Pitch Paper Feedback

General Improvements ~

(1)  Make sure the paper is adhering to APA formatting rules throughout; format all information, even if it does not flow well; for instance, cite paraphrases in introductory paragraph.

(2)  My paper has too high of a similarity percentage due to too many direct quotations.  I need to limit them, and paraphrase more -- but make sure to cite it the same.

(3)  Make sure to include transitions between paragraphs to help the argument flow better and add to the persuasive factor.

(4)  Each piece of evidence should correspond to an appropriate explanation; this will better the organization of my paper and make my arguments easier to understand.

Basic Action Plan:
As stated in my paper, I plan to utilize both advocacy and direct service in bettering the lives of homeless youth.  My direct service will consist of helping serve at Third Sunday Meals, and listening to the problems the youth are facing, in addition to possibly tutoring homeless youth via the School on Wheels program.  My indirect action will be as a part of the homelessness advocacy team at my church, of which I am a member.

Character Thinking Map: Rachel

Final Discussion: Microlabs

        Round 1: If I could use one word to describe what Rachel's survival looked like it would be independence.  This is because without her immediate family, Rachel is largely on her own throughout the book.  She has no one to empathize with in her struggles of mixed race, an lives a life with a parental void, for the most part, aside from what Drew did.  She realizes this independence, and embraces it as a part of herself.  I think this independence causes her to form a unique identity, which benefits her.

        Round 2: As Durrow said in her interview with Norris, she thought it would be interesting to write a book about the survival of a girl after the tragedy she experienced.  So I concur with this point, that the main topic of the book is not the incident on the roof.  However, I do believe that the characters involved are centered around the incident, and that the plot revolves around the incident, starting with it at the beginning, coming to it intermittently throughout, and ending with it.  Yet the gist of the story is about Rachel -- the girl who fell from the sky and survived -- and her coping with the struggles of being the only survivor in her mixed race family, as well as the other people's lives after the incident.  You cannot write a story exclusively about one event.

       Round 3: Nella is certainly one of the most polarizing characters in the book.  What she did, in giving up and jumping off the roof with her children, is selfish to me.  Her children deserved better.  Yet, at the same time, Rachel appears to understand why her mother did such a thing.  Their lives were a struggle -- coping with abuse, alcoholism, and the constant lack of a fatherly figure in the household, illustrated by Nella's agonized diary entries.  I have some empathy for Nella, because of this.  Rachel understood why Mor couldn't take it anymore, she realized that Mor did it to alleviate the pain of her children.  For me, this was not the way for Nella to love her children, to diminish their pain.  I cannot understand why she did it.  But I think, in her confusion, the only certain way to diminish the pain and stay with her family was to die with them.

        Round 4: Silence plays a prominent role in both the Girl Who Fell from the Sky and the Grace of Silence.  It shapes the identities of the characters by them growing up in oblivion, to their benefit and detriment.  They were not hindered by struggles of their family, but they were also not strengthened by being able to move on from the secrets that were kept.  The telling of stories about families makes individuals into more complete people.  The unknown is dangerous, and secrets separate people.  They perpetuate the single story.  Rachel not addressing the tragedy caused her to be burdened, until she finally did.  Racism, too is perpetuated by silence.  We cannot get over, nor address the problem in hushed whispers.  One example of this in when Aunt Loretta and her friend kept information from Rachel about her race.

        Round 5: This extended metaphor throughout the book of falling versus flying is profound.  The theme, I think, is does one plunge into despair, or is one resilient, and are they able to fly away from it?  Rachel jumps from the roof, as opposed to falling from it.  This shows me that she willingly acted to let go of the struggles of her past in an act of family solidarity.  Yet she survives, and the incident on the roof stays with her until she has the audacity to talk about it.  When she does, she begins to fly, as a swan.  She stops running, and takes to the air, away, away.  Brick listens, and she releases.

        Bonus Round: While the Girl Who Fell from the Sky was a fiction text, it provided very realistic insight into how people would react to and address a tragedy, and how a half Danish, half black girl would cope with the racism she faced.  These stories, reading the word, gives us multiple ideas, rather than a single story, to make the world better known.  In these ways Heidi Durrow helps me read the world.

