Isabella Renert, a seventh-grade student at Coral Springs Middle School, has won second place in the Florida League of Cities “If I Were Mayor” essay contest.
Her essay was among 291 submitted state wide. The first place winner was Rithika Shankar from River City Science Academy Mandarin in Jacksonville.
“I am extremely proud of Isabella,” said Bettania Opthof, Isabella’s 7th Grade Teacher. “This young lady is every teacher’s dream student.
“To say that she is highly gifted is undeniable, but what makes her truly special is her kind heart and love of family, friends, and community. With future leaders like Isabella, I feel confident that our great country will be in good hands.”
Isabella’s essay began, “If I were mayor for a day, I would help the homeless, make sure the city is clean, and make sure the schools are safe.”
One night my wife and I were socially distancing with neighbors on my driveway. People that I have never met, neighbors that have been living on the street for years were coming out of their home quarantines and bringing chairs and coolers to my driveway. The six chairs grew to 20 and we all stayed six feet apart. I learned that more than half of us were in the healthcare profession. The other interesting thing I learned was that everyone owned a dog and most of us recognized each other by their dogs. I went from the golden retriever guy to the veterinarian who lives in the two-story house on the corner. That was fun.
As the evening went on it was like a classic joke: A veterinarian, a physician and a dentist walk into a room. Literally, a dentist and a physician and I spent more than an hour trying to outdo each other with the crazy things we have seen, removed or took off a patient. At least my patients have an excuse why they do some weird stuff but what the physicians or dentist had to do for their patients was mind- blowing.
Then the conversation went to clients and patients that
did not follow the golden rules. The physician was a dermatologist and discussed skin cancer from not using suntan lotion. The dentist talked about severe dental disease from not brushing and flossing and I talked about the emergencies that I saw from not spaying and neutering.
I met a guy years ago who wanted to adopt a dalmatian. At that time, I was the veterinarian in charge of the Dalmatian Rescue League of South Florida. The only requirement to adopt was a home inspection and review of their current pet’s health care. The potential adopter owned two Pekinese dogs, and neither were spayed.
The owner did not have an issue that the female dalmatian that he wanted to adopt was spayed but had no intentions
of spaying his Pekinese. He wasn’t going to breed them but has never spayed or neutered a pet before and didn’t believe in it. I was a younger veterinarian and respected the owner’s opinion but was steadfast that he was not going to adopt this dalmatian. It caused a big problem for the rescue group and
for me. What I didn’t know was that he was a politician. He wasn’t used to not getting his way.
About a week after I told the owner and his kids that they were not going to adopt one of the dalmatians I got a call
on my after hours emergency line. It was from the politician. He was at an emergency hospital in Fort Lauderdale and his dog was being prepped for emergency pyometra surgery. Pyometra is when the uterus fills like a balloon with pus. It is the nightmare scenario that can happen when you don’t spay your female dogs.
He wanted to know if I could do the surgery, not because of my reputation, or that he respected me professionally, but he wanted to know if I could do it cheaper than the estimate he received at the emergency center. I hung up.
Back to quarantine. At the end of the night a female neighbor approached me. She told me my story gave her the courage finally to spay her Labrador. Her last dog died due to sepsis from a ruptured pyometra.
In Flanders Fields the poppies blow Between the crosses, row on row, That mark our place; and in the sky The larks, still bravely singing, fly Scarce heard amid the guns below. We are the Dead. Short days ago We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, Loved and were loved, and now we lie, In Flanders fields. Take up our quarrel with the foe: To you from failing hands we throw The torch; be yours to hold it high, If ye break faith with us who die We shall not sleep, though poppies grow In Flanders fields.
“In the spring of 1915 bright red flowers began poking through the battle ravaged land across northern France and Flanders (northern Belgium),” Barbara Maranzani wrote for history.com.
“Canadian Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae, who served on an Allied artillery unit, spotted a cluster of the poppies shortly after serving as a brigade surgeon during the bloody Second Battle of Ypres.
“The sight of the bright red flowers against the dreary backdrop of the war,” she continued, “inspired McCrae to pen the poem, “In Flanders Fields,” in which he gives voice to the soldiers who had been killed in battle and lay buried beneath the poppy-covered grounds.”
The United States was not to enter the war for another two years, in April 1917. It was the month and year my father was born in Buffalo, N.Y. It was exactly one year before my wife’s father was born in St. Louis, MO. Archie and Bob.
Both served bravely in World War II: My wife’s father building hospitals for injured soldiers across Europe; my father at the controls of an M4 Sherman tank prowling Nazi-occupied Czechoslovakia. My wife’s mother, Pearl, born in Chicago in 1923, also served overseas in the U.S. Army during the war. That’s where Pearl met Bob.
