Tia Norfleet is the daughter of Bobby Norfleet, who made his NASCAR debut at the Portland International Raceway road course in the year 2000

Nationwide (BlackNews.com) — Professional racecar driver Tia Norfleet has visions of giving to a community that supports her. As the first, youngest and only African-American female driver on the NASCAR circuit, Tia Norfleet has set the stage to opening the doors of diversity in a highly controversial and predominately male oriented sport.

With lawsuits that have been filed as well by other minorities, which have accused NASCAR of racial discrimination, many people wonder why and how can Norfleet compete in this division of racing. “It is sheer passion and instinct that drives this youngster to want to compete in this sport, she was born to compete,” says Isaac Hayes, spokesperson/CEO of the online fund raising organization, Tiapower.com.

Norfleet comes from a family with a history in racing. Her father Bobby Norfleet made his NASCAR debut at the Portland International Raceway road course on March 26, 2000, where he competed against NASCAR driver Bill Lester making that race historical. It was the only time in NASCAR history that two African-Americans drivers have competed at the same time.

With many accolades of her own including being spokesperson for the Safe America Diving program, and appearing in commercials such as the Verizon wireless, numerous magazine ads and radio and television interviews. Tia Norfleet has given Black women everywhere new hope in following their dreams.

The million dollar question that many people ask is, will the NASCAR community accept Tia for who she is, and that is according to Hayes, a true competitor. “Our goal is to raise funds needed for everyone to find out,” says Edward Williams, founder of the medium sized marketing company Team Tia.

Taking a page out of the country’s 44th President Barack Obama’s playbook, going grassroots to make history. Williams said “If President Obama can raise $700 million, surely we can raise $5 million to get Tia on the track. We have a good team and I think with the public’s help we can get Tia on the track and testing in two weeks.

“To ensure the success of this effort to fundraise,” says Hayes, CEO of Tiapower.com, “we have inked a lucrative deal with Alvin Kline, the social media guru and wed success agency team to head this unique grassroots online crown funding campaign.”

Hayes continues, “I am confident that Alvin Kline along with Team Tia and the additional benefits and memorabilia we are offering the donors at Tiapower.com should allow us the chance to find out.” As Tia prepares to take the wheel, the world holds on and wonders if the community that she supports will support her. The answer awaits at the finish line.

For more information or to schedule an interview, please contact Issac Hayes at (877) 239-4924 or email contact@tiapower.com or visit www.tiapower.com

Photo Caption: Tia Norfleet 

State Superintendent Koch, Attorney General Madigan and Lt. Gov. Simon recognize the best poster and electronic projects promoting online safety 

 SPRINGFIELD, IL – The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) joined the offices of the Illinois Attorney General and the Illinois Lieutenant Governor on Monday, May 7, to recognize winners of the third annual Illinois Youth Digital Safety Contest. The contest aims to raise awareness about making safe and respectful choices through digital communications.

“In this day and age, it really is essential we provide the skills our children need to stay safe and to make the right choices online,” said State Superintendent of Education Christopher A. Koch. “I applaud all of the students who participated in this contest for their help in spreading the message of Internet safety.”

Students earning first place were presented with resolutions during a ceremony Monday afternoon at the Illinois Executive Mansion in Springfield. The contest follows a law that took effect in January 2009 requiring school districts to incorporate Internet safety into the curriculum at least each school year beginning in third grade.

This year’s theme for the contest, which was open to students in grades kindergarten through 12, was “Bystander Intervention,” or the idea that students who witness bullying can take action against it. Representatives from all three sponsoring government agencies judged submissions from across Illinois.

“These anti-bullying messages are powerful because they come from students on behalf of their peers,” said Lt. Governor Sheila Simon. “I commend the winners for sparking honest conversations about cyber bullying and creating safer spaces for online interaction.”

Under state law each local school district determines how to include lessons in the classroom but some recommended topics include the safe and responsible use of social networking websites, chat rooms, bulletin boards and other means of communication on the Internet. It is also recommended that instruction includes information on recognizing, avoiding and reporting online solicitation by sexual predators, recognizing and reporting online harassment and cyberbullying and knowing the risks of transmitting personal information on the Internet.

