LakeNET - Raymond Christian

Raymond Christian was born June 8, 1969. He is a graduate of East Chicago Washington High School. He enlisted active duty serving four years in the United States Marine Corps, graduating Boot Camp at MCRD. His tour with the Marines elevated him to the rank of corporal. Raymond received several letters of appreciation from battalion commanders and commanding generals. He received a meritorious mass and earned the Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal. He received an honorable discharge for actively serving his country.

Raymond graduated from The University Of Central Oklahoma on May 11, 1989. As a member of the universities collegiate ROTC Program he was honored with his commission as a Second Lieutenant in the U. S. Army. He holds to this day one of the highest honors a collegiate cadet can hold, being the only cadet in his graduating class to score a perfect 300 on the Army Physical Fitness Test. He received his Associates Degree in 1987 from Rose State College and his Bachelors Of Arts Degree in 1989. In 1989 two ceremonies were held in respect to Raymond completing his graduation requirements. The first ceremony was held for him to receive his commission from the President of the United States as a second lieutenant in the U. S. Army. The second ceremony was commencement. Raymond is presently an Infantry Major (USAR) with five Army Ar-Com Metals.

Raymond started writing poetry at the young age of thirteen. He enjoys the spoken word and how much in-depth each words meaning can cause people to react. Raymond stated that poetry is unique each time an individual hears it, very rarely will any two people receive the meaning the same way. Raymond received the Diamond Homer award in 1996 and the Poet Of The Year Medallion from The Famous Poets Society. The recognition was for his poem "Take The Shade Away From Mine." Raymond started this poem is one of his favorites because it brings out the bitterness of racial tension in America and makes people think about why there is so much dislike for people you do not know (people are not apples). He received honors from the International Society Of Poets and was inducted into the Poets Hall Of fame in 1997 receiving the Poet Of The Year Award and Medallion. In 1998, 1999 and 2000 he continued to receive honors as Poet Of The Year. In 2001 he was voted poet of the year and received the Prometheus Muse Of Fire award from the Famous Poets Society. This award was received due to a poem he had written for people with multiple sclerosis. The title of the poem is called "Feel My Pain." Raymond stated in general the poem is for all people because "it unveils deep hurt we all have felt." Raymond is a published poet with national cassette tapes and anthologies. He has a world wide website which can be accessed in over 120 countries. In order to access his website log in www.poetry.com once the website is accessed type in Raymond C. Christian and choose the poem you want to read. Another favorite of Raymond's is titled "My Social Elite" this poem talks about the greed of people and their inability to let go of their greed even if it leads them to their own destruction.

Europe recently contacted Raymond and expressed their love for his poetry. Raymond's poem titled "A Silent Prayer For Peace" will be published in Europe's anthology Theater of the Mind. Raymond is a graduate of the Institute of Children's Literature were he has forthcoming short stories and his autobiography.

Raymond Christian was also the first Disciplinarian Instructor in the history of East Chicago, Indiana school system. Mr. Christian was asked by the school committee members to prepare a program for the school district of East Chicago. A program that would be effective for the teachers as well as the students. After carefully researching teachers needs, assessing students behaviors, cause and affect and visiting other institutions. Mr. Christian was able to design, implement and operate a program agreed upon by the East Chicago School Board Committee Members as the In-School-Isolation Program. Joseph L. Block Junior High School and an estimated average of eighty-five students being suspended each week and a estimated average of sixty students a day receiving detention. Mr. Christian was able to assist the school system by helping the students to understand the importance of having an education. He invoked his formal education, military training, his love for learning, teaching and real life experiences to help bring at risk students to a reality of their own self destruction. Mr. Christian also trained other instructors. Once the program was implemented into the school system in a matter of months the ratio of suspensions had dropped to a low of approximately fifteen students a week and the detention ration dropped to approximately twenty students a day. The In-School-Isolation Program turned out to be just what the East Chicago school system needed, due to a lack of funding the program is no longer in use.

Raymond has just published his 2 books, "It Still Exists Today: A True Story of Racism in the United States Postal Service" and "Women Tell What Men Should Know".