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Austin Participates In Education
Your Guide to Engagement
Volume 1, April 2005
From the Desk of Kathrin Brewer
Thank you for participating in Austin Partners in Education’s inaugural newsletter. Austin ISD and Partners in Education have been incredibly blessed this year by volunteers, supplies and sponsorship. So far, we have increased new volunteer recruitment by 16% over last year. Here are a few highlights about our partners, and news about our latest programs … and of course, opportunities for involvement.
Read below about our Dell TechKnow program expansion. Through TechKnow, Dell will donate almost $1 Million per year in hardware and services, and make 680 students computer literate. Graduates receive a computer and a year of free internet.
One of our most exciting programs is the Qualified Zone Academy Bond (QZAB). This is a way in which the community’s generous contributions of time, talent and in-kind donations are used to decrease the interest payment on school bonds. Our goal is to qualify for $5.7 million in interest free bonds, saving taxpayers approximately $2.8 million.
May 4th 2005 is the date when 1,500 people from the Austin education community gather to ‘salute’ and recognize the contribution to AISD’s schools of teachers, school partners and volunteers. This wonderful night, celebrated at the Palmer Events Center, is the opportunity for the community to honor, say thank you, and a job well done. If you would like to attend or contribute to Salute 2005 please contact Pat Dabbert at 637-0972 or by email at pdabbert@austinpartners.org. Tickets are $25 and donors of $2,500 or more will have a reserved table for 10 people.
Featured Partner
We thank our newest partner, Baker Botts LLP, for bringing the Literacy Champions Program to Allison Elementary. Baker Botts has a long history of support for Austin Schools. In this program they again demonstrate their commitment to education by both sponsoring and sending 15 volunteers to tutor students. At a news conference held to announce the new Literacy pilot program at Allison, Mr. Jim Cannon, Baker Botts Managing Partner, addressed members of the media and the community about the impact education has had on his own success, and encouraged involvement in literacy programs. Jim stated that, ‘ "Education and reading are lifelines to a world lived above margins. It opens the door to dreams and visions forever out of our grasp but for the key of reading. Our children are the greatest resource we will ever have and when we lament about not being able to give them more, we should grasp the opportunity to offer the world through reading."
The Allison Literacy Champions Program is developed based on peer-reviewed research, and expands on the Americorps program that has been successful in raising 90% of students to grade-level literacy in a year. The program’s success lies in the provision of on-site support and training to tutors by a literacy coordinator from Americorps for Community Engagement and Education (ACEE). Interested in tutoring an elementary student in reading? Contact Audrey Glaser at 637-0974 or aglaser@austinpartners.org.
Featured Volunteer
Leroy Nellis, Travis County’s Budget Manager, and a former Volunteer of the Year, mentors four students on a weekly basis, and tirelessly recruits volunteers, as anyone who has received his business or holiday card knows well. APIE’s new volunteers have increased by over 16% this year. We thank all our volunteers for caring, contributing, and making a difference. Thank you, Leroy, and all our volunteers.
Leroy has said that, “My mentorship creates in me a feeling of ‘giving back to the community’ and helping with some of the most challenging tasks faced by every community in America - better educating our economically disadvantaged students. It has developed in me a true sense of appreciation for our teachers who patiently teach our students day in and day out with very little public acknowledgment of their hard work. It dissolves the feeling of helplessness that often surrounds discussions of ‘What are we going to do with the current generation?’ “Those of us who have raised many children can recall when we have remarked that I wish our child would find something they are interested in and settle down in school. That is exactly what a mentor can provide for these students. Each of us can find one hour per week to make a big difference in a child's life. It is easy, flexible, and fun. There is no better way to increase the probability of a student succeeding in school than to volunteer as a mentor for a student who needs some additional attention. The feeling of accomplishment is second only to the appreciation received from the student, teachers, and school administrators. It always amazes me to see the effect of spending one hour per week with a student. As Dr. George E. Vaillant M.D., professor at Harvard Medical School says in his book, Aging Well, - relationships play an extremely important part in living a happy, healthy, and fulfilling life. “I know of no better way to form a meaningful relationship with a child than by volunteering as a mentor. Join me and thousands of other mentors in enjoying an hour a week with a student who can provide a meaningful relationship and brighten your week.”
