To Combat Teen Driving Deaths, Video Contest Theme is “Could This Be You?”

The problem is not surprising, but the solution remains elusive.  Young drivers account for a disproportionate number of motor vehicle crashes and these crashes are the leading cause of death for this age group. In fact, the risk of motor vehicle crashes is higher among 16-to 19-year-olds than among any other age group. Data indicate that per mile driven, teen drivers ages 16 to 19 are nearly three times more likely than drivers aged 20 and older to be in a fatal crash, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Fatal crashes involving teen drivers jumped 10 percent between 2014 and 2015, the most recent year-to-year data available, according to a report by the Governors Highway Safety Association.

In an ongoing effort to reduce those numbers in Connecticut and better alert teens and their parents of the dangers, the Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles and Travelers are once again launching their annual Teen Safe Driving Video contest for high school students.

The theme this year is: “Teen Safe Driver: Could This Be You? Every Second Matters.” The stated goal is to create peer-to-peer education and influence about developing safe driving habits. A panel of judges comprised of safety advocates, health experts, and state officials will select the winners.  Entries are due by December 15, 2017.  Travelers will award up to $26,000 in cash prizes to the winning students and their high schools.

The theme of this year’s contest calls for video submissions showing positive examples of how to prevent tragedies, crashes, injuries and deaths. Studies have shown that positive influences can have the most effect on changing behavior.

“We fully support the Connecticut DMV’s program that educates teens about the importance of safe driving,” said Michael Klein, executive vice president, and president of Personal Insurance at Travelers. “Teenagers talking to other teenagers about good driving habits can carry more weight, and we hope the contest sparks conversation and encourages young drivers to take precautions behind the wheel.”

“This year’s theme calls attention to the great responsibilities teen drivers have, the challenges they face when getting behind the wheel and how to create a positive outcome that promotes safety,” said DMV Commissioner Michael Bzdyra. “Each year the contest generates amazing work by students across the state, and we want the new theme to inspire the creative juices of students to promote safe driving.”

The contest is open to all public, private, and home-schooled high school students in Connecticut. Submissions must be submitted electronically or postmarked no later than December 15, 2017.  Travelers will award up to $26,000 in cash prizes to the winning students and their high schools. In addition, a cash prize of $1,000 will go to the school with the video showing the best multicultural message, which has been underwritten by Yale-New Haven Children’s Hospital.

The requirements for submissions include:

• PSA must be no longer than forty-five (:45) seconds in length. • It must demonstrate the theme: “Teen Safe Driver: Could This Be You? Every Second Matters.” • PSA must show on it the hashtag  #CouldThisBeYou • It must also address two specific teen driving laws. • The PSA must have a multicultural or diversity component because driving involves teens from all backgrounds, including race, color, national origin, ancestry, age, sex, disability, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, culture, etc.  Bi-lingual/multi-cultural videos are welcomed and encouraged. • Teams of students are limited to a maximum of 5 members, including the student director. • The PSA must feature at least two teens, along with any other teens or adults considered necessary for the creative safety message.

Other promotional contest partners include the Connecticut Police Chiefs Association; the Connecticut Association of Schools (CAS); AAA; the Connecticut State Police; Mourning Parents Act (!MPACT); the Connecticut Children's Medical Center; Yale-New Haven Children's Hospital; Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center; the Connecticut Emergency Nurses Association; the state Department of Public Health; the state Department of Insurance; the state Department of Transportation; the state Department of Education; and the state Division of Criminal Justice.

A group of 18 student advisors to the Connecticut DMV helped create the theme focused on the teen driver because that single person can control the fate of himself or herself, as well as others, in the vehicle. Often their fate rests on whether they follow the rules of the road with responsible decision making, safe driving and by obeying state laws, especially those aimed at 16- and 17-year-old drivers.

Student advisors who worked on the project are Kenny Bigos of Suffield High School; Taurean Brown and Salma Tapkirwala, both of the Sport and Medical Science Academy in Hartford; Michael Dellaripa, Roham Hussain and Connor Silbo, all of Xavier High School in Middletown; Jalen Fontanez of East Hartford High School; Samantha Getsie of Berlin High School; Madison Massaro-Cook of Newington High School; Alex Proscino and Daniela Violano of Hamden High School; Esha Shrivastav of Kingswood-Oxford in West Hartford; Tess Chang and Rachel Saal of Hall High School in West Hartford; Maggie Silbo of Mercy High School in Middletown; Cole Wolkner and Evan Wolkner of Farmington High School; and Emma Zaleski of Wethersfield High School.

The complete set of rules can be found at http://ct.gov/teendriving/contest.   Past contest winners can be found on YouTube at: http://www.youtube.com/teensafedriving12.  Since the annual contest began more than a decade ago, nearly 3,500 students across the state have participated, representing more than 100 high schools. More information about the contest can be found at http://ct.gov/teendriving/contest.

