Lives in Motion
I spent the last week at Columbia University in New York learning about the missions and challenges of community colleges across the nation.
The Hechinger Institute fellowship was an amazing opportunity to hear from college leaders, policy analysts and researchers about two-year colleges, which educate nearly one-half of our nation’s college students.
But one of the most inspirational moments took place not in the historic halls of Columbia’s Teachers College, but on the airplane ride home.
On the short flight from Dallas to Will Rogers, I met a young man named Luis. The high school senior from Boulder, Colo., was enroute to his sister’s home in Oklahoma City and then to apply for enrollment at Oklahoma City Community College.
Luis, who lives in a Colorado housing project, wants to study music and business. American Idol aside, this first-generation American has a passion for singing but knows he needs a college degree to succeed in any field.
He can’t afford the University of Colorado, but was told by a high school counselor to check into community colleges. While out-of-state tuition at OCCC is less than he’ll pay if he stays in Colorado, he hopes to qualify for financial aid as an emancipated minor.
Today, I planned to go through my notes from my week in New York and prepare a schedule of stories about community colleges. Instead I’ve been thinking about Luis and the journey he’s taking. It seems so much more momentous than anything I’ll do.
Susan Simpson, Education Writer
Dell-ightful donation
My last computer was a Dell. It got me through college.
This morning, 60 Dells were unveiled in a refurbished lab at the KIPP Reach College Preparatory School in Oklahoma City. Hopefully those computers will help the students get to college.
The KIPP School serves 280 fifth- through eighth-grade students in a building on NE 13.
“This computer lab truly was a community effort,” said Mautra Staley Jones, director of development and marketing for KIPP, in a press release. “From Flintco’s ceiling tiles, StapleGun’s graphics and Dell’s employees who painted the room, polished the floor and installed computers, this lab will bring a world of opportunity to the fingertips of KIPP students for years.”
In the same way the Oklahoma Educational Technology Trust works to get technology into more schools, the new Dell Community Computer Lab is another example of how community establishments in the state pool their time and resources to give students more.
Wendy K. Kleinman
Staff Writer
Tax-free spree?
By all accounts, Oklahoma’s first back-to-school sales tax was a big success — for shoppers at least. (The state lost $6.4 million.)
For one weekend last month, no tax was charged on most clothing for children and adults. The event aimed to give a break to families preparing for the start of school.
Now one state lawmaker, Sen. Don Barrington, wants to expand the sales tax holiday to include school supplies. Items would include paper, notebooks, crayons and calculators. Barrington says he’ll introduce legislation to this effect next session.
While the proposal is likely to be met with enthusiasm, it also could lead to lots of questions. Would computers be included since they are pretty much essential to education today? What about text books? The average college student pays $900 a year on assigned texts, according to the General Accounting Office.
What do you think? I don’t think saving 8-cents on a box of pencils is that great a deal, but getting hundreds off the price of a laptop would get my attention. E-mail me at ssimpson@oklahoman.com
Susan Simpson, Education Writer
Can You See Clearly Now?
When I left home this morning, I told my preschooler that Mommy was getting her eyes fixed today and wouldn’t have to wear glasses anymore.
I was going to get Lasik surgery today, and was giddy with anticipation.
So giddy that I forgot to verify the appointment day and time.
It’s not until next week, I found out when I arrived at the doctor’s office.
Darn, another week of spectacles. I’ve worn contacts since middle school but to prepare for surgery, I’ve been wearing my glasses for about a month now.
Still, all good things come to those who wait, right?
Will my daughter need eyeglasses one day? She has no signs of poor vision.
But she’s got my genetics — which pretty much destines her to bad eyes and crooked teeth — both completely fixable by modern medicine.
Besides, wearing glasses isn’t a bad thing … some well-sighted celebrities wear them just to make a fashion statement.
I clearly remember the day I got my first pair. I was in second grade, I think.
On the drive home, I was astounded by a clarity of vision I’d never before known. Edges were sharper, colors were brighter, the shapes whizzing by were recognizable — at last!
But not all children are as lucky as I was to have access and money for vision care, especially those in developing countries.
