The 2009 metlife Ambassadors in Educatio

The 2009 MetLife Ambassadors In Education Awards : 

The 2009 MetLife Ambassadors In Education Awards Best Practices 1

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It is with great pleasure that in introduce this report on the 2009 MetLife Ambassadors in Education award program. Twenty five public school teachers from across the United States were recognized this year. They were selected for their leadership in building bridges between local schools and communities. As MetLife Foundation President and CEO Dennis White said in April, when the winners of the awards were announced, “Effective education is a collaborative venture that depends on good teachers, as well as administrators, parents, an engaged community, and students themselves. “These teachers are leaders and innovators, who inspire students, peers, and neighbors to make schools and communities strong.” The award is designed to recognize educators whose influence can be felt beyond the classrooms and hallways thanks to their efforts to: build partnerships with community organizations, parents, and guardians; resolve conflicts and promote safety; and participate in civic engagement and community service efforts. Middle and high school educators in participating public school districts are eligible and are nominated by peers, parents, students or community members and selected by a national panel of education and civic experts. These are some of the most gifted and dedicated teachers in the country. Each and every one of them tells an important story about how professional educators, parents, students, business leaders and community organizations work together to improve both their schools and their communities. The stories told by this year’s winners are as varied as the individuals and the communities they serve. They include a drum and dance ensemble to connect African and African-American students, a student community service project in Guatemala, and a distinctive service learning program that engages students with special needs with their community. I would like to thank the MetLife Foundation for making this important program possible. With the 2009 awards, this program has recognized 140 Ambassadors In Education with $700,000 in grants. Typically, the schools who receive these grants use the money they get to further and improve the programs for which they have been deservedly celebrated. In this way, and in drawing attention to the innovations and dedication of the educators listed in this report, the National Civic League and MetLife Foundation hope to inspire and encourage other educators throughout the country. NCL President Gloria Rubio Cortes 2

Boston Teacher Constance Borab with student : 

Boston Teacher Constance Borab with student 3

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This report contains award-winning examples of teachers who have gone above and beyond their usual classroom duties to show outstanding leadership in building bridges between their schools and their communities. The 25 MetLife Ambassadors In Education are natural leaders who have developed working relationships with parents, businesses, community groups, nonprofit organizations and government officials in order to make their schools safer and better environments for students to learn and grow. Ambassadors In Education find new ways to serve their communities and students by volunteering, raising money for important causes, interacting with leaders outside their schools, listening to what government officials and experts have to say and speaking out when they have important things to say themselves. A successful school brings together families, schools and community organizations in collaborative efforts to leverage the often scarce resources available in ways that are mutually beneficial. Whether it is an innovative way of using the arts to teach an important lesson about a pressing community issue or helping students think about their careers by interacting with business and community leaders, these ambassadors and their students perform better when they are strongly connected to their communities. Just as business and neighborhood groups often volunteer to tutor students or raise funds for much needed supplies and equipment, schools also throw open their doors on nights and weekends to serve as meeting places, sites for social activities, health clinics and community gardens. Some teachers even organize nighttime classes so the parents of students can learn language and computer skills. Background In 2002, MetLife Foundation’s annual Survey of the American Teacher revealed that many educators did not understand the communities surrounding their schools. In fact, about 55 percent of educators in communities of color admitted that they did not know enough about their surrounding communities. Introduction 4

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To address this disconnection between schools and communities, MetLife Foundation and the National Civic League created the Ambassadors In Education Award in 2003. The award recognizes public middle and high school educators who work to strengthen their schools and communities by building strong relationships among all the stakeholders. The unique program works with 25 participating public school districts to find and recognize outstanding educators. In even years the award is given to middle and high school principals. In odd years the award is given to middle and high school teachers. The program does outreach to educators, parents, students, community members and business leaders who fill out and send in nominating forms and letters of support. The participants are asked to nominate teachers who: Build partnerships with community organizations, parents and guardians Resolve conflicts and promote safety in the school and the community Promote civic engagement and community service   The nominators are asked to answer the following questions:   What important actions is the teacher taking to build partnerships with community organizations, parents, local business, and the surrounding community? What relationships has he/she developed outside of the school?   How are these actions and relationships promoting academic excellence, resolving conflict, and promoting civic engagement/community service?   Tell us about the school, student body, and the surrounding neighborhood.   From the many forms and letters received, a panel of civic experts selects the most impressive nominee from each of the 25 districts. After the winners are announced, representatives of MetLife and the National Civic League coordinate with administrators to organize local celebrations for the winners. The National Civic League also does outreach to the media to publicize the successes and innovative projects of the award winners. Finally, the National Civic League releases a “best practices” report to provide more in depth information on the winners and to discern trends and patterns of innovation. For the past three years, excerpts of these reports have been published in the National Civic Review, a 98 year-old journal of civic affairs. 5

