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Media Coverage of Citizen Schools and the After-School/Out-of-School Time Sector:
The Importance of Right-brain Thinking in Education GOOD Magazine January 29, 2010 I signed up to teach through a remarkable organization called Citizen Schools. Citizen
Schools is a national organization that provides figurative scaffolding for
people like me who want to teach (in the form of helping with lesson plans,
sourcing materials and, thank heavens, classroom behavior management).
Professionals and hobbyists can literally teach anything they know using the
tools provided by Citizen Schools.
Staying after is fun at Citizen Schools South Coast Today January 5, 2010 When the final bell rings at the end of the day, a lot of middle school students can't get out the door fast enough. For those involved in the Citizen Schools program, it's a completely different story. "This program is awesome," said Dylan Trombly, a sixth grade student and participant in the Citizen Schools program at Keith Middle School. "You learn about all sorts of new stuff you wouldn't know about if you just went home and watched TV."
The challenge of STEM education The Educated Guess January 4, 2010 Stephanie
Couch, program director for the California STEM Innovation Network,
observed the truism that schools teach to what they measure. Students
are given statewide STAR tests in science only in fifth grade. It's no
coincidence then that a Bay Area study found that K-5 teachers spend
less than an hour per week teaching science. Kids must have the time
and the tools to experiment and develop a passion for science and
engineering. In the near term, that will probably have to take place in
after-school programs. Citizen Schools... brings in volunteer engineers
and scientists to engage middle schoolers in hands-on learning.
Kids learn rocket science through special schools program Fox News, Boston December 27, 2009 If
science and math were not your favorite subjects as a kid, you're not
alone. But imagine if you were taking rocket science as a sixth grader.
That's a reality for some Boston school kids, and thanks to their
teacher it's pretty fun. Dr. David Mantus of Cubist Pharmaceuticals,
volunteers his time to get the sixth graders at the Edwards Middle
Schools in Charlestown excited about science.
Living the dream at United for Success Academy NBC, San Fransisco December 21, 2009 For MLK Day 2010, Citizen Schools and the United for Success Academy welcome community volunteers to participate in "Living the Dream" - an afternoon where volunteers work with middle school students on a series of projects including re-organizing the school library, cleaning the walls of the school, and decorating bulletin boards. Facilitated by Citizen Schools staff, volunteers will work in small groups with students to make needed improvements to United for Success Academy and share their own thoughts on age-appropriate ways students can apply Dr. King's ideals of equity and justice in their daily lives.
SouthPark mall's Belk hosts young designers, models Carolina Weekly December 11, 2009 Shoppers at Belk at SouthPark mall Dec. 8 may have glimpsed the future of fashion, as Eastway Middle School students modeled hot trends and showcased their passion for fashion at the Citizen Schools WOW! event. During the apprenticeship students studied fashion trends, careers and what it takes to make and sell the latest designs, in a scaled-down simulation of the hit TV show, "Project Runway."
Students produce Biodiesel at VGCC VGCC News December 11, 2009 Henderson Middle Schools students were recently producing biodiesel fuel on the main campus of the Vance-Granville Community College, as part of a partnership that has developed between the college's Bioprocess Technology program and the Citizen Schools after-school program at the middle school. VGCC's two-year Bioprocess Technology degree program is designed to prepare individuals to work as Process Operators in biological products manufacturing facilities.
STEM education: How Tufts students can help The Tufts Daily December 11, 2009 Next spring, the Experimental College (ExCollege) will kickoff an inaugural course with Citizen Schools, a national non-profit organization, to give Tufts students the chance to improve science education firsthand. As part of the ExCollege course, students will develop and implement a STEM curriculum in their own once-weekly, after-school apprenticeship taught at a local middle school. This ExCollege course, entitled: "Teach What You Love: Become a Citizen Teacher," is designed to bring students from a variety of disciplines together to find creative ways to engage middle schools students in an educational endeavor.
Teens go for green at lake cleanup The Daily Texan December 11, 2009 As volunteers gathered trash at the lake, students from Kealing and Bedichek Middle Schools presented information about how pollution impacts the environment. The students learned the information through Keep Austin Beautiful's Green Teens environmental education program, which partnered with the Citizen Schools organization at the two middle schools.
