Officials needed everyone to be prepared

89% of Hispanic students never left

The Tennessean reports here that most of the 90 Hispanic students (both U.S. and non-U.S. citizens) who fled Robertson County schools in the wake of January immigration raids are back and have taken federally mandated No Child Left Behind tests:

When at least 90 Hispanic students disappeared from Robertson County classrooms last winter, school administrators worried.

If the children, about 11 percent of the total Hispanic student body, didn't come back right away, they'd be too far behind to succeed on spring achievement tests. School leaders didn't know if they would turn up the day before the tests, unprepared but counting toward countywide performance anyway.

In the high-stakes world of the federal No Child Left Behind law, every group of students needs to pass.

The fears weren't realized. Most of the students, who left over fears of immigration raids, came back in time to get ready.

The improvement in scores over last year's performance was enough to earn the county "improving" status

The original story about the disappearance of the students, who represented about 11% of the overall Hispanic student body in the county, is here.

Labels: education, english, immigrants, justice, statistics

Conexion Americas will host its annual AVANCE Spanish-language seminar at Belmont University tomorrow, July 26, from 9:30am to 3:30pm. The seminar will cover topics designed with Conexion Americas' mission in mind - "Promoting the social, economic and civic integration of Latino families in Middle Tennessee" - and will specifically include personal finances, insurance, homeownership, and consumer protection, as well as "creating a family plan in case of deportation or detention, and rights and responsibilities in the United States," according to this announcement:

Dear Community Organizations,

Attached you will find an invitation and information about a free educational conference for the Latino community this Saturday, July 26 from 9:30am-3:30pm at Belmont University.

“Avance 2008: Infórmate Hoy para Lograr un Mejor Mañana!” - Information Today for a Better Tomorrow – is a seminar on topics such as immigration, legal education, creating a family plan in case of deportation or detention, and rights and responsibilities in the United States. The event will also include a motivational keynote speaker with information about how to be successful in the United States. AVANCE is completely free of charge. We will provide breakfast, lunch and childcare. Interested participants can register for the event by calling (615) 269-6900.

Please inform any Spanish-speaking clients which your organization serves about this event. Feel free to print the attached invitation to distribute or let us know if you need additional information!

Gracias!

Labels: education, events, justice, spanish

100 volunteers needed for Nashville Adult Literacy Council alone

Somali student: four years to speak English proficiently, even more to read and write

"They say almost universally if I knew English other doors would open"

Janell Ross of the Tennessean reported here on the time it takes for a student to learn English, and on the need for teachers:

LaWanna Shelton, the director of Metro schools' English as a Second Language programs, said people don't learn languages simply because they are surrounded by them.

"How many people studied a foreign language in high school, or high school and college?" Shelton said. "How many have been on those Spanish immersion trips to Mexico for two weeks? How many can speak that language, I mean, really speak that language, read it, write it? Well, that should give people some idea how difficult, how individual, how much of a process it really is."
...
Fadumo Siyke, a native of Somalia ... said it took four years to speak proficient English in most settings, but she still couldn't read or write the language. When she took her citizenship exam for the first time in January, she passed the oral section but failed the written test.
...
When [Renata] Soto's agency [Conexion Americas] surveys Latinos in the Nashville area, one answer appears repeatedly.

"People don't talk about a better-paying job, sometimes they don't even talk about papers," she said. "They say almost universally if I knew English other doors would open."
...
[T]he Nashville Adult Literacy Council, which also works with U.S.-born adults who cannot read, is in need of nearly 100 volunteers willing to work one-on-one with foreign-language speakers or adults who want to learn to read.

Photo by Pete Zivkov. Licensed under Creative Commons.

Labels: education, english

"Refusal to Resegregate Nashville"

"Racial code ... permeates the culture of our community"

Former Metro Nashville Public Schools Director Pedro Garcia authored a document titled "Refusal to Resegregate Nashville" that has surfaced only now in the context of the city's school rezoning plan. In it, Garcia covers a wide variety of topics related to segregation and his history in the top job at MNPS, and he compares his working conditions under the Nashville school board to the dictatorships of his native Cuba.

From the Nashville City Paper:

According to the document, Garcia believed racial politics permeated life in Nashville.

“I had never lived in the south before I came to Nashville,” the document says. “This is a great city and we have many friends here. But, I have also had to adjust to many racial issues. There is some sort of racial code or expectation that permeates the culture of our community. Sometimes it is like having an elephant in the living room of your house but refusing to recognize it is there.”

The document compares the behavior of some school board members with life under dictatorships in Cuba.

“I spent the first fifteen years of my life in Cuba living under two dictatorships, Batista and Castro,” the document reads. “I saw and experienced hate, violence and abuse. I expected such behavior from tyrants and oppressive regimes. However, I never expected board members and community leaders would become acrimonious and demeaning.”

“I believe in parental choice and in freedom of expression. I fought against Castro for these rights from the age of thirteen. And yet, here in America, I was the target of behind the scenes manipulations and fear tactics. My tenure at MNPS should not have ended this way,” the document states.

Copies of the documents can be found here on the Tennessean's web site or here on the Nashville City Paper's web site.

The complete story about school rezoning and Garcia's document can be found in either this article in the Tennessean or this article in the Nashville City Paper.

Labels: cuba, education, negativity

Monuments, Empires and Resistance wins Society of American Archaeology book award

Chilean natives resisted Spanish conquest for more than 300 years

From Vanderbilt University:

Anthropologist Tom D. Dillehay's book Monuments, Empires and Resistance has received the Society of American Archaeology's highest book award for 2008.

In the book, Dillehay, who is the Distinguished Professor of Anthropology at Vanderbilt University, examines the methods that the Araucanian people of southern Chile used to resist Spanish dominance for more than 300 years.

In 1550, when the Conquistador Pedro de Valdivia attempted to conquer southern Chile, he ran into stiff opposition from the scattered population of the Araucanians who had successfully resisted Incan conquest. Before disease and fighting reduced their numbers, the Araucanians earned the nickname of the Apache of South America by defeating Valdivia and his followers and nearly capturing Santiago. Subsequently, the Spanish pushed the resisters into a forest region south of the Bio-Bio River, which remained the boundary between the two peoples for three centuries. It wasn't until the late 1800's that the Chilean army defeated the Araucanians and settled them on reservations farther to the south.

Dillehay's book draws on 30 years of anthropological, archaeological and archival research to investigate the manner in which the Araucanians successfully resisted the Spanish and actually flourished in the process, including their use of sacred monuments to help form widespread alliances and adoption of the use of horses in battle.

Image credit: Patricio Valenzuela. Licensed under Creative Commons.

Labels: chile, education, history

"To bring the members of Hispanic Churches of Christ in Nashville together into one community"

Classes, activities for kids, food, fireworks

From Lipscomb University:

Lipscomb University’s 2008 Summer Celebration lecture series, July 2-4, will feature a track of classes held completely in Spanish. Local Hispanic church leaders hope the July gathering can serve as a catalyst to bring the members of Hispanic Churches of Christ in Nashville together into one community.

