Our Residents

Dozens of children, many with mothers and fathers in tow, made for a happy crowd on a sunny afternoon recently at the ‘Spring Fling’ at Springfield Housing Authority’s John Sullivan Apartments.

The May 2 event was brought to Sullivan by Talk/Read/Succeed!, the collaborative program that unites two SHA developments, two elementary schools and two dozen agencies in a quest to boost literacy among young children.

Traditionally held to welcome the start of summer, this year’s party celebrated spring, and carried the theme of health and wellness. To that end, groups including the Springfield Fire and Police departments, the American Red Cross, Partners for a Healthy Community, Gandara Center, WIC Nutritioin Program, the YMCA of Greater Springfield’s Men of Color Health Awareness program, and more.

Sullivan Apartments resident Lachisa Smith with daughteres Nyasia, 9, Nevaeh, 6, and Anaia, almost 2, at the Spring Fling.

For participants like Dasany Lester, the event was a perfect way to learn and socialize with her neighbors.

“It’s always good to take care of your health,” explained the 10-year-old. “And anyway, it’s just fun to be here. I like watching the police dogs.”

One highlight of the Friday afternoon fun was a police K-9 dog demonstration by Springfield Police Officers Maciej Jasinski and Tyler Anthony. Children lined up eagerly, and kept admirably quiet, while the officers had two police dogs hunt down planted articles, and then sniff out a hiding Anthony.

Jasinski explained that the K-9 unit police dogs are used mainly for three things: finding people, finding contraband such as narcotics, and force.

T/R/S! participants use the Spring Fling as a way to reconnect with families as warm weather arrives. Each family was asked to sign in, giving the organization a tool to contact any potential new residents and organize an outreach list for the upcoming Hasbro Summer Learning Initiative, an outdoors-based five-week summer program that will run from July 1 to August 5 this year.

“We’ll be keeping in touch with everyone who is here today, and anyone else at Sullivan who is interested in the summer program,” promised T/R/S! program coordinator Zenaida Burgos.

SHA Executive Director William H. Abrashkin and Boland Elementary School Principal Lisa Bakowski at the Spring Fling at Sullivan Apartments.

T/R/S! connects Sullivan with the nearby Edward P. Boland Elementary School, and Robinson Gardens Apartments with its feeder, Hiram Dorman Elementary School. The Spring Fling at Dorman is scheduled for May 16. The multi-faceted program works with entire families towards youth literacy and family education and independence.

At the Sullivan event, SHA Executive Director William H. Abrashkin and Boland Principal Lisa Bakowski paid visits, encouraging children to do well in school, and parents to keep reading and literacy skills lessons, along with health and safety, high on their priority list.

“This is a wonderful event,” Abrashkin said. “We place a very high value on reading, and on health and safety.”

Bakowski told families how she herself is a product of public housing in Springfield, and how she persevered through a childhood of poverty to become an educational leader.

Boland Elementary School Principal Lisa Bakowski with pupil Isiah Hernandez, 6, at Springfield Housing Authority’s Spring Fling at Sullivan Apartments.

“I’m so happy to be here, I just can’t get enough of you,” she said to cheers by her young charges. “I can tell you from experience that education is the key. I lived in the projects. I went to Springfield schools just like you. If I can do it, you can do it too,” she said.

Mother of seven Lachisa Smith said she swears by education and has been helped greatly by T/R/S! in recent years. Her eldest two children are now in college, including one daughter, Taylor Smith, who was the recipient of SHA’s Ferris Mitchell Scholarship.

“I love Talk/Read/Succeed!,” she said. “We participate in all the programs. It encourages my children to read. And we’ve all made friends with our neighbors because of it.”

The event also featured food and music.