Connecticut Among Leaders in Addressing Cyberbullying, Bullying Among Youth

Connecticut's anti-bullying laws and relatively low number of reported cyberbullying incidents have earned it a spot as one of the top three safest states from cyberbullying, according to a new national survey.   Nationwide at least 34 percent of kids have been cyberbullied, but the precise percentages vary from state to state. A new survey developed by Frontier Communications, marking Child Safety & Prevention Month, assesses the relative safety across the nation.  Based on an analysis of six weighted factors (including school sanctions for cyberbullying, existing state bullying laws, school discipline for off-campus behavior, and the percentage of students in grades 9–12 that have reported being cyberbullied), ten states are said to be addressing the issue head on: Florida, Arkansas, Tennessee, Michigan, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Washington, DC.

In contrast, Washington, Oregon, Montana, Utah, Arizona, Colorado, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Ohio provide the fewest legal protections against cyberbullying. For example, most of these states don’t have a specific state statute that allows schools to discipline students for off-campus behavior, according to the survey analysis.

The U.S. Department of Health (DOH) defines bullying as repeated “unwanted, aggressive behavior among school children that involves a real or perceived imbalance.” Bullying can involve making threats, spreading rumors, physically attacking someone, or purposely excluding someone from an activity.

Bullying and cyberbullying are major problems - over 3 million students are bullied every year, which contributes to over 160,000 days of absences by students from school, according to Derek Peterson, CEO of Digital Fly, a technology company based on Long Island.

“This is bad for the student, schools, communities, states and our nation,” he said, emphasizing that states have the ability to lead, create policies for reporting, tracking, educating, preventing and punishing those involved in bullying and cyber bullying.

Connecticut’s “An Act Concerning the Strengthening of School Bullying Laws,” Senate Bill 1138 signed into law in 2011, defines "Cyberbullying" as any act of bullying through the use of the Internet, interactive and digital technologies, cellular mobile telephone or other mobile electronic devices or any electronic communications…” The law states that school policies must “include provisions addressing bullying outside of the school setting if such bullying (A) creates a hostile environment at school for the victim, (B) infringes on the rights of the victim at school, or (C) substantially disrupts the education process or the orderly operation of a school…”

Testifying in support of the Connecticut legislation, state Victim Advocate Michelle Cruz said “we now know the long lasting and devastating effects that bullying behavior can have on victims, bystanders and even bullies.”  She cited a study by the Family and Work Institute that reported one-third of children are bullied at least once a month, while six out of ten teens witnessed bullying at least once a day.

Attorney General George Jepsen noted that “Students no longer have the refuge of home.  Technology makes students easily accessible through cell phones, social networking sites, and online gaming systems long after school closes.”  In advocating for the legislation, he said efforts must aim to prevent school from being a “hostile environment for the student” that “impacts their ability to learn and thrive.”  And, he added, those efforts must continue when the student leaves the school building.

The DOH defines cyberbullying as “bullying that takes place over digital devices like cell phones, computers, and tablets” and can include any number of activities:

• Spreading rumors online or through texts
• Posting hurtful or threatening messages on social networking sites or web pages
• Posting a mean or hurtful video or picture
• Pretending to be someone else online to hurt another person
• Taking unflattering pictures of a person and sharing them online
• Sexting, or circulating sexually suggestive pictures or messages about a person

Recent statistics show that more than a third of children and teens have experienced cyberbullying, according to the Frontier analysis.  Data is available from the National Center for Education Statistics and the Cyberbullying Research Center.

State Budget Woes Impacting Nonprofits, Grantmakers

The impact of the state’s ongoing fiscal crisis is reverberating through the state’s nonprofit community.  The Connecticut Council for Philanthropy (CCP), in a recent survey, found that about 25 percent of nonprofits answering the survey are currently responding to the state’s fiscal crisis. The vast majority of these grantmakers, responding with increased grant support to non-profit organizations. Some grantmakers, about 33 percent, are supporting conversations about non-profit mergers. And a smaller number, about 20 percent each, are offering learning programs and/or advocating. The survey results were shared in the CCP’s latest newsletter by president Karla Fortunato.

In analyzing the survey responses, CCP reports that many more foundations, about 44 percent of respondents, report that they plan to respond to the state's fiscal crisis. Again, the majority, about 50 percent, are planning to increase their grant support to non-profits. Even more, 57 percent, report they will support conversations about non-profit mergers, and still others, 42 percent, will offer learning programs to non-profits. A smaller number, 21 percent, plan to advocate or lobby.

“We think that the time is now to bring the philanthropic community together - to deepen our collective understanding of the current fiscal crisis, projections for out-years, and what roles philanthropy can play to mitigate short-term pain, to support evolution in the state's non-profit landscape, and to start developing longer-term strategies,” Fortunato said.