Compare and Contrast Essay Work Day 1

Potential Topics ~

• Coping with racism -- How do Norris and Rachel deal with racism?  How does this impact their identity?
• Past affecting identity -- How do the pasts of the two protagonists affect their present identity?  Do they try to let it go, or do they embrace it?
• Parental influences -- How do parents or guardians shape the identities of Rachel and Norris?  Do they play an important role in shaping the identities of both characters?
• Beauty's influence -- How does the desire to look beautiful -- based on what the characters believe the definition of beauty is -- shape their identity?  What do they do to realize this?
• Silence -- How does the concept of keeping some things quiet -- and opening up about other issues -- affect the identities of the two main characters?

I am going to investigate the topic of silence in The Grace of Silence and The Girl Who Fell from the Sky.

        Silence, specifically the way we utilize it, is a quietly significant part of our identities.  The way we deal with conflict involves the question of either being silent and stoic, and moving on, or speaking back and fighting.  Also, in general, what we choose to say and what we don't choose to say has significant impact on our identities.  This is evident in both texts we read this year, The Grace of Silence and The Girl Who Fell from the Sky.  In the former, a large part of the book is about discovering truths, somewhat traumatic truths about Michele Norris' parents' pasts, that were kept secret from her.  Her parents were silent about her father getting shot in the leg as a young returning war vet in Birmingham, Alabama, and the job of her mother which subtly perpetuated racism -- an itinerant Aunt Jemima.  Michele Norris realizes that this silence had notable impact on her identity -- seeing that her parents had not told her so because they didn't want to weigh her ambitions down in regards to her race.  But at the same time, Norris is determined to push the silence back, and speak truths to the people, and listen to their truths.  This too, frames her identity.  In the latter book, Rachel experiences a tragic incident as a child in which almost everyone in her immediate family dies.  It changes her life forever -- and she decides not to talk about it.  This, I think, keeps the calamity with her and hinders her from moving on, yet at the same time helps her remember her family.  It affects her identity.  Another appearance of the concept of silence that we see throughout the novel is in Rachel utilizing the "blue bottle" to cope with racism, in which she puts all negative statements about herself and her race.  She does not address them, and this is corrosive to her identity until she finally does.  Certainly, this is one way she differs from Norris -- Rachel is much more willing to defer the problem to her "blue bottle" and to embrace silence, than to directly address the issue like Norris.  The same goes for facing the reality of their pasts.  Yet both are very open about their race and ethnicity.

Potential Thesis Statement ~

        The ways in which Michele and Rachel choose to address the issue of silence has profound impact on their identity.  They are both proud of their race and ethnicity and are not afraid to tell people; however, they differ in their ways of coping with racism, and that Rachel embraces silence about her past and Michele opens up to the world about it.

Key moments from both books that warrant discussion in the essay ~

• The roof incident that altered the circumstances in Rachel's life forever (GFFS)
• Michele's mother's stint as a traveling Aunt Jemima and her reaction that shapes her identity (GS)
• Finding out about the shooting of Michele's father and how Norris reacts to stereotypical, "traditional" perspectives from some interviewees (GS)
• Reflection on how not telling about these secrets affected Norris' identity (GS)
• "Blue bottle" and incidents with Tamika Washington in which Rachel initially embraces silence (GFFS)
• The fight with Tamika and talking back (GFFS)
• Talking to Brick about the incident -- coping with it effectively, moving on, and changing her identity into that of a mature person (GFFS)
• Reflections about silence in regards to the incident on the roof (GFFS)

Come Hell or High Water Response

        Derrick Evans is a committed individual who is passionate about the welfare of his home, Turkey Creek, Mississippi.  A historic black community with beautiful nature founded by his great-grandfather's grandfather during Reconstruction, it now lies in the middle of the economically expanding city of Gulfport, Mississippi.  Both Mississippi's governor and Gulfport's mayor are determined to bolster the city's economic potential by expanding into Gulfport, and Derrick is determined to preserve the close-knit community.  His passion is shown in the ardent pursuit of his goals-- attending numerous meetings, building, rebuilding after natural disaster, and his emotional ties to the issue.  But it is also shown in what he gives up to pursue the preservation of his small community-- a comfortable teaching job in Boston, apartment living, and even any sort of wages.  His mother says it all: her boy had been working hard for over five years without any wages.

What Are You?

