The Political Whore

The National Civic League ’s 2009 All-America City Awards conference concludes tonight in Tampa. Here is the last of the projects we have highlighted, all nominees in the judging that leads up to the announcement of 10 All-America Cities starting at 7 p.m. Watch here for the results:

Caroline County, Virginia
Caroline’s Promise Dental Program

Caroline’s Promise is a nonprofit organization that strives to meet the physical, spiritual, and emotional well-being of the county’s youth. One of the organization’s five pledged promises is to provide a healthy start and future for all Caroline County children, and this promise is the focus of the dental program started in 2003. Like many rural counties, Caroline County has struggled with issues brought about by the shortage of medical professionals in the county and the resulting lack of access to care. In response, the County developed an innovative rural Dental program that has received numerous national awards.  A number of things have made this program successful. One is having the dentist located in a modern and permanent surrounding and not a mobile unit, which gives assurance to the children and parents of the quality of care they are receiving.  Another is the involvement of the county school system through the school nurses and its transportation system. The success of the program in Caroline County is now looked upon as the model for future programs in the region.

Thirty cities, towns, neighborhoods and communities are vying for recognition as an All-America City tonight at the conference at the Tampa Marriott Waterside Hotel. Each will give a short presentation on three public-private civic projects they undertook before a panel of judges names the best. Tampa is one of the finalists.

The National Civic League ’s 2009 All-America City Awards conference concludes tonight in Tampa. We’ve highlighting one nominated project from each of the 30 competing communities (10 will be named AAC’s). Here is Rowlett, Texas:

Rowlett, Texas
ROCK

Seeing an influx of juvenile offenses in 2003, Rowlett Municipal Judge Belinda Loveland created Reaching Our Community’s Kids (ROCK).  ROCK is an after-school mentoring program teaching life skills to at-risk boys and girls, providing them with the training and encouragement necessary to succeed in school and stay out of the juvenile justice system, while advocating the benefits of living substance free. “Our goal each week is to provide students the tools to make healthy choices in their everyday life,” Judge Loveland said. “We are here to support them and counsel them with any problems they encounter along their journey to success.” In Rowlett, community support for ROCK stems from Rowlett Lions Club, Rotary Club, Police Department, Fire Department, School District, business leaders and neighbors all working together to make a difference in the life of a child. ROCK has a direct impact on approximately 150 of Rowlett’s boys and girls annually. But what makes this program so successful is the promise of positive ‘peer pressure’ emulating from the participants into the community as a whole.

Thirty cities, towns, neighborhoods and communities are vying for recognition as an All-America City tonight at the  conference at the Tampa Marriott Waterside Hotel. Each will give a short presentation on three public-private civic projects they undertook before a panel of judges names the best. Tampa is one of the finalists.

Oprah Winfrey last October, admiring a bronze statue of Mattie and his service dog, Micah. Photo: Ed Tenney

By Matt Wiley
CL intern

We continue our look at some of the best projects in the National Civic League’s 2009 All-America City Awards (the conference convenes in Tampa this week) with Rockville, Md.:

Rockville, Maryland
Rockville’s Mattie J.T. Stepanek Park

The Mattie J.T. Stepanek Park is a $4.2 million 26-acre regional park that is accessible to all and  honors the life of one of Rockville’s most memorable residents. Mattie J. T. Stepanek was afflicted with a form of muscular dystrophy and died just shy of his 14th birthday. But in his short life, he touched the lives of millions of people through his messages of peace and hope. To further his message, Rockville, along with the state of Maryland, the developer of the King Farm community where the park is located, the community homeowners association and a foundation dedicated to keeping Mattie’s message alive, built the award-winning park. The park includes a life-sized statue of Mattie and his service dog Micah, a “Peace Garden,” lighted playing fields, the city’s first dog park, lighted basketball and tennis courts, playgrounds, a fitness center, picnic area, snack bar, restrooms, lighted pathways, wooded areas, landscaping, open spaces and parking. Stepanek Park includes amenities designed for use by all. There are no steps or rails in the park. The park is fully accessible and meets all ADA requirements, including the playgrounds, picnic tables, paths, fountains, benches and the Bankshot basketball courts.

