Cooper-Young Home For Sale

I recently finished renovating a home in my neighborhood. It's now for sale, so if you or someone you know is looking to buy, let me know. Here's a picture of my favorite room.

For more info, check out the blog I set up, or see the listing on Trulia.

Commercial Appeal Article

On Saturday The Commercial Appeal ran a great article on our family's involvement with Peabody Elementary School. It was written by David Waters. From the people I've talked with, as well as comments on their site, it seems that it's giving hope to many. One of the takeaways I've had from reading the article and the comments is that I am grateful for the community who is walking with us. These decisions can be difficult ones, but at every step of the way, it's has been easier knowing that we're not going it alone.

CYPN Article in Commercial Appeal

Heather Caron wrote a great article about the Light the Way race and the Parent's Network. There's even something about Neighborhood Church in there. Here's the article:

The cooler weather has begun to lure neighbors out of their homes and children back into the daylight. Runners and walkers alike are dotting neighborhoods in preparation of the upcoming Cooper-Young Festival 4 Miler race on Friday. In addition, many community members are preparing for the "Light the Way" parties to cheer on the runners as they blaze past the neighborhood homes and businesses in Midtown's Cooper-Young.

Longtime area residents know that those with the best parties win prizes and enjoy the accolades throughout the year. The 4 Miler "Light the Way" parties have not only been fun, but for some residents, they are the initial connection to lasting friendships, educational forums, seasonal parties, running groups and endless play dates.

One such group can credit many memberships to the Cooper-Young 4 Miler race and the infamous "Light the Way" parties. The Cooper-Young Parents Network, representing 80 adult members and 150 children, has given Midtown families a support group for their most important commodity -- their children. This forum has provided parents information on available educational and extracurricular options for their kids. It has given Cooper-Young families a safe and welcoming place to celebrate holidays and community events. It is a clearinghouse for gently used items that families no longer need and a resource for cooperative and reputable child care. You may just be able to find the right doctor or cleaning service, if you so desire.

Newly relocated family Joe and Susan Currier were walking home from a 2006 "Light the Way" party and bumped into another new Cooper-Young family, Jason and Barb Elder.

"As we talked, I discovered I knew Jason from years past," said Susan Currier. "Jason and I grew up in the same town, but I did not know he had moved to Memphis.

"As we strolled past the cleanup crews, the Elders told us about a church they were helping to plant in Cooper-Young, which eventually became Neighborhood Church. They invited us to visit the church when it started meeting in homes a few months later, and that's how we met future Parents Network founder and new Cooper-Young resident, Mandy Grisham. Barb and Mandy became some of my closest friends, as have our children," Currier said.

Susan has since introduced several other families to the network and has hosted a few LTW parties. "It's my family's favorite part of the festival weekend," Currier said.

"The CY 4 Miler's 'Light the Way' party is the network's birthday. We are celebrating our second birthday this year," said Grisham. "Our network's first kickoff party won one of the prizes from the race committee."

Grisham fashioned the Parents' Network after the Berkley Parent's network. "Memphis did not have anything like this. I wanted to create a local network for the parents in the CY community," Grisham said.

Members Josh and Ginger Spickler and Debbie Sowell have also contributed to the success of this group's membership, hosting parties and spreading the word to other community members.

Heather Caron is a volunteer for the Cooper-Young Friday 4 Miler.

Update on Peabody Elementary School

This Lamplighter article was written by Lurene Kelley, who is a part of our little community of CY residents sending their kids to Peabody Elementary School next year.

Peabody Elementary has been in the heart of this neighborhood long before the community was called “Cooper-Young,” but is the school really in the hearts of CY residents? That’s the question school administrators would like its neighbors and local business owners to answer with a resounding ‘yes’… and some money, ideas, and elbow grease to back it up.

According to the school’s principal, Kongsouly Jones, because Peabody is a desirable optional school, approximately 50 percent of the student body comes from open enrollment. This means that nearly half of the children at Peabody live outside its designated boundaries.

