Orange County Youth Voices Announces 5th Annual Youth Voices Summer Leadership Institute!

The Youth Voices Summer Leadership Institute is an exciting, energizing and fun 6-week program that trains youth ages 15 to 19 to become effective community leaders. Participants have the opportunity to:

• •Improve leadership and team-building skills
• •Learn the fundamentals of shared group leadership, strategic planning and problem solving
• Improve self-confidence; strengthen personal development and communication skills
• Plan and complete a group community service project

There will be:

• •Leadership skills practice and discussions
• Guest speakers, field trips, and enrichment activities
• $500 stipend for each participant

Interested in learning more or getting an application?

Contact Khalia Jones at 245-2064 or YouthVoices@co.orange.nc.us, or Iris Fuller at 245-2057.

Application deadline: May 25, 2007

Call The Reps on the House Education Committee and Let Them Know that Our Children's Health Cannot Wait: Support HB 879!

We've Gotten the Bill This Far, But It's a Long Road to Go

Raleigh - House Bill 879 is getting ready to be heard by the House Education Committee and the opposition to Abstinence Based Comprehensive Sexuality Education are mobilizing with a goal to kill it where it stands. The Bill made it out of the Health Committee "without prejudice," which means the members voted to send it on without going on record whether they support it or not. What does that mean?

It means that we need to double our efforts to keep the Bill alive and moving forward! We need to pick up the phones and call the Representatives and let them know that we support the health of our youth and that means we support HB 879.

Who Ya Gonna Call? The Representatives!

Members of the House Education Committee:
MEMBER NAME * RALEIGH PHONE * HOME PHONE * PARTY AND COUNTY

• Rep. Larry M. Bell 919-733-5863 910-592-1177 (D-Sampson, Wayne) Committee Chair
• Rep. Marvin Lucas 919-733-5775 910-497-2733 (D-Cumberland) Committee Chair
• Rep. Alma Adams 919-733-5902 336-273-9280 (D-Guilford)
• Rep. Martha Alexander 919-733-5807 704-558-4670 (D-Mecklenburg)
• Rep. Marilyn Avila 919-733-5530 919-280-6084 (R-Wake)
• Rep. Curtis Blackwood 919-733-2406 704-846-6019 (R-Union)
• Rep. Alice Bordsen 919-733-5820 919-563-5264 (D-Alamance)
• Rep. Larry Brown 919-733-5607 336-972-4256 (R-Davidson, Forsyth)
• Rep. Angela Bryant 919-733-5878 252-442-4022 (D-Halifax, Nash)
• Rep. Becky Carney 919-733-5827 704-332-1893 (D-Mecklenburg)
• Rep. George Cleveland 919-715-6707 910-346-3866 (R-Onslow)
• Rep. Tricia Ann Cotham 919-715-0706 704-634-9400 (D-Mecklenburg)
• Rep William Current 919-733-5809 704-864-0337 (R-Gaston)
• Rep. Bill Daughtridge 919-733-5802 252-442-5526 Ext. 238 (R-Nash)
• Rep. Margaret Highsmith Dickson 919-733-5776 910-485-3870 (D-Cumberland)
• Rep. Jerry C. Dockham 919-715-2526 336-859-2281 (R-Davidson)
• Rep. Nelson Dollar 919-715-0795 919-233-8399 (R-Wake)
• Rep Bob England 919-733-5749 828-453-8807 (D-Cleveland, Rutherford)
• Rep. Susan Fisher 919-715-2013 828-258-5355 (D-Buncombe)
• Rep. Dale Folwell 919-733-5787 336-748-0046 (R-Forsyth)
• Rep. Rick Glazier 919-733-5601 910-484-4168 (D-Cumberland)
• Rep. Bruce Goforth 919-733-5746 828-298-6237 (D-Buncombe)
• Rep. Melanie Wade Goodwin 919-733-5823 910-205-0464 (D-Montgomery, Richmond)
• Rep. Larry Hall 919-733-5872 919-682-8823 (D-Durham)
• Rep. Mark Hilton 919-733-5988 828-464-9006 (R- Catawba)
• Rep. Bryan Holloway 919-733-5609 336-985-0826 (R-Rockingham, Stokes)
• Rep. Pat Hurley 919-733-5865 336-625-9210 (R-Randolph)
• Rep. Verla Insko 919-733-7208 919-929-6115 (D-Orange)
• Rep. Maggie Jeffus 919-733-5191 336-275-4762 (D-Guilford)
• Rep. Linda Johnson 919-733-5861 704-932-1376 (R-Cabarrus)
• Rep. James Langdon 919-733-5849 919-894-5797 (R-Johnston, Sampson)
• Rep. Jimmy Love 919-715-3026 919-775-7119 (D-Harnett, Lee)
• Rep. Mary McAllister 919-733-5959 910-488-9928 (D-Cumberland)
• Rep. Pat McElraft 919-733-6275 252-342-0693 (R-Carteret, Jones)
• Rep. Marian McLawhorn 919-733-5757 252-524-3113 (D-Pitt)
• Rep. Earline Parmon 919-733-5829 336-767-7395 (D-Forsyth)
• Rep. Ray Rapp 919-733-5732 828-689-2214 (D-Haywood, Madison, Yancey)
• Rep. Deborah K. Ross 919-733-5773 919-832-6508 (D-Wake)
• Rep. Ruth Samuelson 919-715-3009 704-366-8748 (R-Mecklenburg)
• Rep. Paul Stam 919-733-2962 919-362-8873 (R-Wake)
• Rep. Bonner Stiller 919-301-1450 910-278-5379 (R-Brunswick)
• Rep. Cullie M. Tarleton 919-733-7727 828-295-3353 (D-Ashe, Watauga)
• Rep. Charles Thomas 919-715-3012 828-681-5516 (R-Buncombe)
• Rep. Joe Tolson 919-715-3024 252-827-2749 (D-Edgecombe, Wilson)
• Rep. R. Tracy Walker 919-733-5935 336-838-0606 (R-Wilkes)
• Rep. Edith D. Warren 919-715-3023 252-753-4198 (D-Martin, Pitt)
  
