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LOUISVILLE, Ky., Dec. 5 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Making preschool available to all children age 3 and older in the United States would carry great benefits, say three scholars who have won the 2008 University of Louisville Grawemeyer Award in Education.
The change would improve the school readiness of the nation's young children, fill a gap for working families, lower the high school dropout rate, reduce crime and boost the economy, award winners Edward Zigler, Walter Gilliam and Stephanie Jones, argue in their winning 2006 book, "A Vision for Universal Preschool Education."
Forty U.S. states now fund pre-kindergarten programs but the programs enroll fewer than 10 percent of all preschoolers, Zigler, Gilliam and Jones found.
Using research gathered over four decades, the winners set out specific actions that can be taken to develop good universal preschool systems. The book "stands alone in its field for its accessibility, clarity, timeliness and ability to combine a solid research background with practical recommendations," said their award nomination.
Zigler, Sterling professor emeritus of psychology at Yale University, founded Yale's child development and social policy center, which was renamed in his honor in 2005. He helped plan the Head Start program and was the first director of the federal Office of Child Development, now the Administration on Children, Youth and Families.
Gilliam is a Yale psychologist who conducts research on the effects of preschool programs and who now directs the Zigler center; Stephanie Jones is a Fordham University psychologist who studies the social and emotional aspects of early childhood and adolescence.
The Grawemeyer Foundation at U of L annually awards $1 million -- $200,000 each - for outstanding works in music composition, ideas improving world order, psychology, education and religion. Winners of the other 2008 Grawemeyer Awards also are being announced this week.
Source: University of Louisville
Web Site: http://www.grawemeyer.org/
http://www.louisville.edu/
WASHINGTON, Dec. 5 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Despite making up only two percent of the nation's public schools, charter schools made a statistically impressive showing on U.S. News & World Report's list of America's Best High Schools, on newsstands this week.
Nearly 1,600 schools earned a place on the list. Of these, charters make up 15 percent of the top 20 schools and 4 percent of all schools on the list.
"There's no denying that charter schools have at last come into the mainstream," said Jeanne Allen, president and founder of The Center for Education Reform. "Fully 11 percent of the top 100 schools on this list are charters - that's nine percent more than their overall ratio among all public schools."
In most public school districts with charter schools, the number of charter high schools is often lower than charter elementary and middle schools, making their overrepresentation on this list statistically significant.
Currently, 40 states and the District of Columbia have charter school laws of varying strength. Alabama, Maine, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Puerto Rico, South Dakota, Vermont, Washington, and West Virginia have yet to enact legislation allowing charter schools.
Allen noted that despite undeniable evidence that charter schools have a positive impact on students and school districts, many states remain slow to warm up to the idea of charter schools. Just last week, the Nevada board of education imposed a moratorium on any new charter schools, citing a lack of administrative resources.
"The disproportionately high percentage of charters on this new list not only shows that charters work by bringing badly needed educational options to scores of American families, it should also bring comfort to policymakers across the nation who are considering improving or expanding their charter school laws," Allen said.
The Center for Education Reform annually ranks the quality of state charter school laws and provides a complete list of all charter schools in the country. Both can be found at the Center's web site, http://www.edreform.com/.
Source: Center for Education Reform
Web Site: http://www.edreform.com/
Children 50 Times More Likely To Be Murdered Away From School Than At School
WASHINGTON, Nov. 29 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Violent and property crime rates at the nation's schools during 2005 -- 57 such crimes per 1,000 students age 12 or older -- were statistically unchanged from the 2004 rate of 55 victimizations per 1,000 students, according to a new report by the Justice Department's Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) and the Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics. The crimes measured are rape, sexual assault, robbery, aggravated assault, simple assault and theft.
During 2005, older students (ages 15 to 18) were less likely than younger students (ages 12 to 14) to be victims of crime at school, but older students were more likely than younger students to be victims of crime away from school.
From July 1, 2005, through June 30, 2006, there were 14 school-associated homicides involving school-aged children. Other BJS data show that youths are over 50 times more likely to be murdered away from school than at school.
The rates for other serious violent victimizations were lower at school than away from school for every survey year from 1992 through 2005. Serious violent victimizations include rape, sexual assault, robbery and aggravated assault.
In 2005 nearly all (99 percent) students ages 12 to 18 observed at least one of selected security measures at their school. The percentage of students who observed the use of security cameras at their schools increased from 39 percent in 2001 to 58 percent in 2005.
During 2005 an estimated 90 percent of students reported observing school staff or other adult supervision in the hallway, and 68 percent of students reported the presence of security guards and/or assigned police officers at their school.
Fewer students are avoiding places in school because of fear for their safety. Between 1995 and 2005 the percentage of students who reported avoiding one or more places in school declined from 9 percent to 4 percent.
Among students in grades 9 through 12 an estimated 43 percent reported drinking alcohol anywhere and 4 percent reported drinking at school during the 30 days prior to the 2005 survey. There were no detectable differences in percentages across grade levels in the likelihood of drinking on school property, but students in higher grades were more likely than students in lower grades to report drinking alcohol anywhere. In 2005, 25 percent of students reported that someone had offered, sold, or given them illegal drugs on school property in the 12 months prior to the survey.
Between 1993 and 2005, the percentage of students in grades 9 through 12 who reported carrying a weapon to school in the preceding 30 days declined from 12 percent to 6 percent.
In 2005, 24 percent of students reported that there were gangs at their schools compared to 21 percent of students in 2003.
Twenty-eight percent of students ages 12 to 18 reported being bullied at school during the last 6 months. Of those students who reported being bullied, 24 percent reported that they had sustained an injury as a result of the incident.
The report, Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2007 (NCJ-219553) was written by BJS statistician Wendy Lin-Kelly; Rachel Dinkes, of the Education Statistics Services Institute in the American Institutes for Research; Emily Forrest Cataldi, of MPR Associates, Inc.; and Thomas D. Snyder, Project Officer of the National Center of Education Statistics. Following publication, the report can be found at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/abstract/iscs07.htm
For additional information about the Bureau of Justice Statistics' statistical reports and programs, please visit the BJS website at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs.
