborhood Library.

icki Fleming recalls the friend whose boyfriend’s 13-year-old daughter was attending a dinner at her grandparents. Upon leaving, they said, “Good night.” The daughter’s response? Silence. Perhaps it was adolescent sullenness. But too often children and teens do not understand proper behavior and the consequences of not practicing it. Fleming is combining her personal mission to resurrect civility in everyday life with her etiquette-coaching business, Manners Talk, whose slogan is “First impressions are lasting impressions.” She’s attracting clients, even in this slow economy. “Speech and conversational skills are at an all-time low,” says Fleming, before expressing concern about a loss of everyday politeness and consideration of others. Good manners, she believes, do not come naturally. Even children whose parents try setting an example may see their lessons undercut by peers and popular entertainment. Fleming insists that civility is more important than people might think. She contends that good character and moral integrity often flow from understanding and following the rules of proper behavior. A good person “is not a good person just because of the acts” of manners, she insists, but “because of their relationships with others.” Being polite, however, does not mean being a pushover, but knowing how to say “no” politely and firmly. What she told a class from Neval Thomas Elementary School, a DC public school, at a class in etiquette held earlier this year 46 H EAST OF THE RIVER MAGAZINE

| DECEMBER 2012

at the Benning Neighborhood Library, is not just for kids. “Manners,” she advised the second graders, “are nothing more than thinking about other people and being respectful of other people.”

Fleming’s Lifelong Lessons

Fleming, raised in DC’s Brookland neighborhood, insists manners can be the essential difference between success and failure in life. Her parents “followed a certain standard” that placed a premium on “education, hard work and being decent people,” values that she and her siblings adopted. “But nothing a parent teaches will really take hold,” she stresses, “unless they practice what they preach.” Fleming had worked for The Washington Post as an advertising account executive. As newspaper advertising expanded into digital, she decided to teach the young about civility and proper manners, and founded Manners Talk in 2010. The timing is right. In Fleming’s “Manners Talk” blog she recalls starting as a freshman at Elizabeth Seton High School in Bladensburg and encountering hostility from older girls for “always smiling.” When she confronted the girls they backed down. Fleming’s interest in manners stems from that memory and the rise in “Mean Girls” and bullying. She’s discovered steps to resolve such problems. “It takes a long time for [children] to fully understand that taunting others is hurtful and painful. It is neither polite nor kind,” The answer is not just confronting bullying when it happens, but advancing lessons premised on “civil-

Do Manners Matter?

A Christian Science Monitor article, “The Civility Gap,” published in March, examined the decline in manners and etiquette in American life and its toll on public discourse and ethics. Reality TV, sports, and the internet were all cited as mirrors of declining civility. So was the name-calling exhibited in presidential campaigns. Lack of civility comes at a cost, perhaps surprising those Americans raised to believe that aggressively putting oneself first equates with “winning.” P.M. Forni, director of the Civility Initiative at Johns Hopkins University (http://krieger.jhu.edu/civility), told the Monitor: “We are almost ready to demonstrate scientifically that social intelligence is a better predictor of success in life and in school than the intelligence we measure with the IQ test. The world is the oyster of the likable.” Forni conceded in an email that people determined to win no matter the cost can do well in American society. He counters, however, that “civility, good manners and politeness are not trivial because they do the everyday busy work of goodness.” Civility matters increasingly at work. Tony Wagner, co-director of the Change Leadership Group at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and author of “The Global Achievement Gap,” identified seven survival skills schools should be teaching (http://www. tonywagner.com/7-survival-skillsi). They include the ability to collaborate and to demonstrate leadership and the ability to communicate effectively by speaking. “Manners and etiquette must be part of a deeper effort to promote respect,” says Wagner. “I think the form means little without the substance, and respect is critical today for collaboration at work and civil discourse.” When Fleming taught a class of DC public school students earlier this year, only a few parents signed releases allowing their children to attend. That was disheartening to Fleming, who says her classes are really about “teaching character.”

ity and kindness” to children as young as pre-K. It’s something that today’s parents with hectic schedules sometimes find difficult to teach their children. Fleming offers classes for young children on matters such as “meet and greet” essentials, use of “please,” “thank you,” and “you’re welcome,” and good table manners, along with other aspects of good etiquette behavior. Her teen etiquette classes cover more complicated topics such as bullying, use of tact and discretion, the importance of “no,” proper attire and hygiene, dating tips, and proper etiquette in using cell-phones and social media. Fleming’s making a go of it. Past and present clients include St. Ann’s Infant and Maternity Home (Hyattsville), the City of Falls Church Recreation and Parks Department, Latin American Youth Center , and the Next Step Public Charter School (DC). She also offers private sessions for one-on-one or group lessons.