Archie, Bob and Pearl were part of what Tom Brokaw called “The Greatest Generation.” They were among those who returned to their families.
This month we honor all the men and women who didn’t make it home, who gave up their lives in too many wars.
Earlier this year, before Covid-19 struck, Memorial Day events had been planned in communities throughout Broward and Palm Beach counties.
The “better part of valor,” however, as Shakespeare’s Falstaff reasoned in Henry IV, Part I, might still have us in stay-at-home mode at the end of the month.
One hundred years ago the country was still trembling from the devastation of the Spanish Flu. It killed an estimated 675,000 Americans between 1918 and 1920, more than were killed during the Civil War.
It was that same Civil War that sparked Union General John Logan to establish “Decoration Day” on May 30, 1868 to honor the estimated 620,000 who died in the four-year struggle. The name was later changed to Memorial Day and set for the last Monday in May.
One hundred years ago there were Memorial Day celebrations throughout Florida — in Tampa, Miami, Orlando — but at least one nearby city chose a different path.
“No Plans For Observance of Memorial Day,” read a headline on the front page of the Palm Beach Post, May 18, 1920.
“No preparations are under way for observance of Memorial Day,” the story read. “There is no post of the G.A.R and no organization of the Confederate Veterans or Spanish War Veterans” planning events for the day.
The G.A.R. was the The Grand Army of the Republic, the fraternal organization composed of veterans of the Union Army, Navy, Marines and the U.S. Revenue Cutter Service who served in the American Civil War.
After World War I Memorial Day was expanded to honor Americans killed in all wars. It became an official federal holiday in 1971.
This year, this month, again for “the better part of valor,” the Indianapolis 500, traditionally held on Memorial Day, has been postponed to August 23.
Still in its infancy a century ago, the race was held as scheduled on Monday, May 31. It was the race’s eighth running at The Brickyard.
Gaston Chevrolet, brother of the man who started the Chevrolet car company, won the race, posting an average speed of 88.6 miles per hour. The average speed at the 2019 race was 175.8 miles per hour.
Whatever Memorial Day events are allowed this difficult year and whomever you’re with, the Parklander joins all of you in honoring those brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.
Casey McGovern
is the Florida health department’s Drowning Prevention Program Manager for
Broward County —raising awareness about water safety is her job.
But preventing
deaths by educating people about the possible consequences of not being aware of
water-related dangers is her passion.
Nine
years after McGovern’s daughter drowned in a backyard pool, the mother of three
is still haunted by what she didn’t know then and driven by what she wants
parents to know today.
On Aug. 3,
2009, McGovern found her 19-month-old, Edna Mae, floating face-up in the pool where
“Em” had been playing in just hours earlier. The toddler died eight days later.
“You
think you are going to hear it — people think they are going to hear flailing
and splashing and yelling,” McGovern said.
But the
unthinkable can happen quicker than you think, she said. “A drowning can occur
in as little as 60 seconds.”
Mom to
three girls, who were then ages 10, 3, and 19 months, McGovern placed Em in a
chair in the family room, across the counter from where she was putting away
groceries.
McGovern
stepped away to chat with her husband. She was only gone a minute.
Today,
McGovern, of Coral Springs, talks openly about the experience, acknowledging some
of the ways Em’s death might have been prevented. She needs other parents to
know how such a tragedy happens.
At the
time of her daughter’s death, the family pool was encircled by a child safety
fence, but McGovern said the fence gate was not latched that day.
McGovern
also said there was nothing in place at the time to raise an alert to potential
trouble, such as chimes on the sliding door leading to the pool deck. “Drowning
is silent,” she said, encouraging parents to find ways to put sound to danger.
McGovern
said she also wasted precious minutes searching for her daughter inside the
house.
Whether you
have a pool or you’re at the pool or the beach, she tells parents today, check
the water first.
“We
thought we were doing everything right,” McGovern said. “There are so many
things I didn’t think about, wasn’t educated on.”
According
to the Florida Department of Children and Families, In the past two years, 12
children ages four and younger drowned in Broward County. The deaths occurred
in family pools, community pools, lakes, the ocean, and in canals. With its
125,000 backyard pools and miles of waterways, Broward offers ample risk of
drowning.
“Because
our county is covered in water and it’s swim season all year long, year after
year our statistics show we are one of the highest counties in state of Florida
for drowning fatalities,” McGovern said.
Among
her high-priority recommendations, McGovern said children should start swim
lessons as soon as they start to crawl.