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Atlanta Public Schools Baltimore City Public Schools Boston Public Schools Charlotte/Mecklenburg Public Schools Chicago Public Schools Dallas Independent Schools Dayton Public Schools Denver Public Schools Des Moines Public Schools Detroit Public Schools Fort Worth Independent Schools Greenville County (South Carolina) Schools Hartford Public Schools Long Beach Unified Schools Los Angeles Unified School District Minneapolis Public Schools New York City Public Schools Philadelphia School District Providence Public School District San Antonio Independent Schools San Francisco Unified Schools and Oakland Unified School District St. Louis Public Schools Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Schools Tulsa Public Schools Washington, D.C., District of Columbia Public Schools Participating Districts 6

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Teachers play a unique role in their communities. Not only do they help students learn the knowledge and skills they need to thrive in a complex, 21st Century society, they also serve as role models, cheerleaders, counselors, fundraisers, disciplinarians and ambassadors to the outside world. Teachers work during the day and grade homework and papers nights and weekends. Exemplary teachers somehow find the extra time to serve on community boards, work with businesses and nonprofits, and initiate innovative enrichment programs and projects for their students. Educators are becoming better trained and more professional, and Americans are beginning to appreciate the quality of their teachers. The 2008 MetLife Survey of the American Teacher shows a considerable improvement in teachers’ assessment of their profession since the first survey was taken in 1984. Teachers today appear to be more satisfied with their careers than in the past. They feel more respected in society, recognized for their work and compensated than in the past. They also give higher ratings to the quality of their schools. Student achievement is also viewed more positively. The results of the survey, however, were not all positive. Educators in urban areas had a measurably lower assessment of their schools than did their colleagues in suburban and rural schools. Teachers and principals in urban areas rate urban schools lower in terms of quality and give lower marks to the performance of students in minority communities. They also show more concern about the supply of qualified teachers, the rate of turnover, the dropout rate among students, the quality of college preparation, discipline, parental support of schools and problems with nutrition. These findings suggest that the state of education seems to be improving, but we still have a long way to go in terms of addressing the gaps between different groups of students. The findings also underscore the importance of program such as the MetLife Ambassadors In Education awards, which cast a spotlight on urban educators who are doing exemplary work in addressing the challenges that urban districts face. The Changing Landscape of Public Education 7

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Danya Berry, a 2009 Ambassador in Education, is the college liaison for the Dayton Early College Academy (DECA), a successful collaboration between the school district and several area colleges and universities. About 97.7 percent of the students would be classified as “economically disadvantaged.” About 82 percent come from families with no college graduates. Many come from families with limited support at home. Yet the school has shown remarkable progress in preparing these students. When the first group of students entered the small charter school a few years ago, about 40 percent of the students were classified as 2 to 3 years behind grade level. By the time the first graduating class had matriculated in 2007, they had already taken 70 college courses and earned 1,252 college credits. Impressively, 100 percent of the 32 members of the graduating class of 2007 were accepted to college. The mission statement of the school is “Whatever it takes,” whatever it takes, in other words, to get a student into college. What it takes, says Danya Berry, is a lot of planning and early immersion in college experiences. “We begin immediately their first year of high school,” says Berry. “We don’t put them in college courses and let them sink, but we do give them the experience of going down to a college campus to take a placement test.” “We have a gateway system,” she explains. “They have to research colleges at their first gateway. Sophomore year they can take a study skills class that is generally located on a college campus, the University of Dayton. They have to do college visits and, normally, I take them on those. We have a huge college fair that comes to our town every year and we participate. There are free workshops, overnight visits to universities, internships and career programs. Senior year is when they complete the application process.” Part of the process, says Berry, a first generation college grad herself, is demystifying the idea of university life. Students that come from educationally deprived backgrounds may not think they “belong” at a college or university, and it is part of Berry’s job to convince them that they do, that, in fact, they must. “I've been with DECA since the beginning and we've had a lot of bumps and bruises along the way,” notes Berry. “But what we've learned is having enough faculty and staff committed to the goal is key. We all have the same vision in mind. We all work in the best interest of the child. Everyone throws in when it’s time to come up with ideas on programming. When you see students actually make it to the next level—and we have some real stars—it is a great motivating factor.” Danya Berry 8

