Parent Involvement in Student Success - Just 3 More!

My daughter attends Peoria's Frontier Elementary School and while Frontier was recently a Highly Excelling school under the old system, Frontier earned a B rating through the new school evaluation program. To get an A, Frontier needed only 3 more points.

So, dedicated parents led by Cory Underhill are now working with the school administration, PTSO, teachers, and students on the Just 3 More campaign to help students improve performance and earn an A for their school. Engaging more people in campus initiatives and classrooms, encouraging students, supporting teachers, decorating the neighborhood with signs of support, providing incentives, increasing tutoring, and raising expectations are all part of the vision. What are your best ideas for improving education? Is there a student or a school you could assist in some way? Students and schools need caring adults willing to share time and talent.

While some are content talking about what is wrong with our schools, this is a great example of individuals getting involved, taking action, and making a positive difference. Here is a link to Channel 5's coverage of this GOOD NEWS story:

http://www.kpho.com/story/16997034/parents-organize-motivational-campaign-to-encourage-school

A quote to share:

"A hundred years from now it will not matter what my bank account was, the sort of house I lived in, or the kind of car I drove . . . . but the world maybe different because I was important in the life of a child." -- Kathy Davis

The current answers about well-being

The people of Gallup Press keep giving us what I consider the best of popular, strength-based non-fiction and they have done it again. If you wonder about "happiness", I still recommend reading Authentic Happiness by Martin Seligman and if you want to learn about how you can increase your sense of "well-being", then the new book by Tom Rath and Jim Harter is a must read, too.

The title of the book is Well Being: The five essential elements. Those elements include: social, financial, career, physical and community well-being. I often make the comment that some authors turn what-should-be-a-brochure into a book, but this book makes the most of every page so all of the text is likely to be worth your time.

As with others in the StrengthsFinder series, each book comes with a code so that you can access the online Wellbeing Finder. After answering a series of questions, you will receive summaries of your current levels of wellbeing based on this model. You can continue to retake the Wellbeing Finder for six months and you are offered options for reminders that can help facilate your action plan for improved wellbeing. Is this of interest to you?

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Lunch with Lita

Today I enjoyed lunch with Lita ~ and because she is so inspiring to me, I want to make an initial introduction ...

Lita is vivacious (understatement!) and she has many talents that she generously offers in matters of faith and through a variety of humanitarian efforts. Lita works for the Arizona Ecumenical Council (AEC): a "collaborative coalition of Christian churches and religious organizations who pray, worship and study together in order in order to discover ways to express unity and not division" (http://www.aecunity.net/).

One story that Lita shared with me today comes from her son's childhood; I think it can be viewed as faith in action demonstrated through love in action. When he was about eight, his classroom had a tradition of sitting in a circle and telling stories about what happened over their weekends. The children passed around a stuffed animal to signify who was speaking ~ the other children were to stay in their places and listen.

On one Monday morning, the class was sitting in their circle when a little girl began to cry. She told the group that her step-mom had died; the family woke up in the morning and her step-mom remained motionless, lifeless. All in the circle sat stunned in collective silence ~

all except for one little boy who got up,

moved across the circle and

comforted the crying young girl by

putting his arm around her shoulder.

That is love.

Thank you, Lita, for your son's story and thank you for the work you do in our community and through the AEC ~

Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set a good example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity. 1st Timothy 4:12

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Earth Day Anniversary

Today is the 40th anniversary of Earth Day. While there is more carbon dioxide in our environment than in 1970, we are breathing cleaner air and swimming in cleaner rivers.

Senator Gaylord Nelson created Earth Day in the spring of 1970 and Congress passed legislation creating the The Environmental Protection Agency that December. The EPA's mission is to protect human health and the environment. Since 1970 the organization has been "working for a cleaner, healthier environment for the American people".

In 1995 President Clinton presented the former Senator with the Presidential Medal of Honor. Senator Gaylord Nelson passed away in 2005 at the age of 89.