The Spanish-language classes will follow the same theme as the overall lecture series: “Bringing Stones to Life: Nehemiah’s Call for Courage, Passion and Revival.” The keynote speakers for the event will include Jose Gregorio Nieto, minister at Brewer Road Iglesia de Cristo (Church of Christ) in Winston Salem, N.C., and Carlos Preciado, a full-time missionary for the past three and a half years.

The daily programs are not just for adults. Fun children and teen activities such as devotionals, classes, games and service projects will keep the kids busy all day, and a professional fireworks display, live entertainment and plenty of family fun and food will end the annual festival of faith and fellowship.

July 4 activities start at 4:30 p.m. with a picnic and Kid’s Zone; a community worship begins at 6:30 p.m. and fireworks are expected to begin around 9 p.m.

Nieto’s Brewer Road Iglesia de Cristo is one of the fastest growing congregations in North Carolina. He is part of a team of preachers that travels throughout the U.S. and Latin America, strengthening congregations by presenting leadership seminars, gospel meetings, and in-depth Bible studies to prepare men and women to be better equipped to serve their local congregations.

Nieto has been a full-time minister for eleven years. He graduated from the Harding School of Biblical Studies and received a bachelor’s degree in Bible and Ministry. He has been involved in mission trips to establish new congregations in Spain and Mexico.

Preciado has been a full-time missionary for the past three and a half years. They have been working with the Griffin Road Church of Christ in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.. His focus is personal evangelism, and he frequently leads Bible studies with families, young adults and teenagers during the week.

He graduated from East Tennessee State University. In 2001 he and his wife Maribel enrolled in the Atlantic International Bible Institute, a branch of Sunset International Bible Institute, where they graduated in December 2004. During that time, the couple were serving their home church in Hialeah, Fla., working with the youth, and with a new Spanish ministry in Naples, Fla.

Labels: education, events, faith, spanish

Committee of Latino Parents highlights achievements of 200 students

Graduation rate the lowest among five racial and ethnic groups

"Not everyone wants you to succeed because you're Hispanic"

Lipscomb announces grants up to $22,000 for entering freshmen

The Tennessean reported here on last Saturday's graduation celebration for Hispanic students in an event hosted by the Comité de Padres Latinos (COPLA), [Committee of Latino Parents], a parents group focusing on communication with MNPS Latino parents. According to Metro Nashville Public Schools, more than 200 Hispanic students who graduated from high school this year were honored, along with their parents. The event was held at the Allen Arena of Lipscomb University, which announced at the event that it will offer grants of "up to $22,000 per student over a four-year period to Latino students who meet the university’s admissions criteria."

According to the Tennessean, "[d]uring the 2006-07 school year, 57.7 percent of eligible Hispanic students in Metro graduated high school, the lowest percentage among five racial and ethnic groups, including African-Americans and whites, district figures show. The school system's overall graduation rate last year was 70 percent."

Also, according to the Tennessean, "[i]n the last five years, the number of Hispanic students attending Metro schools nearly doubled, from 7.8 percent in 2003 to 13.3 percent last year."

The Tennessean quoted Overton grad Juan Camarena about his record after living in the U.S. for only three years:

"I consider it to be an achievement to be Hispanic and graduate with a 3.98 GPA. I moved here three years ago," he said.

"It was hard, coming here with a struggle of leaving your country and getting adapted to a new culture. This is the land of dreams. I came here to find my interpretation of the American Dream."

Also quoted was Thriane "Triana" Lopez of Glencliff:

"Sometimes you feel like it's hard to graduate because not everyone wants you to succeed because you're Hispanic. I see it all the time."

For more stories on statistics or education, click on the "Stories About" links in the left-hand column of this page.

From Metro Nashville Public Schools:

The community stakeholders working with COPLA for this year’s event included the Nashville Area Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Lipscomb University, Harding Place Family YMCA-Hispanic Achievers, Conexión Américas, Prevent Child Abuse of Middle Tennessee, Spanish-TV, Tennessee Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and other community organizations.

Guest speakers were Mayor Karl Dean, attorney Gregg Ramos, Pastor Tommy Vallejos and others.

A reception was held following the ceremony, with food provided by members of the Nashville Area Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and live entertainment by Son Latino and Maria Benham.

COPLA was organized two years ago to help build relationships with the parents of Hispanic students, who comprise more than 14% of the district’s student population. The organization meets monthly to share information and resources available to Spanish-speaking families, as well as develop ways to educate families on the important role of parental involvement in student success.

From Lipscomb University:

Lipscomb University will begin offering grants of up to $22,000 per student over a four-year period to Latino students who meet the university’s admissions criteria, Lipscomb President L. Randolph Lowry announced Saturday at the Comité de Padres Latinos (Committee of Latino Parents or COPLA) Hispanic Student Graduation Celebration held in Allen Arena.

“The Latino population in our region is growing daily and more than 26,000 Latino students are already enrolled in the Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools alone. Access to the best higher education opportunities is vital to the success of the Latino community and our region, and Lipscomb is pleased to take the lead in providing that access,” Lowry said.

The Hispanic Achievers University Grants program is the second initiative Lipscomb has established this year to reach out to Latino students. In the spring the university established the Saint Thomas Health Services Nursing Advantage Scholarships for Hispanic nursing students.

More than 14 percent of Nashville’s public school students are Latino, and according to the Nashville Chamber of Commerce’s 2008 Workforce Study, 83 percent of new Hispanic residents arriving in Nashville between 2000 and 2006 were either prime working age adults (25-44) or children under age 14.

So the city has a large population of strong, motivated Latino students and potential students who one day will become valuable employees and leaders in the community. But a great many of these students do not make it to college due to their financial situation and cultural upbringing. A survey of local colleges listed on www.collegeboard.com found only one local college with a Hispanic student population above 3 percent.

“Lipscomb University has established the new Hispanic Achievers grants to let these students know they are welcome at Lipscomb and we want to help them achieve their dream of a college education,” Lowry said.

Admissions criteria for Lipscomb freshman are a grade point average of 2.5 or better, an ACT score of 21 or higher (or equivalent on the SAT) and strong educational and personal references.

“We have honor roll students and National Honor Society students in our program who sit in our office crying because they can’t go to college,” said Jessie Garcia Van De Griek, director of the Hispanic Achievers program at the Harding Place Family YMCA. Hispanic Achievers helps middle and high school students to develop leadership skills and prepares them for college through school clubs, tutoring and one-on-one assistance in applying for college.

“For Lipscomb to come in and tell these students ‘We are going to join arms with you and make this dream happen’ gives us such a rush of happiness because we can now give our students something tangible to inspire hope. We can tell them that this grant can help make a future education possible.”

