Faculty and parents of a high-performing elementary school in Uptown believe imagination and innovation create successful students, and schools plans to continue with creative programs.

At a recent Local School Council (LSC) meeting for Walt Disney Magnet School , 4140 N. Marine Drive, funds were approved for additional lab computers for the popular animation program and a revolutionary new reading software for disabled learners was introduced.

These decisions, school officials hope, will help the school get even better. In the last six years, students meeting or exceeding standard test scores improved overall by 30 percent. Because of its academic achievements and diverse population -75 percent of the school’s 1,500 students are low-income and 80 percent are minority -Chicago Public School officials approached Principal Kathleen Hagstrom about building a new school modeling Disney last spring.

At the Nov. 29 meeting, the school council authorized $10,000, the first installment of a four-year plan for 40 new Dell computers for the elective animation program offered to 6th-8th graders.

Brad Fisher, the school’s technology specialist, said the current mismatch of computer brands and models makes the course difficult to teach.

“Right now, the lab looks too much like a garage sale for my taste,” Fisher said. He explained with the new computers, installed with Macromedia and Flash software, would help with video production and digital formats and allow students to animate without a mouse or monitor, using a special pen instead.

Hagstrom said the animation program offers older students a unique introduction into the professional world with its sophisticated software.

“For example, a group of seventh graders sees an open-heart surgery which is teleconferenced and they then come back to Disney and animate the heart. This is far more meaningful than doing a worksheet,”  Hagstrom said.

The computers should be installed as soon as late December, Fisher said.

Disney also purchased the program “Reading A-Z ” to better serve its 150 disabled students. With this program, teachers cater lessons specifically to a student’s learning level with computer activities and page print-outs that can be colored, marked on and even forgotten at home, unlike expensive textbooks.

In addition to “Reading A-Z,” Disney’s reading specialist for 22 years, Pat Hastings, explained to the council that more teachers would begin to implement the technique direct instruction, an aggressive learning approach for struggling readers that focuses on stressing letter sounds.

“Direct instruction offers a scaffold instruction with reinforcing skill practice,” Hastings said. “It reflects the premise: Teach and they will learn. The most exciting part of [these approaches]-Children succeeding in reading!”

Hagstrom agrees that a variety of techniques are necessary to reflect the diverse needs of the students and improve test scores of their special-need students, which did not meet state expectations. The federal government also requires 55 percent of all student groups, including special-needs, to pass state standards, as part of the No Child Left Behind Act.

“A myriad of tools are necessary in our approach to reading instruction as one size does not fit all,” Hagstom said. Students must “receive enrichment and acceleration that allows them to flourish.”

In response to the problems addressed at the meeting, including special-needs test scores and a call for more minority teachers, LSC chairman Emanuel Barr said, “Disney is a bright star in the system; we need to continue to discuss solutions to any problems and bring them all to the table.”

An Uptown organization has been assisting newly arrived Southeast Asian refugees and immigrants for nearly three decades. With butterflies on the program as a symbol of metamorphosis, the Chinese Mutual Aid Association recently celebrated its ongoing efforts and successes.

Called “Celebrating Community Building,” the Nov. 14 event, held at the Aon Center, was decorated with butterflies and bamboo, traditional symbols for longevity and vitality in certain Asian cultures. The dinner was also a fundraiser for the organization.

“We wanted to build on a theme of what we’re doing as an organization,” said Art Nicol, the development director. “Butterflies convey a sense of transformation, a chrysalis, much like CMAA right now. We’ve fed on the grassroots for 25 years and are growing.”

The mission of the non-profit organization located at 1016 W. Argyle St. is to help Southeast Asian immigrants and refugees adjust to American life and encourage their active participation in society. In addition to basic social services, such as employment and healthcare help, CMAA offers language and literacy classes.

Case workers also assist people seeking citizenship, serving 2,765 individuals during fiscal year 2005 in various points of the application process.

