Guest Post by Lauren Costella, National Volunteer Coordinator
"All the flowers of tomorrow are the seeds of today." ~ Anonymous
Nancy Levy's passion for inspiring change and investing in education emerged early in life, thanks in part to a former grammar school teacher who told her class that "you shouldn't waste time, and when you do something have something to show for it."
At the time, these words were meant to inspire summertime projects for young students, but Nancy has taken them to heart her whole life. From her ten years as Board of Education chair to her work as President of the Windsor Locks (CT) Dollars for Scholars Chapter, she has made a lifelong effort to plant the seeds of student success by improving advocacy for, and access to, higher education.
Windsor Locks is a small town, literally; it takes up only twelve square miles. Many students do not come from affluent backgrounds, and many families see education as an impossible dream or luxury, instead of as an achievable reality and a necessary step for student and community success. During Nancy's decade on the Board of Education-a role taken on after all three of her children had finished high school-she helped cultivate a stronger community understanding about the importance of long-term educational investment, even from those without children in the school system. After ten years, though, she wanted a new challenge with more direct impact.
Windsor Locks Dollars for Scholars was a natural transition. The chapter not only represents a visible, positive movement for education, but also allows for immediate feedback from students impacted by receiving scholarship money. Nancy described one memorable example: "One student ... had received a scholarship to attend school, but because of family issues could not enroll until two years later. She asked if her scholarship was still available. Because our chapter holds scholarships for up to two years, we told her that she could still utilize that scholarship money. She was thrilled!" Moments like these keep Nancy inspired and reaffirms why she commits her time to volunteering for Windsor Locks Dollars for Scholars-her chapter can literally make the difference in whether a student continues school or not.
In addition, the chapter is working on more than just scholarships. In order to get students interested in college early, the local high school desperately wanted to bus all 8th and 9th graders to visit local campuses. Unfortunately, the cost was too much for them to take on, so Nancy and her chapter went to work fundraising for the program. A lot of hard work and $3,000 later, all of these 8th and 9th graders will be taking a local college tour. As Nancy explains, it's one of the projects that stemmed from the harmony between the high school and her chapter; thanks to good communication, listening and mutual respect, the two organizations function as complimentary partners rather than competing adversaries.
Nancy's relationship with high schools is only the beginning. She sees a need to develop such mutual respect throughout all of Windsor Locks, to help create successful students. This involves, among many other things, continuous work to recruit volunteers. (See below for some of Nancy's indispensable advice, as well as new recruitment materials from Dollars for Scholars.) Fortunately, though recruiting is never easy, Nancy's built a network of passionate contributors, some of whom have been around since the chapter's beginning eight years ago.
All of those volunteers know one thing: encouraging students to dream big has equally big payoffs, improving the community and contributing to a nationwide movement of higher education and success. But this effect only happens if the seeds of success are planted early, and that's why Nancy sees her chapter as a group of "community gardeners": "We are planting the seeds," she said. "Giving scholarships or being known in the community tells students that we care about them...we are telling students that we notice the work they have done, and we care about how they do."
With Windsor Locks Dollars for Scholars helping sow those seeds, students are reaping the benefits: big dreams, new opportunities, and, ultimately, educational success.
Why not donate today and help a chapter like Nancy's?
"All the flowers of tomorrow are the seeds of today." ~ Anonymous
Nancy Levy's passion for inspiring change and investing in education emerged early in life, thanks in part to a former grammar school teacher who told her class that "you shouldn't waste time, and when you do something have something to show for it."
At the time, these words were meant to inspire summertime projects for young students, but Nancy has taken them to heart her whole life. From her ten years as Board of Education chair to her work as President of the Windsor Locks (CT) Dollars for Scholars Chapter, she has made a lifelong effort to plant the seeds of student success by improving advocacy for, and access to, higher education.Windsor Locks is a small town, literally; it takes up only twelve square miles. Many students do not come from affluent backgrounds, and many families see education as an impossible dream or luxury, instead of as an achievable reality and a necessary step for student and community success. During Nancy's decade on the Board of Education-a role taken on after all three of her children had finished high school-she helped cultivate a stronger community understanding about the importance of long-term educational investment, even from those without children in the school system. After ten years, though, she wanted a new challenge with more direct impact.
