Biographies “Film project tells stories of Camden - Courier-Post” plus 2 more |
- Film project tells stories of Camden - Courier-Post
- Twenty Pennsylvania Nonprofit Organizations Share $143,000 in ... - MSN Money
- St. Arcadius - Catholic Online
| Film project tells stories of Camden - Courier-Post Posted: 12 Jan 2010 05:34 AM PST A group of inner-city teens and young adults is using computer skills to compose stories that offer glimpses into their personalities, interests and struggles. The 11 Camden residents will unveil their work Wednesday during the Winter 2010 Film Festival at the Walt Whitman Center for the Arts in Camden. The digital stories were created through a program at Hopeworks 'N Camden, a youth advocacy group that aims to prepare teens and young adults for technology jobs by teaching them a wide array of computer skills. Students in the program present digital stories -- complete with soundtrack and voice-over script -- at film festivals three to four times a year, said Shawn Mack, Hopeworks' literacy director. He said the project gives participants an opportunity to express themselves artistically. By sharing her story, Zakkiyya Malik, 22, hopes to inspire others to pursue their dreams -- even in the face of hardship. Distraught over the death of her guardian grandmother, Malik was in the second semester of her senior year at Woodrow Wilson High School when she dropped out in December 2004, just months before graduation. Her digital story is a three-minute piece set to slow-tempo music. In it, she gives viewers a glimpse into her childhood living in Lake City, Fla., and her time in high school. She contrasts the two school systems and says her Florida school districts did a better job of keeping students focused on graduating. Malik is on the cusp of realizing her dream of attending college and is applying for financial aid to Camden County College, where she plans to study art and history. Right now, she's working on earning her GED. Her peers share their perspective on the state of Camden, their favorite sports team and other personal issues through their digital stories. All the participants are Camden residents from 14 to 22 and affiliated with Hopeworks training programs. On Monday, they made final preparations for the film festival, either writing their biographies or editing and adding sound to their video. "Oh God, it feels very good . . . a relief!," Malik said. Five Filters featured article: Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction. |
| Twenty Pennsylvania Nonprofit Organizations Share $143,000 in ... - MSN Money Posted: 12 Jan 2010 05:06 AM PST Grants Complement Verizon Foundation, Literacy Investments in State PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 12 /PRNewswire/ -- Grants totaling $143,000 from Verizon Pennsylvania will open up a range of educational and scholarship opportunities for children served by 20 nonprofit organizations across the state. The grants were made possible through Verizon's participation in Pennsylvania's Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) program, which last year authorized $60 million in tax credits to Pennsylvania businesses that made contributions to scholarship, educational improvement and pre-K scholarship organizations. Verizon selected the nonprofits from a state-approved list, awarding grants ranging from $3,500 to $25,000 to support educational programs. "Verizon's participation in Pennsylvania's EITC program demonstrates our continued dedication to promoting the value of education," said Gale Y. Given, president of Verizon Pennsylvania. "It's a win for the children and parents in the communities served by these nonprofits, and it's a win for companies like Verizon, which have an opportunity to invest in education and prepare our children to meet the unique challenges of living and working in the 21st century." The grants awarded through the EITC program complement the millions of dollars in grants Verizon has annually awarded to scores of Pennsylvania nonprofits through the Verizon Foundation and the company's "Check Into Literacy" campaign. The following nonprofit organizations received grants:
Under the EITC plan, Pennsylvania businesses that pay any one of six taxes, including the corporate net income tax, may submit an application to the state Department of Community and Economic Development to provide grants. The businesses are then eligible for tax credits ranging from 75 percent to 90 percent of a maximum contribution of $300,000 per year. The credit is applied against a business's tax liability for the tax year in which the contribution was made. Since Verizon renewed its commitment to contribute for two consecutive tax years, it qualified for the 90 percent tax credit. The Verizon Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Verizon Communications, supports the advancement of literacy and K-12 education through its free educational Web site, Thinkfinity.org, and fosters awareness and prevention of domestic violence. In 2009, the Verizon Foundation awarded more than $67.5 million in grants to nonprofit agencies in the U.S. and abroad. It also matched the charitable donations of Verizon employees and retirees, resulting in an additional $24.4 million in combined contributions to nonprofits. Through Verizon Volunteers, one of the nation's largest employee volunteer programs, Verizon employees and retirees have volunteered more than 5 million hours of community service since 2000. For more information on the foundation, visit www.verizonfoundation.org. Verizon Communications Inc. VZ, headquartered in New York, is a global leader in delivering broadband and other wireless and wireline communications services to mass market, business, government and wholesale customers. Verizon Wireless operates America's most reliable wireless network, serving more than 89 million customers nationwide. Verizon also provides converged communications, information and entertainment services over America's most advanced fiber-optic network, and delivers innovative, seamless business solutions to customers around the world. A Dow 30 company, Verizon employs a diverse workforce of more than 230,000 and last year generated consolidated revenues of more than $97 billion. For more information, visit www.verizon.com. VERIZON'S ONLINE NEWS CENTER: Verizon news releases, executive speeches and biographies, media contacts, high-quality video and images, and other information are available at Verizon's News Center on the World Wide Web at www.verizon.com/news. To receive news releases by e-mail, visit the News Center and register for customized automatic delivery of Verizon news releases. SOURCE Verizon Copyright 2010 PR Newswire Five Filters featured article: Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction. |