Since 1981 when the organization was formally established as a non-profit, it has received funding from state and local government for its social service programs. Assets at the end of 2005 totaled $1,166, 730, according to the group’s financial statement. With these funds, CMAA assists more than 13,000 individuals in Chicago each year.

Last month’s dinner was attended by almost 300 staff and community members, volunteers and business partners to celebrate the association’s evolving community presence. The group once served an almost entirely Chinese population, but it now helps a more diverse clientele of Asian as well as a few immigrants from Russia and Africa.

“[CMAA] plays a very significant role in the community. They give immigrants a place to turn when they arrive in America,” said CLTV anchor Judy Wang, who was the dinner’s Mistress of Ceremonies along with CBS2 ‘s Joanie Lum. “They work hard at giving immigrants a leg up. My family came to this country in the ‘60s and would have benefited from a place like CMAA to get a sense of community.”

As a mentor for Chinese Mutual Aid Association’s Young Women Warriors program, Dr. Lisa Abrams strives to strengthen that “sense of community.” She was honored at the dinner for her volunteer efforts.

“I was very excited [about the award]; I don’t know how to put it into words,” said Abrams, an internal medicine physician, who first became involved with the organization seven years ago when her sister was youth coordinator.

Abrams plays a type of sister role in the program, meeting with young Asian girls twice a month to discuss issues, ranging from self-defense to health and sexuality, and for recreational outings. Abrams occasionally hosts sleepovers for the girls at her home.

“It’s amazing to see these girls grow. One was 10 when I started and is now in college. She was very quiet and now is outgoing and outspoken. After my sister got me involved with CMAA, it became easy to volunteer, where I was afraid to before,” Abrams said. “It’s just amazing to see these girls go off and achieve.”

In addition to the awards ceremony, the event included a silent auction that raised approximately $1,600. Nicol said with the auction, donations and dinner ticket sales, the event’s net gain would be close to $20,000 for the group.

The evening also featured performances by dancers and musicians, including Evanston-based international vocalist Louise Cloutier whose credits include lending her talents to the Oscar -nominated animated short film “Stubble Trouble.”

“I performed because I am very interested in world music, especially now,” Cloutier said. “I am putting together a solo concert on music about diaspora and immigration, so this organization was a perfect fit. I’m hoping to continue to make connections, perhaps gather more repertoire ideas from the community that they serve.”

Nicol hopes the event served as a catalyst for the upcoming year, inspiring members to continue to build and strengthen the group’s impact, especially upon senior citizens. They are currently planning a senior center that may grow into a larger community center.

“[The immigrants that come to CMAA] are very resilient and have a lot to offer. They are an asset to our community,” Nicol said. “They’re no longer coal, but have been turned into diamonds after coming into the neighborhood and working with us.”

About 20 residents from Chicago’s North Side protested at the office of U.S. Rep. Rahm Emanuel (D-Chicago) last week, urging the congressman to denounce any threat of war with Iran. The event was organized by members of MoveOn.org, a non-profit political advocacy organization.

The group delivered a petition with nearly 600 signatures of Chicagoans opposed to U.S. engagement in Iran and asked Emanuel and other members of Congress to support H.R. 3119 and H.R. 64, resolutions that would discourage hostile action toward another Middle Eastern country.

“Iran discontinued its weapons programs in 2003,” said Richard Stowell, a MoveOn.org member who helped organize the local event. “Intelligence reports are telling the administration they don’t have weapons. It kind of takes the wind out of Bush’s sails for a military strike.”

In Emanuel’s small waiting room Dec. 13, concerned residents spoke out against possible war in Iran and the ongoing war in Iraq. The group also criticized the Democratic party for what they called its lack of initiative.

Paul Blakely came to Emanuel’s office out of outrage toward the Bush administration. In 1999, he moved to Chicago after living in Canada for 23 years.

“I lost a lot of innocence about how the U.S. is viewed internationally while I lived in Canada,” Blakely said.