Windsor Locks Dollars for Scholars was a natural transition. The chapter not only represents a visible, positive movement for education, but also allows for immediate feedback from students impacted by receiving scholarship money. Nancy described one memorable example: "One student ... had received a scholarship to attend school, but because of family issues could not enroll until two years later. She asked if her scholarship was still available. Because our chapter holds scholarships for up to two years, we told her that she could still utilize that scholarship money. She was thrilled!" Moments like these keep Nancy inspired and reaffirms why she commits her time to volunteering for Windsor Locks Dollars for Scholars-her chapter can literally make the difference in whether a student continues school or not.In addition, the chapter is working on more than just scholarships. In order to get students interested in college early, the local high school desperately wanted to bus all 8th and 9th graders to visit local campuses. Unfortunately, the cost was too much for them to take on, so Nancy and her chapter went to work fundraising for the program. A lot of hard work and $3,000 later, all of these 8th and 9th graders will be taking a local college tour. As Nancy explains, it's one of the projects that stemmed from the harmony between the high school and her chapter; thanks to good communication, listening and mutual respect, the two organizations function as complimentary partners rather than competing adversaries.
Nancy's relationship with high schools is only the beginning. She sees a need to develop such mutual respect throughout all of Windsor Locks, to help create successful students. This involves, among many other things, continuous work to recruit volunteers. (See below for some of Nancy's indispensable advice, as well as new recruitment materials from Dollars for Scholars.) Fortunately, though recruiting is never easy, Nancy's built a network of passionate contributors, some of whom have been around since the chapter's beginning eight years ago.
All of those volunteers know one thing: encouraging students to dream big has equally big payoffs, improving the community and contributing to a nationwide movement of higher education and success. But this effect only happens if the seeds of success are planted early, and that's why Nancy sees her chapter as a group of "community gardeners": "We are planting the seeds," she said. "Giving scholarships or being known in the community tells students that we care about them...we are telling students that we notice the work they have done, and we care about how they do."
With Windsor Locks Dollars for Scholars helping sow those seeds, students are reaping the benefits: big dreams, new opportunities, and, ultimately, educational success.
Why not donate today and help a chapter like Nancy's?
Heading to college? One of the first things you should learn -- and one of the things that often gets lost in the rush of admissions and financial aid and finishing high school -- is how to manage your money. Financial education basics can go a long, long way in making sure you or your student gets the most out of college while avoiding the traps that often leave students debt-ridden even before they graduate.
Scholarship America and the National Endowment for Financial Education recently published an updated edition of 40 Money Management Tips Every College Student Should Know, which covers everything from cutting expenses to building credit to making sure you get the most out of your school's room and board. It's a quick read, an excellent tool, and as essential to have around as a backpack and a bike lock.
To download the PDF of 40 Money Management Tips, you can head over to the appropriate section of NEFE's site, smartaboutmoney.org, and check out some of their other offerings while you're there. You can also download it directly by clicking here.
Scholarship America and the National Endowment for Financial Education recently published an updated edition of 40 Money Management Tips Every College Student Should Know, which covers everything from cutting expenses to building credit to making sure you get the most out of your school's room and board. It's a quick read, an excellent tool, and as essential to have around as a backpack and a bike lock.
To download the PDF of 40 Money Management Tips, you can head over to the appropriate section of NEFE's site, smartaboutmoney.org, and check out some of their other offerings while you're there. You can also download it directly by clicking here.
Shortly before being crowned Miss America, 2008 Miss Indiana Katie Stam paid a visit to South Dearborn Middle and High Schools to address the students on the importance of postsecondary education; her trip was coordinated by South Dearborn Dollars for Scholars.
Reporter Kyle Bentle was on the scene; the following is an excerpt from his article about Katie's visit:
Aurora got a little more glamorous Monday when Miss Indiana 2008 visited students at South Dearborn High School and Middle School.
Seymour native Katie Stam has made community service and volunteering her personal platform during her reign as Miss Indiana 2008. Since her crowning in June, she has been traveling around Indiana and speaking to students about getting involved with non-profit organizations in the community.
“We all have different talents,” Stam said. “I only have one life, one chance to make the biggest impact on as many people as possible. I want to reach out to so many people and influence their lives so much.” Stam said she hopes her message will get students excited and involved in helping their community.
The South Dearborn Dollars for Scholars brought Stam to South Dearborn in an effort to raise awareness among the students about the value of community service. Dollars for Scholars has been providing South Dearborn students with scholarships since 1991 and has awarded over $265,000 to 410 South Dearborn graduates. The scholarship applicants are graded on different criteria, with one of the main points being community service.
Last year Dollars for Scholars reached the goal of providing a scholarship for every student that applied, said Debbie Busching, South Dearborn Dollars for Scholars vice president.
Dr. Harley Robinson, South Dearborn Dollars for Scholars president, said that when he read that Stam’s personal platform was community service, he had to get her down to South Dearborn.
Stam said that she hoped she influenced the students on a personal level. She said that because of her age the students might connect better with her than with a teacher.