According to the Tennessee Higher Education Commission 2007-08 Fact Book, the Latino student population in Tennessee’s public colleges has increased by 1,599 students (or 74.2 percent) from 1997 to 2007. But Latinos still make up a very small percentage, less than 7 percent, of the student population at public universities.

Van De Griek says her program has about 40 students this year who have applied to local colleges including Lipscomb University.

“COPLA understands education is the key for our young people to succeed,” said Ernestina Gonzalez, chair of COPLA, a parents group focusing on communication between the Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools and Latino parents. “For this reason, we are extremely happy that prestigious universities such as Lipscomb support the talent of our Hispanic students. On behalf of the Hispanic community in Davidson County, COPLA is very grateful for this support.”

Low incomes and lack of knowledge about the college admissions process and available scholarships are the biggest obstacles to Latino students entering college, Van De Griek said. “We spend a lot of time researching scholarships across the country that our students are eligible for. Nationwide there is $30 million in scholarship funds designated for minority students, but much of it goes unclaimed because students don’t know it is available,” she said.

By announcing the new Hispanic Achievers grants at the COPLA event, Lipscomb hoped to boost awareness of this new opportunity among Nashville students and to change their mentality to a college-bound mindset, said Lipscomb’s Director of Admissions Ricky Holaway, who has worked with the YMCA’s Hispanic Achievers program to enroll students.

“This lack of awareness has been a major obstacle for many low-income families in the Latino population,” said Wendy Chavira, researcher and associate director of operations at the Tomás Rivera Policy Institute, which compiles a directory of scholarships for Latino students. “Students need the drive to apply for each scholarship opportunity, because there's not one form to fill out. Each scholarship has its own application. But the effort is well worth it.”

For those interested in applying for the Hispanic Achievers University Grants, contact the Lipscomb University Admissions Office at 615.966.1000 or log on to www.golipscomb.com.

Hat Tip: Fabian Bedne

Photo by Charline. Licensed under Creative Commons.

Labels: education, statistics

"Challenged by isolation and barriers unknown to many Nashvillians"

Explores Nashville’s status as "destination city"

First installment, tonight: Little Kurdistan, USA

The Tennessean published this story about the new, original documentary from Nashville Public Television: Next Door Neighbors: Little Kurdistan, USA. Airing Wednesday at 8pm, it is the first in a series about immigrants in Nashville.

Just yesterday, NBC's Today Show identified Nashville as one of the "5 friendliest cities in America." Nashville's reputation for hospitality is often intertwined with the welcome the city extends to immigrants (see story here).

From the NPT press release:

Over the past thirty years, Kurdish immigrants in Nashville have started the first Kurdish Mosque in the United States and opened businesses, restaurants, markets and bakeries, building what is now the largest Kurdish population in North America. On Wednesday, May 28 at 8:00 p.m., Nashville Public Television (NPT) introduces the city to this thriving community with the premiere of NEXT DOOR NEIGHBORS: LITTLE KURDISTAN, USA, the first in a new series of documentary programs under the NEXT DOOR NEIGHBORS banner.

“As refugees, Kurds have overcome significant barriers to survive and flourish in Nashville,” says Will Pedigo, the program’s writer, producer and director. "They arrive as outsiders; estranged from their homeland and strangers in their new home. With this documentary, and the future installments in the Next Door Neighbors series, we hope to encourage Nashville to make strides towards a greater awareness of its diversity and provide an avenue for interaction among all our neighbors.”

The first significant wave of Kurds arrived in Nashville in 1976. They have since established a vibrant community recognized by Kurds nationally for its strong cultural and traditional heritage. The half-hour NEXT DOOR NEIGHBORS: LITTLE KURDISTAN, USA examines how these Kurds have adapted to life in Nashville and provides insight into the struggles refugees face as they build new lives in a new home. The documentary explores what it means to be Kurdish, and reflects on the journey Kurds make as they become Kurdish-Americans trying to assimilate into American culture and still hold on to their traditions. In addition to meeting a variety of Kurdish immigrants and Kurdish-Americans, viewers will also visit Azadi International Foods for fresh-baked Kurdish bread, go inside the Salahadeen Center, the first Kurdish Mosque in the United States, and hear about life in Nashville from younger generations of Kurds.

The NEXT DOOR NEIGHBORS series looks at Nashville’s status as a new destination city for refugees and immigrants, and explores the rich diversity of people now calling Nashville home. Across the United States, mid-sized cities like Nashville are experiencing unprecedented growth in their international populations. Together these communities are redefining the traditional international city on a smaller local scale.

“As our new neighbors rebuild their lives in Nashville,” says Pedigo, “their experiences, contributions and conflicts impact the city. They are also challenged by isolation and barriers unknown to many Nashvillians. How Nashville addresses its changing demographic will be important for the future of similar communities across the country.”

The NEXT DOOR NEIGHBORS series will include in-depth web content at wnpt.net, public forums and feature a panel discussion after each of the four programs.

NEXT DOOR NEIGHBORS: LITTLE KURDISTAN, USA is made possible through a grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting’s My Source initiative and is supported by The HCA Foundation on behalf of HCA and the TriStar Family of Hospitals. A partnership with the Vanderbilt University Center for Nashville Studies provided valuable research and community outreach.

Labels: education, immigrants

TPAC Education announced its 2008-2009 Season for Young People, featuring "a culturally diverse mix of music, theatre, comedy and dance for young people."

According to the press release, "Highlights of the upcoming annual season of TPAC Education’s “Humanities Outreach in Tennessee” (HOT) include the Fisk Jubilee Singers, Nashville Opera’s Amahl and the Night Visitors, two native North American works, Latino modern dance, and theatre from the United States, Canada, England, Italy and Scotland. During its 27th year, TPAC Education’s curriculum-based programs will serve up to 40,000 students from pre-school through high school, providing teachers with comprehensive resources."

“This year’s season is more diverse than any we’ve ever presented—a full spectrum of literature, history, art, and culture from around the world,” said Sherri Leathers, TPAC Education’s Director of Programming.

Luna Negra Dance Theater will perform October 29-31 and is described as a Chicago-based company dedicated to Latino choreography, featuring Hispanic artists and music.

TPAC Education supplies guidebooks for each production with lesson plan suggestions and study materials for use before and after the performance, identifying “learning links” to curriculum requirements, including history, literature, language arts, science and social studies. Post-performance discussions and in-school visits also may be scheduled.

Financial assistance is available to subsidize ticket and travel costs for eligible students and school systems.

For reservations or more information, visit www.tpac.org/education or call 615-687-4288.

Labels: arts, education, events

Contribution by Cesar A. Muedas

The Tennessean reports today on the award and ceremony as reproduced below.

