I would be interested in comments. Can World Hunger Be Stopped? I'll forward comments to Alice so she can share with her class.

The AMS Event Team Presents:

7^th Grade Coached Paideia Seminar: A Hungry Planet Closing Seminar

The hungry planet unit was designed to teach students about hunger, locally and globally. The goal was to help students get new knowledge and then use that knowledge through academic work and the creation of crafts that replicate crafts created in the parts of the world studied in this unit. The selections of crafts include:

Team 7-A: Worry Dolls and Picture Frames

Team 7-B: Batik Art

Team 7-C: African Paper Beads

Team 7-D: Braided Rag Coasters

Team 7-E: Mandalas

The fourth and fifth period 7^th grade art classes made bowls which they painted and glazed.

During the Closing Seminar World Bazaar, our reporters interviewed students and teachers on what they thought about the project, world hunger, which craft was their favorite and if it would be possible to end world hunger. This is what they had to say.

Mr. Dewhirst, 7^th grade math/science: “The craft that was my favorite was the magazine beads because the materials used to make them were virtually free and recyclable, and they are creative and beautiful,” he said, when asked which craft was his favorite.  He feels that the issue of world hunger is possible to end. He said, “Most people live in abundance; our society is used to abundance and we don’t know how to live without it. It is hard for us to fathom the concept of world hunger and the extreme need of food in the world.”

Ms.Gibbs, ESG teacher: Ms. Gibbs thinks that this Paideia project was a wonderful opportunity for students to learn about hunger through academic subjects. When asked about world hunger, she said, “There is a lot each of us could do to end it.”

Erin Wilson, 7^th grade student: Erin thought that the Paideia was for a very good cause and thought it was good to help people that were in need. She said, “I think it is possible to end world hunger, but not right now. Maybe in a few decades.”

Mrs. Sheeler, 7^th grade L.A. /S.S.: Mrs. Sheeler had this to say, “If I was in a position of higher power, the steps I would take to end world hunger would be to promote policies worldwide, support long-term solutions, and making sure women have access to education, affordable healthcare and to jobs that pay a fair wage.”

Ashley Simmons, 7^th grade student: When asked about possible solutions to end world hunger said, “I feel that world hunger can end if we all stop wasting food.”

Edan Draven, 7th grade student: “It was interesting and enjoyable because I got to learn about world hunger issues and about how to help. The best part of the Paideia project was making the magazine beads. If I was in a position of high authority, I would stop McDonalds because they sell foods with a lot of fatty acids.”

Emagine Montgomery, 7^th grade student: “I liked that I got to learn about people that don’t have as much and was able to help people. It made me think about what I have and to not take things for granted. I think it might be possible to end world hunger if we got everybody informed and prepared. If in a position of higher authority, I would develop more places like MANNA Food Bank, and get people to collect food and then I would ship it to the places that need it.”

Ms.Hedt, AMS staff:  “What I liked best about the project is the finale, because it is so amazing. If I was in a position of higher authority, I would raise taxes for the rich. Yes, I think ending world hunger is possible, because there is enough money and food in the world and people that have it need to share it.”

Mr. Battenfeld, 7^th grade counselor: “What I like best is seeing all the kids with their families at a school event. I liked every craft that each team made. I thought they were very creative. I think anything is possible with the mindset that we can do anything if we set our minds to it. If I was in a position of higher authority, I would promote more events like this (the coached Paideia project) to educate people on how poverty affects others”.

Alana Larrick, 9^th grade AHS, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Larrick: When asked if she thought world hunger could be stopped, she said: “No, I do not think that we can stop world hunger because as much as we have already tried to help these countries, we have made no headway in making the people in these countries any less hungry. We have attempted to stop world hunger, but the number of hungry people is extremely high and I don’t think it will go down for a long time.”

The menu for the World Bazaar included:

Southeast Asia: Pad Thai

India: Vegan Chana Masala

Central America: Empanadas, Honduras Baked Bananas

Africa: Yassa Au Poulet De La Casamance

Appalachia: Greens and Cornbread

Hungry Planet Background:

The seventh grade at AMS recognized a major issue related to the curriculum and created a month long unit of study focused on hunger. While studying the issues of hunger, the students explored the power they have in ending hunger by using their own voices to increase community awareness.

World Bazaar: As a closing event, students created a world bazaar where the student made crafts that were sold. The goal is to raise awareness of hunger and to donate all proceeds of the sales to MANNA food bank and Doctors without Borders (MSF).

Dr. Cocke says, “Thank you for having the best coached paideia project ever!!!”

Total Raised: $2,400.00

Do you have any questions, comments, or ideas?

If so, write a note with your name, grade, and homeroom teacher, and give them to Mr. Battenfeld (Seventh Grade Counselor) and we might put them in our next issue.

If you want to help out people who are hungry go to www.freerice.com .For every question you answer correct, you donate 100 grains of rice to help someone.

                                                         Special Thanks To:

Mr. Battenfeld, Mr. Arnold and everybody we interviewed.

Thank you!!

A few days later another index showed the Kingsport - Bristol metro ranking 14th best out of 291 areas nationwide for year-to-year home price appreciation through September 30, at 3.93 percent. To put this in perspective, nationwide figures released by the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight showed, prices declined by 6 percent over the same period.

While we have felt the crunch it has not been nearly as bad in this area as other parts of the country. I liked a quote in the article, by Bill Greer an economics professor at Milligan College, "That is not to say it is strong or perfect by any means, but I do think we continue to enjoy a degree of insulation from the national economy."

"The Tri-Cities, A Great Place To Be!"

                                  Kngsport, TN            San Diego, CA

Gas .30-.40 cents more per gallon

One last thing that they considered was medical service. Wellmont's Holston Valley Medical Center in Kingsport  is ranked as one of the top 100 cardiac hospitals in the country, and it is a Children's Miracle Network hospital.