Thirty cities, towns, neighborhoods and communities are vying for recognition as an All-America City at the June 16-19 conference at the Tampa Marriott Waterside Hotel. Each will give a short presentation on three public-private civic projects they undertook before a panel of judges names the best. Tampa is one of the finalists.

Former Tampa Mayor Sandy Freedman is the president of the National Civic League this year and a big proponent of these kinds of partnership projects. During her tenure, in 1990, Tampa was named an All-America City. Creative Loafing CEO Ben Eason is also involved, as a member of the Host Committee.

By Matt Wiley
CL intern

A cool educational opportunity in our next featured community in the National Civic League’s 2009 All-America City Awards (the conference convenes in Tampa next week), here is Clinton, N.C.:

Clinton, N.C.
Interactive Whiteboards

Clinton City Schools (CCS) has made it a priority to equip schools with engaging technology to prepare students to face the future.  An integral part of this endeavor included the goal of outfitting each classroom with an interactive whiteboard (IW).  An IW links a computer desktop to the board’s surface to allow: teaching with computer software and internet browsers, manipulation of computer data using finger touch or styli, saving of information created on the IW to a computer, capture of student responses using “Audience Response System,” and interactive learning that totally engages students. In 2006, IWs were placed in five classrooms.  One third grade class showed improvement from 61% proficiency on end-of-grade pretests to 90.48% proficiency on end-of-grade tests.  The excitement of this technology spurred the community to collaborate with CCS to ensure every classroom within CCS had an IW. Collaborations between CCS, citizens, businesses and nonprofits resulted in a series of projects that enabled IWs to be placed in each CCS classroom.

Thirty cities, towns, neighborhoods and communities are vying for recognition as an All-America City at the June 16-18 conference at the Tampa Marriott Waterside Hotel. Each will give a short presentation on three public-private civic projects they undertook before a panel of judges names the best. Tampa is one of the finalists.

Former Tampa Mayor Sandy Freedman is the president of the National Civic League this year and a big proponent of these kinds of partnership projects. During her tenure, in 1990, Tampa was named an All-America City. Creative Loafing CEO Ben Eason is also involved, as a member of the Host Committee.

Photo: Pocomoke City Volunteer Fire Department

By Matt Wiley
CL intern

The next featured community in the National Civic League’s 2009 All-America City Awards (the conference convenes in Tampa next week) is Pocomoke City, Md.:

Pocomoke City, Maryland

Pocomoke Volunteer Fire Department Fire Station
The Pocomoke Volunteer Fire Department (PVFD) was originally founded in 1888, in 1939, the City obtained funds to build a new fire station designed to house three fire trucks and 30 volunteers.  However, by 2002, with 60 members and 8 large trucks, the old fire station had become obsolete.  At that point, the PVFD began a six-year collaboration with the community to construct a new fire station.  In 2003, a PVFD planning committee investigated various options for a new fire station and, in 2004, the land was purchased. Working from a construction cost estimate of $2.1 million, the committee set a goal of raising $400,000 from residents and businesses, to be matched with grant assistance from the State. Within a few months, the committee had received donations and pledges in excess of their original goal. Volunteers worked with a local architect to complete the design for the new 16,500 square foot station.  In March 2008, the PVFD ceremoniously marched down Market Street from their former home to their new $2.1 million fire station, the culmination of a six-year community-wide collaborative effort. The new modern fire station will serve the needs of the community for the next several decades.

Thirty cities, towns, neighborhoods and communities are vying for recognition as an All-America City at the June 16-18 conference at the Tampa Marriott Waterside Hotel. Each will give a short presentation on three public-private civic projects they undertook before a panel of judges names the best. Tampa is one of the finalists.

Former Tampa Mayor Sandy Freedman is the president of the National Civic League this year and a big proponent of these kinds of partnership projects. During her tenure, in 1990, Tampa was named an All-America City. Creative Loafing CEO Ben Eason is also involved, as a member of the Host Committee.