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
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
Students Use Web Site to Raise Awareness, Work for Change in Education
Sophomore Brett Campbell is active on StudentsSpeakOut.org, a social networking site the Minnesota Citizen's League developed to engage students to co-define school problems and help identify solutions. Continue reading about Brett
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
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. Read all inspirations for communities
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. Read all inspirations for businesses
Home visits aim to keep students from floundering in high school
The Sacramento public school system sends counselors to visit incoming freshmen as part of the Parent-Teacher Home Visit Project. If they can make a connection early, educators say, there's less chance the students will flounder as they begin a sometimes daunting stage of their education. Read all inspirations for educators
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. Read all inspirations for educators