Blakely and others at the event feel Pres. Bush is ignoring the intelligence agencies research in favor of his own ideological beliefs, the same strategy that resulted in the Iraq “fiasco.”

“Congress [must] work to get this country back on the right course and start to rebuild international relations and cooperation,” Blakely said.

Josephine Hyde made the trip to Emanuel’s office for more than political reasons. A clinical psychologist specializing in trauma treatment, Hyde said she has seen the devastating effects of war while treating patients.

“I am very concerned about the long-term public health impact of war. We are currently unequipped to handle traumatized veterans,” Hyde said. “It is war that is abnormal. It should only be a last resort.”

Emanuel’s District Director John Borovicka listened to the group for more than 30 minutes before taking the petition.

“We take all comments from constituents very seriously,” Borovicka said, adding that the group’s concerns would be shared with Emanuel.

Similar meetings took place across the country this month, with almost 300 member groups delivering more than 167,000 signatures. In Chicago, volunteers also visited the local office of U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-Chicago).

Historically, political petitions have been effective, but may have lost significance over the years said Jeff Manza, a Northwestern University sociology professor

“These petitions used to more influential, but now they have become such a widely used tool I’m not sure members and their staffs take them too seriously until the numbers get really big.”

A blue ribbon school in Uptown recently marked a red letter day. Horace Greeley Elementary School was one of only 12 schools in Illinois to earn top honors from the U.S. Department of Education for high achievement.

At a school assembly earlier this month, Greeley students and staff learned that the school was named one of the 2007 Blue Ribbon Schools. This designation was given to only 287 schools nationwide as part of the No Child Left Behind Act.

Officials from Chicago Public Schools and the Department of Education attended the Oct. 4 assembly at the school, which is located at 832 W. Sheridan Rd.

“You’ve shown us that we can raise the rigor and expectations for
our students and schools and that you will rise to the challenge, meet
it, and then some,” CPS Chief Education Officer Dr. Barbara
Eason-Watkins told the audience at the assembly.

“We want to see this kind of success with every child at every school,” she said. “We need more schools like Greeley.”

To be nominated, schools must perform in the top 10 percent of
state-wide testing scores or, like Greeley, be considered an at-risk
school, determined by the number of students from low-income or English
as a Second Language homes that made significant progress. Ninety-three
percent of Greeley students qualify for the national free lunch program .

“I’ve been at Greeley for over 20 years and this is the most
exciting recognition we have received,” said teacher Joanne Collins.
“Our entire staff, parents and community work so hard and have high
expectations for every student. The Blue Ribbon Award reflects our
commitment to reach high levels of academic achievement that enables
the students to become active and successful members of society.”

Since 2002, Greeley has raised their reading scores on Illinois State Achievement Tests
by more than 36 percentage points, with approximately 83 percents of
students meeting or exceeding state standards. Math scores showed
improvement of 52 percentage points, with about 90 percent meeting or
exceeding standards.

“I am extremely proud of our staff and students,” said first-year
Principal Carlos Azcoitia. “There are so many people to thank. We can
take this time to do that, but we must also ask ‘Where do we go from
here?’”

In his three previous years as assistant principal, Azcoitia said he realized how important it is to have a support system.

“In order to achieve this level of academic excellence, regardless
of barriers, schools need full community involvement from the staff,
parents and students,” Azcoitia said.

Greeley’s success has included overcoming language barriers. Besides
its Spanish bilingual program, the school has a Regional Gifted Center
for English Language Learners grades 3 through 8 whose first language
is Polish, Russian or Spanish. Of Greeley’s 443 students, 141
participate in the gifted language program.

“Greeley has a truly unique offering with their bilingual
opportunities,” said Julie Ewart, a spokeswoman for the Department of
Education. “It is something that can make for a challenge, but with
their excellent teachers and programs, they are thriving.”

Barbara Radner, a professor at DePaul University’s School of Education, said such high honors can lead schools to even greater academic success.