Mandy Grisham, a member of the Peabody Leadership Board, says the first step in giving the school a more neighborhood feel is obvious – have more children who live in and around Cooper-Young enrolled at Peabody. This fall, approximately 10 children from the Cooper-Young Parents Network (CYPN), parents who live in or near the neighborhood, will be enrolled in this year’s kindergarten class (In fact, my own child will be among these kindergartners.)

Read more here.

Update on our Education Journey

Last week I responded to a post from a friend's blog on whether or not it's important for us as Christ-followers to send our kids to public schools. Below is that post. If you'd like to read more on this issue, and specifically, our journey, go here and here.

We moved to Midtown Memphis almost four years ago from the SF Bay Area. We had a six-month old at the time. We learned right away that most young families don't stay in Midtown long because of the school system. We felt called here to start a church, and believed that we needed to live here long-term in order to be effective.

We also learned that our neighborhood has a public elementary school, but the families in the neighborhood don't send their kids there. So we began our research. I should point out that my wife is an educator and taught in a Memphis City school our first two years here. This helped immensely. In April, 2007 we hosted a forum at our neighborhood school to determine if this was a quality issue or something else (racial, economic, safety, etc...). There was a large turnout, and the consensus at the end was that it's a great school. So something else is keeping families from sending their kids there. After the discussion, my wife was asked to be the Community Representative on the school's Leadership Team. Other parents (of not-yet-school-age children) have already begun to take leadership roles in school events as well. The principal is working closely with neighborhood families to see the school bridge the racial, economic, and academic gap.

Throughout the last few years, we have encountered dozens of people with the same heart cry as ours - for this to become a neighborhood school once again. Some of these we knew to be followers of Christ, but many would not identify themselves as such. Yet a community has begun to form, full of families with a common vision and mission.

Next fall our oldest will be attending Kindergarten at our local elementary school, along with several other children from this group, with dozens more planning on attending in the coming years. Over the last few years we have held this very loosely. We have prayed a lot. We do not want to sacrifice our child, and what we're doing is actually far from that. This is an excellent school, and he's going to have an excellent education, even beyond the academics. He will learn diversity, both racially and economically, and our prayer is that he learns to love others as God loves him.

At the same time, though, what we are doing is extremely intentional and strategic, and I know that it is a big part of why we're here. We never would have set out to integrate our local elementary school or attempt to change the school district, but when we pray, "God, do only what you can do" be ready to walk through the doors He opens!

We could have been called to a different neighborhood in the city, and though our process would have been similar, I recognize that the result may have been different. There are multiple bottom lines, but they all have to be prayed through and considered.

24 Hours in Cooper-Young

Check out Devin Greaney's 24 Photos of our neighborhood. Be warned, though. If you don't call CY your home, you may find yourself wanting to :)

Public School Closer to a Reality

I first wrote a post on our thoughts regarding public education in Memphis around a year and a half ago. Since that time we've continued the conversation with so many others about what it would look like for more people from our neighborhood to send our kids to our neighborhood elementary school (Peabody Elementary School).

It's hard to believe that Adam will be starting Pre-K next year. A few months ago we decided that we would like for Adam to go to Peabody's Pre-K program. We realized that we met the income requirements, so we began pursuing it. Last week we found out that 29 students tested lower than him, which means that he is 9th on the waiting list. We were a little disappointed, but knew that if God had other plans for Adam, that was what we wanted. So we began looking for Plan B. Mandy called several private pre-k programs. A few still had available slots.

We then found out that the principal at Peabody was referring familes who didn't get into the their Pre-K to Red Robin Academy, which is located in First Congregational Church here in Cooper-Young. So this morning Mandy and I met with Robin Mayweather, the founder and director of the academy. Right before pulling up, Mandy made the comment that we were going to have to figure out how much we could spend for Adam's education this year (part of the draw to public education is that it's free).

