þÿ<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"> <html> <head> <title>Diontey McDonald Essay</title> <meta name="keyword" content="Friends of City Dance"> <meta name="keyword" content="Richmond"> <meta name="keyword" content="Virginia"> </head> <body style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: white;" alink="#330000" link="#330000" vlink="#330000"> <table valign="center" style="width: 800px; text-align: left; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" border="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="center" valign="center"> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="5"> <tbody> <tr> <td> <img alt="" src="73008_0948_donnie_leap_151.jpg" style="width: 151px; height: 154px;"></td> <td> <img alt="" src="banner3.jpg" style="width: 492px; height: 154px;"></td> <td> <img alt="" src="IMG_2162_TwoBallerinas_w_sm.jpg" style="width: 151px; height: 154px;"><br> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="vertical-align: top; height: 306px; background-color: rgb(149, 183, 211);"> <table style="width: 100%; text-align: left;" border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="vertical-align: top;"><a style="text-decoration: none;" href="index.html"><big style="color: rgb(51, 0, 0);"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><small><small><big>H</big>OME</small></small></span></span></big></a><br> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="vertical-align: top;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 0, 0);"><a style="text-decoration: none;" href="AboutUs.html">A</a><small><a style="text-decoration: none;" href="AboutUs.html">BOUT <big>U<small>S</small></big></a><br> </small></span></span></span></td> </tr> <tr> <td style="vertical-align: top;"><a style="text-decoration: none;" href="CityDance.html"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 0, 0);">A<small>BOUT <big>C<small>ITY </small></big><big>D<small>ANCE</small></big></small></span></span></span></a></td> </tr> <tr> <td style="vertical-align: top;"><a style="text-decoration: none;" href="PhotoGallery.html"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 0, 0);">P<small>HOTO <big>G<small>ALLERY</small></big></small></span></span></span></a></td> </tr> <tr> <td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(109, 160, 202);"><a style="text-decoration: none;" href="ScholarshipFund.html"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 0, 0);">S<small>CHOLARSHIP <big>F</big>UND<br> </small></span></span></span></a></td> </tr> <tr> <td style="vertical-align: top;"><a style="text-decoration: none;" href="Links.html"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 0, 0);">L<small>INKS</small></span></span></span></a></td> </tr> <tr> <td style="vertical-align: top;"><a style="text-decoration: none;" href="ContactUs.html"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 0, 0);">C<small>ONTACT <big>U<small>S</small></big></small></span></span></span></a></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <br> <a href="Index.html"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span></a><br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> </td> <td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="text-align: center; vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(211,229, 243);"> <div style="text-align: center;"> <div style="text-align: left;"><br> <table style="width: 90%; text-align: left; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="vertical-align: top;"> <h1><small><small><small><span style="font-weight: bold; font-family: helvetica; color: rgb(102, 51, 0);"><span style="font-family: helvetica; color: rgb(51, 0, 0);"><big><small><span style="color: rgb(51, 0, 0);">T-D article featuring essay by Diontey McDonald</span><small><big><small><big><small><big><small><span style="color: rgb(51, 0, 0);"></span></small></big></small></big></small></big></small></small></big></span></small></small></small></h1> <div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-family: helvetica; color: rgb(102, 51, 0);"><big><small><small><big><small><big><small><big><small><big style="color: rgb(51, 0, 0);"><small><span style="font-family: helvetica neue;"> <P> YOUTHS' ESSAYS HONORED ; WHAT BEGAN AS A WORKSHOP IN SUMMER HAS LED TO A BOOK SHOWCASING THEIR WORK, VOICES <P> Richmond Times-Dispatch, Richmond, Va.<br> Date: Oct 30, 2005 <P> When East End resident David Coogan first met City Councilwoman Delores L. McQuinn about a year ago, the area was still roiling from a brutal rape in Libby Hill Park. <P> Four teenagers were convicted of the crime. <P> Coogan, an assistant professor in the English Department at Virginia Commonwealth University, wanted to know what plans McQuinn had to reach out to young people in the city's East End. <P> The two decided to start a summer writing workshop. <P> "I believe that writing can be a powerful tool for social change," Coogan said last night at a banquet and book signing to honor workshop participants. Their work has been compiled in a book, "Two Sides of a One Track Mind." McQuinn and Coogan plan to continue the workshop -- a partnership linking VCU, the East End Teen Center and the Richmond school system. <P> When McQuinn met Coogan, she was already putting her energy into the East End Teen Center, which was being designed as a safe, fun place for young people. The