The Whistler (website)/July 1999

June 1999

A.F.I.G. Really Cleans Up!
by Viva Cortez

Most of the people who passed by 121 Lyndon Street saw nothing but an empty lot full of trash, rusting oil drums, and hard-packed dirt. But A.F.I.G. (The Association For Intelligent Girls) saw a park where kids could play.

Their committee, headed by WPJH's own Miko Kajiyama, quickly organized a promotional campaign that included flyers, door-to-door requests of local merchants, and a petition to the city council.

"When we get an idea in our heads," said Kajiyama,"We don't let it grow any grass! We're totally on it, right away..."

Yearbook photogs Rockett Movado and Darnetta James snapped some shots of the yucky-looking real estate. With the help of Miko's father, who's an architect, they created a design layout for renovating the lot into an attractive neighborhood park. City council members were impressed and thrilled.

"It's gratifying to see young people take an interest in civic matters," gushed Hoy Maitie, councilwoman.

"Kids today get a lot of bad press," quoted Ima Martian, former mayor and FBI agent. "What we have here is the real thing. Kids who are smart, involved, and willing to put in hard work to accomplish something decent and worthwhile."

"Of course, it's no surprise that they're GIRLS!" added city supervisor Layna Lounge.

Having gained the council's approval, A.F.I.G. rolled up its sleeves and went to work. More than a dozen girls could be seen swarming over the empty lot, carting away garbage, shoveling dirt piles, and painting metal drums. A second wave, with the help of "Garden Beauty" magazine, trucked in top soil and redwood bark -- not to mention three dozen flats of colorful petunias, sunflowers, dahlias, pansies and daisies. The mayor's office even contributed rose bushes and two 12-foot sycamores. Macafee's Hardware sprung for a pair of wood and wrought iron benches.

It was only fitting that the park's unveiling took place over the July Fourth weekend. Mayor-elect Walter Fisby clipped through a pink ribbon and let in the cheering crowd of locals. Punch and sandwiches were served and a brief speech was applauded. All the members of A.F.I.G. received certificates of merit. A brass plaque with the organization's name was cemented into the sidewalk outside the park.

And what did our own WPJH students have to say about their efforts?

"It was a LOT of hard work," commented A.F.I.G. member Dana St. Clair, "But now we can say we did it -- like, forever!"

"Sure, I'm glad I helped. Making things beautiful is what life's all about, don't you think?" said Nakili Abuto.

"A.F.I.G. isn't some dumb tea party group of girls," pointed out Ginger Baskin. "We have serious goals and concerns about the world around us. There's more to life than shopping and boyfriends! I guess we proved that today."

No kidding. And this reporter is proud to know the girls who made it happen!

Girl Power Stories
Some tales of courage, love and faith from our rockin' readers

I got an application to this magnet jr. high school that my teacher was giving to all the GT (Gifted & Talented) students. I asked my friends Laura and Claudia if they were going to apply. "I'd probably never make it, why should I try?" Claudia answered. "I would rather go to the middle school everyone else is going to, I don't want to leave all my other friends behind!" said Laura. I asked all the others who had gotten it if they were applying. Everyone said no because they were afraid of rejection. Nobody from our elementary school had ever been accepted, so they thought things weren't going to change. I didn't want to leave all my friends behind or be rejected, but for some reason I "just did it"! Two months later I got a reply -- I was on the waiting list! If anyone who was accepted couldn't go, someone on the waiting list would go. I was so happy and sad at the same time. It's bad enough having to switch from elementary school to jr., where everything is different. But having to go where there's no one you know was 100 times worse. A few months later, I was accepted! I was filled with joy! Then I remembered having to leave everyone I knew behind and I was blue for weeks…UNTIL I remembered what had made me apply, to go against all odds. Without a doubt it was Girl Power!! I then knew that if I was myself and had enough girl power to go up to someone and ask to sit with them at lunch, I would definitely make friends! --KingsKid 11

I have a friend who has major GIRL POWER! She was born with a bad liver, and eventually would need a transplant. She moved to my town from Arizona because it's near Chicago, and Chicago has the right hospital to conduct the transplant. When she moved next door it changed my life forever! The minute she moved in we immediately became friends. We were even in the same class together! Things were getting tough as the months passed by. . . Sometimes when I went over to her house she would be hooked to an IVor a doctor would be there. It was really scary for me, but most of all for her and her family. We didn't know when she would get a liver, if she would live, or if she would die. Eventually she was on the top of the list and got her liver! Everyone she knew felt a huge relief of fear and tension. But we still didn't know if she would survive the operation. It was hard to concentrate in school for me with my best friend in the hospital, about to get a transplant. The day I found out she survived was the happiest day of my life! My friend has major GIRL POWER! Her whole life was very hard on her, but she DID IT! and I am so proud of her! --RockSolid

One day, when I was at the stable, I walked by the haymow and heard a shriek. I ran up the hay as fast as I could and saw Josh (my teacher's son) sliding down the wall side of the barn, trying to save a cat. "Ferguson" (Fergy for short) had somehow wedged himself between two bales and was suffocating. Josh was trying to get him out, because if Fergy got loose and jumped out, the hay bales could fall and kill the scared cat. Realizing that Josh couldn't reach the cat, I told him to get out of the space. By now, Fergy was starting to get frantic; he was about to die from lack of oxygen. I shoved myself into the space between thebales and made a beeline for the cat. As I crawled down, a hay bale fell, heading straight for Fergy. I lunged, grabbed the cat, and got stuck in the small space. Although I was in a lot of pain, Fergy was more important to me. Once I got out, Fergy curled up in my lap and fell asleep. He didn't wake up when I set him down on a spare bale, so I stayed to make sure he was ok. When he woke up, he jumped up on my back and lay across my shoulders. His purring was loud enough to reward me, and I'm glad he's ok. Although this incident twisted my ankle and cut off the circulation to the lower half of my body, I didn't care. I had saved Furgy, the sweetest cat in the barn. --hippiechic93

I started a school meeting this year with my principal, generally about girls/women and their status in life. I told her that I would appreciate it if me and a group of my freinds could present a skit and a collage to our whole school, focusing on women's rights. It took long to get it all organized and prepared but it was worth the hassle because we got an award, and the respect and honor from all our fellow students and teachers. It taught me, and a lot of my friends the importance of women and the many discoveries they have accomplished. This was, and is, something that will never be forgotten by my school and by myself. --SandraMDunn

One day, when I was at school, I asked the boys if I could play football. They just laughed and said, "SUUURE you can play!" Well that got me mad, so I went out on the field and started to play…but no one would pass the ball to me! Now I was VERY mad! I told them that I was good, really good! So finally they gave me the ball and I showed them what I could do! Lucky for me, a football coach was watching and asked if I would like to be on a team! I was so happy, because when I'd gone to sign up they would not let me. Well now I'm on and this shows that "GIRLS CAN DO ANYTHING"!--dixiechick99

I just got back from rappelling camp, and do I have a story for you. While I was there, we decided to rappell off a biggggggggg rock. So all 11 of us piled into the camp van and went to our destination. It took us about 30 min., but when we finally got there we carried all the rappelling equipment up to the top of the cliff. Then we unpacked it, put on our harnesses, put on our helmets, and put on our gloves. We were ready to rapell. However, there was this one girl who was sooooo scared of heights. We finally talked her into rappelling off of the cliff. When it was her turn, she did it and did it great. The only problem is, she didn't want to stop doing it! She rapelled eight times and got down in a record time of TWO SECONDS! Can you beleive it?! The one girl who thought she would never make it down made it in only 2 seconds. Well, that's my story. --Kevinsgirl87

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