        Generally, when I am asked the question "What are you?" it is in an almost sarcastic context, when someone is pretending that they are irritated with me.  Then, it is really a rhetorical question, of little significance.  But when I really ponder it, what comprises my identity, it is very significant.  My identity is made up of almost everything about me.  The question "Who are you?" fails to consider the identity aspect, I think.  But "What are You?" is more multi-dimensional, with the opportunity to tell the complete story of you, rather than the superficiality of a name.  It can be about a race, but it can also be about other aspects that you value more, like your likes and dislikes, your personality, or even the activities in which you participate.  So yes, I am white.  But so are most people I know.  I want to be different.  I come from diverse religious backgrounds; my mom's Catholic and my dad's Jewish.  I am a reader, a learner, and an athlete.  I value hard work and tolerance.

        More and more, as the New York Times article illustrates, mixed-race children are coming to be.  One of seven new marriages is between spouses of different races or ethnicities, according to data from 2008 to 2009 that was analyzed by the Pew Research Center.  These people, a growing population in America, have a more diverse and complex identity, something they don't want to be so definitive as a check in a single box on the census, but a fluid, complete story on the merging of multiple cultures.  I completely agree with Laura Wood from the article, believing that in a sense of race, society is trying to tear everyone apart and pick a side.  It has to be black or white.  It can't be gray.  And it really should be, if the individual wants this.  Every person should be able to determine their own identity.  Mixed race people are often oppressed by the choosing of their identity for them, and they should be able to do it themselves.  Rachel, in the Girl Who Fell From the Sky, is finding it difficult to embrace both parts of her identity, with people forcing her into one category: black.  She has no one, really, to empathize with in her struggle.  Wood said of her mixed identity, "If someone tries to call me black I say, 'yes- and white'" (Saulny, 2011).  I think Rachel will agree with this in the future, and will appreciate both her Danish and black identity.  She can be of different parts, although her grandmother might argue otherwise.  These diverse parts form a more complete whole.

        Heidi Durrow is part Danish and part black, like Rachel.  And just like Laura Wood, she believes black does not complete the question "What are You?" for her.  For this reason, she would definitely appreciate the work of the MBSA and the safe space and solidarity it gives the students to talk about their identity struggles.  She talks about incorporating all of her identity in the conversation, not just select parts (Durrow, 2013).  Durrow's answer to "What are You?" is that she is many stories.  This is related to the quote from the article because it refers to the single story of race versus the actual complexity of an individual's identity, many stories.  Stories are long, with twists and turns that race alone cannot tell.  This should be the nature of everyone's identity, and they should be able to determine it.

Beauty Synthesis

        The single story is ubiquitous in beauty.  The one image of a model, distributed by the media.  That they have to look white, or be white.  That black models need a distinct look, too.  A fashion show director says of Renee, a black model, "Black models, they tend to be, like, a little wider hips, and a little, like, more round."  He is referring to the single story that he believes black beauty must follow.  It is in this way that media and professionals have the gist of the power in deciding what beautiful is.  They determine who to send out onto the runway, who is featured in their commercials, and from this, we gain our image of beauty.  That it is generally white, just like most of the people who have power in the media.  But this must be the other way around.  For, as Cameron Russell says, "Image is superficial."

Ideas of Beauty ~ Girl Who Fell From the Sky

        Beauty is one of the most valued qualities in women in our society today, deserved or not.  Its definition is, roughly, a combination of qualities that pleases the aesthetic senses, especially sight.  These qualities generally vary from person to person, but there is often consensus, and this is shaped by our surroundings: what the media perceives to be beautiful and what your parents perceive as beautiful are probably the most significant.  It is undeniable that television and social media give us an idea of beauty as we are constantly surrounded by them.  Our perception of beauty from television is mostly in commercials and films, while shows also play a factor.  It is important to understand that media, especially earlier on, was controlled by primarily white folk.  Therefore, white people were featured as beautiful in the media, and this had a negative effect on people of color.  While this has begun to change, especially with affirmation from parents of children of color, that they too are beautiful, it still can have a hindering effect on their potentials.  Fortunately, today, there is more and more diversity: in commercials, and even in Disney.  Also, the influence of Lupita Nyong'o on the perception of beauty has been palpable.  A black woman, she has won numerous accolades for her beauty, and this has boosted the pride of black girls everywhere.

