Where do I start?
Friday 4/15 I went for a recording with Frank-Ski. He was super kind enough to let me on his show (pre-recorded of course) to get the word out about the competition. This is probably going to overcome any paradigmatic issues I've been having. For the longest, the ideas have been in my head, but execution has been slow. When I finally rounded up enough volunteers to be deployed to the centers by 3/21, I was alerted to the fact that the centers would not permit us to volunteer without criminal background checks. While this make sense, this is odd because the city has known about this initiative for a while. So--I transported volunteers from Spelman College---whom I adore so, so much!) to the Atlanta Police Department ID Unitso that they could get their background checks. But then the alternator in my car broke!!! Now I have been temporarily without a car, and have been slow in taking the documents to the centers. So that has been a challenge, but I refuse to give up! Then I started a new job, which was a necessity being as though I had been looking for a job for quite some time now. While I have more money to front for the initiative (more like pour into, because this is my baby), I actually have less time. But thank goodness for volunteers! I cannot reiterate how helpful volunteers are in this effort to create a celebration of math education. I recently found a volunteer assistant from Spelman College. Spelmanites have been most helpful in getting things done!!! I'm only sad because they will be leaving for summer break in about two weeks! then what? Well it turns out the Suntex Corporation allowed me to use their First in Math online gaming system for free.So students can practice the math problems online during their afterschool time, and without their coaches. But...I still want coaches...particularly Spelman students :( So I'm having a second recruitment wave for volunteers now.
Other progress--I was on 1380 am WAOK on the Rob Redding show last Wednesday. That was awesome. The very next day I get an email from the owner of a small restaurant who wants to make a contribution. One blessing after another.
Last Wedsneday I went to the community forum for the gearing up of the Obama campaign and met several people who are interested in the initiative. I practically begged the chairman of Atlanta Life Financial for a donation, though I didn't quite receive the reception that I had been hoping for.
Then--I run into the Mayor himself, and telling him about the competition for the 4th time. He's a busy man, so I know it's hard for him to keep up with every little detail that everyone tells him. but I think this was the perfect reinforcement. he actually listened to me, and it seemed that for a good 30 seconds I had his undivided attention.Do you know how many people elbow others to get that kind of attention?? LOL
More progress--in-kind donations from Barnes and Noble and Six Flags. Need many, many, many more.
Jovita Moore from Channel 2 news agreed to announce the math mission of the week.
Ran into Mayor Franklin in the store the other day. While we never really talked a great deal about what she could do for the compeittion, her words were encouraging.
I am going to miss by volunteers a great deal, even though most of them will not have spent very much time in their centers.
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