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More than ever, the nominations in 2009 closely aligned with the three stated nomination criteria: 1) building partnerships; 2) resolving conflicts and promoting safety; and, 3) promoting civic engagement and community service. This fact illustrates increased comprehension of the award criteria as a result of recent improvements to the nomination form and consistent branding in marketing and press announcements. This year’s Ambassadors In Education are building the capacity of their students and the community to exercise civic responsibility to address important societal issues such as environmental sustainability, hunger and homelessness.  The capacity building is being accomplished through partnerships between school and community (business, neighbors, nonprofit organizations, local government, and other schools).   Several Ambassadors are connecting their students with civic leaders, engaging the youth in mock trials, enabling students to shadow local government officials, and taking on policy issues. For instance, students of Jennie Griffith, an English teacher in Charlotte, North Carolina, evaluated a local government ten-year plan to prevent homelessness for “realism and plausibility.” The students undertook a research project on issues of homelessness and poverty prevention across the United States and developed a revised implementation plan. Next, they appeared before the Charlotte City Council with their recommendations on improving the plan. Caroline Hooper, a teacher at Minneapolis Southwest High School, brings business leaders, community leaders, local elected officials, judges and public administrators into her classroom to meet with students and answer their questions. Judges and state representatives have fielded tough but polite questions and learned about the concerns, frustrations and expectations of high school students. Her students are also encouraged to move from discussion to action. On a given week, they may be out knocking on doors to raise money for the local food bank or picking up litter at a nearby park. Every student who enrolls in Lucy Ryder-Duffey’s Contemporary Issues class is required to volunteer three community service hours per semester. Last semester, the students volunteered at a local homeless shelter during spring break. A social studies teacher at Carnahan High School of the Future in St. Louis, she encourages her students to participate in programs such as Mock Trial, Youth in Government, Urban League Debate and Teens Speak Out! She reaches out to the community to assure that all students have the resources they need to participate. During their first year of participation in the three day Youth in Government program, in which students shadow members of the state legislature and proposed their own legislation, her students won awards for “best overall witness” and “best piece of legislation.” Like Caroline Hooper in Minneapolis, she regularly brings community leaders into the classroom to discuss current affairs and social involvement. Civic Partnership Themes 9

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Other Ambassadors are increasing their students’ ability to resolve conflicts, understand people from other cultures and backgrounds, and see the link between local and global issue. Alandra Abrams, a teacher at Tilden Middle School in Philadelphia, started the African Drum and Dance Ensemble to build better relationships between African and African American students through the arts. The program began after an altercation between African American students and students from African countries at the school a few years ago. In Boston, Constance Borab engaged in an inner city/suburb school partnership to break down student stereotypes.  A teacher at Boston Day and Evening Academy, she founded the Hudson Project, a unique program that pairs teachers and students at her inner city school for overage students with those of suburban Hudson High School. The idea is for students and teachers from different backgrounds to “walk in each other’s shoes.” Participants prepare for their visits to the partner school by reading Shakespeare plays, so they can experience the exchange with their “heads and hearts.” Others teachers are increasing understanding of people with disabilities, race, culture, and age –youth and seniors.  Los Angeles teacher Michael Monagan founded the “Kids of Widney Band,” a group of songwriters and performers with various forms of disability, to write songs for a school musical. Twenty years and 4 CDs later, the ever-changing collection of songwriters is still going strong. The band has played innumerable local gigs, including special education centers, benefits for organizations like the Special Olympics and regular venues such as the Key Club or the House of Blues. They also performed two songs in “The Ringer,” a Hollywood movie. The success of the band has helped the community understand the potential and creativity of kids with special needs and disabilities. Sallie Hedgepeth, a teacher at Ruby Van Meter School, developed a community-based service-learning program for students with special needs in the Des Moines metropolitan area. To do so, she formed partnerships with business, education and nonprofit organizations that have resulted in valuable opportunities for children to learn new social and civic skills and for the community to benefit from an increased awareness of disabilities, talents and contributions. Incorporating the United Way Service Learning curriculum, she connected her students with organizations such as the Iowa National Guard, Special Olympics, United Way, emergency shelters for women and youth, the Central Iowa Food Pantry, retirement communities and others. Her students have received recognition and awards for their volunteer efforts, some of them finding out for the first time how much of a contribution they can make to their community. Resolving Conflicts and Bridging Cultures 10