Most respondents reported that they are hearing from their grantees and that many of them are adjusting their work based on the state budget.  Among the actions being taken:  cutting programs and services, requesting bridge loans or gap funding, reducing or laying off staff, dipping into reserves, and reducing staff.  Concerns are also being raised about potential tax law changes that would impact nonprofits and concerns about meeting current needs, or possible reversal of past gains in providing services.  Grantees also report hearing from organizations seeking support that had not requested support previously, being driven by state cutbacks or anticipated cutbacks.

While many respondents noted that they are having conversations internally at their organizations or with their colleagues, most acknowledged that more information is needed and more conversations need to be had. They noted that discussions among foundations, and in collaboration with nonprofits or other partners, are critical. Fortunato reported that suggestions for CCP leadership highlighted three areas of focus, described as advocacy, inform and convene.

Advocacy includes helping to organize a unified response; advocating for a responsible, equitable budget; and making sure legislators understand that philanthropy cannot fill government's gaps. CCP members also look to the organization to keep them up-to-date on budget matters and other policies impacting nonprofits, sharing what others are doing, and exploring and sharing possible solutions.  They also look to CCP to convene forums to deepen understanding; bring nonprofits together to learn together what funders can consider doing; and help nonprofits understand what is needed immediately to mitigate short-term harm and assist in the development of a long-term strategy.

Fortunato joined CCP in May as the organization's president, after 13 years at the Health and Environmental Funders Network (HEFN), a national alliance of 60 philanthropic organizations based in Rockville, Md.  At her departure from HEFN, the organization commended her "professionalism, pragmatism, and persistence" in advancing and extending the organization's mission and objectives.

Hartford Residents Younger, Danbury’s Older, Among State’s Largest Cities

The median age in Danbury is the highest among Connecticut’s largest cities, just slightly older than Stamford, and nearly nine years older than New Haven, according to a new analysis by TIME magazine. Across the country, Boca Raton, Fla., has a median age just over 50 years old — much higher than America’s median age of 37.9. At the opposite end of the spectrum, the college towns of Flagstaff, Ariz. and College Station, Texas have median ages near 23 years old, according to 2016 Census data for cities with more than 65,000 people.

Connecticut’s largest cities, by population, are Bridgeport, New Haven, Stamford, Hartford, Waterbury, Norwalk, Danbury, and New Britain.

Danbury, at 39.7, and Stamford’s at 37.9, the oldest among Connecticut’s largest cities, based on median age of their residents.  Stamford’s median parallels the U.S. as a whole.  The median age or residents of Norwalk is just slightly lower, at 37.7.

The median age in New Britain is 36, in Bridgeport and Waterbury it is 34.  Somewhat younger median ages are in Hartford, at 31, and in New Haven, nearly identical at 30.8.

Among the cities, Norwalk and New Britain have the largest percentage of their populations between age 60 and 79, both with 17 percent.  New Britain and Stamford each of 4 percent of their population age 80 or older; in Danbury it is 5 percent, the highest percent among the cities.

Hartford has the largest percentage of residents age 20-39, at 33 percent, and under age 19, at 30 percent.  That’s 63 percent of the population, nearly two-thirds, under age 39.  In Bridgeport that  percentage is 58 percent, in Norwalk it is 53 percent and in Danbury, just over half at 51 percent.

In each of the eight largest cities, with the exception of Danbury, the largest population block is those age 20-39.  The largest is in New Haven, at 34 percent.  Danbury’s largest block of residents is in the 40-59 age group, at 29 percent.

While college towns and retirement communities represent extremes, there are also age trends in urban and suburban areas, says William Frey, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution’s Metropolitan Policy Program.

“Suburbs are aging more rapidly than cities, due to the fact that baby boomers were a big part of the suburbanization of the United States in the ’50s and ’60s,” he told TIME. “They grew up there, and now they’re like anchors of the suburbs.”

Cities, meanwhile, continue to draw millennials, though Frey believes that’s less about preference, and more about barriers to home ownership following the recession. “I think the jury’s still out on whether the millennial generation will move to the suburbs,” Frey says.

PERSPECTIVE: Let’s Hope Our White Friends Regain Their Senses Soon

by Frederick A. Hurst There was a time when we folks of color could rely on the predictability of White folks and be assured that, whether they were good or bad, we could predict their moves in any given situation. But nowadays, we don’t know what to think about White folks and that has become a real functional problem.

I mean, if White folks legally lynch us, co-opt us, cheat us or deny us economic and health security and justice under the law, we are not caught by surprise, just as we are not caught by surprise when White folks join us in genuine opposition to such behavior and honestly contribute to reversing the effects of it as do many White folks. However, Black folks are finding it more and more difficult to distinguish White friends from White foes.     

These are such confusing times that I am even unsure how to write about what seems to be happening. Black folks generally want to be one with White folks when they deserve it. But how can we be one with White folks while watching the many ways they rationalize acquitting cops who we watch murdering our Black men on national television? How can we be one with them when they elect a Donald Trump as president and let him twist their minds over the difference between using the flag and national anthem as touchstones of legitimate protest and using them to divide our country and to so easily make White folks believe that our Black athletes, who kneel during the national anthem, are unpatriotic?