Attorney General Madigan’s Office has created age-specific Internet Safety Training Modules for educators that meet state law requirements. The Attorney General’s Internet Safety Training Modules can be found on her website at www.illinoisattorneygeneral.gov, or on ISBE’s website at www.isbe.net.

Attorney General Madigan’s Office has provided Internet safety training and education to more nearly 229,000 parents, teachers, and students, and more than 14,000 law enforcement officers and prosecutors since 2006. Madigan also hosts a website to help children, teens, parents and educators learn about the dangers of cyberbullying. The “Stop Cyberbullying” website (www.ebully411.com) includes the latest news and statistics, frequently asked questions and a quiz to test online users’ knowledge about cyberbullying. It also features an E-Info Hotline to assist victims and teach bullies to understand the impact of their actions. More information is available by calling the hotline at 1-888-414-7678 or by e-mailing e-info@atg.state.il.us.

“Today’s technology not only creates great opportunities, it can sometimes create great risks,” said Attorney General Madigan. “This Digital Safety contest provides an opportunity for participants to demonstrate ways to get their friends talking about how to encourage safe and civil behavior on the Internet and how to respond to any negative behavior they may encounter.”

Students in any public or non-public district were eligible to enter the contest by submitting an entry as a poster or in an electronic media format (video, podcast or slideshow). Here are the students from across the state honored with resolutions for first place in their categories:

• Video, Grades K-3: Adam Hammock, Itzel Leon, Daniel Anyaso and Lula Garfield, Dewey School in Evanston, Evanston/Skokie School District 65
• Poster , Grades 4-6: Morgan Gale, Riverview Grade School in East Peoria, Riverview Community Consolidated #2
• Slideshow , Grades 4-6: Cameron Marsh, Liberty Middle School in Edwardsville, Edwardsville CUSD 7
• Podcast, Grades 4-6: Matthew Lorenz, The Lane School in Hinsdale, CCSD 181
• Video , Grades 4-6: Sean Fisher and Malik Tifah, Lukancic Middle School in Romeoville, Valley View School District 365
• Poster , Grades 7-8: Yuli Salgado, Chute Middle School in Evanston, Evanston/Skokie School District 65
• Slideshow, Grades 7-8: Margaret Hunt, Thompson Jr. High in Oswego, Oswego CUSD 308
• Video , Grades 7-8: Andie Sherman, Herrick Middle School in Downers Grove, Downers Grove School District 58
• Video, Grades 7-8: Brittanny Bieneman, Breanne Aceret and Kelsey Snodgrass, Thompson Jr. High in Oswego, Oswego CUSD 308
• Poster, Grades 9-12: Aleena Proctor, Bunker Hill High School, Bunker Hill Community Unit District 8    
• Video, Grades 9-12: Sameer Andani, Jerry Swanson and Samuel Yoo, Warren Township High School in Gurnee, Warren Township High School District 121

Nationwide (BlackNews.com) — The pain struck when Judy was only four. Later, Judy noticed she was tired a lot – so tired that on some mornings she could not get up to go to school. However, Judy’s mother Janie was unsympathetic. In Janie’s eyes, Judy had to be punished for skipping school. Later, some folk in the small black community began whispering about that “strange illness of little Judy Gray.”

The mysterious disorder remained so until Judy was 16, when a doctor diagnosed her with an ailment called sickle cell anemia. Nevertheless, the doctor would share the news only with Judy’s aunt, who said nothing to Judy about the diagnosis. Therefore, Judy’s frequent pain and fatigue would remain a mystery for most of her life.

In Living With Sickle Cell Disease: The Struggle to Survive, Judy Gray Johnson describes how she attended college, taught elementary school, endured a troubled marriage, raised a daughter alone, and even presided over a major teachers’ union while enduring severe periods of pain that usually required emergency room visits, blood transfusions, and copious dosages of painkillers such as morphine. All the while, exhaustion was her constant companion.

Along with veteran journalist Leroy Williams Jr., Judy wrote and self-published Living With Sickle Cell Disease to tell her story of living with sickle cell disease, which affects between 70,000 and 100,000 Americans and is present in one of every 500 African American births. The memoir also recounts how she evolved from victim into a staunch advocate for herself and other “sicklers” in the face of an insensitive medical profession and ignorance of sickle cell disease among the public.