The Office of Justice Programs (OJP) provides federal leadership in developing the nation's capacity to prevent and control crime, administer justice and assist victims. OJP has five component bureaus: the Bureau of Justice Assistance; the Bureau of Justice Statistics; the National Institute of Justice; the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention; and the Office for Victims of Crime. Additionally, OJP has two program offices: the Community Capacity Development Office, which incorporates the Weed and Seed strategy, and the Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering and Tracking (SMART) Office. More information can be found at http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice
Web Site: http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs
http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/abstract/iscs07.htm
http://www.usdoj.gov/
NEW YORK, Sept. 21 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Center for Arts Education (CAE), the leading voice in restoring, stimulating and sustaining arts education in New York City public schools, will host Arts Smart New York, A Friendraising Celebration on Thursday, September 27, 2007, at The Herman Miller National Design Center in Manhattan.
Arts Smart New York will be hosted by WNYC's Leonard Lopate and Legally Blonde star Laura Bell Bundy will make a special appearance before her curtain to show her support for arts education. In addition, CAE will honor Robert Jackson, New York City Council Education Chair and Domenic Recchia, New York City Council Cultural Chair, for their long standing and continued support for arts education in New York City public schools.
"Arts education is a basic and necessary part of a quality, well rounded education, and all New York City public school students deserve to have access to it," said CAE Executive Director Richard Kessler. "This event will encourage leaders in the City's business, government and education industries to help make arts education a standard part of every child's education."
This inaugural event will bring together key decision makers to promote awareness about the benefits of and need for more arts education in NYC public schools. Arts Smart New York is not a fundraiser but a unique event designed to highlight the current state of arts education in NYC and discuss what still needs to be done to support arts education programs for our public schools.
The Center for Arts Education is leading the charge to restore quality arts education for New York City's more than one million public school students and is committed to establishing New York City as the arts education capital of the world by making the arts a core component of every public school child's education.
Source: The Center for Arts Education
Web site: http://www.cae-nyc.org/
WOODBRIDGE, Ill., Sept. 20 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Follett Higher Education Group bookstores along with the Pearson Foundation, made history joining hundreds of thousands of children and adults across the country to break the world record for the number of people reading the same book on a single day. Follett bookstores on the campuses of Florida State University, Georgetown University, Washington University in St. Louis, Morehouse College, Rutgers University, Baylor University and University of Massachusetts Boston joined Jumpstart's Read for the Record campaign, hosting events today to raise awareness about the importance of early childhood education and reading to young children. Today's reading campaign across the country raised $1 million to support Jumpstart's work with at-risk preschoolers.
The Follett bookstore events helped create the world's largest "shared reading experience" as children, college students and adults gathered to read this year's official campaign book The Story of Ferdinand, written by Munro Leaf and illustrated by Robert Lawson, published by Penguin Young Readers Group. Many Follett bookstores nationwide sold the custom campaign edition of the book and participants registered to read or donated books for children in need through the campaign website, www.readfortherecord.org.
The Pearson Foundation matched each online book donation/purchase with its own donation of another children's book and will deliver those to children in at-risk communities. Pearson also covered all publishing costs, making it possible for Jumpstart to receive 100% of the funds raised through the sale of the special edition books.
Jumpstart's Read for the Record campaign included thousands of events across the country, with a national event at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. Mrs. Laura Bush kicked off Jumpstart's Read for the Record Campaign on NBC's TODAY Show with Matt Lauer and Meredith Vieira. Lauer and Vieira wrote the foreword to the custom limited edition of The Story of Ferdinand and featured the Campaign throughout this morning's three-hour TODAY show program.
Gary Shapiro, senior vice president for Intellectual Properties of Follett Higher Education Group noted that today's event is especially important as it calls attention to the importance of children having access to books, and for adults to share reading experiences with them. He said, "Children who miss out on the cognitive, social and emotional experiences associated with reading miss out on an important aspect of their education. Those of us who grew up with books as a significant part of our lives know the profound impact reading can have on a child's future."
Bill Barke, CEO of the Pearson Arts and Sciences Group, said, "Our partnership with Follett bookstores and Jumpstart helps us take one additional step to ensure that our country's at-risk children are not forgotten, and that we provide them the resources they need to be successful when they enter kindergarten. We know that by first grade, a child from a low-income family in the U.S. will have only a fourth of the vocabulary of his mid-income peer. We must do everything we can to reverse this alarming statistic."
Follett Higher Education Group is a family-owned bookstore provider that has operated with integrity and respect for 133 years. Follett's manages more than 750 bookstores nationwide and provides management systems, support services, and used textbooks to over 1,800 independently managed bookstores.
Jumpstart and the Pearson Foundation share a passion for education and inspiring people to reach their full potential. These shared goals and values led Jumpstart and the Pearson Foundation to create the Pearson Teacher Fellowship in 2001. Each year, the Pearson Teacher Fellowship provides the opportunity for a select group of achievement-oriented college graduates to enter the early education field by becoming preschool teachers in Head Start and other early learning centers serving at-risk children. The Fellowship provides these talented individuals a stipend, intensive training, assistance earning teaching certification, and additional support and resources during the first two years of their teaching careers. In 2006, Pearson and its businesses The Financial Times Group, The Penguin Group, and Pearson Education became a major sponsor of the inaugural campaign for Jumpstart's Read for the Record, which raised over $1 million for Jumpstart's work to help preschoolers from low-income communities with their language and literacy skills. For more information, go to www.pearsonfoundation.org.
Source: Jumpstart
LAS VEGAS, Aug. 9 /PRNewswire/ -- Disney's Dreamers Academy with Steve Harvey, an enrichment event with a special appeal for African American high- schoolers, was announced jointly today by Disney and by national radio personality Steve Harvey. It invites inspired teenagers to pack their bags -- and their dreams -- for Walt Disney World Resort in 2008.
The announcement came at the 32nd National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) Convention and Career Fair here.
One hundred teens from across the United States with the potential for greatness and the courage to dream will be tapped for the Dreamers Academy weekend Jan. 17-20, 2008, during the heart of Disney's "Year of a Million Dreams" celebration.
