Behind the Scenes with the Big Chill!

With time much deserved off for the holiday vacation, I've turned my attention to my side hobby of film. Part of the film school application process is to create a portfolio with projects that I have worked on!  At the moment I have 1 project. Citizen Schools Summer Institute Video  But I just begin work on a video/documentary for a Music group here in North Carolina called the Big Chill! They are a Alternative Hip Hop group in the Raleigh/Durham area.  Last night was my first filming take with the group! About 4 to 5 hours in the studio as the group work on tracks on their Sophomore album currently titled TMZ... which is named after a celebrity gossip website that talks about all the dumb trouble celebs get into. Each track is currently named after a celeb that has had a sudden misfortune (i.e. Wesley Snipes.... though one track  is name Columbus Short... which is funny but I don't know if he's had any trouble. Anyhow....

Following this first filming day... I spent today loading footage on to my hard drive and actually looking at the footage I had gotten.. This project is kind of organic and is forming as I go, I plan to go next week for another session with the group! 

But for all you On the Move followers here are some goodies for you: 

1. The Link to The Big Chill first album:  My Mix Tape Ran Away

2. Below is a sample of the Intro to the Film Documentary we're working on.. its about 25 seconds but kind of exciting because its progress lol!!!  Enjoy

Damn it Vanessa Zalapa you had me at Dear Citizen Schools

As I type this post... I find myself laughing at the fact that my emotions are on a delayed timer! It takes me a while to really let things soak and to really understand the depth of a moment. I don't know why I can't just express everything in one single swoop and get all those hard feelings out at the time they are needed, but needless to say it makes for awkward moments sometimes!

Example: Had a hard break-up once that took me forever to get over... had not really dealt with the emotions aspect of it as fast as I thought!  One night (a very long time afterwards) I watched the movie Vanilla Sky and at the end... when Tom Cruise has to make the decision to either continue to live in a fantasy where he had captured his soulmate or  he has to wake up and deal with the reality that he missed his chance to be with her... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTb95TxUc2M
( my eyes started to tear up and I began crying ! ( HAVE YOU EVER HEARD A GROWN MAN CRY!)

I know friends are going to let me have it for that part but it lead me to this part!

Today, I had a 6th grader name Vanessa make the entire staff cry.. she's legally blind, so she has a Braille machine... she wrote a letter to the Citizen Schools staff in Braille and read it during our staff meeting about how we supported her and how she loves each of the staff memebers... and how we help her during her Tuesday Apprenticeship!



Vanessa is the young lady in the middle!

 Immediately the staff, one by one, just peeled over! Even the Iron Man himself, had to step out of the Office and wipe his eyes!  But as amazing as that was, and how moved I was, I didn't cry!  I know its coming.... sometime soon... it could be while I'm chilling with you.. I just might tear up for no damn reason or cry Vanessa's name out!  Just warning you!

But, Vanessa we are so proud of you and are excited that you are in program! Keep up the work

SIX DEGREES OF CULLEN JONES

Here is my latest blog post for the Citizen Schools Second Shift Blog! Check it out and let me know what you think!!!

6th Degrees of Cullen Jones

In January 23 of my 8th Grade students will put the concept of “6 degrees of separation” to the test. They will host a huge networking fair that will help them realize the power of communication. Although the seniors of Citizen Schools have been learning about networking, we have group of 6th and 7th graders who are actually putting the “6 degrees” idea to the test.

Citizen Teacher Lauren Harris is teaching our apprentices how to swim

These 6th & 7th graders are part of an apprenticeship led by Aycock Recreation Aquatics Manager Lauren Harris and supported by second year Teaching Fellow Sara Kelleher. Their mission is to learn about water safety and the mechanics of swimming so that they can successfully compete in a relay race for their WOW.

This apprenticeship was created as part of a sustainability leadership project that Sara Kelleher was working on for her Master's degree at Lesley University. According to the research, the drowning rate of black children ages 5 to 14 is 3.1 times the rate compared to white children of the same age. During conversations with Sara, we've come to realize that unless our children have access to the Recreation Center and make sure that parents really push for them to learn, many of our kids will go through life not developing a survival l skill like swimming. I informed Sara that I was a prime example of someone who, as a child, didn't have much access to a pool or the beach. Sara saw a problem that is both a community and national issue, and found a way to have a large impact on it.

