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This week's stories: (click on the headline
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We have listed the warrants and candidates
in advance of elections on March 9 so you can see them before
the vote. Election results will be posted as soon as we get them
on the night of March 9. See your town's warrants here:
Hooksett School,
Hooksett
Town (for May elections), Allenstown,
Auburn,
Candia,
Epsom
and Pembroke.
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Pembroke
PA teacher reaches out to Haiti through
sports
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By NATHAN GRAZIANO
Correspondent
For most Americans, Haiti's extreme poverty
and the tumultuous political climate are limited to news stories,
sound bites and television clips that may evoke our compassion,
but are soon forgotten. However, for Pembroke Academy special
education teacher Kurk Lyons, the struggles of the Haitian people
are a reality.
For the past two years, Lyons has been helping facilitate a program
that collects athletic equipment donated by local schools, businesses
and individuals and ships them to Haitian children.
Working closely with program called the
Athletics of Haiti, based in Port-au-Prince, Lyons gathers items
such as old team uniforms, balls and cleats, which people have
discarded as having no value by American standards, then either
sends them by plane or hand delivers them to Haiti, where they
are distributed among the young athletes.
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"For the kids who have nothing, it's
significant," he said. "The smallest amounts can do
the most good."
Lyons first came into contact with the Haitian people and their
culture 11 years ago when he went there with a group from St.
Louis. He and his wife, Shari, have adopted two girls from the
country, Chantale, now 16, and Venise, now 14.
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In 1998, as a graduation gift for completing
his master's degree in special education, Lyons and his family
which also includes a son, Rob, 8, and another daughter,
Samantha, 10 flew to Haiti for the first time. For Lyons,
it was a life-altering experience.
The indigence in Haiti, which is the fourth poorest country in
the world, and the fact that the people live without basic amenities
such as running water and electricity, shocked him.
"Every time I thought I saw something that was the most
horrific thing I'd ever seen, I'd see something else," he
said. "I asked myself what would it be like if I had to
live on less than a dollar a day."
But for Lyons, it was ultimately the Haitian people and their
culture that won him over. He describes the country as a very
spiritual place with generous, kind and thoughtful people. Since
that first visit, Lyons has returned every year.
In order to fund some of his operations,
Lyons has employed the help of Haitian artists. He points out
that Haitian art, especially metalwork, is considered to be some
of the premier in the Caribbean region.
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EVEN USED EQUIPMENT HELPS Uniforms
were donated by Pinkerton Academy for children who play in a
soccer league outside Port-au-Prince, Haiti. The uniforms were
received through Operation Hope, which Kurk Lyons is involved
with. The league was able to get its start due to the donations.
(Courtesy Photo)
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He buys the art directly from the artists and brings it back
to the United States, selling it on venues such as E-Bay. Any
profits are used to finance the costs involved in shipping the
athletic equipment.
Along with working with programs like the Athletics of Haiti,
Lyons also does volunteer work for The House of Hope, an orphanage
located in Tabarre. He builds beds, bookcases and does other
hands-on tasks.
The experiences and struggles of the Haitian people prove to
be a powerful educational tool as well. Lyons often brings in
pictures from his visits and presents slideshows for Pembroke
Academy students.
"I want them to see that this isn't a video game or a television
show. This is the real deal, the real "Survivor," said
Lyons.
He credits the Pembroke Academy students and athletic director
Sue Hutchinson for their generosity with donations, adding that
every little bit, every pair of cleats or old uniforms, will
be used by kids who have nothing.
"Helping these kids is easy," Lyons said. "Making
this commitment is easy, not hard. And it really makes a difference."
Hooksett
SAU 15 chooses superintendent
By LAURA M. RUSSO
Staff Writer
lrusso@yourneighborhoodnews.com
Armand LaSelva has been named the new superintendent
of SAU 15, serving Auburn, Candia, and Hooksett schools. LaSelva
will replace former Superintendent Robert Suprenant, who has
been with the district for 14 years.
After a nationwide search and 13 initial applicants, seven semi-finalists
were selected by a committee composed of two members from each
of the three school boards. Following interviews, three final
candidates toured the district's schools and met with teachers,
administrators, students, and other community members. On Thursday,
April 8, a final, in-depth interview was conducted by school
board members and LaSelva was offered the position.
"I am pleased to be nominated to lead the SAU 15 school
community as its next superintendent of schools," LaSelva
said. "Auburn, Candia, and Hooksett all have talented, experienced
staff and strong, supportive school boards and communities."