        It is important to also realize that beauty is not only about physical qualities, what anyone can see, but about the way people carry themselves.  Their personalities.  It is in this way that beauty should be valued.  But changing beauty to "hotness," something that many boys do today, is detrimental to the value.  Girls are becoming distressed over their looks, rather than the way they act, which should be more highly valued.  Rachel experiences this in the Girl Who Fell From the Sky.  Can she be beautiful as a black girl?  This is the constant struggle she faces throughout the book.  Michele Norris in the Grace of Silence experienced similar conflicts.  When she cut her hair, it became more distinctly African-American.  At first, this look disgusted her.  This was because of the way she perceived beauty, for it to be exclusively white.  Yet she realized that this look did good for her, as she was able to create her own perception of beauty.  Rachel gets a similar makeover, her hair losing its distinctly black feel.  She likes this.  It makes her feel more beautiful.  She needs to be more secure in regards to her beauty, and know looks aren't everything.

        Cameron Russell is a smart, beautiful model.  She illustrates to the world the above point, that looks aren't everything; at least, they shouldn't be everything.  Russell talks about how in some ways, looks do matter.  She was allowed to purchase a dress for free because of her physical beauty; her friend received no penalty for running a red because Cameron was in the car.  But this should not be.  We must look past physical beauty, and into personality, she says.  We must appreciate unique beauty, too, beauty that the media often doesn't show.  This is people of color.  Russell goes on to discuss how despite their low proportion, people of color, particularly black people, are stopped far more than any other race in New York City by the police.  This is because of negative perceptions based on the way they look, and the single story police carry of people of color: that they are trouble.

        One cannot rely on how they look to sustain themselves, they must focus instead on their compassion, how they are inside-- this is true beauty.  This is because beauty cannot be acquired; it is always there, you just have to have the confidence to realize it is.  When Nyong'o's mother says that you "cannot eat beauty," this what she means.  Everyone can be beautiful by controlling what is inside you, which, as Nyong'o says, "has no color."  Yet physical beauty undeniably plays a factor.  You just have to appreciate it, from confidence.  Nyong'o gained this from Alek Wek, a model "dark as night."  This gave her power to realize the truth.

Ferguson

The Shooting ~

• Michael Brown: 18 year-old black man who was shot and killed by Ferguson, Missouri police officer Darren Wilson on August 9, 2014.  Brown was unarmed by the Canfield Green apartment complex
• Brown was scheduled to start at Vatterott College, a Missouri trade college, two days after the shooting
• Wilson initially stopped Brown for jaywalking, but realized later that he could be the person who stole cigars from a convenience store, spotting them in his hand
• Brown had no criminal record at the time
• At least one round was fired from inside Wilson's squad car -- Brown died about 35 feet away from the car
• Autopsies found that Wilson shot Brown at least six times from the front, and one of the bullets hit the top of Brown's head -- this could be leaning over in surrender or attack
• One side of Wilson's face was left swollen during the encounter
• Wilson has been put on leave following the shooting

Ambiguity ~

• Some eyewitnesses say Brown was surrendering to the police as he was killed, but local law enforcement argues that he was assaulting Officer Wilson
• Dorian Johnson, Brown's friend who was with him when he died, said Wilson told the men to step onto the sidewalk; the door of the car ricocheted into Wilson, aggravating him; he grabbed Brown by the neck, and Brown tried to get away; Wilson shot Brown; the two began to run away with their hands up; Wilson pursued and fired several more shots
• Tiffany Mitchell's account: struggle between Brown and Wilson in squad car; first gunshot came with Brown's hands outside the vehicle while the two were struggling; Brown's body jerked, as if he were hit, and surrendered; Wilson continued shooting
• Piaget Crenshaw's account: Wilson attempted to pull Brown into the squad car; Brown ran away, and with back facing officer, several shots were fired; Brown then faces the officer to surrender, and more shots were fired
• The police believe that Brown assaulted Wilson in the car, pushing him back into the vehicle, and attempting to get a hold of his weapon
• Then, shots were fired with Brown's back turned

Ferguson ~

• The police force, despite the town being almost 2/3 black, has three black officers
• Evidence of animosity towards blacks in the town earlier -- high racial tension
• Henry Davis, a black man in Ferguson, was unjustly beaten by police in 2013, scarring his face