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In San Antonio, increasing student capacity to resolve conflicts in school yields benefits for the surrounding community. “We do a lot of community service,” says Tamara Ford, who heads the schools criminal justice career program. “Our latest project is something called Free Generation 2009. We had puppet shows in some of the nearby schools. We generally try to target kids who have parents who are in prison or who have been in prison or been arrested. We’re trying to get them to foster new relationships with law enforcement. It’s been my experience that by the time they are teenagers, if they have had parents in prison, they don’t have much respect for law enforcement.” The kids distribute fliers in the neighborhoods telling people how to get assistance with drug problems and avoid gang involvement. They’ve volunteered at shelters during natural disasters. Ford sets high standards for the 64 members of the Lanier Police Explorers. They are expected to maintain good grades and attendance records. “It’s definitely an asset to build those community ties,” notes the former police officer. “You need the community support for your students, and when students do community service and volunteer work, they have an idea what it is like to be a good citizens and feel better about themselves. They feel better prepared and ready to be out there in the real world. I’ve had students out doing community service be offered jobs.” Resolving Conflicts and Bridging Cultures Connecting Students to the Global Community In several cities, there were significant local-global connections achieved through volunteerism, education, and service. Gerri Lallo teaches reading at Providence Academy of International Studies, a small urban high school with a mission that emphasizes community service. Lallo worked with students and educators from the Middle East and North Africa in a Collaborative Art Institute initiative to create a public art installation at Roger Williams University. As a result, she has been invited to teach an arts literacy workshop in Morocco and to help with professional development at a Moroccan public high school. She also organized a project for students to knit scarves and blankets for an international poverty relief program. A former dance teacher, she works with teachers at the Roger Williams Middle School to organize their annual Black History Month Theatrical Performance. She has also brought Puerto Rican and West African artists to perform at the annual celebration. 11

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As a literacy teacher at Richard J. Kinsella Magnet School of the Arts in Hartford, Christine Tocionis encourages her students to take an active role in community improvement efforts and places a strong emphasis on environmental sustainability. Her students have maintained a community garden at a nearby church, planted flowers and trees at a community center, collected donations for the Hartford Animal Shelter, sponsored a toy drive at a children’s shelter and organized neighborhood clean-ups. They meet on a bimonthly basis to discuss environmental issues, attend lectures from guest speakers and participate in activities such as building bird feeders and planters for convalescent homes. She also helps students understand the concept of community in a larger way, as when she chaperoned students attending a United Nations sponsored youth conference on the environment in Malaysia. Preparing Students for Careers The 2009 Ambassadors took leadership roles in developing new curricula, programs, and initiatives to prepare youth for some of our most important careers – teaching, science, music/art – and at the same time teaching them the value of giving back to their community. Rachel Turner, a teacher at Mauldin High School in Greenville County, South Carolina, heads the school’s Teacher Cadets, a program in which students help out teachers in local school classrooms and gain valuable experience for potential careers in education, she created partnerships with other local schools, child development centers and bookstores. She organized the first district-wide conference for high school teacher cadets, bringing in college admissions offers and community members to provide information and encouragement to the future teachers. Only a small percentage of U.S. students choose a science degree in college. For graduates of Lincoln High School in San Francisco, however, it is about 40 to 50 percent. A former researcher at a biotech firm, teacher George Cachianes developed a two-year curriculum on biotechnology and its applications that provides students with research opportunities few high school students in the country can get. Select students from his biotech course spend the summer at a research lab at the University of California at San Francisco where they design and develop their own research projects. The interns team up with UCSF students to present their projects at the international Genetically Engineered Machines competition at MIT, and they are the only high school students who participate. Last year their team brought home the prize for Best New Application Area, and one of the Lincoln High students was invited to give a talk at a synthetic biology conference in Hong Kong. 12

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Natalie Brandhorst thinks it’s very important for students feel that they are part of something bigger than themselves. “A school can become an isolated bubble, and then the students don’t get a realistic view of what’s going on,” she says. Brandhorst encourages her North Atlanta High students to engage in the community and raise awareness about social and environmental issues through special art projects. For example, her students made chandeliers using recycled plastic water bottles. The chandeliers were beautiful, says Brandhorst, and they taught a valuable lesson. “It was so amazing to see people’s faces when they realized they were locking at recycled plastic bottles,” she says. “When you see those chandeliers, you have an epiphany about how many bottles it actually took.” This awareness had an immediate impact. “When we first started making the chandeliers, we would only get about 100 bottles out of our building of 1225 students,” says Brandhorst. “We sell water everyday, thousands of bottles. Within about three weeks we started getting 500 and then 600. Now we have bags upon bags of the bottles.” Another project was to make hundreds of ceramic bowls to raise awareness about the problem of hunger. “I am so lucky in that I get to see the majority of students in our school,” says Brandhorst. “We have some really creative kids and some profoundly opinionated and positive leaders. A lot of times, they don’t have the tools. They need someone to support what their vision is, and also sometimes need a little guidance in making their vision become a reality.” Just a little guidance was what student Mandy Eidson needed to start her “Empty Bowls” project to raise awareness about the problem of hunger. “Mandy came to see me with this idea to create ceramic bowls in emergency shelters, battered women’s shelters, churches and after school programs,” recalls Brandhorst. “She wanted to know about getting the clay and firing the clay and glazes, so we sat down and put a timeline together and a budget and just worked together to get it done. It was basically her idea. All I did was to give her space and support for firing the material and getting the right glazes.” Students and members of a local Girl Scout troop used the school kiln to make hundreds of empty bowls to represent hunger. For the culminating event, members of the community brought canned goods to the school, where they were served soup in the bowls students made. Participants were led in a discussion about hunger and other community needs in Atlanta. “The experience was exceptional for the girls in my scout troop,” writes scout leader Amy Shea. “They learned a tremendous amount about the problem of hunger, and they gained exposure to the local high school art program. The girls also learned that art is a means to help the community.” Natalie Brandhorst 13