"This is about taking youth with potential and opening doors for them -- helping them to realize their dreams," said Xiomara Wiley, vice president of multicultural marketing, Disney Parks and Resorts. "And what a place to do it! At 40 square miles, Walt Disney World is the world's largest creative classroom designed to inspire people. These young people will have unprecedented access to the magic behind the magic."
Harvey said Disney's Dreamers Academy "is very important to me because it gets to the heart of what my foundation is all about. It's about the education of our young people who are oftentimes slighted and don't have the chance to be exposed to a variety of job skills and job sets and meet with people in the fields they're interested in. We want to give our young achievers the tools to become overachievers -- to take their dreams stratospheric."
Sessions will also include interactive workshops, motivational talks with sports and entertainment celebrities, and discussions led by Disney cast members and executives sharing their blueprint for success.
Workshop topics will feature everything from business to architecture/engineering, animation to set design, show production to culinary arts, to learning the business behind sports.
There also will be free time to enjoy the Walt Disney World theme parks and recreation.
High school students from around the country can be nominated to participate. The lucky participants will be selected from among young dreamers nominated by their parents, legal guardians, their school, church, social organization, youth program -- or even themselves.
A select panel of judges including Steve Harvey, key African American community leaders and Disney representatives will choose the 100 finalists.
"We believe this program will have special appeal for African American high schoolers, and working with Steve Harvey gives us a great opportunity to get this message to them," adds Wiley.
Participants in the program must be enrolled in high school. Disney's Dreamers Academy is designed for students who show promise -- but may need a little motivation -- and share one common trait: the power to dream.
Nomination forms and more details about Disney's Dreamers Academy with Steve Harvey can be found on www.steveharvey.com/disneysdreamersacademy.
Source: Walt Disney World
Web site: http://www.steveharvey.com/disneysdreamersacademy
http://www.wdwnews.com/
Alpharetta, GA (BlackNews.com 3/20/06) - Asgard Financial LLC (AFS), a minority-owned firm and a leading provider of defaulted student loan solutions for the African-American community announces the launch of sCRM version 2.0.
sCRM is a AFS web database solution for creation and recordation of customer information to satisfy the lenders' requirement for complete and reliable information. The solution has been designed to provide Asgard's employees with the flexibility of assigning tasks, on demand, to internal or external resources for fulfillment, while maintaining a visual dashboard for managing the pipeline.
Tasks including imaging, data entry, printing, mailing and recordation can be outsourced to multiple departments allowing AFS management to focus on the company's core competencies, or the employee can choose to perform all of the tasks with internal resources. Additionally, tools for importing available data repository information and recording functionality have been built into the sCRM 2.0.
sCRM is ISO-9000 compliance driven. Fees, forms and lender requirements are updated with 99% accuracy daily. sCRM relies on Asgard's award winning RID solution for fee calculation and contact information as well as required fields and forms. "Our lenders enjoy the comfort of a proven and consistent 99.7% on time compliance rate with a less than 1% reject rate from us. Once a customer applies on line with us, they can now expect an approval or denial within 48 hours. This is tremendous improvement from where we were as a company just 6 months ago" said Marvin Mclendon, Managing Partner, and President of Asgard Financial Services.
"This will allow our employee's to quickly respond to a customer's application for service with a minimal outlay of resources while significantly improving Asgard's operational efficiencies and delivering a value in short order" said Mclendon. "When considering a true total cost of CRM software such as SAP or Salesforce CRM, sCRM offers the best value for our company and its customers."
About Asgard Financial LLC
Asgard Financial LLC is an industry leader, providing niche defaulted
student loan services and solutions to the African-American community
for over 5 years. Founded on the need that the African-American
community was underserved in this arena, the company mission
is to provide total solution to the problem of defaulted student
loans.
Dallas, TX (BlackNews.com 4/4/06) - Tom Joyner, the nationally syndicated radio personality and philanthropist, has launched a major initiative to challenge three historically black colleges and universities to raise more than $200,000 per school. The challenge is designed to broaden and strengthen their efforts to raise money for scholarships, retain students, attract top-notch students, increase their donor base and relocate lost alums.
Three historically black colleges and universities and are eligible to receive up to $200,000 from the six-year-old Tom Joyner Foundation. The challenged kicked on April FIRST and the schools will have until June 30th to raise their portion of the money which is $100,000. The Tom Joyner Foundation will match every dollar raised by the school for a total gift of more than $200,000. The Tom Joyner Foundation Matching Challenge 2006 is setting out to provide additional scholarship support to students at these black colleges. The Challenge also hopes help each HBCU to increase alumni fundraising and find new donors.
The participating schools are Prairie View A&M University, Prairie View, TX; Jarvis Christian College, Hawkins, TX; and, Knoxville College, Knoxville, TN. Each school was chosen based on having a need for additional scholarship assistance for their students.
"This is all about putting kids through school," said Thomas Joyner, who created the Foundation and whose four-hour drive-time show is heard in 115-plus markets and heard by more than eight million listeners. "This Challenge is another way for us to show our support for HBCUs and help make sure our black students complete their education."
The Tom Joyner Foundation is responsible for raising more $30 million dollars and helping some 40 colleges and thousands of deserving students. Each month, Joyner raises money for a specific historically black college and helps students currently attending that school.
Funds for this Challenge have been generated from the Foundation's largest fundraiser, which is the annual Fantastic Voyage that has raised nearly $1 million each year. The seven-day cruise will set sail May 27th - June 3th, 2006 and is has sold out for the sixth consecutive year. Throughout the year, the Foundation receives donations primarily from individuals, but also from several Fortune 1000 companies including Allstate, Budweiser, and Daimler-Chrysler. At 20 Southwest Airlines Sky Shows, the Foundation awards scholarships to students. Joyner, a graduate of Tuskegee Institute NOW University, has been highly recognized by industry and community groups for the work he has done during the more than 25 years in radio. Last year, he not only was inducted into the prestigious Broadcasting & Cable Hall of Fame, but he also received the Marconi Award from the National Association of Broadcasters' as the top nationally syndicated/network radio personality. Joyner's sons are also graduates of black colleges: Thomas Jr., Howard University and Oscar, Florida A&M University.
