I wanted to share my book, 'A Better Today Brings a Brighter Tomorrow', it is a resource guide for Black Parents and Minority Students highlighting the various free and affordable programs available to urban students from pre-college programs to internships, and mentoring organizations. My original reason for writing this book was to help single black mothers, like my mother, who were in search of programs to put their child in, or free resources like college application fee waivers, after school activities, etc. I hope to help parents and educators provide more African American Children with realistic forums in which to develop their academic and personal talents. [http://www.msoyonline.com/abtabt] This text is also listed on amazon.com. - LaShanda Henry

The Lil Bits Fun Pack is now only $4.95! Filled with games, coloring pages, and an activity book this is a great download for the kids. The Fun Pack is filled with Colorful Black Characters every African American child can enjoy. The Fun Pack Includes:

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-www.blackmomsclub.com

College In And Out
Mahogany Momma Web Guide #8

The doors we open for our children today determine the types of opportunities we make available to them tomorrow…

The College In And Out edition of Mahogany Momma is all about how to get more of our children into College.

In order for more black students to excel, more black parents have to understand that today’s Bachelors degree is equivalent to yesterday’s high school diploma. In other words, if you want your child to have access to better careers and a better way of life tomorrow, then planning for college is something you should have started yesterday. The truth is that it’s never too early to start the college preparation process because it involves more than simply starting a college fund. You need to know how to successfully build your child’s academic resume so that he/she can realistically apply, attend, and graduate from college. The key is to get your child on the right academic path at the right time and that is what the College In and Out issue of Mahogany Momma is all about. From exploring College Prep Programs to learning College Life Skills, this special edition of Mahogany Momma outlines the types of information and resources that Parents of Color and Minority Students need to be aware of if they are interested in learning more about college.

Featured topics:

• College Focused Time line for students from Junior High to High School Graduation
• Online College Preparation Websites for Black Students
• Black College Life Resources
• Black College Tours
• Whereto Research Historically Black Colleges: HBCUs
  
• Minority Scholarship Sites and listings
• Pre-College Programs for Black Students
  
• An extensive listing Black College Life resources and books

Black College / Scholarship links featured in this ebook:

• Black Students Scholarships, blackstudents.blacknews.com
• Diverse Issues In Higher Education, www.diverseeducation.com
• A Better Today Brings a Brighter Tomorrow, www.msoyonline.com/abtabt
  

Discount: Mahogany Momma Back To School Discount Special
Get this and/or other Mahogany Momma eBooks for 25% off your total purchase.
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Offer Expires: 9/30/07

Mahogany Momma Web Guides
LaShanda Henry presents her original series of web guides for African American Moms / Mothers of Color. These interactive e-books contain information about some of the best online AND offline content for Mahogany moms. http://mom.msoyonline.com

In any well rounded political debate education is one of the top five topics of discussion. This is the case because with regards to our educational system there is always room for improvement. Practically every academic improvement up for discussion should be prefaced with the word ‘More’; more teachers, more books, more schools, and more supplies. More often than not at the top of constituents’ academic ideals is the belief that more money will create better schools.
In the midst of this outcry for more, students unable to attend the top schools are getting less. Beyond losing potential opportunities, they are losing their desire to learn. While many parents are left with their demands for more, anxiously awaiting a day when quality education will truly be accessible to all, the rest of us seek alternative solutions outside the school walls.

Everyday children across America attend after school and pre-college programs at which they generate a renewed sense of themselves through new arenas of support. In spite of overcrowded classrooms and out dated books, students can further develop their minds with the help of the one-on-one training and co-curriculum classes that these organizations provide. For the most part, these programs typically offer tutoring, summer instruction, workshops, and career counseling.

Similar to the search for a good school, in the world of after school economics, the demand is always greater than the supply. Moreover, the best institutions are sometimes the best kept secrets. Fortunately, supplemental Educational programs for youth come in a variety of shapes and sizes. There are tutoring/mentoring programs, pre-college programs, community centers, camps, youth focused internships, talent searches, and career training programs. Use these organizational categories as buzz words and guides. Look online and through local newspapers to find out where such programs exist and how your child can take advantage of them.

A Better Today Brings a Brighter Tomorrow is a resource guide that features supplemental education programs for students of color and their parents. This book is available for purchase at www.lulu.com/msoy. Additionally, the guide’s website, abt.msoyonline.com, includes an online directory of community outreach programs, more informative articles, and helpful forums for parents.

As long as poorly funded schools remain an issue within countless black communities, supplemental education programs will continue to provide as many students as possible with well-rounded academic experiences. We must all actively advocate for the improvement of our schools, but as a parent it is equally important you, not the schools, control your child’s academic experience. Look outside the school system for a new pool of opportunities to dive into and a self-made village in which to raise your child.



About the Author:
This article is an excerpt of A Better Today Brings a Brighter Tomorrow, (abt.msoyonline.com) a resource guide for African American parents, self-published by LaShanda Henry. Visit www.lulu.com/msoy to purchase a copy of this book or email lhenry@msoyonline.com for details.

© LaShanda Henry 2005

NOTE: You are welcome to forward or “reprint” this article online as long as it remains complete and unaltered (including the “about the author” info at the end and the copyright notice), and you send a copy of your reprint to lhenry@msoyonline.com.

A Better Today A Brighter Tomorrow Launches New Website
March 14, 2005 - Multiple Shades of You Online expanded the scope of its mission to include A Better Today A Brighter Tomorrow, a community outreach project focused on improving the quality of life for low incoming families by exposing disadvantaged minority students to the existence of community organizations which promote and implement: After school tutoring, Pre-college preparation, Mentoring, Talent development, Summer opportunities, and Career training.

Lil' Bits Onlineis an entertaining children's site featuring games, links, and resources for African American parents.

Here is a small preview of what Lil Bit's has to offer:

Nonstop Entertainment The fun doesn't have to stop with the Lil' Bits Gang. Visit our friends for more activities. There is a whole world of friendly facesout there; from pbskids, nickjr, babyGirlz, and disney just to name a few. So get clicking and enjoy!

Brought to you by: msoy original publications