The 2009 Ambassadors in Education : 

The 2009 Ambassadors in Education Atlanta Natalie Brandhorst, art teacher Created partnerships with local artists and area businesses to provide supplies and resources. Encouraged students to take on issues such as environmental sustainability and hunger through special art projects. North Atlanta High School: A 9th through 12th grade school with about 1200 students, which offers an International Baccalaureate degree and various AP programs. Students range from some of the poorest and wealthiest in the community. About 52 percent of students are eligible for free lunch program. “Ms. Brandhorst’s goal is to provide every student with a positive visual arts experience so they can become lifetime artists. Her hope is that, through their art, each student will contribute to their school and community.” North Atlanta High School student Baltimore Sandra Mosely, nursing teacher Built partnerships with local hospitals, clinics and nursing facilities to provide her students with opportunities to use what they learn and gain practical experience as they prepare for careers in health care and organized a blood drive at the school for students, parents, and teachers. Serves as asthma coordinator for the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of Baltimore. Edmondson-Westside High School is a 9th through 12th grade school with about 1100 students. It offers diverse educational and technical experiences and strives to prepare students to make intelligent career choices with a full academic program and career technology education in a variety of fields, including the Allied Health Program. About 97 percent of students are African-American. About 70 percent of students are eligible for the free lunch program.   “Ms. Mosley has partnered the Allied Health Program with organizations that will provide students with the best of services that give quality educational experiences and prepared students for the world of work.” Gloria Holley, educator 14

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Boston Constance Borab, humanities teacher Serves as the faculty’s voice on the school’s board of trustees. Encourages her students to share their written work at “Spoken Word” performances at the school’s public coffeehouse. Founded the Hudson Project, a unique program that pairing teachers and students at her inner city school with those of suburban Hudson High School, so students and teachers from different backgrounds can learn to “walk in each other’s shoes.” Boston Day and Evening Academy: A Horace Mann Charter School, BDEA is a year-round public high school serving 350 students who are over-age for their grade level, have dropped out of school or are at high risk of doing so. The school uses a competency based curriculum, in which progress is assessed through a variety of qualitative and quantitative methods, including exams, research projects and benchmarks. About 66 percent of the students are African-American, 29 percent Hispanic, 3 percent white and 2 percent Asian. Students come from all over the city of Boston. “Connie’s vision and extraordinary efforts brought this program to life and have changed the lives of students and teachers who have participated in the program.” Joshua Otlin, educator Charlotte-Mecklenburg Jennie Griffith, English teacher Emphasizes community service to change the lives of the less fortunate, imparting the message to students that “Yes you can change the world.” Organized a program in which students analyze and critique the county’s hunger program. Expanded a program to provide Christmas gifts to students at local elementary schools. School of International Business and Communications Studies at Olympic: A diverse “school-within-a school with about 400 students, it is part of a larger campus with 2000 students. The school’s demographics reflect the neighborhood—about 60 percent African-American, 20 percent Hispanic and 20 percent white, Asian or mixed race. About half are enrolled in the district’s free lunch program. “Ms. Griffith is a proven leader among her peers in our multi-school campus. She has been an outstanding role model for her students and has demonstrated to them the power of civic responsibility, commitment and hard work.” Sheila Lester, assistant principal 15

