Screening: Race to Nowhere on Wednesday, May 25

We'll be staying on the local scene for a while (Westchester /Playa del Rey) -- but this posting is really for anyone concerned about how we are educating our children. Race to Nowhere, the powerful documentary that focuses on America's over achievement culture and how it affects our children and our schools -- will be screening :

Wednesday, May 25, 2011 - 6:30 p.m
Open Magnet Charter School
Address: 5540 W 77th Street, Los Angeles, California
Sponsor: Friends of the Open Magnet Charter School
Tickets are $10 each in advance and $15 each at the door.

There will be a discussion panel led by the school principal, two teachers, a progressive educational consultant and an administrator for a traditional, highly successful public high school. Books mentioned in the film will be available for sale.

Please join us and spread the word to the parents in your school community to help increase awareness of the film's message and end the race to nowhere.

Details of the event is provided on the link above and you can purchase tickets there too.

Hope to see you there!

Helping Education in Westchester and Playa del Rey

SIT for a cause is participating in a local cause – Saturday, May 21 – the 2011 Race for Success 5K Run/Walk and the 1K Kids Run. Hosted at Loyola Marymount University, the beautiful course runs through the campus and is a great place to bring the whole family. And a fun way to bring charity closer to home. We'll have more after the event.

The proceeds from the Race for Success benefit the local elementary, middle and high schools in Westchester and Playa del Rey. This event has been able to raise funds each year to save programs that would otherwise have been cut due to decline in budgets. Each year our schools face financial hardships and must find many ways to raise more funds just to maintain existing programs and staffing levels. Specific allocation of funds is at the discretion of each school's Parent Teachers Organization.

There’s more news coming on the subject of education – an exciting proposal for Westchester Senior High School. Principal Robert Canosa-Carr has an inspirational pitch that must be seen and heard. Stay tuned...

Charity Begins at Home

We all know the concept, but so often forget to act on it. In this age of causes we tend to think in larger, broader circles of influence. A disease or social ill catches our attention and we are inspired to help. Marianne Williamson once said that if you’re searching for a “ministry” the best place to start was with your phone book – with those you know. Anyone there need help?

That’s how SIT for a cause started – as much an idea to help large, worthy endeavors as it was to help a sister who needed to express the artist – an artist submerged under the stresses of daily life. Or the friend whose business slumped and needed a paying project, or the local church or Little League that just needed some volunteer time.

The ripple effect starts small – but the effects can be as life changing as the discovery of some cure or the eradication of a hideous social blight. Most people that are helped in a personal way – by a friend or mentor – pay it forward, pass it on, as they continue to go through life. That small change in their trajectory that perhaps amounted to no more than simple inspiration and the purchase of a paint box, continues to benefit them and all the people they come in contact with.

So who in your circle could use a little somthin’-somthin’?