The Concerns ~

• Racism in the American justice system, and deep-rooted racial disparities in local government and law enforcement
• Continued police brutality
• The single story about black men
• The number of S.W.A.T. raids have gone up by 1,400 percent since the 1980s -- 50,000 take place very year

Legality of the Shooting ~

• Tennessee v. Garner and Graham v. Connor, a pair of 1980s Supreme Court decisions, determined the framework for when utilizing deadly force by cops is reasonable
• May do it under two circumstances: to protect their life or another innocent person's life; or, to prevent a person from escaping whom they have probable cause to believe is a violent felon

Investigation ~

• Performed by the St. Louis County P.D.
• Deciding whether Darren Wilson was justified in shooting an unarmed man
• Little information has been released as of now about the findings of this investigation
• The FBI is also carrying out an independent civil rights investigation, that will look exclusively at constitutional rights violations

Protesting ~

• Ferguson residents almost immediately took to the streets; police responded with a highly-armed presence meant to contain demonstrators and prevent violence
• Media and protesters complained that media was moving in when the civil disobedience was peaceful
• Police had military-grade equipment; tanks, armored suits, etc.
• While highly tense and volatile, the protests were generally peaceful
• Police used tear gas, sound cannons, and smoke bombs to disperse protesters
• Ferguson police unleashed tear gas upon journalists, harassing them and even pointing assault rifles at them
• ACLU is attempting to remove these unnecessary, excessive weapons from the police

Pre-Seminar Brainstorm

        The central concept of the Girl Who Fell From the Sky is racism, and the experiences of society that are influenced by race.  Rachel, the protagonist, has difficulty identifying with one race, and experiences harassment from both sides.  She struggles to create her own, unique image when she has no parents to influence her values.  What is it that makes Rachel an outcast in society?  What prompted the incident that caused Rachel's family to fall apart?  And what does the concept of a single story have to do with this all?

"I learn that black people don't have blue eyes.  I learn that I am black.  I have blue eyes." (p. 10)

The Danger of a Single Story

        "The consequence of the single story is this: It robs people of dignity.  It makes our recognition of our equal humanity difficult.  It emphasizes how we are different rather than how we are similar."
        --Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

        This quote is a summary of Adichie's talk, that stereotyping, the telling of one story about a people or a place, is incomplete and unfair, because it is unrepresentative of the entire truth.  Our dignity comes from our truths of which we are proud.  Thus, to stereotype, to deny one of these truths to a person is to rob them of their pride.  And, Adichie goes on to say, if we are only telling one theme about a people, it is difficult to focus on the equality between peoples because the single story emphasizes how people differ from each other.  If we want to become a truly unified people, where everyone is valued, we must hear the full stories of all people and places.  Because everyone should be valued.

        This is exactly why single stories are dangerous and pernicious-- they pass on incomplete truths of people that stick, serving to separate people in their supposed difference.  The single story makes us separate people into categories, which causes conflict between peoples.  The full story moves us towards friendship, unity, and peace.

        Rachel, the main character in the Girl Who Fell From the Sky, struggles to fit in the definitive category of white or black.  She does not fit into the single stories, the stereotypes, of either of these people.  She would benefit from less stereotyping of blacks and whites, and would fit with them all.

Girl Who Fell: First Impressions and Connections

       Similarly to the Grace of Silence, the Girl Who Fell From the Sky addresses the tension of racial dialogue in America.  The first chapter is from the perspective of a "light-skinned" black girl, Rachel, which is a paradox in itself.  She does not seem to fit in as either white or black, and is mistreated from both sides, likely as a result of her outlying nature.  Rachel is black with blue eyes, the eyes she received from her Danish mother, living with her grandmother she does not know.  She struggles through the same problems faced by Michele Norris as a child.  By trying to achieve and assert herself intellectually, she is said to be acting "white" and advised that she should not assert herself too much, because that is just not the way it is for black girls.  She is bullied because of her race, and bottles up her emotions to show that she is strong, an effective technique much like the one Jackie Robinson employed.  I predict this dialogue will continue throughout the book, and more perspectives will be added to make it more interesting.

Thesis

       In examining evidence and background information about the problem of homelessness among youth, and reviewing current actions being taken to address the issue, this essay will explore the need for these youth to have affordable housing and the same education as their peers; in order to establish this necessary change, I will continue work with advocacy, serve at meals to better understand the problems of youth, and attempt to tutor these youth.