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Chicago   Pat Jonikaitis, science teacher Kate Starr Kellogg School: A neighborhood school on Chicago’s Southwest side with 250 students from kindergarten to 8th grade. About 85 percent of the students are African-American, 1 percent Hispanic, and 14 percent. The school offers an International Baccalaureate Program with a strong emphasis on internationalism and global viewpoints and community service. Students consistently score in the top 5 percent of the city on standardized tests. Established a school environmental club and the Kellogg Community Garden project and is an active community volunteer. “When she is not at school you can find her serving dinner to the homeless, teaching youngsters how to swim, picking up the trash along the beaches of Lake Michigan, cleaning up a neighborhood forest preserve of invasive plants, walking in the Breast Cancer Awareness walk or just helping an elderly neighbor.” Bette Engermann, parent Dallas Bobby Simmons, government and economics teacher Encourages his students to volunteer in their communities and to be conversant in current affairs. Each December his students attend an event sponsored by the African-American community that rewards schools for their commitment to the needs of the community. He brings community leaders into the classroom to discuss current events and encourages them to attend lectures by world leaders. School for the Talented and Gifted: Magnet school for gifted students from all over the district. About 29 percent of school’s 210 students come from underserved communities. Students take a rigorous course load of 11 required AP courses. TAG has been nationally recognized for the high achievement of its students, including high rankings in surveys by Newsweek and US News & World Report. “He begins every period with current events discussions and always announces service opportunities that are available. Mr. Simmons’ commitment to creating a community within a community has positively impacted each of his students.” TAG student 16

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Dayton Danya Berry, college liaison Uses her active involvement in local advisory boards, nonprofits and associations to increase internship and other learning opportunities for her mostly urban students. Instituted the First Step Program to provide students with after-school enrichment, tutoring, guest speakers and personal growth sessions. Maintains close contact with local colleges in order to learn about opportunities and serve as an advocate for DECA students. Dayton Early College Academy (DECA): A 7th through 12th grade charter school with a mission to ensure that all its students go to college. About 82 percent will be first generation college students and more than 97 come from economic disadvantaged backgrounds. A personalized learning plan is developed for each student based on discussions with students, parents and teacher. “Danya Berry is a teacher, a go-between, a disciplinarian, an advocate, an advisor, a cheerleader, a counselor, a volunteer, a role model, a link to the community and one of the main reasons the high school has been able to achieve its ambitious goal of all of its graduates attending college.” Judy Hennessey, principal Denver Holly Wells, physical education Led numerous efforts to promote fitness in the school and community, to obtain physical education equipment for special needs students with the help of the community, and to help design a new high school with her insights about how students use school spaces. She is a top recruiter of students for an annual 5K run, and her efforts have raised thousands of dollars for her school. Martin Luther King, Jr. Early College: An urban 6-12 school in Northeast Denver, a low- to moderate-income area. The school serves 1,150 students and has a free and reduced lunch rate of 80.4 percent. Population is about 57 percent African American, 31 percent Hispanic, 4.5 percent Asian and 6 percent white. “Holly consistently looks for areas where she can collaborate with the community. She taps her friends, family and students for introductions to anyone who can be helpful to her students and her programs.” Charlene Shelton, parent 17

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Des Moines Sallie Hedgepeth, special education teacher Developed a community-based service-learning program for students with special needs in the Des Moines metropolitan area, forming partnerships with business, education and nonprofit organizations that have resulted in valuable opportunities for children to learn new social and civic skills and for the community to benefit from an increased awareness of disabilities, talents and contributions. Ruby Van Meter School: A school for 200 middle and high school students who have moderate to profound disabilities. Students between 12 and 21 years of age learn to be effective, participating members of their communities though a curriculum that emphasizes functional skills, vocational preparation and social development. “Sallie has provided a significant program that transcends the traditional classroom walls and makes the whole community a learning environment.” James Gonwa, principal Detroit Joyce Smith, Vocational education Organizes on-site recognition programs for her students. Local businesses give special tributes to students who have worked in community support projects. She partnered with the city and a local historical society to secure a $25,000 grant to restore Captains Quarters at Historic Fort Wayne. Some students helped in the restoration. Others did PowerPoint® presentations and made brochures to promote the project. Randolph Career and Technical Center. Named for the founder of the International Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, the schools help students develop careers in a variety of fields, including electronic, information technology and the construction trades. Randolph’s 762 students are dually enrolled in academic home schools throughout the district. “She works tirelessly to encourages academic achievement and find employment opportunities for current students and graduates of Randolph.” Shawn Crump, business rep for IBEW local 58. 18 18

