Summer, 2009

Clap your hands. . . A bunch of West Philadelphia teenagers in an after-school class rank right up there with students from the likes of famed MIT, Massachusetts Institute of Technology   West Philadelphia High School's Academy of Automotive and Mechanical Engineering, which has already won three solar car design competitions, is a surprise contender in the $10-million "X-Prize" competition for a 100 mpg (or better) car. The competition is sponsored by Progressive Automotive and managed by the X-Prize Foundation. Teams work to design and build fuel efficient cars that people really would want to buy.     West Philly faces some heavily financed institutions but they certainly have the good wishes of a lots of folks including Lisa Jackson, the Philadelphia-born head of the Environmental Protection Agency who recently visited the school.

An exhibit that explores the various aspects of race and racism opened in May at the Franklin Institute.   The new show, "Race: Are We So Different?," explores the scientific, historical, and everyday impact of race and racism, using interactives, artifacts, and multimedia to challenge definitions and misconceptions of race.   Dennis Wint, President and CEO of the Franklin Institute says "The interesting story within the exhibition is that there is no scientific basis for race. However, there have been incidents where science has been used to define race."

Children's Healthcare   According to Senator Vincent Hughes, in Pennsylvania, we have gone beyond the federal model by offering health insurance to all uninsured children with the “Cover All Kids” policy. This means that every uninsured child in Pennsylvania is eligible for health insurance under CHIP or Medicaid.   Pennsylvania has always been at the forefront of this issue. Senator Hughes was a strong supporter of the original CHIP bill and worked diligently to get it passed through the General Assembly and signed into law. The original CHIP legislation was signed into law December 2, 1992 as Act 113.   Now, for families of four making up to $42,000 a year (about twice the federal poverty level of $21,200), CHIP is free. If families of four make between $42,000 and $63,000, they must pay an average monthly insurance premium of $40 to $64 per child. A family of four making more than $63,600 can get insurance at a cost of $161 per child per month.   The website for SCHIP in Pennsylvania is www.chipcoverspakids.com or call, toll free, 1-800-986-KIDS (TTY/TDD 1-800-451-58