FOR MORE DETAILS ABOUT THE CHALLENGE, VISIT US AT WW.BLACKAMERICAWEB.COM
For additional information, contact Neil Foote, spokesperson, Tom Joyner Foundation, (972) 789-1058, neil.foote@reachmediainc.com
Lithonia, GA (BlackNews.com 3/30/06) - The Martin Luther King, Jr. High School Marching Band has been invited by the Field Band Foundation to participate in the 2006 National Championships in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. The excursion is scheduled to take place September 28-October 2, 2006 as a once in a lifetime cultural exchange experience that exposes students to global diversity through the medium of music. This occasion, made possible through the success of the band program, is historic in that this is the only high school in Georgia named for the great icon, and the band is the first and only marching band from the United States to perform for this event.
Under the direction of Mr. Travis W. Kimber, the band program has experienced tremendous growth and acclaimed recognition. Since the program's inception, the band has never made less than a superior rating in every Georgia Music Educators Association (GMEA) yearly performance evaluation. In addition, the Martin Luther King, Jr. High School Band has earned over 3 million dollars in music scholarships from institutions including Florida A&M University, Bethune-Cookman College, Kentucky State University, Tennessee State University, Alabama A&M University, and many others.
"I think that its appropriate that the first American [marching] band to perform in South Africa is named after one of America's greatest heroes, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.," says Sylvester Nelloms, Principal of Martin Luther King, Jr. High School. "I am excited about the leadership that the band directors, Mr.(Travis) Kimber and Ms. (Mevonnie) Thompson have provided for our school. This opportunity is in line with our school mission: to prepare students for service excellence and lifelong learning." The high level of accomplishment and recognition the band program has received is unmatched by any band program in the Metro-Atlanta area.
This excursion is being billed as the "Martin Luther King, Jr. Meets Nelson Mandela: Journey to South Africa 2006 Tour" and the message is to promote the concept of social, cultural and educational exchange through music, and ultimately taking the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to South Africa, a visit that never happened in his lifetime. "This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for us to not only visit another country but experience another culture and its beliefs," said Joshua Dennis a junior Advanced Placement student at Martin Luther King, Jr. High School and the Head Drum Major of the marching band. "This experience will enlighten not just the experiences we have in DeKalb County, but we'll also contribute to the South African culture through our music."
The Martin Luther King, Jr. High School Marching Band has made stellar strides towards excellence, and has garnered attention from major sponsors. Current sponsors include AMC Theaters, The Printing Depot, Inc. Smokey Bones Barbeque and Grill, Bruster's Ice Cream, A+ Signs, Indigo Arts, and Gladys Knight & Ron Winans Chicken and Waffles. These sponsors have donated over $1500 in in-kind merchandise such as T-shirts, movie passes, and gift certificates for fundraising. The official newspaper sponsor, On Common Ground News (Lithonia, GA) has agreed to deliver a live web cast via internet of the actual 2006 National Championship performance.
Although there has been speculation surrounding the excursion to Africa, the final agreement has been received with resounding support from the community and the school. Future fundraisers include the MLK Pep Rally at Stonecrest Mall on April 1 from 10am-3pm. Donations are being sought from local business owners in the form of tents, food, music, and entertainment. There will be an MLK Townhall meeting on April 18 at 7:00 pm to which business owners and community leaders are invited for more information explaining our mission for the trip to South Africa. Finally, the MLK Kickoff Rally on May 6 from 4-6 pm will be the culmination of the first phase of fundraising towards our main goal which is $500,000. The trip is scheduled to take place from September 28-October 3, 2006.
All donations can be made to:
MLK Band Boosters, Inc.
Post Office Box 361396
Decatur, GA 30036
www.mlkmarchinglions.com
All Wachovia banks nationwide (Account name: MLK Band "Journey
to South Africa" Fund)
August 2004 (Newstream) -- National University provides more master's degrees in all disciplines to African Americans than any other college or university in California, according to Black Issues in Higher Education.
In total, National University conferred 216 master's degrees to African Americans in the 2002-2003 academic year. Black Issues in Higher Education publishes its annual rankings of the top 100 colleges and universities providing graduate degrees to minority students every July. Its rankings are based upon data from the U.S. Department of Education. The latest Black Issues rankings were published on July 29.
By specific disciplines, National University also ranks first in California in granting master's degrees in business, management and marketing to African Americans, conferring 49 such degrees to Black students during the above-mentioned period. It also ranked first in California in granting master's degrees in education to African Americans, conferring 120 degrees in that category.
Overall, between 1993 and 2003, the number of master's degrees conferred to African Americans has increased by an annual average of slightly more than eight percent, from 18,248 in the 1992-1993 academic year to 40,010 in the 2002-2003 school year.
A random poll of African American graduates at National University's 2004 commencement revealed that the majority of respondents were working adults who are attracted to National because of its unique evening-based one-course-per-month format. For more information about National University and its African American graduates, contact Hoyt Smith at (858) 642-8111. For more information regarding Black Issues in Higher Education's annual Top 100 rankings, visit the publication's Web site at www.blackissues.com/Top100Home.asp.
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Our Children need our help!
At-risk youth are empowered by the Just Like Me Series
Washington, DC - (4/7/04) Many Black children develop a sense of "less-than-ness" after years of school lessons and reading textbooks that mention very little about African American contributions. In addition, most lessons about Black history are taught during February and feature the same 5 or 6 Black people every year. When combined with the negative stereotypes of Black people that they see daily on TV, thousands of Black children feel inferior and write themselves off before they begin.
According to leading clinical psychologists, African American children need to be taught the value of their heritage. Knowing the significant contributions made by Africans and African Americans throughout history can reverse the effects of negative media images and stereotypes that cause low self-esteem and poor self-image. We can't save the world, but we can do something!
The Adopt-A-School program was developed by 21st Century Educational Services, a non-profit organization, to help inspire and motivate thousands of disadvantaged Black children across the country. 21st Century Educational Services is adopting schools, one school at a time, so that every child in that school gets a set of the Just Like Me Series. Using the series in a classroom setting has proven to improve self-esteem, self-image and destroy stereotypes for at-risk African American youth.
