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Show Page 2 The West View Teen Gives Back to Her Community as Tutor, Mentor by Melissa Sillitoe and Charlotte Fife-Jepperson walls, but didn’t know the proper ful mentoring situation.” technique, Toni quickly got on The hardest thing Birky ever lived through was when one of her the internet to find out how,” said FairPark teen Toni Birky, 15, doesn’t think it’s unusual to spend two afternoons each week tutoring younger children at the Northwest Multi-purpose Center. She enjoys helping people; her other volunteer efforts include babysitting and doing housework for an elderly widow who lives in her neighborhood. She also practically grew up at the center, having hung out there since she was eight years old. Birky’s official volunteer duties in the Northwest Multi-purpose Access to Technology (CAT) Computer Lab began when CAT Volunteer Coordinator Tamara Wharton noticed her hanging out at Northwest every weekend and recruited her to help. “After Toni’s first day of volunteering, I thought “She won’t come back.’ Teen-agers are typically unreliable. Well, she proved me wrong by coming back week after week,” said Wharton. In fact, Birky is so dedicated that she was named Volunteer of the Month in April. | Wharton praises Birky for her self-motivation and innovative problem solving. “One day when the children at the CAT Lab wanted to paint clouds on the Wharton. The result was a CAT Lab painting party, where a dozen adults and children spruced-up the old sky-blue walls with freshly sponged-on | white clouds, green hand-print best friends died tragically a cou- ple of years ago. “It’s been really hard,” she said. She recommends volunteering as a good way to stay positive, gain a sense of fulfillment, and get to know the people in your neighborhood. Birky likes living on the West Side. “It’s fun,” she said. ‘“There’s not a lot of stuck-up people here.” She also works at Lagoon, plays on West High’s basketball team, and hangs out with her friends—often at the Northwest Multi-purpose grass, and yellow stenciled daisies. The Northwest CAT Computer Lab, located inside the Northwest Multi-purpose Center at 300 North 1300 West, is just one of several Salt Lake County CAT labs with the mission to teach fundamental literacy, basic computer literacy and ESL to people of all ages. Center. , Birky, who hopes to become an elementary school teacher someThe Northwest CAT folks are Outstanding teen volunteer Toni Birky reads to young girl in day, invents activities and lesson hoping to recruit more west-side the Northwest Community Access to Technology Lab. plans for the two children, ages 6 volunteers for their Child Literacy Photo by Tamara Wharton and 9, whom she tutors through the project, which begins again each Northwest Child Literacy project. Tuesday and Thursday, from 3:00 This pilot project was launched students about two children, who her students tell her their latest : -5:00 p.m., between June 28 to in April in partnership with the dig a pit and sit inside. To test news. “Mostly they talk about their August 4. If interested, please conFamily Literacy Center (a private, their reading comprehension and families and how they love them,” tact Tamara at 455-9179. nonprofit literacy organization), keep their interest, Birky asks her she says. Northwest Multi-purpose Center, students to draw pictures of a pit. “The kids look forward to and the County CAT program. She asks what it would it feel like seeing Toni each Tuesday and The literacy project is a sixto sit inside one. She listens to Thursday and readily express week tutoring program that begins their stories, real and imagined, great glee when they get to read Editor Charlotte Fife-Jepperson with a reading assessment for each that the books inspire. with her,’ said Wharton. “The Assistant Editor Norma Hendrickson child. The children read through Birky sees the students as Northwest: CAT program actively Layout/Design Chad Jepperson a series of books that gradually younger | seeks. to involve community memDistribution Salt Lake West Journal builds their reading skills. brothers and sisters rather than as Consultant/Advisor James A. Fisher bers in these young peoples’ lives. Legal Advisor Mary C. Gordon Birky reads a story with her an assignment. Between stories, As a result, it has created a beauti- THE WEST VIEW Advertising Salt Lake West Journal Staff - Dale Young, Boyd Petersen FIGHT continued from page 1 USA International Martial Arts and Legends Martial Arts. He also received the Ed Parker Legacy Award for Achievement in Martial Arts and is a four-time world champion in the World Kick-Boxing Association. _ Having graduated in 1991 from Long Beach (Calif.) University with a major in psychology, Newman also knows a thing or two ‘about pointing impressionable youth in the right direction. “I do touch lives,” he said, ’but they also touch me. People come through this facility and affect me. You get attached to people.” David Schneeweiss, who him active, not isolated, and he adapts. He has self-confidence and is part of their family.” The Coliseum is attracting a variety of patrons. Perhaps due to the success ~ CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS © Chad Jepperson ¢ Charlotte Fife-— _Jepperson * Tamara Wharton CONTRIBUTING WRITER Jeremy King is autistic, is one to whom Newman has become attached. He is the 2005 Special Olympic bronze medalist in martial arts, and won the martial arts handicap division in 2002 and 2004. Newman praises his skills as a snowboarder and artist. Schneeweiss painted a 5 ft. ninja on the Coliseum’s weight room wall. | “Being autistic doesn’t put limitations on people,” Newman said. “You do.“ “His parents keep STAFF WRITERS _ Norma Hendrickson Dale J. Neilson ¢ Melissa Sillitoe of Schneeweiss, other autistic children are attending activities there. Lawyers, doctors and juveniles also make it a place to train, said Newman. The facility is making Ceser Olmedo “one of the up and coming fighters in Utah,” Newman said. Promotional silk-screened T-shirts of Olmedo, wearing a sombrero and boxing gloves, The West View is a community-based newspaper, providing a voice and informational resource for residents and businesses on the west side of Salt Lake City. We welcome commu- nity involvement and appreciate story and photo contributions. We reserve the right to edit all submissions for style and space, and will not publish anything that is defamatory or slanderous in nature. Please email submissions to the editor and include your full will be sold for $18 at the June 18 event. Olmedo is 4-0 in professional boxing. Other successful Utah fighters to watch for at the boxing show are Andrew Poulas and James Sundin. name, city or community, and telephone number. You may also deliver your submissions to us on a compact, floppy or zip disc. As an insert in the Salt Lake West Journal, The West View has a circulation of around 24,500 copies delivered monthly to every household and busi- 60 Other MONTH Rates & Perms CD Ga ao ae "$900 Minimum Deposit * Substantial Penalty For Early Withdrawal * Federally Insured by NCUA Raies And Terms Are Subject to Change Without Notice * This Offer Valid 7 rough 8/32/2005 Coupon may not be combined with any other promotional offer * Membership & Eligibility Required. O5-05 SEW} Salt Lake City Credit Union www. siccu.org Salt Lake City * Taylorsville * West Jordan * Sandy * 486-7255 ness on also available the West Side. FRIENDS in continued from page senior centers, 1 local on It is newsstands recreation centers, shopping cen- ters, libraries, and on the web at was a Seventh-day Adventist. They held heated religious discussions, but always respected each other’s beliefs. Henry didn’t call Lawrence on Saturdays and Lawrence returned the favor on Sundays, unless it was something very important. Lawrence deemed visiting Henry important enough that she did so the last Saturday before she died. Henry and Lawrence traveled together for the NAACP, the honor society and Henry’s foundation. Lawrence said she never would have had such experiences had it not been for the vision of her remarkable friend. www.thewestview.org. ) Please contact us if you live outside the distribution area and would mailing like to be added list. The to our subscription rate is $15 per year (12 issues). Our Contact Info: edior@ dewesiview org The West View 1094 Garn Way SLC, UT 84104 (801)355-9572 http://www.thewestview.org |