My brother was killed in Vietnam while White folks were burning the American flag at the Pentagon and all over the streets of America in protest of the war (I was at the Pentagon during the protests observing White violence). Our Black athletes are kneeling to the flag in deference to all it stands for and as a reminder to White folks of what it has always stood for and should still stand for – most of all, justice. They are not desecrating the flag in protest. They are honoring it and all that it stands for. And my family story is not unique among Black folks.

So, it is disconcerting to hear White folks, who are supposed to be our friends, succumbing to Trump-like attacks on our patriotism even as many of them and/or their parents were among the ones who burned the flag and ran President Lyndon Johnson out of politics and laid the foundation for the election of Richard Nixon as his successor.

I don’t mean to belabor the point but my youngest brother served and died in Vietnam shortly after my oldest brother returned from his Vietnam service and my second youngest brother served on the DMZ in Korea shortly after that. My namesake, Uncle Frederick, served in the Pacific campaign in WWII and my Uncle Alton served in North Africa in the same war. And like so many other Black folks who served the American country and flag, both uncles returned to a society that rejected them and often lynched their Black counterparts for “stepping out of line” in the name of the “confederacy” and the flag that they tried to use to replace our own American flag.

Our White “friends” seem to have forgotten that Jackie Robinson, while serving in the United States Army in honor of the same American flag, was court marshaled for refusing to move to the back of a Southern bus years before Rosa Parks was arrested and later commemorated for the same behavior. So it is very disconcerting to listen to White “friends” suggest that their “love” of the flag is somehow greater than our love simply because we honor it in a different way.

Many Black folks feel that we are being victimized by something else that is going on in White America. White folks are fighting for power among themselves. And they are trying to use folks of color as pawns in their battle, which they can succeed at only if we folks of color allow them to do so. But stopping it is not easy because all sides in this White struggle – liberal and conservative, Democrat and Republican, alt right and far left – are fighting for their base and a shifting White middle and, unfortunately, a good portion of that White middle is bigoted as are most of those who identify with the alt right.

White emotions are running high – which often times means running amok – making it easier for the Trump-like demagogues on all sides to influence White opinion through faux patriotic, racist catcalls, which is why patriotism and the flag and racial appeals are proving to be easy tools for the Trump-like to divert even good people’s attention away from the real White battle for raw power.  

By any stretch of the imagination, the “old days” were slow going for African Americans but we always knew where we stood and what the fight was about and prepared for it. There was no confusion. We had good White folks and bad White folks and we always had to be prepared to fight even the good ones, who felt compelled to compromise with the bad at our expense. But we could reason with the good ones and even some of the bad ones. We understood this and had the all important benefit of no confusion.

President John Kennedy’s equivocation during the Civil Rights Movement is a good example. He was not a great civil rights president but we were able to keep our concerns on his mind until he was tragically assassinated and Lyndon B. Johnson stepped in and chose to be a historical leader on the issue of civil rights. But the situation today with Trump and the hard right, the radical left and the confused middle is out of control. We Black folks no longer have clarity. We don’t know who White folks are anymore. Too many seem to have completely lost their identity which is why watching them unite around patriotism and the flag is so scary and reminiscent of past historical trends that didn’t bode well for Black folks and certainly didn’t bode well for the European Jewish community during the Nazi era.

When the good White folks and the bad White folks united around such amorphous concepts as patriotism and the flag and claimed them as their own while ignoring the real issues of their times, we got lynched, literally and figuratively, and White folks justified it among themselves until the amorphous trends played themselves out.

One thing I know. Black folks should not be the first ones to speak out against the unfair characterization of Colin Kaepernick and other Black athletes and their supporters as unpatriotic for kneeling in protest of injustice. White folks should be, just as they should be unequivocal in speaking out against Trump-related bigotry. And as history has made clear, when White folks fail to act, Black folks must not fail to act. And we should not be the ones to have to remind White folks, friend and foe alike, of the same moral obligation that Martin Luther King, Jr. reminded his fellow White ministers of in his “Letter from the Birmingham Jail.”

He wrote:  “I must make two honest confessions to you, my Christian and Jewish brothers. First, I must confess that over the past few years I have been gravely disappointed with the white moderate. I have almost reached the regrettable conclusion that the Negro’s great stumbling block in his stride toward freedom is not the White Citizen’s Counciler or the Ku Klux Klanner, but the white moderate, who is more devoted to “order” than to justice; who prefers a negative peace which is the absence of tension to a positive peace which is the presence of justice; who constantly says: “I agree with you in the goal you seek, but I cannot agree with your methods of direct action”; who paternalistically believes he can set the timetable for another man’s freedom; who lives by a mythical concept of time and who constantly advises the Negro to wait for a “more convenient season.” Shallow understanding from people of good will is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will. Lukewarm acceptance is much more bewildering than outright rejection.” (emphasis added; available in full at www.afampov.com)

In this day and age, the words of Martin Luther King, Jr. written as he sat in isolation in the Birmingham jail during one of his many battles against injustice, should not be necessary. Unfortunately, they seem to be more necessary now than ever before. It is not a racist president or that substantial part of his White base that is racist who are most confounding. It is our confused White “friends” who are most worrisome because confusion is so easily misdirected by tyrants like Trump who understand that, in the midst of confusion, logic fails and appeals to emotions dominate and symbols like the flag can be useful in manipulating the behavior of confused White people, especially when they consider themselves to be righteous as so many White folks do, and who also consider themselves to be the arbiters of what is righteous.