Three Nashville-area public school principals were among 18 in Tennessee whom an education-focused organization recognized this week for excellence.
In a ceremony Monday at the state Capitol, the Education Consumers Foundation honored principals whom it called "the best of the best" in advancing students academically. Among them are:
• Mary Lou Del Rio of Paragon Mills Elementary in Metro Nashville.
• Brian Bass of Fairview Middle School in Williamson County.
• Johnny Chandler of Dickson Middle School in Dickson County.
The winners were selected from the more than 1,300 public elementary and middle schools statewide, based on year-to-year gains in reading and math. Schools whose students make the greatest annual achievement gains earn the highest value-added scores.

Mrs. Mary Lou Del Rio, an educator with more than 30 years of experience, is the wife of Mr. Luis del Rio, a retired coach, bilingual interpreter, and a prominent Cuban-American in the advisory board of COPLA (Comite de Padres Latinos, the council of Hispanic parents with children in Metro schools).

Labels: cuba, education, english, spanish

Manna Project International is humanitarian organization formed by Vanderbilt students

"It’s about me saying, ‘Let me enter into this with you.’"

From the Vanderbilt News Service:

La Chureca, the city dump on the outskirts of Managua, Nicaragua, could be the setting for a dreary, futuristic movie. A city of scavengers, many of them orphans, they live in the filthy heaps of refuse at this municipal garbage dump. Clothed in rags, they rummage for food, scrounging out a meager existence by selling the small trinkets or recyclables they find, or sometimes selling their own bodies to survive.

A graduating senior at Vanderbilt, Emily Lineberger, plans to dedicate a year following graduation this May to helping these otherwise hopeless orphans through Manna Project International, a humanitarian organization formed by Vanderbilt students to bring hope to some of the poorest communities in the Western Hemisphere.

Senior Duncan Fulton, a Spanish and European studies major, also has signed on with Manna. After graduation he’ll spend a year in Quito as a program director for Manna’s newest site in Ecuador. A Dallas native, who studied for a year in Madrid and visited Nicaragua on a spring break trip, has deferred entrance into Tulane University Law School until after his year in Quito. He hopes to create educational and legal aid programs there.

Seniors Holly Ward and Tressa Hoektra have signed on to go to Ecuador and Nicaragua, respectively.

Formed in 2004, Manna is run and staffed predominantly by Vanderbilt students and alumni. The organization is best known for its year-long immersion experience in Managua, and more recently, Quito, but also offers a spring break trip and a summer program.

Lineberger, a human and organizational development major from Winston-Salem, N.C., counts herself among the many in her class who have not lacked for “the creature comforts in life.” While she could have taken the summer off to prepare for graduate school, law school or the corporate world, instead she plans to shed “the Vanderbilt bubble” to serve as a program director for Manna’s Managua site for 13 months.

“I want to stay for a year so that I’m not just another American stepping in to ‘fix’ things and then leave,” Lineberger said. “It’s about me saying, ‘Let me enter into this with you.’ It’s about shedding my vanity, being stripped of materialism and getting outside this beautiful, sheltered place called Vanderbilt.”

During her sophomore year at Vanderbilt, Lineberger heard about Manna from a friend and decided to sign up for a spring break trip to Nicaragua. Her week there included working with children at a pre-school, repairing a playground facility and helping teach English and nutrition classes.

Lineberger thought she was prepared for the country’s living conditions, but found herself overwhelmed when she arrived at La Chureca. An estimated 1,500 people call the city dump home – more than half of them under the age of 18 – and are plagued by malnutrition, disease and heartbreak.

“It was animalistic; I have never seen anything like it,” she said. “It was shocking to hear personal accounts from the children, who sniffed glue because they were so hungry – it was their only escape. And to hear girls saying that their fathers sent them out to prostitute themselves to the garbage collectors in order to get the best scraps – you can’t describe it.”

Lineberger said that week in Nicaragua was less about making a difference in the Nicaraguans’ lives than being changed herself.

“You can’t make much of a difference in a few days. It’s just not possible,” she said. “But once you’ve seen what goes on there, you are forever changed. Once you have seen it, you can’t go back home and forget about it. You have to do something.”

Lineberger will live in a rented house in Managua with other college graduates, many of them from Vanderbilt. Like her fellow volunteers, she has raised $7,000 to pay for her food, housing and program fees for the year. During that time she will set up community outreach programs based on her interest in health education.

“I like the idea of counseling, emotional stability and health,” she said. “I want to work with kids and families and show them how to have a sense of pride in having a healthy body.”

Fulton agrees that the students won’t be able to change the world but they will do what they can.

“I can’t change the legal system,” Fulton said. “But I want to try setting up some programs that will help people. In the end, I think the experience will affect how and in what areas I choose to practice law.”

One of Manna’s founders, Lori Scharffenberg, has been in Nicaragua since the program’s inception. She and others designed the organization to provide a tangible way for students and recent graduates to make a long-term investment in community service. They also wanted students to be able to serve in areas that they enjoyed and were passionate about. That formula seems to be working.

“We believe that by bringing the community together, each with our individual passions, we can serve another community with a holistic approach,” Scharffenberg said.

The organization currently has three staff members and 13 volunteers, and more than 400 individuals have participated in the program since its creation. In addition, approximately 65 Vanderbilt students have traveled under Manna’s banner to other international sites hosted by partner organizations for spring break trips, including Peru, the Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, Mexico and El Salvador.

While traveling abroad presents concerns for personal health, safety and maybe even homesickness, Lineberger is more anxious about how she’ll be changed emotionally by the experience.

“The biggest challenge right now is the idea that I am about to have my whole worldview rocked,” she said. “It’s different than a short-term trip. When you live somewhere for a year, it becomes your community and you are forced to see the issues right in front of you. You can’t hide. It’s going to be scary, but it’s also going to be life-changing.”

Labels: ecuador, education, nicaragua

Tennessee was first state with seat belt law in 1978

72% of U.S. parents do not use car seats correctly

The Tennessean reports here that the Metro Nashville Police Department and St. Edwards Catholic Church are teaming up to provide car seat education to Hispanic members of the St. Edwards and Our Lady of Guadalupe congregations.

According to this article in the Murfreesboro Post, before 1978 there were no U.S. state laws requiring seat belt use, and Tennessee was the first state to pass one:

More than 30 years ago, Dr. Robert Sanders of Murfreesboro became a passionate advocate for child safety and led the effort to protect children while riding in automobiles. Senator Douglas Henry, the late Representative John Bragg and former Representative Mike Murphy sponsored legislation to make Tennessee the first state to require the use of safety seats for child passengers. The law became effective on January 1, 1978.

The Murfreesboro Post article also states that, nationwide, "72% of parents are not using car seats correctly."

Photo by Liam Ryan. Licensed under Creative Commons.

Labels: education, faith, statistics

COPLA (Committee of Latino Parents) sent out this recap of its event honoring former Metro Schools Director Pedro Garcia:

COPLA hosted a 'Celebration Night' to honor former Director of Metro Nashville Public Schools Dr. Pedro García.