We went on a tour, then talked with Mrs. Mayweather in her office. We asked several questions, and then Mandy asked her for a tuition schedule. She looked at us a little strange, then said that the Pre-K program is the same as the one at Peabody. Both are a part of Memphis City Schools. That is, they're both free! We just kind of looked at each other.

It looked a door had been closed; one that, at the time seemed like a real "God thing." And now a new door opens, one which has all of the same goals and values behind it. There are still some things that we are a little concerned about, but for the most part, it seems like God is in this. I love the idea of walking Adam to school and of being involved with the families of the school. It just seems to fit so much of what we are trying to do here in Cooper-Young.

Anniversary Party

This Friday Mandy and I will celebrate 10 years of marriage!  It's hard to believe that it's been ten years.  We've had our highs and we've had our lows, but thankfully, there have been more highs than lows.  God has blessed us with two wonderful sons, and has placed us in a great neighborhood with great friends.

Earlier this year Mandy had suggested that we celebrate our anniversary by having a concert for our friends.  So every so often we would get out the guitar and play through some of our favorite songs.  As we got closer to the date, we began planning the party.  

We couldn't have picked a better evening for our party.  The weather was wonderful, we had good food and drink, and I think everyone really enjoyed themselves.  I know that for Mandy and I, it was a very special time.

I'll post pictures as soon as I get them from Josh (you reading this?).

God Loves Memphis

I believe that God loves my city, and I believe that the gospel is the only true and lasting hope for the problems of my city. Saying that, I also believe that if I am going to be a Christian in my city, then I must understand my city. The needs of the city must become my needs. It's because of this that I, along with many of my friends, seek to be involved in the city in many ways.

Today is a day devoted to not simply learning about the needs and problems of my city, but also discussing viable solutions. This morning I attended a city-wide town hall meeting on the topic of safety. I serve on the safety committee in my neighborhood, and as a result of this meeting, I have helpful information to pass along to my community.

This afternoon we're having our first CYPN Education Discussion. CYPN stands for Cooper-Young Parent's Network. It's an organization that Mandy created six months ago. Everyone attending has young children, and all of us are having to make decisions about the type of education that we want for our children. It seems that for many of us, there are multiple bottom lines. For example, although academics is very important, it's not the only issue that we're considering. Other factors include diversity, location, cost, etc.

Mandy and I feel that God has called us to this neighborhood, and we desire to live as holistic a lifestyle as possible. Our hope is to send our kids to the local public school and to be involved in making that school an even better school. I may be overly optimistic, perhaps even naive at times, but I believe that if enough people do this, that we could see major change come to our city.

CYPN Pics

I just realized that Mandy took a few pictures at the Cooper-Young Parent's Network kickoff party.

Cooper-Young Parent's Network

For those of you who don't know, Mandy is taking a one year's leave of absence from teaching so that she can be home with Adam and Micah. Not teaching has also given her more time to create. One of her latest creations has been the Cooper-Young Parent's Network. She and some friends began talking about this a little over a month ago. I helped her set up a Yahoo Groups and off we went.

On Friday, September 12 we kicked the network off by having a party at Josh and Ginger's house. The party also coincided with the 4-Miler Race, which kicks off the Cooper-Young Festival. We had no idea who was coming. By the end of the evening we figured that we had sixty people show up. Of those sixty, I'm pretty sure that half the kids were three years of age and under.

Here are some pictures that Ginger took.

If you're here in Midtown and would like to join, email cooperyoungparents-subscribe@yahoogroups.com.

National Night Out

Last night was National Night Out. This was my second year as organizer in my neighborhood. This year the event grew from 14 parties to 21 parties. It's very exciting to see new blocks get involved with this. The only downer for me was that our party had a low turnout, but I'm sure much of that was due to the heat. I'm hoping that we move the event to October next year.

Cooper-Young Festival

The Cooper-Young Festival is this Saturday. I'm really looking forward to it this year. Last year it was so hot, so we weren't out that much. I just saw the forecast, and they're calling for a high of 75 on Saturday. Nice!