So we Black folks and our many allies of color, and more enlightened White folks, are going through perilous times waiting for our confused White allies to recover from their confusion. And we know that during their recovery period, which we know can last for days or decades, we will bear the brunt of the consequences unless we prepare to defend ourselves, which we will do because historical circumstances have given us a new level of sophistication. You can’t hang us all!

Watching White folks unite around their own misappropriation of flag and country is disconcerting but historically familiar. We know where it could carry them and we know we are in for a tough fight. But we also know it’s a winnable fight and a mere continuation of the long fight from slavery to freedom that has been unabated since the first African slave was forced to build America without pay. Yet, from the very beginning, we have served our country and honored our flag with our blood. So, to see White folks willingly misappropriate the American flag as their own in this day and age, when we are presumed to be an enlightened people, is disheartening.

I don’t mind speaking up about it even though I understand there will be consequences. But my courage pales in comparison to that of Colin Kaepernick and those other Black athletes who continue to kneel in the view of huge crowds of mostly White folks who don’t want to hear the message these brave Black athletes are kneeling for and who conveniently convert the message into an anti-flag and country scam that in their confused minds justifies their tolerance of injustice in total contradiction to what our flag stands for.

I have no words that can heal White confusion. History says it will eventually work itself out but not without some cajoling and substantial discomfort for all of us. But history also tells us that the period from the onset of the confusion to the working out can be catastrophic, which is why I hope our White “friends” regain their senses soon.

____________________________

Frederick A. Hurst is co-owner, with his wife Marjorie J. Hurst, of An African-American Point of View (Point of View).  The free community newsmagazine by and for the African-American community and for other readers who are interested in news from the African-American community, in its 11th year of operations.  It is based in Springfield, MA and is published twice monthly, circulating in Springfield and in Connecticut.  This article first appeared, in a slightly longer form, in the most recent issue of Point of View and is published here with permission.

Please Grow Up to Be An Entrepreneur, Parents Say; Teens Not So Sure

Nearly nine-in-ten parents (88%) would be extremely or very likely to support their teen's interest in becoming an entrepreneur as an adult, but less than one-in-three teens (30%) demonstrate that same level of enthusiasm for starting a business. That’s according to a new national survey conducted by ORC International on behalf of Junior Achievement (JA) and EY. For teens, the greatest concerns for starting a business include it being "too risky" (31%) and "not enough money in it" (22%). Only 16 percent of teens indicate they have no concerns about trying. Conversely, 53 percent of parents have no concerns about their teen starting a business as an adult. Those citing concerns focused on it being "too risky" (27%) and there being "not enough money in it" (9%).

The survey was released during November, which is National Entrepreneurship Month.

"These results speak to some of the challenges facing the nation when it comes to business creation," said Jack Kosakowski, President and CEO of Junior Achievement USA. "Since the Great Recession in 2008, the country has been experiencing a net decline in business start-ups. Today's young people grew up in the shadow of the Financial Crisis, which may explain their risk-aversion when it comes to taking the entrepreneurial leap. This is why we need to promote the benefits of entrepreneurship early and often."

The survey was conducted to coincide with EY's support of Junior Achievement's JA Launch Lesson, a program delivered by community entrepreneurs whereby high school students gain firsthand knowledge about starting a business and the entrepreneurial journey. JA Launch Lesson is a 50-minute educational experience that creates a point-of-entry for students, volunteers, and educators.

The new program will be delivered by entrepreneurs in classrooms, after-school facilities, and other student venues across the United States, beginning this month. Entrepreneurs are given the opportunity to connect with students, provide relevant information about their company and entrepreneurial journey, and share advice and next steps for students who are interested in starting their own business.

Teens were also asked what they would need in order to consider becoming an entrepreneur. About half said they would need "more information on what it takes to be successful" (51%), "investors" (50%) and "support from parents" (49%). About a third said they would need "a role model who is a business owner" (35%) and "friends with a similar interest" (32%).

Promoting entrepreneurship is not a new endeavor for JA Southwest New England, which last year reached 43,000 students, the second consecutive year reaching the most students in the history of the organization, and a 24% increase over two year period.

In Connecticut this year, JA worked with Pratt & Whitney to launch the JA Entrepreneurial Academy.  The after-school program taught students firsthand about manufacturing and entrepreneurship, to better prepare them to join the workforce and perhaps plan their own companies with this insider knowledge.