COPLA Chair Ernestina González, Co-Chair Adelina Winston and support members Luis Del Rio, Gini Pupo-Walker, and Rubén De Peña sent out an invitation to community friends and former colleagues who gathered to celebrate Dr. Pedro García's contributions during his tenure as Metro Schools' Superintendent, including his vision for establishing COPLA.

In attendance: Eva Melo and husband Andrew (LatinMarketing Communications) Josias Arteaga (YMCA Hispanic Achievers) and wife, Fabian Bedne, Alfonso Nieto (Latino News) and wife, Eliud Treviño and Aida Hughes (El Crucero Newspaper), COPLA Chair Ernestina González, COPLA support members: Luis Del Rio and wife, Gini Pupo-Walker, Rubén De Peña and wife Dana; Pedro Quiterio (Engineer with Nissan North America), Sheyla Hicks (Spanish TV), Victor Rojas (Rojas Media Productions) José Quezada among many others including members of the school distric, members of COPLA and friends.

Nashville Area Hispanic Chamber of Commerce* member Raul López, Vice-Chair Luis Bustillos, Treasurer Loraine Segovia and President Yuri Cunza were also present in support of COPLA's 'Celebration Night'.

For more information about COPLA call 615- 831-2967 or send an e-mail to: coplaboard@gmail.com

Labels: education, events

"My concept of poverty changed"

InsideVandy has this recap of a student's experience in Uruguay as a part of Vanderbilt Hillel's Alternative Spring Break, which immerses students in service. According to its web site, Vanderbilt Hillel is "the center of Jewish life at Vanderbilt, serving the religious, social, and educational needs of the undergraduate and graduate Jewish student communities."

Hillel has spent previous Spring Breaks in other Latin American countries, including Mexico (recap here and picture here), Cuba, and Argentina (video recap here).

Excerpts from the Uruguay recap:

We went to connect with the large Jewish population in Montevideo but also to somehow accomplish the arduous task of building four houses for four impoverished families before we left the country.
...
My concept of poverty changed. The impoverished individuals I saw had family, community, love and hope. Families worked alongside one another and laughed.

Excerpts from the Mexico recap:

That is to say, what part, if any, of Judaism provides the impetus to want to help others? Students read a number of Jewish readings during the course of the week that dealt with such concepts as the significance that every human being is created in the image of G-d, the impact of globalization on the world community and the importance of action accompanying thought.
...
To be a good person, it is important to give as much as you can and then give some more.

Labels: argentina, cuba, education, mexico, uruguay

Journalists to interact with professors, service providers and Nashville’s immigrant communities

Today is the deadline for applying for Vanderbilt University's media fellowship - a seminar for journalists - on immigration. The event is called “Immigration: Nation’s Bedrock or Burden,” and is scheduled April 1-4. The deadline for registration is today.

Vanderbilt University encourages active journalists to apply to attend its 2008 media fellowship, “Immigration: Nation’s Bedrock or Burden,” April 1-4, 2008, in Nashville, Tenn.

The application deadline is March 7. Apply now.

Through interactions with professors and Nashville’s immigrant communities, journalists will have the opportunity to learn more about the complexities of new migration patterns that are leading many foreign-born people to cities like Nashville in the nation’s interior.

While border cities have been at the forefront of immigration issues, interior cities are now dealing with immigration’s implications for social services, health care, employment and the prospects for unionization. Nashville is emblematic of this change.

In a city known for being the buckle of the Bible belt and its country music roots – you can travel just a few miles from downtown’s Country Music Hall of Fame to find the sounds and flavors of Latin America, Ethiopia, Somalia and Kurdistan. Nashville is home to the largest Kurdish community in the United States and was one of only five cities in the country where Iraqi expatriates could cast their ballots in the 2005 Iraqi elections.

From 1990 to 2005, Tennessee experienced the fourth fastest rate of immigrant growth of any state in the country. Nashville experienced a three-fold increase in foreign-born residents – from 12,662 to 39,596 – according to the last U.S. Census Report.

The fellowship is available to a limited number of print, broadcast and experienced freelance journalists. Vanderbilt will cover the costs of lodging and some meals. The participant's employer is responsible for travel expenses and salary during the fellowship.

Labels: education, events, immigrants

But college, jobs out of reach of star pupils

Ten local students lobby Senators Alexander and Corker to support DREAM Act

"We don't want to make it worse by raising hopes and then dashing dreams"

Middle Tennessee high school students whose problematic immigration status was determined before they became adults, and in some cases without their knowledge, are still succeeding and graduating with great promise, despite the fact that the government currently has a blockade against them, preventing them from using the benefits of a high school education in the United States. Such students cannot often obtain in-state college tuition even they would otherwise satisfy residency requirements, they cannot work legally before or after graduation, and there is a current proposal in Tennessee to keep them out of college altogether even if they paid on their own dime.

The Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition organized a trip for ten local students to Washington, D.C., to lobby Tennessee Senators Alexander and Corker to vote in favor of the DREAM Act, which would reward high-performing high school students and renew practical incentives for success. Alexander and Corker have voted against the DREAM Act in the past.

From the story in the Tennessean:

Moya, 17, may be unable to attend college, though she has a 3.4 grade point average, received unsolicited recruiting packages from Princeton University, and speaks and writes in English and Spanish. Her parents brought her from Mexico to the U.S. at age 8 and enrolled her in Metro Nashville schools. The parents overstayed their visas, making the family illegal.

Two proposed laws — one federal, one state — would deal with Moya's situation in far different manners. The federal Dream Act would let her and students like her enter public colleges and universities and would even hold out a possibility of in-state tuition.

Tennessee's plan would bar state schools from admitting her and others who cannot prove they're in the country legally. Proponents say House and Senate bills would open up spaces for other students.
...
The Dream Act, which enjoyed bipartisan support, is stalled in the U.S. Senate after a fall filibuster. Tennessee Sens. Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker, both Republicans, voted against the bill.

Moya and nine other students from across the state climbed into SUVs in Nashville on Wednesday morning to drive to Washington, meet with both lawmakers and try to jump-start it. The Tennessee Immigrant & Refugee Rights Coalition organized the trip.
...
The situation deals a psychological blow to some students, said Jessie Van de Griek, director of the YMCA of Middle Tennessee's Hispanic Achievers' Program. The program opened seven years ago to help Hispanic students — those here legally and those who are not — navigate the college application process and develop leadership skills.

Last year, Hispanic Achievers' began referring students and their parents to immigration attorneys. Some are exploring their options, but none have been able to obtain citizenship or student visas in their home countries. Citizenship is a process that often takes more than a decade.

"It's a key issue," Van de Griek said. "If we are raising the hopes of students who are undocumented and they don't have any way to achieve, we don't want to make it worse by raising hopes and then dashing dreams."