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Fort Worth Dalynn Cross Serves on the district’s Community Action Team. Partners with businesses and community organizations to provide new options and opportunities for Forth Worth youth to volunteer and learn. Worked with the University of Texas Arlington to develop a service-learning program for district students. Diamond Hill-Jarvis High School: Predominantly Hispanic school on the north side of Fort Worth. About eighty percent of school 869 students are eligible for free or reduced price lunch program. The school focuses on improving English proficiency and academic achievement. The school has a successful AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) program on campus to provide students with tools needed to get into college. “Miss Cross is an energetic teacher who volunteers countless hours in and out of school for the students on our campus as well as youth around the city.” Patti Sanderson, assistant principal Greenville County, SC Rachel Turner Organized the first district-wide conference for high school teacher cadets, bringing in college admissions offers and community members to provide information and encouragement to the future teachers. Mauldin High School: A 9th through 12th grade school in South Carolina’s most populous county with 2168 students. The student population is about 64 percent white, 22 percent African American and 9 percent Hispanic. “Ms. Turner’s unique ability to create partnerships and build relationships with the community that foster civic engagement and community service for her students is recognized throughout the state,” Tracie Sweet, Center for Educator Recruitment, Retention and Advancement 19

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Hartford Christine Tocionis Encourages her students to take an active role in community improvement efforts and places a strong emphasis on environmental sustainability. Her students have maintained a community garden at a nearby church, planted flowers and trees at a community center, collected donations for the Hartford Animal Shelter, sponsored a toy drive at a children’s shelter and organized neighborhood clean-ups. Richard J. Kinsella Magnet School of the Arts: Educates 570 pre-kindergarten through 8th grade students from 19 different Hartford area communities. Combines high academic standards with focus on the performing arts. Students train everyday with teachers who have expertise in the arts, including theater, dance, stage craft and music. “Christine demonstrates the qualities of a teacher who helps her students become empowered to shape and reshape their community.” Kurt Love, Assistant Professor, Central Connecticut State University Long Beach Racquel Welch-Kitchen   Launched the Career and Leadership (CAL) program, a semester-long class in which students investigate careers, go on field trips to local government agencies and participate in leadership development activities. Technology allows students to participate in virtual job shadowing and to research careers. She volunteers to facilitate community meetings and works with outside nonprofit groups. Hamilton Middle School: A 6th through 8th grade school with 1107 students, The student population is 72 percent Hispanic, 21 percent African American, 3 percent pacific Island and 3 percent Asian. About 86 percent are “socially disadvantaged,” according to the “No Child Left Behind criteria.” The school has numerous programs focused on improving student achievement, including AVID and GATE/EXCEL.   “Raquel has connected students with city government, local colleges and universities, public service agencies, nonprofit groups and arts organizations organizing both on-site experiences and field trips for students to increase their involvement in the community.” Principal David Downing 20

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Los Angeles Michael Monagan, Music teacher Works with groups and individuals in the community to promote the “Kids of Widney Band,” an internationally group of student songwriters and performers with various forms of disability. Widney High School: A special education high school with about 250 students who have various forms of disability. Many are also economically disadvantaged. The school strives to provide a high standard of functional academics along with an array of enrichment programs, including sports programs, vocational training, computer classes and music.   “Mr. Monagan, as part of a movement to integrate people with disabilities into the mainstream, has used music as a way to change people’s minds. Rather than focus on the differences, he has strived to find the similarities between people.” Arthur Camplone, school psychologist. Minneapolis Caroline Hooper Brings business leaders, community leaders, local elected officials, judges, and public administrators into the classroom after school hours to meet with students and answer their probing questions about public policy issues. Judges and state representatives have fielded tough but polite questions and learned about the concerns, frustrations and expectations of high school students. Minneapolis Southwest High School: The school’s 1750 students come from all over the city. About 40 percent are students of color and 30 percent qualify for free or reduced cost lunches. All 9th and 10th grade students take college readiness courses. About 75 are in AP or International Baccalaureate programs. “Mrs. Hooper instills in her students a sense of responsibility in being prepared to speak from a sound foundation of facts, to ask questions that are pertinent and reflective and to substantiate opinions and points of view.” William E. Smith, educator 21

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Philadelphia Alandra Abrams Started an African Drum and Dance Ensemble to build better relationships between African and African American students through the arts. Arranged for the Tilden Middle School Choir, which she directs, to perform to raise money for victims of house fires. Her choir also sings annually at the Amtrak 30th Street Station as part of its yearly celebration of African-American history. Tilden Middle School: A predominantly African-American School with 565 students. About 90 percent of students are considered economically disadvantaged. “Ms. Abrams has a genuine ability to engaged individuals as well as businesses to participate in worthy causes.” Cheryl Padgett, educator Providence Gerri Lallo, art teacher Lallo worked with students and educators from the Middle East and North Africa in a Collaborative Art Institute initiative to create a public art installation at Roger Williams University. She also organized a project for students to knit scarves and blankets for an international poverty relief program. A former dance teacher, she works with teachers at the Roger Williams Middle School to organize their annual Black History Month Theatrical Performance. She has also brought Puerto Rican and West African artists to perform at the annual celebration. Providence Academy of International Studies: A small urban high school with a mission that emphasizes community service. “Civic engagement and community service are significant components of the school’s mission. Gerri has helped students and teachers to understand what that can look like in a small school.” Nkolika Onye, educator 22

