Page 2-B Friday, December 5, 2008

WEST PHILA.

Overbrook Art Center takes hands-on learning approach

Robert Hightower Tribune Staff Writer The Overbrook Art Center has found a way to fuse studying the environment with allowing the community to express themselves through the arts. Located at 6134 Lancaster Ave., the Overbrook Arts Center has incorporated state-of-art environmentally friendly technology not only to the curriculum but also to the design of the site. Jerome Shabazz, who serves as the executive director, said his more than 20 years as an environmental educator with the Philadelphia Water Department fits the bill for what the Marc Levy HARRISBURG ? State Sen. Joe Scarnati was sworn in Wednesday as Pennsylvania?s 31st lieutenant governor, replacing the late Catherine Baker Knoll for the next two years. Scarnati, 46, will be keeping his Senate seat and his post as the chamber?s top senator, president pro tempore. The Jefferson County Republican assumed the job of lieutenant governor under the state constitution?s rules of succession, putting him second in line to Democratic Gov. Ed Rendell. under my jurisdiction will be reduced.? The move came just two days after Rendell and 47 other governors met with President-elect Barack Obama to discuss ways the federal government can work with states to weather the deepening financial crisis. Obama on a visit to Philadelphia on Tuesday called for a federal-state partnership in the creation of an economic recovery plan. ?The partnership we begin here cannot ? and will not ? Overbrook Arts Center has in store. ?As a parent, I had two sons graduate from Overbrook High,? he said. ?My next to the oldest was in an environmental service learning community and I was excited about that. I asked him what was he doing in class and he said they were learning a lot but not doing a lot.? To this end, Shabazz began laying the groundwork for the Center. ?We realized the students needed a demonstration site,? he said. ?A place where they could learn by doing.? Shabazz, while working with the Department of Environmental Protection, crafted a curriculum that called the Overbrook Environmental Education Center Project, which list- The ceremony in the Senate chamber was attended by Rendell, Senate officials and a few dozen Scarnati family members. News photographers, tape recorders and television cameras were not allowed in. The state?s deepening fiscal problems were a reason not to have a long or costly swearingin ceremony, Scarnati said. In remarks after he was sworn in, Scarnati said state policymakers must work harder to respond to the problems of state residents, and give them hope that government can improve their future, par- end here,? Obama said in a speech delivered at Independence Hall. ?I will not simply ask you to help implement our economic recovery plan. I am asking you to draft and shape that plan. If we listen to our governors, we will not only be doing what is right for our states, we?ll be doing what is right for our country.? The bipartisan group included former vice presidential candidate and Republican governor of Alaska, Sarah Palin. Obama was careful to include a note to the Republicans in the room. ?We are not going to be hampered by ideology,? he said. ed the various educational experiences for children in an urban setting. This led to the creation of the Overbrook Art Center. The lessons of living eco-friendly are not just confined to the indoors. With storm water run-off being a real issue in the community, the Overbrook Art Center uses bioretention basins, swale and green roof systems to control this. Porous asphalt and in the parking lots will help rainwater run off into sewers. There are biolabs on the premises that will be used to teach students about the native plants, microhabitats of birds, butterflies and ladybugs. An urban garden will occupy 10,000 square feet of wooded area. ticularly in difficult economic times. ?Pennsylvanians are looking for one thing: They?re looking for some hope,? Scarnati said. ?They?re looking to hope that what we do today will make a better day tomorrow. They?re looking to see that we understand the plight that?s going on.? Scarnati acknowledged that he has been a vocal critic of Rendell?s policies in the past, and described how he intends to balance the views of the Democratic governor and the Republican caucus he leads. ?I know that I?m a big ?Let?s have a conversation.? Obama left the meeting, which lasted about an hour and 45 minutes, before a press conference with the group of governors. He was unavailable for questions. According to Rendell, the group discussed a stimulus plan, which had the ?almost unanimous? support of the governors association. The conversation centered on job creation and ways the federal government can help states meet the needs of citizens as the economy slows, Rendell said. The governors and Obama agreed that infrastructure improvements could be used to generate jobs. The NGA estimated that there are $136 billion worth of infrastructure projects that could be started immediately and get people to work. ?We support strongly the infrastructure revitalization program,? he said. ?It can be a short-run solution to the economic challenges facing the country. It is the only plan out there that will add jobs to the American economy. It will put Americans back to work, and we believe it can be done quickly.? The governors also want funding for things like unemployment and food stamp pro- enough person to look beyond partisan politics in what I think is probably the largest fiscal crisis we?ve had in this commonwealth in decades,? he said. Rendell also spoke at the ceremony, and said he is confident that their disagreements will be amicable and resolved with the best interests of Pennsylvanians in mind. Scarnati?s aides will take over the duties of the lieutenant governor, who primarily is responsible for presiding over Senate sessions and chairing the Board of Pardons. Scarnati is laying off the dozen grams and other safety net programs like health care programs to help them help citizens deal with the downturn. ?Because of the hard economic times, the safety net health care programs that the states administer have faced increased pressure as people lose their jobs,? Rendell said. ?Federal help in addressing the demand for state-subsidized health care will help make sure we don?t have to cut needed services or increase taxes, both of which would have a countercyclical effect on the economy.? There have been suggestions that the economic recovery plan could cost as much as $700 billion over the next two years. However, Rendell said, it was too early to discuss cost. ?We?re very confident we?re going to get help ? what the amount is, what final shape it?s going to take. I don?t think anybody knows,? Rendell said. Palin said while she appreciated the chance to meet with the President-elect, some governors had reservations about the scope of any plan that involved large federal outlays. ?I and some of the other governors, we still have great concerns ? when much of the economic problems we face today perhaps was caused by too much debt the solution to the problem will not come from incurring more debt,? she said. ?So, we do have some concerns. This is going to be a matter of reprioritizing federal dollars.? But, the chance for involvement was a step in the right direction. ?The campaign is over and I am so appreciative of this meeting,? said Palin adding: ?I?m quite optimistic about looking forward in a bipartisan manner as we move forward with this partnership between states and the federal government.? Still, she couldn?t resist a reference to the recent contest. ?On the campaign trail I tried to convince the majority of voters that governors know best,? she said. ?Obviously that didn?t work. I?m here and VP-elect Biden is there, but I look very forward to working with him.? Obama stressed the need for quick action and promised to begin working from his first day in office. ?To solve this crisis and to ease the burden on our states, we?re going to need action, and we?re going to need action swiftly,? he said. ?That means passing an economic recovery plan that helps both Wall Street and Main Street. And this administration does not intend to delay in getting you the help that we need.? The Overbrook Art Center will hold classes on physical health, personal enrichment, artistic expression, workforce literacy and environmental sustainability. On Dec. 6, the Overbrook Arts Center will host an open house from 12 to 6 p.m. The event is free to the public. The site that the Overbrook Arts Center sits on was once a quarry. This works as part of the curriculum. The students get the first-hand view of how the land was many years ago. The Overbrook Arts Center is a part of the Juveniles Active in Science and Technology Development Services is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) company established in 1998, by Jerome and Gloria or so members of Knoll?s staff, but he said they may be able to find jobs in the administration. Knoll, a Democrat, died Nov. 12, about four months after being diagnosed with neuroen- Shabazz and is located on the Overbrook Conference Center complex. This company was created with a primary focus of contributing to the improvement of the Environment, Education and Public Health. One of the major objectives of JDS is to remove barriers for the public?s access to information that will advance the quality of life for citizens living in the inner city. To achieve this mission JDS provides to the public, no or low cost training programs, workshops, lectures and community partnerships. For more information, visit online www.overbrookenvironmental.com or call (215) 879-7770.