The Tennessee proposal to blockade high performers from college altogether echoes of the doomsday clock and the misery strategy.

Students in similar situations outside Tennessee write the blogs I Am a Shadow and Dreams Unlimited, LLC. Various visaless students in California made their case to break the blockade in this video:






Photo by Margo C. Licensed under Creative Commons.

Labels: education, immigrants, justice

Vanderbilt University issued this press release:

A Vanderbilt Divinity School professor will discuss what the Hebrew Bible has to say about immigration issues at a community breakfast on Thursday, March 13.

Alice Hunt, associate dean for academic affairs and assistant professor of Hebrew Bible at the divinity school, will speak on “Strangers, Aliens, Residents and Walls: The Bible and Immigration.”

The breakfast, from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. in the refectory of Vanderbilt Divinity School, is open to the public but advance reservations are required to attend. Cost for breakfast is $10.

To register, call 615-936-8453 or go to www.vanderbilt.edu/divinity/breakfasts.html and register online.

Vanderbilt Divinity School stages several community breakfasts each semester to offer fellowship and insights on topics of interest.

Various studies of the intersection of immigration and the Bible are available on the Internet. Just search for the Bible and immigration on Google.

"God's love" photo by Michael Dorn. Licensed under Creative Commons.

Labels: education, events, faith, immigrants

"hang [expletive] high"

2004: "We have drawn lines between 'our children' and 'their children'"

Williamson County's Poplar Grove Middle School, described in 2004 as the least diverse school in its district, is now the subject of community concern because of racist graffiti on a bathroom wall, according to this WSMV story. Before it was removed by school officials (some say too slowly), the graffiti depicted a noose next to these words:

hang [expletive] high

According to SchoolDigger.com, in 2006 Poplar Grove had 328 caucasian, 36 African-American, 21 Hispanic, 8 Asian, and 2 American Indian students.

From February 2004:

"Poplar Grove's diversity task force hit the ground running last week in an attempt to get minority families to apply to the open-zoned, year-round school beginning today."

"The Franklin Special School District Board of Education decided earlier this month not to zone the K-8 school as it rezoned the rest of its elementary schools to even out the percentage of students from minority and low-income backgrounds. The board also required that Poplar Grove recruit at least 50 minority students in the next two years to its kindergarten class or face possible zoning. That meant that the task force needed to work fast because today is the first day the school is accepting applications for next fall. The deadline for applications is March 5."

From March 2004:

"In recent weeks, it has become evident to us as a community that lines are drawn here too. There are lines between rich and poor and still others between white, black and Hispanic. We have drawn lines between 'our children' and 'their children.' At times, such as when the Franklin Special School District board expressed its commitment to equality, it seemed we would reach for the higher plane. Then at other times, the cry of 'my child' reached such deafening proportions we could no longer hear the cry of the child down the street, or the child across town."

"Moments of bitter disappointment followed those of shining hope. In the end, not much changed. Although a few neighborhoods have been rezoned, Liberty Elementary will begin next year with most of the overwhelming challenges they faced in this one. Poplar Grove remains untouched except for the monumental challenge to diversify in the next two years."

"While some parents breathed a sigh of relief, others breathed a sigh of discouragement. Perhaps the most marked difference is that now some of us realize with new awareness, and possibly for the first time, just how divided we are. As we gaze into that ugly reality, we wonder how we can possibly mend the divide."

From March 2004:

"Poplar Grove is the [Franklin Special School District]'s only open-zoned, year-round school. It is also the least diverse school in the system. Last month the board voted to rezone its other four elementary schools in an effort to spread out the diversity but left Poplar Grove open-zoned under the stipulation that it enroll at least 50 minority students in the kindergarten class over the next two years."

"If the school cannot attract that many minority students, board members have said they will zone it."

"Once [Principal Christi] Buell knows how many of her existing students are returning next year and how many of their siblings will enroll in kindergarten, she will begin admitting new students. The top consideration for admission after siblings is minority status."

From July 2004:

"The incoming kindergarten class at Poplar Grove - which registered for classes Friday - will be the most diverse in the history of the Franklin Special School District's only year-round school."

"This year, the kindergarten class has 28% minorities, said Principal Christi Buell. That is out of a class of 100 students. Eleven percent of those students are African American, 11% are Hispanic, 3% are Asian, 3% classify themselves as other types of minorities and 72% are white."

"Last year, instead of drawing up an attendance zone for the for-choice school to get it more in line with the rest of the district's minority numbers, the school board decided to give the school two years to recruit at least 25 minority students to kindergarten. This year's numbers show that goal has been reached ahead of the deadline."

Graffiti in gas station restroom on I-65

"Ignore this text" photo by Johnny Vulkan. Licensed under Creative Commons.

"What is an American" photo by John Lamb.

Labels: education, negativity, statistics

Murfreesboro to give all PD employees "survival Spanish" by end of year

The Tennessean reported here about a program for Hendersonville employees that "gives them the chance to earn $2,500 if they get credentialed as Spanish court interpreters and an additional $2,500 if they stay with the city for two years."

The article also said that half of Murfreesboro's 271-employee police department was trained in "survival Spanish" last year, and "the rest are expected to train this year." There is no mention of any financial compensation for the Murfreesboro employees.

Photo by TW Collins. Licensed under Creative Commons.

Labels: education, justice, spanish

Bilingual facilitators are needed for a Hispanic educational program to be conducted by Students Taking a Right Stand (STARS). According to Vanderbilt grad student and STARS intern Jacqueline DeSelms-Wolfe, STARS plans to expand its Strengthening Families Program (SFP) to the Hispanic population in Nashville, and bilingual and bicultural facilitators are needed.

SFP is an evidence- and video-based curriculum that has been shown to reduce adolescent at-risk behavior and to increase family cohesion. The 7- to 10-week series deals with family issues that may arise in relationship to discipline, drug and alcohol use, peer pressure, and related issues. To conduct the Hispanic outreach, STARS is looking for 3 to 5 bilingual facilitators who would be willing to work with the families one evening a week at Cameron Middle School and administer the Spanish-language curriculum materials.

The families who will be participating will have at least one middle-school aged child that attends Cameron. Outside of the one evening a week, STARS would like for the facilitators to call and contact the families to encourage them to return to the program. A more detailed job description will be made available for those who request it.

Any prospective facilitators should contact Jacqueline DeSelms-Wolfe at (615) 969-7966 or jacqueline.m.deselms-wolfe@vanderbilt.edu . DeSelms-Wolfe says that STARS would like to start the program within 2-3 weeks.

Labels: education, spanish

Same number as June 2006

English learners are 2.1% of public school students statewide

Language acquisition in Metro is twice as fast as in other districts

This article in the Tennessean reports that "a quarter of the entire state's non-English-speaking students are in Metro," which is the same number reported here by the Nashville City Paper in 2006. The latest figures reported on the Hispanic Nashville Notebook are that 2.1% of Tennesssee public school students are new to English. Hispanic students, not all of whom are immigrants or English-learners, make up 3.2% of the student body state-wide.