As my daughter has taught me ...

Recycle

Reuse

Reduce

and Remember !

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Pass this book on ... need a passport?

For my birthday, my Texan sister-in-law sent me Half the Sky: Turning oppression into opportunity for women worldwide by Pulitzer Prize winners Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn. For us in the United States who are not (yet) world travelers to Africa and Asia, this book is one that has a chance to broaden your worldview and move you to action.

The real-world content includes graphic & disturbing examples of how girls and women are treated in some cultures and it also shares stories of heroism and the commitment of individual aid workers in remote villages. As you read this text, you are likely to gasp with horror and then cry with hope and inspiration - I did.

After completing the book, I know that many of you will want to make a difference and the authors make it easy by providing you with a list of aid organizations to support. Since the authors also challenge us to visit villages of the world so that we can understand and serve more effectively, now is an ideal time to get a passport. In May prices go up by $35 per person.

My family is currently focused on serving members of our local community but I believe that globalization has already made us part of a global community; isolationism is no longer an option. As members of that larger community, we ought to do something.

I am only one, but I am one.
I can’t do everything, but I can do something.
What I can do, I ought to do.
And, by the grace of God, I will do.
- author unknown

Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide

Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn

Make a Difference Locally

http://www.trendsettersthrougheducation.org/

support service learning and leadership in an after-school program (my mom and I are part of this)

http://www.affcf.org/

support foster children by providing them grants for things that the government cannot provide/show them that caring adults really are thinking of them (Raoul is part of this)

Make a Difference Internationally

http://www.ijm.org/ support International Justice Mission ~ this Christian-based organization fights sex trafficking

http://www.kiva.org/ support an entrepreneur in a developing country through Kiva ~ you can even give someone a gift certificate as a gift!

http://www.penniesforpeace.org/ Greg Mortenson's group that provides education in Pakistan and Afghanistan - some of the Trendsetters (Trendsetters through Education above) are collecting pennies to help build schools and purchase school supplies

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Fresh Start Women's Foundation

There is an amazing place ... a place just for women in the center of Phoenix. Fresh Start Women's Foundation and the Women's Resource Center is available for any woman ready to improve an aspect of life; whether you are surviving or abundantly thriving, this organization may offer just want you want or need.

Here is a list that summarizes what Fresh Start offers:

Personal Development

Education Series (e.g. financial fitness, life skills, personal growth, relationships etc.)

Family Law Support Services

Library Services

Career Services

Self Esteem

Support Groups

Mentoring

If you are looking for a place to volunteer or make a donation (money? professional clothing?), please also consider Fresh Start. One of the things I love about this organization is that it provides us with local opportunities to both serve and grow. I learn on many visits to Fresh Start and I also volunteer once a month as a Career Coach.

How can you assist?

What do you want/need?

To find out more about Fresh Start Women's Foundation and the Women's Resource Center:

http://www.fswf.org/

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Free Coffee at Starbucks for VOLUNTEERS - Are you IN?

Through January 25th (Sunday), if you pledge FIVE (5) hours of volunteer service you can go to Starbucks & say "I'm in!" ... the barista will give you a complimentary tall brewed coffee. Visit the Starbucks website for more information and to print your pledge form & badge (http://www.starbucks.com/).


If you want some ideas for volunteering:

1) donate blood to the American Red Cross (I'll tell you more about this in another post!)
http://www.redcross.org/


2) help gather non-perishable food donations & help stock shelves at your local food bank
http://www.secondharvest.org/


3) contact the United Way or your local Volunteer Center about volunteer opportunities
http://www.liveunited.org/
http://www.pointsoflight.org/


5) visit the Starbucks website and follow their links to the "search by zipcode" option
www.starbucks.com
*** you may be inspired to give more than five hours by the flash intro with music that announces this grass roots campaign!


Thanks Starbucks & willing volunteers!