• Rep. Laura Wiley 919-733-5877 336-841-0045 (R-Guilford)
  
• Rep. W.A. Wilkins 919-715-0850 336-599-7336 (D-Durham, Person)
• Rep. Larry Womble 919-733-5777 336-784-9373 (D-Forsyth)
• Rep. Michael Wray 919-733-5662 252-535-3297 (D-Northampton, Vance, Warren)
• Rep. Douglas Yongue 919-733-5821 910-276-1727 (D- Hoke, Robeson, Scotland)

Keep Up the Pressure and Keep the Bill Alive!

Call these representatives. Call them at the office and call them at home. They're our public servants: we elected them and they report to us. Don't be afraid to let them know what you think and why. Be polite, but be direct.

This Bill is opposed by a very vocal minority. 73% of parents in North Carolina told DPI that they want comprehensive sexuality education in public schools. Don't let them tell you that we are a minority.

We were the silent majority. But we're not going to be silent anymore. Take a stand, call the reps and let your voice be heard: We support real health education for our children.

An Encouraging Word from Rep. Ty Harrell

I receieved the following e-mail from Representative Ty Harrell (D-Wake) today. I think it sums up the sort of urgency we ought to be feeling in fighting for this bill, HB 879:

James,

Great to get your email. I just want to inform you that you MUST tell all recipients of this email that they must be relentless in contacting the members of this committee. If this bill means anything at all to them, they MUST email and call their Representatives! Opponents of this bill will be working tirelessly to kill it, we can not allow that to happen.

Rep. Marilyn Avila (a STRONG opponent of H879) and I taped our discussion on the bill today for NBC-17's "At Issue" program that will be aired this Sunday at 11:30am. One of the show's hosts, Donna Martinez, hit me with a question saying the bill is "anti-marriage." Please be aware that this bill is being portrayed as a Anti-marriage bill to many conservatives.

Either way, keep moving forward. I'm on your side, and will continue fightin' for you. Thank you for being one of the Good Guys!

Warmest wishes,

Ty

Rep. Ty Harrell

NC State House, District 41

16 W. Jones Street

Room 2121

Raleigh, NC 27601-1096

919.733.5602

tyh@ncleg.net

We need to get motivated and move on this Bill if we're going to return real sexual health education back to North Carolina. Enough children have suffered from our lack of urgency.

It's time we remembered that this is not about politics, it's about health.

Let's make this happen, North Carolina.

HB 879 Passes the House Health Committee!

House Bill 879, the bill that seeks to bring Abstinence Based Comprehensive Sexuality Education to North Carolina, passed its first hurdle on May Day. It passed the NC House Health Committee and was referred to the House Committee on Education.

What does this mean?

It means we won Round One. We fought the good fight and we won! A majority of committee members saw that the health and welfare of our children is the most important factor in the consideration of how we should educate our youth about their sexuality. A majority rejected Abstinence Only Until Marriage and embraced a scientifically evaluated, proven system of sexuality education that teaches abstinence and backs it up with medically based comprehensive education on sexuality.

Congratulations go out to the House Committee on Health and to all the North Carolinians who showed their support to their legislators! Cheers!

Now, onto Round Two: the House Committee on Education. We need to be three times as committed as before, because the opposition to this bill have lost their first battle and will be twice as committed to derailing this bill.

So please, even if you've already sent an email, already called your legislator, already showed up at the Legislature: We Still Need Your Support.

Here is the list of email addresses for members of the House Education Committee:

larryb@ncleg.net
Marvinl@ncleg.net
Almaa@ncleg.net
Marthaa@ncleg.net
Marilyna@ncleg.net
Curtisb@ncleg.net
Aliceb@ncleg.net
Larrybr@ncleg.net
Angelab@ncleg.net
Beckyc@ncleg.net
Georgec@ncleg.net
Triciac@ncleg.net
Billcu@ncleg.net
Billd@ncleg.net
Margaretd@ncleg.net
Jerryd@ncleg.net
Nelsond@ncleg.net
Bobe@ncleg.net
Susanf@ncleg.net
Dalef@ncleg.net
Rickg@ncleg.net
Bruceg@ncleg.net
Melanieg@ncleg.net
Larryh@ncleg.net
Markh@ncleg.net
bryanh@ncleg.net
Path@ncleg.net
Verlai@ncleg.net
Maggiej@ncleg.net
Lindajo@ncleg.net
Jhl@ncleg.net
Jimmyl@ncleg.net
Marymc@ncleg.net
Patm@ncleg.net
Marianm@ncleg.net
Earlinep@ncleg.net
Raymondr@ncleg.net
Deborahr@ncleg.net
Ruths@ncleg.net
Pauls@ncleg.net
Bonners@ncleg.net
Culliet@ncleg.net
Charlest@ncleg.net
Joet@ncleg.net
Tracyw@ncleg.net
Edithw@ncleg.net
Rayw@ncleg.net
Lauraw@ncleg.net
Winkiew@ncleg.net
Larryw@ncleg.net
Michaelw@ncleg.net
Douglasy@ncleg.net

Drop them an email and let them know that you support HB 879. Let them know that you care about the youth of North Carolina. Let's win every battle; let's win the war.

The children are counting on us, North Carolina.