A Small Victory For Aids Alert
Brandie Jones points optimistically to the mark an AIDS test left on her inner elbow, certain she’s invincible but wanting proof anyway.
She’s a junior at Project CDA (Creating Dropout Alternatives) and a realist. For sexually active people, she says, “The test just makes sense.”
AIDS isn’t a hush-hush topic with 17-year-old Brandie, her classmates or their teachers. When teacher Stephanie Bennett heard about the North Idaho AIDS Coalition’s poster contest for World AIDS Day next month, she took it straight to Brandie’s class.
“I didn’t expect all of them to want to do it, but I got an overwhelming response,” Stephanie says.
Lori Lochelt wishes she could say the same. She’s the director of the AIDS coalition and sent out poster contest information twice to 17 North Idaho high schools. Lori even called every school. Stephanie was the only teacher in five counties who was interested.
Other teachers said the contest didn’t fit into their lesson plans or the timing of the project was wrong.
Only one student outside Stephanie’s class participated, and she was from New Vision, Post Falls’ alternative school.
“Some of these kids have such a hard life,” Stephanie says, as students fill her small classroom with teenage bulk and noise. “They grow up a little faster.”
Her students admit their sexual activity with unnerving frankness and speak of spending the money they won in the contest on their children. They accept AIDS as reality for their generation.
“I always think about it when I’m with a girl,” says junior Ryan Flowers.
People are up front at Project CDA, and that’s one of the school’s advantages. It doesn’t back away from tough subjects or reality.
“I don’t like that this contest wasn’t even offered to other kids,” says junior Tristyn Lunceford. “I’m scared myself of AIDS and I’m afraid for my little brother.”
These kids know the statistics - 37 AIDS deaths in the Panhandle, 16 living with AIDS and 42 living HIV-positive, including nine teens statewide. They know how AIDS is spread and what it will do to them.
So they protect themselves and try to give the next generation hope. Butterflies and rainbows, mosaics of color and hopeful slogans such as “Creating Hope for Children” cover their posters.
“I want kids to know that someday there’ll be a cure,” junior Michelle Hook says. “I don’t want them to be depressed.”
Just aware.
Spud-licious
Regina Zimmerman wasn’t the only person with Spudnut memories. Aficionados of the doughnuts have been begging for the recipe ever since the Spudnuts story ran last week. A sympathetic colleague of mine found this one, from Robert Penrod, on the Internet:
Mix one large potato, peeled, cooked, mashed and cooled, with one beaten egg, a half cup of sugar, one teaspoon baking powder and three to four tablespoons of cocoa. Add a quarter cup of flour, then up to a quarter cup more in small amounts to form a sticky dough. Roll dough in balls the size of cherry tomatoes. Heat oil deep enough to float the balls. Ease balls into the hot oil and fry, stirring gently for 30 seconds to one minute until outsides are crisped. Drain them on paper towels. When the balls are cooled to lukewarm, shake them in a bag with powdered sugar.
Light ‘em up
The Post Falls Arts Council understands Christmas spirit. It’ll bring people together in Falls Park on Nov. 30 to light the holiday season by holding candles and flashlights. School kids will sing and everyone is invited to enter a wreath-making contest.
People will pile canned food for the Post Falls Food Bank in front of their favorite wreath. The wreaths will go to local retirement homes, senior centers, etc.
What’s your favorite North Idaho Christmas season tradition? Croon about it to Cynthia Taggart, “Close to Home,” 608 Northwest Blvd., Suite 200, Coeur d’Alene 83814; fax to 765-7149; call 765-7128; or e-mail to cynthiat@spokesman.com.
, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Color photo