Middle Tennessee has had great success with its transitional English classes for students, with a graduation rate to mainstream classes that is double what is found in other school districts, according to this 2006 report in the Hispanic Nashville Notebook.

Photo by Judy Baxter. Licensed under Creative Commons.

Labels: education, english, statistics

The Hispanic Nashville Notebook hosts a job site called the Workbook, but it is not the only Hispanic or bilingual employment listing in Middle Tennessee.

Franklin's Latin Market Communications circulates a monthly job listing in the bilingual paper Que Pasa and also makes the list available by e-mail. Many (but not all) of the Que Pasa jobs require bilingual language skills or are otherwise more attractive to the Hispanic job-seeker than opportunities in the general job market. For more information on the Que Pasa job listings, contact Eva Melo at eva@latinmarketcommunications.com

The January 2008 Que Pasa jobs are below, including a $60k/year Hispanic Liaison position in Smyrna:

HISPANIC LIAISON:
Location-Smyrna, TN. Salary-$60K/year plus bonus and benefits. Requirements- Must be bilingual (Spanish). College degree and some experience preferred. Job description- The position will act as a liason between a mutil-billion dollar OEM and a provider of premium transportation logistics. The liason will work on sight at the OEM and coordinate expedited global transportation activity with a heavy emphasis in the Mexican market. Respond to- David Quin at dsquin@gmail.com

DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT
Nashville, Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition (TIRRC) Manage current grants and coordinate efforts to diversify the organization' s funding base. Writing proposals, preparing reports to grantors, developing the membership, and identifying new sources of funding. Work with the Events Specialist to plan fundraising events, with the Operations Director to provide budgets and financial reports to grantors, and with the State Director and Board to develop an annual fundraising strategy and long-term fundraising plan. Occasional evening and weekend hours. Immigrants and refugees are strongly encouraged to apply. Bachelor's degree required. Salary plus benefits. To apply send a cover letter, résumé and writing sample to Sara Jane Saliba at sara@tnimmigrant.org.

NURSING SUPERVISOR
Siloam Family Health Center, a faith-based, Christ-centered health clinic. Work with the Medical Director to manage the day-to-day coordination of patient care including intake, triage, patient education, patient flow, onsite diagnostics, offsite referrals, and coordinating clinical programs and compliance with federal regulations. This position will supervise staff and volunteer nurses, medical assistants, and other clinicians. Must have strong computer skills and able to work flexible hours and have a current state of Tennessee RN License, and CPR Certification. Three to five years of supervisory or management experience and a four year college degree in nursing is preferred. Please submit a copy of your resume and a cover letter to: Attention: Human Resources, Siloam Family Health Center , 820 Gale Lane, Nashville, TN 37204, Fax: 615-577-4010. Website: www.siloamhealth.org

BILINGUAL RN CARE COORDINATOR
Healthways. Franklin. Requires current RN license in the state the CEC resides and a minimum 2-3 years recent clinical experience. Case management, health plan, home health and/or telephonic nursing experience are a plus; diabetes, cardiac, ESRD, COPD and/or asthma clinical experience desired. Computer competency within a Windows environment is necessary; Bilingual Spanish/English skills highly desired! (615) 885-4500

MEMBER SERVICES COORDINATOR
The Center for Nonprofit Management (CNM) is seeking qualified applicants for a Member Services Coordinator. The Center for Nonprofit Management is a nonprofit organization with a mission to create and sustain nonprofit excellence. Applicants need a Bachelor's degree, one year's experience preferably in an administrative role, strong administrative and organizational skills with a high attention to detail and exceptional customer service skills. Salary Range: $25,000 to $30,000, Contact Information and Procedure: Please submit resume and cover letter indicating position applied for by email, fax, or mail; Marissa Benchea, CNM 44 Vantage Way, Suite 230, Nashville, TN 37228, marissa@cnm.org, fax: 615-259-0400 No phone calls please

GOLD STAR COMMUNICATIONS-
Cellular Phone Sales & Phone Cards is looking for a bilingual customer service rep. Locaated at 904 Murfreesboro Pike, Candidates call George Hanna (615) 481-4865.

DOMINGUES INSURANCE (an Allstate Insurance Agency)
is looking for a bilingual candidates. Please call 615-834-8420 and ask for Valmar.

CRICKET COMMUNICATIONS.
If you enjoy selling and providing outstanding customer service, Cricket Communications is the place for you. We are accepting applications for Retail Service Representatives for our retail stores in this city. We offer competitive pay; performance-based bonuses; free mobile phone and service; paid time off; and advancement opportunities. High school diploma or GED required. Strong interpersonal skills. Proficient use of PC computer programs and keyboard skills. Looking for bilingual skills in Spanish. Tuition Assistance Flexible Spending Accounts. We are proud to be an EEO employer M/F/D/V. We maintain a drug-free workplace and perform pre-employment substance abuse testing. TO APPLY FOR THIS JOB? Go to www.mycricket.com for more information.

BILINGUAL RECEPTIONIST
Needed for Dental Office. Must be dedicated, honest, good attitude and work ethic, punctual, and able to multi- task. Competitive pay in a great work environment. Please send resume to carlos226@comcast.net or call (615) 419-9960. Alternate phone: (615) 642-0623"

MEDICAL RECEPTIONIST
Provide a point of contact for patients through appointment scheduling and act as a focal point of communication between patients, doctors, nurses, other clinic staff and community partners. Must have a high school diploma, and one or more years experience working in medical office setting or clinical environment. This individual must be fluent in Spanish and expected to work one Saturday a month. Please submit a copy of your resume and a cover letter to: Attention: Human Resources, Siloam Family Health Center , 820 Gale Lane, Nashville, TN 37204, Fax: 615-577-4010. Website: www.siloamhealth.org

HOUSE CLEANER
Experienced housecleaning employees, must have a vehicle, must speak some English, start right away, part time to full time, Kristine Donahue 615-440-2083

BANQUETS
Coffee Break Server 1 FT (flexible schedule) Able to lift 20 lbs. ABC card needed. Must be able to be a server as well as coffee breaks. Call 615-321-1908, Apply in person Mon, Wedns. Or Friday between 10AM -3PM, Loews Vanderbilt Hotel, 2100 West End Avenue, Nashville.

ENGINEERING
(Maintenance Engineer I 1 FT (3 p.m. - 11:30 p.m.) General knowledge of all maintenance tasks and previous customer service skills are required. Must be able to read, write, and speak English fluently. Mechanical, electrical, HVAC, and plumbing skills required. Previous hotel experience preferred. Call 615-321-1908, Apply in person Mon, Wedns. Or Friday between 10AM -3PM, Loews Vanderbilt Hotel, 2100 West End Avenue, Nashville.