The
county Children’s Services Council backs that advice by providing a $40 swim
voucher to Broward kids ages six months to four years. The voucher is available
annually, up until the fifth birthday.
“I think
knowledge is power and I think the more people who relate and connect to my
story may cause changes,” McGovern said.Sallie James writes for the Florida Department
of Health in Broward County.
Michelle
Kefford is pumped. And while spasms of enthusiasm seem to come with the job
when you’re a school principal, the new principal of Marjory Stoneman Douglas
High has plenty of legitimate reasons to be excited.
“It’s
coming back home,” Kefford, 44, said.
Those
four words explain almost every reason she’s back at the Parkland school,
coming full circle from where she began her career 20 years ago as a biology
teacher.
Kefford,
who begins work at Douglas on July 1, replaces former principal Ty Thompson, who stepped down in May,
and co-principal Teresa Hall.
The principal at MSD when a former
student opened fire at the school, leaving 17 dead and as many injured on Feb.
14, 2018, Thompson had been under investigation by Broward Schools and reassigned
to different duties at Douglas. A popular and exuberant figure at the school,
Thompson cited personal reasons for resigning after six years as principal. The
investigation, which district officials expected to complete by May, remains
ongoing.
Thompson’s departure widened the administrative
hole needing to be filled at Douglas. In the wake of 2/14 and the local and
state probes that followed, three assistant principals were transferred and a
second principal was named. Kefford’s hire is not only a move to fill that
void, but to begin building anew.
Kefford declined to speak specifically about past events at
the high school but did say she will be re-evaluating policies and procedures
going forward.
She has been working on her transition from Flanagan High, where she served as
principal for eight years. Her efforts at the Pembroke Pines school blossomed
these past two years as Kefford was named Broward’s 2018 Principal
of the Year, then in March earned the Florida Board of Education Principal of
the Year honor for 2019.
“I
love what I do,” she said. “It’s rewarding to work with kids.
“I’m
driven by their success. I want to prepare our kids for graduation and what
comes next in life.”
A
wife and a mother of two, Kefford and her family reside in Parkland. Her oldest
son attends Douglas, while the younger boy is a student at West Glades Middle
School.
Valerie Wanza, the district’s School Performance and
Accountability director, was Kefford’s first supervisor.
“I watched her career grow in the school district and watched
as her leadership grew at Flanagan,” Wanza said. “Under her guidance, Flanagan became a
consistently A-rated, high-performance school — not just academically, but as an
overall school experience.”
Describing her as a highly accomplished school leader, Wanza
believes Kefford is the right person at the right time to take the reins at
Douglas.
“Michelle will seize this opportunity to go home, help the
community recover, heal, and move forward,” Wanza said.
Michelle Kefford (center) is flanked by Broward Schools officials, including superintendent Robert Runcie (right) at a May 13 press conference to announce her hire as principal at Douglas High. (WLRN photo
Robert Runcie, at a May 13 press conference announcing
Kefford’s appointment, said, “We are grateful to Michelle for taking on this
challenge. It speaks volumes to the type of leader she is.”
The Broward Schools superintendent cited the “culture of
pride” Kefford built with the staff and students at Flanagan.
“Given her qualifications and her background, we couldn’t be
more proud — and lucky — to recommend someone that’s so qualified to fill this
important role,” Runcie said.
For Kefford, the most fulfilling aspect of the job is witnessing
the success of her students.
“I get to see these kids from their awkward adolescence
through to young adulthood,” she said. “Watching (them) attain their
goals, receive scholarships, graduate, walk across the stage, go on to college,
and to know I’ve made a difference in their life is very satisfying.”
The daughter of two retired educators, Kefford once thought
she’d become a veterinarian. She said it was her mom who encouraged her to teach,
because of her passion for biology.
“I tried it out
and never looked back,” she said.
Just 19, barely past his freshman year at Lynn University,
James Okina is already well-traveled, very savvy, and passionate about his
work. In fact, he’s a man on a mission.
At 15, in his hometown of Calabar, Nigeria, a city not
unlike Boca Raton with its greenery and coastal proximity, he founded a nonprofit
called Street Priests designed to help the children living in the streets.
By the time he reached 17, Okina says he became obsessed
with solving this problem on a global scale and began to study why, despite
increasing efforts to address the issue, this problem is growing and persists
worldwide.
An estimated 100-150 million children live on the streets
around the world, while 250,000 die every week from disease and malnutrition,
and 10 million are child slaves, according to Womenaid International.