The series has worked wonders in several schools by teaching children the many scientific contributions made by Black people dating back to 6000 BC. The series has been so successful in schools that CBS News interviewed the author and one of the teachers using the Just Like Me Series in her classes.
The goal for 2004 is to sponsor 150 schools with at-risk African American students in the following cities: Dallas, Houston, Chicago, Atlanta, Philadelphia, New York, Baltimore, Detroit, Charlotte, and Washington, DC. Our children need your help! You can sponsor ten students for only $150, all of which is tax deductible. Small businesses and corporations can sponsor 10 students, an entire school for just $7,500 or ten schools for $75,000, all of which is tax deductible. 85% of all donations go towards books and services for the students.
Please donate now at www.justgive.org or www.justlikemebooks.com/whatisnew.htm
For more information on 21st Century Educational Services, go to www.guidestar.org
Together we can make difference in 2004!
[distributed through BlackPR.com/BlackNews.com]
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Chicago, IL - (4/6/04) The International Youth Education Program sponsored an Essay Contest for students to write a 300-500 word essay on "Why I am Proud of My African Heritage". The winner is Christian Santiago, of St. Athanasius School in Bronx, New York. Christian will join Summer Camp in Africa for a three-week educational program in Ghana, West Africa.
IYEP's Summer Camp in Africa program is a non-profit organization seeking to educate youth about Africa through summer camp experiences in West Africa. The program was started by a group of parents looking for cultural enrichment programs to education their sons and daughters about how people in Africa live, work and take care of their families and communities. "We wanted to give our children as well as others an opportunity at a young age to be involved in community service projects in Africa, and we thought this type of program would be an unforgettable life experience that will help develop focus in young lives," said founder and director, Mrs. Agbai, who has offices in Chicago and Accra, Ghana.
The three-week educational camp includes visits to two neighboring African countries, Togo and Benin. Students are given a cultural orientation before departure and upon arrival, and after a few days in the capital city of Accra, campers will journey to a rural village to learn about everyday life in Africa. They learn the basics of traditional drumming, farming, dancing and singing, participate in community service projects, prepare local dishes, and explore the World Heritage sites, Cape Coast and Elmina Slave Castles. Students will also have a rare opportunity to visit a rainforest to learn about trees that are used for natural medicines and while viewing nature at its finest.
IYEP offers slide presentations about its Summer Camp in Africa program. If you would like to schedule a presentation in your area, please email us at iyep@africamail.com. The camp dates are July 2-23, 2004, and for more information on how your organization can help send youth to camp in Africa or to receive a brochure, call or write, IYEP Summer Camp in Africa, P.O. Box 1621, Sauk Village, IL 60411 or call (708) 757-0167.
Greensboro, SC - (March 16, 2004) Bennett College, a historically-black college in North Carolina, will host its 2nd annual NASA Space Science Week, March 22-25, 2004. The focus of this year's event will be space medicine, science and health. With the many current issues facing our nation, globally, the purpose of NASA Space Science Week 2004 is to share with the Greensboro community and surrounding areas advances in science, medicine and health. Many of these scientific advances are directly a result of space science research. The week will consist of dynamic seminars, exhibits, spectacular science shows, K-12 activities, a museum flight show, workshops, and a student research symposium. The student research symposium will involve several other partner institutions and allow students from Bennett College and our partner schools to share their cutting-edge research. Other special topics will include aerospace medicine, nutrition in space, sex and gender based medicine, countermeasures for disease prevention and psycho-physiological adaptation to spaceflight.
The kick-off reception will take place, March 22, 2004 at 4:00pm in the Student Union on the campus of Bennett College. The Urban Nation Choir from Washington, DC under the directorship of Mr. Rickey Payton, President and CEO will provide a special tribute.
The event will be held on the campus of Bennett College and is open to the public. For additional questions, please contact Dr. Benita P. Bell, Director, Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Program at 336-517-2288 or email address: bbell@bennett.edu
State Requirements for Algebra Prep in Middle School Prompts Curriculum Advantage to Release Classworks Algebra Series
September 2004 (Newstream) - As education leaders and state law push districts to teach algebra in eighth grade, Curriculum Advantage announced today the release of an Algebra Series for Classworks -- a network-based system of K-12 reading and mathematics curriculum -- that teaches pre-algebra and algebra to middle school students.
Some state learning standards, including the new Georgia Performance Standards and California's mathematics content standards, require that algebra concepts be mastered by the end of eighth grade. In response to the need for algebra curriculum in the middle grades, the new Algebra Series for Classworks now includes 60 hours of algebra and pre-algebra curriculum. The Algebra Series gives direct and relevant instruction that ensures students develop a strong base of algebraic understanding and are ready for learning the more abstract language of high-school level algebra, geometry, trigonometry and calculus.
"At Curriculum Advantage, we are committed to maintaining the relevance of Classworks curriculum for all educators. We created the Classworks Algebra Series because an increasing number of states require that students master algebra in middle school rather than high school," said Mr. Lindsey Cook, president and CEO of Curriculum Advantage. "The Classworks Algebra Series is the perfect solution for middle schools needing additional resources to prepare students for the very difficult pre-algebra and algebra concepts required before moving on to high school."
The Classworks Algebra Series includes more than 330 activities that assess, instruct, remediate and extend students' exposure to both pre-algebra and algebra. A Classworks pretest given before each unit automatically prescribes a personalized series of lessons for each student, which ensures that students are working on curriculum relevant to their instructional needs. Detailed reports keep teachers abreast of student progress and allow them to edit the activity path if necessary.
Long-time educator and doctoral candidate, Jessica Tyler of Educational Consulting Services (a third-party curriculum evaluation service), recently evaluated Classworks for its relevance to Texas mathematics education. Tyler taught AP algebra, statistics and calculus and is a noted expert in math methods and curriculum planning. In her review she gave many favorable comments about Classworks' instructional effectiveness as a math and algebra prep curriculum, and she stated:
"Classworks is the most comprehensive, well designed math software program on the market. It offers a vast array of engaging lessons, activities, projects, and assessments that are tightly aligned to the state curriculum. It is well structured and very organized, offering useful teacher tools such as reports, tracking mechanisms, and curriculum alignment formats that make keeping up with student remediation programs more efficient and ultimately more effective."