What does this have to do with 6 degrees?” Well, I’m glad you asked! Our students are attempting to reach out to Olympic Swimmer, Gold Medalist, and former NC State student Cullen Jones.

They all wrote letters to the Olympic Swimmer:

We are trying to go viral with facebook, twitter, tumblr... the works! But we need your help.

We need you to post this entry to any and every social media page you have... we need to actually put the “6 Degrees” concept into action between now and December 9th, so that we can communicate to Mr. Cullen Jones how meaningful it would be if he came and supported (or even swam a lap with the kids) at their WOW! Will you help us in our mission? Pass this article on to all your contacts and networks!!

Olympic Swimmer and Gold Medalist Cullen Jones is a
former member of the NC State Swim Team. We're trying to get him to our
WOW and we need your help

Gearing Up for Greatness

I’m On The Pursuit Of Happiness/ And I Know Everything 

That Shines Ain’t Always Gonna Be Gold/ I’ll Be Fine Once I Get It; I’ll Be Good

- Kid Cudi 

Our goals this year: 

* Retain at least 75 students from Fall to Spring

* Improve attendance 4 points to 91% 

*  Push Literacy in all aspects of our program ( improve from 56% in ELA)

* 1/4 of our students in the Junior Honor Society

* Celebrate our children success at every opportune moment! 
* Plan a huge end of the year trip to Boston, MA    

So after being away for two weeks in Boston for Summer Institute. We return back to Henderson to set up our office and begin our campaign of another Citizen Schools School year.  Summer Institute is an annual conference that Citizen Schools has in Boston, MA where all the leadership of the organization meets to recommit to the organization's goals and do some professional development. The week was very inspirational and allowed for us to see where we need to get to in order to run a very high quality program.  Check out this video (made by yours truly). 

So we get back to HMS.. and our office was cleaned and furniture out of placed. We realized that we needed to change the office up so that it breathes and feels welcoming, its clean and we take ownership of it. The classroom is messed up... the Chalk boards were unusable and wall near the windows is falling apart and is probably asbestos ridden.  Ants nest are in all parts of the wall... need I say more....

  

 

            We've made several complaints and it seems that the school can't get the maintenance crew to fix anything... so we are taking matters into our own hands... The pictures below are what I would like to say is apart of Operation: Inside Man.... We are planning to fixed the Chalk boards and work on that side wall.

Last year I think we were all new to Henderson and were trying to get adjusted and figure out running program.. but this is our year to do big things. Along with Classroom repairs, we are also trying to recruit Citizen Teachers so fill our Apprenticeship roster.... 

                                         

"Do you want to give back?" or " Do you want to expose middle school students to what you do for a living in fun and exciting ways?"  Share your passions and interests and become a Citizen Teacher!!! More Information on Volunteering

We are all Witnesses to the Exodus of Lebron from Cleveland!!

 Here is an article/ note I posted on Facebook, about 24 hours after Lebron had made his decision to leave Cleveland and head to Miami

Dear Facebook,
I want to publicly apologize to Lebron for my several hundred hateful and spiteful comments yesterday. I'm not mad at Lebron... I guess I'm mad at the sport of basketball and the harsh ushering in of a new generation. I would like to consider myself a basketball purist (though I probably halted in skill after 7th grade). I hated the Lakers when they got all those guys back in the day to win a NBA (Championship) Malone, Horry, Payton, etc, or the Boston 3 Party! This just seems like teams would rather just assemble players like Voltron than develop the players that are there. While this takes time and years, I guess I'm just fearful of the Yankee syndrome hitting the NBA...

I'm also fearful... of the lack of loyalty that is in sports these days! To me it it all started when Deion Sanders made his debut with Dallas against the Falcons (anybody remember that!) or when Horace Grant left the Bulls to go play for the Magic!( I'm sure we can dated the oldest move back to the Babe Ruth Trade (lol) ) Or the more recent stab in the back... Johnny Damon going to the Yanks.