| St. Arcadius - Catholic Online Posted: 12 Jan 2010 12:05 AM PST Feastday: January 12 St. Arcadius, Martyr JANUARY 12 The time of this saint's martyrdom is not mentioned in his acts; some place it under Valerian, others under Dioclesian: he seems to have suffered in some city of Mauritania, probably the capital, Caesarea. The fury of the tyrants raged violently, and the devil had instigated his soldiers to wage like so many wolves, a bloody war against the servants of Jesus. Upon the least suspicion they broke into houses, made rigorous searches, and if they found a Christian, they treated him upon the spot with the greatest cruelty, their impatience not suffering them to wait the bringing him before a judge. Every day new sacrileges were committed; the faithful were compelled to assist at superstitious sacrifices, to lead victims crowned with flowers through the streets, to burn incense before idols, and to celebrate the enthusiastic feasts of Bacchus. Arcadius, seeing his city in great confusion, left his estate and withdrew to a solitary place in the neighboring country, serving Jesus Christ in watching, prayer, and other exercises of a penitential life. His flight could not be long a secret; for his not appearing at the public sacrifices made the governor send soldiers to his house, who surrounded it, forced open the doors, and finding one of his relations in it, who said all he could to justify his kinsman's absence, they seized him, and the governor ordered him to be kept in close custody till Arcadius should be taken. The martyr, informed of his friend's danger, and burning with a desire to suffer for Christ, went into the city, and presenting himself to the judge said: "If on my account you detain my innocent relation in chains, release him; I, Arcadius, am come in person to give an account of myself, and to declare to you, that he knew not where I was." "I am willing," answered the judge," to pardon not only him but you also, on condition that you will sacrifice to the gods." Arcadius replied, "How can you propose to me such a thing? Do you not know the Christians, or do you believe that the fear of death will ever make me swerve from my duty? Jesus Christ is my life, and death is my gain. Invent what torments you please; but know that nothing shall make me a traitor to my God." The governor, in a rage, paused to devise some unheard of torment for him. Iron hooks seemed too easy; neither plummets of lead, nor cudgels could satisfy his fury; the very rack he thought by much too gentle. At last imagining he had found a manner of death suitable to his purpose, he said to the ministers of his cruelty, "Take him, and let him see and desire death, without being able to obtain it. Cut off his limbs joint by joint, and execute this so slowly, that the wretch may know what it is to abandon the gods of his ancestors for an unknown deity." The executioners dragged Arcadius to the place, where many other victims of Christ had already suffered; a place dear and sweet to all who sigh after eternal life. Here the martyr lifts up his eyes to heaven, and implores strength from above; then stretches out his neck, expecting to have his head cut off; but the executioner bid him hold out his hand, and joint after joint chopped off his fingers, arms, and shoulders. Laying the saint afterward on his back, he in the same barbarous manner cut off his toes, feet. legs, and thighs. The holy martyr held out his limbs and joints, one after another, with invincible patience and courage, repeating these words, "Lord, teach me thy wisdom:" for the tyrants had forgot to cut out his tongue. After so many martyrdoms, his body lay a mere trunk weltering in its own blood. The executioners themselves, as well as the multitude, were moved to tears and admiration at this spectacle, and at such an heroic patience. But Arcadius, with a joyful countenance, surveying his scattered limbs all around him, and offering them to God, said, "Happy members, now dear to me, as you at last truly belong to God, being all made a sacrifice to him!" Then turning to the people, he said, "You who have been present at this bloody tragedy, learn that all torments seem as nothing to one who has an everlasting crown before his eyes Your gods are not gods; renounce their worship. He alone for whom I suffer and die, is the true God. He comforts and upholds me in the condition you see me. To die for him is to live; to suffer for him is to enjoy the greatest delights." Discoursing in this manner to those about him, he expired on the 12th of January, the pagans being struck with astonishment at such a miracle of patience. The Christians gathered together his scattered limbs, and laid them in one tomb. The Roman and other Martyrologies make honorable mention of him on this day. We belong to God by numberless essential titles of interest, gratitude, and justice, and are bound to be altogether his, and every moment to live to him alone, with all our powers and all our strength: whatever it may cost us to make this sacrifice perfect and complete, if we truly love him, we shall embrace it with joy and inexpressible ardor. In these sentiments we ought, by frequent express acts, and by the uninterrupted habitual disposition of our souls, to give all we are and have to God, all the powers of our souls, all the senses and organs of our bodies, all our actions, thoughts, and affections. This oblation we may excellently comprise in any of the first petitions of our Lord's prayer: the following is a form of an oblation to our divine Redeemer, which St. Ignatius of Loyola drew up and used to repeat: "O sovereign king, and absolute Lord of all things, though I am most unworthy to serve you, nevertheless, relying on your grace and boundless mercy, I offer myself up entire to you, and subject whatever belongs to me to your most holy will; and I protest, in presence of your infinite goodness and in presence of the glorious Virgin your mother, and your whole heavenly court, that it is my most earnest desire, and unshaken resolution, to follow and imitate you the nearest I am able, in bearing all injuries and crosses with meekness and patience, and in laboring to die to the world and myself in a perfect spirit of humility and poverty, that I may be wholly yours and you may reign in me in time and eternity." From kits ancient acts, much esteemed by Baronius, and inserted by Ruinart In his authentic collection Ft. Zeno of Verona made use of them In his forty-ninth sermon on this martyr. See Tillemont, L 5. P. 557. Five Filters featured article: Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction. |
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