“Getting to speak to a group of high school students was especially special to me because I’m not much older than they are,” Stam said. “So I know what they’re going though and can relate to them on a different level.”
...
Stam [also] traveled to South Dearborn Middle School to speak with the students about making good decisions and volunteering.
“Love who you are and what you want to become,” Stam said. “Show the world who you are and be an example to everyone around you.”
Throughout the day, Stam kept the message of volunteering and community service at the forefront. “Get involved,” Stam said. “Community service is so much simpler than people make it out to be.”
...
Robinson announced that Dollars for Scholars would be creating a new scholarship in honor of Stam’s visit. Teachers will nominate one student from South Dearborn that shows outstanding commitment to community service. The $500 scholarship will be named the Miss Indiana Community Service Award.
Our thanks to Katie for her dedication, to Kyle for his reporting and to the dedicated volunteers at South Dearborn Dollars for Scholars.
If you'd like to explore just how the federal government is investing in children, head on over to ChildrensBudget.org, a project of First Focus and the America's Promise Alliance. The site is an incredibly thorough and user-friendly way of examining exactly how much federal money is being spent on youth- and education-related programs, and exactly what those programs are. You can also take a look at how funding for children compares to funding for other major areas, and see breaking news and trends in past budgets, look at the effect of the current economy on children, and create your own category to keep an eye on the programs you're most interested in.First Focus, and ChildrensBudget.org, are national bipartisan organizations, and the information on the site is extremely useful for parents, educators, financial aid professionals, or anyone interested in seeing just what Washington means when they talk about addressing the needs of young people.
Following up on his remark to Congress that "it will be the goal of this administration to ensure that every child has access to a complete and competitive education," President Obama's office today released a fact sheet outlining the administrations goals and objectives regarding education policy. The full release is available here, and it's well worth reading for anyone interested in American education. A brief excerpt:
"Providing a high-quality education for all children is critical to America’s economic future. Education has always been the foundation for achieving the American dream, providing opportunity to millions of American families, newcomers, and immigrants. Our nation’s economic competitiveness depends on providing every child with an education that will enable them to compete in a global economy that is predicated on knowledge and innovation.
"Progress toward this goal requires a race to the top to reform our nation’s schools. It requires holding schools accountable for helping all students meet world-class standards aligned to the demands of the 21st century workforce. It requires solutions for schools to close the achievement gap, and strategies to accelerate the learning of those that are the furthest behind. It requires new reforms to promote effective teaching and attract the best and brightest into the profession. It requires a national strategy to confront America’s persistent dropout crisis, and strengthen transitions to college and career."
The fact sheet goes on to outline goals in early education, K-12, "driving innovation" and "restoring America's leadership." Head on over to whitehouse.gov to read and share the full fact sheet.
"Providing a high-quality education for all children is critical to America’s economic future. Education has always been the foundation for achieving the American dream, providing opportunity to millions of American families, newcomers, and immigrants. Our nation’s economic competitiveness depends on providing every child with an education that will enable them to compete in a global economy that is predicated on knowledge and innovation.
"Progress toward this goal requires a race to the top to reform our nation’s schools. It requires holding schools accountable for helping all students meet world-class standards aligned to the demands of the 21st century workforce. It requires solutions for schools to close the achievement gap, and strategies to accelerate the learning of those that are the furthest behind. It requires new reforms to promote effective teaching and attract the best and brightest into the profession. It requires a national strategy to confront America’s persistent dropout crisis, and strengthen transitions to college and career."
The fact sheet goes on to outline goals in early education, K-12, "driving innovation" and "restoring America's leadership." Head on over to whitehouse.gov to read and share the full fact sheet.
While debt -- student loans, government deficits, personal debt -- may not be the world's most exciting subject, it is at the heart of much of the current global financial crisis. And Indebted a new site developed by MTV's college network, MTVu, in conjunction with the Peter G. Peterson Foundation, aims to provide a simple and stark look at just how much debt is out there -- and how it affects college students.
Below is a 30-second, animated introductory video; the Indebted site also features a half-hour documentary, I.O.U.S.A., some basic facts on student and government debt, and will soon also contain a debt-reduction video game, produced by a Lehigh University student for the site's Indebted Digital Challenge game-design contest.
Check out the video by clicking the image, and visit Indebted.com for much more; it's an excellent resource for students, teachers and parents alike to examine what national debt and a struggling economy mean for the future of education.
Below is a 30-second, animated introductory video; the Indebted site also features a half-hour documentary, I.O.U.S.A., some basic facts on student and government debt, and will soon also contain a debt-reduction video game, produced by a Lehigh University student for the site's Indebted Digital Challenge game-design contest.
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