“The recognition really is significant. That it is so exclusive
makes it important; it enables the school to be recognized for what is
a lot of work,” Radner said. “It may position the school for further
funding, not from the government as much as from foundations and
potential government initiatives.”

Besides funding, Greeley hopes its Blue Ribbon status will increase
enrollment. School secretary Marybel Gonzalez said numbers were as high
as 650 students a few years ago, but there are now fewer children in
the Uptown neighborhood. Parents choosing parochial schools over public
schools has also affected enrollment, Gonzalez said.

“It was a wonderful, beautiful honor,” Gonzalez said. “I just hope
it will now bring more publicity and children for our school.”

Some guests of a transient hotel are not making themselves welcome in Uptown. Community members have complained about vagrancy and gang activity near the 140-unit building that has some longer-term residents as well.

At a recent Chicago Alternative Policing Strategy meeting, Sgt. Edward O’Reilly reported complaints of vagrancy and gang activity around the Chateau Hotel, 3838 N. Broadway St. The hotel is located next to Gill Park playground, which worries parents and other area residents who say they don’t want children’s safety jeopardized.

Barbara Cozzi, an Uptown resident, attended several community meetings about the hotel. Drug deals, prostitution, drunkenness, aggressive panhandling and congregating around the play lot are all a concern, she said.

“Most people I know in the neighborhood will not use the park,” Cozzi said. “They don’t feel safe.”

O’Reilly said police officers are doing all they can to help residents feel safe, but it is a difficult situation to control. Anyone who calls with a complaint must stay with the perpetrators until the police arrive, something most resident do not want to do, he said.

However, some say there may be others ways of handling such complaints.

“[The police] are deliberately making this hard,” said Wesley Skogan, professor at Northwestern University’s Institute for Policy Research. To make an arrest without seeing an actual crime committed, police do need a witness, he said, but if necessary they could “storm” the area in order to secure safety.

Horace Greeley Elementary School, 832 W. Sheridan St., is about 600 feet from the hotel. Two years ago, the school’s principal, Carlos Azcoitia, tried to reduce loitering near the school and Gill Park after hearing parents’ concerns of possible drug deals.

“We wanted to alert the community to close or better manage the hotel,” Azcoitia said. He believed parents and teachers would send a clear message that the school wanted immediate action.

Since that time, there have not been problems or complaints during school hours. Instead, Azcoitia said, suspect activity occurs in late afternoon and evening hours.

Hotel owner Jack Gore did not return calls and could not be located during or after business hours. Staff declined to comment for this article.

Denice Davis, chief of staff to Ald. Helen Shiller (46th), said the office is making efforts to fix the situation. She said it is a complicated issue because most of the hotel guests cannot afford anything else. Chateau Hotel offers a place to stay for those with bad credit or people who cannot pay for an apartment, Davis said.

Guests of Chateau Hotel can pay per night ($70), week ($160) or month ($565).

“I’m not going to say things don’t happen there,” Davis said. “It’s not the best of the best, but it is better than nothing at all.”

Davis said she recently called the hotel’s owner, Gore, asking him to “clean up” the hotel and tighten up on rules and regulations, such as public drinking outside the hotel.

Residents of the hotel say it is a decent establishment. “I ain’t got nowhere else to go that I can afford,” said Dorothy Robie, who has lived at the hotel for four years. “It’s gotten better over the years but certain people could move out.”

Bonita Slick, another resident, agreed. “It’s a good hotel,” Slick said. “But there are some bad people that give it a bad name.”

Paul Bauch, a community member and lawyer who attended the Sept. 19 CAPS meeting, said the concern goes beyond disruptive hotel guests.

“This is an ongoing problem because it is a social issue as opposed to a police issue,” Bauch said. “[The hotel] is in a bad location; the neighborhood is gentrifying around it, but you can’t just shut down a building because you don’t like the sort of people living in it.”

O’Reilly urged all residents to call the police when they see anything suspicious around the hotel, and to attend subsequent court hearings for offenders.