Sports Loyalty along with ideas of "Love" have been twisted and misinterpreted by movies and popular culture! We watch movies like Any Given Sunday, Major League (though its a comedy), 61, Field of Dreams.. and in these movies there's a theme of loyalty... you have fan favorites stars whom stay with their team for a lifetime. You had Capt. Rooney, Jake Taylor, Roger Maris, and all the great baseball players that haunt Kevin Costner.

Remove

As I look at the list of movies I just rattled off I realize that there isn't a basketball movie that I can put there.. Hoosiers is a college basketball movie. Could it be that basketball is the only sport where that type of loyalty isn't the norm? We have living examples of it, Jordan, Magic, Bird, Ewing, Erving, Robinson, Olajuwon, etc... While all on this list for exception of Ewing have NBA championships, most of these players made their career in one place.

While people HATE Kobe..and I did too for a hot minute, you gotta appreciate what Kobe does. Kobe waited!! I'm sure "JUST" like Jordan he probably year end and year out gave management an earful about the talent on the team... It's his team! Everyone dissed him when Shaq got traded.. but then again if its his team.. why are people heated!! But he helped develop those players. During LA's off years, while we looked at the San Antonio's and Boston's and Detroit,the Lakers were getting their shit together! That's the loyalty and the leadership that I believe is lacking in the NBA today. Some would Argue that D.Wade understands that which is why we have this trifecta heading to Miami... but does he? Being the Franchise player means that you have to do more than hit buzzer beaters and dunk on everybody in the NBA (which is nice and forces me to waste valuable time on you tube), but you force your organization to build around you! Why couldn't D.Wade go to Cleveland? Because he's the franchise in Miami, Why didn't Kobe get traded to Miami, because he's the franchise in LA. Lebron you gotta make pieces fit around you not vice-versa!

Am I just writing because I'm little upset that he didn't come to Chicago... a little who wouldn't be?? But, I'm more upset for the fans of Cleveland who thought they had a leader who could return the game of basketball to its once glory! Now I guess the people of Ohio will have to root solely for the Buckeyes again and pray that their state doesn't become the country's saving grace for an election like it did in '04!

Lebron I'm disappointed...but then again who am I, and I'm sure I'll buy a ticket to see you, Wade, and the other guy you picked up in this fiasco free agency draft...


Sincerely,

Angelo Cross

Cloudy with a chance of PSYCHE!!!

Today, we were suppose to have a staff BBQ after work, to celebrate our time together. Weather Channel.com predicted that there were going to be "scattered Thunder storms", what a bunch of professional liars they are! 

It didn't even rain, not a single drop!!!!! I made these ribs last night.  My mom use to make ribs in the winter time and I always wonder how in the hell did she stand outside during Chicago Winters and grill ribs..... come to find out she made them in the oven!

Recipe:
Ingredients 
Spare Ribs
Stubbs BBQ Spice Rub
Stubbs Basting Sauce
KC Master Piece BBQ Sauce
2 Aluminum Trays ( Lasagna Pans)  This depends on how many ribs you have
Aluminum Foil

Process:
1. Take Ribs out of Package and wash them with warm water. Then use paper towels and pat them dry
2. Place Ribs on a sheet of Aluminum Foil and then season your ribs with the dry Rub. You will want to cover both sides of the rib as seen in the picture below: Then wrap the ribs with the foil and place them in the Lasagna tray.

3. Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees. Once the oven is heated, place your ribs in the oven. You are going to want to cook them for 35-40 on each side for a total of 70- 80 mins.  Be careful when take the ribs out to turn them over.

4. After ribs have cooked for 70 to 80 minutes take them out. Using a brush, you are then going to want to add the Basting sauce on them.

5. After applying Basting sauce you will then put them back in the oven for another 15 minutes.

6. Afterwards, let the ribs cool and then cut them up to individual ribs and rib tips and add BBQ sauce, or if you are preparing Ribs for the grill the next day.. you can keep them whole and refrigerate them, bring them out when your grill is out. You can put the on the grill so they can get that smokey flavor and then you can add the BBQ...