Jeremy Race, president and CEO of Junior Achievement of Southwest New England, said “Through this program, young people gain a deeper understanding of how businesses are founded and operate…to help free the entrepreneurial spirit and hopefully serve as a catalyst for future business growth in Connecticut.”

In addition to manufacturing- related entrepreneurship, the academy also introduced students to an array of other entrepreneurial skills including leadership and how to pitch a business concept. Volunteers from both Goodwin College and Pratt & Whitney worked with the students to show how lessons learned in the classroom are deployed in the real world, and how the value of experience added to education makes for unequaled talent.

Also this past spring, JA Southwest New England partnered with the Junior League of Hartford for the third consecutive year to implement the JA Career Connections for Young Women program.  It is an intensive after-school curriculum, bringing together a handful of high school students from the Greater Hartford area to undergo ten sessions that are aimed at providing young women with practical advice and wisdom about the world of work, from how to get hired to learning about their own personal brand.

Students hear first-hand from female professionals on how to develop valuable soft skills, gain confidence on the job, perfect their public speaking skills and the do’s and don’ts of a job interview.  They also identify a career cluster of interest and, in groups, visit a job site in that chosen field, getting an opportunity to imagine their future selves at work.

The new JA Launch Lesson in another initiative aimed to sharing the how-to of entrepreneurship and business with young students.

"Entrepreneurs are the driving force behind growth and positive change, and at EY we believe it is vital to help enable our future generation of innovators," said Randy Cain, Vice Chair and Southwest Region Managing Partner, Ernst & Young LLP, and JA USA board member. "Creative, hands-on programs such as JA Launch Lesson are critical to providing our youth with the tools, information and resources necessary to succeed when starting their own business."

This report presents the findings of surveys conducted among a sample of 1,007 parents of children ages 13-17 and a sample of 1,005 13-17-year-olds.  The surveys were live nationwide, October 3-8, 2017.

Junior Achievement is the world's largest organization dedicated to giving young people the knowledge and skills they need to own their economic success, plan for their future, and make smart academic and economic choices. JA reaches more than 4.8 million students per year in 109 markets across the United States, with an additional 5.6 million students served by operations in 100 other countries worldwide. JA Southwest New England, which includes much of Connecticut, is at www.jaconn.org

Cybercrime Attacks on CT Residents, Businesses Ranked Midway Among States

Connecticut is among the 25 states that have seen residents lose the most as targets of criminal activity on Cyber Monday, the busiest on-line day of the year, according to a new analysis released just before this year’s edition of the annual on-line shopping spree known as CyberMonday. OpenVPN, Inc. released details on a groundbreaking study that ranks how age, sex and where an individual lives could predict their likelihood to become a target of criminal activity on Cyber Monday.

"Connecticut is generally thought of as a very safe state with low crime rates. That's the unique thing about cybercrime and identity theft - you can live in the nicest house on the block and still be very vulnerable," says Francis Dinha, CEO of OpenVPN.

California is ranked the worst state in the country for total reported cybercrimes, fraud, and identity theft per capita in 2015 and 2016.  Connecticut was the 21^st worst in the analysis, just about in the middle of the pack.

The study data was culled from the FBI’s IC3, or Internet Crime Complaint Center, as well as the federal government’s Consumer Sentinel Network (CNS) databases.

In 2016, the state’s residents lost $6,960,531 total to internet crime, an average of $2,734.98 per person. Overall, 28,595 state residents reported cybercrime of some sort in 2016 — mainly men and people in their 50’s, the study found. Internet crime complaints totaled 2,545, total fraud complaints reached 21,117 and identity theft complaints totaled 4,933, according to the data compiled.

"Connecticut follows national trends in that more men than women are victimized, and older individuals have been more deeply affected,” Dinha added.  “OpenVPN encourages all Connecticut citizens to educate themselves about how cybercriminals gain access to private information and stay safe this Cyber Monday."

“What came as a surprise in this report,” said Gary McCloud, VP of Business Development for OpenVPN, “Is that men actually fall victim to cybercrime 75 percent more often than women.”

Men and women have different shopping habits. The study noted that men actually spend more than women online, so that fact alone may the reason men fell victim to cybercrime more often to women - and may continue to do so. In fact, men fell victim to cybercrime more 75 percent more often than women—falling victim in 38 of America’s 50 states – including Connecticut - and Washington D.C.

The state’s male ranking is seventh worst among the states, female ranking is fourteenth worst.  By age group, the state’s best showing is among those age 20-29, ranking Connecticut 28^th among the states; the worst showing, a ranking of 13^th, in the 50-59 year old age group.

The safest states cited in the study include South Dakota, North Dakota, West Virginia and Maine, with Vermont ranking as the safest at #51.  The worst states were California, Florida, Nevada, Texas, New Mexico, New York, Arizona and Virginia.