Kids become Iron Chefs to learn about nutrition NBC 17 November 15, 2009 Students in Durham are taking part in the Citizen Schools after school program. It's part of a 6 week curriculum called Operation Frontline and is partnered with groups like the Foodbank of Central and Eastern North Carolina and the Interfaith Food Shuttle in Raleigh. "Each week the kids get to take home a bag of food that had the ingredients," said Kelly Warnock, a nutritionist with Durham County. "So they got to go home and show their parents how to cook the recipe for that week."
Citizen Schools 'Choice' times at Salemwood The Salemwood Reporter December 3, 2009 Garcelle Renaud shares her new skills and talent for writing in this article
from the Salemwood Reporter, which is a product of her journalism
apprenticeship. Renaud reports on the exciting Choice Time students are given during program throughout the week and how it enriches her after school time with engaging activities, social time and service learning.
Citizen Schools makes learning fun The Salemwood Reporter December 3, 2009 Sophia
Pierre shares her new skills and talent for writing in this article
from the Salemwood Reporter, which is a product of her journalism
apprenticeship. Pierre reports on the fun and excitement surrounding her after school program with Citizen Schools.
Students become 'Citizen' journalists The Malden Observer December 3, 2009 Calling their newspaper the Salemwood Reporter, the
students from the Salemwood Middle School in Malden, MA dedicated their afternoon once a week to analyzing news, learning the
elements of a news story, practicing interviewing and eventually going out into
their school to report on the stories that mattered to them. "With a lot of hard work, the students put together their own stories to create
this newspaper," said Citizen Teacher and editor of the Malden Observer, Natalie Miller. "I am very proud of all the students; their eagerness to learn,
thoughtful participation and passion for their work are truly inspirational."
Outreach in the Age of
Pullback The New York
Times November 11, 2009 "Sometimes just as you
prove your success, people in the funding world, both government and
foundations, will pull back and say, “We’re on to the next idea,’ ” said Mr.
Schwarz, who runs Citizen Schools, a Boston-based nonprofit that provides
creative after-school programs in 20 districts, including Newark, Houston and
Charlotte, N.C. “With this, we could potentially grow to new communities. It’s a
great idea."
How to Move Beyond the DIY Transition to Encore
Careers BusinessWeek November 11, 2009 Gina Cassinelli was
lucky enough to take advantage of an Encore Fellowship, essentially an
internship for grown-ups, being piloted in Silicon Valley. She spent the past
year working for Citizen Schools, an entrepreneurial nonprofit that provides
apprenticeships for young people led by volunteer "citizen teachers."
'Citizen'
Journalists, Ages 10 to 13 The Daily
Dispatch November 11, 2009 Have you ever been
guilty of saying that today’s kids are alienated, uneducated and unmotivated?
You aren’t part of Citizen Schools. You haven’t met our kids. You could learn a
lot from them.
Leaders and Laggards: A State-By-State Report Card of
Education Innovation Center for American
Progress November
9, 2009 Other independent ventures have also devised promising
approaches to important challenges, including Citizen Schools, EdisonLearning,
The New Teacher Project, K12 Inc., Blackboard Inc., Wireless Generation, Teach
for America, and New Leaders for New Schools.
Celebrating a New Future for the Edison
School The Allston-Brighton
Tab September 11, 2009 Citizen Schools
partners sixth- through eight-graders with local community leaders in
apprenticeships. Whether they learn from members of a law firm or a Bollywood
instructor, students will take lessons twice a week in their chosen professional
field.
Program Brings 'Citizen Teachers' Into Classroom at
Henderson Middle School The Daily
Dispatch September 4, 2009 As Henderson Middle
School students begin to settle into their new class schedules and finish up
buying this year’s school supplies, some Henderson community members are gearing
up to teach students what they know. These are not classroom teachers — they are
“citizen teachers,” volunteers who teach kids about their own profession or life
experience.
At Your Service Harvard
Magazine September & October 2009 Issue An entrepreneur in
high-tech ventures who began his career as an engineer for the Apollo program,
Helies teaches astronomy to middle-schoolers through Citizen Schools, a
Boston-based organization that runs after-school enrichment programs around the
nation with volunteer teachers—many of whom are retired professionals over the
age of 50.
Cool Ways to Give Back AARP The
Magazine September & October 2009 Issue Inspire a Middle
Schooler: Serve up the lowdown on finance, gardening, rocket science—whatever
your expertise may be—and expose disadvantaged students to career
possibilities.
A Day in the Life: Family Engagement in Citizen
Schools Harvard Family Research
Project August
2009 Emily
Schneider-Krzys, the Deputy Program Director of Citizen Schools in Texas,
explains how the Citizen Schools program's focus on creating networks, building
intentional relationships, and establishing consistent communication helps to
engage families and support student learning.