“We’re here 24 hours to work with you on these issues of concern,” said O’Reilly, who has patrolled the area for nearly 34 years.

Some residents are doubtful that the incidents surrounding the hotel can be solved easily.

“The reality is that the hotel is going be there until it’s forced to shut down,” Bauch said.

Despite a forced relocation for his Uptown Tattoo Factory last year, Paul Collurafici holds no grudges. Nor is he concerned about the near decade wait on the Wilson Yard redevelopment, scheduled to be completed in fall 2009.

Wilson Yard, between the 4400 and 4600 block of North Broadway St., has begun the long process of transformation. The now empty lot is to become a Target store, affordable housing units and a new administrative building for Truman College, located on its west side and along Wilson Ave.

Initial site investigation and community discussion began more than ten years ago after a 1996 fire destroyed the Chicago Transit Authority rail yard. The 5.7 acre site in Uptown has been a fenced lot full of weeds since that time.

“You can go sit in the corner and cry or you can take the lemons you’re given and make lemonade,” said Collurafici, a supporter of Uptown retail growth.

Collurafici knew his Tattoo Factory would have to move from its former spot near Broadway St. and Montrose Ave. He started looking for a new space right away and opened his new location, across the street at 4441 N. Broadway St., in December.

Two other businesses, Taqueria Mr. Salsa and Uptown People’s Law Center, also relocated nearby. Aldi built a new grocery store on the north end of the Wilson Yard lot and it opened in May.

Once environmental soil tests are completed, the former Aldi building is slated for demolition. The so-called Azusa building for its former liquor store owner, a white terra cotta building at the corner of Broadway and Montrose, is also slated for demolition.

Since 2002, Holsten Real Estate Development has been working on the construction and renovation of the site. The developer recently confirmed the site’s progress and promised the Target store’s future construction.

Plans for the multi-million project have changed numerous times, including the housing and businesses. Initially, a 12-screen movie theatre was part of the original plans, and the 2006 news about Kerasotes theatre pulling out disappointed some residents.

Some community residents suspect Target will not be part of the finished project either and have sought assurances from the developer and the alderman

“Target is definitely coming,” said developer Peter Holsten. “The people spreading those rumors harbor some sort of ill will from the last aldermanic election.”

Incumbent Ald. Helen Shiller (46th) defeated James Cappleman in February’s close race and the slow progress of Wilson Yard and the proposed levels of affordable or low-income housing were hotly debated during the campaign.

“The project is moving along,” Holsten said. “We are removing terra cotta pieces from the building at Broadway and Montrose and site prep(aration) work will begin in October and November.”

Target Corporation, which currently owns five stores in Chicago, did not return calls for comment.

On a message board operated by Buena Park Neighbors, some residents expressed anger and frustration at Ald. Shiller because of the Wilson Yard project, disagreeing with the increased level of affordable housing and the extended wait to complete the project.

One poster wrote: “September and there is still no demo taking place. They’re probably just waiting for some homeless guy to burn it down trying to stay warm this winter.” Another wrote: “I’d take an empty lot over an ill-advised low-income mega-complex.”

Denice Davis, Shiller’s chief of staff, acknowledged that some community members are unhappy with the retail choices and the 78 units of affordable housing, with residents having mixed-income levels.

“There are those that think the new Aldi and affordable housing aren’t necessary,” Davis said. “But we had community meetings and took this huge basket of ideas from everyone [of what to do with Wilson Yard] and Mr. Holsten made sense of it for us.”

The final plan was approved by the Chicago City Council in June.

“The redevelopment will help the area in a variety of ways, including further growth,” said Connie Buscemi, spokeswoman for the city’s Department of Planning and Development. “It will bring in more money and benefit the community as a whole.”

Meanwhile, the former buildings of the relocated businesses sit empty in Wilson Yard, waiting for the necessary soil tests and preparations.