According to John Pieroni, chairman of the Hooksett School Board,
it was LaSelva's "strong experience bringing about positive
change as a superintendent" which was the outstanding leadership
quality that "will contribute to the achievement of an excellent
education for all students in SAU 15."
LaSelva, who received his bachelor of arts degree from Tufts
University and his master of education degree from Salem State
College, also performed graduate study at Boston University and
Fitchburg State College. He began his teaching career as a high
school physics teacher serving Boston, Rockport, and Danvers,
Mass. Currently residing in Eliot, Maine, his most recent position
was in New Hampshire as superintendent of Dover public schools.
While there, LaSelva supervised a K-12 program of 3,970 students.
He developed and implemented a reconfigured administrative team
at the high school, and constructed remedial and support programs
for students at all levels. He also initiated an assessment system
for preschoolers and utilized the Northwest Evaluation Association,
a computerized assessment system for students in second to ninth
grades.
Although scheduled to take over as superintendent on July 1,
LaSelva intends to start getting acquainted with the role much
sooner.
"I'm looking forward to begin participating as an observer
during May or June," LaSelva said. "I've met a lot
of nice people and I'm sure this will turn out to be a cooperative,
collaborative working situation."
Hooksett
School board works to keep field trips
Cuts being made under default budget
By LAURA M. RUSSO
Staff Writer
lrusso@yourneighborhoodnews.com
School board members are trying to keep
a positive outlook on activities, programs and supplies, despite
the need to cut $20,000 from the school operating budget, following
a vote by residents last month that put the schools on a default
budget.
At their meeting Tuesday, April 6, board members specified that
cuts will not mean the end of field trips, and discussed the
possibility of charging students to participate in the trips.
"A safety net would be provided for those families who can't
afford it," said Joanne McHugh, vice chairman of the board.
"Provisions would be made for them."
The question of whether to distinguish between during and after-school
activities was raised, as athletic programs don't carry a charge
for students.
"We shouldn't be charging for activities during school and
not for after-school activities," said board member John
Pieroni.
At the same time, school board members do not want to discourage
extracurricular activities. The possibility of requesting that
parents pay for minimal school supplies was another option to
ease funding, as some parents voiced at a previous budget meeting
that they would be willing to do so.
Ron Pedro, principal of Cawley Middle School, provided an update
on new science books. The new material will take the place of
previous text that included information beyond what was needed
for one or two grade levels.
"It's one small book that kids can take home," Pedro
said, "instead of a huge book with extra modules."
Each book, in a series of approximately 15, will be used for
a shorter period of time, after which students will exchange
them for the next level of text. Four of the books will be used
in more than one grade.
"They're very much in line with what we've been doing, and
we're very pleased with them," Pedro said. "The goal
is to have all of them purchased by the end of this year."
Other issues discussed by board members included the purchasing
of athletic equipment, parking and building improvements, and
the possible construction of future schools.
Allenstown
Legislation allowing ATV
trails expected
By RUSS CHOMA
Staff Writer
rchoma@yourneighborhoodnews.com
As expected, legislators
in Concord approved an amendment that will allow ATV trails in
Bear Brook Park.
Members of the Resources, Recreation and Development Committee,
voted 12 to one, to approve an amendment to Senate Bill 343 (SB343)
opening up Bear Brook Park to ATV trail development. The bill
was to be voted on by the entire House of Representatives on
Thursday, April 15, and must still be approved by the state Senate
before coming law.
The amendment has caused an outcry from anti-ATV advocates, because
it is very similar to a bill the Senate tabled for further study
in March.
Rep. Charles Royce (R-Jaffrey), chair of the committee, proposed
the amendment which calls for ATV trails to be allowed as close
as 400 feet from a public wellhead. Under legislation passed
two years ago, trails may not be built within 4,000 feet of a
wellhead effectively banning trails from Bear Brook Park.
According to Royce and other supporters, 400 feet was the distance
legislators intended when they passed the original law.
Senate Bill 349 was designed to deal with the subject of changing
the distance, but on March 11, the Senate voted to send the bill
to a study committee. That bill cannot be brought up again
until next session.
Sen. Jack Barnes (R-District 17), who represents Allenstown,
said he is angry legislation already set aside by the Senate
is being resurrected in the House. He promised that the bill
will meet stiff opposition when it comes to the floor of the
Senate.
"Keep tuned in," he said. "The battle will be
on the Senate floor. I am gathering the troops."