In the U.S., almost 2.5 million kids under age 18 — that’s 1
in 30 — experience homelessness each year. In Palm Beach County alone, more
than 4,400 children are counted as homeless, according to the county’s Homeless
Coalition.
Kids living on the street are often victims of violence and
crime, and later often fall prey to abuse and drug addiction. They are
especially vulnerable to the human rights violations inherent in gangs, sexual
exploitation, and abuse and neglect.
As an adolescent, Okina had been tempted into gang life. He is
thankful he escaped — and it inspired him. “I rose above my own difficulties
when my parents divorced when I was 8, and many people helped me along the way.”
He remembers a cousin who came to stay where he lived with his father. Okina
told NPR in 2017, “I saw that he led a more quiet, dignified life.”
Okina had already made international news by his late teens,
as Street Priests drew attention, help, and funding. Trying to find a framework
that would help the nonprofit reach children across different cultures and
societies, he moved to South Florida to study at the Watson Institute at Lynn. Okina
is part of an inaugural cohort of scholars from around the world studying to
earn a degree in social entrepreneurship while working on issues they are
passionate about.
“The first word that comes to mind when I think of
James is unstoppable,” Tyler Tornaben, director of programs for the Watson
Institute, said. “He is majoring in his mission every day.”
In his first year at Lynn, Okina met Isaac King, 23, who
also feels driven to solve the worldwide crisis of homeless children.
King spent six months in the Dominican Republic after high
school. The Ocala native learned Spanish and was drawn to the island’s street children,
known as palomos — literally translated as “doves,” but in street slang,
meaning “rascals.” King later spent a year in Brazil, working with the homeless
“beach kids” of Rio de Janeiro.
At Lynn, joined in common cause, Okina and King set out on a
self-proclaimed “audacious” trip back to the Dominican Republic to dive deeper
into the street culture there.
Okina (right) and Isaac King flank Ana María Domínguez, Governor of Santiago Province, paying their respects during a recent visit to the Dominican Republic.
Over a period of eight days last March, the two traveled the
island, interviewing more than 60 kids, community members, police officers, and
government officials for a documentary.
“The stories and plights of both the Haitian and
Dominican children we met left a deep and burning desire in us to commit to
this problem and create a long-lasting change in our world,” Okina said.
A few of the children living in the streets in Santo Domingo. (Photo courtesy of James Okina)
The two will travel to London this summer to present their
findings at the Map the System Global Challenge, part of the Skoll Centre for
Social Entrepreneurship at Saïd Business School at Oxford University.
King calls his mission partner an inspiration.
“James is a leader in every sense of the word,” King
said. “He embodies everything he talks about. When you hear his conviction,
you know it comes from a place of compassion and empathy.”
In the fall, Okina is set to help tackle gun violence in
Palm Beach County. Partnering with Angela Williams, founder of Mother’s Against
Murderers Association in Rivera Beach, they hope to design a plan of action to
work with kids in the community to interrupt the cycle of gun violence.
Even if he can’t solve all the world’s problems, it seems
likely Okina will at least provide sparks of inspiration and fellowship in
lending a hand. Engaging with kids is the first step.
“The future won’t create
itself. Young people must take an active role,” Okina said. “We are only 25
percent of the population, but we are 100 percent of the future.”
The mental image the phrase “public library” frequently
evokes involves metal shelving filled with worn bindings, with a severe-looking
librarian perched behind the counter, index finger primed for shushing.
Certainly, those shelving units and librarians are real, but the Broward County
Public Library delivers so much more, and right to where you need it.
Take the Northwest Regional Library’s collection of eBooks (electronic
books) and audiobooks (recordings of books read aloud.) For the full-time
busybody, both options provide opportunities to enjoy stories without the
hassle of trying to get to the library twice. The offerings simply disappear
from your device after the loan period concludes, thus erasing the need to keep
track of a book for longer than the day or two you need to read it. eBooks and
audiobooks checked out through the Broward system don’t have late fees! Audiobooks
are a nifty companion for the daily commute and road trips, often playable
through your car’s sound system.
What’s that? You don’t have a device to download eBooks or play
audiobooks? Worry you’re your local library shall provide. Digital tablets can
be checked out for three months and renewed for another three months — that’s
half a year. That might get a person a sixth of the way through their reading backlog!
For kids on summer break, Northwest Regional has
child-friendly tablets that come with educational games, no internet required.
These Launchpad Learning Tablets can be checked out for 21 days with two 7-day
renewals.
