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Guest readers inspire students at Jessie Clark. See Article
here.
Building houses and good feelings. See Article here
EKU hosts America's Promise Kentucky Summit. See the Lexington Herald Leader article here.
America's Promise is a national not-for-profit organization dedicated
to improving the lives of our nation's more than 15 million at-risk youth.
America's Promise aims to provide these young people with access to the five America's Promise
Fundamental Resources needed in order for them to lead happy, healthy and productive lives:
- An ongoing relationship with a caring adult - mentor, tutor or coach;
- Safe places and structured activities during non-school hours;
- A healthy start;
- A marketable skill through effective education; and
- An opportunity to give back through community service.
America's Promise serves as a nationwide catalyst,
urging public, private and nonprofit organizations to focus their combined talents
and resources to improve the lives of our nation's at-risk youth. As a result, hundreds
of corporations, nonprofit organizations, philanthropic foundations, service providers,
communities, and national, state and local governments, have joined its nationwide alliance.
Eastern Kentucky University, in conjunction with
America's Promise, has committed to work in partnership with 15 rural Appalachian
school districts to provide fulfillment of the five basic promises.
Through the university's Student Service Consortium Center, Eastern Kentucky University
will implement several new programs impacting more than 5,000 youth in rural Kentucky.
The new programs range from the Book Buddies weekly reading companions and Art of Dance programs
in schools to participation in the Community Service Symposiums and Career Read, a weekly program
that connects students with books and speakers on a broad cross-section of careers.
"America's Promise provides another opportunity for Eastern Kentucky University
to expand partnerships with local schools that will provide meaningful
experiences for our students and enhance the education of thousands of Kentucky schoolchildren,"
said EKU President Bob Kustra.
SSCC Schools Participate in America's Promise Reading Program
Students at Model Laboratory and Daniel Boone Elementary
School in Richmond have been treated to a number of readers during the new America's
Promise Guest Reader Program, an innovation of the AmeriCorps/Student Service Consortium Center (SSCC)
in the college of Education at Eastern Kentucky University. "I didn't learn to read until sixth grade,"
said Mark Wasicsko, Dean of the College of Education at Eastern. "I learned late, but fortunately in time
to know how important literacy is." Dean Wasicsko, an Ameirca's Promise Guest Reader, hopes to encourage
students to read- and to think about a career as a teacher. The Guest Reader Program brings members of
the community into the schools to share information about their careers, as well as to share a good story.
The program began on October 18 across the SSCC
with the focus being on careers in education. "We asked readers to tell students
a little bit about their professions," said Whitaker, principal at Daniel Boone.
"So students got to learn a little more about different careers, too.
It has been shown throughout the years that it is beneficial to have someone read to children,"
Whitaker said. "The goal at Daniel Boone Elementary is to have all our primary students reading
at a higher level when they leave the primary level."
"Our AmeriCorps member Stacie Jarvis, has had a very strong
response from our teachers who have signed up to have their classes read to in the future,"
Whiaker said. "Jarvis, a first-year AmeriCorps member with Eastern's SSCC, coordinates the Guest
Reader Program activities for Model and Daniel Boone. She said guest readers are a big hit with students.
"They love it," she says. "They enjoy having someone in the school who is new and different."
"I am an avid reader and I will read to our children at the
drop of a hat," says Jackie Vance, Assistant Director at Model Laboratory School.
"It gives them a chance to meet new characters, see different genres and experience
different styles of literature." "With the children being introduced to people from
outside the school environment who are reading they can model those good reading strategies and habits,"
she said. "It gives us another avenue for involving the community in our program and it gives our students
another way to get to know different people from different settings," Vance says.
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