Judy hopes the book will create greater awareness of sickle cell disease and reassure its sufferers that they too can accomplish great things despite their illnesses. Judy would be happy to serve as a resource for editors and journalists seeking perspectives on sickle cell disease and other chronic illnesses.

Living With Sickle Cell Disease is available in hard cover, paperback and e-book versions through www.lulu.com. Readers also may visit Judy’s website at www.judygrayjohnson.com.

Photo Caption: Bookcover

13^th District Nominating Committee will vote on May 19^th

Statement from Mike Bigger, 13^th District Chairman:

The Nominating Committee for the 13th Congressional District Republican Vacancy convened today (May 5^th) in Springfield, Illinois and heard the eight candidates present their case to be selected to fill the vacancy.

The Committee selected four finalists to be considered on May 19: Jerry Clarke, Rodney Davis, Erika Harold and Kathy Wassink.  On that date the Committee will then vote, by Republican Primary weighted vote, for the candidate of their choice.  The committee will carefully examine the candidates’ qualifications to be the Republican Nominee for Congress from the 13th District.

The Committee is confident that it will choose the best candidate to defeat David Gill and maintain the Republican majority in the Illinois delegation and in Washington, DC.

Harvey resident wins, too

By Chinta Strausberg

With a made up mind and focusing on one goal at a time, Shawn Simpson, an 18-year-old Chicago Vocational Academy senior, recently won the National Golden Gloves tournament held at the CasaBlanca Resort in Mesquite, NV, but he’s not stopping there.

Reached at home, Simpson, who is the reigning National Police Athletic League 114 pound National Champion, said, “I felt I had to win.”  An amateur boxer since the age of 10, he won the coveted 114 pound championship. “I have won so many matches you get used to it,” he said. Simpson said he felt in his heart he would be victorious.

In winning the National Golden Gloves title, Simpson defeated Hector Valdez of Texas, Jesus Cerda of Wisconsin and Ja’Rico O’Quinn of Detroit to advance to the final. He’s anxious for the next championship game and is determined to keep his mind and body in shape for the showdown.

Simpson is trained by 1996 Olympic Heavyweight Bronze Medalist Nate Jones who is part of pound-for-pound champion and former Olympic teammate Floyd Mayweather’s training team. He won the Chicago Golden Gloves 114 pound championship last year and in 2012. He was named the Chicago Golden Gloves “Best Boxer” in 2012 and in 2009 he was the Junior Olympic National Flyweight Champion.

Having won more than 100 boxing matches beginning at age 10 when he fought in Kansas City, Mo. and including this recent tournament, Simpson has set yet another goal—to go the USA Boxing Training Camp in Colorado Springs after he graduates on June 9, 2012.

In four-years, he wants to win the Olympics, but in the interim Simpson said, “I will be training and staying in shape,” and his father, Tony Simpson, will be right by his side.

Young Simpson is hoping to win the National Police Athletic Leagues tournament in Toledo, Ohio in October. There are only a select number of tournaments recognized by the USA Boxing as being elite. This tournament is one where all of the top boxers will participate.  Simpson plans to be there and to win.

Also winning the National Golden Gloves title was Alex Martin, 21, a graduate from the Joliet Township High School who currently lives in Harvey, Illinois, who defeated David Grayton, Washington, D.C., 165-pounds. He is the most highly decorated amateur boxer in the Chicago area. Martin’s goal is to turn professional sometime this year.

Trained by Mark Chears of Team Chears Boxing/Boxing For Boxers, Martin defeated Montrel Wade of California, Tony Losey of the 
Kansas-Oklahoma franchise and Wesley Tucker of Toledo, OH to advance to 
the championship. 

Martin was the 2011 National Golden Gloves 152 pound runner-up, 
the 2011 and 2012 Chicago Golden Gloves 152 pound Champion and he received 
the 2011 Chicago Golden Gloves “Best Boxer Award.”

Martin was the USA 
Boxing Welterweight Silver Medalist in 2010 and 2012. In 2009, he won the National Police Athletic League 152 pound National Championship. 
 Martin has international experience and has represented the U.S. in dual 
competitions vs. Mexico in April 2011, China in October 2010 (in New York) and in March in Assisi and Rome, Italy and in September of 2010.