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San Antonio Tamara Ford, criminal justice teacher She organized the Lanier Police Explorers, a service organization in which 64 students developed skills for conflict resolution in order to promote safety in the school and community. The Explorers offer safety seminars in area elementary schools including puppet shows and making fingerprint IDs for the kids. Lanier High School: An inner city school on the Westside of San Antonio with an enrollment of 1465. About 95 percent of its students are Hispanic. It offers a range of course for students, including college preparatory, dual credit, advanced placement and career technology classes. “Ms. Ford’s involvement in building partnerships with the community through service learning for students, involvement of the police explorers on campus and in the community has been exemplary.” Brenda Melton, counselor   San Francisco George Cachianes, biology teacher Developed a two-year curriculum on biotechnology and its applications that provides students with research opportunities few high school students in the country can get. Select students from his biotech course spend the summer at a research lab at the University of California at San Francisco where they design and develop their own research projects. Lincoln High School: Located in the Sunset District of San Francisco with an ethically diverse student population of 2500. A higher percentage of the students are first generation Americans. The curriculum includes advanced placement, honors, college preparatory and exploratory career courses. “The success of his bio tech course in engaging students has been so intense that the student demand for his two-year course grew to five classes.” Wendell Limm, bio tech researcher 23

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St. Louis Lucy Ryder-Duffey, social studies teacher Her students volunteer three hours per semester. Last semester, the students volunteered at a local homeless shelter during spring break. She encourages her students to participate in programs such as Mock Trial, Youth in Government, Urban League Debate and Teens Speak Out! She reaches out to the community to assure that all students have the resources they need to participate. Carnahan High School of the Future: The school has an emphasis on the interconnections between math, science, technology and the humanities. The goal is to teach students to become creative problem solvers. The student population is about 86 percent African American, 10 percent white and 4 percent Hispanic, Asian or Native American.   “Mrs. Duffey is a strong classroom leader who models high expectations for behavior and scholarship. She exposes her students to joint activities with neighboring school districts. She brings in community leaders and community members to share with students.” Alice Roach, principal Tampa Julia Cobb Barnes Has excelled both as an educator and a promoter of community service programs. Through her school-based community service club, she organized an after school “Feed the Children” campaign which, with the help of 212 students and parents, gathered 56 thousand pounds of food for hungry children in the U.S. Young Middle Magnet School of Math, Science, and Technology: An inner-city school that serves as a magnet program with about 663 students. The teachers set high academic expectations for the diverse student body. Student achievement is closely monitored and assessed for mastery of subjects.   “She has demonstrated compassion for the homeless population and connected the school and community with community service activities created by her.” Deborah Massey, parent 24

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Tulsa Carol Axley, school counselor/teacher Recruits teens across the state to participate in “Camp Anytown,” a multicultural leadership program sponsored by the Oklahoma Conference of Community and Justice. Facilitates Youth Leadership Tulsa, a select group of teens from the metro area who meet to learn more about their community and ways to give back. She coordinates services for at-risk students and works to find resources for families in need. East Central High School: One of the most diverse schools in Oklahoma with a student population that is 30 percent white, 25 percent Hispanic, 31 percent African American. About 62 percent are eligible for the free or reduced cost lunch program. “Her focus has always been to build positive actions in teens through positive activities. She accomplishes this by breaking down barriers between the community and the school.” Tenna Whitsel, educator Washington, DC Joseph Chisholm, band teacher Developed the school’s exemplary band program scratch, seeking donations of instruments from the community and expanded student exposure to music through the Thelonius Monk Institute, the Washington Performance Art Society and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Program. His students are tutored by some of the country’s most accomplished jazz musicians and have been offered the opportunity of playing with Wynton Marsalis. Hardy Middle School: The school’s 320 students come from all parts of the city. About 37 percent of students are eligible for participation in the free or reduced cost lunch program. The school focuses arts and music in its successful mission to improve student achievement. “Never content with the status quo and always looking for opportunities to connect to communities, Mr. Chisholm has designed a unique traveling show of student musicians, brining live music performed by kids or kids to schools throughout the city.” 25