Scarnati is sworn in as 31st Pa. lieutenant governor

Rendell

From Page 1B

DON?T MISS THE BUS

docrine cancer. She was 78. Scarnati called Knoll ?a tremendous public servant? and vowed to ?carry out the duties of this office with dignity and integrity.? ? (AP) Barry Evans, 23, left, and Brandon Angel, 28, have made a DVD titled ?Philadelphia Homicide City: Money, Murder, and Politics.? ? ABDUL R. SULAYMAN/TRIBUNE CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER

Filmmakers

From Page 1B lence on a pedestal. ?Anybody who would say that haven?t seen the movie,? he said. ?A lot people who are not from these neighborhoods say we are trying to glorify it, but that?s not realistic.? Angel said he hopes the movie goes national, but not necessarily for financial gain. ?I think the biggest thing that would help is if the rest of the nation saw the movie,? Angel said. ?People everywhere need to see what?s going on in the streets of Philadelphia.? For more information, or to order a copy of the DVD, visit online www.philadelphiathemovie.com. The local School Activities Partnerships initiative sponsored Philly Dance ?Don?t Miss the Bus? earlier this week, featuring students from six schools in South and Southwest Philadelphia including Penrose, Shaw, Harrington and Jackson schools. Clubs included hip-hop, tap and ballroom dancing. ? SUBMITTED PHOTOS

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