The World Health Organization estimates that 153 million people have uncorrected refractive errors (near-sightedness, far-sightedness and astigmatism). Refractive errors can be easily corrected with eyeglasses, yet millions in undeveloped nations lack access to basic eye care.
That’s why Lions Club International has long served as collector of used prescription eyeglasses, which are cleaned and distributed to needy people around the world.
Go to www.lionsclubs.org to see if a chapter in your area has a drop-off site.
Also, a coworker tells me that LensCrafters stores also collect used eyeglasses to give to the less fortunate.
When I do make my donation, I’ll probably take my daughter with me, so that she sees how helping yourself can also mean helping others.
Susan Simpson, Education Writer
Rabid Response
Did you know that 55,000 people die every year from rabies, a disease that is 100 percent preventable?
The majority of victims are children that live in poverty, often in undeveloped countries.
Two Oklahoma State University students, Alex Glover and Jennifer Moreno, aim to help prevent the deaths by raising money with a 5K Race for Rabies at 8 a.m. Sept. 8 at Boomer Lake in Stillwater.
The entry fee is $20 and includes a T-shirt. And dogs can even join their owners, provided they have current proof of rabies vaccination.
The proceeds will go to the Alliance for Rabies Control. Also OSU veterinary students will be eligible to win a symposium by international rabies experts and can apply for a two-week internship at a field site in Africa.
For more information, contact Moreno at jennifer.moreno@okstate.edu
Money management for college freshmen
The National Endowment for Financial Education has the following tips for college freshmen:
Turning your dorm room upside down looking for your course list probably won’t go over too well with your roommate. Organize your information now into one central location to avoid issues later. Important documents to keep should include transcripts, current health insurance policy, medical bills, renter’s insurance policy, financial aid information, loan documents, W2s, pay stubs, and past tax returns, among others. File these materials as you get them and you’ll avoid mounds of papers piling up on your desk.
Do you know what you’re paying for your college education? Even if your parents cover tuition and room and board, you’ll still have to pay for a few expenses. Seek out a sophomore or junior to talk to about what they paid for books, food, and other expenses to get a better idea of what lies ahead. For a budget worksheet to help with the numbers, check out the back of the free booklet, 40 Money Management Tips Every College Freshman Should Know, which is located at www.smartaboutmoney.org/40moneytips.
If used incorrectly or irresponsibly, credit cards can burden you with a lot of debt for a long time. When shopping for a card, look for one that has no annual fee, a low interest rate and a 20- to 30-day grace period (the amount of time you have to pay before interest is charged). Avoid cards that charge a processing fee or have low introductory interest rates that shoot up after a few months. Check out Bankrate’s credit card comparison tool at www.bankrate.com for help.
Separate needs from wants. Before you buy something, ask yourself: Can I live without this? You’ll be surprised how many things fall under the “I really don’t need this right now” category. Try to buy only what you need right now. When you are out of school and earning a good salary, you’ll be able to afford more of the things you want. But for now, it’s time to revel in the poor college student cliché.
With identity theft on the rise, take care to protect your personal information. Don’t give anyone your Social Security, credit card, or bank account numbers unless you know who they are and why they need them. If you are unsure, ask the person to send you a request by mail instead of asking for it over the telephone. Shred or tear up papers that have any of those numbers on them, as well as pre-approved credit card offers. Also, always review your credit card and bank statements for anything suspicious. Lastly, if your credit card has been stolen, call the security number of your credit card company and cancel the card immediately.
Being sick isn’t fun, but it’s worse to be sick and not know how your health insurance works. Before you head off to college, talk with your parents or guardian about your health insurance plan, what it covers, and where you can go for help when you’re at school. Also, check with your university or college about health resources on campus.
Make school your first job. A college education will give you the biggest payoff down the road so don’t let anything else interfere with it. Go to class, participate in discussions, get to know your professors, and make sure you get everything out of every class. After all, you’re investing in your education.
How Do You Manage?
Do you have any tips for shopping with kids?