About CurriculumAdvantage
Curriculum Advantage, Inc. (www.curriculumadvantage.com) has offices in Los Angeles; Austin, Texas; and Wayne, Neb. Curriculum Advantage's flagship product is Classworks, a network-based system of K-12 reading and mathematics curriculum and learning tools that comprise over 3,000 hours of curriculum. Classworks activities are correlated to national and state learning standards and state tests. They include prescriptive and summative assessment, remediation and reporting tools. Classworks is installed in 2,000 schools in the United States and worldwide. INET Classroom, also from Curriculum Advantage, is a comprehensive library of web-based curriculum linked to state and national standards.
__________________________
Produced for Curriculum Advantage
CONTACT:
Jennifer Harrison
916-716-0636
jennifer@JHarrisonPR.com
Melissa Watkins
408-265-1609
mwatkins@curriculumadvantage.com
_________________________
Asset Caption: The new Algebra Series for Classworks includes more than 330 activities that assess, instruct, remediate and extend a middle school student's exposure to both pre-algebra and algebra. (Graphic: Business Wire)
New York, NY - (4/29/04) In an effort to recognize the unsung heroes of our times - teachers - American Legacy Magazine, the magazine of African-American history and culture will host a reception to honor 10 exceptional educators and to kick-off National Teachers Day (May 4, 2004)!
The 10 educators will be honored on Friday, April 30, 2004 from 6:00PM - 8:00PM at the Forbes Galleries in New York City. "We're excited about the opportunity to honor these outstanding teachers for the work that they do on a daily basis in the classroom" said Rodney J. Reynolds, founder and publisher of American Legacy Magazine. "These teachers inspire their students by teaching black history in and out of the classroom."
The ten (10) teachers being honored include:
*James Martin, III, Martin Luther King, Jr. H.S.- Detroit, MI.
*Paul McIntosh, Wadleigh Secondary School- NY, NY
*Hubert Jackson, Gwendolyn Brooks H.S.- Chicago, IL
*Douglas Wilkins, Hamilton High School - Memphis, TN
*Curtis Lawrence, The Frederick Douglas Academy- NY, NY
*Kofo Coker, Mt. Vernon High School- Mt. Vernon, NY
*Jacqueline Morris, Calumet Career Preparation Academy- Chicago, IL
*Dorothy Walker, Soldan International Studies H.S.- St. Louis, MO
*Franz Minuty, Jones High School- Orlando, FL
*George Davis, William R. Boone H.S. - Orlando, FL
American Legacy is a quarterly magazine distributed nationwide to over 500,000 readers through black churches, educational and cultural institutions. Also available on newsstands and through paid subscriptions, it is a joint venture between RJR Communications, Inc. and the American Heritage division of Forbes. In addition to the magazine, other brands include American Legacy Woman, American Legacy, Jr. and American Legacy Television, a nationally syndicated television program.
[distributed through BlackPR.com/BlackNews.com]
San Diego, CA - May 17th is just around the corner! Do you have any idea how most of the media will acknowledge the 50th anniversary of Brown v. the Board of Education of Topeka?
Back in 1957 the Supreme Court concluded, "... in the field of education, the doctrine of 'separate but equal' has no place. [Education] is a right which must be made available on equal terms." Now, fifty years later, you might read about A Promise Never Fulfilled. That, of course, will bring up the achievement gap. A story about this seemingly intractable problem might be highlighted by a quote from Kati Haycock, Director of The Education Trust. She suggested the outcomes in reading and mathematics for black 4th graders on the 2001 National Assessment of Educational Progress demonstrated "... a frightening kind of educational Darwinism."
Have you been told that there is a school where last year the percentage of third through fifth grade African-American students scoring at or above proficiency in reading in their state's end-of-grade tests exceeded that for white students, 93.8% to 92.1%? Do you know that at that school 54.8% of all 3-5 students scored at the highest level in reading and mathematics on those same end-of-grade tests? The promise has been fulfilled at that school because every student and every teacher participates in the same accelerated and enriched instructional processes. As an outcome, the playing field has been leveled.
If you haven't been made aware of these outstanding achievements, why not? Why weren't you told that this long sought goal has been achieved? Perhaps it is because South Scotland Elementary School is located some distance from you in Laurinburg, North Carolina. But then why wasn't the Executive Director of the North Carolina NAACP, who is also a member of the state's Advisory Committee on Raising Achievement and Closing the Gap, told about these outcomes? Certainly, he should have been made aware of these achievements.
Next month, ceremonies and other activities marking the 50th anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka will be celebrated across America. Perhaps, rather than focusing on promises yet unfulfilled, its time to begin recognizing those schools that have, by simply fixing reading, closed the achievement gap for their poor minority students by boosting the scholastic achievement for all of their students in grades three and beyond.
To learn more about South Scotland and other schools in North Carolina that are providing the same instructional program for all of their students, contact Ted or Colleen Vail at: phone-888-333-7257 / fax-858-4876-8063 / e-mail-ils4pals@aol.com
The Vails are the authors of the instructional program that works to fix reading and to close the achievement gap by accelerating and enriching scholastic achievement.
[distributed through BlackPR.com/BlackNews.com]
Raynece
Leader-Thompson
Math-A-ManiaTulsa, OK - (2/25/04) In December 2001, Raynece Leader-Thompson, then a student at Edison Middle School, had a class assignment, either to do a science project or to participate in a new program called the "Invention Convention." Raynece had done several science projects in the past, so she decided to concentrate her efforts on inventing something; just what was still a little hazy.
As mother and daughter brainstormed, they concluded that the invention should focus on math and a method to make learning math skills fun. Since most children love to play games, the logical next step was to create some sort of game that would help to make math not only simple but also fun, challenging, colorful and different from other games on the market. Through many trials and some errors, the game took shape. The result was the math game, Math-A-Mania, which uses both cards and dice to target addition, subtraction and multiplication skills. Raynece introduced the Math-A-Mania prototype as a visual to accompany her written report in her class "Invention Convention" presentation. Not only did Raynece receive a grade of "A," her teacher was so impressed with the game that she gave the prototype to the school's sixth grade math teacher to look over and have her class play the game as an experiment. The students had such positive response to the game that their teacher wanted to purchase a game as a teaching aid.