It helps, too, that these kinds of technological upgrades
make reading more accessible for the dyslexic, the visually impaired, and the
otherwise disabled. While Broward Library has made plenty of impressive high-tech
upgrades to its community services (virtual reality devices, portable wi-fi
hotspots, amateur robotics labs, and more) throughout the region, what stands
out is its dedication to making its services available to every resident,
regardless of mobility or income level.
Impressive examples include accessible computer software
that turns websites into braille for the blind, which is offered at several
library locations; as are assistive listening devices that amplify sound but
minimize background noise, aiding those with hearing loss. West Regional
Library has a sign-language story time for children who have speaking and
hearing difficulties. The county library even distributes specialized phones
for people with any hearing, seeing, or speaking disability — at no charge.
According to the 2017
census, 22.5 percent of Broward’s population is composed of seniors and just
under 7 percent of non-seniors have a disability, so these additions to the
library’s offerings have come at a time of need. They will join the dearly
loved but more analogue Books-By-Mail program in offering as many options to as
many residents as possible.
If
you’re not up for braving the South Florida heat this summer, these local
venues offer family-friendly activities available during the quiet — and less
hot — afternoon and evening hours.
Gumbo
Limbo’s environmental complex in Boca Raton is an indoor / outdoor nature
center with several aquariums and exhibits. A variety of group programs,
including guided nature trail walks, sea turtle talks, and animal feedings, are
offered throughout the week. A popular activity that only takes place on summer
nights is the Turtle Walk and Hatchling Release, where participants have the
opportunity to learn about Florida’s native sea turtles, walk to the nearby
beach, and watch a nesting Loggerhead or see baby turtles race for the sea.
View
Gumbo Limbo’s calendar of events for information on how to register.
Where: 1801 N. Ocean Blvd, Boca Raton
When: Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Sunday, noon to 4
p.m.
Cost: Free ($5 suggested donation); free parking
Details: GumboLimbo.org
Hugh Taylor Birch State Park
Hugh Taylor Birch State Park features a canoe-kayak launch in its long list of amenities. (Courtesy photo)
Favorite
activities at Birch State Park range from live animal presentations to guided
mangrove and trail walks, and all are excellent opportunities for families to
explore Florida’s natural ecosystems and wildlife, and learn about the history
behind this local state park. The two-mile loop surrounding the natural habitat
is bike- and rollerblade friendly, while the Intracoastal Waterway allows for
easy access to fishing and makes for a perfect sunset-viewing picnic spot.
Birch State Park offers paddleboard rentals for those looking to visit Fort
Lauderdale’s stretch of beaches along A1A. In addition, the park is home to
Camp Live Oak, an immersive nature program for children ages 5-13, as well as a
variety of scheduled tours, educational classes, and events.
Where: 3109 E. Sunrise Blvd, Fort Lauderdale
When: Every day, 8 a.m. to sunset
Cost: $6 per family/group vehicle
Details: FloridaStateParks.org/HughTaylorBirch
Bark Beach at Spanish River
Park
Release
the leash and let Fido roam free on the sands of Spanish River Park’s beach!
Bark Beach is sectioned off from the rest of the park to ensure dogs don’t run
too far and other park visitors remain unscathed by licks or wet paws. Summer
hours are conveniently scheduled in the early morning and late afternoon. Bark
Beach is open to all families of Boca Raton who have purchased a dog permit at
their nearest community center. A single weekend pass is also an option,
allowing unlimited access to Boca’s best dog-friendly beach from Friday through
Sunday.
Where: 3001 N. State Rd A1A, Boca Raton
When: Friday through Sunday, 7-9 a.m. and 5 p.m. to sunset
Cost: Bark Beach dog permit required; $11 weekend pass; parking
$17 weekdays, $19 weekends OR free with annual beach pass
Details: MyBoca.us
INDOOR DESTINATIONS
Children’s Science Explorium
Located
inside Boca’s Sugar Sand Park, the Children’s Science Explorium is a must-visit
attraction. Activities during the summer include a variety of interactive,
science-geared exhibits and exciting educational programs. The Grab ‘n’ Go Eco
Pack gives young children and their families the opportunity to embark on a
scavenger hunt throughout Sugar Sand’s nature trails and explore the park’s
plants, birds, and insects. Kids-only activities include the one-week Summer
Science Camp — open to youngsters in grades kindergarten through 5th — and the
after-hour Friday Nights @ the Museum, featuring a cool experiment and movie
night! Check the events calendar in early June for a list of summer exhibits
and more info on registering.