building isn't open yet, but it should be ready in time for next summer's workshop. This past summer, the children spent part of the workshop learning at VCU with Coogan and part of the time at Martin Luther King Middle School. <P> The children's work described the pride and insecurities of adolescence, as well as neighborhoods where gunshots are normal but where young people help their elders and families are tight-knit. <P> "This book is filled with powerful voices," Coogan said. <P> When The Times-Dispatch published one student's essay in August, readers responded. Many asked how they could support author Shebony Carrington's dream of becoming a doctor. Others asked where they could read more of the young writers' essays. <P> The product of those queries, "Two Sides of a One Track Mind," is finally here. The first run is 500 copies. Unless you know one of the authors, you might have to wait for a second printing to get the book. <P> "We're still working on that," McQuinn said. "We've been approached about possibly having this available in a book store." <P> Shebony was awarded first place last night for her essay. Second place went to Diontey McDonald, a ninth-grader at Armstrong High School. This was his entry: <P> The Real Me: From My Name To My Future By Diontey McDonald <P> Who am I as a person? I am many different things, and I have many different personalities like "MalaQuan, the nice me," "Donnie, the dancing me," "Diontey, the smart, sophisticated me," and "Michael, the crazy, stepping me." I am Diontey Michael MalaQuan McDonald, the-all-around, all-American boy. So what makes me different from everyone else? I am not like some people who are loud, boisterous, crazy and wild with it. I am calm, crazy but subtle with it. I am myself, and when I am being myself I am very comfortable and laid back with everything I do. I mean who doesn't just like to relax in their room on their bed sometimes? <P> However, there are some people who expect so much out of me, and sometimes I feel like I have to give them what they are looking for. For example, some people think that I should wear baggy clothes and the most up-to-date shoes. I'm growing up now and finding myself. I realize that people can't determine who I am, because I am "me," and I will "do me." I have been taught how to act around certain people at certain places and times. I have good manners and have learned that I can be mannerable and still be me, like when I am at the movies or in a restaurant I know when to be quiet and how to eat, but I'm still being "ME!" <P> When I think about being me I think about a nice, caring, loveable, dancing, mannerable person. I also think about being outgoing and helpful, because I am all of those things. No one taught me how to be those things: I had those traits when I was born into this hectic world. <P> I am crazy but my craziness is more funny than rude. When people look at me they think I am going to be such as a "thug" or a "gangsta." Many of these people are just stereotyping. But I'm going to prove them wrong. That's why when I get older and finish college I will be a choreographer, and become the best one there is. I would like to study at Juilliard College because that is one of the best dance schools in the United States. It is known for its style of different dances and great teachers, and I think that I would get a lot out of going to school there. <P> People look at my neighborhood as a reflection of me and that's o.k., because my neighborhood is great: it's not the best but it's good enough. There are not that many children or young thugs on my block so it's very quiet. There are pretty houses and it is very clean. Even the alleys are clean. All the neighbors know each other and we all work as a team to keep our neighborhood safe and clean. We are all one big happy family. <P> The people in my neighborhood are very nice and you make friends easily. No one is uptight or thinks they are better than you. We all coexist together. I consider my neighbors as my brothers, sisters, uncles, aunts, and cousins, because that's how we treat each other. You are never alone, because if you get locked out of your house you always have a home away from home. <P> And that's who I KNOW I am: a reflection of my parents, a glimpse of my neighborhood, and an image of my future. <P> <A HREF="ScholarshipFund.html"><IMG SRC="return.gif" ALIGN=left</A> </span><br> </small></big></small></big></small></big></small></big></small></small></big></span> <div style="text-align: center;"> <div style="text-align: left;"></small> <div style="text-align: right;"><small style="color: rgb(51, 0, 0); font-family: tahoma;"> </small> <small style="color: rgb(51, 0, 0); font-family: tahoma;"><br> </small></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <span style="font-weight: bold; font-family: helvetica; color: rgb(102, 51, 0);"></span></div> </div> </td> <td style="background-color: rgb(149, 183, 211); vertical-align: top;"><br> </td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="bottom"> <img src="2324_FourInPink_w_sm.jpg"></td> <td colspan="1" style="background-color: rgb(149, 183, 211); vertical-align: top;"><br> </td> <td style="vertical-align: top;"><img alt="" src="51708_7097_Courtney_151.jpg" style="width: 151px; height: 154px;"><br> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </body> </html>