Citizen Schools Ramps Up STEM Efforts in Bay
State Boston Business
Journal July 24,
2009 With
industries in Massachusetts suffering from a shortfall in local workers educated
in math and science, some 200 business and university representatives convened
Tuesday evening at Harvard University to brainstorm on ways to shift the
tide.
10 Unique Ways to Help
Others WomansDay.com June 2, 2009 Reducing dropout rates by getting kids excited about
learning is a major goal of Citizen Schools.
White House Creates Office of
Innovation NPR - Morning
Edition May 28,
2009 Citizen Schools Co-Founder & CEO, Eric Schwarz, is
interviewed about the White House Office of Social Innovation and Civic
Participation. He talks about the Social Innovation Fund and how it might
impact nonprofits.
Citizen Schools Teaches 2nd Graders
Safety Home in
Henderson May 15,
2009 "On April 24, 2009, twelve
students from Henderson Middle School’s Citizen Schools program went to E. M.
Rollins Elementary School to teach what they had learned about safety to the
second grade classes."
Students and Volunteers Give Rogers School a
Facelift The Hyde Park
Bulletin May 14,
2009 "Last Thursday, 100 employees
from Fidelity Investments joined 60 students from the Rogers Middle School in
Hyde Park and spent a day painting, planting and refurbishing several rooms in
the school’s building in a beautification effort to enhance learning. Citizen
Schools, a non-profit education program that supports after school programs at
across the country, coordinated the project."
Sneakers Give a Run at Global
Warming Boston.com May 13, 2009 "This spring, 12 McCormack Middle School students in
Dorchester spent the first half of an eleven-week project learning about the
science, impact and potential solutions to manmade climate change, in an
afterschool program organized by the non-profit Citizen Schools and The Canary
Project."
$50 Million Social Innovation Fund to Target Education,
Health, Economy The Nonprofit
Times May 6, 2009 "The fund will:
Identify and support evaluation and scaling of innovative, promising ideas, such
as, Harlem Children’s Zone, YouthVillages, Nurse-Family Partnership, and Citizen
Schools."
N.J. After-school Programs Could Disappear Under Budget
Cuts Star-Ledger May 5, 2009 "After-school activities are not immune to the recession and
the state's budget problems, and programs could shrink or disappear in September
for some 4,000 New Jersey children under new proposals."
Students Mix, Perform Own
Beats The Daily Texan May 4, 2009 "The goal is to provide students at Austin’s Kealing and
Bedichek middle schools the chance to develop technical and artistic skills
while working side-by-side with local professionals in the hip-hop
industry."
Supporting the Helping
Habit Boston Globe March 23, 2009 "As early as today, the US Senate can give final approval to
the largest expansion in national service since President Kennedy inspired the
creation of VISTA and the Peace Corps...It provides grants to small start-ups,
to encourage the sort of social entrepreneurship that germinated organizations
like Citizen Schools, Jumpstart, YouthBuild, and City Year - which began in
Boston."
Girl Scouts Shake Up the
Recipe Boston Globe March 21, 2009 "They've launched new programs that tap into relevant issues
of the day, including "Project Re- Runway," a joint after-school apprenticeship
with Citizen Schools in New Bedford and a national collaboration with Microsoft
on Internet safety and social networking."
House Votes to Expand National Service
Programs NPR - All Things
Considered March 19,
2009 Hear
what Citizen Schools Co-Founder & CEO, Eric Schwarz, has to say about what
this legislation would mean for Citizen Schools and the students we
serve.
A Front Row Seat: "Change" Winner Goes to
Inauguration The Case Foundation
Blog February 10,
2009 "We
ended up with Gerald, a 23-year-old 'citizen teacher' and mentor
at Citizen Schools, who has worked with Boston-based students on numerous
projects, including developing an award-winning documentary on gang
violence."
Picking Up Performance When the School Day
Ends Edutopia January 28, 2009 "Citizen Schools Overview: After-school mentors can keep
middle school kids from dropping out."
MLK Day of
Service 2009 Good Magazine
Online January 20,
2009 "BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS:Citizen Schools worked with local
students to draft letters to President-elect Obama."
Citizen Schools Aid Wins Inauguration
Tix Boston Business Journal (and Triangle Business
Journal) January 19,
2009 "The
Case Foundation has selected Gerald Jimenez, a Citizen Schools volunteer and
Boston resident, as the winner of its 'Change Begins With Me' campaign, a civic
engagement project created to channel inauguration excitement into community
action."