During an early committee hearing on the amendment, Rep. Mike
Whalley (R-Alton Bay) ridiculed the idea that the Senate is actually
planning on studying the bill they had tabled.
"If you believe the Senate is going to study that legislation
and come up with a resolution in the form of legislation, then
I've got a bridge to sell you," he told the committee.
Barnes took issue with the idea that the Senate would not study
the original bill and needed to look at new legislation.
"Mike Whalley shouldn't be saying that about the Senate.
He might be surprised," Barnes said. "We wanted the
Senate to study (the bill) for good reason. I don't know
why he's saying that without a little more verification, but
that's his business."
Specifically, Barnes said he and other senators sent the bill
to be studied because they felt opening ATV trails in Bear Brook
might cause legitimate environmental damage.
"We don't' think it's right. The environment isn't being
protected very well, to be honest with you," he said.
"But we'll see what my fellow senators have to say about.
Maybe we can marshal enough people who care about the water supplies
in Allenstown, Pembroke and part of Hooksett."
Epsom
Fundraising for library
gets $250,000 boost
By RUSS CHOMA
Staff Writer
rchoma@yourneighborhoodnews.com
The campaign to build Epsom
a new public library is picking up momentum following the town's
vote to chip in $250,000.
After almost 30 years of struggling to get voter's approval to
move the library from its current undersized locale, supporters
finally got the vote they were waiting for on March 9. Article
1, a five-year bond for $250,000 passed with approximately 64
percent of the vote.
However, the selling point for many voters may have been the
fact that library supporters promised to privately raise the
balance of the nearly $800,000 estimated cost of constructing
the new facility. That effort to find money other than tax dollars
appears to be picking up speed.
According to Valerie Long, chairman of the Capital Campaign for
the library, fund-raisers have reached the $630,000 mark, including
the town approved money, and $180,000 from reserve funds.
Of the $200,000 in private funds raised so far, Long said approximately
$125,000 came in the form of land donations from one family.
Long said library supporters are greatly appreciative of the
donation and would likely reveal the donor's identities in the
near future.
"It's a really significant gift," she said.
Long said the campaign had also begun working with Jane Hurst,
a Hooksett resident and professional fund developer who was offering
her services for free.
Long said the professional advice was appreciated by the rookie
fundraisers on the library committee.
"She's training us to do fund development, and it really
is a huge favor to us," Long said.
As part of the newly energized and focused efforts Long said
several grants were being written, and at least two local banks
were being approached about some type of corporate sponsorship.
The committee is also offering a range of naming opportunities
for donations, including: $500 for a window, $1,500 for a park
bench, $5,000 for a computer workstation, $25,000 for the circulation
desk, $50,000 for the reading area, $150,000 for the lobby and
$300,000 for the library name.
Library supporters hope to see ground broken on the project by
the spring of 2005, and the doors open by the fall of the same
year.
To find out more about the campaign, get involved or make a donation,
Long said people can call Library Director Nancy Claris at 736-9920,
or send a message from the Epsom Public Library Web site, www.epsom
library.com.
COLOR="#000000"
Again this year, the team from Manchester High
School West came in first in the state in the Cartoon Dimensions
challenge and will represent the state of New Hampshire at the
Global Finals for Destination Imagination in May.
The Plot and the Pendulum team put on a great performance and
are all looking forward to next year. Team members include Rachel
Jacobi and Brian Watson of Hooksett, and Emma Holt and Elaina
Runge of Bedford.
The team now must raise the $8,000 needed for the trip.
Though the time is short, the students are willing to do the
work. Unlike other organizations which require substantial funding
every year, participation in the DI program is inexpensive and
open to all students with a desire to use their creativity, intelligence
and problem-solving capabilities in unique and fun ways.
Money only becomes an issue when a team makes it to the national
level. If people want to make a tax deductible donation
they can send check to Judith Donovan Hann, made out to Manchester
West High School DI, and she will send them a receipt with the
tax ID number.
Hann's address is 70 Forest Drive, Bedford, NH 03110. You can
also e-mail her at jhann@hta-nh.com. |
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DI CHAMPS The West High School
Cartoon Dimensions team posed after receiving their trophy for
the state Destination Imagination competition recently. In front,
from left, are Max Hann, Rob Holt and Alex Berry, all of
Bedford. Behind them are Marlise Hernandez and Margaret
Bingel of Manchester, and Tina Philbrick of Hooksett. In back
are team managers Chris Sarno and Marc Hann.
(Courtesy Photo)
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