Hope ACADEMY Awarded $1,000 to LEAD a SERVICE-LEARNING campaign
NEW ORLEANS, LA - (April 19, 2010) – HOPE ACADEMY received a $1,000 award to launch a service-learning project that addresses [service issue]. Funded by State Farm Companies Foundation and allocated by Youth Service America (YSA), the project launched on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service, January 18, and culminated on Global Youth Service Day, April 23-25, the largest service event in the world.
This semester, Hope Academy 8th graders spoke in classrooms across the city with one clear message: Stay in school! Hope Academy is an elementary alternative school for expelled and previously incarcerated students. Our 8th graders have been inspirational public speakers in public schools in Orleans and Jefferson Parish—using their experiences and credibility to speak candidly with younger students at regular school settings about the consequences of not treating education seriously. Our project will culminate with a final classroom visit at Harney Elementary followed by a presentation to school leaders, principals, and Recovery School District administration focused on drop out awareness.
“Giving youth an opportunity to serve their communities is powerful,” said Steve Culbertson, YSA president and CEO. “But providing them the time and resources to investigate the causes and develop innovative solutions to critical issues gives children and youth an understanding of their own potential that will last a lifetime.” Culbertson continued, “State Farm understands this value and is the proven leader in promoting the important role service-learning plays in the lives of young people.”
“Over the past nine years, I have witnessed incredible initiatives developed from the State Farm Good Neighbor Service-Learning Grants,” said Ed Rust, Jr, State Farm chairman and CEO. “Young people want to impact their communities; they have the talent, desire, and leadership to make lasting changes.”
100 schools across the United States and in Canada received Good Neighbor grants. The youth-led service-learning initiatives will focus on a variety of issues - including hunger, homelessness, education, and environmental sustainability – and many of them will follow YSA’s Semester of Service framework that encourages students to spend at least 70 hours addressing meaningful community needs that are connected to academic standards.
“I am so proud of our 8th grade students at Hope Academy for inspiring young people in their communities to take action on drop out rates,” said project sponsor Philip Tizzani. “Our students are examples of children who have overcome obstacles to become huge success stories.”
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Hope Academy
Home of the Knights…
“Where Failure Is Not An Option”
New Orleans, Louisiana
Youth Service America (YSA) improves communities by increasing the number and the diversity of young people, ages 5-25, serving in substantive roles. Founded in 1986, YSA supports a global culture of engaged youth committed to a lifetime of service, learning, leadership, and achievement. The impact of YSA’s work through service and service-learning is measured in student achievement, workplace readiness, and healthy communities. For more information, visit www.YSA.org.
The State Farm Companies Foundation is a tax-exempt private foundation that was established in 1963 and is funded by State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company. State Farm Companies Foundation provides charitable support for K-12 public education initiatives that are national in scope in the areas of systemic improvement, service-learning, and teacher excellence. For more information about State Farm Companies Foundation, please visit www.statefarm.com/about/part_spos/part_spos.asp.
Global Youth Service Day is an annual campaign that celebrates and mobilizes the millions of children and youth who improve their communities each day of the year through service and service-learning. For more information, visit www.GYSD.org.