South St. Pete - Something That Might Just Work.

Here is a Comment that was added to my Post District 8 Candidates on South St. Pete Quality of Life by Kim D:

I would like to see some sort of partnership - maybe USF college of Education, All Children's Hospital, SPC, and Eckerd College get together to intervene to stop the cycle of poverty and crime by providing medical check-ups and education for at risk parents- to- be. Then the USF, SPC, and other students studying to be teachers could begin to work with these babies from birth in a child care program provided free to the parents while they work to complete their education and receive skills and job training. If the education students had the opportunity to work with these kids teaching them the basics, talking to them, reading to them then when those kids later enter their classrooms they will be ready to learn, not way behind and struggling to catch up. The college students could receive credits for doing this and any money spent on this endeavor would be a good investment, not needed for police and prisons later. Why do we invest so little in our people? If we don't do something to break this cycle of poverty in our community the quality of life for all residents will continue to be adversely affected. I would like the city council and mayor to seriously put effort into something like this. It is a huge problem and until it is solved we will also have trouble attracting business here no matter how great the tax breaks.

I Reposted this Comment because a lot of people don't read the Comments under the Posts, and you should by the way, because that is where the real insight will be found as in this case.

I was struck and moved by the simplicity of the concept and the profound way everybody in this idea wins. This idea leverages valuable assets already on the ground in St. Petersburg and applies them right where they are needed.  

The outcomes: better prepared kids and better prepared teachers are to valuable to even put a price on.
I do not know who Kim D is but this is the kind of thinking that will begin to move St. Petersburg forward.
Unlike TIFS, CRAs and streetscape projects, ideas like this will actually help in South St. Pete.
We desperately need more of this kind of thinking and less politics and special interest pressure.

Someone in the current or next administration should catch this idea and run with it.
e-mail Doc at: dr.webb@verizon.net, or send me a Facebook Friend request
It is time for some out of the box thinking