All 50 states and the District of Columbia were ranked from most to least total victims of cybercrime, equally weighted per 100,000 people for the total number of internet crime victims, fraud victims, and identity theft victims.  The study also took into account the average dollar loss per victim of internet crime and average dollar loss per victim of fraud.

Among the recommendations to improve safety and deter cybercrime:

1. Do NOT use a public wifi signal unless you have a Virtual Private Network (VPN) which will encrypt information on your computer, hiding it from online predators.
2. If shopping from home, make certain your home wifi signal is password-protected. Otherwise, someone simply driving down the street could access the private information on your computer.
3. When shopping online, look for verification you’re on a secured site. This may be something as simple as a padlock in your internet window.
4. When possible, use a credit card as opposed to a debit card which is linked directly to your bank account.

All of the data used for total cybercrime compilations based on age and gender was pulled from the 2015 FBI crime database; 2016 was not available.

Statewide Sustainability Initiative to Launch Nov. 28 As Municipalities Take the Lead

With momentum to accelerate sustainability practices in Connecticut,  local and regional representatives from Connecticut’s 169 towns and cities, along with key agencies and businesses, have spent the past year developing Sustainable CT.  The new statewide initiative will be formally launched at the end of this month with expectations of influencing sustainability practices across the state. Meeting for much of the past year, an Advisory Committee, consisting of state and municipal leaders , developed the initiative and adopted the overarching concept, “Sustainable CT communities strive to be thriving, resilient, collaborative and forward-looking.  They build community and local economy.  They equitably promote the health and well-being of current and future residents.  And they respect the finite capacity of the natural environment.”

Created by towns and for towns, Sustainable CT aims to be a voluntary certification program to recognize Connecticut municipalities for making their communities more vibrant, resilient and livable. It includes approximately 55 best practices along with opportunities for grant funding. Towns may choose which actions they will implement to achieve differing certification levels. The program is designed to support all Connecticut municipalities, regardless of size, geography or resources.

Organizers say that sustainability actions, policies, and investments deliver multiple benefits and help towns make efficient use of scarce resources and engage a wide cross section of residents and businesses. The official launch of Sustainable CT will occur at the Annual Convention of the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities on November 28.

“Sustainable CT will foster creative thinking and problem solving within and between municipalities.  It will be the tool communities can use to bring together seemingly divergent stakeholders for the common goal of sustainability,” said Laura Francis, First Selectwoman, Durham, and Vice-Chair of the Advisory Group.

Officials indicate that all of Connecticut’s 169 towns and cities have been represented in Sustainable CT’s development in some way, either by directly by a municipal official or staff person, by a highly engaged local volunteer, or by a regional entity charged with representing member municipalities.

The Sustainable CT framework includes:

• Sustainable CT is a roadmap of voluntary actions that will help municipalities be more sustainable.
• Resources and support, including funding, help local communities apply the actions that fit them best.
• The Sustainable CT Certification publicly recognizes municipalities for their sustainability achievements.
• Sustainable CT is flexible. Any Connecticut municipality can find ways to become more sustainable – urban or rural, big or small, coastal or inland.

Municipal leaders and residents from across the state, the Connecticut Economic Resource Center (CERC), Connecticut Conference of Municipalities (CCM) and others from key agencies, non-profits and businesses all partnered to help create the program. Burlington First Selectman Ted Shafer chaired the effort.  A CCM Task Force on Sustainability, which included 15 mayors, first selectmen, and municipal officials, assisted the Advisory Committee.

CERC’s Courtney Hendricson, Vice President of Municipal Services, served on the Local Economies Working Group, chaired by Patrick Carleton, Deputy Director of the Metropolitan Council of Governments, and Thomas Madden, Director of Economic Development in Stamford. The working group helped to define actions municipalities can take to create or enhance economic development that fosters energy-efficient and clean-powered commercial and industrial buildings, supports local products and businesses, increases local jobs and revenues and promotes environmental and community well-being.

The Institute for Sustainable Energy at Eastern Connecticut State University coordinated the initiative. Support was provided by a funding collaborative composed of the Emily Hall Tremaine Foundation (EHTF), Hampshire Foundation and Common Sense Fund.  Advisory Board members included, in addition to Shafer and Francis, Carl Amento, David Fink, Bryan Garcia, Emily Gordon, Donna Hamzy, Scott Jackson, John Kibbee, Rob Klee, Kurt Miller, Kristina Newman-Scott, Christine Schilke and Christina Smith.

PERSPECTIVE: Connecticut Could Still Be the New Hollywood East for the Smallest Screens

by Lucy Wyndham Back in 2007, all the talk was of how Connecticut was to become the new Hollywood East, creating tax breaks, building up a trained crew base and hoping that the number of actors and directors already living in the state would attract the likes of Steven Spielberg and Sam Mendes.

Ten years on, things have panned out a little differently to the way that many had dreamed. The big budget movie producers might not have adopted Connecticut as their own, but the state nevertheless has a strong digital media industry that is growing, not on the big screen but on the smallest of all.