“Yeah, I’d like to wake up tomorrow and see Target there but you can’t go at an old building with a bulldozer. Everything has to be dismantled, which takes awhile,” said Collurafici, who is also a member of the Wilson Yard Task Force, a group of 46 constituents chosen by the alderman to help oversee the project.

“It took me a year to move my tattoo parlor,” he said. “How long do you think it will take to design and build a Target?”

Collurafici remains optimistic about the economic impact of the forthcoming commercial space, part of the reason he stayed in the area when relocating. The other reason?

“Uptown is just a pretty cool place,” he said.

The petite Shelley Sutker-Dermer whisks around her kitchen preparing an almost unimaginable feast for the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah. The menu includes six briskets, sweet and sour meatballs, a vegetable soufflé and tzimmes, a traditional Jewish dish of carrots, sweet potatoes, honey and prunes.

Sutker-Dermer cherishes these moments when she can enjoy the company of her family.

In her professional life, Sutker-Dermer is the presiding judge of the Circuit Court of Cook County’s Second Municipal District in Skokie. Despite her duties and extended hours, she also makes her family and community a priority.

“My days are very full,” said Sutker-Dermer, who began her legal career as a Cook County assistant state’s attorney in the early 1980’s. After receiving her law degree from Chicago-Kent College of Law, she was appointed judge in 1995, elected in 1996 and re-elected in 2002.

In the courtroom, Sutker-Dermer deals with criminal justice and domestic violence cases. For her efforts, she has been honored by several bar associations and received the Sanford Blustin Public Service Award.

When dealing with such intense crimes, it can be almost impossible not to be affected, especially by the more violent cases, Sutker-Dermer said.

“You can’t take things too personal but I can’t say I don’t take things home,” she said. “(But) I know how to focus on the issue and I can make a decision.”

The theme of Sutker-Dermer’s work, inside and outside the courtroom, seems to be her commitment to community.

“I admire how she genuinely cares about people,” says fellow Cook County Circuit Judge Garritt Howard. “She’s really good at reading people; she can tell if somebody is trying to snow her. But she is just an excellent administrator, very knowledgeable, and has a tremendous amount of energy.”

That energy extends into her role as community member.

Rabbi Jonathan Ginsberg of Ezra-Habonim, the Niles Township Jewish Congregation, says Sutker-Dermer is a very present member of the synagogue, serving on the executive committee and contributing whenever she can to specific events.

Sutker-Dermer also donates time to social causes and groups, such as NA’AMAT USA, whose mission is to support the women and children of Israel. Sutker-Dermer’s mother, Phyllis, once served as national president.

“From her [mother], Shelley learned commitment and devotion,” says Barbara Novick, executive director of NA’AMAT’s Greater Chicago Council. “Whenever there is a reason to honor or memorialize someone, Shelley turns first to NA’AMAT. Her contributions… go to good use in NA’AMAT’s programs for women, children and families in Israel.”

This dedication to community lead Sutker-Dermer to develop “What Teens Should Know About the Criminal Justice System,” a program now taught in Skokie-area high school health classes. It aims to educate teenagers of long-term consequences of their immediate actions, such as underage drinking and drug use.

“The program came from my experience having teenage children,” Sutker-Dermer said. “I was concerned when I kept hearing teens say ‘I didn’t know I couldn’t do that.’”

“What Teens Should Know” consists of a series of speakers, including former addicts, a police officer, a judge and a healthcare professional. They discuss teen laws on topics such as underage drinking and driving and the ramification of such choices.

“She has always shown a willingness to participate on behalf of others,” says Sutker-Dermer’s father, Calvin Sutker, a former Cook County commissioner. “She treats people with dignity and looks beyond herself. She was always concerned about society. She’s an activist in the most venerated sense of the word.”

Such care and concern for others’ well-being may explain the pains Sutker-Dermer takes in preparation for the Rosh Hashanah meal—a time when the judge could be relaxing.