Click here to sign up or contact Jennifer Bradford at 637-0973 or by email at jbradford@austinpartners.org.
Featured Program
Our featured program this month is Fulmore Middle School’s Mentoring Program.
Fulmore Middle School, a dynamic school that serves the students in its neighborhood and also houses the Humanities and Law Magnet for International Studies, is the site of Austin Partner's Mega-Mentoring program. Mentors are matched with students in a special get-to-know-you session, facilitated by a school counselor. A high support level, combined with ongoing focus group opportunities, make this program a positive experience for mentors. Big Brothers Big Sisters will provide support to students and mentors next year, and make students eligible for a scholarship upon graduation from high school.
The success of the program (there are close to 60 mentor-student pairs) has overwhelmed the available meeting space. Fulmore students and faculty have responded by developing a special garden meeting area. Opportunities are available to recognize a contributor or memorialize a loved one by sponsoring the purchase of a bench or table for lunchtime mentor visits. Donations in any amount are welcome, and naming levels range from $100 - Bench to $500 - Table to $2,000 - Garden. Because the furniture is graffiti-proof and of industrial quality, your name will be remembered in gratitude by generations of Fulmore students and mentors.
Click here to sign up or contact Jennifer Bradford at 637-0973 or by email at jbradford@austinpartners.org.
Dell TechKnow
APIE’s Technical Coordinator, Jeannette Sprague, helped Kevin Rollins, Dell CEO, publicize AISD’s Dell TechKnow Program, and launch Dell’s new customer service and community relations campaign, ‘Be the Reason’ to 2,500 Dell employees. Jeanette followed Mr. Rollins' presentation and spoke about AISD’s Dell TechKnow program and the effect that Dell employees have on AISD. Employees broke into applause upon hearing of the program and several employees approached Jeannette after the presentation to thank her for providing a customer viewpoint.
“We’re grateful to hear from our important customers.” said Amy Rathbun, Dell’s Account Executive for AISD, at the launch. “We’re proud that TechKnow Austin is our Flagship Program.”
With Jeannette’s help, Dell has expanded their Austin ISD program from 5 to 10 schools and will expand to include all 17 middle schools in Fall, 2005. A total of 20 students are expected to participate each semester from each school, increasing the number of students using computers at home by 680 students per year. Graduates are able to operate Microsoft software and manage computer hardware and software. In a follow-on program, TechCorps, students actually run a help desk for their school.
Contact Jeannette Sprague at 637-0977 or jsprague@austinpartners.org or click here for more information.
School Beautification
The Travis Community Education Foundation has worked for over a decade to help improve the appearance of a number of schools in AISD. It has created partnerships that have had a positive impact on satisfying technology needs, school renovation and beautification efforts. The Foundation’s philosophy is to create an environment of pride and community, believing that students will be more likely to learn in a beautiful environment. An effort to include parents, students and business partners in the community fosters a feeling of proud ownership. A school ‘makeover’ through freshly painted walls, installation of sprinklers and sidewalks, and fresh new plants helps rejuvenate tired campuses. Murchison, Akins, Allison, Brentwood, Bowie and other schools have benefited from these efforts. To learn more, click here.
Volunteer Corner
We invite volunteers to raise their interpersonal skills and trade experiences with their peers by participating in our Nationally Certified Development Program. Topics include learning styles, time management, group processes, multicultural diversity, and critical thinking. Click here for the current schedule. To register, please contact Linda Miracle at APIE at 637-0976 or by email at lmiracle@austinisd.org.
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