7. Enjoy Ribs and Say to yourself... " Man Lo put his foot in these RIBS!"

Had to give them to the Custodians at the school so they wouldn't go to waste!! My staff enjoy them... wonder if the custodians liked them!!

SHAKING OFF THE RUST!

"Welcome to your life...there's no turning back, even while we sleep, we will find you acting on your best behavior, turn your back on mother nature... everybody wants to rule the world!" 

-Everybody wants to rule the world - Tears for Fears

So blog readers it has been quite sometime since my last post... The end of the semester was hectic. Usually doing this time of year, my blog entries are usually a lot less. As I started up my journal entries back up , I am trying to contemplate what this summer's focus is going to be on.  As I reflect on 2009 and the middle of 2010, I realized that I have developed some horrible habits that have really put a damper on my quality of life. As I turned 28 in May and I realized that 5 years have past me by. I am trying to learn how to appreciate the simpler things in life and understand what true happiness is. 

I think these two years have taught me a lot about myself  and about some of the habits that I need to break in order to become a better person! Traveling from place to place has made it difficult to meet people and bond with people.  This along with awkward conversational skills truly affect my social life. Its been a lonely road.But I'm realizing that awkwardness arises when people just choose not to be themselves and I've fallen victim to that. It was once said to me that you shouldn't let impulses or things you feel fester and lie dormant inside of you or in your head! 

So here is to a Summer of the Unexpected, to living life, being honest with myself and others, and being bold and brave. I'm excited to share these experiences with you!


Until Next Time,

"Until then Get out, be bold, and feed your Soul!"

Abria Lewis Memorial

From this day forth, in front of Henderson Middle School stands a purple bench. That bench is where Abria will sit and watch over all who enter the doors of HMS! We should be so lucky to have such an amazing Guardian Angel! You're even luckier to have been in her presence before she earned her wings

April 9, 2010 

On what would have been Abria Lewis's 13th Birthday family members, Henderson Middle and Community members gather together to unveil a Memorial. 

Ayana & June 

(her Parents) 

To have two of your children pass away, would break and destroy many people. While devastated, Ayana & June are the strongest people I have ever met in my life. Their faith and conviction in God and his mysterious ways is second to none! 

I can only hope that one day I'm as grounded and as strong to be able to face such trials and test presented and withstand them. 

 

Campus Director Retreat. Greensboro, NC

In search of brighter days, I ride through the maze of the madness,Struggle is my address, where pain and crack lives,Gunshots comin' from sounds of Blackness,Given this game with no time to practice,
Born on the Black list, told I'm below average,A life with no cabbage,That's no money if you from where I'm from,Funny, I just want some of your sun Dark clouds seem to follow me,Alcohol that my pops swallowed bottled me,No apology, I walk with a boulder on my shoulder,It's a Cold War - I'm a colder soldier,
Hold the same fight that made Martin Luther the King,

-Common "A Dream"

Greensboro, NC 
March 30- 31, 2010 

On Tuesday and Wednesday of this week. I got the opportunity to get together with the rest of the leadership team here in North Carolina for retreat. During these two days we explored the International Civil Rights Museum, work with an Americorps program called Youth Focus, get our hands dirty with film editing software, learn about valuable academic support tools, troubleshoot apprenticeship obstacles, and learn how to clear the mind and center ourselves via Hapkido class.




This could be the last time all five of us are together. Erik is leaving in May to go to Brazil. The remaining four of us may be returning but in potential different roles. Its been great to work with this group here in North Carolina. If this is truly our last time together then I'm glad it we were able to spend it like this!

These past two days have been very refreshing and invigorating. During our dinner, we managed to hold a conversation without using the words Citizen Schools or anything related to work. The topic of conversation was Ms.Badu's latest video where she is walking nude through downtown Dallas.
Question: What would you do if you were walking with your child and Erykah Badu walked by with no clothes on?

The conversation centered around how we would deal with our kids seeing all that goodness exposed by Badu. Answers varied!!!