STEWARDING
Crosswinds Cafeteria Attendant 1 PT (9:00 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.) Must be able to lift 30 lbs. Must have some knowledge of the Health department sanitation procedure. Must have some cooking experience, and be able to take directions from a supervisor. Call 615-321-1908, Apply in person Mon, Wedns. Or Friday between 10AM -3PM, Loews Vanderbilt Hotel, 2100 West End Avenue, Nashville.

ROOM SERVICE
Room Service Server 1 FT 2 p.m. - 12 a.m. Good customer service, communication, and organizational skills required. Must be able to stand for a long period of time and lift up to 50lbs. Some room service experience helpful. ABC card. Call 615-321-1908, Apply in person Mon, Wedns. Or Friday between 10AM -3PM, Loews Vanderbilt Hotel, 2100 West End Avenue, Nashville.

HOUSEKEEPING
Executive Housekeeper 1 FT (flexible schedule) Thorough knowledge of all matters relating to the proper administration and operation of Hospitality Housekeeping operations. Five to seven years of progressive management experience in large, fast paced, hotel housekeeping environment with at least three years as Executive Housekeeper. Ability to develop and maintain effective operating and control processes designed to attain maximum operating efficiency while ensuring adherence to established guest satisfaction criteria. Effective management, leadership, organizational, communication skills, and the ability to develop a strong and positive work environment. Experienced in Microsoft Office Programs Call 615-321-1908, Apply in person Mon, Wedns. Or Friday between 10AM -3PM, Loews Vanderbilt Hotel, 2100 West End Avenue, Nashville.

ROOM ATTENDANT
6 FT (8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.) 1 FT (2:30 p.m. -11 p.m.) Must be able to stand, walk, and bend for long periods of time, and lift up to 25lbs. Great customer service skills required. Room cleaning experience preferred. Must be able to work weekends and holidays. Call 615-321-1908, Apply in person Mon, Wedns. Or Friday between 10AM -3PM, Loews Vanderbilt Hotel, 2100 West End Avenue, Nashville.

TURNDOWN ATTENDANT
3 PT (5:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.) Must be able to stand, walk, and bend for long periods of time, and lift up to 25 lbs. Great customer service skills required. Must be able to work weekends and holidays. Call 615-321-1908, Apply in person Mon, Wedns. Or Friday between 10AM -3PM, Loews Vanderbilt Hotel, 2100 West End Avenue, Nashville.

ACCOUNTING
Night Audit, 1 FT (11 p.m. - 7 a.m.). Previous Front Desk or Audit experience required. Must have excellent communication, computer, and customer service skills. An ability to pay close attention to detail is also required. Must be able to work weekends and holidays. Call 615-321-1908, Apply in person Mon, Wedns. Or Friday between 10AM -3PM, Loews Vanderbilt Hotel, 2100 West End Avenue, Nashville.

DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT
TIRRC is seeking a Director of Development to manage its current grants and coordinate efforts to diversify the organization' s funding base. The Director of Development will be responsible for writing proposals, preparing reports to grantors, developing the membership, and identifying new sources of funding, particularly among individual and corporate donors. In addition, he/she will work with the Events Specialist to plan fundraising events, with the Operations Director to provide budgets and financial reports to grantors, and with the State Director and Board to develop an annual fundraising strategy and long-term fundraising plan. This position will be based in Nashville and will require occasional evening and weekend hours. Immigrants and refugees are strongly encouraged to apply. Bachelor's degree required. Salary Negotiable, plus health benefits. send a cover letter, résumé and writing sample to Sara Jane Saliba at sara@tnimmigrant. org

EXPERIENCED HOUSEKEEPING EMPLOYEES
Must have a vehicle. Must speak some English. Start right away. Part time to full-time. Kristine 615-440-2083.

CENSUS TAKERS (TEMPORARY)
The City of Franklin has approximately 30 vacancies for Census Takers to assist with the 2008 Franklin Special Census by going door-to-door to survey Franklin residents who have not returned their census cards. Census questions are limited to name, age & race. 18 years of age, availability of car, with proof of insurance, ability to communicate with the public, ability to record data accurately & available for work in all parts of the city. $14.00/hr. Work in March & last approximately 4 weeks. Monday through Thursday from approximately 4:30 P.M. to 8:00 P.M.; Weekend hours will vary, depending on the progress of the census, most shifts will be on Saturday from 9 A.M. to 5 P.M. Obtain application online at www.franklin- gov.com or from HR Dept, City of Franklin, PO Box 305, 109 3rd Ave S, Franklin, TN 37065, phone 615/791-3216, fax 615/791-3297, e-mail tracyh@franklin-gov.com.

SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGER
Nashville-based company; extensive international travel, will require at least a bilingual candidate (if not more than two languages); high priority on candidates who can communicate in South America as well as Asia. Requires experience in supply chain and importation; four-year degree; Six Sigma certification. Contact Harriet, 615-591-6511, hsawyer@sawyersearch.com

LIVE IN NANNY/HOUSEKEEPER
on 65 acre property in Nashville area. May bring a family member to live with you. Call Kristy at 210- 2303. Must speak some English

ARBORIST
The City of Franklin Parks Department has a vacancy for Arborist. This position is responsible for the long-term care & management of City trees. Duties, generally, include developing, administering & monitoring programs & policies to insure industry compliance with City's tree & landscape ordinance; planning, etc. applying for grants; & supervising public tree plantings. Degree in arboriculture, horticulture, forestry, or landscaping architecture with certification as an Arborist or Horticulturist preferred; supplemented by five (5) year previous experience in tree planting & maintenance and/or training involving supervision. Valid DL required. Obtain application online at www.franklin- gov.com or from HR Dept, City of Franklin, PO Box 305, 109 3rd Ave S, Franklin, TN 37065, tel. 615/791-3216, e-mail tracyh@franklin-gov.com. EOE/ Drug-free Workplace

METER READER
The City of Franklin Water Department has a vacancy for a Meter Reader. Responsibilities generally include reading water meters to determine water usage; rechecking readings to ensure usage recorded is accurate; turning on water for newly established accounts; terminating water service to closed accounts; interrupting water service to overdue accounts. HS diploma (or GED equivalent) required with 1-2 years general maintenance experience (or related). $13.50/hr, plus excellent benefits. Obtain application online at www.franklin-gov.com or from HR Department, City of Franklin, P.O. Box 305, 109 3rd Avenue South, Franklin, TN 37065, tel. 615/791-3216, fax 615-791-3297, e-mail tracyh@franklin-gov.com.

ADMINISTRATIVE SECRETARY
The City of Franklin Engineering Department has a vacancy for Administrative Secretary. Responsibilities, generally, include answering multi- line telephone, dealing with public and responding to routine questions, complaints or requests for service; performing numerous secretarial duties in support of the department staff;