Where: 300 S. Military Trail, Boca Raton
When: Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturday and
Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Cost: Free ($5 suggested donation); free parking
Details: ScienceExplorium.org
Young At Art Museum
Young At Art Museum’s ArtScapes features works that explore a child’s perspective on the world. (Photo courtesy Young At Art Museum)
What’s
one thing that makes the Young At Art Museum unique? Through its program YAA
for ALL: Access to Lifelong Learning, the museum has developed special programs
and events for children and adults with autism and other disabilities. In
addition to its pre-scheduled classes and exhibits, the YAA opens one hour
earlier every second Sunday of the month, giving exclusive access for families
with disabled children. Specialized activities include the Sensory Studio Art
Class, which creates a warm and friendly environment of hands-on art-making
alongside specially trained staff members.
Where: 751 SW 121st Ave, Davie
When: Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Friday and
Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Cost: $14 for adults/children; $12 for seniors and Broward County
residents; $11 for military families. Membership and group rates available.
Details: YoungAtArtMuseum.org
Museum of Discovery and
Science
The Museum of Discovery and Science’s AutoNation IMAX and 3D Theater. (Courtesy photo)
In
addition to its array of science exhibits and children’s Discovery Camp, a
distinctive feature of the Museum of Discovery and Science is its in-house IMAX
3D theater, which presents a number of documentaries and Hollywood films. With
numerous showtimes throughout the day, as well as wheelchair-accessible and
sensory-friendly screenings, this theater is a great pick for families. This
summer, the Museum’s featured exhibit, Hall
of Heroes, immerses visitors in the superhero world of crime-catchers,
Batmobiles, spy gadgets, and more.
Where: 401 SW Second St, Fort Lauderdale
When: Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday, noon to
5 p.m.
Cost: $17 for adults; $16 for seniors; $14 for military families
and children ages 2-12; free for children ages 1 and under; parking $6-$10.
Museum membership rates available.
Details: MODS.org
(Note: The IMAX 3D Theater has its own hours and
admission fees. Please visit the MODS website for details.)
Neil Armstrong notched a
singular spot in history as the first man to walk on the moon.
But astronaut Scott Kelly has
made his own impressions on the space-time continuum. Not only are he and Mark
Edward Kelly the only identical twin astronauts ever to serve with NASA in the
U.S. space program, but Commander Kelly has also logged more time in the “final
frontier” than any other American spaceman.
Kelly is about to share with
the public dozens of digital photographs he took during his year aboard the
International Space Station (ISS). Space
Odyssey 2019, a display of images taken during that 12-month mission from
2015 to 2016, will open June 20 and run through Aug. 3 at the Palm Beach
Photographic Centre in West Palm Beach.
“One’s perspective shifts
when one lives for an entire year — as Commander Scott Kelly and no other
American astronaut in history has — in the isolating, grueling and utterly
unforgiving vacuum of space,” Fatima NeJame, the Centre’s president and CEO, said.
Kelly is a former military
fighter pilot and test pilot, an engineer, a now-retired astronaut, and retired
Navy captain. A veteran of four space flights, he commanded the ISS on three
expeditions. He is also the brother-in-law of former U.S. Rep. Gabby Giffords
(D-Ariz.), who survived a gunshot wound to the head after an attack at a
constituent event in 2011.
NeJame said the Space Odyssey 2019 exhibition will feature
between 40 and 60 frames, all reproduced using the center’s digital printer.
“We are making them large so visitors can see the detail.”
“Kelly mastered the rare art
of microgravity photography,” NeJame said.
Microgravity photography? “Using
a Nikon D4 with an 800-millimeter lens and a 1.4x magnifying zoom lens, he
panned the camera as the shutter released to compensate for the space station’s
velocity: 17,500 miles per hour relative to the earth.”
In the display, his photos
will be accompanied by personal commentary to put the images into their proper
contexts.
During the ISS mission, while
breaking records for time spent in outer space, Kelly spoke with President Barack
Obama about what he was seeing and the pictures he was taking. The President
encouraged him to share the photos with the world via Twitter and Instagram,
which he did. Kelly’s artistic eye helped make him a social media sensation.
Looking down at a frozen Himalayan lake from space.
Through his lens, Kelly captured sunsets, moonrises, the Aurora Borealis, and the luminous, hazy tapestry of the Milky Way. “There are hurricanes, wrinkled mountains, New York City shining like a galaxy,” NeJame said. “Glorious photographs that are, in themselves, a passionate argument for the preservation of our planet in the face of climate change and environmental destruction.” In one of the images taken over South Asia as the Expedition 46 crew orbited high above Earth, Kelly looked down on a vivid blue body of water shot through with white. “Cool frozen lake in #Himalayas! #YearInSpace” he tweeted on Jan. 6, 2016, to his more than 5.6 million followers.