Martin did not return calls prior to deadline.

Chinta Strausberg is a Journalist of more than 33-years, a former political reporter and a current PCC Network talk show host. You can e-mail Strausberg at: Chintabernie@aol.com.

Thirty-seven districts raise the bar to improve student achievement

SPRINGFIELD, IL — The Illinois State Board of Education announced the final 37 Illinois school districts that will join with the state agency as part of the federal Race to the Top (RTT) phase three program. These districts will serve as leaders by first implementing key initiatives aimed at improving school performance and student achievement across the state under the $42.8 million RTT grant awarded to Illinois and participating districts.

“These districts are moving forward with courage to change the status quo,” said State Superintendent of Education Christopher A. Koch. “All of them are ready to accelerate reform efforts and share their experiences to help all our school districts succeed and better prepare students for college and careers in the 21^st century.”

The federal grant is aimed broadly at closing achievement gaps. It will help bolster state initiatives across many areas.  Funds will improve Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) education and build a stronger connection to post-secondary education and training.  Funds will also support the on-going implementation of the new rigorous Common Core Learning Standards in Math and English Language Arts as well as innovative data systems that better inform educators and improve classroom instruction.  Chief among the reforms is that districts will use new, more comprehensive principal and teacher evaluations that tie student growth to educators’ reviews.  Legislation calls for all Illinois districts to incorporate student growth into teacher evaluations no later than fall 2016. Participating Race to the Top districts, however, will be required to pilot these evaluation systems in the fall of 2013.

“The districts that are joining with us under this grant program know that these are good measures and they’re eager to be among the first to put them in action and track results,” said State Board Chairman Gery J. Chico. “Their leadership on key issues will help other districts as they follow toward implementing the aggressive reform agenda we’ve adopted in Illinois.”

Illinois was awarded the $42.8 million phase three RTT grant last December after being a finalist in the competition’s two prior rounds. Under the RTT grant, Illinois and six other states keep half their awarded funds for statewide reform work and disseminate the remaining half among participating districts. Each district’s share is based on a required federal formula directing funds to the participating districts with the greatest number of low-income students. Other phase three winning states are Arizona, Colorado, Kentucky, Louisiana, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. For more information about the Illinois program, visit the State Board’s Race to the Top web page at: http://www.isbe.net/racetothetop/default.htm.

The following districts are participating with the Illinois State Board of Education to implement statewide reform.

Deadline to provide input on school district efficiency proposals is May 14

SPRINGFIELD, IL – In advance of the May 14 deadline, Lt. Governor Sheila Simon is inviting parents, teachers, administrators and community members to submit online comments about a set of draft recommendations that will make it easier for school districts to consolidate and help them save up to $1 billion in operations costs by sharing services.

Individuals can leave comments on each of the commission’s individual recommendations at the Lt. Governor’s website. The input will be used, along with the testimony from four public hearings, to finalize the commission’s recommendations prior to their submission to the Governor and General Assembly this summer.   

“The Classrooms First Commission started its work six months ago with public input on school district efficiency and effectiveness,” said Simon, who chairs the Classrooms First Commission. “We incorporated the concerns and ideas of hundreds of constituents in our draft recommendations, and we want to hear from educators, parents and community members again before we take our plan to the Governor. This input will make our final recommendations more valuable and representative of our state.”

The Classrooms First Commission is a bi-partisan group of education stakeholders that was charged last fall by Governor Quinn and the General Assembly to reduce duplicative education spending and improve educational outcomes. To read the draft recommendations and find out more about the Classrooms First Commission visit www.ltgov.illinois.gov.

Nearly 100 Illinois schools earn HealthierUS School Challenge certification 

SPRINGFIELD, IL — Educators and health experts from across the state discussed  updated nutrition standards and innovative physical education strategies Thursday during the fifth annual Illinois School Wellness and Recognition Conference in Springfield. To date, 94 Illinois schools have earned HealthierUS School Challenge certification by adopting federal nutrition standards for food served in schools, providing nutrition education and increasing opportunities for physical activity.