Obama's Call for Community Service Inspires Middle School
Students Washington
Times January 19,
2009 "For a
group of middle-school students in Boston, the impending presidency
of Barack Obama has left them with the belief they will play a part in making a
better future."
The Double Payoff of a Stimulus Plan for
Nonprofits Boston
Globe January 15,
2009 "Amidst the escalating demand for a federal stimulus package
to rescue what seems like a new industry every day (first the financial sector,
then autos, then steel), little attention has been paid to stimulating the
nonprofit sector."
Citizen Schools Wants Your
Vote WBZ-TV Boston January 13, 2009 "A local group is hoping to get your vote on the grassroots
Web site Change.org. Dawn Hasbrouck has more on Citizen Schools."
Group Hopes Obama Gets Its Message on
Education Boston
Herald January 11,
2009 "One local nonprofit is hoping to catch President-elect
Barack Obama’s ear on Inauguration Day and The Critical Years The New York Times 2006-2007 Articles in this series look at changing theories of how middle school should be taught.
A healthy race for the future The Boston Sunday Globe: City Weekly May 27, 2007 "Some of the money we're raising today will help the center, and some will go to a college scholarship for a Citizen Schools student. This is the sort of thing we need more of in the city, not all the violence we keep on seeing."
Business-suited philanthropists The Financial Times May 22, 2007 "At the height of the internet boom, venture capitalists and entrepreneurs, disappointed with the failures of traditional charity, started a new philanthropic movement."
Kennedy Middle Schoolers Showcase 21st-Century Skills Citizen Schools May 10, 2007 In addition to acting, Brandi and her fellow middle schoolers are working closely with the film's director, Debbie Heimowitz, to research the topic, write a script, and make choices about costumes and makeup.
Bow wow WOW! Citizen Schools May 2, 2007 For the past ten weeks, Kennedy Middle School in Redwood City has been home to a new breed of student—several new breeds, in fact. Chihuahuas, Shelties, and an English Bulldog are just a few of the "students" taking part in Dog Training for Kids, a once-weekly class on dog obedience and care.
Saved by the (Later) Bell The Boston Globe April 29, 2007 "Since the No Child Left Behind Act was signed into law five years ago, school administrators have struggled to meet its federal performance mandates by tinkering with curriculum, textbooks, technology, and staffing, trying to figure out how to produce more learning from the same six-hour day. Now, using state-funded ELT grants, the 10 schools in Boston, Cambridge, Fall River, Malden, and Worcester are finally able to move beyond the usual time limitations."
A Mass. call to service The Boston Globe: Opinion April 12, 2007 "School districts can use Commonwealth Corps members to launch and expand service learning initiatives in which K-12 students take their first steps along the path of service."
Learning in the afternoons The Boston Globe: Opinion March 18, 2007 "Students often use after-school hours to work or unwind. But the nation must spend these hours more wisely, using them to help students excel so that they have a better shot at competing in the global economy."
8th Grade Academy Middle Schoolers Host 2nd Annual CD Release Bash Citizen Schools February 7, 2007 Last fall, when Gavin Middle School student Hyacynth Dixon embarked on a project of putting together a CD to sell and raise money for college, she was all about the music. Ask her about it now, and she'll show you a detailed business plan on the CD's content, production, and marketing. The music is fun, but comes second to these young business people who participate in 8th Grade Academy, an after-school program created by Citizen Schools.
Boston-based Citizen Schools Returns to Hamilton Hamilton College News February 2007 "Each visit is dedicated to giving students a passion for college that will motivate them to succeed in high school and successfully transition to college."
Citizen Schools: An After-Hours Adventure Education Week January 17, 2007 "Andrea said she first thought about a career in medicine after watching a physician care for her grandmother, taking her blood pressure and performing a variety of other tests. Mr. Delatte, 31, and other volunteers from Harvard lead her and other students through numerous presentations and activities on medical topics. At the end of the semester, the volunteers helped students make 'Wow' presentations, creating posters on HIV/AIDS, diabetes, and the effect of drugs on the brain."
Kennedy addresses school reform at the Center for American Progress American Chronicle January 9, 2007 "Talented recent college graduates will be recruited as Americorps volunteers... to serve as a resource in schools seeking to expand the school program to include enrichment activities tied to the school's curriculum."
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