Niche is the new mainstream

Some directors might be disappointed at the direction the industry has taken and the shift in focus. But while cable TV and online media such as YouTube and Twitch TV might not be as glamorous, every piece of market research from survey sites says that this is where the smart investment dollars should be spent in the 21st century.

The big screen is by no means dead, but it is also not the entertainment powerhouse that it once was. The digital revolution, and the rise of mobile and smartphone technology in particular, mean that today’s consumers want bespoke entertainment that can be accessed when and where they choose. In other words, niche is rapidly becoming the new mainstream, and the Connecticut digital industry is in the right place at the right time.

From wrestling to animation

Lobbyist James Amann represents almost a thousand small filmmakers. He was the speaker of the House of Representatives when the push to grow Connecticut’s film and media industry got underway in 2007, and he looks back on the past ten years with mixed feelings. He applauds the progress made in building a digital industry, but feels the movie side was “mothballed” and represents a missed opportunity.

However, Catherine Smith, the Commissioner of the State Department of Economic and Community Development pointed to the breadth of development seen in the state, citing everything from World Wrestling bouts to recordings of the Jerry Springer Show to the popular animated productions coming out of Blue Sky Studios, all of which are created in Connecticut.

A world of opportunity

Since the inception of the tax incentive program in July 2006, qualified companies have earned $604 million in tax credits which leveraged the expenditure of over $2.1 billion in Connecticut’s economy encouraging the relocation of major networks, digital media companies and production operations. These in turn have led to the creation of close to two thousand jobs, including the following:

• NBCUniversal relocated talk shows including Jerry Springer (200 jobs)
• NBC Sports HQ consolidation and relocation (600 jobs)
• 20th Century Fox Blue Sky Studios relocated (500 jobs)
•    ESPN Digital Media Center-2 (200 jobs)

On top of these success stories, there has also been the relocation of Emmy Award winning home makeover series This Old House Stamford and numerous ot

her expansions including Tantor Audiobooks and XVIVO, the scientific digital animation company.

To prepare constituents for the job opportunities created by these successful incentives, the Connecticut Office of Film Television & Digital Media has partnered with UConn School of Digital Media Design to establish the Digital Media CT program. This develops training, programming and events specifically to encourage participation and employment in this ever-expanding industry.

Sustained growth

The sectors that Connecticut’s digital industry are focused on are areas that seem set to go from strength to strength. It could be less a question of whether Connecticut will become East Hollywood as whether Hollywood will be seeking to become West Connecticut in the years to come.

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Lucy Wyndham is a professional freelance writer with many years of experience across a variety of sectors. She made the move to freelancing from a stressful corporate job and loves the work-life balance it offers her. When not at work, she enjoys reading, hiking and spending time with her husband and two children.

University of Saint Joseph School of Pharmacy Reaches to United Arab Emirates for New Academic Partnership

Earlier this decade, the University of Saint Joseph (USJ) took the bold steps of not only launching a Pharmacy doctoral program, but doing so in Downtown Hartford, developing a cutting-edge campus and curriculum above what was once the Hartford Civic Center mall. The program is thriving, driven in part by an innovative, modified-block curriculum that stresses experiential education throughout the three year program. Now, USJ is extending the Pharm.D.degree program connections beyond the United States.

The university has signed a letter of agreement to form a partnership with the College of Pharmacy at Gulf Medical University in the United Arab Emirates. The affiliation between the two schools includes inviting faculty and staff of the partner institution to participate in a variety of teaching, research, scholarship activities, and professional development. In addition, pharmacy students and postdoctoral students from both schools will participate in exchange programs for periods of study, research, and scholarship.

A signing ceremony, was held recently at USJ’s West Hartford campus, led by University of Saint Joseph President Rhona Free, Ph.D., and Dean of its School of Pharmacy Joseph Ofosu, Pharm.D., R.Ph., with Gulf Medical University Chancellor, Professor Hossam Hamdy.

“We are thrilled to create this partnership for the benefit of our respective students, faculty, and communities,” said President Free. “We look forward to a mutually beneficial experience for the Gulf Medical University’s College of Pharmacy and our School of Pharmacy located in downtown Hartford.”

The two institutions will carry out joint research and continuing education programs, and the schools will also organize symposia, conferences, short courses, and meetings on their research and scholarship issues.

Gulf Medical University’s planned Innovation and Research Centre will be the first of its kind in the region and will have devoted state-of-the-art innovation and incubation laboratories that are to include pharma product development, according to the university’s website. The Center aims to foster collaborations and partnerships with international institutions, universities, research labs, pharma companies and the healthcare industry.

Gulf Medical University (GMU), established in 1998, is a leading medical university in the Gulf region, located in Ajman, U.A.E. The campus is in the new Ajman metropolitan area, close to international airports in Dubai and Sharjah.

The USJ School of Pharmacy has an Open House scheduled for November 28, 6-8 p.m., at the school’s Hartford campus, 229 Trumbull Street.

https://youtu.be/p2W-ISsxqPM