Lots of families are shopping this weekend to take advantage of the state’s sales tax holiday. I spoke to a few parents today, and they took various approaches.
Some took all the kids at once so they could try on items and complete shopping in one day.
Some took their children in shifts, so they could focus on one wardrobe at a time.
Some left the kids at home, and picked out the clothes they thought would best fit.
Vaden Twidwell of Piedmont was shopping for school uniforms for her two grand-daughters. Bringing them along would have cost her more, she said. “They put everything in the basket and pretty soon we’ve spent $300.”
I have two daughters, and find it’s easier to shop alone for the four-year-old. But the 9-year-old has her own sense of fashion and would prefer to pick out her own clothes.
When I must take them both to the store, I find it’s easier to put the toddler in a shopping cart and distract her with a toy or candy while I shop. It might not be the best parenting method, but it usually works.
How do you handle things? Send me your tips at ssimpson@oklahoman.com and I’ll share them with our readers.
Susan Simpson, Education Writer
Work Hazard
Memo to Boss: You knew this would happen.
Sending me to talk to shoppers on this first day of our state’s first sales tax holiday … well, that’s like sending the fox to the henhouse.
I couldn’t help myself. Surrounded by sales signs, and feeling peer-pressure from the enthusiatic consumers I encountered, I put down my notebook and picked up my checkbook. (For the record, I’m counting the buying time as my lunch break.)
But wow, did I hit the jackpot! Regular readers here know about my store coupon savvy. I had a 15 percent-off coupon for Kohl’s, where everything in the store was on sale — some things 90 percent off, plus there was the sales tax break.
I got two t-shirts for my girls, two dresses for my toddler, two shirts, a skirt and dress for me — all for $118.65. I saved $20 on sales tax alone. And then, I got a $20 coupon good for my next visit to Kohls.
Fellow shoppers seemed to be doing as well. The check-out line wasn’t long, but took awhile because some customers were really stocking up, buying dozens of items, their carts overflowing.
So, Boss, I’d like to go ahead and volunteer to do this story next year. And the year after, and after….
Memo to husband, balancer of all checkbooks: My boss made me do it.
Susan Simpson, Education Writer (and shopper extraordinaire)
Shop-nanza
Kohl’s department store opened at 8 a.m. today, an hour early. But customers started lining up at 7:30.
When I got there a few hours later, the store was busy, but not packed with shoppers, probably because many people had to work today.
Not Abby Thomas. The mom of two took off work today to beat the crowds and save money on school clothes. She was joined by her mother, Carol Smith, who was buying clothes for four grandkids. The sales tax savings, 8.35 percent at this store on Northwest Expressway, was icing on the cake, she said. That’s because every item in the store was on sale.
“When you are buying a lot, outfitting four kids, it is a significant savings,” Smith said.
Tina Novak had considered going to Dallas to shop during the Texas sales tax holiday, so she was happy to hear that Oklahoma established its own weekend to help parents save on back-to-school clothes. Her 12-year-old son Hunter needs jeans, shoes and t-shirts for school.
“I had planned to spend $250 this weekend,” she said.
The sales tax break will save her $20.87. Not a bad deal, if you ask me.
Let me know about your bargains at ssimpson@oklahoman.com
Susan Simpson, Education Writer
Shop Talk
Tomorrow is a good day. I get paid — to shop.
Well, not to actually buy things (though I might) but to hit the stores and talk to shoppers taking advantage of our state’s first sales tax holiday.
Most clothing items (for children and adults) under $100 each qualify for the three-day sales tax exemption approved this year by state lawmakers
And many stores are adding their own discounts to the mix, in order to lure more back-to-school shoppers to their aisles.
Quite naturally, I volunteered for this story. How often do you get to call the boss and say “I’m at the mall now. I’ll be in later.”
I’m not sure when and where I’ll be, but if you see a nosy redhead eying your purchases, don’t call security. I’ll just be asking if you got any bargains.
And I’ll let you know, on this blog, how things are going. You can e-mail me as well at ssimpson@oklahoman.com
It’s a tough job but somebody’s gotta do it.
Susan Simpson, Education Writer
