Inspirations
So you want to help more children succeed in school and pursue higher education, but you don’t know where to start? Perhaps these examples will provide some inspiration. Please send us a note to tell us about other inspiring stories you’d like to see featured here.
Featured Stories
Through Innovative Efforts, St. Paul Principal Strives to Help Each Child Succeed
Using test data to identify students’ strengths and weaknesses is one of the efforts Bell and his staff have made as part of a district program to close the achievement gap and help each child succeed. Continue reading about Bell
Minnesota colleges reach out to younger students
The Power to the Eighth musical encourages 8th graders to plan for college. View the video or article about the musical
As Mentor and Friend, Dale Thornton Gives Native Kids the Information and Encouragement to Succeed
For over three years, Thornton has been a role model, mentor and tutor to kids at both NayTahWaush and the Bug-O-Nay-Ge-Shig tribal school near Cass Lake. Continue reading about Thornton
Short Takes
An inspirational story: From poverty to Carleton
A recent Carleton College graduate gives back as an AmeriCorps volunteer for Admission Possible — a program she participated in herself.
The Big Trade Up
This innovative scholarship fundraiser seeks people who will trade up for items of increasing value until securing an item that can be sold to fund 10 Mind The Future scholarships.
'SciGirls' aims to change the way girls think about science, engineering
Public television show, "SciGirls," aims to change the way middle school girls think about science and engineering. The program features real girls who are engaged in scientific activities.
The Harlem Miracle
David Brooks writes about a recent study that found that the Harlem Children’s Zone schools produced "enormous" gains. The typical student entered the charter middle school, Promise Academy, in sixth grade and scored in the 39th percentile among New York City students in math. By eighth grade they were in the 74th percentile.
Hope for Tommorow: Leaders help girls dream big
A junior high mentoring group that started in Bloomington has blossomed at half a dozen metro-area schools. Hope for Tomorrow pairs career women with girls who might benefit from a little extra encouragement to dream big.
Rochester schools tackle complex education achievement problems
Rochester is dealing with two kinds of achievement gaps, one made up of poor, minority kids, and another made up of white middle class kids. The kids who fall into either gap felt teachers had low expectations for them... Now, expectations are being raised.