Based on this initial response to the game, Raynece and her mother decided to show the prototype of Math-A-Mania to others and, again, received only enthusiastic comments. Soon Raynece and her mother started getting requests for a copy of math-a-mania from students, parents and teachers. So they decided to look into making math-a-mania available to the public. Raynece and her mother started a business called Math Works, LLC (www.mathworkz.com) in which Raynece is the Vice President and her mother is the President.
Raynece is now a sophomore at Booker T. Washington High School in Tulsa, OK. Her invention, the result of a class assignment, is currently being marketed in several states to help children and adults who have trouble learning math to master these skills and have fun at the same time. Recently, Raynece was invited back to Edison Middle School to speak to the sixth, seventh and eighth grade students about her project and to explain how it became a finished product. She also talked about the importance of completing class assignments. Raynece and her mother also just completed a month long math work shop with "The Carver Senior Center located in Tulsa, OK.
For all those who say that students today are not intelligent, creative, resourceful, focused and dedicated, here's just one example of a student who decided to try something different, had an idea, completed the project and, most importantly, is making a contribution to help other students learn.
For further information about Math-A-Mania, visit www.mathworkz.com
Or contact Johnece Thompson or Raynece Thompson at Math Works, LLC - (918) 584-9900 or johnecet@mathworkz.com or raynecelt@mathworkz.com
(2/25/04). NASA has selected students from
six high schools around the country to prepare and fly their experiments
on future NASA space flights.
"By participating in the NASA Student Involvement Program,
these students will get hands-on experience in science and engineering
fields," said Lynn Marra, NASA Student Involvement Program
(NSIP) Manager. "This flight program will give the students
an exciting experience participating in the nation's exploration
efforts," she added.
During the next four months students and their teachers will work
with engineers and technicians from the NASA Goddard Space Flight
Center's Wallops Flight Facility, Wallops Island, Va., to prepare
their experiments for flight. The student experiments will be
flown on a NASA suborbital sounding rocket in June or on a future
Space Shuttle flight, following the program's Return to Flight.
Eight teams from the six schools were competitively selected to
participate in the national program. Four of the NSIP teams will
participate in the sounding rocket program and four will participate
in the Space Shuttle program. Each team will spend one week in
June at Wallops.
The students with sounding rocket experiments will spend their
week participating in the final preparations of the experiments
and launch reviews, receive instruction in rocketry, view the
launch of the rocket, and begin analysis of their data.
The student teams with Space Shuttle experiments will participate
in the final preparations and testing of the experiments, tour
the Wallops operations, and give technical presentations on their
experiments. These experiments will be placed in a Space Experiment
Module for flight in the Space Shuttle cargo bay.
The winning entrees in the NSIP flight opportunities competition
are:
Sounding Rocket Experiments:
Glenbrook North High
School, Northbrook, Ill.
Columbus High School, Columbus, Ga.
Sauk Rapids-Rice High School, Sauk Rapids, Minn.
Delta Cyber School, Delta Junction, Alaska
Space Shuttle Experiments:
Glenbrook North High
School, Northbrook, Ill.
Agoura High School, Agoura Hills, Calif.
Columbus High School, Columbus, Ga.
Cambridge Ridge and Latin High School, Cambridge, Mass.
For information about NSIP on the Internet, visit:
For information about other NASA education programs on the Internet, visit:
For information about NASA on the Internet, visit:
This article was reprinted from NASA's website, www.nasa.gov
5-2-03. Blair Hornstine, a New Jersey senior, is suing to become her schools sole valedictorian. Despite the four A-pluses out of five classes on her last report card, her 1570/1600 on the SAT, and open doors waiting for her at the school of her choice -- Harvard, Stanford, Princeton, and Cornell, her school district wants her to share the limelight with two other students.
The eighteen-year old daughter of a State Superior Court judge
plans to sue for $200,000 in compensatory damages and $2.5 million in punitive damages for her humiliation. According to her school district, she is classified as a disabled student because of an immune deficiency. This has required that she take a class load void of P.E. and spend part of her day studying at home. The two other seniors have nearly perfect grades; however, they could not match her average because classes like gym receive less weight in grade point average calculations.
According to Superintendent Paul Kadri, after reviewing these issues, I was concerned about the fundamental fairness of the academic competition engaged in for the valedictorian and salutatorian awards. The level of competition ... had been compromised."
A hearing is set for May 8. The Moorestown Board of Education is set to meet on May 12. Moorestown High School Graduation is June 19.
U.S. District Judge Freda Wolfson set a hearing for May 8, and the Moorestown Board of Education planned to consider what to do about the situation at a May 12 meeting.
Graduation is June 19.
5-2-03. The Class of 2004 is the first class required in California to pass a state-mandated exit exam; however, if this policy is implemented a fifth of Californias incoming seniors will fail the math section because they lack the necessary classes for proficiency in the tested subjects. California Board of Education President Reed Hastings would like to delay the test for three years, allowing time for students to become better prepared. According to Bruce Fuller, professor for education and public policy at the University of California-Berkeley, can we really flunk up to two-thirds of kids with disabilities and say this is a motivating way to hold students and administrators accountable?
According to a state-mandated report by the Department of Education, the test is valid. The Virginia-based Human Resources Organization conducted an independent evaluation and concluded that the California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE) meets all nationally recognized test standards. It also cited that the exam had a "profound impact on standards-based classroom instruction, motivating students, teachers and school staff to concentrate on the reading, writing, and math skills teenagers will need to get a diploma."
The evaluation suggested alternative actions like decreasing the passing score and a certificate of completion for those who fail the test after four years of trying. The California Board of Education should know by August whether or not they will delay students' graduation because of unsatisfactory test scores.
Continuation and alternative high school students may need extra efforts to pass the exit exam. For the student who may need a more flexible school day or week, California offers over 500 that serve over 70,000 students. Many schools offer extra math and reading classes because without a focus on the basics, it will be hard for students to pass any test, let alone an exit exam. According to Brad Camp, an Orangewood High School counselor who believes teaching the Class of 2004 algebra is going to be hard because some do not even have times tables skills, "trying to build their confidence' is important. With continuation students, it's not just skills. It's getting past that feeling of 'I'm a failure, I've always failed on tests.' I don't believe that our students are less intelligent than the rest."