Sutker-Dermer gains satisfaction from family traditions and togetherness. Her ambition and compassion combine inside the courtroom, her community and her home.

By Paige Gray

Commonwealth Edison heard the complaints of Chicago condominium association leaders upset about their skyrocketing electric bills. The utility company has announced it’s working to ease some of the recent rate shock experienced by condo owners.

Condo owners met earlier this month at the James R. Thompson Center with ComEd representatives and state legislators, who held a hearing of the House Electric Utility Oversight Committee. Condo owners attended to voice their displeasure with the reclassification of condominiums “common areas” from residential to commercial spaces, causing condo bills to increase even more than expected.

George Panagakis, treasurer of the 2333 N. Geneva Terrace Condominium Association, spoke on behalf of the Association of Condominium, Townhouse and Homeowners Associations.

“I am sincerely happy to learn that ComEd recognizes that reclassification of the common areas in the all-electric condo associations severely impacts our budgets and that ComEd is taking steps to mitigate the financial impact on these customers,” Panagakis said.

During the committee hearing, ComEd President J. Barry Mitchell announced intentions to assist the condominium associations.

“After hearing concerns from our customers and re-examining the issue, we considered ways to ease the transition to new rates for these electric space-heating common areas of condominium and apartment buildings,” Mitchell said.

“We are continuing to work with the Illinois Senate about the mechanics of implementing the program and the timing of the program.”

Home and business owners throughout the Chicago area have been upset about their higher electric bills. Consumers have seen a big increase in their bills since Jan. 1, 2007, when a nine-year rate freeze ended.

Condominium associations have been hit even harder because of the reclassification of common areas, such as lobbies, laundry rooms, elevators and hallways, from lower residential rates to higher commercial prices.

“There’s a part of this puzzle we all know,” said Enrique Perez, president of the Transportation Building Condominium Association in the South Loop.  “We knew rates we going to go up.  We didn’t know that the [Illinois Commerce Commission] approved a reclassification of the condo common space to a commercial rate.”

Michael Munson, an attorney for Metropolitan Energy who consults with the Building Owners and Managers Association of Chicago, agreed that the electric rate changes were not handled properly.

“Such reclassification is not fair,” Munson said. “In addition to this, the increases in electric rates hit the electric-heated buildings significantly more than the increases affected gas-heated buildings.”

ComEd maintains it appropriately informed customers of the rate shift for condo’s common areas.

“We estimate that the average bill for a separately metered common area of multi-unit residential buildings will increase,” the company stated in a letter it said was mailed to condo associations.

But Perez said many people, including building representatives, did not know about the change, He hopes that three crucial messages were sent to lawmakers and ComEd.

“First, there needs to be an understanding that common areas are residential and not commercial spaces,” Perez said. “Second, concrete steps need to be made to reverse the reclassification.  Lastly, there needs to be intense focus between the House and the Senate to work out the rate hike facing the general public, regardless of the condo reclassification.”

Are young Americans ready to “Barack” the vote?

As U.S. Sen. Barack Obama embarks upon his quest for the Democratic nomination in the 2008 presidential race, this demographic may be the key to a successful campaign. The faces of children, students and 20-somethings who watched as Obama made the announcement of his political plans on a bitterly cold morning in Springfield, Ill., Feb. 10, 2007, expressed exuberance and excitement – proof that there may be hope in the posterity of our government.

“As soon as I found out about Obama coming to Springfield to announce his candidacy, I knew I had to go,” Lauren McFarden, a Bradley University student, said. “I felt like it was a once in a lifetime opportunity. The fact that I saw the man who could be the first black president make a speech was an offer I couldn’t refuse.”