Astronaut Scott Kelly shared the last sunrise of his yearlong mission on space on March 1, 2016, aboard ISS.
Like Tibetan sand mandalas, which are swept up and
scattered on the water, the Temple of Time is about the moment, the process, the
creation, and the transitory nature of life itself.
The beech-plywood temple on Sample Road, created by artist
David Best, is the first of five public art installations in Coral Springs and
Parkland that are part of the series Inspiring
Community Healing After Gun Violence: The Power of Art.
The two cities, in partnership with the Coral Springs
Museum of Art, were awarded $1 million from Bloomberg Philanthropies to fund
the projects, which aim to use art to help heal the community after the
shootings at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in February 2018.
With help from local residents, the Balinese-like temple rose
from the site of the old City Hall over a two-week span in early February, and opened
to the public one year after the Feb. 14 school shooting that left 17 dead and
as many injured.
What Best, his crew and community members created was an
object of great beauty out of shared loss.
The temple, where visitors are encouraged to leave
mementoes and write messages directly on the raw wood, has transformed into a
repository of the community’s hopes, fears, wishes, and dreams.
The Temple of Time, said Best, is a way of honoring
the time it will take for the community to process the feelings it shares from
a common tragedy.
The California-based artist has dedicated his life’s work
to designing and building ornate yet ephemeral temples for communities that
need healing.
In what some might say is a paradox, the 35-foot-high,
non-denominational structure will be set on fire and destroyed in May. It is
Best’s hope the community’s grief over the shootings and the loss of life on
2/14 and in the aftermath will dissipate with the flames.
Best began creating temples in 2000, as a way to honor a
friend killed in a motorcycle accident, and he and his 14-person Temple Crew
have become known for the elaborate structures they’ve built at the annual Burning
Man Festival in Nevada’s Black Rock Desert.
Best recently spoke about his work to the Miami New Times: “I make an empty
structure — it doesn’t mean anything; it’s just a pretty shape. And then people
come, and they put in their religion, their faith, their anger. Whatever
they’ve got, they put it [in the temple], and they develop their mythology. It
doesn’t matter what we believe. It matters what they believe.”
The Temple of Time in Coral Springs is very nearly
covered with the inspirational and heartfelt messages visitors have left on the
carved mosaic-like scrollwork. “Tell the sun and stars hello for me. We love
you, Gina Rose,” reads one of thousands of personal notes. Another states: “Hate,
anger, fear, indifference, and jealousy will never win.”
Hand-painted rocks emblazoned with “MSDStrong,” “A Little
Bit of Gratitude Goes a Long Way,” and “There is Always Hope,” adorn the temple
altars along with stuffed animals, photos, religious trinkets, hand-drawn
hearts, flowers, and a brown manila envelope full of shredded bully
testimonials from students at Pioneer Middle School.
Particularly poignant is a photograph from 18-year-old
Meadow Pollack’s kindergarten teacher saying, “Proud to have been your
kindergarten teacher, Meadow.” A senior at Douglas, Pollack was among the 17 killed
by a lone gunman at school that day.
On a cool weekday morning in March — the installation is
open every day from 7am until dusk — the temple was alive with visitors. Jonathan
Koota, a massage therapist and Coral Springs resident, came with friends Lynne
Mass, of Delray Beach, and Judy King, of Pompano Beach. They walked quietly
through the temple, discreetly taking photos and reading the temple’s messages
of love and hope to their grandkids.
Lanie
Hyman Shapiro visited the temple in February. The Coral Springs woman called
the temple “an amazingly powerful and intricate” tribute to MSD’s 17 victims.
“It’s a place to come together, to reflect,” Shapiro said. “It’s a place to
begin a catharsis.”
Haley
Moss would be the first to tell you she’s unique. The Parkland native, now 24, was
diagnosed with autism when she was 3.
Moss would
also point out that being different isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
When
she was diagnosed with high-functioning autism, her parents were told that
raising a child with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) has many daily challenges.
They were warned she might never live on her own or even develop the ability to
work a minimum-wage job.
Moss has
not let that diagnosis, or her disorder, limit her. The Pine Crest School alum,
who resembles a petite Natalie Portman with bangs, has written multiple books,
including A Freshman Survival Guide for College Students with Autism
Spectrum Disorders: The Stuff Nobody Tells You About. She also recently
earned a law degree from the University of Miami and, in January, became the first
openly autistic person admitted to the Florida Bar.
An
active advocate for those with ASD, Moss told the South Florida Sun Sentinel in February that her passion for helping
others was one of the reasons she became a lawyer.
