Today I took the day off from following the political circle around Albuquerque to spend the day with my daughter so we could celebrate her graduation from the spring leadership program of the Cornstalk Institute. A program which is a community based organization that gives free after school programs to the south valley and southeast heights middle school students; they do a wonderful job of teaching our children leadership skills and community skills. They keep our kids off drugs and prevent them from every doing alcohol. They teach our children how to ride bikes, climb high ropes, make apple sauce, and how to camp out in the wild country. The program also teaches math, writing, and verbal skills. It gives the children a sense of pride in themselves and their community. We could all use more programs like this one in our 
communities. I did run into State Senator Linda Lopez at the Institute today. She was there because she has been a supporter of the program for years and wanted to show her support to the students that were graduating from the program. I would hope that more state senators would join Senator Lopez in supporting this program and ones like it in Albuquerque and around the state. I can honestly say that I would never support anyone that could not see the value in these types of programs.
I had been invited to attend Martin Heinrich grand opening of his new office but since Martin Heinrich worked in a camp I am sure that he knows the value of these types of programs and will understand my absents from his party today. We as a community should be asking our state senators, state representatives, US senators and US representatives to support the funding of
these types of programs because they build communities that don’t need more jails. Better that our children should learn early the skills that will make good citizens of them rather then have them at home watching mindless TV. The program also helps because with all of the physical activities the children have less weight problems and stay in better health. A final note the councilors who work hard to provide these services to our children everyday in this country are true heroes and no one should ever do anything but hold them in high esteem because our children are one of our most valuable assets.
communities. I did run into State Senator Linda Lopez at the Institute today. She was there because she has been a supporter of the program for years and wanted to show her support to the students that were graduating from the program. I would hope that more state senators would join Senator Lopez in supporting this program and ones like it in Albuquerque and around the state. I can honestly say that I would never support anyone that could not see the value in these types of programs.I had been invited to attend Martin Heinrich grand opening of his new office but since Martin Heinrich worked in a camp I am sure that he knows the value of these types of programs and will understand my absents from his party today. We as a community should be asking our state senators, state representatives, US senators and US representatives to support the funding of
these types of programs because they build communities that don’t need more jails. Better that our children should learn early the skills that will make good citizens of them rather then have them at home watching mindless TV. The program also helps because with all of the physical activities the children have less weight problems and stay in better health. A final note the councilors who work hard to provide these services to our children everyday in this country are true heroes and no one should ever do anything but hold them in high esteem because our children are one of our most valuable assets. 
