One Book, One Community Essay Contest

        

     Your essay on your future could win you a $20-$100 gift card in a contest sponsored by Barnes and Nobles and the Allegheny County Library Association.  It’s part of  the One Book, One Community program that  invites everyone in the county to read The Giver by Lois Lowry.

    The Giver looks into a society that has reformed itself  to address poverty, hunger and societal problems. But as “perfect” as this society seems, it has its own flaws. It starts on a day when Jonah is feels apprehensive about the life assignment he’ll receive from the community.

       Entry blanks are available at Barnes & Nobles and libraries throughout the county for 6th graders through high school seniors.  Applications are due by April 20. For more information, call Erika Bates at 412-462-5743 or see your local librarian.

       In any case, it’s a great book and is definitely worth reading if you haven’t already.

                                                                                Tina – Beechview

Rihanna and Abuse

 I wrote this yeaterday before I read Sara Dora’s post so I was surprised what we wrote about was related.

I was taken aback last week when two 9-year-olds began looking at photo after photo of a bruised and battered Rihanna. I worry when an abusive relationship like this is seen as something to gawk at rather than the tragedy it is. If you are in a controlling relationship or think you may be, check out: http://www.wcspittsburgh.org/1.php. 

It’s natural to think the relationship will cure itself or that somehow it may be your fault especially when he apologizes and becomes more loving and generous than ever. For a while.

But there’s a cycle to abuse and it will not end until the abuser seeks help or until you leave the relationship. This article about Rihanna and Chris Brown explains it better than I can: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09066/953929-51.stm. There is help out there. Two 24-hour  hotline numbers to call are: 1-412-687-8005 or 1-877-338-8255.

Some books you might also want to read are:  In Love and in Danger: A Teen’s Guide to Breaking Free of Abusive Relationships by Barrie Levy; Date Violence by Elaine Landau; or  Everything You Need to Know about Relationship Violence by Katherine White. If you prefer to read fiction and want some idea of what abuse may be like, try Breathing Underwater by Alex Flinn or Inexcusable by Chris Lynch.

                                                     Tina – Beechview