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Tenacity Honored at 2008 US Open

August 22, 2008

Tennis anyone?

Tenacity will be honored by the USTA during Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day at the US Open this year as the featured National Junior Tennis League organization. Attracting over 30,000 adult and youth spectators, Arthur Ashe Kids Day honors tennis legend Arthur Ashe and continues his mission of using tennis as a means to instill in kids the values of humanitarianism, leadership and academic excellence. To see the coverage, tune in to CBS Sports TV on Sunday, August 24th, from 12 - 1:30 PM (EST) for the Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day national broadcast featuring a short video on Tenacity.

We congratulation our partner Tenacity for being recognized on this special day that celebrates the importance of shaping and encouraging youth in the classroom, on the court, and in the community. 

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Events & Career Fairs, In the News, Social Entrepreneurism

Transforming Public Education in New Orleans

August 20, 2008

Yesterday, the New York Times Magazine published a cover story on education reform in New Orleans. The article focuses broadly on the reform efforts here in the city and features one of New Schools for New Orleans’ incubated schools, Miller McCoy Academy.

The article also highlights the work of Teach For America, teachNOLA, and New Leaders for New Schools and shows incredible images of students of Langston Hughes Charter School.

We applaud the tremendous effort of New Schools for New Orleans and its supporters to further the transformation public schools in New Orleans. 

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In the News, Innovations in Education, Social Entrepreneurism

Net Impact Survey: MBAs Working in the Social Sector

August 20, 2008

Net Impact, an international community of new leaders who use business to improve the world, is currently conducting a survey to inform a report on MBAs working in the social sector. Participate in the survey

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Talent Issues, Talent Survey

A Year with Teach For America

August 14, 2008

Newsweek’s reporter Donna Foote recently spent a year following four Teach For America Corps Members from their training stage to the end of their first school year.  In addition to writing a book about it, she also wrote a article for Newsweek about what she learned. 

Plus, Foote cites some impressive stats, for example that about 10 percent of Yale, Georgetown and Harvard seniors apply to be a part of Teach For America’s corps of world-changing teachers.  She also writes about the realities of the challenges facing America’s education system and how Teach For America is offering solutions. 

Encouragingly, the article notes that many of Teach For America’s alumni are inspired by their experience to do more.  Foote points out that KIPP, whose impressive education successes we recently blogged about, was started by Teach For America alums. 

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In the News, Innovations in Education, Social Entrepreneurism

School is in Session for Achievement First

August 14, 2008

Achievement First’s mission is to close the achievement gap and deliver equal educational opportunity for all children in America. Thanks to support from public, private, and individual donors, Achievement First’s new school in Hartford, Conn. is able to open in time for the new school year. 

Due to lack of state funding, the school’s future was uncertain just a few weeks before it was to open.  Fortunately for Hartford and its students, local figures like Connecticut Governor Jodi Rell, Hartford Mayor Eddie Perez, and the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving came forward to champion Achievement First’s cause and energize donors to help get the schools ready for the fall.

With Achievement First’s success in education, it’s no wonder so many in Hartford were ready to step forward to support the organization.  A recent report shows that students at a similar school in New Haven, Conn. performed an average of 56 percent higher on all sections of the state test than their peers in non-Achievement First schools in that city.  Now that’s putting achievement first!

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In the News, Innovations in Education, Social Entrepreneurism

Give Like a Millionaire

August 13, 2008

Earlier this week, the Wall Street Journal published an article about how today’s donors are looking for more control over the money they give.  It perceptively notes that while we’re not all millionaires looking for total control over every dollar we give, it’s nice to know our donations go to supporting the cause we donate to in the best way possible.

That’s where the article recognizes organizations like Kiva and DonorsChoose.org.  The article advises: “if you want to exercise the kind of control that deep-pocketed philanthropists enjoy, consider donating to one of a new breed of charities that allow donors to browse descriptions of specific projects online and fund them, in whole or in part. “

Both Kiva and DonorsChoose.org use the Internet to connect individual donors directly with recipients of the donation, whether through Kiva’s microloans or DonorsChoose’s donations to classrooms.  They champion diverse causes, but they’re both doing what’s great: helping people exercise their philanthropic spirit, no matter the size of their bank account. 

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In the News, Sites We Like, Social Entrepreneurism

KIPP’s Commitment to Evaluation Gets Noticed

August 04, 2008

KIPP works to prepare students in underserved communities for success in college and in life through a national network of free, open-enrollment, college-preparatory public schools.  Their results have been inspiring, setting students up for all kinds of success, including a 90 percent high school graduation rate and an 80 percent continuation of KIPP grads on to college. 

Washington Post education columnist Jay Mathews recently wrote an article about KIPP’s focus on finding the cause for any drop-outs from its schools and its continuing research on learning how its graduates are doing once they reach college.  He highlights the importance of KIPP’s dedication to looking at the data to achieve results. 

And achieve they do.  The article also notes that in addition to being much more likely to graduate high school and go to college than their non-KIPP school peers, middle school students who completed four years at KIPP increased their average math achievement level from the 40th to the 82nd percentile and their reading level from the 32nd to the 60th percentile.  Dare we say “KIPP up the good work”?

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In the News, Innovations in Education, Social Entrepreneurism

Rare Conservation Raises Awareness in Latin America

August 02, 2008

We love success stories, so we’re so happy to share with you the latest achievements of Rare’s Latin American Pride program graduates. 

Pride partners throughout Latin America use social marketing tools to change attitudes and behaviors critical to conservation.  Rare provides the tools, along with in-depth training and technical support as its local partners launch two-year Pride campaigns that have resulted in truly impressive results.

One Pride program alum, Martin Castillo Paniagua of Mexico’s National Park Service, helped lead a campaign that grew knowledge of one area as protected in the target community from 35 to 98 percent.  You can read all about his and other Rare Conservation success stories here.

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Green Hiring, In the News, Social Entrepreneurism

BELL Rings in an Educational Summer

August 01, 2008

BELL, a nonprofit organization that offers after school and summer educational programs for children living in low-income, urban communities, was recently awarded a three-year $500,000 grant by New York Life.

The grant will allow for at least 500 students in 2008, 750 in 2009, and 1,000 in 2010 to participate in the BELL’s highly effective Summer program in New York City.  The program, which helps to strengthen reading, writing and math skills, has been so successful that over 95 percent of children enter their program at the “failing” level advance to a higher academic performance category and at least 75 percent of them go on to achieve “proficient” or “advanced” levels in core skills.

Plus, Earl Martin Phalen, Co-founder and CEO of BELL, notes that the students on average gain four to six months worth of education during BELL’s six-week program.  What student wouldn’t want the equivalent of six month summer vacation?  With growing support, learning programs like BELL make summer a great time to achieve. 

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In the News, Innovations in Education, Social Entrepreneurism