LOOKING AHEAD THIS WEEK
SUMMER JOBS FOR TEENS,
Next week brings the end of the school year for Orange County’s public schools. Unfortunately, summer camp and summer job options have become quite slim; leaving area youth with few opportunities. Growing up, I had several different summer jobs (e.g. camp counselor, office intern, retail) all of which afforded me valuable experiences developing skills and building relationships. As we adjust to the changes brought by COVID-19, I encourage business owners to consider summer jobs for teens as part of their path to economic recovery.
END OF SCHOOL,
Next week marks the end of the Osceola Public School year and we can officially say “we made it.” I applaud all educators for adapting to a new way of teaching and am thankful for their commitment to teach — no matter what. I’m also thankful for the invention of bubble gum as that was the best incentive to get my first-grade daughter to complete her writing assignments. Congratulations to teachers and students for completing the school year.
CELEBRATING ASIAN HERITAGE,
May is National Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, celebrating the role Asian Americans play in shaping our great nation. Some local Orlando organizations and businesses are getting together to promote #GetAsianTakeOut all week long. What better way to learn about new cultures than through food? Whether it is ramen from Domu, soy garlic wings from Kai, or chicken tikka masala from Saffron Indian Cuisine, go out this week and support your local Asian restaurant, food truck, market, or business and share a photo on social media with the hashtag #GetAsianTakeOut and #APAHM20.
CORPORATE GREED,
President Trump and Gov. DeSantis are putting corporate greed and Wall Street ahead of saving lives. There will be a national day of action May 27 to call out policies that are destroying our communities. These so-called leaders lie, manipulate, and blame the vulnerable for their failures. They are killing people in a rush to reopen the economy, leading to more COVID-19 infections and deaths. Workers are being sacrificed. They are left with no health care, no personal protection gear, no paid sick time, a malfunctioning unemployment system and eviction notices. Rise up, hold steady and stop this hateful campaign to bury us.
Many of the 2020 graduations are entirely re-imagined this year! I watched celebrity John Krasinski take on celebrating the class of 2020 on his fun ‘Some Good News’ YouTube show. He managed to get Steven Spielberg to answer graduates’ questions as a keynote speaker. Spielberg’s message was spot on for this year’s class: “A real dream is something that not only hangs on to you, but you will hang onto it. It will power you through every obstacle people and the environment will throw against you.” It’s a great reminder to us all to stay focused on our goals.
PLAY BALL?,
If there’s one thing that can bring our divisive country together, it’s a Fall full of sports competition. With Orlando possibly being the hub for NBA and MLS games sans fans, our future looks brighter. Plus, the UCF Knights, with two unbeaten regular seasons in three years, received the NCAA go-ahead for Division 1 schools to hold voluntary athletic activities in football, men’s basketball, and women’s basketball from June 1 through June 30. Decisions about social distancing requirements are hard to imagine, but we’ll count on prudent heads to prevail in figuring out our fall sports elixir and later vaccine.
REOPENING FALL SEMESTER,
On May 28, the State University System Task Force will present guidelines for re-opening university campuses in the fall to the Florida Board of Governors. Each university will use those guidelines as a framework for developing its individual plan, which will be presented to the board on June 23. Board of Governors Chair Syd Kitson says the guidelines will be a “measured and thoughtful approach … informed by science and medical professionals.” They will allow universities to develop plans relevant to their region, collaborating with their community leaders, while prioritizing “the health and well-being of students, faculty, staff, vendors and visitors.”