I think the best part of the retreat was our time spent at Youth Focus. We got to work one on one with some at-risk kids at this home for runaways and homeless youth. We did a Team building activity. A variation of the Egg drop. A "Hot Air Egg Time Machine" competition were one of our staff was paired up with a child and the duo have to build a machine that could float in the air.When we met the kids they had these really bored ass looks on their face. I was a bit nervous that this wasn't going to go over very well with them. For a moment, I had a flashback to program and my kids.  Fortunately, they loved the activity!  I wanted to Photography the Museum and the Homeless shelter, but neither would allow us to take photos! 

Getting that Senioritis

Happiness/more or less/It's just a change in me/ Something in my liberty/Oh, my, my/ Happiness/Coming and going/I watch you look at me/Watch my fever growing/I know just where I am/ But how many corners do I have to turn?/How many times do I have to learn /All the love I have is in my mind?/ But I'm a lucky man
With fire in my hands

-The Lucky Man - Verve Pipe 

For the last five years, our top CDs have had a special training pathway for future leadership at Citizen Schools and related positions in the education and non-profit fields. The Senior Campus Director position has been rewarding exceptional CD performance and encouraging longer CD tenure (since the longer CDs stay, the more their students achieve). Senior CDs: Run model campuses and lead their peers as regional/national trainers and mentors Pair up with a mentor, internal or external, to support their continued professional growth and development. Participate in select National Strategy Retreats Convene periodically as a group to assess their progress and share best practices Receive a salary boost each year they remain as Senior CDs A Selection Committee comprised of organizational leaders who have a programmatic or recruitment focus has chosen this year’s cohort for meeting these criteria: 1. Served for two full program years as a Campus Director 2. Achieved strong-to-exceptional performance on their Program Scorecard throughout their tenure 3. Demonstrated skill in staff development 4. Demonstrated thought leadership and organizational-building skill at the regional and/or national levels (e.g., trainer, peer exchange, campus contribution to best practices distribution) We’re proud to introduce the six newest Senior Campus Directors!

Life is crazy! One moment you are struggling, the next you feel like you are on the top of the world. Its a unique story that started in Schenectady,NY in 2005. I was a file clerk and janitor at a private practice dental office. I had no clue what I wanted to do with my life. I had taken the LSAT and done poorly on it. I remember talking to Dr. Donald Liebers one morning during one of our 5 mile runs. We talked about life. I had express to him my frustration about my current situation.  His response was " you just gotta bust ass and do what's necessary to get to were you want to be. There's no substitute for hard work!"  Now five years and 4 states later, here I am in a better position to do work that I'm passionate about.

I was recently re-reading the book The Alchemist by Paulo Coehlo. It follows a young Shepherd name Santiago on his journey to fulfill his destiny or "Personal Legend". There is two quotes that stuck with me from that book.

Quote #1
When you know [the Universal Language], it’s easy to understand that someone in the world awaits you, whether it’s in the middle of the desert or in some great city.  And when two such people encounter each other, and their eyes meet, the past and the future become unimportant.  There is only that moment, and the incredible certainty that everything under the sun has been written by one hand only.  It is the hand that evokes love, and creates a twin soul for every person in the world.  Without such love, one’s dreams would have no meaning

Quote #2
And, when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.”

While I am still waiting for Quote #1 to happen lol, I believe quote #2 to has some truth in it. When you want to accomplish something and other people are in agreement of that endeavor people will support and aide you so that feat is completed. If you haven't read the Alchemist its a good read, pick it up!

- Photographer Extraordinaire

So this weekend I drove down to Charlotte get some fresh air and get my golf game on. I went to hang out with my friend Erik Turner and his family. We went golfing along with his two sons. I brought my camera along and I gave it to Erik's youngest and gave him free reign to take
pictures. I promised his son I would post on my blog his photos. If you are interested in buying some of this photographer's art please leave a message on the blog.

The Creative Mind of the Youngest Turner

Night at the Pinhook w/ The Big Chill

(From Left to Right: Genius the Animal, The Chad, and Alicia Marie)

So Wednesday Night, I went to check out this Hip Hop Group called the Big Chill. They are releasing their album soon, and this was their first big performance as a group. My friend Chad is apart of the group. He had been talking about his group and getting into the studio. I didn't know how serious it was until I saw his link on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/TheBigChill#!/TheBigChillNC?ref=ts) and when I check out his show on. The show was official. Their group was one of a couple of group that performed, but they did well for their first outing.

