The students of the UAMS Association of Student Government invite everyone to a block party in front of the future UAMS 12th Street Health and Wellness Center (4010 W. 12th Street) this Wednesday from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.  There will be BBQ, a bouncy castle for kids, face painting, and more information about UAMS’ plans to transform the old USA Drug into a new Health and Wellness Center for the 12th Street Community.  A group of UAMS students have organized this event to celebrate and build UAMS’ relationship with the Promise Neighborhood and  12th Street Community.  All are welcome – please bring friends and family members!

Calling all interested in helping plan some activities and events for this summer’s CLRPN Reads! initiative: We will gather for our first planning meeting on Tuesday, April 24, at 6 p.m.  (Willie Hinton Neighborhood Resource Center, 3805 W. 12th Street, Room 104).  Thanks to Shawnna, JoAnne, and Mabel who jumped right in to start brainstorming on this right after our discussion at last month’s Town Hall Meeting.  But they need help!  If you have ideas for creative activities or innovative ways that can help us start to make reading a mainstream, daily activity not just for students but for all CLRPN residents this summer, please join us on the 24th.  For more information or to share ideas, contact Julie at lrpromise@gmail.com.

The First Tee is a youth development nonprofit that builds character in young people aged 3-18 and promotes healthy choices through a professionally designed curriculum that uses the game of golf to teach life skills. Located on the southwestern edge of the CLRPN, their unique programming serves over a thousand Central Arkansas youth annually and is leading the way in the fight against childhood obesity as well as helping their participants to graduate from high school and grow into tomorrow's community leaders.  To help more students in the drive of their life, this year First Tee of Central Arkansas is offering scholarships in the form of free memberships and free Life Skills Outreach educational courses.  For more information, contact First Tee at 562-GOLF.

To all teachers of younger children in the CLRPN, we need your help to find a teacher who can represent you on the CLRPN’s Neighborhood Advisory Board.  Teachers are one of the key constituencies that must be represented on the Advisory Board according to the Bylaws,  but currently both teachers on the Board work in secondary schools.  To ensure the Advisory Board represents all perspectives, we are looking to fill the final position for a teacher with someone more experienced with the educational needs and concerns of younger children.  If you teach pre-school or lower primary grades and may be interested in serving the CLRPN in this capacity, please contact Joyce at jaeliiott@ualr.edu.

Little Rock Preparatory Academy and the CLRPN send our thanks to Rita White and the members of the Little Rock/Pulaski County Retired Teachers Association for their efforts to try to answer our last-minute call for help in finding certified teachers to serve as proctors last week.  We are all part of the Promise!

Over the last six weeks, 15 girls have been exploring beauty from the inside-out through the Little Miss Promise program.  Come out and see what they have learned this Saturday, April 21.  The Little Miss Promise pageant will take place at the Hall High School Auditorium (6700 H Street) at 6 p.m.