“Conferences such as this one are critical as we try to reverse the tide of childhood obesity and guide students toward healthy lifestyles that allow them to succeed in the classroom and contribute to society,” said State Board of Education Chairman Gery J. Chico. “As a state and a nation, we still have a long way to go, but we also have made strides in terms of raising awareness and making changes for a healthier generation.”

The day-long conference, sponsored by Action for Healthy Kids Illinois, the Illinois State Board of Education and the Illinois Nutrition Education and Training Program, featured a variety of sessions, including a workshop on implementing the new USDA School Nutrition Standards in the 2012-13 school year. The standards provide age-appropriate calorie limits, larger servings of vegetables and fruits, a wider variety of vegetables, fat-free or one-percent milk and more whole grains.

Some tips shared for compliance with the new standards include:

• Incorporate whole-grain rich foods into student favorites to increase acceptability.
• Add a salad bar with an array of vegetables.
• Add legumes, such as beans, to a variety of dishes, including soups, salads, sides and entrees.
• Involve students as part of the menu planning process by conducting taste tests.
• Partner with a local chef and/or farm to introduce new healthy recipes and locally-grown produce.

Cornell University research specialist Adam Brumberg offered a keynote presentation about increasing healthy food selection and consumption in school cafeterias.  Brumberg is the Deputy Director of the Cornell Food and Brand Lab where research has driven the creation of the Smarter Lunch Rooms Movement, and the Cornell Center for Behavioral Economics in Child Nutrition Programs (BEN)—two programs devoted to research concerning children’s health.

Other sessions focused on the Illinois Farm-to-School program and increasing physical activity during the school day as well as new standards for the HealthierUS School Challenge.  Photos from the conference are available upon request.

Schools that have met the USDA’s HealthierUS School Challenge are recognized with Gold of Distinction, Gold, Silver, or Bronze-level certification. Award-winning Illinois schools are listed below.

The Best Indie Tracks, Yesterday, Today & Forever; Got Gospel?

Fourteen Track Compilation Features Tunes By Vickie Winans, Lisa Page Brooks, Youthful Praise, Marvin Winans, Canton Jones, Rance Allen And Others

Nationwide (BlackNews.com) — For a decade now, Veda Brown’s BlackGospelPromo.com marketing e-blasts have served as one of the most effective and popular online marketing methods to reach the black gospel consumer. They reach nearly 200,000 people daily and advertise everything from Tyler Perry movies to Marvin Sapp’s CDs. For a few years now, Brown has had the desire to create a compilation CD of gospel songs to market via her firm and now the time has finally come.

“I’ve been wanting to do this for years,” says Brown, who is based in Philadelphia, PA. “So many of my friends in the industry have stepped up and allowed us to use their songs for this project and I’m grateful,” she continues. “Indie labels and artists have become a major force in music so we’ve selected some of the best indie tracks to create a must-have CD compilation.”

Habakkuk Music has signed on to release, not just one installment, but a series of compilation CDs with BlackGospelPromo.com. The first CD is entitled, Got Gospel? The Best Indie Tracks, Yesterday, Today & Forever. The project hits stores June 5, 2012 and features this exciting mix of both evergreen and future classics:

1. God is Great – Ricky Dillard and New G
2. Lord, You’re Mighty – Youthful Praise featuring J.J. Hairston
3. I Want To Say Thank You – Lisa Page Brooks
4. Window – Canton Jones
5. No Looking Back – Damita
6. I Give Myself Away – William McDowell
7. You That I Trust – The Rance Allen Group
8. The More I Seek You – Gail Holmes
9. Big – Valencia Lacy & Unquenchable Worshippers
10. Send Your Rain – Clint Brown featuring Marvin Winans
11. Alright – Gerald Scott
12. Mario Winans’ “Overcomer” Remix – Vickie Winans
13. Be Like You – Cheneta Jones
14. The Best Time of My Life – Bryan Wilson

The set is the second release in Habakkuk Music’s Got Gospel? Six Sounds of Summer marketing campaign that launches with Cheneta Jones’ debut CD, Transformed, on May 22nd. Other CDs in the summer series include new albums by Clint Brown, Gerald Scott & Company, Lisa Page Brooks and Valencia Lacy & Unquenchable Worshippers. To learn more about Habakkuk, visit www.habakkukmusic.com for more information.

Photo Caption: CD Cover