NEWS FLASH!!!!!
So for those of you that don't know. Next year is going to be my last year with Citizen Schools. I am planning on applying to film school. Currently I've been work on a portfolio to turn. While I don't have much stuff, I have begun to get involved in some projects. The latest news that I have is that I am going to work with the this group on a music video. Figure we could kill two birds with one stone. They need some publicity and I need some project to show off in my portfolio. It all started when I was talking with Chad. I was telling him about my aspirations for film school and my need for a portfolio. He suggested that I help him do a video. I wrote up a concept and sent it to the group and they were down with it. We are currently trying to put together our production crew. More news to follow!!!!

Ichibar Japanese Restaurant
http://www.ichibar.com/
901 S. Beckford Dr., Henderson, NC 27536

So there is this Sushi bar in Henderson, NC that is very delicious. Ichibar, which was opened in 2006, is located in the small strip mall off of Dabaney Rd. It is a very small and quaint spot. There are private party rooms that can hold up to 6 people. The dishes are very good and reasonable in price. Lunch prices range from $5.00- 12.00 and dinner can range from $8 - 22.

During this food run, I went with my Teaching fellows. I have been meaning to get back to posting and blogging. It has taken me quite some time to get focus and knock this out. Kaylor Garica, who is one of my Teaching Fellows (TF), has a background in Graphic Design. She actually created my On the Move Logo above. I'll probably get another photo up there, but for right now it will do. My TFs, Kaylor Garcia,Kyle Taperek and Sara Kelleher are going to be contributing writers to the blog.

My goal is to post entries could focus on food, places, people, and work related experiences that I have.

Contributing Writers:

Sara Kelleher, (TF1) UNC (chapel Hill) Graduate, Speech Writer, and Journalist extraordinaire, 6th Grade Specialist, and Professional MMA Fighter. Broke a man's nose in Cuba with what she calls a "gancho"(uppercut) and cruz (cross). She also speaks perfect Spanish. Her Spanish is so good, the CIA beg her to persuade Castro to reopen peace and trading negotiations with the US.

Kaylor Garcia - Curriculum & Volunteer Specialist, American University Graduate, and Filatina. Kaylor is what we would call a "Baby Genius." While many of us were playing with toys and watching TV, Kaylor was discovering the formula for "Cold Fusion." When she was 5, she was invited to a round table discussion with John Nash to discuss the Game Theory. For fun, Kaylor disarms nuclear war heads, and juggles plutonium, and can bench press 1000 lbs on Nintendo Will using her mental powers.



Kyle Taperek, UNC (chapel Hill) Graduate, 8th Grade Academy Coordinator, lyricist and Teen Heartthrob. Kyle comes to my staff, after turning down record deals with both Def-Jam and Shady-Aftermath. If you are interest in getting a sample of Kyle's Freestyle skills just go to you tube and type in tubesteak. Kyle wrote Tubesteak's verses!! Kyle also played basketball for UNC. His jump shot is like water, and opponents have to sign a waiver to guard him! He's also been know to parade around Franklin Street posing as Dimitri Martin!

Citizens for Citizen Schools

http://www.firstgiving.com/angelocross

So Every year my organization does this annual fundraiser to help support the work that is being down in the schools on the ground level. After reaching out to all my networks to raise money for Abria Lewis ( my student who died in the a fire in late November), it's really difficult for me to ask those same people for more money for a cause is is worthy but not as urgent as what we did in November for the Lewis Family. If you are interested, click on the link above, its for an amazing cause and would help our organization out greatly!

Video Editting

Hey On the Move Fans, I'm currently learning how to edit film using Sony Vegas Studio. I know its been a while that you've heard from me, but I'm coming back with a vengeance! I'm going to be using Videos to post in my blog, along with written entries. Let me know what you think of the videos. This first one is a work in progress. I recently got a new digital camera that I've been trying out. I am working on a intro to my blog. I'm planning on cutting it down to like one minute.

Enjoy,

The Mellow Fellow