Hello From Sarasota Florida

I know you're 3000 miles away but THERE'S NO NEED TO SHOUT!!!!!!!!!!!

Welcome aboard Howard.

I see you have suitable golfing weather in Florida at this time of year. Lucky wotsit!

The website link you posted says it has an expired domain. There's just lots of property/real estate info on it.

What is it that you do in this Youth Group? Sounds very admirable.

Welcome Hjack. Please feel free to join in the discussions.

I would like to introduce myself. My name is Howard Karasick and I am the director of the Sarasota County Youth Foundation. The Youth Foundation was started in 1989 for the express purpose to recognize the achievements of the young people of Sarasota County. I had been very disturbed by the newspaper, television, and other type of media's handling of young people.
I feel that sometimes the media would rather focus on what's wrong, than focus on what's right. Does it sell more newspapers? I don't know. Does it put good kids in the background? That I do know. absolutely. My background is teaching, where I have a Master's Degree in Special Education from Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, Kentucky. It is very important to me that the young people see themselves as they truly are: capable of achieving in many different areas. Academic, Athletic, Civic, and Cultural. Our focus, as a youth foundation, is to bring these kids to light, for our community. To tell the community who they are, and what they are doing. We do this by way of a tv show, called, "Just Kids", two concerts called, "Just Kids, Just Music", and a county wide elementary school spelling bee. This gives young people, who are doing the good things, the opportunity to be recognized for their accomplishments. For some reason, people feel that it's more important to fix the leaking roof or the squeaky door. My feeling is, if you pay proper attention to the roof and the door, things like that don't have to be fixed. All young people are looking for recognition, depending on how it's handled; the acts of the kids can either be positive or neither. Either way, they get the same result.
They will be recognized for doing something wrong, but not by SCYF, whereas they will be recognized for doing something right by SCYF. During the 16 years of our existence. We find that when youngsters feel good about themselves, they have the desire to achieve even higher. Those who are not recognized and achieving, will also find a way to be noticed.
Unfortunately, it's not always a positive. We must find what the kids are doing right, through their academic, athletic, civil, and cultural achievements, so they can feel like I am, I can, I will.
We are a non-profit, 501c-3 organization. Donations are tax deductible, according to state laws.
©2001-2005 Sarasota Youth Foundation. All rights reserved. Website designed & hosted by WebsTheLimit.com