Three Sources for Passion Project Pitch Essay

References

Holgersson-Shorter, H. (2010, November). Helping the homeless in school and out. Education Digest, 76(3), 30-33.

Kaczke, L. (2013, November 14). Homeless youth: A hidden population. Sun Current, Community.

Watson, B. (2013, December 20). The number of homeless youth is growing, but funding to help them is not. Retrieved from WashingtonPost.com

APA Formatting Example ~ Homeless Youth

According to Holgersson-Shorter (2010), homeless youth are distracted by numerous things that can hinder their learning, such as hunger, shabby clothing, lack of school supplies, or anxiety about their family's security.

Bilal Muhammad, director of Newark Public Schools Homeless Unit in Newark, NJ (2010), stated, "Parents instruct [the homeless youth] not to tell anyone they're in a shelter or a doubled-up situation because of their fear the child will be transferred out of the school," on the topic of reluctance of the homeless youth to share their situation with administrators.

Youth Bringing Change

        When people are oppressed, they find a way to better their lives by solidarity and the collective passion of a group.  Often, it is the youth, in their optimism and fervent spirit, that makes this change.  In Birmingham, Alabama, the very epicenter of segregation and southern prejudice, black children succeeded in diminishing the presence of segregation all across the U.S.  The will of the youth, guided by Dr. James Bevel and other experienced adults, managed to exhaust the Birmingham police force in their resilience and determination to gain freedom for their people.  The whole nation was struck that innocent youth would take it upon themselves to make change, regardless of the risks of injury and jail, and therefore acted to help them.  Similar to this was the action that the youth took in Harry Potter, to create an army to help to prepare them for the evil in the real world, when adults were failing to help them do this.  The children in the march of Birmingham also had to act because their elders were not.  Harry leads his peers in fighting for themselves, despite the danger around, to make change.

Passion Project Topic Brainstorming

Homelessness in Minnesota:  To be without a home is one of the most painfully demoralizing things that can happen to an individual.  It is from our homes that we garner stability and happiness in our lives, and to see people on the streets, many of whom are working, shows me that we need more affordable housing.  Moving towards solving this problem also helps to eradicate poverty and ensure education for children of all socioeconomic backgrounds.

http://www.twincities.com/ci_22732650/wilder-research-finds-homelessness-rising-minnesota-especially-among
http://www.startribune.com/local/north/271873871.html
http://www.wilder.org/Wilder-Research/Research-Areas/Homelessness/Pages/default.aspx

Social Mobility and Income Inequality in the U.S.:  The income gap is increasing, and this is crippling our nation.  Hardworking lower class individuals deserve the same chance as wealthy citizens to live the American dream.

http://www.economist.com/news/united-states/21595437-america-no-less-socially-mobile-it-was-generation-ago-mobility-measured
http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/us-social-mobility-problem
http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2013/12/05/u-s-income-inequality-on-rise-for-decades-is-now-highest-since-1928/

The Struggle of Racism Today:  The perceptions of certain races' abilities to succeed today are still segregating our society, and crippling lower class minorities.

http://hnn.us/article/156481
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/alexandra-rosas/young-people-and-racism_b_5706851.html

Sexual Slavery:  There is still slavery around the world.  And much of it includes the terrible, misogynistic practice of selling teenage girls into prostitution.  It happens even in the United States, in which slavery of any kind is illegal.

http://www.businessinsider.com/a-portrait-of-human-sex-trafficking-in-america-2014-8
http://www.cnn.com/interactive/2013/12/world/cambodia-child-sex-trade/
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/15/human-trafficking-month_n_4590587.html

Child Obesity in the U.S.:  A substantial problem in the United States, severe child obesity is still on the rise, even after many efforts to stop this trend.  We must be on a mission to increase exercise and decrease the consumption of unhealthy, processed foods among children in the U.S.

http://www.freep.com/article/20140828/FEATURES08/308280166/kids-obesity-study
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/04/07/us-usa-health-obesity-idUSBREA361XT20140407
http://www.aacap.org/AACAP/Families_and_Youth/Facts_for_Families/Facts_for_Families_Pages/Obesity_In_Children_And_Teens_79.aspx