Teaching the “Good” Life

This fall, Fleming is teaching classes in manners and etiquette at the School within School at Logan Annex. She teaches the girls and boys separately. A few weeks ago, Fleming was in the midst of cajoling the girls and boys to be considerate of others and to behave properly. When one girl breaks into tears after being reprimanded for having said something bad about another girl, Fleming and the girls comfort her. But as the girl cries, a classmate asks whether she will receive a birthday present because it is her own birthday. Fleming gently chides her to “be considerate and wait till Maya stops crying, then you can ask.” A boy rocks on his chair and falls. Fleming counsels him and the other boys on proper seating. Between conversing with the girls and boys, Fleming manages to read a book about teamwork and sharing in which a young boy learns to work as a team member and to share with others. “Sharing is easy to learn,” Fleming tells her classes, and worthwhile because people will like you more, and your kindness will be reciprocated when you need help.” Stephen Lilienthal is a freelance writer living in Washington, DC. The Manners Talk website is www.yourmannerstalk.com. l

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THE NOSE

by Anonymous

here is a conspiracy afoot, Dear Readers. Yes, you heard it here first. Don’t panic! Don’t run for the exits! Before one of you calls the Secret Service, let The Nose be clear. No one is trying to do a Romney redux. Rather, the plot is of a much more insidious nature. Yes, Dear Readers, Barryites and Fentyites have found common cause in other than their penchant for green garb. A number are uniting behind the mayoral ambitions of Muriel “The Enigma” Bowser, the current councilmember for Ward 4. Bowser’s principality has always exerted an outsized influence over the District politics. It is home to the storied Gold Coast, land of wealthy, connected African-Americans such as super lobbyist David Wilmot; former Mayor Sharon Pratt Kelly, and soon to be ex-Councilmember Michael Brown. For many years, Charlene Drew Jarvis steered city’s economic development efforts from her perch as Ward 4’s councilmember. Alternatively, Ward 4 has hatched the careers of two of the city’s most idiosyncratic reformers. Trial lawyer, good government advocate and former independent councilmember Bill Lightfoot calls it home. Here, Adrian Fenty launched his political career as an ANC commissioner. With Lightfoot’s aid, Fenty then went on to represent Ward 4 on the Council before ascending the mayoral throne. Ward 4’s political hegemony is now under threat. In this last election, Ward 6 topped its contribution of presidential votes by more than 5,000. This newly emergent, fast growing rival is home to Tommy “The Saint” Wells, a councilmember with mayoral ambitions. It is this demographic change which, in the Nose’s opinion, has cemented the emerging, infernal alliance between Barryites such as Wilmot and Fentyites like Lightfoot behind Bowser. The Nose has had enough of Wells’ “Livable-Walkable” cant. Running one’s Hummer through the fence of the local dog park to stop distracting canine vocalizations is just too tempting. Setting the District record for multiple U turns on Pennsylvania Avenue is a lifelong ambition. Damn DDOT! Give us back those lanes on L Street. They speed commuters out of the District. Despite The Nose’s quibbles, “Livable-Walkable” does provides an elegant shorthand for Wells’ New Urbanist beliefs. It is difficult to think of a similar refrain for Bowser. It is true that Bowser provided strong support for “Red Queen” Rhee’s bloody program of school reform. After reserving judgment during Harry “Light-Fingered” Thomas and Kwame “Add a Zero” Brown’s initial tra-

vails, Bowser was quick to call for Mayor Vincent “Where’s My Shadow” Gray’s resignation. She also stewarded the passage of the most recent ethics reform. Bowser has also proved a dogged advocate for her ward, which returned her overwhelmingly to office this past election. Still, what is Bowser’s signature issue? Why does she want to be Mayor? Does the difference between Bowser and Wells boil down to their choice of rides? Wells prefers his wife’s Toyota ‘Pious,’ his bicycle or the Metro. Bowser drives an SUV. With apologies to fans of My Fair Lady, this ditty is undoubtedly the one Bowser hums whenever she thinks of her Ward 6 rival: Just you wait, Mr. Wells, just you wait! You’ll be sorry, but your tears will be too late! You’ll be broke, and I’ll have money; Will I endorse you? Don’t be funny! Just you wait, Mr. Wells, just you wait! Just you wait, Mr. Wells, till the campaign gets thick, And you scream for your contributors double quick, I’ll be off a second after, my accounts filled to the rafters! Oh ho ho, Mr. Wells, just you wait! Ooooooh Mr. Wells! Just you wait until we’re racing in the polls! Ooooooh, Mr. Wells! And your bicycle hits a large pothole. When you yell you’re going down I’ll get dressed and go to town! Oh ho ho, Mr. Wells! Oh ho ho, Mr. Wells! Just you wait! One day I’ll be Mayor! I’ll be proper and prim; Go to the Wilson Building more often than I go to the gym! One evening the voters will say: “Oh, Muriel, old thing, We want all of the District your praises to sing. Next primary we do say will be your victory day! All the people will celebrate the glory of you And whatever you wish and want you can easily do.” “Thanks a lot, voters” says I, in a manner well-bred; But all I want is Mr. Wells’ head!” “Done!” say the electorate with a vote. “Chief Lanier, run and bring in the bloke!” Then they’ll march you, Mr. Wells to the wall; And the press will be screaming: “Muriel, sound the call.” As they lift their rifles higher, I’ll shout: “Ready! Aim! Fire!” Oh ho ho, Mr. Wells, Down you’ll go, Mr. Wells! Just you wait! The problem with being a saint is that it invites martyrdom. l EASTOFTHERIVERDCNEWS.COM H 51