Capturing the enthusiasm and participation of younger voters in the United States continues to be a battle for politicians. In the 2004 presidential election, organizations such as MoveOn.org and PunkVoter.com aggressively tried to attract America’s young adults to the polls voting with disappointing results. The San Francisco Chronicle reported on Nov. 3, 3004, the day after the election: “Recruited by cultural icons ranging from punk rock icons to hip-hop impresario Sean ‘Puffy’ Combs, and fearing a military draft, young voters were courted as a serious swing bloc from early in the campaign. They flocked to Kerry campaign appearances by rock idol Bruce Springsteen in the last weeks of the campaign, and showed intense interest in a Bush-bashing video by hip-hop star Eminem that was on the Internet over the past week. Though research suggests the majority of this age group supported Democratic nominee John Kerry, their opinion failed to make an impact in the election results.”

Associated Press polls revealed that less than one in 10 voters in the 2004 election were 18 to 24 years old. So does Obama have what it takes to get the kids out and voting? Can he enliven this audience to issues in which they hold stock? Some believe the lack of previous turnout was due to political indifference.

“I think there really just was a huge amount of apathy in that targeted age group,” said Nicole Workoff, an intern for Twenty-First Century Democrats, a political action committee.

Though early into the campaign trail, Obama is generating buzz. “It’s still early, but we have received calls and a lot of e-mails about Sen. Obama,” said Mike Wessler, a staff member of Project Vote Smart, a political research organization. Obama’s own youthfulness and relatively short time in national politics appear to be compelling factors working in his favor with some potential voters.

At 45, he is the youngest candidate in the race. When he stood at the podium in Springfield and proclaimed, “I know I haven’t spent a lot of time learning the ways of Washington,” to which the crowd fired back with a boisterous “Good!” Obama continued, saying, “But I’ve been there long enough to know that the ways of Washington must change.” His limited experience with “the ways of Washington” appeal to the younger generation angered and dismayed by corrupt, divided politics.

“The thing I like most about Obama is how he feels that people must cast aside their political affiliations to make this country better,” McFaden said. “It’s the way he works with Republicans on bills and listens to what they have to say. I believe that the only way to a better country is through team work from both sides of the aisle.”

Mary Warren, a political science major at Southern Illinois University, feels that Obama exudes a certain sincerity that enables her to put full confidence behind his presidential run.

“I know all the candidates talk about changing Washington and many of the other platforms he stands on, but there is just something inspiring about him,” Warren said. “I actually believe him when he says those things…No, he doesn’t have the experience that some of the other candidates have, but is that a bad thing? He has not been jaded by the system. It may be cliché to point this out, but Lincoln had about the same amount of experience as Obama.”

But will the interest Obama is generating among students and younger voters prove immature and insubstantial, much like the media attention surrounding Diddy’s “Vote or Die” campaign or the MTV election specials? Experts disagree.

“I doubt that Obama’s “promises” will hold up very well in the long run,” said William S. Ballenger, Central Michigan University political science professor and a former Michigan state representative and senator. “They may be garnering him a base of support now from a lot of people, perhaps many of them young, who are naive and excessively idealistic about Obama’s being able to ‘make things happen’ in a new way that older, more experienced politicians can’t.”

Others support the promises and potential of Obama. Cal Jillson, associate dean for academic affairs and political science professor at Dedman College, an academic unit of Southern Methodist University, thinks the young senator merits the optimism and attention he is receiving.

“Barack Obama has made quite a splash during these early stages of the 2008 race. He clearly taps into the sense of the country that traditional partisan politics, especially as practiced in Washington, is too tired and distracted to solve the country’s most important problems,” Jillson said.

However, Jillson knows that this campaign is about much more than winning the young voters. It is about convincing Americans the government and the people possess the power of reinvention.

“The whole idea of planning to win an election based on the votes of those who don’t normally vote rarely works. If Barack Obama runs a strong race, or even wins, it will because he channels John Kennedy’s generational call to a new style of politics,” Jillson said.

Obama’s future hinges on his ability to materialize his idealistic visions. His words evoke hope, that “certain audacity,” he speaks of. But we need more than words. In this day and age, for my generation, seeing is believing. Action is how Obama will “Barack” the vote for young adults.