For the complete report on the California High School Exit Exam, please visit http://www.cde.ca.gov/statetests/cahsee/eval/eval.html.
by Michael Bustamante
Vocational and technical schools frequently offer certificates and associate degrees in administration training for business purposes. Courses in maintenance of internal businesses operations are offered in administration training schools, as well as many other subjects relating to good business practices.
Administration schools (also known as business administration schools) provide students with basic skills and building expertise in typing, filing, telephone and reception competence, calendar management, scheduling, records maintenance, data entry, and correspondence. In addition, administration courses address the more composite subjects of computer hardware maintenance and repair, computer software operations, payroll, accounts receivable and accounts payable, as well as the complex responsibilities of accounting, finance, and office administration.
Students may choose general business training programs, or they may specialize in specific areas of business, such as accounting, marketing, management, or information technology (IT). In just a few months of study, a student can become adept in handling specific aspects of a business operation. Graduates with certificates or associate degrees will be ready to perform applications of more complex business principles and techniques in various types of businesses.
If you would like to learn more about Administration Training, or even Online Administration Schools, you can find more in-depth information and resources on our website.
DISCLAIMER: Above is a GENERAL OVERVIEW and may or may not reflect specific practices, courses and/or services associated with ANY ONE particular school(s) that is or is not advertised on SchoolsGalore.com.
Copyright 2007 - All rights reserved by SchoolsGalore.com, in association with Media Positive Communications, Inc.
Author Resource Box: Michael Bustamante is a staff writer for Media Positive Communications, Inc. in association with SchoolsGalore.com. Visit our Vocational School Directory and find Colleges, Universities, Vocational Schools, and Online Schools at SchoolsGalore.com, your educational resource to locate schools.
Michael Bustamante is a staff writer for Media Positive Communications, Inc. in association with SchoolsGalore.com, your educational resource to locate schools, colleges, universities, and vocational/trade schools.Michael Bustamante may be contacted at http://schoolsgalore.com/
by CarolAnn Bailey-Lloyd
Find an Acupressure Institute in the United States and Canada. Because complementary medicine is on the rise, students who are seeking ways to engage in one of several alternative education platforms may find that enrolling in an acupressure institute could be a productive way to gain suitable training in the healing arts.
At an acupressure institute, students will be introduced to a variety of courses including studies in anatomy and physiology, acupressure point methods, styles of acupressure, and clinical applications. While enrolled at an acupressure institute, students will also learn how to use acupressure to balance and restore whole health. In many cases, an acupressure institute’s curriculum is designed for body workers who would like to enhance services offered to clients and patients, and may commonly integratenatural healing courses in Shiatsu, Qigong, Chinese herbal medicine, and other relevant natural health modalities.
Once you’ve chosen to attend an acupressure institute, you will discover too, that you will gain a wealth of information and training in acupressure theories, techniques; interrelationship of meridians, body-mind healing, and so much more.
It is always wise to review curriculum and certification offerings at the acupressure institute of choice, as each acupressure school may vary. Independent from each other, an acupressure institute may provide practical training that ranges from one or two day holistic workshops, to comprehensive courses comprised of 1,000 class hours or more.
If you are interested in finding your dream job, let education within fast-growing industries like massage therapy, cosmetology, acupuncture, oriental medicine, Reiki, and others get you started! Explore career school programs near you.
Acupressure Institute: Finding the Right One for You
© Copyright 2007
The CollegeBound Network
All Rights Reserved
Resource Box: CarolAnn Bailey-Lloyd - Freelance Writer and Web Consultant for HolisticJunction.com, in association with CollegeSurfing.com - Educational Resources for Healing Arts Schools, Acupressure Schools, and other Alternative Medicine Schools.
CarolAnn Bailey-Lloyd may be contacted at or somewherealongthebeatenpath@yahoo.com
by Robyn Tellefsen
When you've got someplace to go, you want to get there without delay or stops along the way. (Who wants to change planes in San Antonio, anyway?) The same is true of your professional pursuits. The good news is, at airframe and power plant schools, your flight to career success is nonstop.
Fly Direct to Airframe and Power Plant Schools
Ready for takeoff? Let's start with the basics. An airframe technician is authorized to work on any part of an aircraft except the instruments, power plants, and propellers. A power plant technician is authorized to work on engines and do limited work on propellers. Combination airframe and power plant technicians work on all parts of the plane except the instruments.
When you learn the ins and outs of the professions at airframe and power plant schools, you'll be equipped to keep aircrafts in safe flying condition.
Simulator for Success
To break into the airframe and power plant field, you'll need to acquire skills from one of about 170 airframe and power plant schools certified by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). About one-third of these airframe and power plant schools award two- and four-year degrees.
Once you've completed coursework at airframe and power plant schools, you may be certified as an airframe technician and/or power plant mechanic. The FAA requires at least 30 months of work experience for airframe and power plant certification, or completion of a program at FAA-certified airframe and power plant schools. To obtain an inspector’s authorization, you must have held airframe and power plant certification for at least three years, with 24 months of hands-on experience.
In addition, FAA regulations require current work experience to keep the airframe and power plant certification valid. Unless you've logged 1,000 hours of work experience in the previous 24 months, you'll need to take a refresher course.
Frequent Flyer Miles Add Up
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, aircraft and avionics equipment mechanics and service technicians held about 142,000 jobs in 2004. That same year, median hourly earnings in the airframe and power plant industry were about $21.77, with the highest 10 percent earning more than $33.84.
Although there is a trend for large airlines to outsource airframe and power plant jobs overseas, most companies prefer that aircraft maintenance work be performed in the U.S. because of safety and regulation issues of overseas contractors.
Don't get stuck in San Antonio (or anywhere else, for that matter). Let airframe and power plant schools service your nonstop flight to professional prosperity.
Robyn Tellefsen is a frequent contributor to The CollegeBound Network. Learn more about finding a school or career that's right for you!Robyn Tellefsen may be contacted at http://www.collegesurfing.com or editorial@collegebound.net
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