“A disability generally is not all-encompassing,
it is just part of who someone is, not everything they are,” Moss told the
newspaper. “Everyone is unique, everyone has strengths and weaknesses, and
everyone has talent.”
Honored
as one of South Florida’s Young Leaders in Philanthropy, Moss also is a
recipient of the Council for Exceptional Children’s Yes, I Can! International
Award. At February’s Unicorn Children’s Foundation’s Unicorn Ball, held at the
Polo Club of Boca Raton, Moss received the Occhigrossi Family Youth in Service
Award, which recognizes young people who advocate for those with special needs.
Already
a seasoned writer and champion for people with autism, Moss has since launched
her career in the legal profession, according to the Sun Sentinel. Offered a job even before graduating, Moss now works
for the law firm Zumpano Patricios, based in Coral Gables. For
information on ASD, visit the National Institutes of Mental Health website at
NIMH.gov.
Kermit the Frog had a different “green” in mind when he sang
the blues about the perils of his amphibian color on Sesame Street. But for many of us, “being Green” in an altogether
different way isn’t all that easy either.
These days, what exactly does “Green” mean?
Basically, it means leading more environmentally friendly
and ecologically responsible lives, so we protect natural resources, ourselves
and the planet. I’m sure by now, most of us have seen, heard, or read about the
many ways this can be accomplished: by recycling, using solar energy, electric
or hybrid cars, picking up trash, collecting plastics in our waterways, using
alternate energy sources instead of fossil fuels, etc.
The long list of “easy” fixes quickly becomes not-so-easy
when it comes to details. For example, in building and development, there is a
system called LEED, which stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental
Design. It’s the most widely used green-building rating system in the world.
It’s also used for virtually all building projects, whether commercial,
community, or home.
But is it worth it? And does it really work, or matter? As I
have found out, most things in life have no clear-cut, black-and-white,
yes-or-no answers, and that is true here as well. To get a building or project
LEED-certified, there are courses to study, exams to take and proposals to be
shown and accepted. If all of that is completed, a building or project will
receive a plaque stating it is LEED-certified. The buildings must show certain
levels of efficiency in resource usage such as water and electric, and none of
this is cheap. The initial cost is $600 just to register and certification fees
can range from $2,250 to $22,500 based on the project size. On top of that,
complying with all the requirements necessary can add millions of dollars and
hours of paperwork to the projects. On the plus side, LEED certification can
mean tax breaks, grants, and the ability to charge higher rents.
Being LEED-certified sounds great on paper, but the bottom
line is this: as in many things, reality doesn’t always live up to theory’s
expectations. While some LEED buildings have shown lower resource usage rates,
others have shown rate increases. LEED certification, after all, is based on
proposals of anticipated resource use and not actual usage once a building
project is completed. Therefore, is it worth it to have your building or
project LEED-certified? A definitive answer remains elusive.
As another, more familiar example: Do hybrid cars produce
lower emissions than gas-only vehicles? Obviously. Do they get better gas
mileage? Sometimes. But it’s not always a significant difference when compared
to the price differential of similar models. Total electric cars use no fossil fuels
and produce no emissions, which are great assets. However, since there are not
enough of them on the road, there isn’t an accurate way to determine the
difference in electric consumption a nation of them might make. The same can be
said of solar panels. As for recyclables, there is absolutely no argument of
any sort that doing this is a bad thing.
Cleaning up our oceans, lakes, and waterways, plus keeping
our landfills limited to those items that decompose and can/will/might be used
to produce products that will go back into our soil is great. But what portion
of these post-consumer materials will be reused in manufacturing? Again, theory
is rosier than reality in answering this question. We have been recycling so
much and have shipped so much of it to foreign countries, China being the main
importer, that we now find ourselves without places to send these materials.
China has stopped importing “foreign garbage,” which includes many types of
plastics and paper. We also have run out of recycling plants and are now
depositing what is and might be recyclable back in landfills. Recycling,
however smart and necessary, remains shot through with problems, beginning with
the fact that a lot of us don’t understand whether what we throw in the recycling
bin is really recyclable.
So where are we in this quagmire? Does “being green” mean
there’s reason for hope and change? Or is it all hopey-changey bunk? What you
decide depends on your environmental outlook and what you want and expect of
and for future generations. It also depends on your pocketbook. The difference
in cost between hybrid cars and their gaseous counterparts can take years of
driving to recoup, let alone seem significant. The same with LEED-certified
buildings, electric cars and solar panels.
No,
being Green isn’t easy. But here’s my take in black and white: any steps
forward in making this planet more sustainable, keeping our precious natural
resources for generations to come, is worth whatever it takes.
